Iris Cheung

TEACHERS, students, alumni and friends gathered Friday afternoon in Dapeng, Shenzhen for a warm, heartfelt celebration of RDF International School’s 10th birthday.

The ceremony buzzed with laughter and a few happy tears as staff delivered moving speeches, devoted teachers were honored, and students poured their energy into live performances. The celebration also marked the start of the 2025–2026 school year — a fresh chapter, full of promise.

“I’ve been here for five years, so it’s amazing to me really that I’ve been here for half of RDFIS’ existence,” said Robert House, who picked up both the Stellar Educator Award and the Five‑Year Dedication Award. His love for the school was plain to see. Teaching global studies, AP world history, philosophy and storytelling, House talked about how RDFIS’ supportive atmosphere brings out the best in everyone. “The teaching experience here for me has been excellent. I’ve really appreciated the amount of flexibility that I’ve had in the classroom to implement new, innovative ideas.”

Principal Stephen Pellerine looked back with pride and looked forward with excitement, especially as technology reshapes education. “We just finished a two‑week training block with teachers and everybody’s just really, really fired up,” he said. “We’re looking at how to embed the new technology. We’re looking at trends of employment because it’s changing dramatically.”

Still, he was clear about what matters most: the human connection. “We will never lose sight of the human contact. Students come to the building to be mentored and guided from professional educators.”

Alumni Angel Li, who graduated in 2022 and now studies advertising at Boston University, shared a personal thank‑you to the school. “I really value the diversity of the school because we got to choose a lot of different courses and meet so many different people,” she said. “I learned classes that helped me find my passion at university, and I made lifelong friends.”

Pellerine wrapped things up with a forward‑looking note about preparing students for a rapidly changing world.

“We need our students to be the best possible candidates for the world in 10 years,” he said. “Get a head start, and be ready to walk into a world that’s always shifting.”