Principal Li's Speech | 李文平校长开学典礼致辞

亲爱的同学们、老师们：

早上好！

热烈欢迎同学们重返校园，有了你们的欢声笑语，国际部就又充满了生机和活力。欢迎老师们回来，尤其欢迎新教师的加入。有你们于我同行，我感觉很有力量。在我们开启新学年之际，回望今年夏天，真是不同寻常：中国共产党建党一百周年，泱泱大国， 沧桑巨变，正是这一百年的奋斗、勇毅与担当，让我们在东京奥运会上见证中国精神和中国力量；让我们在河南遭受暴雨灾害时拨开乌云见月明；让我们面对严峻的疫情之时，有信心、有底气、有能力打赢新的战“疫”。作为一所中国公立学校背景的国际学校，我们感谢中国所处的飞速发展的新时代，让我们沐浴在和平发展的阳光中，如期返校，安心读书。

这个学年对部分同学有着特殊的意义——你们中有的从幼儿园升入了小学，有的从小学升入了初中，有的从初中升入了高中，实现了人生的一次小“跨越”，迈入了一个新的人生阶段！今天我想跟大家聊聊“成长”这个话题，讲讲我们国际部学生自己的故事。

一位同学9年级时从公立学校转至国际部，刚进校时，在英语上压力巨大，上课不能完全听懂，作业不知如何下手，在这种情况下，这位同学接受老师的建议，多读英文原著，利用假期把8、9年级要求读的英文书全部啃完，通过阅读， 提高英语水平。虽然第一年过得非常痛苦，但经过一年的扎实积累，这位同学克服了语言上的压力，自身在数理方面的优势慢慢凸显出来，在多个国际数学大赛中获奖。另一位同学8年级时从其他国际学校转入THIS，她面对的是中文课上的压力，中文A班的课程对她来说是有挑战性的，这位同学的做法是，上课时认真做好笔记，课后加大中文书阅读量，需要背诵的诗文反复听读音频，经过两年的训练，10年级时，这位同学已经能深度理解比较复杂的中文长篇小说和理论书籍，中文水平的提高为她打开了一扇通往中国优秀传统文化的大门。

同学们，每向上登一级台阶，你们面临的学业上和情绪上的的压力和挑战就越大，两位同学面对压力的共同点是，虽然痛苦，但接受挑战，不抱怨，不气馁，踏踏实实行动起来解决问题，最终实现自我超越。

所以，我分享的第一个故事教给我们如何面对压力并超越自我。

第二个故事是创造生活的故事。上个学期，一个名为“解忧便利店”的社团在国际部悄然兴起，社团的名字源自小说《解忧杂货店》，这本书曾经温暖过很多人，发起这个社团的同学因为自己遇到压力或心情不好时收到老师的咖啡或者糖果而被感动过，也试图用同样的初心去温暖生活中遇到烦恼的同学，让大家都能感觉到“被关心”。这个社团最核心的项目名为“解忧箱”， 他们在四层楼梯旁设有一个箱子，经过的人们可以写下他们的名字和烦恼，社团的同学会准备一包糖+一条信息来安慰并解答他们的烦恼，为不少同学带去了温暖和开心。从这样一些小故事上，我看到我们的同学们丰盈的内心。你们不仅能够处理好压力，勇敢面对挑战，而且具备了创造生活的能力。

其实，这样的精彩，绽放在我们国际部的每一个角落：从小学的邮局项目到咖啡厅项目，从亲手制作和演奏尤克里里到数学餐车项目，将教室摇身一变成为历史博物馆，从中英文辩论社到Studio 35，从民族舞街舞社团到阿卡贝拉合唱团等40多个中学社团，国际部的每一天，都因你们丰盈的内心而富有活力，都因你们富有创造力的精神而绽放光彩，在这里，成长不仅是自我发展，更为珍贵的是：你们用你们独有的光芒，点亮别人的生活，温暖他人的内心。

因此，第三个故事是关于爱和行动的故事。

2020年春节期间，武汉突然爆发新冠疫情，我们国际部的高中生迅速发起了AID FOR WUHAN的行动，他们筹款购置抗疫物资点对点送至湖北灾区，还有一些同学自发为灾区孩子们免费教授英语，越来越多的同学加入进来，发展为FREE English项目一直坚持到现在，惠及了大量需要帮助的同学。今年7月，河南郑州遭遇暴雨灾害，同学们再次迅速行动起来，延续了AID FOR WUHAN的精神和行动力，发起了AID FOR HENAN的行动，筹集资金捐助灾区。行动之迅速让人惊叹！

