On January 23, before the start of the much-anticipated Winter Fair, the annual Whole School Walkathon saw students across all year groups walking along Hong Kong’s iconic locations to raise money for the Island School Trust.
This was no ordinary walk. Students arrived dressed in a vibrant range of Disney costumes, whose outfits aligned with their house colors. Students truly cared about the Whole School Walk as seen by the variety of costumes, such as a dinosaur, Snow White’s apples, and even Chip and Dale.
This cause is both ambitious and profoundly meaningful. This year, the school community aims to raise a remarkable $300,000, in support of the Nicola and Kenneth Bursaries. Achieving this target will be a new milestone, surpassing last year’s incredible fundraising total of $245,000. This new target will be achieved if every member of the school community donates $250.
The walk was thoughtfully staggered across iconic Hong Kong locations, creating a combined walk of all students across the city. Years 7 and 8 walked around the usual cross-country grounds of Borrett Road. Years 9, 10, and11 left the comfort of school grounds for the Harbour Front, while our senior students in Years 12 and 13 traversed the iconic Peak.
The bursaries we support represent the very heart of Island School’s values. The Island School trust runs an annual bursary scheme in memory of former Islanders, Nicola Myers and Kenneth McBride, whose lives were tragically cut short. The bursary was started up in 1985 by ESF (English School Foundation). It recognises and supports local school students in Hong Kong who, despite facing significant financial hardship, demonstrate extraordinary tenacity, perseverance, and dedication in their pursuit of academic excellence.
Each bursary awards each local school student 4,000 HKD to crucially support their funding for textbooks, exam fees, and forms of assistance in education. The Whole School Walk aims to support over 40 students with bursaries with the $300,000 raised.
This event could not possibly be completed without the student volunteers who acted as marshals to take photos, direct lost students, and take photographs of form groups.
Edited by Kailey Chan
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