Palmer Trinity School

the chance to make connections with other chaperones from around the globe, participating in the conference in other ways. Mr. Chapman had never traveled around London and gained a lot from this experience as a chaperone. For me, being in contact with other people my age from so many different cultures excited me. I would enthusiastically introduce myself to all kinds of people, asking them about their daily lives, what their school life was like, and how they felt about the United Kingdom. It thrilled me to be near all these students with vastly different cultures and ways of living. It only heightened my respect for the impact that culture has on the globe. "The conferences and postcards give you an opportunity to talk with new people, and hopefully to learn more about the world around you," said senior Henry Kuemmel, co-chair of the Round Square club at the school. Kuemmel, who participated and led postcards (hour-long Zoom discussions about current global issues), bonded over similar qualities or interests with students from all around the world. Students would play soccer together, participate in virtual games, and even enjoy some simple games like tag. These connections, no matter how trivial, exemplify how, although cultural differences are present, everyone shares certain similarities as human beings. Conferences urge students to come to this realization prior to their journey into adulthood so they may enter society with an open- minded perspective on the world, ready to behave like the global citizens they were trained to be. Students are also able to share ideas about tackling worldwide issues to help make a change in their generation. During Sarah Bayas' discussions with kids from other Round Square schools, she encountered a student whose school had implemented several policies to reduce climate change, which made her reflect on the significance of the conversations held at the conferences. "I would definitely recommend people to join Round Square, or at least participate in postcards because you can learn so many things, and get so many ideas to bring to your own community," she said. Round Square students are seen observing the mourners at Buckingham Palace on September 15, 2022. The queen's funeral was coming up in the next few days, meaning students had traveled here at a culturally significant time. Junior Sarah Bayas (bottom left) expressed that, "You could really see the love everyone had for her and how close of a connection [UK residents] felt with the Queen." Amelia from Japan (left) and Emma from Denmark (right) are strolling the colleges of Oxford during the 2022 International conference. Round Square students were exploring city sites, learning about Oxford's history while bonding with one another. Amelia states that "the streets of Oxford were amazing and what was even more memorable were the small chats we had as we walked down together, where we got the chance to get to know more about one another." 27

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