Celebrating Skills, Confidence and Teamwork at Little Hearts

Last week was an exhilarating time at Little Hearts as we honed our students’ incredible talents and created growth opportunities for them to develop into thoughtful, perceptive, caring adults. The kids participated in three exciting events that were meant to inspire and empower our young learners:

✍️ Handwriting competition (16 January 2025): Our students got to express their creativity in a handwriting contest organized by Teacher Zal. This event was about more than just pretty handwriting; it gave both primary and secondary students the chance to enhance their fine motor skills, refine their penmanship, and most importantly, build their confidence. In a digital age, we are helping our young minds rediscover the art of handwriting, turning their “chicken scratch” into elegant and unique expressions of who they are. The winners of the English handwriting contest were Naomi (primary school group) and Micky (secondary school), while the winners of the Khmer contest were Naomi (again!) and Ben.

⚽️ AIA-ISF Youth League match (19 January 2025): As we mentioned in our last post, our enthusiastic footballers spent the week preparing for their first soccer match in the AIA-ISF Youth League on Sunday. Like all team events, the football match was vital for promoting teamwork, sportsmanship and healthy competition. We couldn’t wait to see our students shine on the field and proudly represent Little Hearts. As it turned out however, the match was a humbling experience – it ended in a heavy loss to Team Chibodia, a tough team from the province who have more experience in competitive football. So, it’s back to the drawing board for our eager young players, who now know exactly what they’re up against. They must shake off the disappointment and train even harder than before, and work especially on playing as a team. With more match experience, they are sure to improve and provide a sterner test for their opponents.

🚴 Bicycle picnic to Silk Island (19 January 2025): On the same day, those who were not playing football or supporting the team in person embarked on a day-long bicycle trip to Silk Island with Teacher Zal. This trip was designed to foster exploration, relaxation and friendship while basking in the charm of rural Cambodia. As they pedalled along picturesque riparian landscapes, the kids created memories that will last a lifetime. They stopped along the way to search for clams along the riverbed and feed some cows, and eventually they settled on a sandy spot to play some badminton, grill corn and sweet potatoes for their picnic, and relax in the waterfront hammocks.

Silk Island (actually two islands, Koh Dach and the smaller Koh Oknha Tei, joined by a small bridge) is a large island in the Mekong River, just a few kilometres north of Phnom Penh. It has long been a centre of silk weaving, and even today you can watch the weavers working at their wooden looms outside their stilt homes as they create colourful stoles and shawls. The island offers a quaint snapshot of rural life just a stone’s throw from the big city, and its virtually traffic-free perimeter road is the perfect place for a safe and scenic bike ride.

We are grateful to all our sponsors for the generous support that makes these enriching experiences possible, and for believing in the personal growth of our students. Let’s keep encouraging our youngsters to embrace creativity, confidence and teamwork. Together, we are nurturing the next generation, empowering them to develop their unique voices and extraordinary talents!

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