Challenge Week 2019

Challenge Week

2019

Challenge Week provides an opportunity for students to roll up their sleeves and engage in experiential learning activities that push them outside their comfort zones and expose them to situations, dilemmas, cultures and people they would not normally encounter. It is an important part of our curriculum where students learn outside the classroom setting. In 2019 KGV students travelled to destinations around the world, and over a thousand students engaged in new activities within Hong Kong.

2019 saw 80 year 9 students travel to the north of Thailand for our first immersion and service experience with Rustic pathways in this region. It was incredibly successful and we will look to run similar experiences in the future.

One of the new trips for 2019 was the student led activities in India where student leaders organised a week of cultural immersion, history and service. The student leaders had to deal with last minute changes and itinerary issues. It was a deep learning experience for those leaders who managed to work through all those issues and provide a great experience for all involved.

Other new activities for 2019 included Hearts for Hue in Vietnam, a service trip to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Creative book writing and publishing and stand up paddle boarding.

Year 11 language immersion had another successful year with students returning full of new memories and experiences in their chosen second language. The language immersion activities not only foster social and cultural development, but also produce more immediate academic benefits, as the entire week is conducted in the language the student is studying at IGCSE. The success of this program is evident when students undertake their oral exams a few months later.

Once again, our students represented KGV across Hong Kong and around the world with integrity, pride and honour, and we are very proud of them. Our teachers and support staff invested an incredible amount of time and energy in organising the logistics, safety and supervision of all the Challenge Week activities. Seeing students grow and learn as a result of being outside their comfort zones, hearing the stories at the airport arrivals hall, watching students tearfully bid their new friends goodbye and talking to students about their achievements makes all the work worthwhile.