19 Feb 2019

Shark Week at WIS

West Island School hosted its first ever Shark Week in the build up to Chinese New Year, the week beginning Monday 28 January 2019.

This was a student led initiative in collaboration with the Hong Kong Shark Foundation and our student Shark Ambassador programme here at West Island School. The Shark Week aimed to bring our community together to raise awareness about shark fin consumption, and work within the UNDP’s 14th Sustainable Development Goal, “Life Under Water”.

There were a number of educational opportunities for students during tutor time all through the week. Shark Week culminated with fundraising activities, including a bake sale, dunk tank, a protest, Kahoot games and a non-school uniform day.

In total, 11,434.20 HKD was raised during the week. All funds raised will go towards the Hong Kong Shark Foundation. The nature, extent and success of their efforts are highly dependent on the commitment and support of our community and volunteers.

As apex predators, sharks are a crucial part of the marine food chain. The demand for shark products has contributed to the rapid decline of many species, with several already nearing extinction. Removing sharks from our oceans will threaten the delicate balance of ecosystems that are valuable sources of food and key elements in regulating our climate.

Thank you to our student leaders – Anthea Sun, Ilana Golin, Eunice Wan, Nitish Aswani, Jade Bruins and Lachlan Soughan and their Shark Ambassadors, for putting together such an interactive week and making Shark Week successful.

Photos from Shark Week can be viewed here.