Throughout the Y-Now! International Youth Leadership Summit students worked in breakout groups to process, discuss and debate what they had heard at various sessions and from various speakers.  As a culminating activity, student breakout groups were asked to each prepare a presentation that captured much of what they had collectively learned about leadership and taking on complex and challenging problems in the world today.

Below is a video completed by one of these student groups, self-named A Capella.  The name was chosen by the students because it is only their voices that can be heard in their video presentation. The production was a collaborative effort of 16 students who planned and produced this presentation.
-Brant Parker

Having lost our visit to the Canadian Embassy, due to the Alberta Ambassadors being pulled away on other business, we had a free morning prior to our departure for Macau.  When asked, “What would you like to do with your free morning?”, the students replied with teethy grins in unison, “Shopping.”  The students, with the one rule that they had to stay with their Teacher-group, had 78 minutes to find their gifts, barter, pay and be back on the bus together.

“On your marks (At the doors), Get Set (braced in the track-start position), GO!”  They were off and finding treasures and gifts to bring back home.  The teachers and our Cultural Liaison were amazed at the negotiation skills of the students!  They were assertive, kind, humourous and friendly with the vendors.  In fact, sticking out like BRIGHT ORANGE LANTERNS in their hoodies, the vendors all knew the Canadian Student Leader delegation within minutes of arrival.  The groups couldn’t go anywhere without people calling to them, “Canadians!  Canadians!  Visit my shop!!!”

Leaving the market with bags of shoes, jeans, chopsticks, Buddha statues and watches, the students looked happy and some vendors looked a little sad… I guess our students knew how to negotiate a little too well.

Boarding the bus and sharing with each other the stories of the market was entertaining.  ”He told me it was 800 RMB and I got it for 100!”  ”She kept calling me back!”  ”She said I was handsome.  I still didn’t back down.”  Entertaining too, to see some students take to bartering as though they were in the business and other students noticing the bargaining talents of their peers, asking for help to buy their stuff.

Art District 798 was next.  Set in an old district dedicated to factories that manufactured “parts” during the cultural revolution, we were in for some inquiry-based learning…how else can one unravel the mysteries art?   “What ‘parts’ were manufactured here?,” we asked.  “Secret Information” replied our guide…   YIKES!

Art… How to describe it? How to understand it?  How to look at it?  How to perceive it?  Our multiple perspectives flowed from our lips with each GRAND piece.  Mao atop a massive red warship with couples dressed for a luxurious Black Tie Dinner, celebrating on the docks beneath.  Chubby babies with rosy cheeks drinking Coca-Cola.  Teenage girls dressed in green military uniforms holding machine guns with the flag flying.

AND, the best part being the students asking WHY and HOW and WHAT.  “Why were the factories building weapons during the Cultural Revolution?”  “Why are people wearing the same clothes and where have the traditional clothes gone?”  ”This art seems to praise democracy… why is it allowed – I thought China did not allow freedom of speech?” “What religion are they practicing?”  “How come graffiti is everywhere here, but nowhere else in China?” “Why does our tour guide keep saying that China is a socialist country?”  “How did it go from being a factory district dedicated weapons, to an Art District dedicated to peace?”

One student said, “I was inspired by the originality of the pieces – this district is the birthplace of our trends.  There were models and photographers everywhere and students from the Art Colleges practicing their passion.  It was the “genuineness” of everything.  It was the REAL thing. Such a contrast after coming from a shopping centre that sold fakes of all things!”

I have to say Art District 798 continues to be one of my most favourite places in Beijing.  It is such a complex multi-layered play on the assumptions we have about China.  How can a place that restricts freedom of speech, allow such freedom of expression?  This beautiful community was vibrating with life, energy and passion and people strolled along quiet streets popping into lovely galleries brimming with all kinds of art by Chinese artists.  Cafes now took the place  where ammunition was once rolled off of assembly lines and Massive statues of men and women looked towards the sky…

Posted by Carrie Rowlandson

Yesterday marked the final day of the Y-Now! International Youth Leader Summit hosted by The International School of Macau.  This brought to an end three days of listening to speakers, intense  leadership development activities, and a series of collaborative tasks undertaken jointly by TIS and CBE students.

During the first day we had an opportunity to meet and greet with the TIS students, and engaged in bonding activities which set the foundations for strong inter-school relationships among both the students and faculty. After our initial activities we broke off into smaller colour groups (colour based on the stickers on name tags) and began what would be a conference long project our ‘essential question’. The group of students I had the chance to work with was great, and insight and leadership demonstrated by our CBE students as well as the students at TIS was phenominal, and a truly inspirational experience! We had a keynote speaker join us to present to the group.

The three day Summit concluded with student groups completing a presentation that represented what they had learned about leadership, addressing complex challenges, and effective collaboration.  All the student presentations were outstanding.

______ sorry brant, but breakfast is served so im leaving it here

Well the learning hasn’t stopped since this trip began, but today (March 28^th) was our first day back at school.  We awoke early to dressed in our business casual attire, eat breakfast,  and board the bus.  As we made our way through the busy-ness of the early morning traffic towards Beijing Experimental High School, you could feel the anticipation of spending a day in one of China’s top high schools .

Mr. Meng, Director of Beijing Experimental School, welcome IYLS students.

The day ended up being a great one of meeting, student exchanges, questions, answers and ideas.  We started by having a formal welcome from the Director and Assistant Principal of the school as well as other dignitaries.  It was clear from the welcome of the leaders of Beijing Experimental High School (attached to Beijing University) that was an interest in making the day mutually beneficial by sharing what they were doing in relation to student leadership in their school and learning from us what we were doing – and what was working and what wasn’t.

