In the recent days , the city of Wuhan hosted the 37th National Adolescent Science and Technology Innovation Competition. As the largest and most esteemed platform for young minds across Asia and worldwide, this event showcased an impressive array of 442 innovative scientific projects from both local and international youth. Within this distinguished gathering, our 8th-grade student, Elaine Zhou, emerged as a standout. Her project, titled "Comparative Analysis of Metabolic Phenotypes in Mouse Models of Distinct Metabolic Disorders," was selected as one of Shanghai's top 25 submissions for the national stage. Garnering unanimous praise from the panel of judges, Elaine Zhou meticulous exploration earned her the well-deserved second prize in this illustrious competition.

Student Impressions:

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the school for providing us with a platform for scientific innovation. This platform has enabled all of us, students from grades 7 and 8, to engage in foundational research training. Throughout the process of my research project, I received dedicated guidance from both my teacher and external mentors. Their meticulous mentoring aided me in transitioning from a novice in scientific research to someone who could confidently present their research findings in front of expert evaluators. Furthermore, the national competition experience not only offered me a chance for meaningful exchanges with other accomplished participants, but also a profound understanding of the essence of scientific inquiry. This experience has deeply motivated and inspired me to embrace the spirit of a true scientist.

Creative Program in SHSID Middle and Primary School

The achievements we celebrate today are not haphazard. Instead, they are deeply intertwined with the rich soil of scientific and innovative cultivation that we have nurtured within the Middle and Primary School Sections. Our commitment to creative education transcends merely disseminating competition details to students and leaving them and their parents to navigate the preparation alone. Instead, our endeavor is grander — it involves the construction of a multi-tiered, multidimensional curriculum framework that immerses students in the realms of science and innovation.

Our distinctive approach revolves around the principles of empowerment and unwavering guidance across the entirety of the educational journey. As our guiding principle aptly captures: Not "Spray and Pray", but "Cultivate and Elevate".

For several years, Middle and Primary School Sections have been committed to delivering high-quality creative education, continuously refining its curriculum framework, and enhancing its facilities and mentor resources.

· Over a dozen innovative laboratories.

· More than 50 diverse creative courses.

· A multitude of cross-disciplinary short projects and competition initiatives are available.

· A dual mentorship system is in place, combining "in-house esteemed educators with external subject experts."

· An in-house science and innovation mentor team that comprises of 31 members.

· Expert guidance that primarily originates from multiple institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and prestigious universities.

· A comprehensive guidance system covering the entire process of topic development, intermediate mentoring, and final competition preparation.

· The scope of student research program spans across several major domains: biological sciences, environmental sciences, engineering, computer science, as well as behavioral and social sciences.

It can be said that for the current students in Middle and Primary School Sections, the aspiration to become "young researchers" is no longer a distant dream, but rather, a tangible reality. The comprehensive curriculum framework we have meticulously designed aims to impart investigative skills, foster specialized knowledge, and ignite a genuine passion for learning. This trajectory guides students along the path of "interest – aspiration – individual aptitude," nurturing their innate potentials and kindling their curiosity.

Moreover, outstanding performance in any course or activity offers students the prospect of being recommended to district, city, and national-level competitions. Astonishingly, statistical data reveals that the Middle and Primary School Sections consistently generate over a hundred scientific research projects or scientific proposal projects. Furthermore, a substantial majority of these projects garners recognition across diverse categories of scientific competitions.

In essence, the Middle and Primary School Sections have crafted an expansive and fertile terrain for scientific exploration, effectively catering to the multifaceted needs of its students. Through these endeavors, we instill a spirit of inquiry and innovation, cultivating the next generation of scholars poised to make their mark on the world.

(Written by 8-10 Elaine Zhou Supervised by Shenghua Yao Pictures by 8-10 Elaine Zhou Edited by Serene Yang, Cong Luo, Bianca Noguera)