Chapter I - Where It All Began: WFLA BonVista Accessibility Club Chronicle
Everything has its beginning, where thought stirs and action draws its first breath. As Sir Francis Drake once said, “Greatness from small beginnings” (Latin: Sic parvis magna). It is here that the seed of mind was planted. Though it may seem delicate, it carries the quiet strength to grow beyond all limits. In that humble beginning lies the promise of flourishing and the courage to take the first step into the unknown.
Time Lost to Memory...
Pan, Siqi
Siqi Pan began contemplating the idea of founding an accessibility-focused club...
April 23, 2024, Tuesday
Pan, Siqi; Zhao, Kunyou
Siqi Pan reached out to Kunyou Zhao and shared with him his thoughts and understanding regarding accessibility and his desire to start a new student club. Kunyou strongly supported the idea and promised to find other like-minded students. Before long, he invited Wenxing Yu and Yichen Lu to join. The four of them gathered together and gave the upcoming club a meaningful name: BonVista Accessibility Club .
"Bon" means kind, goodness and beautiful, and "Vista" suggests vision, future, and hope. Together, BonVista reflects both a beautiful outlook and a focus on visual accessibility. The club’s mission would begin with supporting people with visual impairments, and later expand to include individuals with hearing, mobility, and intellectual disabilities. BonVista stands for helping others improve their lives and discover their self-worth. It is, in essence, a vision for a beautiful future.
Later on, Yichen Lu designed emblem, uniforms, and mascot for the club.
April 24, 2024, Wednesday
Pan, Siqi; Zhao, Kunyou; Teacher Wu, Xinxian
Siqi Pan and Kunyou Zhao met with Ms. Xinxian Wu to share their intention of establishing a new student club and to present some initial ideas for future activities. Ms. Wu expressed strong support, saying that the concept was meaningful and it was worth pursuing for caring for people with visual impairments. She emphasized the importance of taking concrete, grounded action rather than remaining at the level of abstract ideals. She also suggested that establishing contact with similar clubs at international schools or with related organizations abroad could be valuable for raising awareness and learning new approaches.
April 30, 2024, Tuesday
Pan, Siqi
Siqi Pan wrote a letter to the Shanghai Blind Child School, proposing several ideas for potential collaboration. The main points are listed as below.
Siqi Pan shared his intentions to support students in Shanghai Blind Child School in meaningful and practical ways. After following the school’s official account and engaging with visually impaired individuals, he proposed several potential areas of cooperation.
He offered academic support, noting that many students at their school excel in various subjects. He suggested organizing interest-based classes to strengthen learning and boost enthusiasm, and also proposed setting up individualized tutoring channels for students with more specific academic needs.
In addition, He expressed interest in offering extracurricular activities such as coding, drama, and debate clubs, aiming to broaden students’ experiences and future career options.
He also noted the difficulty of automatically reading certain textbooks, especially those with diagrams or formulas, and proposed recording high-quality, clearly spoken audio versions, particularly for English and science subjects.
The letter mentioned the founding of an accessibility club at their school, which focuses on supporting individuals with visual impairments and promoting inclusion and equality. He expressed hope that their collaboration with the Shanghai Blind Child School could be long-term and responsive to students’ evolving needs. He also requested the opportunity to visit the school to better understand its environment and provide more refined support.
May 10, 2024, Friday
Pan, Siqi; Zhao, Kunyou; Yu, Wenxing ; Lu, Yichen
The founding member of BonVista Accessibility Club held its inaugural meeting in a school classroom. The discussion centered on understanding the real-life needs of individuals with visual impairments and setting a clear direction for the club’s future initiatives. The team agreed on a mission rooted in empathy and community engagement, aiming to connect with the local Disabled Persons' Federation and establish contact with visually impaired individuals within the community. This would involve identifying personalized needs, learning how current support systems operate, and exploring what forms of assistance are most meaningful and effective.
The club also planned to document and evaluate local accessible facilities, reporting findings to relevant government platforms such as platform 12345. Members would photograph accessibility features in their own neighborhoods as well as in other cities during travel. There were also discussions about potential collaborations with schools for the blind, especially in producing accessible resources like audio textbooks and Braille materials in subjects such as mathematics and English.
In parallel, the club aimed to conduct interviews with visually impaired individuals, both through established events and community outreach, to gain first-hand insight into their experiences. Additionally, the team expressed interest in reaching out to international organizations and disability advocacy groups, with the goal of learning about global practices and building communication channels through online meetings. This would help them understand the daily lives and challenges faced by blind individuals in other countries and explore how school clubs abroad engage with accessibility work.
