By Amy Roper-East Point Academy – Photos by Ashley Sturkie/Amy Roper

East Point Academy in West Columbia has been abuzz with activity as the school and community celebrates
Chinese New Year and the ringing in of the Year of the Dog.

The celebration kicked off with the sixth annual Chinese New Year Celebration and Auction on February 9, 2018
at the River Center at Saluda Shoals Park. East Point business partners, friends, families and staff shared a
special evening which highlighted to significant accomplishments of the school while celebrating Chines New
Year.

The event included an authentic Chinese dinner, a live band, dancing and entertainment from traditional
Chinese performers. The centerpiece of the event was a silent auction that raised over $30,000 to be used
toward a new playground, educational enrichment and school operations. Auction items varied from small
student made pieces to sports collectables to vacation packages. There was something for everyone.

“It was an absolutely amazing night for the East Point family! Our parents and staff worked so hard to make this
a special night and all their efforts paid-off. The River Center has never looked more beautiful, the food was
delicious and the entertainment was terrific. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful group of staff and
parents supporting EPA,” said East Point Academy Head of School Mark Bounds.

The following evening, East Point students wowed the attendees at the Chinese Cultural Association New Year
Gala. The students performed four traditional Chinese dances, showed the crowd a video featuring East Point
Academy and demonstrated their skills speaking in Mandarin. Dance teacher Mr. Yinghao Dong said, “I was so
proud of our students. They danced great and represented our school very well. It was wonderful to show how
we infuse Chinese culture and language into our school.”

Later in the week, festivities continued with a Chinese New Year parade and assembly. Student dancers,
performers and activity groups paraded down Leaphart St., dressed in traditional Chinese attire and school spirit
wear. Immediately following the parade, guest experienced the beauty and artistry of Chinese culture as
students from every grade level perform in the school wide Chinese New Year Assembly. Performances included
traditional Chinese dance and drum routines, Mandarin choral performances, a play performed in Mandarin and
musical numbers. The program included the world primer of the newly composed East Point Academy Alma
Mater.

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the most important and most widely
celebrated holiday in China. It is a time for family celebrations, honoring ancestors and wishing luck and good
fortune in the year to come. Chinese New Year begins with the new moon that occurs between the end of
January and the end of February and it lasts until the full moon arrives with the Festival of Lanterns.

East Point Academy is a Mandarin immersion public charter school in West Columbia, SC, serving over 500
students in preschool through eighth grade and was founded in 2011. East Point students receive half of their
daily instruction in Mandarin Chinese. East Point Academy has been named a Palmetto Gold School, 2017 South
Carolina Public Charter School District School of Distinction and a Niche.com Top 10 SC Charter School.