Thousands of Mountains and Rivers Connected by Love:
Teachers and Students Plant Green Hope in YinChuan
——世外小学国际部家委会 供稿
Contributed by WFLPS PTA
启程：新学期，新希望
Setting Out:
New Semester, New Hope
又是一年新学期，带着对未来的憧憬与希望，世外小学的师生们以实际行动迎接新的开始。每年，我们都会举办爱心义卖活动，将筹得的善款化作一颗颗希望的种子，播撒在祖国的大地上。其中一部分善款捐给了“上海根与芽”公益组织，用于宁夏银川白芨滩沙漠的植树治沙项目。这些树苗不仅抵御了风沙的侵蚀，更承载了孩子们对绿色家园的美好愿景。
As a new semester begins, filled with aspirations and hope for the future, the teachers and students of WFLPS kicked off the year with meaningful action. Every year, we hold a charity bazaar,our Flea Market,transforming the funds raised into seeds of hope, sown across the vast lands of our motherland. A portion of these funds is donated to the Shanghai Roots & Shoots organization, supporting the tree-planting and desertification control project in Baijitan, Yinchuan, Ningxia. These saplings not only combat the encroachment of wind and sand but also carry the children’s vision for a greener homeland.
自2017年以来，世外小学学子持续参与“上海根与芽”百万植树计划，累计捐赠了5000棵树苗，为祖国北疆的绿色屏障贡献了一份力量。今年开学前，国际部家委会首次组织代表，带着全校师生的爱心，跨越千山万水，飞赴宁夏银川白芨滩，开展植树治沙行动。在这片黄沙漫天的热土上，我们用实际行动践行环保承诺，为保护地球、守护祖国的美丽河山筑起坚实的堡垒。
Since 2017, students of WFLPS have consistently participated in Shanghai Roots & Shoots’ Million Tree Project, collectively donating 5,000 saplings to contribute to the green barrier of our country’s northern frontier. This year, before the start of the new semester, the Parent Committee of the International Department organized for the first time, representatives to travel across thousands of mountains and rivers to Baijitan, Yinchuan, Ningxia, to participate in a tree-planting and desertification control initiative. In this land of swirling yellow sand, we put our environmental commitment into action, building a solid fortress to protect the Earth and safeguard the beautiful rivers and mountains of our homeland.
沙漠中的坚守：轧制方草格的体验
Perseverance in the Desert:
The Experience of Crafting Straw Checkerboards
国际部家委会的爸爸妈妈代表——P2B班的Lisa钟旻珈爸爸、P4B班的Winlyn孙唯伶妈妈和P5B的吴将妈妈，踏上了位于宁夏回族自治区银川市的白芨滩沙漠。这片土地干燥而贫瘠，水资源极度匮乏，风沙肆虐，挑战着每一株生命的存活。然而，正是在这样的环境中，我们见证了生命的顽强与希望的萌芽。
Representatives from the Parent Committee of the International Department—Lisa Zhong’s father from P2B, Winlyn Sun’s mother from P4B, and Wu Jiang’s mother from P5B—set foot in the Baijitan Desert in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. This land is arid and barren, with scarce water resources and relentless wind and sand challenging the survival of every living thing. Yet, it is in this harsh environment that we witnessed the resilience of life and the sprouting of hope.
在白芨滩，我们亲手轧制了789个方草格。这些方草格是植树治沙的重要一环，它们不仅能固定沙土，防止风沙侵蚀，还为小树苗的生长提供了宝贵的庇护“家园”。轧制方草格的过程并不轻松：头顶烈日炙烤，脚踏滚烫沙砾。每一个动作都需要付出极大的耐心和体力。汗水滴落在黄沙中，瞬间被蒸发，但我们的内心却充满了欢乐与力量。因为我们知道，每一个方草格的完成，都是对土壤沙漠化的一份抵抗，更是对下一代能拥有更多绿色未来的一份承诺。
In Baijitan, we handcrafted 789 straw checkerboards. These checkerboards are a critical component of the tree-planting and desertification control efforts, as they stabilize the sand, prevent erosion by wind, and provide a precious “shelter” for the saplings to grow. Crafting straw checkerboards is no easy task: under the scorching sun, with feet treading on burning sand, every movement demands immense patience and physical effort. Sweat dripped onto the sand, evaporating instantly, but our hearts were filled with joy and strength. We knew that each completed checkerboard was a stand against desertification and a promise for a greener future for the next generation.
站在一望无际的沙海中，我们看到那些已经在沙漠中扎根的小树苗。它们在粗糙干旱的土壤中默默生长，任凭风沙肆虐，依然坚韧挺拔。这份顽强的生命力深深震撼了我们，也让我们不禁联想到孩子们在学习和生活中面对困难时的成长状态。正如这些小树苗，无论环境多么恶劣，它们始终努力向下扎根、向上生长，展现出生命最简单却最坚韧的姿态。
Standing in the boundless sea of sand, we saw saplings that had already taken root in the desert. Silently growing in the rough, arid soil, they stood firm despite the relentless wind and sand. Their tenacious vitality deeply moved us, reminding us of the growth mindset children display when facing challenges in learning and life. Just like these saplings, no matter how harsh the environment, they strive to root downward and grow upward, embodying the simplest yet most resilient form of life.
