With full diploma and dual diploma programs running in South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and especially in Mainland China, Griggs is proud of its diversity of students and faculty. Although all students are working towards the same goal of gaining an American High School diploma, all their experiences are different, inside and outside of school. To understand more about cultural experiences within the Griggs family, but in different countries, a cultural exchange program has been established between ZWIS in Guangzhou, China and Campus Adventista de Sagunto in Valencia, Spain. Please read on to explore more.

Students from both schools began sharing stories of how they celebrate traditional festivals in their respective cultures. As part of this exchange, ZWIS students showcased their experience of celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival, one of China's most cherished traditional holidays.

In the Grade 11 Intercultural Competency class at ZWIS, Teacher Lyn recently launched a reflective project titled: 

"Mastering the Future: Gaining Inner Peace Amid Uncertainty."

This initiative asks students to explore how we can face life’s unpredictability with calmness and confidence. Through presentations and a specially designed TOE (Through Other’s Eyes) Intercultural Inquiry Sheet, students examined this theme through both personal and societal lenses.

A key part of reflections drew from the classic Chinese text "Liao-Fan’s Four Lessons," which offers timeless insights into personal growth, self-discipline, and shaping one’s destiny. ZWIS believes that students in Spain may find these ideas just as thought-provoking and inspiring as they did.

Note: Liao Fan's Four Lessons is a philosophical work on life wisdom written by Yuan Huang (courtesy name Liaofan), a Ming Dynasty scholar. Divided into four sections, this classic expounds methods of reshaping one's destiny through the author's personal experiences, synthesizing Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist wisdom. Revered as the "Transformative Classic of Destiny" in traditional Chinese culture.

Although students are currently in their exam periods, this incredible start to the project will no doubt grow into something even more special and will hopefully give students an opportunity to exchange ideas in real time and broaden their global perspectives.