Underlying all these plans was a shared desire to explore deeper questions about true equality and what it takes to create a better life for the visually impaired. Through community engagement, research, and international dialogue, the BonVista Accessibility Club set out to build an informed, compassionate, and action-oriented foundation.
May 11, 2024, Saturday
Pan, Siqi; Yin, Hua, Teacher from Shanghai Blind Child School
BonVista Accessibility Club initiated its first outreach with Shanghai Blind Child School. The contact was established by Siqi Pan and teacher Yin Hua. During the exchange, Siqi Pan learned about the school's general structure and daily schedule. It became clear that while subject-based tutoring was not feasible at the moment due to scheduling conflicts with regular classes, there was potential to organize interest-based activities if time allowed.
The meeting also opened the door for more practical and sustainable forms of collaboration. Two areas were identified for immediate progress: the recording of audio books and assistance with Braille transcription. These initiatives were seen as concrete ways the club could contribute meaningfully, helping to provide accessible learning materials and enhance educational experiences for visually impaired students.
May 18, 2024, Saturday
Pan, Siqi; Ji from Hongmei Community
Siqi Pan conducted an initial meeting with Ms. Ji from the Hongmei Community to discuss potential collaborations focused on supporting visually impaired residents. During the meeting, Ms. Ji provided an overview of the local population of persons with disabilities, noting that the community includes around 600 individuals with various disabilities, among whom 128 are visually impaired. Of those, only 7 are under the age of 55, with the majority being elderly.
The discussion also covered possible areas for collaboration. Regarding accessibility, it was mentioned that the community could submit reports to the district about issues related to accessible infrastructure. However, the approval process is complex, which may not lead to immediate action.
In terms of activities for visually impaired residents, the community currently holds monthly handicraft sessions for persons with disabilities. These sessions are typically conducted near the end of each month, with four sessions in total, two per day, across two days, held in different parts of the community. BonVista Accessibility Club may observe, assist, and eventually initiate similar activities. Additionally, there are occasional movie screenings and a “Starlight” book club, which may operate independently from the monthly handicraft events. The community also organizes annual spring and autumn outings, including visits to rural areas and historical sites.
Further suggestions included organizing two large-scale accessibility awareness events per year, featuring activities such as performances, games with prizes, experiential simulations, and educational talks on accessibility concepts.
To directly support visually impaired residents, the club could offer sessions on using electronic devices and develop personal connections with individuals in the community. The community is willing to provide basic information, including names, household situations, and vision conditions, which would allow volunteers to make home visits. Many elderly residents enjoy having company at home.
Finally, the discussion touched on employment. Some companies have shown interest in hiring visually impaired employees, and the district organizes annual recruitment events. There may be future opportunities to contact these companies, learn about available positions, and assist in connecting visually impaired residents with suitable job opportunities.
May 18, 2024, Saturday
Pan, Siqi
Siqi Pan wrote a letter to Kangjian Community. The main content of the letter is summarized as below.
Siqi Pan outlines a proposal to establish a student-run accessibility club dedicated to supporting the visually impaired in the Kangjian community. Inspired by personal experience caring for a visually impaired family member and regular participation in related volunteer work, Siqi expresses a strong desire to address the needs of this population while promoting broader accessibility awareness among peers and within the community.
The proposed club would operate as a long-term organization with over 20 student members and would focus on three main areas. The first involves identifying and reporting problems in the community's accessibility infrastructure, such as uneven tactile paving or damaged facilities, and submitting improvement suggestions supported by examples from both China and abroad. The second focuses on organizing events for visually impaired residents, including monthly small-group gatherings like film screenings and book discussions, and large-scale public events every six months to promote inclusion through performances, games, and interactive experiences. The third area aims to offer personalized support, such as tutoring students with visual impairments, providing guidance on higher education preparation, and assisting with employment opportunities by connecting with corporations and nonprofits that support inclusive hiring.
The letter concludes with a request for support from the Kangjian Subdistrict, seeking information about the local visually impaired population, feedback on the feasibility of proposed activities, relevant employment policies, and suggestions for additional meaningful contributions the students might make to the community.
On May 29, 2024, The Kangjian Subdistrict replied to Siqi Pan’s letter with gratitude for his concern for the visually impaired and offered a detailed overview of the current situation, along with thoughtful suggestions for collaboration.
