深美感恩节｜从一句“谢谢”开始，让温暖流动Let Gratitude and Warmth Flow

Thanksgiving originated in North America and is a holiday deeply tied to gratitude. Early settlers survived their first harsh winter in the New World thanks to the help of Indigenous peoples, who taught them to farm and endure the cold. To express their appreciation, the settlers shared a meal with them — a moment that became the foundation of today’s Thanksgiving traditions.

Today, Thanksgiving remains a moment to pause and say “thank you” — to family, friends, teachers, and everyone who supports us quietly in daily life.

At SAIS, Thanksgiving is far more than a Western holiday — it is a real-life lesson in character and emotional learning, where children explore gratitude and practice authentic connection.

Today, all Early Years students at SAIS learned together: What is Thanksgiving? Why do people say “thank you” on this day?With teachers’ guidance, gratitude became something concrete—something they can understand, imitate, and practice.

Then, the children made Thanksgiving cards—

for their beloved parents, drawing their homes and writing simple but heartfelt blessings.

For young children, this small card is their first intentional attempt to express love and gratitude to say it, write it, and give it away.

At SAIS, we also want to say “thank you” to every child: Thank you for coming to school every day to play, explore, and learn—your laughter brings life to our campus.

Of course, the classic Thanksgiving tradition was also there—children shared food together, learning appreciation and kindness through the experience of sharing: not only enjoying their own food, but finding joy in everyone eating together.

All of this is SAIS’s concrete practice of helping children grow up with a grateful heart.

For students from elementary to high school, gratitude is not just about knowing—it’s about expressing and acting.

This year, the Student Council set up a special “Thanksgiving Gratitude Mailbox.” Students quietly wrote down the words they usually hesitate to say aloud:

• To the classmate who reminds them of their things

• To the friend who helps explain difficult questions

• To the homeroom teacher who tolerates their moods

• And to the parents who support them behind the scenes

These letters are sorted and delivered by Student Council “messengers”—turning gratitude from a feeling into something tangible, visible, and readable.

At SAIS, we want students to learn not only to say “thank you,” but also to:

• Notice the kindness they receive

• Have the courage to express emotions

• Build positive and healthy relationships with peers and teachers

The Gratitude Mailbox is a reflection of SAIS’s culture of student autonomy and community care: students are not passive recipients—they actively shape the kind of campus they want.

At SAIS, staff members are just as important a part of the community as students.Teachers and employees come from different countries and regions, with different languages, cultures, and food traditions. But here at SAIS, we all work toward the same goal: supporting children’s growth.

The annual Thanksgiving gathering has become a cherished tradition.Both Chinese and international teachers bring homemade dishes: comforting hometown recipes, baked treats filled with cultural memories, and creative dishes invented together here in Shenzhen.

A shared table is a moment of cultural exchange and emotional connection.

For many teachers far from home, this gathering is more than a meal—it is a true sense of belonging:

Here, I’m not an outsider—I am a member of this school family.

This feeling of being supported and accepted flows back into the classroom—teachers become more engaged, students are seen more fully, and the school thrives.

At SAIS, Thanksgiving is not an event arranged for excitement—it is a community-wide educational practice:

• Early Years students plant the seed of gratitude through experience

• Elementary to high school students let love flow through expression

• Staff members experience multicultural warmth through sharing and gathering

Behind this lies SAIS’s consistent educational philosophy: small-class attention to individuals, a supportive multicultural community, and inquiry-based learning anchored in real-life contexts.

We believe a child’s excellence is reflected not only in academic performance, but also in whether they can appreciate others, see others, and express love and gratitude.

Today, we thank every student, parent, teacher, and colleague for choosing to be part of the SAIS community and making this school what it is.

Happy Thanksgiving.

May every “thank you” be heard,

and every warmth be truly received.