CHANGHUA, TAIWAN – On a bright and sunny Tuesday, June 10, 2025, Peitou Junior High School celebrated its 55th annual graduation ceremony. The school was filled with joy as teachers, students, distinguished guests, and proud parents gathered to give their blessings to the ninth-grade graduates.

The beautiful weather was a perfect backdrop for a day of happy memories and hopeful futures. The school expressed its gratitude to everyone who attended and made the event special for the students. A big "thank you" was also given to all the teachers for their hard work and guidance over the past three years.

A special moment in the ceremony came from the school's principal, Mr. Hsieh Ching-sen. He is not only the principal but also a graduate of Peitou Junior High School, from the 13th graduating class. He shared a personal story with the students, showing them his own graduation yearbook.

Principal Hsieh shared a quote from his own homeroom teacher, Mr. Hsieh Ming-kun: "天生我材必有用" (Tiān shēng wǒ cái bì yǒu yòng), which means, "Heaven has given me talent, so it must be useful." With these words, he encouraged the graduates to be brave, face challenges, and never be afraid of difficulties in the future.

"Today, you are proud of Peitou Junior High. Tomorrow, we hope Peitou Junior High will be proud of you," said Principal Hsieh. He reminded the students that their school will always be a safe harbor for them. He wished them all the best as they fly towards their dreams.

June 6, 2025 - Students at Pitou Junior High School had a great time today playing basketball! They took part in a fun "3-on-3" event, where three players from each team played against another three. This was part of the school's "Health Promotion SH150" program, which helps students stay active and healthy.

Before the games started, the principal talked to the 9th-grade students. These students were in their last few days at Pitou Junior High. The principal reminded them to warm up well before playing. He also told them to have good sportsmanship, meaning they should be humble when they win and not get discouraged when they lose. The principal hoped the 9th graders would continue to be good role models for the younger students in their final days at school.

The basketball courts were busy and full of excitement. Teams played hard, and students cheered loudly for their friends. It was a wonderful day of games and a great way for everyone to enjoy playing outside!

June 5, 2025 - Students at Pitou Junior High School learned important safety lessons today! These lessons were about staying safe around water, what to do during an earthquake, and how to help someone who needs CPR.

Staying Safe Near Water The school's student affairs director talked to the 9th graders about water safety. He reminded them about recent news of a student drowning while playing in water. With the weather getting warmer and summer vacation coming soon, he told students to always choose safe places for water activities. He warned them not to go near dangerous water areas and to understand the risks of open waters. He also said that students should always be with a parent and never go out alone to prevent drowning accidents.

The school was very thankful to Mr. Hsu, a speaker from the Changhua County Pitou Fire Brigade, who is also an alumnus (a graduate from 1991) of Pitou Junior High. Mr. Hsu taught the students "Five Steps to Rescue" (叫、叫、伸、拋、划 – Call, Call, Reach, Throw, Row). He hoped that by learning these steps and understanding water safety, students could help themselves and others.

Earthquake Preparedness Mr. Hsu also gave a lesson on earthquake safety. He taught students the "Three Steps to Stay Safe" during an earthquake: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. He shared common knowledge about earthquake prevention and disaster relief, helping students be more alert and ready for earthquakes. This helped the students at Pitou Junior High better understand how to react to an earthquake.

Learning CPR Finally, Mr. Hsu taught everyone about CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), which is a way to help someone whose heart has stopped. He explained the steps: "Call, Call, Press, Electric" (also called "Call, Call, C, D").

• Call: Check if the person is awake.

• Call: Call 119 for help and tell them what happened (you can ask someone nearby to help with this).

• C (Chest compressions): Press firmly in the middle of the person's chest with both hands. Press down about 5-6 centimeters, 100-120 times per minute (this is for people 8 years old and older).

• D (AED): If there is an AED (a machine that can help the heart), use it following its instructions.

The school hoped that all students at Pitou Junior High would learn these important first aid skills. At the end, there was a quiz with prizes to see how much the students learned!

June 3, 2025 - Students at Pitou Junior High School took part in an important series of lessons this week, focusing on "Gender Equality, Starting with Understanding 'Digital Gender-Based Violence'."

During guidance and social studies classes, the school used worksheets and video resources to help students gradually learn about this critical issue. The lessons covered various forms of digital and online gender-based violence, including:

• Online stalking

• Malicious or non-consensual sharing of private sexual or gender-related information

• Online sexual harassment

• Speech or behavior that demeans or shows hatred based on gender

• Sexual extortion

• Doxing (finding and publishing private information about someone online)

• Threats of sexual violence and death based on gender bias

• Recruitment or enticement

• Illegal intrusion or theft of personal data

• Falsifying or impersonating identities

Through these discussions, students learned to understand the harm these actions can cause to a person's rights and mental well-being.

After thoughtful discussions and reflections, students not only learned to identify and prevent digital gender-based violence but also created their own unique reflective posters. These posters clearly showed their understanding of the issue and their stand against it.

The school believes that gender equality is not a single event, but an ongoing conversation and practice. By focusing on education, Pitou Junior High hopes to raise digital citizens who are more empathetic and responsible, working together to build a safer and more respectful online environment.

We invite you to see some of the excellent work created by our students!