We are now deep into the second semester and time has flown in the blink of an eye. In an effort to boost the morale of teachers and pupils alike, the Middle School hosted the 2022-2023 Academic Year Mid-term Commendation Conference.
The ceremony was started with Mrs. Rinna Ruan announcing the list of successful students. The winners of the “Star of Discipline”, “Star of Progress” and the “Star of Dedication” awards were met with thunderous applause as their peers and teachers loudly expressed their pleasure for their success.
Miranda Chen, a ninth-grade student, shared her experience and useful tips for studying with the audience. He talked about how to set small goals, establish personalized learning methods, make good use of class time, and practice diligently to improve learning efficiency amidst a busy academic life. These served as great examples for all the students in attendance.
Later in the ceremony, Harry, an excellent senior student, was invited to the stage to share his wealth of experience and knowledge, giving particular attention to the importance of a successful transition from middle school to high school and how to adjust to the pace of life, learning styles and attitude needed to make that transition as smooth as possible.
At the end, Mr. Andrew Watt, Deputy-Head of the Middle School, led a discussion on the idea that “excellence starts with following the rules”. Mr. Watt not only praised the recent rule supervision work of the Student Council, but also explained to the students the specific requirements of the rules.
The mid-term commendations not only allow students the opportunity to be rewarded for their efforts, but also acknowledge the students’ growth and serve to recognize their strengths. Having role models and following rules and norms are essential. With the power of role models, we believe that students will continue to make effort in the final stage of this school year, adhere to rules, respect others, take responsibility, enjoy dedication and feel proud of their personal growth.
At this mid-term recognition ceremony, I received the “Star of Learning” award. My first reaction to winning this award was a sense of pride, as my half-semester efforts paid off. However, after calming down, I scolded myself harshly in my heart. Pride can make one regress, and I have fallen into this trap many times before. Therefore, if I want to continue to receive this award in the future, I must maintain a humble attitude and not be afraid of failure.
The mid-term awards ceremony is usually an anticipated event. The ceremony not only recognizes my classmates’ academic abilities, but also provides us with an opportunity to gain experience. I was delighted to receive the “Learning Star” and “Chinese Pioneer Award” at the awards ceremony. Chinese is my favourite subject. I take it seriously and have met supportive teachers in this subject. Winning this award not only meant receiving a certificate, but also motivated me to continue moving forward. Here, we not only see outstanding peers, but also learn from their study methods. Therefore, I believe that the impact of the mid-term awards ceremony on us is not just about recognition, but also about making our direction for progress more clear.
As an eighth-grader who is about to enter high school and start a new life, I think the most helpful thing for me in this event was the speech from our senior sister in Grade 9 who will need to take part in the Middle School’s Entrance Examination for the High School and is a senior for the G9 Mentor group. Her speech described how to learn effectively in Grade 9 and how to learn correctly. There is no doubt that for the students who have received the acceptance letter from our SUIS Qingpu High School, the speech really helped us in regard to the selection process for our high school courses in the near future. Understanding in advance the learning mechanism, campus rules, daily routines, and activities organization will help students understand and more quickly adapt to campus life in the SUIS Qingpu High School. This awards ceremony not only praised those students who performed well in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, but also provided guidance to the eighth graders who were about to enter the high school. It was a very meaningful commendation meeting!