Opening Chapter of the New Semester

On Monday, August 10, at 7:30 a.m., the Yinghua Hall for the new semester gradually filled to capacity. Teachers and students arrived together; faculty and staff took their seats in designated areas, while students found their places according to their class assignments. Some bent over, flipping through their newly‑bound textbooks, others chatted with classmates nearby, and the teaching team sat in the back row, exchanging ideas about the upcoming semester’s plans. The hall had not been this lively since summer vacation began. At exactly 8:00 a.m., the national anthem sounded, and everyone rose to their feet. The flag‑raising ceremony was brief; once the anthem concluded, all returned to their seats. Thus, the first collective act of the new school year was completed—simple yet formal.

Principal Mark: Welcome back, and welcome to those joining us for the first time.

Subsequently, Principal Mark of Yinghua School took to the stage to deliver a speech.

He began by welcoming the new students and extending his greetings to the returning ones for the start of the new semester. He noted that a new academic year marks a fresh beginning, offering everyone the opportunity to redefine themselves.

He remarked that Yinghua’s education goes beyond helping students gain admission to a top university; it also cultivates a broader perspective—one that enables students to see themselves clearly while recognizing the nation standing behind them. He encouraged his students to cherish every day at Yinghua, to read widely, explore broadly, and think deeply while they are still young, so as to take root firmly and set their sights far ahead.

He said that no matter how far we go or how high we soar in the future, we must never forget where we began. Personal growth and the nation’s future have never been separate—whatever kind of person you become will shape the kind of tomorrow our country has.

He hopes that, in the new academic year, everyone will find their own path and rhythm—possessing both the self‑discipline to cultivate oneself and manage one’s family, and the broad-mindedness to govern the state and bring peace to the world.

Feng Bo: In the new semester, stay calm and don’t be afraid.

After Mark finished speaking, Dr. Feng Zhaode took the stage.

Feng Bo holds a doctorate in education and is also a psychology expert. Rather than lecturing on grand principles, he spoke about everyday matters in a relaxed tone, as if simply greeting an old acquaintance—without any forced enthusiasm. He said that during the new semester, should students encounter any difficulties, whether academic or personal, they are welcome to come see him at any time for a chat.

After Feng Bo finished speaking, students Jim and Dante shared their experiences over the past year at Yinghua. New student representative Chen Feixi also took to the stage to deliver remarks, expressing his hopes for future campus life.

New aspirations: Write your wishes on paper and let them soar.

After the speeches and sharing session, the teacher handed each student a sheet of paper. Everyone wrote down their hopes for the new semester, then folded their papers into paper airplanes. As the teacher on stage counted down from three to one, everyone launched their paper planes, and the venue instantly came alive with excitement.

Little surprise: The teacher hid snacks all over campus.

After launching their paper airplanes, a little surprise awaited both returning and new students as they headed back to campus. Teachers had carefully hidden snacks throughout the school—on classroom windowsills, around stairwell corners, on library shelves, and even beside hallway fire hydrants. Students began searching in small groups, their footsteps rustling as they turned over every surface, punctuated by the occasional shout of “I found it!” The entire campus buzzed with renewed energy. With this tiny delight and the vibrant spirit filling the air, the new semester was off to a lively start.

After fetching some snacks and returning to the classroom, Feng Bo posed three questions to everyone:

• What kind of campus memories do you hope to create?
• In the days ahead, how would you like your teacher to interact with you?
• How do you plan to get along with your teachers and classmates?

There is no single right answer. Everyone sat in a circle, jotting down their thoughts, then took turns sharing them. One person hoped that three years from now, they would be the one standing on stage to give a presentation; another said to the homeroom teacher, “Could you please stop calling on students out of the blue?” Yet another added, “I hope everyone here can remember each other’s names.” Dr. Feng and the homeroom teacher listened nearby, nodding occasionally and jotting down some of the remarks in their notebooks.

As the lights went out, some students still lingered in the hallway, unpacking the snacks they’d just found as they walked. A few glanced back at the classroom; the words on the projector screen remained visible. On the first day of the new term, no textbooks had been opened, no homework assigned—only the echoes of laughter at the end of the corridor and three questions lingering on the screen. Perhaps this is how Yinghua begins each school year: no rush, just a chance to connect with one another first. The new semester doesn’t start with textbooks—it starts with the bonds we forge between people.

Zhuhai Yinghua International Curriculum Program
August 11, 2026