RAW hikers
In early April, with trees on the hillside just beginning to sprout, the YK Pao School Run-A-Way Club (RAW) celebrated its fifth anniversary with a mountain hiking and cycling competition! Over the past five years, RAW has seen students, parents and volunteers enthusiastically take part in the club’s events and watched as students grow and develop their skills, stamina and confidence!
On the afternoon of April 2, after a brief opening ceremony, participating families embarked on various journeys: 5 and 10 kilometre mountain hiking, road cycling, and mountain biking excursions. Due to anticipated showers, everyone came prepared with their raincoats and rainproof gear. With near torrential rain in the forecast, students were especially eager to take on their first hiking and cycling trips in the rain and feel the mud on their feet and rain blowing in their faces, anxious to practice their cornering techniques and go long distance climbing. All students and parents faced various difficulties and setbacks along the way, but also shared the joy of overcoming these challenges together.
Hikers take on Jiulong Mountain
Pao School Headmaster Wujian completes hike through Jiulong Mountain
The mountain biking trek was also no small feat! For this challenge, RAW bikers took the novice trail of the national mountain path.
This event saw participation from many families of Year 1 and 2 students, many whom have just started learning to ride a bicycle. Following the lead of their more experienced schoolmates, they also endured fatigue and less-than-ideal road conditions! They are the future of RAW!
RAW participants refrained from using electronic devices for the duration of the event, finding other ways of entertaining themselves
That evening, nearly 200 RAW members celebrated RAW’s countless achievements. With video clips from the last five years playing in the background, RAW Secretary General Ms Ni recalled five glorious years of growth, thanks to the enthusiasm of Pao School families and painstaking efforts of volunteers who have dedicated their time and energies to RAW, including website design, trip organising and safety planning and emergency rescue preparations.
Pao School Headmaster Wu Zijian, who had only returned from a business trip the previous today, also participated in the Jiulong Mountain excursion. On behalf of the school’s founders, the management team and all faculty and staff, Headmaster Wu delivered a moving speech, giving RAW his blessings as well as his support and encouragement. He also expressed great hope that as Pao School becomes the school for tomorrow’s China, RAW will follow in becoming the club for tomorrow’s China.
RAW recently selected 10 members for its parent and student cycling teams. Following extremely rigorous training, seven parent cyclists attended the ROCN Non-stop Cycling Competition held on March 26, completing the grueling 200-kilometre journey in 8 hours and 23 minutes, eventually scoring the teamwork award!
ROCN participants present trophy as a gift to Pao School
During the celebration, Ms Ni also presented souvenirs to RAW members as a token of gratitude for their tireless efforts in making the fifth anniversary a tremendous success!
Part two of the fifth anniversary celebrations continued the following day with a cycling race for students of all ages and their parents. The rain continued to pour, but spirits remained high.
Parents and their children prepare for a race to the finish!
Time keepers at the event track each crossing of the finish line to ensure accurate recording of results
A 16-inch cycling competition was also held concurrently. Clearly, height was not a contributor to success as students outperformed their taller parents!
14 teams also dared to challenge the exceptionally difficult iron man running and cycling relay!
At the conclusion of the competitions, first, second and third place winners proudly took the podium, earning the applause and admiration of attendees, which included professional cyclists! Regardless of the outcome, every participant is a winner!
The tremendous success of this event is owed to all the amazing volunteers, too numerous to thank individually. RAW would also like to express its sincere gratitude to Pao School’s very own students who have spent countless hours designing the look-and-feel and visual identity for the event, including the logo, backdrops, finish line pavement markings, directory signs and invitation letters!
They say it takes a village to raise a child. RAW is that village.
