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September 27, 2016

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Students do SUIS proud at World Scholar’s Cup

FOR most students at Wan Yuan’s US High School, the last week of June means the end of exams and an opportunity to take a well-earned rest. But for fifteen of the high school’s brightest students, the end of their exams just meant it was time to prepare for another challenge. No sooner had they completed their exams but it was time to board flights to Bangkok, Thailand for the Global Round of the World Scholar’s Cup, to compete against students from hundreds of international schools from across the world.

Before the competitions began, our students got the chance to explore the markets, temples and riverways of Bangkok, soaking up the local atmosphere and culture. The local transportation — exhilarating speedboats and the famous tuk-tuks — proved especially popular!

But even then, our teams knew they had to use their time wisely. The World Scholar’s Cup tests students’ creativity, public speaking, debate and teamwork skills, while also requiring them to gain deep knowledge about everything from deadly viruses to the moral arguments for and against capital punishment.

Our students had qualified for the Global Round after performing strongly in the Shanghai Round, so they knew what they had to do and how to prepare. But still, we took advantage of the time to make final preparations, with students’ showing their dedication by working together closely in their three-person groups to make sure they were as prepared as possible.

The first day of the Global Round itself began with a spectacular opening ceremony that showed the spirit of community, humor, positivity and creativity for which the World Scholar’s Cup is justly famous. Students then got the chance to meet and mingle with peers from around the world, bonding over games, food, activities and dancing.

But then on the second day things got serious, with students’ spending all day participating in the scholars challenge, collaborative writing and debating against teams from other schools. This was tough work for our students, as this was their first time participating at the Global Round and some of our teams had been working together for just months.

That evening, students participated in a cultural fair where they got to experience the traditional dress, customs and cuisine of dozens of different cultures — everyone was stuffed full of delicious and exotic snacks by the end of the evening.

And after a very well-earned sleep we had the final competitive event, a knowledge bowl where our teams were tested on a huge array of topics over the course of several hours.

Every team ended this event in great spirits, knowing that they’d held their own against teams from some of the best schools in the entire world. And to celebrate this, we had the scholar’s ball, a fantastic party full of food, music, dancing, games and bonding with people of every culture and creed.

Our students made friends here that they have stayed in touch with all summer and that they are already looking forward to meeting again at next year’s Global Round, and it is this spirit of togetherness and cross-cultural communication that makes the World Scholars Cup such a unique and memorable event.

Sadly, all good things come to an end, and eventually our teams had to return home — but not before an awards ceremony that was opened by a breathtaking flag march for the scores of represented nations, and which concluded with our students taking home nineteen gold and silver medals in an array of different disciplines. The smiling faces of our bright young stars as they congratulated each other on their achievements was the final proof that all their hard work had been worth it.




 

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