I encourage our graduates to remain confident and resilient as you step forwards into the next part of journey. I hope you will always remember the values of Compassion, Integrity and Balance that you have learnt at YK Pao School. To quote Charles Dickens again: 'There is a wisdom of the head… and there is a wisdom of the heart.' May I wish you wisdom in both areas and may I congratulate you on your joining a very special group of people: YK Pao School alumni. - Philip Sohmen, Executive Deputy Chairman As graduation season unfolds, so does the promise of new beginnings. The Class of 2025 finds itself poised to embark on the next phase of their lives. On May 24th,Year 12 graduates commemorated the successful completion of their journey at Pao School, readying themselves to take their first steps beyond. The ceremony started with the lively rhythms of Zhou Shan Percussion. It heralded both the end of an era and the start of exciting new adventures.
The ceremony was hosted by High School Deputy Principal Zang Na
High School Principal James Lyng delivered a welcome speech, expressing his pride in the Year 12 class. He described this class as truly embodying Pao School's holistic education values of being bilingual, bi-cultural, compassionate, and balanced. He added that they have left behind their ‘footprint,’ stating, “They have left so much for us to learn from as part of their legacy to our school and campus, and they have been excellent role models for students across a range of ages.”
In harmony with this spirit of new beginnings, President Xu Yongchu began by congratulating the Year 12 students while reminding them to remain "unchanged in a changing world." She emphasized that despite numerous advancements in technology, shifts in artistic expression, and new ways of helping others, it was essential to stay human and compassionate at heart while always remembering their Chinese roots. "Dear students," she said. "As we stand here today, we are reminded that the world around us changes every single day. Yet some things are more enduring than we often realize. As you embark on the next chapter of your journey, I hope you carry with you the philosophy of 'change and changelessness,' along with the memories captured in your yearbook."
Executive Headmaster Iain Kilpatrick emphasized the significance of the graduation ceremony as a celebration of the hard work and dedication of the Class of 2025. His address drew inspiration from such notable characters as Seneca, Nelson Mandela, and Dr. Seuss, highlighting the importance of preparation, resilience, and seizing opportunities. In his final note, he urged students "to remain curious. The world is constantly changing, and there is always more to learn. Embrace lifelong learning as a guiding principle. Seek out new experiences, challenge your assumptions, and be open to different perspectives. Then you will truly be a global citizen: culturally aware and empathetic to the rich diversity of the human condition".
In a heartfelt conclusion to the ceremony, teacher representatives Ms. Echo Cheng and Ms. Maisie Mitchell recalled experiences shared with the new graduates, thanking them for these fond memories and wishing them luck on their future journeys. Student representatives Catherine Zhou, Frank Zhou, and Jimmy Zhu delivered speeches in both English and Chinese, expressing gratitude to friends, family, and teachers for their unwavering support. They, too, reflected on shared experiences and memories, while wishing their classmates luck as they embark on new adventures in college and beyond.
HQ Campus Visit and Pao Trailblazers Event
On Monday morning, nearly 50 graduates returned to the Hongqiao campus for a heartfelt visit. The students enjoyed lunch with their former teachers, and afterward, they reminisced about their middle school days at a special photo wall, where they found pictures of themselves from that time. In the afternoon, they had the opportunity to visit the newly inaugurated Anna Pao Sohmen Centre and the main teaching building. The middle school 'Pao Press' student reporters seized the opportunity to conduct interviews with their older peers, who shared personal growth stories from their time at Pao School and offered valuable advice to the middle school students.
Within each Year 12 cohort, there is always a special group that started their Pao School journey in Year 1. As part of the graduation tradition, a Pao Trailblazers event was organized to celebrate the unique achievements of those students who completed their entire education at Pao School, inviting parents and former teachers to witness the students' remarkable growth and transformation.
Deputy Chairman, Madame Fuyun Tan, bowed to thank the parents present. "A child's growth is like an airplane soaring through the sky," she said. "It requires the perfect collaboration of family education, school education, and social education. I want to thank all the parents for walking hand in hand with the school—story moms reading with the children, participating in the parent choir, and setting a good example by engaging in charity work. Your actions set a wonderful model for the children."
As a representative of the Primary School teachers, Ms. Poppy Ren gazed at the former students in the audience with deep emotion and reflected on the courage the students showed in volleyball, the confidence they displayed during performances, and the resilience they exhibited in scouting activities. Both teachers and parents were moved. "As the shadows of the trees grow long, the roots remain deeply anchored in the soil of childhood," Ms. Ren said. "In this moment, there's no need for goodbyes, because the best farewell is a reunion. On every reunion day, we will be here, eager to hear the legends of your journeys."
