WIS at Integrated Brilliant Education Trust’s Sports Day
On Saturday 18 June, a group of 18 West Island School students accompanied by three members of the Physical Education teaching staff helped run the Integrated Brilliant Education Trust’s (IBET) first sports day for 80 keen students from IBET’s centre in Jordan. From the commitment and enthusiasm WIS student shown on the day, the Sports Day ran successfully and smoothly with occasional disturbances from Hong Kong’s ever-changing climate.
The Integrated Brilliant Education Trust founded in 2014, is Hong Kong’s first ethnic minority education support centre for children that come from underprivileged homes and is the only charity run educational support center and EDB registered organisation for underprivileged ethnic minorities providing such a structured and intensive support system. The organisation strives to provide aid to parents by providing highly subsidized educational support to their children as well as empowering students in their struggles with the local school curriculum, specifically the language barrier the students are confronted with. IBET’s Jordan centre, not only provides students with additional support in learning Chinese proficiently, but also tool the children with basic skills that will enhance their competitiveness in the local system and assimilate them into Hong Kong’s diverse society. The education for ethnic minority children has been under light for sometimes, and the government is often called out for their lobbying for policy changes in the local schooling system. IBET is an anchor to these underprivileged groups and a sign of stability to which at times, the government cannot provide. Thus West Island is proud to have been able to support such a group that works relentlessly provide high-quality educational support to underprivileged ethnic minorities.
West Island played a small yet important role in the sports day that was organised. Through the support of Ms Charlotte Luck, the students met up every Friday lunch to discuss the day layout, the activities that would be provided and completed a risk assessment to ensure the safety of every student was participating in the event. The students, like IBET, worked hard to prepare an action packed morning, practising their events in front of their peers and giving each other feedback to make sure instructions were given in a simple yet thorough manner.
On the day, from 8am in the morning, WIS students were at King’s Park Sports Ground setting up for the next four hours ahead. Throughout the event, WIS students showed great commitment and strength in their stations and the IBET Jordan Center children were thrilled by the experience. One of the students mentioned to the group that the sports day represented a trip to Disneyland, a fun and memorable experience that will truly be remembered by the student leaders.
Overall, through IBET and WIS’ collaboration, the first sports day for ethnic minority children was a great success. For the future, it is hoped that the event may become bigger and the commitment organisations such as IBET have done in order to provide these children with a quality education will become well known in Hong Kong society. The WIS student leaders would like to thank Ms Luck, Mr Madden and Mrs Craig for their support before and on the day as well as IBET to provide an enriching opportunity.
Xaviera Artaza
