During the morning assembly four weeks into the school semester, 9(9) Joyce Meng and 9(11) Pete Chen, the leaders of DreamWorkers, provided ninth graders an introduction to their club. DreamWorkers, as its name suggests, is a group that strives for dreams.

Joyce began by sharing DreamWorkers’ off-campus projects. DreamWorkers is a non-profit organization established by students from different international schools in Shanghai, aiming to help children with congenital intellectual disabilities, such as Down syndrome and autism. DreamWorkers cooperates with many other associations and institutions in Shanghai, including special schools and cafés that recruit workers with mental disabilities. In addition to organizing offline charity activities and holding handicraft and painting sessions with children, the students have created a children's picture book and even developed an interactive online game. On their official WeChat account are articles documenting each event as well as introducing celebrities with mental disabilities and providing examples of the types of jobs they can seek.

Next, Pete provided an overview of DreamWorkers’ activities on campus. As part of their most recent project, the club has published a magazine in collaboration withother clubs. In their partnership with WHOOSH!, they hope to convey the message that "there are no special children, only special visions", and deliver knowledge, happiness, and love through music, film, television, and other forms of media. In the collaboration with Bloomsburycat, they aim to “provide an opportunity for every fingerprint”, allowing for more people to view and appreciate the works created by various student authors and painters through the publication of the magazine.

Too often do people underestimate the power of a kind word, a heartwarming gesture, or the smallest act of kindess, all of which are powerful enough to illuminate a child's world. So, if you also wish to do your part for "Children of the Stars" and help every dream come to life, please do not hesitate and reach out to Joyce or Pete to join DreamWorkers.

(Written by 9(6) Andrea Yang  Pictures by Jin Xu  Supervised by Yanjie Yao  Reviewed by Mr. Qian Zuo)