SUIS 社团 | 从西山到莫干山：爱丁堡公爵国际奖的星空征程

星空下的篝火晚会

2024年12月18日，协和浦东校区八年级的11名学生与十年级的3名学生并肩出发，开启了爱丁堡公爵国际奖铜奖的苏州西山探险练习之旅。这是一场融合体力、耐力与团队协作的挑战，也是学生综合素质提升的生动实践。在西山秀美的自然风光中，同学们掌握了地图导航和指北针使用的基本技能，随后在为期两天的徒步探险中，凭借这些能力完成了无手机辅助的户外任务。他们肩负睡袋、睡垫、炊具等全套装备，不仅应对重装徒步的体力考验，还完成了小组探究项目——如茶叶种植分布调研和西山植物种类记录，体现了协和“Collaboration”（协力合作）的核心价值。

旅途中，面对偶尔的迷路困境，学生们迅速调整方向，展现了卓越的应变能力。从搭建帐篷到用自带食材烹饪火锅、焖饭甚至炒鸡蛋香肠，他们在实践中磨砺了生活技能。篝火晚会上，烤棉花糖的甜蜜与欢声笑语点亮了星空下的夜晚。当晚，同学们也在带队老师的引导下，完成了本次活动的复盘。通过肯定优点与反思不足，同学们在经验中沉淀了成长的智慧。正如英国诗人威廉·布莱克（William Blake）所言：

“伟大的道路始于脚下。”

苏州西山的跋涉，不仅是爱丁堡公爵国际奖征程的起点，更为学生们点燃了探索自我的火种。

参与的意义何在？它不仅是一场冒险，更是对学生综合能力的系统性培养。

菲利普亲王曾言：“年轻人需要机会去发现自己是谁，以及他们能成为什么样的人。”

户外探索锻造了同学们的团队精神与抗压能力，而志愿服务与技能学习则进一步塑造了责任感与创造力。这些经历不仅为升学履历增添独特亮点，更为学生未来的学术与人生道路奠定了坚实基础。

2024.12.19 摄于苏州西山

On 18th December, 2024, 11 Grade 8 students and 3 Grade 10 students from SUIS Pudong Campus embarked on an adventurous training trip to Xishan, Suzhou as part of the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award (DofE) Bronze level. This expedition was a dynamic mix of physical endurance, resilience, and teamwork, offering a hands-on opportunity to enhance the students' all-around capabilities. Amid Xishan's scenic landscapes, the group refined their skills in map reading and compass navigation. Over the following two days, they utilised these new skills to successfully complete a phone-free outdoor challenge, carrying essential items such as sleeping bags, mats, and cooking gear. In addition to the physical challenges of the trek, they engaged in group research tasks, such as studying tea plantation patterns and documenting local plant species, embodying SUIS Pudong's core value of “Collaboration.”

During the journey, the students encountered occasional detours but promptly adjusted their course, demonstrating remarkable adaptability. From setting up tents to preparing meals like hot pot, steamed rice, and scrambled eggs with sausage using their own provisions, they honed practical life skills. The campfire evening fostered a sense of camaraderie, with roasted marshmallows illuminating the starlit sky. Under the guidance of their teachers, the group ended the day with a reflective debrief, acknowledging strengths and identifying areas for growth. This reflective process solidified important lessons for their personal development. As the British poet William Blake once wrote,

“Great things are done when men and mountains meet.”

The Xishan trek not only marked the beginning of their DofE journey but also sparked a journey of self-discovery within each student.

What gives the DofE its significance? It goes beyond mere adventure—it provides a structured framework for developing comprehensive skills.

Prince Philip famously stated, "Young people need opportunities to find out who they are and what they can become."

The outdoor expeditions promote teamwork and resilience, while volunteering and skill-building cultivate responsibility and creativity. These experiences not only enhance university applications with unique accomplishments but also establish a solid groundwork for academic and personal triumph.