祝福满格，致我们的第一届高中毕业生！
毕业典礼一周前聊到心情，
12年级的孩子们直说放松、开心，
看得出，那份奔赴梦校的兴奋几乎就要按耐不住！
毕业典礼当天，
他们的脸上又分明多了一分不舍。
告别熟悉的校园和师友并不容易，
更何况在启明星，
收藏着他们一段段故事满满的珍贵记忆。
我们以这篇图文回顾和纪念启明星学校的第一场高中毕业典礼，
愿15位个性鲜明的少年，
带着满满的祝福从此勇敢扬帆，
认真而从容地面对生活，
不会因别人交卷而匆忙填写自己的答案……
5月26日典礼从巡游开始，
在校长和老师带领下，
毕业生们穿过教学楼和校园，
接受大家的祝福，
向昔日的小伙伴和师长告别——
典礼现场座无虚席：
校长、老师、家长、同学、员工，
还有特意从国外赶回来的启明星创校团队。
Dawn Vermilya和蔡金勇夫妇是启明星的联合创始人，
Suzannah Wang和女儿Zayna Wang Elhady分别是
启明星的第一位教师和早期学生代表，
他们都特地从国外赶来参加典礼，
见证20年前仅仅从3个家庭起步的启明星，
已经开始向世界各地的高等学府输送杰出的学生：
启明星联合创始人Dawn Vermilya
“自2002年创校以来，我们已经取得了惊人的进展，这真是一个梦想成真的时刻！我代表蔡金勇先生和我自己，为2023届毕业班所取得的令人难以置信的成就感到自豪和骄傲！……
在启明星，我们发自内心地相信我们对彼此和对整个社会都有责任。这就是为什么我们启动了我们的社会创新项目，为我们的学生提供机会，去了解和解决我们周围存在的一些复杂的社会问题。随着世界不断面临空前的挑战，如气候变化、贫困、不平等和国家间日益紧张的关系，我们需要像你们这样的年轻人，富有热情，能够为解决这些问题提出创新性解决方案的年轻人。我希望你们在步入大学和走向世界的路上，继续运用这些学到的技能去解决问题。
今天，我希望你们有更深刻的思考。当你们准备进入大学时，我希望你们能够有超越工作或学位的追求，去思考如何利用你们所受的教育和才能为解决联合国可持续发展目标做出贡献。不要满足于现状。相反，把自己看作是创造更加美好世界的一份子。……
请记得，你们永远是启明星社区的一部分，随时欢迎你们回来。”
启明星首位教师Suzannah Wang和女儿Zayna Wang Elhady
“这周我们回到学校，有机会和不同的社区成员交流，是一次非常愉快的访问……我们也听到了一些新的词语，比如‘内卷’、‘焦虑’和‘躺平’。这些新名词反映了过去几年的经历。当我们把自己看作是一个无法战胜也无法逃脱的强大对手的一部分时，我们可能会感到压力和疲倦。
也许这种疲倦来自于对有限资源的竞争…….这种感觉来自于不满足的恐惧，对生存的恐惧，并且会制造更多的恐惧。
但是有很多资源是无限的，比如善良、同情、希望、正义等。这些精神品质是治愈的，不受限的和自由的。这些品质来自于也会创造出信任、治愈、团结和我们所需的心理安全感。每个人拥有的越多，我们所有人受益的就越多。因为我们无法独立于集体，我们需要彼此。这不是理想主义，而是健康和可持续的人际互动。
真正的力量是无限的，它存在于善良、同情和彼此保持联系之中。将这种力量赋予自己和他人意味着我们都会拥有更多，它会无限地增长。在这几年更具挑战的校园生活中，这些毕业生们在父母、老师和朋友们的支持下拥有更多这种力量，现在他们能够把这种力量传递给周围的人……”
7、10、11、12年级学生带来音乐演出
中学执行校长Daniel Williams
“这一年对我们所有人来说都是充满挑战的一年，由于新冠疫情，我们面临着巨大的困难。然而，在逆境中，这届毕业生展现了非凡的韧性、适应性和愿意迎接挑战的决心。这些品质将在未来的岁月中对你们有所帮助，我相信，面对未来的挑战，你们将继续坚持不懈前行。
