Dear Year 10 Parents/Guardians,
I am writing to inform you about an upcoming day trip for all Year 10 students to the Crossroads Foundation on Thursday 5th June. This will be an enriching and insightful experience aligned with our DBIS core values of respect, kindness and a global mindset.
On this day, students will be expected to arrive at school for their usual tutor time at 8.20am. Once registration is complete, we will depart promptly by bus, which has been arranged specifically for the Year 10 cohort and our Year 10 team.
The planned schedule for our visit to Crossroads is as follows:
- 09:45: Arrival at Crossroads, distribution of name tags, and a brief bathroom break.
- 10:00: Introduction to the Crossroads Foundation and its mission.
- 10:30: Participation in the Struggle for Survival Simulation.
- 12:40: End of Simulation, followed by free time to visit the Fair Trade café and shop.
- 13:00: Departure from Crossroads.
Please note that we will not be having lunch at Crossroads and anticipate arriving back at school by 2pm. Students will then rejoin their regular timetable for Period 5. We will be reflecting on this valuable experience during our Learning for Life lesson in Week 1 after the trip.
The cost for this day trip is HK$200 per student. Please ensure that payment is made by cash to Ms Joey Lee at the Secondary reception by Monday 19th May.
The purpose of our visit to Crossroads is to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by people around the world, including within parts of Hong Kong. Through their unique Global X-periences, students will move beyond simply watching videos or listening to presentations about global issues. Instead, they will take a few steps in the shoes of those in need. For example, during the poverty simulation, they will experience simulated manual labour and corrupt market practices, alongside the daily struggle for shelter, food, education and medical care.
Students are permitted to bring:
- Water
- A small snack
- A small amount of pocket money if they wish to purchase items at the Fair Trade shop or drinks at the Fair Trade café
- An umbrella (depending on the weather)
- They need to be in their PE uniform on this day
- Crucially, Crossroads Foundation uses a significant amount of (old) newspapers for the Struggle for Survival simulation programme. Therefore, we kindly request that each student brings some old newspapers with them on this day.
About Crossroads Foundation: Crossroads Foundation is a Hong Kong-based, non-profit organisation dedicated to serving global needs, in Gold Coast, Tuen Mun. Their core belief is to connect those in need with those who can help, acting as a literal ‘crossroads’ to bring aid and resources together.
About the Struggle for Survival Simulation: This impactful programme immerses participants in the challenges and complexities of poverty. Through the task of making paper bags from newspaper and homemade glue, students must try to earn enough to cover essential needs such as rent, food, sanitation, medical care and, potentially, education. Those who cannot earn enough may fall into debt with a loan shark. The simulation aims to provide a powerful understanding of the systemic nature of poverty and its far-reaching consequences.
We believe this day trip will be a valuable learning experience for our Year 10 students, fostering empathy and a greater understanding of global issues.
Thank you for your cooperation with the payment deadline.
Best regards
Amrith Prabhu