A family tradition of passion and support

An interview with the Ding Family

“For us, getting involved is a great way to show our daughters that we take an interest in their education. It also sends a clear message that we consider their school a worthwhile cause.”

What is your connection to SJII and how long have you been part of the community?

Our connection with SJI International started in 2013 when we enrolled our elder daughter at the school. This is Megan’s ninth year at SJII and she is currently in Grade 7; Rheann has been there since Preparatory 1 and is now in Grade 3.

What excites you about the education and opportunities for your children at SJI International?

SJII offers a rigorous curriculum which encourages academic excellence. But what excites us most about the school is “The Virtues Project”.

Virtues are studied in the classrooms, modelled by the teachers, and celebrated by the students. Each week the school focuses on one specific virtue. At the Elementary level, the teachers would read the virtue card, talk about what the virtue means, and discuss what that would look like in action. The teachers speak the virtues language and follow through with their practises to bring these virtues alive. And at the end of the week, a virtue ceremony is held to acknowledge everyone for the virtues used throughout the week.

The Virtues Project has created a school environment where my daughters feel safe, belonged and accepted. Their happiness and wellbeing are regarded as essential foundations to learning.

What do you do for passion or fun?

We are a family of avid travellers and have visited all 7 continents together. We travel to be awed and inspired by new places. We travel to be surprised and challenged by novel experiences. We travel to learn.

Our travels have led us on kayaking adventures through the ice floes in Antarctica, and sleeping in sub-zero degrees on a bed of ice in Sweden. In Beijing, we hiked 9km along the crumbling, wild part of the Great Wall of China to the newly restored section. In Mexico, we swam deep inside a natural underground river of a cave where we experienced complete silence and darkness. Our longest train journey was traversing 8,000km on the TransSiberian Railway from China to Mongolia, through Siberia and ending up in Moscow. In Patagonia, we rode on horseback through mountains, lakesides, tundra, forests, and bogs. We witnessed the chaotic frenzy of movement of vast numbers of wildebeests in Kenya and Tanzania. And as Disney superfans, we have visited all the Disney Theme Parks worldwide.

Traveling as a family has allowed us to fully dedicate our time to each other, creating a bonding experience like no other. With travelling thwarted by Covid-19, we are still blessed we can pore over photographs and videos to relive happy memories of time spent exploring faraway lands.

Why is it important for you to give back as a family?

Be it the occasional donation to the SJI International Scholarship Fund or volunteering our time at the school Lapathon and Sports Day, we hope to affirm SJI International fosters an environment where students are constantly challenged to be compassionate global citizens and to make a difference to the lives of the people within the local community. Building on these values, my daughters volunteered their time at the local soup kitchen, The Willing Hearts. They donated school supplies to an African village in the “Pack for a Purpose” global initiative. They organised a Slime Sale at school to raise money for Riding for the Disabled.

A particularly meaningful service project Megan spearheaded during the 2020 Circuit Breaker was an initiative to document the school community’s appreciation for delivery riders and waste collectors with the hashtag #SJIIGivesThanks. The idea was simple: just stick a thank-you poster at your door, add a tray of treats, snap a photo and share it on social media. She launched the appeal in the school newsletter and in just a week, more than 70 students and friends took up the cause.

What these service projects have done for my daughters’ confidence and personal developments are unquantifiable. For this we are forever grateful.

What would you say to parents, alumni and community members about why they should consider supporting SJI International?

For us, getting involved is a great way to show our daughters that we take an interest in their education. It also sends a clear message that we consider their school a worthwhile cause. When they observe that home and school are engaged in a meaningful partnership for their benefit, they are likely to develop more positive attitudes about school and achieve more. Ultimately, the biggest winners are our children.