但当我们展望未来时，我们必须认识到，世界正在快速变化。不同以往的是，我们无法说许多工作尚不存在，时代已经不同了。即将到来的自动化浪潮和人工智能对劳动力市场的影响将是深远的。然而，你们所接受的IB MYP和DP教育，已经为你们提供了批判性思维能力、信息素养和探究精神，这些素质能够帮助你们应对这个快速变化的环境。你们必须适应和创新，没有选择，你们必须走在前面。
在另一层意义上，你们也起着重要的作用。在纷繁复杂的世界环境下，我们更需要人们建立互相合作的桥梁。而且你们所拥有的中文、英文能力和丰富的文化宝藏，是我们团结起来应对严重全球问题的力量，如气候变化、水资源安全、食品安全、优质教育等等。我们需要像你们这样的人，决心有勇气改变并激励他人，为创造更美好的世界做出贡献……”
12年级学生Joshua Roshan Sobhani 获颁2023届启明星学者奖
12年级学生陈华霖获颁2023届启明星核心价值观奖
12年级学生陈华霖作为学生代表讲话
“我们的班级非常多样化。在这个由15个人组成的小班级中，我看到了各种各样的才能。一方面，这可以体现在我们申请的不同专业上：从进化生物学到国际关系，再到艺术，这些大不相同的专业代表了我们每个人对知识的不同追求。另一方面，这也体现在我们演奏的不同乐器、重视的不同兴趣爱好和多样的个性上。无论我们在学校的经历如何，我希望我们都能从中成长，将它们转化为未来的人生经验。我希望我的同学们，包括我自己都接受自己的独特性，自信地向世界表达我们的想法、感受和担忧。只有当我们意识到自己经历的价值，我们才能应用它们有所作为。
当然，我们所有人都要感谢的就是我们的父母。在过去的几年里，他们积极参加我们的家长会，观看了我们的各类展出，并在比赛中给予我们支持。除此之外，他们还付出了大量的精力为我们提供生活所需，接送我们上学放学。此外，我们还要感谢星爸星妈们（启明星的家长志愿者），感谢他们运营咖啡吧，为学校的活动提供支持。
最后，我想特别向学校表达感激之情。作为启明星的第一届高中毕业生，我们经历了启明星历史上许多的第一次。例如，第一次有机会开展属于自己的商业项目，策划新视界短视频挑战赛和社会创新日，以及第一次在专业美术馆举办艺术展览。这些都是学校提供给我们的宝贵经历。我也想感谢我们的老师们在学习生活中为我们所付出的努力。他们不仅教会我们必要知识和技能，而且有时不得不因为我们未能按时完成任务而调整他们自己的计划。因此，我们每个同学都真正感激我们的老师们给予我们的巨大支持，陪伴我们共同探索IBDP课程。对于过去几年教导我们的所有老师，我们想再次表达我们的感激之情，在升入大学及未来的生活道路上，我们都会想念你们……”
典礼在启明星中方校长郭健康和执行校董许尚杰向毕业生颁发毕业证书中渐入高潮——
典礼最后，每位毕业生写下给10年之后的自己的信，封在时间胶囊里，埋在高中楼门口。
时间胶囊时刻
小聚时刻
我们祝愿，10年后重启这些信件时，这些归来的少年依然拥有今天这样豪情和喜悦——因为今天，他们不但拥有了一群可以终生相互支持的朋友，也有着成为一个社会创新者所需的能力。他们将勇敢面对生活，尽管不能回到过去，改变开始；但可以随时从现在开始，改变未来！
When talking about how they felt a week before commencement, the Grade 12 students said they were feeling relaxed and happy. The excitement of going to their dream schools was almost unbearable!
