A Table Built From Dumplings; Chinese Class Spreads Unity at Jericho High School

BY ANNIE ZHOU ’26

Flour dusted the tables, hands worked side by side, and conversations overlapped as students at Jericho High School gathered to make dumplings for the Chinese New Year. What started as a class activity soon became a shared table built from food, tradition, and the idea of tuan yuan, or reunion. 

For a while, the classroom felt less like school and more like a place to come together. 

This dumpling making happened during Ms. Han’s Chinese class at Jericho High School, with students working in small groups around each table. Ms. Han guided everyone through the culinary steps, handing out dumpling wrappers and different fillings. Paper plates and small cups of water helped seal the dumplings, and students quickly began folding, pinching, and trying out different shapes.

No two dumplings looked the same. Some were neatly folded, while others were uneven or loosely sealed. The different shapes reflected the variety of students at the table, each bringing their own background and way of doing things. Laughter filled the room as students compared dumplings, shared tips, and joked about whose looked the most “authentic.” When the dumplings were ready, Ms. Han collected them to cook. 

The class enjoyed both boiled and pan-fried dumplings, giving everyone a chance to try different styles of this traditional cuisine. While the food cooked, the classroom SMART Board projected clips from last year’s Spring Festival Gala, while traditional music and performances played in the background, making the room feel festive and lively.

Ms. Han encouraged students to share the celebration outside the classroom, too, encouraging students to give dumplings to teachers and friends, and wish them a Happy New Year. During class, several teachers stopped by to try the dumplings, adding to the feeling of openness and shared celebration.

Dumplings have a special meaning during the Chinese New Year. Their shape looks like ancient Chinese gold ingots, which stand for wealth and good luck in the coming year. Families usually make dumplings together on New Year’s Eve, sitting around a table, talking, and working as they welcome the new year. For many, the importance of dumplings is not just in the food but in the time spent together making them.

Ms. Han said the idea for class dumpling-making comes from the concept of tuan yuan, or reunion. “In Chinese culture, making dumplings is a time-honored tradition meant to bring families together on New Year’s Eve,” she said. She explained that making dumplings is one of the most well-known Chinese New Year traditions, especially in northern China, and that working together makes it even more meaningful in class. Ms. Han also hopes students connect more deeply with the language through hands-on experience, since these activities create memories that go beyond what they learn from textbooks.

By the end of class, students sat together eating dumplings, talking, and sharing what they thought of the food. Making and sharing dumplings turned the classroom into a place of connection and cultural exchange, creating not just food but continued tradition and community as they celebrated the New Year together.