New York: Teachers and Students at Little Lotus Academy Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day

(Minghui.org) Little Lotus Academy held a World Falun Dafa Day celebration on May 13, 2025. The event included the 2025 Little Lotus Academy Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience-Sharing Conference, celebratory performances, and group exercises in a local park. The participants included all of the school’s teachers, students, and parents.

Young practitioners share their experiences on stage at the 2025 Little Lotus Academy Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference.

The teachers and students of Little Lotus Academy are Falun Dafa practitioners. The students at the school range from three-year-olds in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The daily curriculum includes studying the Fa, practicing the exercises, traditional culture, ethics and morality, and comprehensive education about the human body, life, and the universe. The school regards the highest characteristics of the universe, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, as its foundation and focus on moral education so that the students assimilate good character as well as do well academically.

The teachers and students gathered together to thank Master for spreading the Fa and saving them, and to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day with practitioners all over the world. The cultivation experience-sharing conference was held in the morning and started with the recitation of a poem that expressed the infinite gratitude that the teachers and students of the Little Lotus Academy have for their compassionate and great Master and Falun Dafa.

The teachers and students of the school then shared their recent cultivation experiences one after another.

The Improvement of the Students in the Academy

Katie, a teacher in the nursery class, used to work in a government kindergarten. Although the salary in the government kindergarten was good, the children were difficult to discipline, and the teaching materials were not traditional. She said that the biggest difference at Little Lotus is that she can always use the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and traditional values and educational concepts to teach these young Dafa disciples. They are very smart and well-behaved, and they are also very innocent and cute. At the beginning of the school year, some children were still a little naughty, but after this school year they have changed dramatically. The children have learned to be courteous and to share, and to be considerate when doing things. They are also very receptive when learning. In the past, in the government kindergarten, a theory had to be taught for three to four weeks, but when teaching English at Little Lotus, some students remembered the content immediately. She said with deep emotion, “Practicing Dafa has opened the wisdom and intelligence of these young Dafa disciples.”

Sophie shared some stories about the first-grade Dafa disciples who have grown up in Dafa. She said that the children have made great progress in studying the Fa and practicing Dafa over the last year. They all know that their true homes are in heaven. If they want to go home as soon as possible, they must practice well. The children’s minds are still very pure and have not been tainted by secular society. They have learned the Fa since they were young and have kept Dafa in their hearts. They can use Dafa to measure things and know how to respect Master and Dafa. She also shared some stories about these lovely Dafa disciples.

Six-year-old George often continues to practice more after completing the exercises for the day. Regardless of his surroundings, he can practice quietly. Five-year-old William studies the Fa very seriously and points to each word with his finger while reading it carefully. Wang Zhen has learned the beauty of sharing with others and is no longer fights over toys and gets unhappy.

Being Good Students

Students from the second and third grades lined up to go to the podium to share their experiences. Yiyi said that after practicing Falun Dafa, she has followed the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance and helps her parents with housework at home. For example, she helped her mother sweep the floor, mop the floor, wash dishes, and fold clothes. At school, she respects her teachers, loves her classmates, and studies and does her homework seriously.

Shanrong felt very happy to study the Fa and practice the exercises with her classmates at school. She also liked to learn Chinese and listen to the teacher telling traditional stories. Once when she was angry, a big word “Shan” appeared in her mind. She asked herself, “Is being angry good behavior?” The answer was: “No!” She was no longer angry.

Lingxi said that cultivation is not an easy thing. When she first started practicing, she sometimes knew she had done something wrong, but she still didn’t want to say sorry. Sometimes she said sorry, but she was not happy. Now she has made great progress in this regard and thanks Master for helping her.

Dingding shared with everyone about cultivating the mind by telling the truth. Dawei said that when a classmate treated him badly at school, he would let it go when he thought of the story of Han Xin being humiliated by crawling between the bully’s legs.

Fourth-grade student He Yuen shared his experience of trying to get rid of his competitive mentality. Before, when he had conflicts with his classmates, he would argue about who was right and who was wrong and often said, “It’s not fair!” After repeatedly studying the Fa with his teacher, he learned to be patient and to forgive others.

Fifth-grade student Yu Shun shared a story from his cultivation. He said that when he first started practicing, he was confused and often distracted when studying the Fa. When meditating, he would stop if his legs hurt. He would also have random thoughts when sending righteous thoughts. After a period of time, he understood that the purpose of coming to the world is to save sentient beings and return to his original nature. He started to study the Fa and practice the exercises very seriously. When doing the second exercise and meditating, no matter how tired or painful he feels, he insists on not moving.

Transfer Students Change

Mingde and Yizhao are transfer students. They started practicing cultivation after they came to Little Lotus Academy and changed their old notions. Yizhao shared his story of getting rid of the desire for profit. He said, “In the past, I wanted what others had, and I envied them.” Through studying the Fa, he understood that this was the desire for profit. Everything must be exchanged for virtue, and practitioners must uphold virtue. After understanding this principle, he stopped asking for more things.

Mingde said that he could read the Chinese version of Zhuan Falun less than a year after coming to school. After practicing, he learned how to act in accordance with Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance at home and at school. When he had conflicts with his classmates, he would first look inward to see what he did wrong. He said, “Practicing Dafa is amazing. Falun Dafa has truly changed me.”

The morning cultivation experience-sharing conference lasted until noon, and a total of five teachers and 25 students went on stage to share their experiences. The atmosphere in the venue was peaceful and joyful, with laughter and warm applause.

Celebrating World Falun Dafa Day

In the afternoon, teachers, students and parents gathered together. The young Falun Dafa practitioners celebrated World Falun Dafa Day by reciting Master’s poems from Hong Yin, singing Falun Dafa songs, performing music, and dancing.

The kindergarten class recited poems from Hong Yin III. The three to four-year-old children were so serious when reciting the Fa, and they were so innocent and cute when singing the nursery rhyme “Do Re Mi” and “Disciples’ Rules.”

First-grade students wore cute Hanfu costumes and recited five poems from Hong Yin V. They also performed the song “Please Sing with Me” and the dance “Goodness” praising Dafa. More than a dozen students from grades 2 and 3 performed a group poetry recitation and dance that they had rehearsed for more than a month.

Students from grades 4 and 5 recited two poems from Hong Yin II and sang a song. Three students played in an ensemble of pipa and cello, “Lotus Song” and “Falun Dafa Is Good.” The cheerful melody of the pipa and sounds of the cello sound blended perfectly, conveying the beauty and wonder of Dafa.

Finally, the Little Lotus Choir performed two Falun Dafa songs. The English song “Celebrating Falun Dafa Day” and the Chinese song “I Ride a Pony.”

The teachers, students, and parents went to a park in the afternoon to do the Falun Dafa exercises together. The students have a group exercise period every afternoon at school. The five exercises help the children have healthy bodies, and meditation helps them be more calm and focused when studying, and more wise.

The celebration ended with an outdoor snack picnic. Teachers, students, and parents enjoyed the day-long event.