But on the day of commencement, there seemed to be an air of reluctance.
It’s not easy to bid farewell to their familiar school, teachers, and friends.
Daystar witnessed the creation of their precious memories and stories.
This post commemorates Daystar’s first high school commencement. May our first 15 graduates, with their distinctive personalities, bravely set forth on their new life journey. We sincerely wish that you will do things in your own time and never follow the crowd…
Commencement on May 26 began with a parade.
Led by the principals and teachers,
the graduates went around the buildings and the campus,
accepting congratulatory remarks from everyone
and bidding farewell to friends and teachers.
The ceremony had a full house:
the principals, teachers, parents, students, staff,
and even Daystar founders who came back from abroad were all in attendance.
Dawn Vermilya and her husband Cai Jinyong are Daystar’s co-founders.
Suzannah Wang was Daystar’s first teacher
and her daughter Zayna Wang Elhady was one of the earliest student representatives.
They all came from abroad to attend the commencement ceremony
and witness Daystar’s growth from just three families two decades ago
to a school that now produces talented graduates who attend prestigious universities all over the world.
Dawn Vermilya, Co-founder of Daystar Academy
“It's amazing to see how far we've come since the founding of this school in 2002! On behalf of Cai Jinyong and myself, this is really a dream come true! We are especially proud of and honor the incredible achievements of the graduating class of 2023!……
At Daystar Academy, we truly believe that we have a responsibility to one another and to society at large. That's why we launched our Social Innovation program, providing our students with the tools and opportunities to identify and solve complex social issues in their communities. As the world faces unprecedented challenges, such as climate change, poverty, inequality, and rising tensions between nations, we need young people like you who are passionate about creating innovative solutions to these problems. I hope that you will continue to apply these problem-solving skills as you move forward into college and the world beyond.
Today, I challenge you to think bigger than yourselves. As you prepare to enter colleges and universities, I encourage you to consider going beyond the pursuit of a career or degree. Instead, I urge you to think about how you can use your education and talents to contribute to solving some of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Do not be satisfied with the status quo. Instead, think of yourself as part of a broader movement to create a better world for all people……
Please know that you will always be part of the Daystar community and are always welcome back.”
Suzannah Wang, First teacher of Daystar Academy & her daughter Zayna Wang Elhady
“We have had a wonderful visit to the school this week and talked with different people… We are hearing new words like neijuan and jiaolv and tangping. These concepts reflect one kind of response to the last few years. When we see ourselves as part of a huge competition we can't win or escape, we may feel pressured and tired.
Maybe this exhaustion comes from competition over limited resources… This feeling comes from fear of not having enough, of not surviving, and it creates more fear.
But there are many resources that are not limited, resources like kindness, compassion, hope, justice. These qualities of the spirit are healing and unlimited and free. These qualities come from and create trust, healing, unity and the psychological safety we need to learn and innovate and create. The more anyone of us has the more we all benefit. Because ultimately we need each other. We can't do it alone. This is not idealism. This is healthy and sustainable human interaction.
True power is unlimited, it's in kindness and compassion and connection. Empowering ourselves and others with this kind of power means we all have more, it keeps growing indefinitely. Our graduates here today have more of this power thanks to you parents and teachers and staff and friends who have supported them through an even more challenging than normal school experience these few years, and now have so much more of it to give to the people around them…”
Music performance by Grade 7, 10, 11, and 12 students
Daniel Williams, Executive Secondary School Principal at Daystar Academy
“This has been a challenging year for all of us, with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the face of adversity, this graduating class has shown remarkable resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to rise to the occasion. These are traits that will serve you well in the years to come, and I have no doubt that you will continue to persevere in the face of future challenges.
