English: Adityajit Singh Kang, a student of Grade IX of Vivek High School, Sector 38-B, Chandigarh, India has been selected and participating as a Round Square International Exchange Scholar at Abbotsholme School, Rocester, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England, UK from 05 January 2012 to 30 March 2012.
Round Square is a global association of schools which share a commitment, beyond academic merit, to personal growth, and responsibility through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding which ultimately seeks to empower students to become leaders and guardians of tomorrow’s world. Recently, the organisation has embarked on a program of measured growth and inclusion which will afford many more schools and communities access to the opportunities that it initiates.
Schools are expected to attend an annual international conference hosted by a member school. The conference is a forum to experience cultural differences, create global friendships and to be addressed by relevant and influential speakers. Such conferences generate opportunities for debate and personal exploration and are life changing experiences.
Round Square has its foundation in the theories of the experiential educational philosopher Kurt Hahn who believed that schools should have a greater purpose beyond preparing young people for College and University. Hahn believed that it was crucial for students to prepare for life by having them face it head on and experience it in ways that would demand courage, generosity, imagination, principle and resolution. As a result, he felt that young people would become empowered and develop the skills and abilities to be the leaders and guardians of tomorrow's world. He believed that given the appropriate set of circumstances and the correct attitude, young men and women could discovery their own inner strength and an understanding of the physical and social world around them.
Currently there are more than eighty global member schools, and twenty regional member schools worldwide who actively subscribe to Hahn’s philosophy. Estimated demographic data would reflect a student capacity of in the region of 50 000 and a teacher/management workforce force of about 5000 plus. Member schools believe that the pillars of Hahn’s insight are the ideals on which our future is built. These broad fundamentals cover a wide spectrum of social, political and economic environments and are:
An international understanding and tolerance of others,
Democratic governance and justice,
Environmental stewardship,
Self discovery through adventure,
Leadership and
Service to others.
Adityajit Singh Kang, a Scholar Blazer holder had earlier participated in first International Conference for Schools hosted by Eden Project, Cornwall, UK from 11 October 2011 to 14 October 2011 on Sustainable Future - Global is Green.