The Amazing Race In 2020, Pao High School began organising regular Chinese cultural activities for its staff, providing engaging and immersive opportunities to develop familiarity with local traditions outside work each month. Among these initiatives, the 'Amazing Race' has won special affection throughout the school, and has now successfully reached its third season.
This time around, the Amazing Race participants interviewed locals to uncover insights into the area's traditional culture, took part in a tea ceremony led by a professional tea master, and explored the basics of tea culture. Participants also learned about the design and philosophy behind traditional Chinese weighing devices. Through these hands-on experiences, the program deepened participants' grasp of local customs.
Beside the Amazing Race, numerous other cultural immersion opportunities are available to the school staff. A regular Chinese Culture Quiz Night draws upon entertaining trivia across multiple fields, enabling staff to broaden their knowledge and enhance communication through friendly competition. Crafts workshop offers hands-on experiences of traditional crafts, such as those involved in creating stylish tote bags and plush flowers, offering an appreciation of intricate time-honoured techniques. 'Heritage Exploration' organises visits to ancient towns and temples, transporting its participants through space and time to learn about Chinese architectural history and cultural evolution.
As part of its mission, Pao School recognises a solemn responsibility to transmit Chinese cultural traditions through all its campuses. To support this goal, it has established a cross-campus Chinese Culture Committee, led by High School Deputy Principal Zang Na and core members from the three campuses. Four main modules stand at the heart of Chinese culture programs at Pao School: the Academic Programme, which is based on diverse academic programs to pass on the traditional Chinese culture; the Extension Programme, where a variety of practical activities are offered with experiences that demonstrate cultural connotations in depth; Character Education, which guides students in the school's values of 'Compassion, Integrity, and Balance'; and Staff Culture Activities, which involve holding cultural activities for staff to promote cultural integration and enhance communication among them.
Along these four themes, each campus organises a variety of cultural activities, ranging across curricular and extracurricular programs, student experiences, and employee development. These include Chinese Culture Week at the Primary School, the Chinese Poetry Competition in Middle School, and the Humanities Lecture Series in High School. By joining forces together, the Chinese Culture Committee continue to shape future activities, enhancing the cultural experiences of both students and staff, engagingly and educationally.
