Grade 11 School Build
The Class of 2026 students were on a mission trip to Baan San Doi Ngam village in Tak province in November 2024, where we would spend 4 days and 3 nights renovating the school ‘Tee Moo Ka Ta’. When we arrived at the village, we were given time to settle in—we put up the tents and unpacked our bags. After doing so, the local school children took us to the nearby stream where we were given time to play and get closer to the children. Later that afternoon, we showered, rested, had dinner, and to cap off the night, the ‘My School Team’ gave us a brief introduction of their origins and what we would be doing over the following few days.
4:00 AM…Rise and shine! The roosters crowed throughout the night! They ruined our sleep… 6:00 AM was the morning call, and at 8:00 AM, it was time to get to work. We began working on our build as we split into two main teams: the builders, who focused on nailing the walls, and the painters, who worked on the school's aesthetics. We had our ‘mandated breaks’ here and there, but overall, made great progress!
On our third day, the build really started to come alive! The walls were completed, the interior drawings were growing, and everyone was working as a team. Champ, in particular, formed an army of kids who assisted us in painting the exterior of the school. In the afternoon, we prepared some snacks for the children and witnessed something special. The small treat meant the world to them. In that moment, we collectively realised the value of appreciating the little things in our respective lives. Later that evening, the villagers performed a series of cultural dances from their Karen culture as a thank-you gift, and we shared our gratitude with a couple of karaoke and traditional dance songs.
On our fourth and final day at Tee Moo Ka Ta, we completed the finishing touches on our drawings and presented our donations, including school bags, medical kits, furniture, and coloring books. Goodbyes are always bittersweet—our time with the children became lasting memories of our lifetime, making this one unforgettable experience.
After we left the village, we travelled back to Mae Sot, where we had time to reflect on the few days we spent on the school build project, as well as doing some local sight-seeing that included visiting a couple of waterfalls and even a small chocolate farm.
The four days in the village meant everything for us as a group; it taught us to appreciate our lives more deeply, to recognize the value of both the opportunities we have and the small details we overlook in our fast-paced routines. The school build project highlighted a unique perspective on fulfillment, showing how different people experience it in their own ways. Most importantly, our greatest takeaway was the importance of relationships—learning to cherish our loved ones as we witnessed just how much family means to the people in the village.
Concordian Class of 2026
