Resilience for 1000Left-behind kids in Rural China

To steadily advance the implementation of our Growth program and provide meaningful support for rural children, our team traveled to Liangle Township, Huaiji County, and carried out a series of preparatory activities at two rural schools—Mintian Primary School and Lanma Primary School. These efforts included project branding ceremonies, in-depth coordination with school staff, and a professional baseline assessment.

All of these steps lay a solid foundation for our upcoming "Resilience Summer Camp" in July.During our visit, we held detailed discussions with the principals and core teachers of both schools. Together, we fine-tuned the implementation plan for the summer camp, covering service content, daily activity schedules, team coordination, and operational guidelines. The schools expressed strong support and high recognition for the camp, emphasizing their hope that this professional and enriching program would broaden children's horizons, enrich their summer experiences, and help them achieve personal growth and self-confidence.

To ensure the success of the camp, the schools made comprehensive logistical preparations in advance. They arranged suitable activity spaces, meals, and accommodation for our volunteer team, and also put in place careful plans for campus safety and student management. Their thoughtful support has been invaluable in creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone involved.

To better understand the developmental needs of the students, we conducted a professional pre-camp assessment using standardized evaluation tools. Our team members guided the children through the process with patience and care—explaining each question, clarifying the response format, and encouraging students to answer honestly based on their own experiences. This approach helped us collect accurate and meaningful baseline data, which will inform how we tailor our activities to best support each child.

At this point, all preparatory work for the summer camp at both schools is progressing steadily. We will continue to refine every detail in the coming weeks, ensuring a smooth and impactful launch. We are truly looking forward to this summer, when we can accompany these children with professional care and warmth, and let kindness and dedication blossom across every corner of their rural campuses.

Dear Little Stars,

The wind of March is filled with spring, and warmth and love have accompanied the formation of the Resilience Seeding Teams.

This July, we will lead six teams to MeiZhou, ZhaoQing, and other locations in Guangdong to carry out the Growth Summer Camp. Among them, four teams are university teams, and two are internal volunteer teams from Shining Star. Each team is equipped with a resilience teacher, a basketball/dance teacher, and a project journalist.

For the recruitment of university teams, five seeding teams advanced to the second round of assessment—situational simulations—and proceeded to the third round—activity planning—on March 14, March 21, March 22, and March 28 respectively. The second round focused on evaluating the team leaders' role competencies, while the third round placed greater emphasis on activity planning and teamwork abilities.

For the recruitment of internal Shining Star teams, the two teams will recruit 30 volunteers for various positions. A total of 55 volunteer resumes were received, out of which 39 candidates advanced to the first and second rounds of interviews. Through trial lessons and situational simulations, the candidates' overall capabilities were assessed.

To better enhance the service skills of the seeding teams and ensure the effectiveness of their work, we have established the special role of Starlight Mentors. These mentors possess rich experience in psychology, positive discipline, and teacher education, enabling them to empower the volunteer teams throughout the camp.

In November 2025, we recruited nine interested mentors. Each mentor was then invited to facilitate a workshop to determine whether their leadership style and content would be helpful to the volunteers. Seven of these mentors each completed a Starlight Mentor workshop, covering topics such as: how to build connections with rural children, exploring life resilience, communication skills, and more.

The volunteers greatly benefited from these sessions. Once the teams are fully formed, we will continue with three months of training, lesson polishing, and material preparation, striving to bring richer experiences and greater growth to rural children in July.

Next month, we will also begin site visits, going deep into rural schools to find suitable soil for the Growth Camp. Which rural elementary schools will host this year's program? Let's see together!