Earlier this year, Wellington College International Shanghai launched its annual Scholarship Programme. As ever, this unique programme highlights and rewards exceptional pupils who seek excellence beyond grades and certifications. Wellington Scholars are leaders in their school. They are driven and take their learning into their own hands. In this spirit, the school introduced its first-ever pupil-led campaign to promote the programme as part of its new Marketing co-curricular activity (CCA) and go even further to provide the opportunity for pupils to learn more about communications, branding and campaigning in the ‘real world’ going beyond what may be learnt and experienced in the traditional business, economics and regular classrooms.
👈🏻To learn more or submit an application, scan the QR code
This year, Wellington pupils conceived and developed every aspect of the scholarship campaign’s content. They learnt how to conduct media style interviews featuring their peers. They even designed the unique non-fungible token (NFT)-inspired imagery under the campaign entitled, #NFTScholars, tapping into what the pupils themselves are talking about and are interested in.
“The scholarship welcomes pupils from beyond our College,” explained Wellington Marketing Manager Kelvin Nelles, “and our current pupils are the ones who are best equipped to explain just how valuable the Wellington experience has been for them. So, we gave them free rein to showcase their creativity and curiosity and engage with our scholars on their own terms. They did not disappoint.”
Meet Zoe, Braden and Adele – Wellington’s “#NFTScholars” as interviewed by pupils, Diana, Kitty and Nicole
#NFTScholarYear 12
Zoe
Hi there! I’m Zoe. Being born and raised in Shanghai, I always get affectionately teased by my single mom for my broken Shanghainese. I’m a colourful person and I love colourful things — people, traveling and pineapple pizza (sorry Italians!) And there’s really no guarantee what you’ll find me doing for a pastime. Some days it’s innovating a dessert, other days it’s gardening or maybe you’ll even find me staring into space, pondering some philosophical question!
#NFTScholarYear 9
Braden
I am mixed - my dad is from the UK and my mum is a local Shanghainese. I was born in Shanghai and raised here as well. In the future, I plan to pursue a medical career, because since Upper Prep, I developed an interest and passion for the sciences and the exploration of the human body. Moreover, I enjoy helping and empathising with people around me, which inspired me also in the soft Science of Psychology - the subject of focus of my scholarship. I wish to carry on my studies in the UK at university, and hope to use what I learn to help even more people in this world.
#NFTScholarYear 12
Adele
I have been living in Shanghai for my whole life, but transferring from local to international schools gave me such a great variety of new experiences. I started to compose music since 2020, and having a creative outlet gave me a way to deal with the various changes going on in life— music has always been a place I seek residence in. I submitted my contemporary instrumental piece into a NYTimes "Coming of Age Multimedia Challenge," and being selected among the 25 winners out of the 4000+ submissions gave me a lot more creative confidence.
