Pao School Co-founder Philip Sohmen with students
YK Pao School’s annual 'Founder's Challenge' will be held on June 18! The event will be attended by Pao School students, teachers and parents, as well as Pao School Co-founder Philip Sohmen and athletes from the Special Olympics team!
In recent years, autism has become a world issue – there is no cure, and its causes is still unclear. The number of autistic patients across the globe has now reached 67 million. According to an estimate by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, China alone is home to nearly 60 million preschool age autistic children, and the number of children diagnosed with autism each year is on the rise. In an effort to improve understanding of the debilitating disorder, from 2008, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared April 2 ‘World Autism Awareness Day.’
With its core values of ‘compassion,’‘integrity,’ and ‘balance,’ Pao School has continued to dedicated itself to helping those less fortunate. This year, the school will be holding a ‘Swim for Love’ competition to raise funds for athletes from organisations for children with autism: Starwalker swim team and Rainbow Mama Workshop. All donations received will be used towards purchasing swimming gear for these young athletes as well as covering expenses for their future competitions. Pao School hopes this event will allow students to realise that children with autism share the same love of sports, and that everyone deserves the right to pursue their dreams. Students will also come to understand the true power of compassion; further their understanding of Pao School's core values of compassion, integrity and balance; experience the joy of sports; challenge themselves and build strength and confidence. At the conclusion of the event, Pao School students participating in the Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) component of the IB Diploma Programme will continue to focus their efforts on the autistic community.
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Sir YK Pao enjoying a swim in the Suez Canal
Swimming was an important part of Sir YK Pao's life. With the strong support of the founders, swimming has become an integral component of Pao School's educational programme. Now entering its fourth year, the 'Founder's Challenge' is a Pao School tradition and students and parents alike are eager to continue spreading its message of love and perseverance.
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Event details
Participants: Pao School students, parents, teachers, administrative staff, founders and members of the Pao School community (maximum capacity: 600), swim teams from Primary Division and Years 6 through 11
Date: Saturday, June 18, 2016, 9:00am-5:00pm
Location: Pao School Secondary Division: 1800, Lane 900 North Sanxin Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai
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Click here to register!
