Wellington pupils win multiple medals at the World Scholars Cup

Wellington College International Shanghai’s trip to compete at the World Scholars Cup at Yale University was a great success. This journey began in February this year when twenty-seven Wellington College students competed in the Shanghai regional round of the competition. All students were successful in reaching the global round in Bangkok. Twenty-four went to Bangkok and then nine were invited to attend the finals - the ‘Tournament of Champions’ at Yale. Twenty thousand students began at the regional rounds, down to less than five thousand at global and only one thousand two hundred at the finals-from countries all around the world. The World Scholars Cup is a competition that gives opportunity for our students to demonstrate the Wellington Identity of intellectual, inspiring, inclusive and independent individuals. The World Scholars Cup shares the values of Wellington College in the sense that learning shouldn’t be purely about exams. All students require courage to compete against twenty thousand other scholars, respect, integrity and kindness when working alongside a diverse group of peers, and importantly responsibility as they commit to working together as a team. It is a competition that makes extracurricular learning fun, interesting and challenging. This year’s theme was “An Imperfect World”, and draws upon the multitude of flaws and cracks that can be seen in our beautifully chaotic society. Ranging from learning about famous criminals, to learning the science of many diseases that have plagued our world throughout history and understanding the meaning behind literature and artworks, ensuring all scholars have widened their knowledge about our world. Each team had three students and their achievement was outstanding, as competition was fierce, winning almost thirty medals between our three teams in the finals. The medals range from personal recognition to team awards in different categories – debating, collaborative writing and subject-specific challenges. Our participation in this competition has also allowed us to gain deeper insight into the world around us, as the WSC curriculum dives deep into matters that would not usually be covered in the confines of traditional classroom walls. Albeit an academic event, it is also at its core, a diverse and cultural social gathering of scholars that come from all corners of the world. Alphonse, Year 11