On 16 June, YK Pao School held the sixth annual Founder's Challenge swimming competition on its Songjiang campus. Themed 'Swim For Love', the event attracted more than 200 participants from Pao School, the Xingta swim team and the Rainbow Mamas.
What is the Founder's Challenge?
The Founder's Challenge was established in 2013 and has become one of Pao School's flagship charity events. The goal is to raise funds in support of autistic children, so that they can pursue their dreams and live rich, fulfilling lives.
During his welcome remarks, Philip Sohmen, one of the founders of Pao School and a former member of the Hong Kong swim team, said:
"Welcome to all of the participating families and we would like to extend our thanks to the volunteers, for all of their help and support. Swimming is more than just a sport: It helps people grow, brings balance to their lives, and helps them maintain physical fitness. In the Pao School Founder's Challenge competition, the most important thing is to challenge yourself - and by challenging yourself, help others."
Pao School President Wu Zijian also attended the event. He said:
"Family is at the core of this activity, and it is a good chance to bring together the school and families in our community. At the same time, it also reflects the educational philosophy of Pao School. It's more than just an athletic competition: It is a way to show compassion for others. It's wonderful that we can do so through a swimming competition."
Johnson, who is the Head of Swimming at Pao School and supervises the Swim For Love charity event, was delighted to see the smiling faces of the participating families and volunteers. Pointing out the students' important contributions, Johnson said:
"Many Pao students actively participated in the event. Janice played a key role planning the event, while Louisa designed the swimsuits, swimming caps and promotional materials."
The enthusiasm of the participants in Swim For Love was inspiring. Through the generous contribution of their time, both the students and parents who volunteered showed their love for Pao School and their passion for community service.
Among the many participating families were some alumni from Pao School's first graduating class, such as Yi, who is now studying in the United Kingdom. After Yi learned that the Founder's Challenge would be held in June, he decided he would participate in the event, and made a visit to Pao School specifically for that purpose. He attended because of his fond memories of Pao School, his affinity for swimming, and for the opportunity to engage with children participating in the competition. Yi is an accomplished swimmer in his own right: During last year's competition, he swam 10,000 meters.
Year 1 student Kelly's family has been a loyal supporter of Swim for Love since the beginning, assisting with all aspects of the event.
To date, the Swim For Love charity event has raised more than RMB 300,000 in donations both online and offline to support autistic children who enjoy swimming. The funds are used to purchase swimwear and accessories for the children, and in support of their participation in different swimming training sessions and competitions.
Pao School's core values of compassion, integrity and balance are reflected in everything the school does. In the case of Swim For Love, Pao School shows compassion for humanity by organising an annual charity swimming competition in support of autistic children. Thanks Pao School's tireless efforts, autistic children have more opportunities to develop their swimming skills. At the same time, everyone who swims in the competition challenges him or herself. Further, by holding this charity event, Pao School brings the public's attention to the specific challenges autistic children face, helping society to better understand and support the children.
