International School Olympic Day

Highlights from ISB International Olympic Day
International Olympic Day Engenders Enthusiasm, Pride
The haziest day in six months couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd at ISB’s International Olympic Day. We had a fabulous turnout of parents and community members, all eager to see our students kick off the official Olympic Continental Challenge, a year-long competition among the students of all divisions.
The Olympic Procession was led by our youngest community members. To the stirring strains of the Olympic Anthem, all the Lower Elementary School, kitted out in their blue “ISB Kid” t-shirts, formed the first of five Olympic Rings on the field. The other divisions followed, organized by colors in their Olympic Challenge t-shirts. The tableau was completed by white-shirted high-schoolers and staff who filled in the flag design on the field.
Performances began with the Middle School Dragon and Lion Dancers, organized by the Chinese Studies Department. Angela Qiu, lead designer of the Olympic Torch Design Team at Lenovo, displayed the official torch to the school and addressed the audience on her team’s creative process, describing the elements of Chinese symbolism embodied in the design.
Seven Student Council leaders each ran a leg of the Torch Relay around the track. The final hand-off was to Gao Min, ISB parent and two-time winner of Olympic gold medals for diving, who lit ISB’s own Olympic Cauldron.
Performances by ISB’s Wushu Warriors of Wisdom and the Junior Choir followed. The event concluded with fireworks as Head of School Tom Hawkins proclaimed, “Let the Games begin!”
Olympic Day was a tough act to follow, but the PTA’s International Potluck Supper in the evening aroused equal enthusiasm. About 1500 ISB parents and students turned up to sample the truly multicultural buffet. Contributions from hundreds of parents included dishes and delights to please all palates. Eurest prepared two 16-square-foot “Global Gateaux,” which were a tremendous hit with parents and kids alike. Outdoors, kids bounced and slid and danced and played, as parents settled in to listen to some of the outstanding performances by students and faculty. A fabulous fireworks display in the stadium capped off this incredible evening.
Many thanks to everyone who participated in International Olympic Day. The event showed ISB at its best—full of spirit, with parents, students, and teachers all coming together in a zestful celebration of our diversity and our common goals.
China Daily has included a video of the event on their online news story. Visit the China Daily site to view the video.