He explained that there are 386 registered individuals with visual impairments in the subdistrict, classified into four levels of disability. A significant majority, 93 percent, are over the age of 60, with only a small fraction under 40. Common causes of visual impairment in the community include optic nerve disorders, cataracts, retinal diseases, glaucoma, and congenital conditions.
In terms of community engagement, around 40 to 50 visually impaired residents, mostly retirees with moderate to mild disabilities, are known to participate actively in events. These activities currently include regular barrier-free film screenings, sports carnivals, recreational games, and health education sessions.
The subdistrict welcomed the idea of student involvement and identified several possible directions for collaboration. These included conducting accessibility research in the community based on national standards, organizing regular events tailored to the interests and needs of visually impaired residents, and offering mobility support for those with more severe impairments. While most visually impaired individuals in the area are retired, the subdistrict noted that younger individuals generally experience stable employment.
In the near future, several joint initiatives were proposed. These included co-hosting a Dragon Boat Festival zongzi-making event, attending local barrier-free film screenings, visiting the Braille section of the community library with guided reading sessions, and introducing students to the “Dark Experience Pavilion” organized by the Sunshine 201 program under the Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation.
The reply also pointed to two existing employment policies relevant to persons with disabilities in Shanghai: the 2023–2024 Action Plan for Promoting Employment of Persons with Disabilities, and the regulations concerning decentralized employment arrangements.
May 20, 2024, Monday
Pan, Siqi; Vice Principal Zhou from Shanghai Blind Child School
BonVista Accessibility Club continued its engagement with Shanghai Blind Child School through a second round of discussions. The communication was led by Siqi Pan and Vice Principal Zhou. This meeting focused on exploring new opportunities for meaningful collaboration between the school and the club.
Principal Zhou recalled that many years ago, the school’s debate team participated in a competition with students from Jinshan Foreign Language School. In recent years, however, the debate club has become less active. He suggested that BonVista Accessibility Club members, with their strong reasoning and communication skills, could support the effort to revive the debate team and help students develop critical thinking and public speaking abilities.
Additionally, Principal Zhou pointed out that Club members' strength in English could be particularly helpful in supporting the students' spoken English skills. He also proposed the idea of joint activities between the student councils of both schools, with a focus on high school students. The current 11th-grade class includes five students, most of whom serve as student leaders and would be well-suited for such collaborative efforts.
May 24, 2024, Friday
Pan, Siqi; Zhao, Kunyou; Yu, Wenxing ; Lu, Yichen
A conference was held to discuss updates and future planning for the BonVista Accessibility Club. The meeting covered several major areas, including updates on Shanghai Blind Child School, feedback from recent community discussions, and the completion of the new club registration form.
The team reviewed progress in their collaboration with the school for the blind, as well as insights gathered from the Hongmei community, with further planning for detailed community activities. Kunyou shared a number of creative suggestions that helped expand the group’s vision for outreach and club development.
Two slogans were discussed to help shape the club’s identity and spirit. The first was “Greatness from small beginnings” by Francis Drake, highlighting the power of humble starts. The second, “Community is a university” encouraged students to view their neighborhoods as places of exploration and learning, with the playful thought, “What about starting college life the moment you enter high school?”
Plans were made to create posters for two purposes. One set would support recruitment for upcoming minicourses and for the new semester. The other would promote community engagement events. These materials aim to increase visibility and participation in both school and neighborhood initiatives.
Finally, a new idea was brought up but not yet developed in detail: the possibility of creating a club mascot. This lighthearted concept added to the team’s growing list of creative projects and may be discussed further in future meetings.
June 4, 2024, Tuesday
Pan, Siqi; Zhao, Kunyou; Teacher Wu, Xinxian; Teacher Ma, Jie; Kangjian Community Director Tang; Kangjian Community Mr. Chen; Kangjian Community Ms He; Kangjian Community Ms Zhou
An initial meeting was held between representatives from Kangjian Community, WFLA Teachers and Club Members in school's conference room.
