Hello everyone, good afternoon!

Welcome back to SHBS! I also extend a warm welcome to each new student. It is an honor for me to speak here on behalf of all faculty members!

I believe you all had an enjoyable summer vacation. Some of you are already prepared to face the challenges of the new semester, setting new goals for yourselves, while others might still be lingering in the joys of summer, hoping the new semester will arrive a little later. But no matter what, here we are, standing at this new beginning.

Seeing your youthful and energetic faces, I often find myself in a daze, as if I've returned to my student days, eagerly and nervously anticipating the beginning of a new school year, just like you.

I was once the "good child" in the eyes of my teachers and parents—never causing trouble, well-behaved, and excelling in my studies. I went with whatever was planned for me, without much thought. This might sound familiar to many of you, as it's a common experience for many students growing up in China.

I spent many years learning to draw and once dreamed of studying design, animation, oil painting, or any art-related field. However, I ended up choosing physics as my major because my parents believed that science would be more useful than art. After graduation, I became a teacher because it was a stable job.

It wasn’t until many years into my career that I began to question: What am I doing? What have I done for my students? I spent ten years teaching at a top high school, sending waves of students to take the Gaokao, just like on a production line. Most of them, like I was, had little interest in learning, studying only to get through the exams.

I saw learning had become a tool for selection, I saw repressed souls who dared not speak out, I saw students losing their interest and motivation to learn. So I decided to do something. I founded a STEM institution with the hope that more children could experience the joy of science and not lose their ability to think critically from a young age. Because, like art, education is a means of spreading emotions, thoughts, and values.

Three years ago, I met Mr. Bowen. We discussed many ideals and visions about education. I was drawn in because I knew this school would provide a different future for many students. I chose to join.

Here, learning can be what it is. You can experience the wonder and beauty of science, the depth and warmth of the humanities, and most importantly, you can make choices!

You can listen, think, experience, and feel. After that, you can decide to say yes or no.

When you realize that learning physics might be just to understand why a football curves in the air, learning chemistry might be to know how to clean limescale from a kettle, learning biology might be to find out how to lose more weight, learning economics might be to figure out how much profit a can of Coca-Cola makes, learning history might be to understand the background of a video game character...

Learning will no longer be scary, and classes will no longer be boring. You can chat, discuss, share, and debate with your teachers.

I hope to see more students raising their heads in class, catching the teacher's eye, asking more "whys," and daring to question and express different viewpoints.

This is the true essence of learning!

This is the true meaning of being a teacher!

Thank you!