Sunday Summit: The Final Day

And we have arrived at a bittersweet moment: the final evening of our trip. As I write, students are relaxing here in the Snowboarder’s Palace. Luckily, there are plenty of common rooms for everyone to relax…and then crash the wifi. Seriously, this group is rough on the wifi. Anyhow, before we lose connection again, here’s the rundown of the day:

• We woke up nice and early this morning, as it takes a substantial amount of time for 1,600 kids to get into the convention center. Our morning started with a few speakers who all discussed the modern educational system and the necessary changes that must take place in order to prepare our students for the 21st century. There were a lot of interesting ideas put forth, and we all had some interesting discussions based on what we took away from the talks.
• After the opening speakers, we broke up to go to our respective sessions. Students went to classes varying from slam poetry to planning future careers.
• Our final session consisted of the final phase of the design thinking process. Students brought their prototypes and presentations together in preparation for the Innovation Hall, in which students presented their ideas to everyone at the convention. There were some impressive ideas put forth, which substantial attention paid to international experience, mobile apps, and language immersion.
• After the presentations, and dinner, of course, we were treated to the day’s keynote speaker, Shiza Shahid, who founded the Malala Fund. She had so much to say about the modern state of education of women in the world; her talk made quite an impression on everyone, especially our strong female students.
• After the keynote, we were treated to a barbecue (there was some confusion, since bbq to us means pulled pork, but to everyone else it means “to grill out.”) and a dance party in the outdoor inflatable tent. EF Tours did their best to wear everyone out, and it worked!

So, it’s now time to get packed! We are getting up at 4am this morning, and have to be downstairs, packed, to get on the bus. We’re all excited to get home, sad to be leaving, and overwhelmed by everything we’ve seen and experienced.

As always, check @SGSummit on Instagram to see pictures