On 26th May, Pao School held the graduation ceremony of Class of 2018 at Songjiang campus which has attracted a wide variety of prestigious participants, including Mr. Yang Guilong, the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Songjiang Education Bureau, Pao School Founders, Governors, mentors, alumni, teachers, parents and all the graduates.
As the Zhoushan gongs and drums pounded, students took to the stage in their graduation gowns. The use of Zhoushan gongs and drums has become a Pao School tradition. In the Class of 2018, there are 64 graduates, who all have been accepted to top universities globally. It is the second consecutive year that our graduates have achieved outstanding results.
Once the music ended, Dr. Paul Wood, Executive Principal of the Secondary Division, and Ms. Zang Na spoke to the audience, thanking everyone - especially parents and teachers - for attending this important event.
Following an inspiring rendition of Pao School's official song, President Wu Zijian gave a passionate speech. President Wu recalled the many colourful moments that graduates enjoyed during their time at Pao School and noted some of their exceptional achievements in literature, art, technology, fitness and drama. President Wu pointed out that the graduates were active outside the classroom, devoting time and energy to important charity events. He highlighted an album compiled by the parents of Pao high school students, noting that the students appeared happy, confident, tolerant and innovative. He said that the album illustrated the students' individual dreams. He encouraged the graduates to maintain their positive spirit in the years ahead and throughout their life journey.
During his speech, Pao School Executive Headmaster David Mansfield thanked Pao School's founders and board members. He also gave special thanks to IBDP Coordinator Jayne Lund, Director of University and Careers Counselling Sonya Ohlsson, all the alumni and Y12 teachers. David also praised the graduates' hard work during their time at Pao School, and highlighted the success of their university applications.
When he spoke, Mr. Yang Guilong first expressed his heartfelt congratulations to all graduates. At the same time, he affirmed Pao School's educational reform and development endeavors. He noted that the Songjiang campus is located in an important historical part of Shanghai. On this site, Pao School is cultivating excellent talents who have learned both Chinese and Western culture. Talking about the profound impression Pao students made on him, Yang Guilong said that two elements stood out: their advanced analytical thinking ability and their excellent literacy; those are essential for forming personal thoughts, he said. At the conclusion of his speech, Yang Guilong said that the Songjiang District Education Bureau would continue to support the development of Pao School. He wished the school the very best for the future - expressing his hope that it would continuously improve.
Next, Year 11 students performed in a string quartet. Notably, the composer of the piece they performed is a 2018 graduate, Tina, who has been awarded as excellence in music and athletic at the graduation award ceremony.
Chairman Anna Pao Sohmen expresses her best wishes to the graduates. On behalf of the school, she congratulated the students on their sterling achievements, thanked them for believing in Pao School's mission, and thanked parents for all their support. Speaking with great emotion, she noted that students felt differently on that day.
"Now that it's time to say goodbye, you feel sad, but you are also looking forward to a bright future. I hope that as you go out into the world, you will always hold dear your experience at Pao School: the school's values, the knowledge you learned and your ability to learn independently. Remember that all experience is precious, whether it's a failure or success. Let the triumphant sound of the Zhoushan gongs and drums give you the courage to begin a new journey."
Mrs. Sohmen further lauded the graduates' outstanding university application results, adding that the students' success is an affirmation of Pao School's whole-person approach to education. Lastly, she thanked board members, teachers, and everyone with the gumption to explore and innovate in the field of education.
Mr. Andrew Yao, Governor of YK Pao School, has great confidence in the graduates. He believes they can become leaders in their respective fields in the future. He also hopes they can serve as a bridge between China and the world. At the end of his speech, he quoted lyrics from the Queen song 'We Will Rock You' to congratulate the graduates.
Faculty representative Steven Spence recalled the teachers' many good times with students. He said that he hoped students would not only continue to burnish their academic abilities in the future, but also learn outside the classroom. He encouraged the graduates to stay dedicated to physical fitness, find their own fulfilling path in life, and respect others. He concluded his speech with words of wisdom from Maoritanga: "The bird that flies in the forest eats the berries but the bird that flies over the mountains gets all the knowledge."
Justin, a representative from the graduating class, recalled the graduates' many memories of the last six years at Pao School, the smiling faces of the school's principals when he took the entrance exam, the applause during sports games and during IB study, the many nights spent doing homework and preparing for exams, university applications, and finally, the joy everyone felt when they received their university acceptance letters. Justin said that all of the memories were precious, and that graduating from Pao School, he was confident about his future prospects, no matter where the future led him. 'And this is why I chose Pao School', he said.
Joanna, another graduate representative, told the audience that she joined Pao School during the school's founding. She said that the overall experience at Pao School was rich. One factor remained constant throughout her many years at the school: she was constantly learning, whether in the classroom, during athletic practice and competitions, or during co-curricular activities. Once, she suffered an injury during PE class. After that experience, she thought more deeply about the many things for which she was fortunate. She advised her classmates to not take anything for granted and be thankful for what they have in life.
When it was time to receive their diplomas, graduates took to the stage, one after the next, for the ceremony. Each member of Pao School's leadership team congratulated the students and wished them the best for the future. The audience applauded enthusiastically for each and every graduate.
At the end of the ceremony, the graduates gave an impassioned performance of the song 'Best Day of My Life'. As they sang the song, they recalled their many fond memories of their years at Pao School, which had seemed to pass by so swiftly.
After the ceremony, the memorial plaque donated by the Class of 2018 was installed on the wall of the Helmut Sohmen Hall at the Songjiang campus. Each of the graduates' names is on the plaque, expressing their appreciation for the education they received at Pao School. As graduate Frank said:
"When Pao School started out, its campus was made up of just a few borrowed classrooms from Shanghai No. 3 Girls School. But even though the campus was no small, I have fond memories of this time. In that intimate space, we all knew each other well, and that is where my journey at Pao School began, and where my dreams for the future took root."
Class of 2018
We hope that in your hearts
Pao School will always be your home
Please come home often to visit
