Early in the morning of January 1, my family and I were in a taxi on the way to the airport to catch a flight to Bali. We were already running late and I was becoming increasingly frustrated with the driver, who was driving at a speed I would describe as somewhere between snail and turtle. It was not until we started driving through puddles spanning all three lanes of the toll road that my frustration waned and I began to appreciate just how hard it was really raining outside. Through the entire ride, however, my only concern was making it to the airport in time to make our flight. At one point, I actually wondered if I should hope for heavier rain so that our flight would be delayed, giving us plenty of time to check in and get to the gate. Little did I know that while I was worrying about my flight, homes were flooding, lands were sliding, and people were dying due to the same rain that was a minor inconvenience to me.

The IB identifies caring as one of the Learner Profile attributes, with the following description: “We show empathy, compassion, and respect. We have a commitment to service and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.” When I saw pictures of the flooding in Jakarta, I felt petty for my concern about missing a flight and felt horrible that hoping for worse weather actually crossed my mind. Now, in that moment I couldn’t have known the extent of the damage, but I didn’t feel like a very caring person.

It is very easy to get caught up in our own worlds and think only of ourselves. We are all guilty of it, but it seems like children, especially teenagers, are most often accused of selfishness and lack of empathy. I think that is unfair. Within two days of our return to school, I had students in my office asking how they could organize donations for flood victims. They had already identified and contacted partner charities and inquired about the types of donations needed. They already had a plan for donation locations, ideas to partner with the Primary student council, and methods for cash donations. Through the combined efforts of our Primary and Secondary school students, parents, teachers, staff, and leadership, we raised over 17 million Rupiah and donated multiple carloads of food, water, clothing and supplies to those in need.

One of the many benefits of being part of a community is the ability to rely on others to be at their best when we are not. The caring demonstrated by our community and especially our students continues to amaze and inspire me. You consistently turn your feelings of empathy, compassion, and respect into acts of service to improve the lives of others and, as a result, Global Jaya is a better place as well.

Steven Spannring

Secondary School Principal