Spring begins a new journey, with unwavering determination. On the afternoon of March 1st, 2026, the opening ceremony for the second semester of the 2025 academic year at Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School's high school division was grandly held in the school auditorium. All teachers and students gathered together, embarking on a new journey for the new semester under the theme of "Perseverance, Vision, Depth in Every Step."

At the beginning of the ceremony, two hosts announced its official commencement. Eight representatives of teachers and students from each grade, along with an expat teacher representative, took turns to speak, sharing their experiences and insights related to the theme, offering sincere expectations and encouragement for the new semester.

The expat teacher representative Mr. Seyoum shared first, encouraging students to face the challenges of the new semester with composure, find their own pace, solve problems with efficient planning and decisive action, and steadily reach their ideal destination.

Following this, Liu Yixuan, the student representative of Grade 10, shared his understanding of the depth of personalized activities, drawing on his experience participating in a marine biology project at the University of Chicago: Truly valuable exploration stems from dedicated investment and continuous refinement; Only by investing time and energy can one produce profound and meaningful results in learning and creation.

The Grade 10 teacher representative Mr. Wen then gave his speech. He focused on "Embracing New Challenges with a New Mindset," encouraging students to make clear plans, maintain a proactive curiosity, dare to ask questions and explore, break free from the constraints of textbooks, connect knowledge with a wider world, and overcome every obstacle on their path with perseverance.

Then, Qian Jingyi, the student representative of Grade 11 shared her learning insights, profoundly interpreting the meaning of "why we learn": Only by clarifying goals and discovering inner passions can learning have direction; She used the interdisciplinary exploration of physics and ecology research as an example to encourage students to break down disciplinary barriers and let diverse knowledge become the cornerstone of realizing their passions.

Mr. Zhang, the teacher representative of Grade 11, encouraged students to make further progress in the new semester. He urged them to engage with social issues, maintain a spirit of inquiry, innovation, and critical thinking, and learn to navigate and utilize AI effectively, making technology a driving force for learning and innovation, thus taking the initiative in their growth amidst the tides of the times.

Following this, two student representatives from Grade 12, Yun Duo and Zhu Hongyi, shared their experiences in college applications. Yun Duo emphasized the importance of "deepening" their understanding, encouraging everyone to find their own unique direction of exploration and cultivate their knowledge from multiple perspectives using interdisciplinary thinking, making their growth more substantial. Zhu Hongyi, starting from the concepts of "passion" and "uniqueness," used his experience teaching baseball to illustrate that transforming passion into unique practice and output is essential for growth to shine brightly.

Lastly, the Grade 12 teacher representative Ms.Li shared her views. She focused on current trends, pointing out that the world is shifting from pursuing "standards" to valuing "uniqueness," a change profoundly reflected in college applications and the path of personal growth. She encouraged students to refuse to conform to templates, dare to break with convention, and forge their own path to growth, defining their own excellence with a unique attitude.

At the end of the ceremony, the host announced the list of outstanding clubs. Four awards were presented: the most influential clubs, the Model Clubs, the outstanding clubs, and the distinguished clubs, recognizing student organizations that excelled in areas such as technological innovation, humanistic thinking, and social service. This was intended to inspire more organizations to continue their dedicated efforts and shine brightly in the new semester.

The new journey of the second semester of the 2025 academic year has begun. The theme "Perseverance, Vision, Depth in Every Step" serves as guidance for the new semester and the foundation for future progress. May the students of Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School carry the expectations and reflections from the ceremony, taking each step steadily, finding their own rhythm in exploration and cultivation, growing and maturing over time, and encountering a better version of themselves on their journey.