Rooted in Heritage, Empowered by Innovation, Ready for the World

On the very first day of school, the campus was alive with warmth and vitality. Accompanied by light, cheerful music, teachers sang and danced at the school gate, warmly welcoming both returning friends and new classmates who had just joined the Xiehe family. As melodies flowed and smiles spread, the children stepped onto campus amid a wonderful sense of ceremony, and made their way to their brand-new classrooms, officially marking the start of the new semester.

This year’s grand ceremony centered on the theme “Rooted in Heritage, Empowered by Innovation, Ready for the World,” weaving China’s cultural heritage together with cutting-edge technology. It guided the children to appreciate the profound legacy of a millennia of culture while embracing the innovative power of the digital age, opening up a broad global vision.

The ceremony began with a solemn flag-raising ceremony, as the five-starred red national flag rose slowly, instilling a deep sense of patriotism in young hearts, and laying a strong spiritual foundation for the new semester. A short film documentary of the summer was shared with the captive audience, looking back on the students’ rich and coloufrful holiday experiences. Stepping out of the classroom and into the world, the children discovered a diverse world through travel, capturing the image of Xiehe youth who unite knowledge with action and approach the world with curiosity and thoughtful inquiry.

House Leadership — Young Leadership Officially Takes Center Stage

SUIS Qingpu’s House culture serves as an important vehicle for our school’s distinctive educational approach. At the ceremony, Deputy-Head Ms. Yu unveiled the newly elected leaders of the four Houses, who each shared their signature projects: He Zhimeng of the Green Dragon House led the “English Debate Club,” inspiring critical thinking and embracing diverse ideas; Liu Yifan of the White Tiger House launched the “Journey into the World of Insects” nature exploration project, encouraging children to get close to nature and cherish even the tiniest of lives; Liang Siyuan of the Vermilion Phoenix House led the “English Reading Club,” broadening horizons through reading and growing together with peers; Shi Jiaqi of the Black Tortoise House created the “Speech Challenge Park,” helping classmates overcome shyness and find their voice with courage.

Together, the four Houses provide students with a platform for self-management, interest development, and collaborative practice. The new House leaders set a superb example, inspiring their peers to take an active part in activities, embrace responsibility and exploration, and grow through hands-on experience.

The ceremony also showcased AI creations and hands-on science and technology projects by students from G1 to G5. The young creators shared their ideas and ingenuity, and also spoke openly about facing failure during the debugging process, drawing rounds of applause from the audience and showcasing the vibrant innovative spirit of our youth.

Words of Encouragement — Empowering Individual Growth

At the threshold of the new semester, Principal Liu extended warm and heartfelt wishes to all teachers and students. She noted that hands-on practice is a highly effective way of learning, and that science, technology and the arts help students reach for distant horizons. She encouraged everyone to actively take part in innovation projects and discover their potential through practice. She also mentioned that a child’s playful mischief is a precious quality of nature — with positive guidance, it can be channeled into the courageous exploration of the world.

Principal Liu expressed her hopes for all students, quoting the classical verse: “When the mighty Roc rides the gale, it ascends to soaring heights.” She reminded them that not everyone needs to be the same, and wished that every student could be their own unique self — exploring boldly, growing freely, discovering what they love, and shining in their own way.

Learning by Doing — A New Chapter in the Classroom

After the ceremony, students returned to their classrooms for hands-on scientific inquiry. The activities featured tiered innovation tasks tailored to each grade level: first graders explored static electricity induction and experienced the wonders of triboelectric charging; second graders carried out the “Froggy Hop” experiment to discover the principles of magnetic poles; third graders built simple electric motors; fourth graders investigated gravitational balance by creating high-wire-walking robots; and fifth graders assembled bionic spider robots, experiencing the joy of creation.

Through learning by doing and exploring by thinking, the children immersed themselves in the charm of interdisciplinary inquiry and uncovered the wonders of science hidden in everyday life. With a vibrant atmosphere of innovation, a new chapter of exploration and creation for the new semester was officially set in motion.

The new semester has set sail. May every Xiehe student remain rooted in cultural heritage, embrace the power of technology, and approach the world with curiosity, passion, and courage.  May they continue to challenge themselves, pursue what inspires them, and write a story of growth that is uniquely their own.