Lakeside School

As April turns the corner and the sun begins to peek out from behind the clouds, LAPS (Lakeside Asian Pacific-Islander Students) and SAAG (Lakeside South Asian Affinity Group) members are gathering their talents behind the scenes and beginning preparations for the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Heritage Month assembly in early May. Be it tiring dance practices in the chapel, tediously editing cooking footage, or trying on traditional clothing at home, there is so much that our members have done for the success of this assembly. This event is one of our most anticipated LAPS projects and one of the most cherished assemblies of the year; it started in 2022, when past LAPS leaders advocated for a spot for us to share our own voices and values with the Lakeside community. 

This 2024 assembly was much like previous years: there were K-pop dances, cooking videos, musical performances, and fashion shows. Our two K-pop dances this year were led by a few of our LAPS leaders, Sephina P. ’24, Oliver C. ’25, and Cailyn C. ’26. Our opening dance was “On and On” by AMPERS&ONE — an homage to Lakeside alum and previous LAPS leader Ky Choi ’23, who graduated last year and is now a singer in South Korea. Our closing dance was “Shhh” by Kiss of Life, which was a fun and fanfare-like song; we even threw candy into the audience in the middle of our performance! Our cooking videos are a classic and always a joy to watch. This year was no different — we got to see a tense Asian dessert competition and a chaotic cooking montage headed by Lexi L. ’25 and Lily Z. ’25 (see video here). These videos are a chance for us to showcase not just a bit of humor, but also an aspect of our culture that is so important and personal: food. Food is how we are brought together and how we share a bit of our home with others.

Our last two acts were the music performances and fashion show. This year’s pieces were as follows: “Butterfly Lovers” (Caileen W. ’27, Joshua H. ’27, Maia F. ’27, Sarah N. ’27, and Shiwen H. ’27 on violin, cello, and piano), “Fishing Boat at Night” (William F. ’24 and Zara Z. ’24 on violin and piano), and “Unravel” from “Tokyo Ghoul” (Zara Z. ’24 on piano). Music is an art and something everyone can enjoy; through these performances we can exhibit the work of talented Asian composers and our own equally talented musicians. These players have practiced their instruments for years, and each performance is a testament to their impressive abilities. Our last act was a fashion show put on by SAAG whose dutiful leaders Safiyah K. ’24 and Arya N. ’25 put together; their members strutted down the “runway” adorned in traditional South Asian clothing, and the audience was educated in the purposes and necessary occasions for each of the outfits. Each year, I am astounded by the beauty and intricacy of each and every one of their pieces. 

AAPI heritage and culture is something we as LAPS and SAAG leaders want to celebrate and share. This endeavor that we have put hours into has barely just begun. We’re only three years in, yet as a graduating senior I still feel sorrowful to leave it behind. For me, our last performance was bittersweet; this celebratory hour is something myself and my fellow LAPS leaders have been working towards for months. It’s something I have taken part in since the very beginning. I am so proud and will continually be proud of the work we have accomplished and have yet to accomplish in the future. I know that this assembly will reach new heights, and I know that all of our members feel honored to be a part of a tradition so special. Thank you for letting us share our culture.