实际上，热衷公益早已在国际部的学生中“内化于心，外化于行”，从运动会一年一度的Terry Fox Run到CSC长期为患癌儿童筹集资金提供帮助，从通过“小美人鱼”的戏剧义演帮助中国农村地区修建水井到今年的 “希望工程1+1”活动，从为榕树根儿童教育公益中心组织义卖、捐赠书籍到利用暑期时间赶赴河北贫困地区支教、再到为蒲公英外来务工人员子女学校的学生开办思辨与科学夏令营。孩子们，我真心为你们感到骄傲，你们充分展现出了国际部学子“兼济天下”的大爱与社会担当，清华之“行胜于言”的魄力与行动力。

把自己培养成“精致的利己主义者”是一种选择，而我们国际部的同学们选择突破“小我”，自我超越、释放潜能、积极进取、创造生活、行胜于言、大爱担当，把个人与国家、人类和未来联系在一起，将自我融入广大的人群和波澜壮阔的时代中，你们用实实在在的行为鲜活地诠释了国际部的办学理念和清华精神，这是我作为校长最为同学们感到自豪的地方。相信在未来，你们具有的“崇高”、“博大”、“担当”这些品质，能够有足够的定力和智慧面对人生的变化和世事的变幻，这也是我对你们的期望。

孩子们， 我特别感谢你们， 是你们用鲜活的故事，创造了“小而美”的THIS的精彩，是你们的自律自强，塑造了国际部的校园文化，提升了国际部的影响力！新学年的开启，国际部也迎来了第13个学年。新的一年，学校将继续为大家营造一个更好的可以释放你们的天性、支持你们成长的家园，学校教育教学设施的提升一定让你们欢喜，老师们也将一如既往为你们提供最坚实的支持和最专业的指导，让你们成长的每一步都走得踏实而又精彩。

在新学年的每一天， 同学们、老师们，让我们自律自强，做最好的自己，一起把我们的THIS建成她最美的样子。

祝福大家！

Dear students and teachers,

Good morning!

The fresh air of the harvest season has ushered in our back-to-school days. Tsinghua International School’s (THIS) vitality and spirit have been restored as the campus is filled with student laughter and cheerful chatter. Today, I am thrilled that our THIS family is once again reunited to welcome the new school year. A warm welcome to our new and returning teachers. I am so excited to have you all together.

This summer was truly extraordinary. We celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC.) This is a great achievement for China! 100-years of hardship and great changes have provided us with the courage and sense of responsibility to celebrate the Chinese spirit and strength at the Tokyo Olympics, to overcome the devastating rainstorms in Henan province, and to tame the severe and prolonged worldwide COVID pandemic.

As an international school affiliated with Tsinghua High School, we are grateful to the Communist Party of China for creating a new era, allowing us to return to school as scheduled, and to study in a quiet and peaceful environment.

For some of you, this school year holds special meaning — some of you have moved from kindergarten to primary school, some promoted from primary school to middle school, and some from middle school to high school. You have made a small “leap” forward in your life and entered a new stage of life! Today I want to talk to you about what “growing up” means by sharing three stories about THIS students.

Story one:

Last year, a student in grade 9 transferred from public school to THIS. At the beginning, he was under great pressure in English.  He couldn’t fully understand what was being said in his classes and didn’t know how to start his homework. When the teachers became aware of his situation, they offered him several suggestions. He took his teachers’ advice and spent a lot of time reading English books to help improve his English level. He also finished all the required grade 8 and 9 reading during the holidays. Even though his first year at THIS was tough and full of challenges for this student,  he overcame his language obstacles with hard work and perseverance. Not only that, he also excelled in mathematics, winning awards in several international mathematics competitions. Similarly, another student who transferred into THIS from an international school in grade 8, struggled in Chinese.  Chinese class A was a huge challenge. She carefully took notes in class, read a large number of Chinese books, and repeatedly listened to and recited poems and articles. By grade 10, this student was able to deeply understand complex Chinese novels and theoretical books. This improvement of her Chinese level has opened doors for her to the wonderful Chinese culture and traditions .