But as we look ahead, we must recognize that the world is changing rapidly. Unlike previous years, where we could say that many jobs have not yet been created, this period is different. The coming waves of automation and the impact of A.I on labour markets will be profound. However, the IB MYP and DP education that you have received has equipped you with critical thinking skills, information literacy, and an inquiry mind that should help you navigate this rapidly changing landscape. You must adapt and innovate, there is no choice, you must lead the way.
You are important in another sense as well. With the increasingly complicated global political landscape, now more than ever, we need people to build bridges of mutual cooperation. Your experience of both China, Chinese, English, and the wealth of cultural treasures that come with them are a force to unite us to address serious global concerns such as climate change, water security, food security, quality education, and many more. We need people like you who are resolved to have the courage to change and inspire others, to lead and to contribute to a better world. You must aim high and make a genuine difference in the world, using your skills and knowledge to tackle the challenges that we face together…”
Grade 12 student Joshua Roshan Sobhani receives the 2023 Daystar Scholar Award
Grade 12 student Nick Chen receives the 2023 Core Value Award
G12 student Nick Chen delivered a graduation speech on behalf of the graduating class.
“Our class is highly diverse. Within this small class of 15 people, I have witnessed an incredible range of talents. An overview of this diversity can be illustrated through the myriad of different majors we’ve applied to for university. From Evolutionary Biology, to International Relations, to Fine Arts, these vastly different majors represent each of our very different quests for knowledge. On a deeper level, our diversity is seen through the different instruments we play, hobbies we value, and personalities we possess. Regardless of our different high school experiences, I hope that we are all able to grow from them and turn them into lessons that we can apply to our lives. I would like to encourage my classmates, including myself, to embrace individuality, and express our thoughts, feelings, and concerns to the world with confidence. It is only when we realize the value of our experiences that we utilize them to make an impact.
Naturally, a group of people that we all want to thank is our parents. Over the years, they’ve attended our PTCs, watched our presentations, and supported us in competitions. They’ve also dedicated immense amounts of energy in simply feeding us, clothing us, taking us to school in the morning, and picking us up in the afternoon. In addition, we would also like to thank Daystar’s Star Parents for their unwavering support, running the Phoenix Café, and supporting school events.
Now, I want to specifically express my gratitude to the school. Being the first graduating class at Daystar Academy, we’ve gone through many experiences for the first time in Daystar history. The chance to start our own business ventures, planning for the Inno-Vision Film Challenge and Social Innovation Day, and Daystar’s first ever IBDP Art Exhibition in a professional gallery. These have all been valuable experiences that Daystar provided for us. I also want to acknowledge the massive amount of work and effort that our teachers have put into educating us during our time at Daystar. While equipping us with the knowledge and skills that were necessary for our assessments, they often had to adjust their plans to adapt to our mistakes or missed deadlines. Each and every member of our class genuinely appreciates the immense support our teachers provided as we explored the introduction of the IBDP curriculum together. To all of our teachers who have taught us over the years, we want to sincerely express our appreciation to you again. We will all miss you as we settle into different universities and continue along our life paths…”
The commencement ceremony reached a climax when Chinese Principal Guo Jiankang and Executive Board Member Jack Hsu presented the diplomas to the graduates.
At the end of the ceremony, each graduate wrote a letter to their future selves, sealed it in a time capsule to be opened in 10 years, and buried it at the high school building gate.
Time Capsule
Party Time!
We believe that when these letters are opened in ten years, the graduates will be just as proud and happy as they are today. Because today, they are graduating with friends they can rely on for the rest of their lives and with the abilities needed to become a social innovator. They will embrace life with courage. Although it is impossible to change the past, they can start now to change the future.
END
毕业生| 刘峥：自驱男孩圆梦帝国理工，向卓越建筑师的理想再进一步！Graduates | David Liu: A Self-motivated Boy with Offers from Imperial College London and University College London
启明星孩子的“8小时以外”：让你放学也不想回家的课外活动！Beyond 8 Hours: Extracurricular Activities Make Students Want to Stay at School Longer!