There are currently about 40 to 50 visually impaired residents who are interested in participating in activities in Kangjian Community. Most are classified as Level 3 or Level 4 disabilities, with a few at Level 2. Younger visually impaired individuals in the area generally have stable employment. The community regularly organizes events such as disability sports carnivals, fun games, and health lectures. Accessible film screenings are held once every three months at the district level and once a month at the neighborhood level. These screenings, with professionally narrated descriptions, take place at Ding Xiang Yuan Neighborhood Center. The community also features a major local hub, the Community Service Center at 988 Pubei Road, which is the largest in Xuhui District. There are also community dining halls and supermarkets with substantial discounts for seniors and residents with disabilities. The school has an ongoing "Golden Wedding" partnership with Kangjian Community.
Next steps include a follow-up event on June 7, 2024, at the Kangle Life Box or Kangle Community Center dining hall. This event is organized by the Disabled Persons' Federation and will involve eight visually impaired community representatives and ten student and faculty participants from the school. Media coverage is expected.
The community suggested holding large-scale events once every six months and smaller activities every two months. Students are welcome to observe or participate in existing programs. Among the Level 1 and Level 2 visually impaired residents that have been contacted, around 70 percent expressed interest in going out or having conversations. Based on individual needs, companionship services may be offered for outings.
Additional opportunities include visiting the blind services section of the community library and participating in the “Dark Experience Center” run by the Sunshine 201 organization under the municipal Disabled Persons' Federation, which focuses on inclusive employment. If visiting the center is not feasible, there is a possibility of inviting them to run a session in the community.
Accessibility research in the community can refer to the national standard titled General Code for Accessibility in Building and Municipal Engineering. Employment-related efforts may consult policies such as the Shanghai Action Plan to Promote Employment for Persons with Disabilities (2023–2024) and the Shanghai Dispersed Employment Measures for Persons with Disabilities. It was also proposed to study accessibility practices in places like Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong for comparative reference.
If funding is approved, financial support may be available for some initiatives. Finally, it was noted that the scope of accessibility efforts could be expanded to include other people with disabilities and the elderly. Future activities should prioritize feasibility, safety, and appeal.
June 7, 2024, Friday
Pan, Siqi; Zeng, Yiming, Zhang; Gongjun, Shen; Jiaqi, Wang; Xuanqin; Gu, Jianke; Le, Yi; Yang, Zifan; Luo, Yushi
The Kangjian Subdistrict, in collaboration with WFLA students, hosted a Dragon Boat Festival event titled “Warmth in Zongzi, Harmony in Community” at the Kangle Party-Mass Service Center dining hall.
The event opened with welcoming remarks by Ms. He from Kangjian Subdistrict, who introduced the theme and planned activities. Ms. Shen, a representative from the dining hall’s operations team, spoke about the center’s mission to provide meals that are safe, reliable, and comforting. She also introduced the community feedback wall at the entrance, which features both compliments and suggestions from residents. Ms. Shen shared the historical background of the Dragon Boat Festival and explained traditions such as eating zongzi, dragon boat racing, and hanging mugwort. During an interactive moment, a resident accurately listed the “Five Yellows” traditionally associated with the festival: realgar, salted egg yolk, cucumber, eel, and yellow croaker.
Ms. Zhou from Kangjian Subdistrict gave an informative talk about the visually impaired community, covering the classification of visual disabilities, related policies and support services, and the roles of the community’s three dining halls. She highlighted ongoing efforts to improve quality of life through financial support, material aid, and regular community engagement.
Siqi Pan introduced the newly forming BonVista Accessibility Club. He explained the club’s mission of promoting accessibility and creating a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse community. Proposed future activities include tea gatherings, accessible film screenings, concerts, theatrical performances, and workshops on digital accessibility features.
The highlight of the event was a hands-on zongzi-making activity. Students and residents formed small teams, with experienced participants guiding others through the process of folding bamboo leaves, adding glutinous rice and fillings, and tying the zongzi. With teamwork and enthusiasm, the groups produced a variety of zongzi including red bean, meat-filled, and different shapes like triangular and four-cornered. Tea was served throughout, and one student even entertained a resident with a short magic trick. The festive atmosphere was warm and joyful.
The event concluded with a group photo. Each participant took home the zongzi He had made, carrying with them not only delicious food but also a sense of connection and shared celebration.
June 19, 2024, Wednesday
Pan, Siqi
Siqi Pan published an article on the official WeChat account, unofficially announcing the establishment of the BonVista Accessibility Club. The article reads as follows:
Title: Origin — We Are BonVista Accessibility Club of Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy
June 2024, Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy. We are a group of messengers committed to spreading the idea of accessibility.
