BIS Hanoi hosts primary student leadership conference

The event offered Year 5 and Year 6 students a unique opportunity to engage in an immersive leadership development experience and collaborate to develop community-centered projects to make a real impact.

Throughout the two full days, the conference offered a range of interactive workshops and sessions focused on developing essential leadership skills, promoting personal growth and self-reflection through reflective activities and goal-setting exercises, and encouraging collaboration through idea-sharing and team-building activities.

This approach is designed to help students recognize their strengths and areas for improvement, learn from each other, and discover new strategies for effective leadership.

The Nord Anglia Education Primary Student Leadership Conference brought together 42 young leaders from four Nord Anglia schools in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of BIS Hanoi

On the first day, BIS Hanoi began with a keynote address from one of the school's community partners, Keep Vietnam Clean.

Director Diep Bui gave a talk about the crucial role students can play in protecting the environment, setting the tone for the eco-conscious discussions and projects that followed on day two.

The students then engaged in hands-on workshops and interactive sessions on core leadership values, problem-solving, and teamwork.

A special highlight was listening to BIS Hanoi Principal Vaughan share his leadership story, which inspired the young leaders about the true meaning of leadership.

BIS Hanoi Principal Vaughan shares his leadership story with the young leaders. Photo courtesy of BIS Hanoi

"My favorite part of the conference was getting to know other House Captains and Student Councils from other Nord Anglia schools, BIS HCMC, BVIS HCMC, and BVIS Hanoi. After the session, I've learned that to become a great leader, we need to be great communicators," said Leah, a Year 6 student at BIS Hanoi.

On the second day, the focus was on collaboration, brainstorming, and developing action plans. In the morning, student participants had the opportunity to learn from BIS Hanoi Secondary student leaders about effective communication and presentation skills.

Afterwards, the students worked in groups to generate ideas for their eco-friendly projects, which they plan to implement at their respective schools. This demonstrated that leadership involves taking action, not just talking.

Throughout the event, all the students engaged in hands-on workshops and interactive sessions. Photo courtesy of BIS Hanoi

"Seeing these students grow, collaborate, and learn more about themselves and how to lead has been incredible," said Rebecca Carroll, Head of Primary at BIS Hanoi. "They pushed themselves out of their comfort zones, made new connections, and learned a lot."

Apart from this conference, students at BIS Hanoi are encouraged to take the initiative and develop leadership skills from a young age. Each year, the primary school selects eight house captains to represent their Houses, along with a student council of representatives from each class. These student leaders collaborate with teachers and senior students to suggest new ideas, plan events, and create initiatives that improve student well-being and school spirit.

By integrating leadership opportunities into school life, BIS Hanoi is helping students cultivate critical life skills such as communication, teamwork, and decision-making. These experiences build resilience, foster personal growth, and prepare them for future leadership roles within and beyond the school.

"We hope these Year 5 and Year 6 students have been truly inspired by this experience and will continue to seek out opportunities to get involved and lead," added Carroll. "Our goal is for this Student Leadership Conference to become a lasting tradition across all four of our schools in Vietnam, fostering a new generation of young leaders."

Learn more about the primary curriculum at BIS Hanoi, visit the school's website here, or contact them at Hoa Lan Road, Vinhomes Riverside Long Bien, hotline 02439460435 (Ext: 888) or 0888602022 (Whatsapp), or email bishanoi@bishanoi.com.