原始沙漠的启示：人与自然的对话
Lessons from the Pristine Desert:
A Dialogue Between Humans and Nature
活动期间，我们还参观了白芨滩附近的原始沙漠。这里的景象令人震撼：一望无际的沙丘在阳光下泛着金光，风吹过时，沙粒如波浪般起伏，展现出大自然最粗犷、无情的一面。然而，在这片看似荒凉的土地上，我们也看到了生命最柔软却最坚强的模样。偶尔可见的沙生植物，它们以顽强的生命力在极端环境中存活，提醒着我们：即使在最恶劣的条件下，生命依然会找到出路。
During the activity, we also visited the pristine desert near Baijitan. The sight was breathtaking: endless sand dunes shimmered golden under the sunlight, with sand grains rippling like waves in the wind, revealing nature’s raw and unyielding side. Yet, in this seemingly desolate land, we also saw life’s softest yet strongest forms. Sparse desert plants, surviving with tenacious vitality in extreme conditions, reminded us that even in the harshest environments, life finds a way.
这次参观让我们深刻体会到人与自然之间的微妙关系。沙漠并非生命的禁区，而是需要我们用心呵护的生态系统。人类的活动对自然环境的影响是双向的：我们既可能破坏它，也可以通过努力修复它。世外小学师生的爱心善款，化作了一棵棵小树苗，扎根在白芨滩的沙土中，默默对抗着沙漠化的侵袭。这不仅是一次环保行动，更是一场人与自然的对话，提醒我们要以谦卑的心态尊重自然、保护自然。
This visit deepened our understanding of the delicate relationship between humans and nature. The desert is not a forbidden zone for life but an ecosystem that requires our careful nurturing. Human activities have a dual impact on the environment: we can destroy it, but we can also restore it through effort. The charitable donations from Shiwai Primary School’s teachers and students have transformed into saplings rooted in the sandy soil of Baijitan, quietly combating desertification. This is not just an environmental action but a dialogue between humans and nature, urging us to respect and protect nature with humility.
孩子们的成长：从公益活动中汲取成长的力量
Children’s Growth:
Drawing Strength from Charitable Activities
这次公益活动不仅让我们感受到环保的重要性，也让我们思考孩子们在其中的成长与收获。作为家委会的代表，我们不仅代表自己，更代表了每一个参与爱心义卖的孩子和家庭。孩子们通过义卖活动，将自己的点滴爱心汇聚成大爱，跨越千山万水，为远方的沙漠增添了一抹绿色。这项活动不仅培养了孩子们的社会责任感，也让他们学会了关爱他人、关爱地球。
This charitable activity not only highlighted the importance of environmental protection but also prompted us to reflect on the growth and gains of the children involved. As representatives of the Parent Committee, we stood not only for ourselves but for every child and family who participated in the charity bazaar. Through the bazaar, the children pooled their small acts of love into a greater force, crossing thousands of mountains and rivers to add a touch of green to the distant desert. This activity nurtured their sense of social responsibility and taught them to care for others and the planet.
在活动过程中，我们与当地的环保工作者交流，了解到治沙的艰辛与长期性。每一棵树苗的存活都需要无数人的努力，而孩子们捐赠的树苗，正是这份努力的延续。这让我们更加坚定了将环保教育融入孩子成长的信念。参与公益活动，不仅让孩子们了解到环境保护的紧迫性，也让他们在实践中学会面对困难、坚持不懈的精神。正如沙漠中的小树苗，孩子们在成长的道路上也会遇到各种挑战，但只要心怀希望、脚踏实地，就能像树苗一样，迎风而立，茁壮成长。
During the activity, we exchanged ideas with local environmental workers and learned about the challenges and long-term commitment required for desertification control. The survival of each sapling demands the efforts of countless individuals, and the saplings donated by the children are a continuation of this endeavor. This strengthened our resolve to integrate environmental education into the children’s growth. Participating in charitable activities not only helps children understand the urgency of environmental protection but also fosters their ability to face challenges with perseverance. Like the saplings in the desert, children may encounter various obstacles on their growth journey, but with hope and steadfast effort, they can stand tall and thrive.
未来：让绿色希望延续
The Future:
Sustaining Green Hope
从上海到银川，从繁华都市到荒凉沙漠，这段旅程让我们深刻感受到人与自然的紧密相连。世外小学师生的爱心，化作了一棵棵树苗，扎根在北疆的黄沙中，守护着祖国的绿水青山。这不仅是一次公益活动，更是一次心灵的洗礼和成长的旅程。
From Shanghai to Yinchuan, from bustling cities to desolate deserts, this journey profoundly underscored the deep connection between humans and nature. The love and care of WFLPS’s teachers and students have transformed into saplings rooted in the northern frontier’s yellow sand, safeguarding the green mountains and clear waters of our homeland. This was not just a charitable activity but a journey of spiritual cleansing and growth.
未来，我们无论是通过义卖筹款参与公益活动，还是在日常生活中践行低碳环保，每一个小小的行动，都能汇聚成改变世界的力量。让我们携手并肩，让祖国千山万水的绿色希望紧相连，为孩子们留下一片更美好的天地！
In the future, whether through fundraising at charity bazaars or practicing low-carbon living in daily life, every small action can converge into a force to change the world. Let us join hands to ensure that the green hope spanning thousands of mountains and rivers continues, leaving a better world for our children!
