2005.1.68

Vanessa Jeong of McKinley School, San Leandro, holding a noisemaker/rattle and leading parade. From notes written on back of photo: "McKinley School -- Chinese Dragon Parade -- Vanessa Jeong in the Parade." See below of text of story also pasted on back. Vanessa Jeong is shown in close up looking at the camera. Her tongue is visible between her persed lips. She is wearing a long sleeve sweatshirt-like top with a snowman on the front and matching pants. In her left hand is a noisemaker. It is a large and shiny orb on a slender handle. Extending for seveal inches below the orb on the handle is a white cord tied around it. To her left is a large paper "dragon". To the left of the dragon is probably another person as another noisemaker is visible. On a display board at the left side of the photo are three holiday bells. Story pasted on back of photo: "SCALED DOWN DRAGON by The Tribune news services CHINESE NEW YEAR descended upon San Leandro this week, as 58 second-graders, dragon-danced through the halls of McKinley Elementary School in a swirl of color, noise and laughter. "The dragon dance, a traditional Chinese celebration of the lunar New Year holiday was the brainstorm of two teachers, Patty Hayes and Karla Ball, who decided that partifipating in the rituals of other cultures is much more interesting than merely reading about them. "The children were divided into working groups to create individual sections of the 50-foot-long dragon using pasteboard, streamers, paper pie plates and just about anything else that could be scrounged up. "Construction of the actual dragon took about a week, Hayes said. "Above, Holly Amaya leds as the serpant's head. At right, Janessa Jeong guies the dragon with a noisemaker."

From white file folder Chinese Americans

Used: Oakland Tribune