Genesee Hill Elementary is excited to highlight and give recognition to Liyun Cecil as our 2023 January Volunteer of the Month!
Liyun brought our very first Lunar New Year event to life last month, and all who attended hope to see this event make a yearly comeback. We would like to thank Liyun for organizing and planning this fun and successful event. Everyone who attended was excited to share their positive feedback and experiences. We were left with wonderful impressions and memories while learning about why Lunar New Year is so special to many around the world.
Lunar New Year is celebrated by billions of people and is one of the most important social and economic holidays. It is a public holiday that is observed across multiple days in China, North and South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Many travel to spend time with family as it is a time to observe and honor a household, heavenly deities and ancestors to bring in the celebration and arrival of spring.
The Red Dragon Dancers were one of the favorite highlights of our celebration at Genesee, along with a very talented Diabolo handler. Everyone was encouraged by Liyun to give the Diabolo a try for themselves. There was also prayer writing, paper puzzles, snacks, and books to learn more about why Lunar New Year is celebrated by so many.
Liyun and her Husband, Matt, have a second grader, Lucian, and a fourth grader, Sebby, at Genesee Hill Elementary. They have a hamster named Cookie. They love going skiing in the winter during the weekends. You might also bump into them at the Y or Meeples Games.
Liyun grew up in Taiwan and moved to the US in 2007. Before Liyun and her family settled in Seattle, they lived in Colorado and California for several years. She’s been loving Seattle’s cultural and food diversity since they moved here in 2014.
Liyun has a background in Social Work and Music Therapy. She practiced music therapy for a few years when Sebby and Lucian were little. Currently, she is an active board member of the Taiwanese Association of Greater Seattle, which promotes Taiwanese culture and serves Taiwanese residents of the Seattle area.
She was excited to work with the PTA for the school’s first Lunar New Year Celebration event.
Liyun is looking forward to working with the PTA to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion at school.
Thank you Liyun for a fantastic first Lunar New Year, the year of the Black Rabbit at Genesee Hill Elementary!!