2024 SHBS开学典礼 Opening Ceremony | 总校长陈文国先生致辞

各位同学、老师、家长，大家下午好！

Dear Students, Teachers, and Parents,

Good afternoon!

今天在我演讲之前，我想请5位同学和一位老师上台。他们是第一次参加全球青少年戈壁徒步挑战赛并获得冠军，捧得大力神杯的“宏润博源战队”。为他们点赞，以他们为自豪。

Before I begin my speech today, I’d like to invite five students and one teacher to join me on stage. They are the first-time participants in the Global Youth Gobi Desert Trekking Challenge and the proud champions who brought home the trophy—our very own "SHBS Team". Let’s give them a big round of applause and take pride in their achievement.

上学年我在开学典礼上的演讲主题是：做最好的自己，拥有更大的世界。只有不断地做最好的自己，才能有能力拥有更大的世界，才能在生活和生命中尽情翱翔。很高兴，这一主题获得很多同学的共鸣。

Last year, at the opening ceremony, my speech focused on the theme: "Be the Best Version of Yourself to Embrace a Bigger World". Only by constantly striving to be the best version of ourselves can we gain the ability to embrace a bigger world and soar freely in life. I’m thrilled that this theme resonated with so many of you.

今天我演讲的主题是“不断拥抱第一次，生命更加精彩”。所谓“第一次”，就是不断突破自己，不断挑战自己，不断地去尝试。

Today, the theme of my speech is “Embrace Firsts, Enrich Life”. By “firsts”, I mean continually breaking your own limits, constantly challenging yourself, and daring to try new things.

刚过去的暑假我首先是送我们学校参加夏校的同学去美国夏校的营地。然后我开始了我人生第一次一个人的旅行。

During the past summer vacation, I first accompanied our students to a summer camp in the U.S. Then, I embarked on my very first solo journey.

其间碰到了很多的第一次。

Along the way, I encountered many “firsts”.

第一次在美国坐火车从巴尔德摩到普林斯顿，从普林斯顿到曼哈顿。近距离地接触了美国不同的人。尤其是从巴尔德摩到普林斯顿，被列车员查票N次。

For the first time, I took a train in the U.S., traveling from Baltimore to Princeton, and then from Princeton to Manhattan. This gave me a chance to interact closely with different people in the U.S. Especially on the trip from Baltimore to Princeton, I was asked to show my ticket multiple times by the train conductor.

第一次跟大黑熊近距离接触。那天我受邀在朋友家做客，有个大黑熊，大大的黑熊闯进他们家院子，我跟大黑熊相距大概三米左右。同学们可能好奇后面的剧情。其实是我在房间里，它在院子里，我们隔窗相望，这个近距离的接触，是有距离的。

For the first time, I had a close encounter with a black bear. One day, I was invited to a friend’s house, and a large black bear wandered into their yard. I was only about three meters away from it. You might be curious about what happened next. Well, I was inside the house while the bear was in the yard, and we stared at each other through a window—a close encounter with a bit of distance.

第一次在美国、加拿大，和我的老同学、以前上中国际部的老同事、我40年前的学生、旅居加拿大20多年的亲戚和朋友、我们宏润博源考上多伦多大学的毕业生，在那样特殊的场景里，有很多深度的沟通，给了我丰富的启发和思考。

For the first time in the U.S. and Canada, I had deep conversations with my old classmates, former colleagues from the Chinese International Department, a student I taught 40 years ago, relatives and friends who have lived in Canada for over 20 years, and graduates from our school who are now attending the University of Toronto. These conversations, in such special settings, provided me with profound insights and reflections.

一个人的旅行，也是一个人的思考。我第一次在加拿大白石海面上划船。在划船的过程中，我又在思考我平时经常思考的问题：我、我们、我们学校未来将走向何方。因为在这次旅行中有众多第一次，使我的这个海上之思，更清晰更明了更受鼓舞。

Traveling alone also meant thinking alone. For the first time, I rowed a boat on the White Rock Sea in Canada. During this time, I found myself pondering questions I often think about: where I, we, and our school are headed in the future. This sea journey, filled with many “firsts,” made my thoughts clearer, more inspired, and more determined.

同学们，真的，“不断拥抱第一次，生命更加精彩”。

Students, truly, “Embrace Firsts, Enrich Life”.

每个“第一次”，都是一次勇敢的迈步，引领我们走向更加广阔的世界。

Every “first” is a courageous step forward that leads us to a broader world. 

无论是第一次站上讲台发表演讲，第一次组织社团，还是第一次住宿，这些经历都要求我们走出舒适区，面对内心的恐惧与不安。但正是这些看似微不足道的开始，铸就了我们面对生活挑战的勇气和决心。它教会我们，勇气不是不感到害怕，而是即便害怕也选择前行。

Whether it’s your first time speaking on stage, organizing a club, or living in a dorm, these experiences require us to step out of our comfort zones and confront our fears and anxieties. It’s these seemingly small beginnings that forge our courage and determination to face life’s challenges. They teach us that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the choice to move forward despite it.

每一个“第一次”尝试，都是一次自我发现和成长的机会。

Every “first” attempt is an opportunity for self-discovery and growth. 

在尝试的过程中，我们可能会遇到失败，会感受到挫败感，但正是这些不完美的瞬间，让我们学会了坚持与反思，学会调整策略，再次出发。学会了坚韧坚持。

Along the way, we might encounter failures and feel frustrated, but it’s these imperfect moments that teach us perseverance and reflection, help us adjust our strategies, and set out again. We learn resilience and persistence.

“第一次”尝试还意味着拓宽生活的边界，让我们有机会接触到全新的领域和不同的文化。观世界，世界观。

“Firsts” also mean expanding the boundaries of our lives, giving us the chance to explore new fields and different cultures. To see the world and shape our worldview. 

学校先后组织到印度、美国、意大利、德国、摩洛哥，今年会去西班牙、坦桑尼亚，游学、参加夏校和世界领导力课程。

Our school has organized trips to India, the U.S., Italy, Germany, and Morocco. This year, we will be heading to Spain and Tanzania for study tours, summer schools, and world leadership courses.

更重要的是，每个“第一次”的尝试是激发潜能的钥匙。

More importantly, each “first” is the key to unlocking potential. 

很多时候，我们并不知道自己真正擅长什么，也不知道自己的极限在哪里。但正是通过不断地尝试新事物，我们逐渐发现了自己的兴趣和潜能所在。这些发现如同灯塔一般，照亮了我们前行的道路，让我们在追求梦想的道路上更加坚定和自信。

Often, we don’t know what we’re truly good at or where our limits lie. But by continuously trying new things, we gradually discover our interests and potential. These discoveries are like lighthouses, illuminating our path and making us more determined and confident in pursuing our dreams.

同学们，真的，真的，不断拥抱第一次，不断突破自己，不断挑战自己，不断地去尝试，生命更加精彩！

Students, truly, truly, keep embracing firsts, keep pushing your limits, keep challenging yourself, and keep trying new things. Life will be all the more exciting!

宏润博源战队，首先是有勇敢尝试的第一次，然后才有意想不到的大力神杯。

The SHBS team first had the courage to try something new, which led them to the unexpected victory of the trophy.

在座的同学们，你的富有挑战性的第一次在哪里？你的大力神杯在哪里？

To all the students here, where is your challenging “first”? Where is your trophy?