With the onset of winter, in the blink of an eye YK Pao School will enter its 12th year, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of YK Pao's birth. To mark this momentous occasion, Pao students have learned about YK Pao's pioneering spirit and how it has shaped the school in such important ways.
 |  |
Speaking at the High School, Mark Bishop said:
On November 11, 1918 World War I ended. Just one day before that on the other side of the world - November 10, 1918 - a boy was born in Ningbo: the third of seven children in his family. He, of course, is the reason that we are all here today in this gym as he grew up to be Sir YK Pao and today in assembly we are remembering his remarkable legacy.
Students and teachers watched a documentary about YK Pao's life story
In the following week, Zang Na, director of Character Education, led students as they presented YK Pao's life story at the High School. The rich historical materials they presented made everyone feel as if they were taking a journey through history. The library also prepared useful book resources for students and teachers to help them learn more about YK Pao and his descendants - the founders of the school.
The display presented YK Pao's life story at the High School
Book resources about YK Pao and the founders of the school in the library
After the morning assembly at the Middle School, students first watched excerpts from the documentary about YK Pao, which along with their study of YK Pao, My Father over the past month, helped them deepen their understanding about he became the "China's Shipping King" and - through his contributions to China - the pride of the nation.
Further, students put on a show demonstrating what they had learned about YK Pao. There were also four students who shared a short story about YK Pao that explained how he taught himself English, maintained a rigorous daily fitness routine, and taught his children to be frugal. Meanwhile, a calligrapher wrote YK Pao's motto onstage: "Exercise persistently, Use sparingly, Work diligently."
| |
 |  |
Primary School students used exploration time in class to read the book YK Pao, My Father with the help of their teachers and organized a series of related activities during the morning assembly.
Since YK Pao was an enthusiast of jumping rope, the students made jump ropes out of recycled materials and showed of their talent in the fitness activity onstage.
Year 3 students performed a skit that reenacted the establishment of Pao School by the three founders
|  |
 | |
Students carefully developed a timeline of all the major events in YK Pao, My Father
The concept of "compassion" played a paramount role in YK Pao's life and has become a core value at Pao School. In October, the theme of our character education lessons was compassion. Students learned about this invaluable concept by helping out their classmates with little tasks throughout the day. From a series of video clips showing the students experience with compassion, we can see that not only have they learned something important for their own lives, but that the spirit of YK Pao lives on at Pao School.
At the morning assembly in the Primary School, co-founder Tan Fuyun shared a story about YK Pao's life-long learning quest with the students:
It was my great honor to be in close contact with YK Pao from 1985-1990. The first time I saw him, he asked me, 'What have you been studying lately?' I felt a bit surprised, to be honest, as I thought perhaps he regarded me as a young student, someone who had yet to graduate from university. Later, I learned that he had a voracious appetite for learning and self-improvement. I remember the words he often said to me about this: 'You have to independently work to improve yourself, to become more erudite, to show the world the high standard the Chinese people set for themselves.'
During the various celebrations for the Founders' Day, Mrs. Anna Pao Sohmen, founder of YK Pao School, visited Hongqiao Campus and had lunch with the faculty. Next day, Mrs. Sohmen visited Wuding Campus and continue to discuss the future development plans of Pao School with school’s management team.
As they learned about YK Pao's life through reading, documentary films and special activities, Pao students gained a deep understanding of this remarkable man as well as the patriotism of the school's founding family and the great value they place on education. Indeed, the founders have realized their ambition of making Pao School a "living museum" where YK Pao's spirit will thrive for generations to come.