Students, with each step in your life, you will face increasing academic and emotional pressure and challenges. The two students in story one show us that when we are faced with pressure,  although it is painful, we should accept the challenge! Do not complain. Do not be discouraged. Take positive actions to solve your problems.  By doing so, you, too, can achieve self-transcendence.

Story two:

The second story is about building a better life. A club named “Destress Mini Mart” emerged at THIS last semester. This club was named after the Japanese novel “ The Miracles of the Namiya General Store ” by Keigo Higashino, which has delighted many people around the world. The students started this club because they were moved by the treats they received from teachers when they were stressed or when they felt depressed as a small gesture of kindness and care. In return, they aimed to warm and help more students who were facing troubles in life or experiencing similar circumstances. They wanted to let those students know that they are not alone and they had lots of caring friends all around them. This club created something they call a “relief box.” The box sits beside the fourth floor stairs so that students passing by can drop  in a piece of paper with their name and a brief description of their troubles. Club members then prepare a bag of small treats and a message of comfort to help bring warmth and happiness to those students. This story shows me the big and warm hearts of our students. You are not only able to handle stress and rise to challenges, but you have the ability to create a beautiful  and loving environment for those around you.

In fact, such wonderful things bloom in every corner of our campus. You can see that from the post office projects to the coffee shop, from making and performing with ukuleles to the mathematics dining car project, from turning the classroom into a historical museum, from the English-Chinese debate club to Studio 35, from folk dance and street dance to acapella choir. There are more than 40 clubs at THIS now. I want to say that every day is full of vitality because of your warm hearts and creative spirit. Here at THIS, growth is not only about self-development, but also about using your unique light to brighten others’ lives and warm others’ hearts.

Story three:

My third story is about love and action.

During the Chinese new year of 2020, COVID-19 suddenly broke out in Wuhan. Our high school students quickly launched the action of AID FOR WUHAN. They raised funds to buy anti-epidemic materials and sent them to the Hubei disaster area. Some students spontaneously taught English to the children in Wuhan, and more and more THIS students joined to develop and strengthen the FREE English project. This program has benefited a large number of students in need of help. This summer, Zhengzhou, Henan province was hit severe rainstorms and disasterous flooding. Our students again acted quickly with the continued spirit demonstrated by the AID FOR WUHAN project. They relaunched the AID FOR HENAN project raising funds and donations for the disaster area. Their speed of action was amazing!

In fact, public welfare has long been “internalized in the heart and externalized in the practice” of THIS students. From the Terry Fox Run at our annual sport day to CSC’s long-term efforts raising funds for children with cancer to helping build water wells in rural China through the drama benefit performance of ” The Little Mermaid” to this year’s “Project Hope 1 + 1″ activity, from organizing charity sales and donating books for Rongshugen children’s education public welfare center to spending time in the summer supporting education in poor areas of Hebei and setting up a summer science camp for students at the Dandelion Migrant Children’s School. I’m really proud of you guys, our lovely THIS students. You have fully demonstrated the great love and social responsibility necessary to “help the world”! What you do as THIS students exemplifies the courage and motivation of Tsinghua spirit. Your”actions speak louder than words”.

To cultivate yourself into an “exquisite egoist” is a choice, but our students choose to break through the “ego”. Go beyond yourself, release your potential, emphasize the positive, create new life, doing is better than saying, take responsibility for your actions, bind individuals together with your country, and integrate yourself into your community during these magnificent times. You have vividly interpreted Tsinghua spirit and the THIS core values with your actual behaviors, which is what I am most proud of as your principal. I believe, in the future, with your lofty, broad and responsible qualities, you will have enough determination and wisdom to face the changes in your life and in the world. This is also my expectation for you.

Students, I am particularly grateful to you for creating the wonderful “small but beautiful” THIS community with your own stories. It is your self-discipline and self-improvement that shapes the THIS campus culture and enhances the influence of THIS community! With the beginning of the new school year, THIS has ushered in its 13^th school year. This year, the school will continue to renovate and build an excellent campus that will release your passions and support your growth. The improvement of the school’s education and teaching facilities will certainly make you happy. Teachers will continue to provide you with solid support and professional guidance, to make sure every step of your growth is steady and full of wonder.

Teachers and students, every single day of the school year is a fresh new day. Let us be self-disciplined and open to self-improvement, be the best of ourselves, and together build our beautiful THIS community.

Best wishes to you all for the school year ahead!