Joanna Ruan (Y11)
10 years ago, we numbered barely 100.
Today, we have grown almost 10 times our original size
10 years ago, we were based on another school’s campus
Today, we have 2 campuses of our own
10 years ago, I started learning English
Today, words swirl in my mind in three languages.
10 years ago, the silhouette of my tiny body ran through the field with my friends, my steps were slightly wobbly
Today, the silhouette of my fully developed body runs through the field, Strong and steady
10 years ago, you would hear laughing
The laughing continued
It never stopped
10 years ago, I loved life
Today, I still do.
The first week, we were met by a sorting hat, raised over our head, it spoke: ‘Winter’. From that moment, my fate in YK Pao was properly ‘sorted’. I was given a blue shirt, while the others had green, yellow, or red. We wore our house t-shirts proudly, and from the first day, we felt like we’d always belonged there. Everyday, we worked hard in class to gain house points. After school, we played sports on the field in our houses. Every week, there would be a lucky draw from the ‘points’ we had earned, something I always looked forward to, hoping that perhaps I would have a stroke of good luck and be picked out of that box. When the sun rose into the sky each morning, I was grateful for a new day. There were moments when I felt like I was falling and needed support, but would be quickly picked up by one member or another of our community.
So many things have changed since I first arrived. People have come and gone – teachers and friends. Everything merges in a slightly hazy but almost halcyon memory.
Some things remained unchanged: The very ideals of our education, our optimistic outlook towards life, the strong feeling of community, and our capacity to dream.
