I. A Month of Love & Kindness

At Hongkou Campus, May is more than just the transition from spring to summer—it is the "Kindness & Empathy Month". As the grand finale of this heartwarming season, Hongkou Campus held the 2026 Charity Donation Ceremony, transforming the goodwill of students, teachers, and parents into tangible donations and passing them on to those in need. From empathy-building lessons in the classroom, to hands-on practice at the charity fair, to the heartfelt moments of the donation ceremony, children have come to understand the true meaning of "From Empathy to Action."

II. The 2026 Charity Donation Ceremony

In the afternoon of June 10, the donation ceremony began in the lecture hall at Hongkou Campus. Ms. Nina and Shenghe, the young host from Class 2-2, welcomed every caring guest. Ms. Huang Qi, Chairwoman of the Shanghai Children's Foundation; Mr. Tang Shuxiang, Director of the Social Assistance Office of the North Bund Subdistrict; and Ms. Zhu Yuemin, Chairwoman of the Jun'ai Charity Development Service Center, were among the distinguished guests in attendance. Student representatives, parent representatives, and all faculty and staff gathered together, while students watching the live broadcast in their classrooms and parents joining online also witnessed this heartwarming moment.

A well-crafted video review brought everyone back to the joy and touching moments of the Charity Fair in May. Then, Ms. Zhu Dan, Director of Hongkou Campus, took the stage. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to every teacher for their hard work, every child for their wholehearted dedication, and every parent for their unwavering support. She then announced that the charity event had raised and donated a total of RMB 90,000, which would support four organizations: the Shanghai Children's Foundation, the World United Philanthropy Foundation, the North Bund Subdistrict, and Jun'ai Charity.

Targeted Support, Echoes of Love – 2026 Charity Donation Breakdown

During the donation session, Director Zhu Dan presented checks and received donation certificates on behalf of the school. Each presentation drew warm applause from the audience. Ms. Huang Qi, Mr. Tang Shuxiang, and Ms. Zhu Yuemin each spoke in turn, expressing their deep appreciation and gratitude for the school's compassionate efforts. Behind every number stands the collective effort of all students, teachers, and parents at Hongkou Campus. Notably, the World United Philanthropy Foundation also prepared donation certificates for each class and sent corn grown by students from Dahai Primary School in Yunnan—a sincere gift in return from the children involved in the "Corn for Sneakers" program. Mr. Zhang Wenquan, the foundation's representative in Yunnan and the program coordinator, could not attend in person, but he and his students recorded a video message, expressing their genuine thanks and best wishes to the Hongkou Campus community.

Two student representatives also shared their charity fair stories. Lisa from Class 1-2 spoke about the joy of preparing her goods and said, "A little love can create great warmth". Henry from Class 3-1 shared how he and his friends created and sold comic books, saying, "Using something we truly love to help children in need—that feels really great". Their sincere and moving words drew warm applause from the audience.

Two parent representatives also delivered speeches, expressing their recognition of and appreciation for the school's charitable education. Charles' mother from Class 1-1 remarked, "Though small, kindness matters greatly". Olivia's mother from Class 2-2 shared that the children "truly saw the diversity and resilience of life, and learned to respect differences and show empathy through action". The school then presented "Heart of Charity" trophies to parent representatives from each class.

Special thanks go to the generous parents, the dedicated teachers, and the parent finance volunteer team who ensured full financial transparency. It is through the collective efforts of every caring individual that this goodwill has reached those in need.

III. "Kindness & Empathy Month" Challenges

This meaningful donation came from the "kindness diaries" the children wrote with their hearts and hands throughout May. During Kindness & Empathy Month, each grade took on a series of challenges.

Challenge 1: Kindness Creation

First graders made a "LOVE Paper Chain" with colorful strips of paper. Each child wrote kind and encouraging words on a strip, decorated it, and then joined all the strips together to form the word "LOVE." Every link carried warmth, like an invisible bond connecting the children's hearts, surrounding the classroom with kindness and love.

Second graders turned their attention to expressing kindness. In the "Confetti of Kindness" activity, children became "Kindness Ambassadors", writing small acts of kindness—a smile, a word of encouragement, a hug—on colorful paper pieces and posting them on a display wall. Just like the saying "Throw kindness around like confetti", each piece carried a small, warm gesture, gathering into a garden of kindness that lit up the campus.

Third graders went a step further, turning kindness into sustained action through the "Kindness Mission Board" challenge. Guided by the principle of "Plan it. Do it. Reflect on it. Grow from it," each student developed their own kindness action plan—some helped their mothers with housework, others brought water to security guards, and some picked up trash on the ground. They carefully recorded every act of kindness and wrote down their reflections: "Others felt warm, and I felt happy." Each mission board bore witness to kindness taking root through daily action.

Challenge 2: BE KIND Challenge

As a key part of Kindness Month, the school organized the "BE KIND Challenge" for all students. Each student earned star stickers through daily acts of kindness and decorated their own "Kindness Ball". The more kindness they showed, the more stickers they collected, allowing children to truly feel their growth through kindness.

Meanwhile, all classes worked together to fill a giant "BE KIND" letter installation in the lobby with cards recording their kind acts. Children dropped cards into the corresponding letter containers—helping a classmate, picking up trash, writing thank-you notes to parents and teachers. These small, kind gestures gradually filled every letter. The "BE KIND" display in the lobby not only recorded the children's footsteps toward kindness but also witnessed how kindness spreads throughout the campus.

IV. Home-School Collaboration & The Charity Fair

The Charity Fair on May 28 marked the practical climax of Kindness Month. Children turned into little creative entrepreneurs, turning handmade crafts into tokens of love. First graders tried their hand at running grade-level booths with teacher support, experiencing the role of little shopkeepers for the first time. Second and third graders stepped up even further, running their own class booths independently—from preparing products and setting prices, to designing posters and selling on-site, they completed every step on their own. The booths run by second and third graders raised RMB 5,508, an increase of 126% compared to the previous year.

The children of Hongkou Campus also wrote letters to their pen pals at the sister school in Yunnan before the fair, sending blessings through words and building a friendship across mountains and seas.

 The success of the Charity Fair would not have been possible without the full support of parent volunteers. From event planning to on-site execution, from financial oversight to booth assistance, the parent team provided a solid foundation through their selfless dedication. This shared effort allowed warmth to travel beyond campus and reach places far away.

V. Small Acts, Big Impact

"Charity is not an event; it is a habit." Though Kindness & Empathy Month has come to an end, the seeds of love and kindness have been deeply planted in the heart of every child at Hongkou Campus. From awareness to action, from giving to growing, the children have shown through their deeds that kindness is not a fleeting moment of brilliance, but a lasting flame.

May this warmth continue like a gentle stream, flowing through time. May this love shine like countless stars, eternal in its passing. We thank all parents for walking this path with us, and we look forward to the next gathering of love, bringing warmth to even farther places.