It is the Lunar New Year, the occasion all children, adults and the senior citizens have been waiting for. Houses in town are decorated in red, which symbolizes fire and the South. The colour red also carries a largely positive connotation, being associated with courage, loyalty, honor, success, fortune, fertility, happiness, passion, and summer.

In Cempaka, we had our very own Chinese New Year assembly hosted by emcees Soon Sher May and Alia Sufrina, and it appeared to be a very spirited one indeed.

It started off with primary students with reddish coloured Cheong-Sams assembled around the foyer singing, cheering, clapping and creating a very, very joyous atmosphere to welcome our beloved Datin Freida, the founder of Cempaka Schools, and Dr Rizal, the Chairman of Cempaka Schools as they made their way towards the school.

As they made their way to the hall, they were greeted by the students. The first performance was the Oriental version of the school song sung by our very own Secondary “Cempaka Voices”. Up next, a talented little girl, Abigail Chew, dressed in a very adorable ensemble of Cheong-Sam sang a version of “Welcoming the Spring” and other songs with her elegant voice. After that, two other secondary students, Jamie Kok and Leong An Gie took the stage and played the traditional Chinese harp. The songs featured one of the CPAC teachers, Mr Chor on the Chinese flute. The following performance was a dance by seven members of the Secondary Cempaka Dance Ensemble and a short song-and-dance by the primary choir. Subsequently, another adorable dance performance was presented by six members of the Primary Dance Ensemble as they danced with their multi-coloured umbrellas and costumes. Then, Cempaka Voices took to the stage again with a song, entitled “Love in the Meadow”.

After all these magnificent performances by young talented Cempakans, everyone was truly filled with the Chinese New Year spirit and very excited about the upcoming holidays. Soon after, Datin Freida delivered her speech, the reception students were each given a mandarin orange. The ceremony ended with the tossing of the customary “Yee Sang” by Datin Freida, Dr Rizal, principles and a few teachers on stage. The students made their way to their respective classes and the assembly was said to be by far the best Chinese New Year assembly yet.