Round Square
BHS is the only school in Bermuda to offer its students access to this internationally acclaimed programme. Since 2005, BHS students have been able to participate in exchanges, conferences and service projects abroad, and the tenets of the six IDEALS root their education in an international context; shaping them into global citizens well before they further their education abroad.
Round Square IDEALS
Round Square is an international community of 260+ schools in 50 countries that collaborate on character education around six themes (the Round Square IDEALS) – International Understanding, Democracy, Environmental Stewardship, Adventure, Leadership and Service.
BHS became a Global member of the Round Square organisation in 2005, following an extensive external assessment, and is the only school in Bermuda to offer its students access to this internationally acclaimed programme.
Over the past 20 years, students have travelled to Thailand, India, Cambodia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Australia, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, England, Scotland, New Zealand, Japan, France and Columbia on conferences, student exchanges, and service projects. Over 300 students have benefitted from a RS trip or exchange since 2005.
An Introduction to Round Square
Round Square at BHS
Even before students have the opportunity to travel and take part in international opportunities, they are living the Round Square IDEALS daily. An inquiry-based approach to learning is adopted throughout the School and by actively investigating the six IDEALS, students acquire vital skills for their future through practical and experiential learning. Diversity is celebrated at BHS and teachers actively seek to integrate a multi-cultural perspective into the classrooms across the School.
A Round Square education begins in the Primary department with the introduction of the Round Square Discovery Heroes. These characters represent 12 key discoveries of the Round Square spirit: inquisitiveness, tenacity, courage, compassion, inventiveness, problem-solving, self-awareness, responsibility, diversity appreciation, sustainability commitment, communication, and teamwork skills.
New Zealand 2023 - London W '27
I was chosen as one of the lucky students to have the opportunity to travel to New Zealand in November 2023, for a Round Square Leadership Conference. This was my first time travelling ot New Zealand, and it was extremely exciting.
The conference was held at Wanganui Collegiate School. My favourite aspect of the conference was learning new words in Māori, such as Kia Ora, which means hello, goodbye and good health. Another stimulating part of the conference was making new friends; I formed a particularly close bond with two girls from Florida. The conference included life-changing speeches made by members of the New Zealand community, including the mayor of Wanganui.
I learned a lot about leadership from this conference, and if I had to take one thing away, it would be that one defeat does not stop a leader.
The theme of the conference was 'If you are called to lead - you are called to serve", and we showed this in a variety of ways.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the 2023 New Zealand Leadership Conference, and I would happily recommend Round Square Trips to anyone!
Namibia & Kenya 2023 - Sophie K '26
This Round Square Conference was my first time travelling to the African continent, and I could not have enjoyed it more. Our delegation of five students and two teachers started with a pre-conference in Windhoek, Namibia and Nairobi, Kenya. Namibia and Kenya were so different from each other, and with my daily experience in Bermuda, especially in terms of culture, cuisine, and landscape.
In Namibia, we had the opportunity to drive to multiple lodges for overnight stays, hikes and safaris, all of which are a big part of the culture there, especially in schools. With the students of Saint George's Diocesan School, we participated in Round Square Day activities, such as removing invasive cacti from the school grounds.
After Namibia, we made our way to Nairobi, Kenya. Almost immediately, we were met with a whirlwind of activity. Our first day at the conference was filled with beautiful performances by students from Brookhouse International School, which hosted the conference. We also enjoyed delicious food and, of course, meeting hundreds of new people. I can recall being so shocked at seeing almost 2K people my age from every corner of the world, all in one place. The conference was divided into three days, each symbolising a Round Square ideal: Democracy, Service and Adventure.
The aspect of the trip that affected me most was the people. Our goodbyes to old friends and new ones were tearful, but as one of our teachers said, "With every one of these trips, the world only gets a lot smaller."