Back in 2012, Mrs. Anna Sohmen, upon reflecting on the journey of founding Pao School, said: "Graduating students in 2017 will hopefully be confident and independent, whilst also being considerate, good communicators, reflective leaders, modest but unwavering in upholding their principles." It has been two years since the first cohort of graduates left Pao School. How are they doing now? Here are the stories of some of the Pao School graduates.
Class of 2017 Elton
Elton at Tulane University
Since his days as a student at Pao School, Elton Zhou has been a shutterbug. The photography enthusiast and Pao graduate is now further developing his hobby at Tulane University, helping family members in the local community to build stronger bonds with one another.
During his freshman year, Elton approached families in Audubon Park and asked if they would like a free family photo. On the days when the park was empty, he knocked on people's doors. Elton named the project The Kin Campaign.
I am trying to remind people of the importance of family and family members spending time together.
A family posed for The Kin Campaign
In Year 11 at Pao School, Elton's passion for photography led to the founding of Shutter Up, a student-led club that focuses on building photography skills both in its members and in the wider community. Shutter Up's activities include free photography classes for children at a local vocational school.
Elton organized a photo exhibition for his students
The club began humbly enough, but rapidly expanded to become the preeminent photography club on campus. Its members today participate in all types of photography activities, shooting at fashion performances, artistic performance and in the great outdoors.
"I think of the Kin Campaign as a branch of Shutter Up. It's just based in New Orleans instead of Shanghai," explained Elton, now a rising junior studying communication at Tulane.
Elton with his friends at Tulane
1.The value of a Pao education
Elton attributes his smooth transition to college in large part to his Pao School education. While the IB curriculum and English classroom environment prepared him well for the demanding academic side of university life, the Co-curricular Activities (CCA) enabled him to shine outside of the classroom. Tulane requires its students to complete 30 hours of community service by the time they graduate.
As a student at Pao School, Elton gained a wide breadth of community service experience.
When I was at Pao School, I was really into community service. Through the CAS programme, we were able to connect with the local community.
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) is one of the three core components of IBDP. And CCA is a period from Monday through Thursday when Pao School students are required to participate in after class programmes. Elton chose to spend his CCA period with CAS and volunteered in special education at Shanghai Changning Primary Vocational School. He even took on photography teaching responsibilities when the then-photo instructors left the school.
Elton volunteered at a local vocational school
When he graduated, Elton ensured that the project would endure by handing off its leadership to dedicated volunteers among Pao's underclassmen. Today, they continue to teach photography on the weekends.
2.I am the only Chinese
Elton now majors in communication and minors in management at Tulane University.
"About 80% of the Chinese students at Tulane go to business school, and I'm in the School of Liberal Arts," said Elton. "I am the only Chinese student in every single class that I walk into."
According to the 2018 Open Doors Report, only 2.2% of all international students in the US studied in the field of communication and journalism. Chinese students are often less likely to take humanities or social sciences.
Elton with his friends at Tulane
It is quite common for Chinese students to stay closer to other Chinese. In fields such as business, engineering, math and computer science, they can easily find other students from China and get together into group projects and in-class discussions. Elton was once a business student in his first year, but he soon switched his major to communication.
After the first year in business school, I thought it's better that I major in something that I truly enjoy. Communication has a lot to do with photography. I see greater possibilities there.
In the second semester of his sophomore year, Elton took a class on media law. There was a group project where he had to work with two other students on a case analysis. He had no trouble taking a leadership role in the assignment, delegating tasks and setting up group meetings. Elton attributes a good measure of his smooth transition to college to his Pao School education.
I was very shy back in primary school and I wouldn't be able to speak in front of a group of five students. After I transferred to Pao School in the 7th grade, I was pushed into a curriculum where many of the faculty speak English, and I had to do presentations in front of the class. It prepared me better for future opportunities, in a holistic way.
Elton graduated from Pao School in 2017
3.Contributing to the community
At the same time, Elton proactively gets involved in off-campus pro-bono work at Tulane. For instance, during his freshman year he volunteered with the non-profit PlayBuild to construct playgrounds for kids. In his sophomore year, he joined unCommon Construction to build a house together with children from local charter schools.
Elton at work on the construction site
I learned how to build a house from scratch in just one semester, which is pretty useful knowledge when you think about it. I know now how to put up wallpaper, connect pipes, and get the water and electricity running.
Elton worked with unCommon Constructions
After working closely with kids from local neighborhoods, Elton noticed how social issues in the community were affecting their families, and thought of doing a photo project on the idea of family.
He responded adroitly to the social problems he saw, providing an innovative solution just as he ensured that students at the Changning Vocational School in Shanghai would be able to continue studying photography.
I was in touch with lots of families, but I didn't see their fathers. Many parents work long hours, so their kids don't see them much. That's why I started the Kin Campaign.
Scroll down to see photos from Kin Compaign
Looking back, Elton appreciates how Pao School taught him about academic excellence as well as social responsibility.
Knowing that I will always be a part of the local community is very important to me and to my education.
Alumni Advice
On the theme of engaging oneself to an unfamiliar environment, Elton has a piece of advice for Pao School students who are going abroad.
"If you just sit in the corner every single class, it's impossible for other people to know who that Asian is," said Elton. "When you are afraid of them, it's even harder for them to accept you."
