On 20th May 2017, Pao School celebrated a historical moment on the Songjiang campus:
the graduation ceremony for the school’s first cohort of graduates. On that day, the new
graduates were full of optimism and the feeling of taking the first step of a new journey
to universities around the world. Since then, five more graduating classes have entered
the world. Now, after all these years, the alumni are ready to take new steps as university
graduates, with some spreading across the world and some returning to China to enter
the next stage of their lives, such as pursuing further studies and entering the workplace.
The school’s graduates represent the core hopes for Pao School’s whole-person education in their diverse study interests and the breadth of subjects they had chosen to pursue. As a generation, the alumni also exemplify the values of resilience and persistence in the face of studying during the pandemic, with many completing their degrees remotely. Now, as these alumni settle into their futures and begin giving back to society as adults, we look back on their journey with excitement for the future.
Trinity
Class of 2017
UCLA, English
Junior Partner, sustainability management consultancy
As one of the founding students who joined in 2007, as well as a member of the first graduating class in 2017, it is fair to say that Pao School shaped who I am to a large extent. The sheer diversity of academic, career and life choices that my schoolmates are pursuing now is the best proof of a successful and wholesome education.
Currently based in Shanghai, Trinity recently became a Junior Partner at an independent management consultancy specialising in sustainability and ESG (Environment, Social, Governance). The group advises clients on projects from human rights to climate protection, from supply chain management to biodiversity. As the consultancy works globally, Trinity interacts with colleagues and clients around the world on a daily basis. She chose the role as she wanted to go more deeply into working in sustainability and was interested in the fact that consulting means she can work on multiple different projects – across different areas – at the same time.
Whilst she was studying in UCLA, Trinity took part in an internship at an educational research centre
For example, she recently worked with a group of the world’s top publishers as they wanted to refine their checks on whether the paper and materials they use are responsibly sourced, considering factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, endangered species, and whether the suppliers treat their workers fairly. In order to help publishers make sustainable purchasing decisions, the company developed an online platform that collects information along every stage of the book-making supply chain.
On the other hand, Trinity also takes part in projects such as training and workshops to help companies sustainably manage their supply chains. Trinity believes this kind of work plays an essential role in improving the lives of the most vulnerable, alongside protecting the land for generations to come.
In 2021, Trinity organised a volunteer beach clean-up
During her years at Pao School, Trinity took part in various activities that also developed useful soft skills such as communication and organisation. For example, she was involved in making the school yearbook as an editor and photo coordinator – which required strong planning skills and teamwork. Now, she feels it was experiences like these that she was most proud of. In addition, as she now is working in an international group, the English skills she developed during her time at the school and cross-cultural understanding are essential for dealing with clients. As a member of the first graduating class, Trinity says that her experiences at Pao School “built the foundation of who she is” and how she looks at the world – she learned to appreciate diversity and focus less on pressures such as grades. “When looking for a new job, a lot of people go for like the biggest name company or the highest salary, but I focus more on the work itself, the work environment and my colleagues, and doing something that aligns with my values,” she says.
A Pao School community across the world: Trinity often used to meet
with former Pao School College Counsellor Rhonda Leshman in LA
Before joining her current role, Trinity spent a year at one of the world’s largest chemical companies, working under a team dedicated to sustainability communications and stakeholder engagement. She explains that she has always cared deeply about global climate and environmental protection. For her, it is a joy to work in an area where she is passionate and can make a positive impact by influencing business decisions.
Jessie
Class of 2019
King's College London, Biomedical Sciences
Middle School Science Department Teaching Assistant, Pao School
Studying and working at YK Pao School has changed my life for the better, as I’ve been given the opportunity to figure out the things I really enjoy. I’ve learnt a lot from my friends and teachers from all different backgrounds. This helped me to grow into a more confident person, realise the importance of asking questions and learn to go outside of my comfort zone.
Jessie, who graduated from university this year after studying biosciences, has chosen an unconventional root – returning to Pao School as a science department teaching assistant (TA) at the Middle School. This year, 2022, marks the tenth anniversary of her first coming to the school in 2012, and a special time of transition from being a student into the workplace.
As part of her role as a TA, she provides support in science classes, especially for tasks such as helping students with new scientific vocabulary in English and other language support, setting up experiments in the classroom, classroom management during lessons, and assisting the lead teacher with their daily responsibilities. In addition, she is working on wider school activities, such as helping with the organisation of Global Perspectives Week.
“I really like to work with kids, to interact with them,” says Jessie, explaining that one of the main reasons that she came back to the school was due to her previous experiences working at Pao School’s summer camp as a junior counsellor. Over the years, as both a current student and alumna, she has taken part in the activity three times. Further, during her time as a university student, Jessie worked as an English tutor for a fellow international student from Spain. From these experiences, she decided she wanted to get more of a taste of teaching, “I wanted to work at YK Pao School over a longer period of time and also to work with YK Pao School students because, you know, they’re not like most students.”
