This fall, seven students traveled to Bogotá, Colombia to attend the 56th Round Square International Conference: “Blooming from the Past.” From September 19 to 28, Arielle Sibley-Grice ’26, Chrys Yue ’26, Steven Hicks ’26, Thea Dunckel ’26, Chiwo Mupita ’27, Deven Patel ’27, and Warren Edwards ’27, along with Mr. Dave Thompson, director of international programs, and Ms. Michelle Repass, instructor in English, formed the school’s 21st delegation.
Round Square, a network of international schools founded on the educational theories of German educator Kurt Hahn, has built a network of over 250 schools over the past 60 years. Each school is committed to the organization’s IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, and Service. Hotchkiss became a Round Square member in 2004.
During the conference, students explored Colombian history and participated in community service projects.
The delegation spent their first three days away on a pre-conference trip to Cartagena, a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Students participated in a drumming class, spent time on the beach, attended squash classes at Squash Urbano, and visited the Historical Museum of Cartagena.
In Bogotá, Colombia’s capital, the delegation met with over 900 students from across the world. They also reunited with Alexandra Espinoza ’26, who came to Hotchkiss on exchange last year. Sibley-Grice said, “My roommates were from the U.K. and India. I really enjoyed learning about their culture, daily lives, school experiences, and how they discovered Round Square.”
Throughout the conference, participants took part in leadership activities, educational classes about Colombia, and community service projects, from building chicken coops and planting trees to cleaning out goat sheds. Other activities included a ropes course, scavenger hunt, culinary workshop, and mural painting.
The group heard from multiple speakers during the conference. Sibley-Grice said, “One of the speakers, inspired by her passion for cycling, raised money to purchase bikes for students who faced difficulty walking to school. Her message taught me that I can use my passions to make a difference. As young people, it can feel like it is hard to help in a meaningful way. This reminded me that no effort is too small.”
Hicks said, “Each of the activities we took part in coincided with the IDEALS in one way or another. Though cleaning out goat sheds might not seem too fun, it felt great giving back to the local community.”
Next year, students from the classes of 2028 and 2027 will travel to the 2025 Round Square Conference in Dubai from September 19 to September 25.