After the formal welcome, our students were taken on a tour of the school, which included a variety of classroom spaces, a library facility,  an Olympic-sized pool, dance gym, martial arts room, and school museum – which included a clay vessel that was approximately 4000 years old.

From the tour of the school, students were invited to learn about the philosophy and practice of Martial Arts by participating in a class led by a master of this ancient form of self defence.  By the end of the hour class, students were able to successful perform a 10-step sequence of Kung Fu moves.

Students engage in a martial arts lesson lead by the school's Kung Fu master.

After the Martial Arts Class, we divided into two groups and each joined an English class.  These classes evolved into a dialogue between our group of students and the Chinese students.  Both were very respectful, but also very curious about each other’s lives.   The dialogue was rich and diverse as students talked about everything from their favourite activities to homework.  The more they talked, the more it was evident that students found more similarities in their views, interests and concerns than differences.

Students learn about the Chinese Opera as an art form and integral part of Chinese Culture. Joel helps by dressing up as a female opera performer.

English Class was followed by a lunch in the staff cafeteria.  Our students were joined by a number of grade 11 Beijing Experimental High School students.  Together students enjoyed a hot lunch that was specially prepared for them and included a great variety of authentic Chinese cuisine. The students took the opportunity to informally talk, and continue to probe into what each others’ lives were like.  After lunch the students took to the sports courts to play some basketball together.  By the time the lunch period was over there were already some student connections emerging

The afternoon included a Chinese language class, where our students learned enough vocabulary to be able to greet each other and initiate a conversation.

A class about the Chinese Opera caught everyone’s attention when they found our that the teacher not only worked at the school, but was also a renowned Chinese Opera star.  His passion for the Chinese opera drew our students into this art form in a way that generated considerable interest …and quite a number of laughs when Joel volunteered to dress up in full opera costume.

Claris and other students work to create a seal.

From opera we moved into the art studio and were lead through the process of carving our own seal/stamp under the expert guidance provided by a teacher whose role was solely focused on this Chinese art form as well as calligraphy.

Students share ideas and discuss the challenges school leaders face school settings in Beijing and Calgary.

The final session of the day started with another formal address by the Director Meng, which was followed by students taking part in a series of student presentations and a student forum.

Beijing leadership students shared many of their leadership initiatives they were involved in.  This was followed with students gathering in groups and engaging in a dialogue about student leadership, action, sustaining interst, and making a difference.  I found it a bit surprising that a theme in the Beijing’s students’ planning and organization pertained to the creation of student self-governance teams that involved holding student council elections and using the “democratic process” (used by a student during her presentation).   The discussion that followed was a rich one — but a little too short on time, as it seemed the students could have talked together for hours.

On behalf all students, Josh eloquently expresses the positive benefits for all students of the day together.

Carrie Rowlandson thanks Beijing Experimental School for hosting the IYLS students.

As the afternoon session came to a close, Ms. Rowlandson offered some thoughtful words of thanks and Josh spoke on behalf of all our students.  He spoke eloquently about the significance of the students coming together to share, question, discuss, and most importantly, learn from one another.  By the time all students posed for a whole group photo, the connection between the students was clear.  A sincere interest in remaining in touch was evidenced by the exchange of email addresses, the laughing and the farewells that followed.

After this full day at school, we boarded our bus and marveled at how the driver navigating through the relentless and heavy traffic of Beijing to get us to the Lotus restaurant where we enjoyed (well most did, at least!) Chrysanthemum blossom tea and delicious vegetarian food that was prepared, in part, by monks.

Another late return to the hotel meant that students had only a limited amount of time to add to their ‘blogs.  When this was done, students were happy to head to bed and sleep – knowing that tomorrow we would be leaving the city of Beijing.

Chinese and Canadian students stand as one group which was a reflection of the spirit of the open dialogue, collaboration and connection that the day entailed.

I think all students felt that we were leaving a city that we were only just starting to understand and a culture we were just starting to more fully appreciate.  Our time in Beijing had offered us the opportunity to not only have a culturally immersive experience, but an opportunity to make connections with people in a way that has helped us go beyond thinking about “us” and “them” to thinking more in terms of “we”.

While sad to leave Beijing so soon, everyone was happy knowing that before we departed for Macau we would be making a short stop at “The Silk Market” for some shopping and at “Art District 798”, a trendy and emerging Arts focused area in Beijing.

Posted by:  Brant Parker

The Great Wall is just that… Great.   Great because it is a people-made wonder. Great because of its scale and history.  REALLY GREAT because it brings people from all the reaches of our planet together.

Imagine the moment when the first stone and mud of the GREAT WALL were put together.  People would have looked at that first hour of building time and not said GREAT.  Gradually over time…more mud and more stone were cemented together and people marvelled at this GREAT wall. Just a wall and yet, such a wall.

It reminds me of our students.  Every day they move in the direction of leadership. They are adding experiences, relationships and learnings to their life stories creating these GREAT lives.  Watching the students cheer each other to the top of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, I was humbled at being present to see first-hand, one of their life’s memorable moments.  Listening to them say, “imagine what it was like here 1000 years ago?” and “This is amazing – I wish my parents were here with me right now.”  The depth of learning that was occurring for many of the students was indescribable.

Looking forward to being a part of some more of their GREAT moments…

With Gratitude,

Ms. Rowlandson

Ours was the first bus to arrive on a gorgeous blue-sky day at one of the 7 wonders of the world.  Students and teachers alike were in awe of the magnificence of the wall, the reality of actually being there and the significance of the historic site.   We walked to the tallest point we could see from our starting point and encouraged each other on to the top.  Our students were wonderful; focused and grateful for their opportunity.