2020 is destined to be a year to remember. This year's graduates are concluding their educational journey at Pao School in an extraordinary time. The sudden appearance of COVID-19 has made each of us reflect on ourselves and care for others and online learning has never been conducted in such a large-scale manner. Now life is returning back to normal as we enter graduation season.
The coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible to hold the school’s usual large-scale graduation ceremonies, and parents are not permitted to enter any of Pao School's campuses. Thus, the school can only send off the graduates in a simple, but warm and heartfelt way. Making the best of the circumstances, Pao School Co-Founder and Executive Deputy Chairman Philip Sohmen sent the graduates his best wishes and offered words of encouragement for their future endeavors through video:
On June 12th, the school’s Year 5 students all gathered together for the final time, as the parents of more than 100 graduates watched the ceremony through a live webcast. Primary School Principal Siobhain Allum said in her speech:
Many of you will still be able to remember the first day of school, turning up nervous and excited, worried about whether you would make friends and hoping that you would do well and make your parents proud. Well, you can rest assured that you have fulfilled these goals and many more besides. You have all have made many wonderful friendships which you will continue to cement as you move on to Middle School to make more memories together, I am confident you have made your parents proud, and I know for certain that your teachers are very proud of you.
In order to end their primary school years on a high note, each class made their own commemorative graduation video:
I believe we all have to give some thanks whether it's to the teachers, the faculty or your fellow classmates who helped you go through the 5 years of primary school. To all my friends now sitting in front of me with whom I share fond memories with, I hope that as we're closing this chapter of our lives, we're starting a new one. Congratulations to all of us!
——Y5 Graduate Representative
The Year 9 graduation ceremony was held on June 18 in the high school's gymnasium.
There is a proverb in the UK," Great hopes make great men," which means that great ideas make great people. I hope you will always remember Sir YK Pao's motto of "exercise persistently, work diligently" and carry on his vision. May you all be optimistic, self-confident, diligent and innovative. And keep in mind this line from the renowned poem Li Sao (Encountering Sorrow), written by Chinese poet Qu Yuan: "There is long way to go on this road, and I shall search far and wide." I wish you the very best as you embark on this new journey!
——President Wu Zijian
On May 22, all Year 12 students gathered for the final time at Pao School.
At the graduation ceremony, looking back on her years at Pao School, graduate representative Cora said: "On our bustling campus, we are used to the unexpected, whether that's luck, setbacks or gains. All of us feel the heavy weight of the past - we all have some regrets, some wishes that have been unmet - as we strive to move forward. But today is a day to celebrate. We stand together proud of our achievements, proud of how we worked tirelessly to get to the finish line."
This graduating class is the first class taught by Ms. Weng He, and she naturally feels a special attachment to them. Ms. Weng fondly remembered on her first trip to Pao School, when she saw the lights in the students' eyes.
"After getting acquainted with you, I understand the light in your eyes comes from your intellectual curiosity, love of art, enthusiasm for sports and the compassion and tolerance you have for others," she said. "Education (teaching and learning) is a long and complex process, in which we see communication, collaboration and sometimes confrontation. Whilst I teach you knowledge, you allow me to reflect on my life."
I believe that this Y12 group represents all that is best of a YK Pao School education. You are genuinely bilingual and bi-cultural; you are well rounded and well-balanced young people. You are engaging, interesting, when you want or need to be you can be charming, and in so many cases you have a profound inner confidence but with a delightful outward humility. You are rightly ambitious for yourselves but so often I have seen that you care deeply about each other… I hope that the parents watching at home are proud – not just of what your son or daughter has achieved since they started at YK Pao School – but are also as proud as we are of the young people they have become.
——Mark Bishop
High School Principal
and Head of Songjiang Campus
Year 12 graduates wrote to themselves