This is how we understand accessibility: Accessibility is physical. It means a community environment that enables everyone to move around freely. For those with physical challenges, tactile paving, accessible pathways, braille in elevators, audible traffic signals, handrails, and clear walkways bring essential convenience. Even for able-bodied individuals, smooth sidewalks, unobstructed passageways, and orderly parking of vehicles all contribute to an accessible environment.
Accessibility is also about awareness. It is rooted in respect, understanding, and the acceptance of our differences. Everyone will age and may face challenges at some point. In our community, everyone should feel understood and respected. We believe our society should be diverse, inclusive, and equal. There is no fundamental difference between people with and without disabilities. Through mutual acceptance and support, we can strive together to make the future better.
And so, the Accessibility Club of WFLA was born. Its English name is BonVista. "Bon" means beautiful, and "Vista" means vision and the future. It also subtly reflects our focus on visual impairments. While our initial efforts focus on supporting people with visual disabilities, we aim to gradually expand to serve individuals with hearing, mobility, and cognitive challenges. We hope to help them change their lives and rediscover the sense of self-worth.
BonVista stands for a Beautiful Future. Starting tomorrow, let us give every street and every neighborhood a warm and welcoming name. Let us work together for BonVista (the beautiful life).
A few days later, Yichen Lu designed a recruitment poster for the club. Siqi Pan visited the classrooms of newly enrolled tenth-grade students, introducing the BonVista Accessibility Club and inviting them to join.
June 19, 2024, Wednesday
Pan, Siqi; Yu, Wenxing; Luo, Yushi; Teacher Sun, Liang
Members of the BonVista Accessibility Club, including students Siqi Pan and Yuchen Yu, their advisor Mr. Sun, and Luo Yushi from the English Debate Club, visited the Shanghai Blind Child School. Guided by one of the school’s teachers and two students, the group toured the newly completed library, which features an accessible reading room and a Lego room. During the visit, the students shared details about their club activities and gained a deeper understanding of the school’s daily life and needs.
The visit also sparked discussions about potential future collaborations between the Club and the Shanghai Blind Child School. Initial ideas include hosting online meetings for high school students from both schools to explore shared interests and maintain ongoing communication. Plans were also proposed for book-sharing sessions where students can discuss literature, history, and philosophy. For students interested in debating, joint sessions with both the Chinese and English debate clubs are envisioned to teach debate skills and hold mock debates. Additionally, a semesterly in-person social event is planned to foster face-to-face interaction between the students of both schools.
This visit marked the first exchange between the BonVista Accessibility Club and the Shanghai Blind Child School, with both sides looking forward to expanding their cooperation in future activities.
June 24, 2024, Monday
Pan, Siqi; Zhao, Kunyou
Siqi Pan and Kunyou Zhao participated in the school’s new club review meeting, where they presented the vision and plans for the BonVista Accessibility Club. In the meeting, they presented the following thoughts and plans.
The club is dedicated to promoting and implementing the concept of accessibility, working toward a more equal, just, and inclusive society. Its initial focus is on supporting individuals with visual impairments, with plans to gradually extend services to those with hearing, mobility, and cognitive challenges. The club also aims to raise awareness of accessibility among students, encourage greater engagement with the community, and cultivate a strong sense of social responsibility. Through these efforts, members are expected to develop organizational, communication, and empathy skills while experiencing personal growth.
The club's planned activities include collaborations with local communities and the Shanghai Blind Child School, as well as school-based initiatives. Their goals are to help visually impaired students improve academically, broaden their knowledge, and explore personal interests; assist younger visually impaired individuals in learning skills that support inclusive employment; and enrich the lives of middle-aged and elderly visually impaired residents through companionship. In addition, the club seeks to contribute to the improvement of accessibility infrastructure within communities.
The proposal emphasized the club's unique value, as there are currently no student organizations specifically focused on supporting the visually impaired. The club upholds a broad vision of accessibility, not only by offering direct assistance but also by encouraging reflection on how to make society more accessible as a whole. With a strong focus on off-campus engagement, the club intends to bring students into real-world environments where they can acquire meaningful, practical skills.
Having already established connections and held discussions with the Shanghai Blind Child School, Hongmei Community, and Kangjian Community, the club hopes to receive formal recognition from the school to use the student organization platform to carry out its activities.
July 5, 2024, Friday
WFLA Student Union
The WFLA Student Union officially announced the establishment of 9 new clubs in Year 2024, among which BonVista Accessibility Club was included.