Stamford American School prepares students for the future of work

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The Volvo Ocean Race’s recent visit to Hong Kong presented the perfect opportunity to combine innovation with real life experiences and Stamford American School did just that as part of their STEMinn program (science, technology, engineering, math and innovation) which focuses on fully integrating STEMinn into the curriculum by fostering innovative thinking but also moving beyond theory into production. To do this Stamford partnered with MakerBay for an exciting boat building project led by Director Cesar Jung-Harada who is well known for being an environmentalist, entrepreneur and inventor focused on solving man-made environmental issues such as oil spills, ocean plastic and radioactivity.

His passion for the using technology to better the world, His brilliant maker spaces which are expanding in Hong Kong and hands on approach to student learning is what made him a perfect choice to not only work with the students on this project but also join as one of Stamford’s Global Mentors. This program connects students with leaders in a variety of fields in order to find inspiration from adults beyond their teachers and parents and potentially even discover a new career path. Students have already worked with a famous author, Olympians and entrepreneurs.

Before embarking on the boat building project, students spent time researching the Volvo Ocean Race and related topics from a variety of angles understanding the importance of the shipping industry and role of oceans in transport to what life is like on board. After presenting findings to their classmates, students were treated to a visit to the race site itself where they got the chance to see their favourite racing teams up close and also step inside a real sailboat that had been cut in half.