ShanghaiJune 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The high school campus of YK Pao School in Songjiang, Shanghai, was filled with warmth this June as alumni returned. Over the past two weeks, several outstanding graduates revisited their alma mater, engaging in in-depth dialogues with current students through themed reunion days, college application sharing sessions, and heartfelt messages, embodying the spirit of gratitude and giving back.
In recent years, YK Pao School has actively built platforms for alumni both at home and abroad, helping overseas alumni gain deeper insights into China’s economic and social development. This year, through alumni career exploration activities, the school organized visits to several high-tech enterprises and innovative companies in Shanghai, enabling alumni to precisely align with the nation’s development opportunities from a global perspective.
Annual Alumni Reunion: Over a Hundred Alumni Return as Promised, Rekindling YK Pao Bonds
On June 12, the Songjiang campus hosted its annual alumni reunion. Despite the peak summer season and many alumni residing overseas, over a hundred returned across mountains and seas as promised, instantly filling the campus with the atmosphere of a long-awaited reunion.
Head Principal Xu Yongchu delivers a welcome speech
Head Principal Xu Yongchu opened with her own experiences, encouraging alumni and the attending 11th-grade students to cherish the present. She emphasized that the most precious significance of alumni returning to their alma mater lies in “conveying authenticity and genuine emotions,” as each alumnus returns to this family with their own stories and growth. The return of alumni also makes current students acutely aware that, once they leave the school’s庇护, life becomes a journey without navigation. Today, they can hear in advance from their seniors “the real sound of waves in the ocean of society,” which brings both clarity and courage to their future self-identity, self-management, and choices. Finally, Principal Xu encouraged the alumni: “I hope you all look further ahead, admire yourselves, and stay steadfast on your chosen path. Even if you maintain a bit of ‘clumsy’ confidence, abandon utilitarianism, and become a YK Pao person with warmth, aesthetic sense, and values.”
High School Principal Lin Yiqiao delivers a speech
High School Principal Lin Yiqiao warmly welcomed the alumni who traveled thousands of miles to return, thanking them for bringing diverse social experiences back to their alma mater. He urged alumni to reflect on the “footprints” they left at the school and consider how to deepen and strengthen this influence—by visiting dormitories, sharing academic insights, giving career lectures, and helping current students, thereby giving back to the school and expanding the impact of the alumni network.
Panel Discussions Focus on College Applications and Careers, Professional Sharing Empowers Current Students
Continuing the well-received panel discussion format from previous years, this year’s alumni-themed discussions not only attracted active participation from alumni of all years but also provided a valuable platform for 11th-grade students who are fully preparing for their college applications.
Senior Director of Human Resources Ms. Shu Min shares her experience
Ms. Shu Min, Senior Director of Human Resources at YK Pao School, offered a professional HR perspective, focusing on two core aspects: resume writing and interview preparation. She delivered a practical, content-rich session, meticulously breaking down useful tips such as how to highlight personal strengths, greatly benefiting the alumni present.
Alumni sharing session
The forum invited three alumni who have made their mark in various industries in mainland China and Hong Kong—Wu Wenshuo from Cathay Pacific, Li Leyang from Shanghai Warrior, and Xue Tiantian from COOL AI. Drawing on their overseas study experiences and cross-industry careers in aviation, traditional domestic brands, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence, they engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as adapting to life abroad, handling cultural differences, and developing independence. They also generously shared valuable insights on how to maximize university resources.
Subsequently, another dialogue themed “Life After YK Pao—No Script, All Real” directly addressed the 11th-grade students. Alumni candidly shared the real challenges and growth transformations they experienced after leaving YK Pao. The honest interactions gave current students a more intuitive and three-dimensional understanding of their future college and life journeys, while also finding resonance and strength in the real experiences of their seniors.
Alumni interaction
During the subsequent social session, a fragrant barbecue party allowed old and new friends to chat about the future and share recent updates. On the green field, a spirited football match involving staff, parents, and alumni unfolded, with sweat and laughter intertwined, and bonds strengthened through running. This meaningful reunion day concluded perfectly under the sunset glow and cheers.
Alumni Sharing Session: Seniors Guide the Way, Helping Lower Grade Students Plan
On June 4, the High School College and Career Counseling Office, together with the Alumni Office, organized an alumni sharing event for 9th and 10th-grade students. Alumni including Zhou Tianqin from the University of Chicago, Wang Wenle and Ye Siyan from University College London, and Gao Ya from New York University engaged in in-depth exchanges on university studies and campus life, sharing application strategies and growth paths. The content covered preparation materials for U.S. undergraduate applications and school selection philosophies, with a particular emphasis on the core role of personalized development—creating a unique personal profile through clear interest directions and sustained effort. They also compared the differences between the U.S. and U.K. application systems, highlighting the critical impact of course selection on future academic directions. The alumni unanimously agreed that maintaining long-term commitment and developing genuine interests during their time at YK Pao School is especially important. In the Q&A session, students enthusiastically discussed the differences between high school and university life, as well as the changes brought about by the highly autonomous university environment.
YK Pao School is always committed to building a close-knit alumni community, ensuring that the growth experiences of each graduating class become a valuable asset for those who follow. This series of reunion activities not only continues YK Pao School’s original mission of “holistic education” but also highlights the enduring and profound emotional bond between alumni and their alma mater. We look forward to more alumni returning home often, jointly writing the warm chapters of the YK Pao community.