Prize Giving Assembly

After a series of memorable Parents’ Assemblies in the last ten months, Wellington Tianjin’s founding year and the achievements of its founding pupils, were celebrated in style at the first Prize Giving Assembly, held on Monday 18th June. By happy coincidence, this date was also Waterloo Day, the 197th anniversary of the titular battle that is so much part of Wellington’s heritage. It is the battle that sealed the Duke of Wellington’s place in history.  Fittingly, the Master, Mr David Cook, opened with a message from Dr Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington UK congratulating Wellington Tianjin on an exciting, busy and successful first year. “You can rightly be proud that so much has been achieved in such a short time, and here in Berkshire, we are hugely proud to have you all as a members of the Wellington family”, he said. The Junior and Senior Prizes were announced in turn by  the teaching staff, and Prize Certificates were awarded either by Jane Robinson, the Head of Junior School, or the Master. Musical pieces punctuated the prizes, with performances from the Choir, String Quartet (Bill Zhang, James Cho, Subin Kim and Hyunsu Kim), a cello & piano duet from Bill Zhang and Venus Pan, and a flute solo by YeJi Choo. The College Band played as guests and pupils arrived. There were brief speeches on the year in the Junior School from Jane Robinson, and on Being a 6th Former from Dr Steve Jacobi, before the main address from the Master, entitled Overcoming Adversity, using Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd, and only multi-term US President, crippled by polio, as an example to us all. It was a rousing end to a wonderful first year.