During the summer camps, Jessie was responsible for supporting teachers in teaching and learning, whilst also helping organise evening activities such as sports. During her own time at Pao School she loved taking part in sports such as swimming and track. For her, working at the summer camp was an ‘interesting and unforgettable experience’ as she moved from listening to teachers to being an active participant in the lesson planning process and had to learn how to manage students. Overall, the experience improved her leadership skills, alongside her abilities to communicate and work in a team.
Now, as a TA, she has also learned a lot from her students, as one of the main challenges she faces is how to explain concepts to students that need a little more support in understanding. Every student is different, so Jessie must therefore individualise her answers and find the best way to communicate ideas at the correct level for different students.
As a previous student, Jessie can understand the challenges students face in Pao School’s unique bilingual environment. Taking from her previous experiences, working at the school has also been a learning opportunity for Jessie. During her time so far, she has been able to build teaching skills that she has learned from her Pao School colleagues such as how to assess a student’s needs. At the Middle School, students are still becoming more accustomed to expressing themselves in more complex English and understanding conceptual ideas in a second language. As Jessie has learned to assess the students’ needs, she is better able to give them support in the areas that are challenging. In addition, Jessie has learned more about teaching skills such as lesson planning, which feed into her future considerations of being a teacher.
Even though she is new, due to the welcoming environment, Jessie feels able to speak up and share her own opinions. “The working environment is very friendly, everyone is really open-minded – especially the Head of Science,” says Jessie.
Derek
Class of 2017
University of Toronto, Computer Science
Backend Development Engineer, AI software company
My time at Pao School was really enjoyable, I met lots of good friends and good teachers. It helped me to stand up, be more open, and to be braver talking in public. I did lots of different sports and activities during this time… it helped me to grow up.
Derek, who was at Pao School from Year 6-8, is currently working in Shanghai as a backend development engineer for a leading artificial intelligence (AI) software company. At the moment, he is focused on building computer programs to support AI training, with the ultimate goal of helping train AI algorithms to become faster and more efficient.
For those unfamiliar with AI, the process of creating this type of intangible product can seem like it can be created out of thin air. However, AI software needs to be trained for its purpose, a process which can take a number of years. For example, if you wanted to develop AI software that could identify a car’s brand and model, you would start by making a simple algorithm to train the AI on how to identify the cars. After this stage, the AI would begin “learning” by looking at millions of photos of cars so that it can identify which features – such as logo – belong to which type of car. As time passes, much like how a child learns, the AI gains knowledge through this experience and can improve its own accuracy.
Derek at work
Derek primarily supports AI researchers at the program development stage. He is also working on creating systems that can speed up the AI learning process, such as a method that allows the AI algorithm to process more data. For example, as an AI can “look” at multiple images simultaneously during the learning process, if it usually takes the AI three hours to process three thousand photos, refining the system can allow the AI to increase the data it is reviewing in the same time period, therefore allowing it to learn more quickly.
Interestingly, although he works at a Chinese language company, Derek’s English skills are useful for his role. This is as the language serves as a lingua franca in the programming world and he can use it to research solutions to problems.
In part, Derek’s current English level has benefited from the encouragement and support of his Pao School teachers, alongside taking part in activities that focused on public speaking. At first, he felt that his English level was not very good, so he had no confidence in himself and didn’t want to speak up. His English teacher at the time, Mr. Baines, left a significant impression on Derek. He remembers a class in which they were discussing moral absolutism – the idea that some actions are either completely right or completely wrong. Mr. Baines encouraged Derek to talk about his ideas, after which his thoughts were written up and hung up on the classroom window. This process helped Derek feel more confident in the value of his words and his ability to express conceptual ideas in English.
On the school’s fifth-anniversary celebration, Derek and his classmate Elton gave
a campus introduction to founder Professor Anna Sohmen Pao and guests
Alongside leaving a mark on Derek for his English level, the school always be with him through the community ties that he has built. These days, he still has connections with many of his old friends, who still play games and spend time with each other – with some even visiting him during his time at university in Canada. He says that part of the reason the bonds are so special is due to the experience of living in boarding together, taking part in House activities, and the variety of different sports and clubs at the school.
Even after Derek left Pao School, he kept his friendships alive by being an active part of the community, taking part in activities such as the school’s parent-led Run-A-Way club. In addition, he helped with other activities, for example, doing work as a volunteer teacher for a friend’s CAS project which involved teaching students in a remote village. He ends, “The connections I built in Pao School are strong, it’s really nice to have them as my friends.”
