Culture in Motion!

NewStar Performance to Benefit Davis Schools

The sights, sounds, and colors of the diverse regions of China and beyond will come together on Saturday, May 1, 2010, 7:00 pm at the Davis High School Brunelle Performance Hall, 314 W. 14th Street when the Davis NewStar Chinese School presents “Culture in Motion!”,  a two-hour benefit performance to support the Davis Schools Foundation Save Our Schools fundraising campaign.

Assemblymember Mariko Yamada, an honorary member of NewStar Chinese School, will be the Master of Ceremonies.

“Davis NewStar Chinese School students, teachers, and parents want to support local efforts to protect Davis public schools,” said Ning Wan, NewStar Principal.  “We are pleased to join the Davis Schools Foundation’s Save Our Schools fundraising campaign, and invite the community to our performance.”  One hundred percentage of the proceeds will go to the Davis Schools Foundation.

NewStar was founded in January 2001 as a nonprofit organization serving the needs of the general public in the greater Davis area. It is located on the campus of Emerson Jr. High School with classes on Fridays evenings.  The school offers instruction in simplified Chinese, han yu pin yin, and pu tong hua which are officially used in Mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia and the United Nations.

It is the school’s mission to teach Chinese language and culture through classroom instructions, special art, cultural events, and field trips.  A variety of artistic and cultural classes such as dancing, singing and wu shu (Chinese martial arts) are offered. These classes promote a better understanding of Chinese cultural heritage, mutual respect, tolerance of diverse cultures in the society, and confidence and self-esteem in students and parents.

Each year NewStar students, staff and families celebrate Chinese New Year with a collage of performances.  This year’s show has been transformed into a benefit to help the Davis Schools Foundation fund public school education programs and services placed at risk by the Davis Joint Unified School District’s multi-million dollar budget gap.  (For more information on the district’s budget situation, visit www.DistrictDollars.org.)

Tickets to the NewStar benefit performance are $10 per person, and may be purchased from the Davis Schools Foundation table at the Wednesday and Saturday Farmers Market, at Watermelon Music, 207 E Street, Davis, or by calling 530-219-4995 or emailing newstar@dcn.davis.ca.us.