On Monday, September 15, seven students and two faculty departed for the annual Round Square Conference in the United Arab Emirates. Round Square is an international community of schools that focuses on six themes: internationalism, democracy, environmentalism, adventure, leadership, and service. The network seeks to build community and encourage diversity by connecting students with cultures from around the world. This year, the annual conference took place in Dubai.

This year’s delegation consisted of Caleigh Lane ’27, Justin Kearse ’27, Shaan Patel ’27, Sofia Clark ’27, Margaret Marcum ’28, Ryan Lee ’28, Wally Rollins ’28, Instructor in Latin Ms. Kelsey Fralick ’11, and Director of Student Activities Ms. Marcie Wistar. On their first day abroad, the delegation traveled to Aquaventure Dubai, the world’s largest water park, located in the Atlantis, The Palm resort. To combat the intense 102°F weather, students swam in the Persian Gulf and rode water slides of record-breaking height and length. They then visited Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island. Clark said, “We saw buildings such as the Burj Khalifa, the tallest in the world, and the Dubai Mall, the biggest mall in the world. For comparison, Danbury Mall is 113,900 square meters large while the Dubai Mall is 1,124,000 square meters!”

On their second day in Dubai, the delegation drove to Abu Dhabi, where they were immersed in the history and culture by their tour guide. They visited the royal palace, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

The delegation went to the desert the next day, where they rode camels and surfed down sand dunes. Patel said, “Imagine surfing or snowboarding but on the waves of sand. Just getting to the dunes was an adventure in itself, as our driver took us up and down the dunes like we were on a roller coaster.” Later that night, they enjoyed dinner with other conference attendees, watched performances, and met people from all over the world.

The fourth day marked the first day of the formal Round Square conference. The delegation began the day at Indian High School, enjoying traditional dancing, singing, drum playing, and robot shows. They heard from keynote speaker Mr. Satish Jumar Sivan, consul general of India and Dubai. They also formed small groups called barazzas, a key part of the Round Square experience, to play icebreaker games and discuss the speaker. Delegates spent the majority of their time during the conference with their barazza groups. That night, delegates ate dinner at the Dubai Marina aboard a traditional boat called a dhow. Lane said, “I was able to make friends with people from all around the world, including Australia, South Africa, the UK, Denmark, Bermuda, India, and many other places. It has been cool exchanging school pins with them and learning about everyone’s unique cultures and school experiences.”

The fifth day was environmentalism day at Round Square, so the delegation rode to the Millennium School and listened to a speaker on climate change. They participated in an activity called Climate Fresk, a card game that explores the causes and effects of climate change. They then went to Aventura Park for more sustainability activities, including creating natural pesticides, planting trees, extracting seeds, and making artwork with natural materials. They ended the day with a cultural evening, during which delegates performed for one another. Lee said, “Some of our favorites were the many cultural dances performed that night. The energy was high.”

Day six was adventure day at the conference. Delegates returned to Indian High School, where they heard from a speaker about the importance of spiritual sustenance and mindfulness in a leader. Afterwards, they went to the Wadi Shees Park to learn about water management systems, water collection, and water distribution.

On the final day, service day, delegates traveled to a Sikh temple, where they spent time sorting food for free distribution. Afterwards, the delegates participated in workshops to demonstrate the struggles of people with disabilities. Lane says, “The workshops showed us how seemingly easy tasks can be almost impossible for some. I really enjoyed them, as they gave me a perspective of the world that I had not previously understood.”

Students interested in applying to be part of next year’s delegation should look for announcements in the Spring.