What do you think makes Wellington so unique? “Apart from all the facilities and the huge campus with the beautiful natural scenery, I think Wellington stands apart because of its community. When I first transferred here, I was shocked at how everyone was so kind and welcoming. It was so easy to get along with the teachers and my peers in my year, even though I was a new pupil. It is so awesome that even today when I walk down the corridor, teachers and friends would smile at me and say hello. Another thing is how Wellington’s leadership team is always willing to make new changes to improve the school. Since Wellington is a relatively new school, there are not a lot of rigid traditions that began decades ago. Being a new school means that there is lots of flexibility, and I see that our teachers are always trying new approaches or making changes in our Senior School, whether that is the house leadership format or the way we structure lessons. It is nice that the teachers are willing to listen to the voices of pupils and parents and that we can visibly see changes happening around the school to make our community a better place.”“To me, the diverse and talented music community is one that I have never seen before. There are so many different gifted pupils who love music and dance. There is the annual musical, which is extremely cool.”“What makes Wellington so unique is its perfect balance between personal wellbeing and academics. Many schools — including my previous school — are either more academics-oriented or too lenient. Wellington gives you just the right amount of pressure and competition to encourage self-directed learning, whilst also considering our wellbeing. This then develops a healthy and loving environment to learn or work in.”What opportunities does Wellington provide that help you pursue your interests or ambitions?“Wellington has enabled me to pursue my passion for music through the many opportunities to perform in concerts, assemblies and even outside of school for fundraising events. I was also given the opportunity to become a music scholar and to perform in the band for the Senior School musical even though I was new to the school.”“I got to further explore music composition. For example, I wrote music for the harp parts of the school orchestra. I also used my musical compositions to attend the New York Times Multimedia Challenge, and I was selected as one of the final winners (there were 25 winners out of 4000+ submissions). “One of my interests is volleyball. I started playing volleyball around 6 years ago and am still involved in related events. The school has given me excellent opportunities like a school volleyball team that attends leagues in Shanghai, playing competitively with other international schools. I have been able to play for both the U18 Varsity team and the U14 Varsity team, which I am really proud of.”What are your career aspirations and how is your scholarship helping you attain your goals?“In the future, I want to be a businesswoman/entrepreneur/music composer/writer. I have a wide range of interests, and having a scholarship gives me extra capital to invest in what I love. Also, the academic atmosphere is very encouraging, and I get to attend so many different in-school activities that helped my leadership skills and confidence.”“I am interested in psychology and medicine and hope to study one or both at university. The scholarship requires us to set specific goals and research questions in these areas so we can gain a deeper understanding of them. During the research process, we are provided with tutors who give us professional support and feedback to help us attain our goals as we lay the foundations for our future studies.”
As a scholar, how do you manage the academic pressure at Wellington? “Having good time management skills definitely helps. Academic pressure and time management skills go hand-in-hand. Having academic pressure means that you must develop good time management skills to excel and having good time management skills enables you to learn better and become a better pupil. Apart from that, I think that my teachers also give me a lot of help. They are willing to spend extra time answering our questions or going over materials that are more difficult for us (especially during IB). It is reassuring to know that I can always depend on my teachers when I do not understand something and that they are willing to help us overcome challenges together. Apart from that, it is also awesome that we can have teachers whom we can talk to when we feel stressed or pressured. I know many teachers who are very caring to help us with anything we are struggling with.”What do you like most about being a Wellington scholar?“I have time to explore my interests in music composition and creative writing, engage in proactive learning and become a more well-rounded scholar.”“Being a Wellington Scholar means that I get the chance to explore my areas of interest beyond my regular academic learning. I enjoy psychology, studying society and helping others, so, as a Wellington Scholar, I had the chance to conduct an investigation on this topic with some help from my teachers. This is a big advantage for me because I can develop my research skills, which will certainly be vital in the future. At the same time, I get to learn more about something that truly interests me.”
About the artistAlejandro (Year 9)
Although I am 100% Spanish, I was born in China and have lived in Shanghai my whole life. In total, my family has five members. I first fell in love with crypto when I stumbled across a video explaining what an NFT was. Instantly my interests took over and I created my brand, sexy sharks, which are 2222 digital sharks swimming on the blockchain. You can find my work at ‘thesexysharknft’. When you claim a sexy shark as your own, you get exclusive access to a world where sharks dominate.
Credits:
Interviews by Diana, Kitty, Nicole
Artwork by Alejandro
Marketing Channels by Adele
Campaign by all
At Wellington, pupils take the lead.
Join Zoe, Braden and Adele and become a Wellington Scholar.
Do you know anyone who has what it takes?
Wellington is looking for exceptional pupils who can demonstrate a proven track record of academic excellence. Successful candidates are awarded up to 50%* of the annual tuition fees. Successful applicants entering the IB Diploma Programme in August 2022 (year 12 pupils only) are eligible for awards of up to 100% of the tuition fees. Applicants must have outstanding IGCSE results or the equivalent.
To learn more or submit an application, scan the QR code below.Visit Wellington College International Shanghai by scanning the QR below.