Five of our Year 8 students — Roisin, Emily, Bea, Elsie and Hattie — recently travelled to Tampa, Florida, to attend a Round Square Conference hosted by Carrollwood Day School. The event brought together students from schools across the globe, including delegates from Peru, Canada, Denmark, Rwanda, the USA and Ecuador.
On the first day, students met their host families and settled into their homes before attending the official opening ceremony. During the ceremony, each school delivered a cultural presentation celebrating their country, school and customs. The evening continued with a vibrant “getting to know you” session, complete with food trucks, music and a festival atmosphere.
Day two began with an inspiring talk from a charity focused on creating man-made structures designed to support new coral growth. Students then took part in a hands-on workshop where they crafted coral frames. In the afternoon, the group joined discussions exploring the causes and effects of climate change.
The third day offered further opportunities to learn about marine conservation. Students visited an aquarium specialising in dolphin rescue, where they observed how injured dolphins are trained to take medication and remain healthy while rehabilitating before release. Lunch was enjoyed at an award-winning beach restaurant, followed by an afternoon on the stunning white sands of Clearwater Beach, where many joined in beach football and volleyball.
On day four, the students visited a tech start-up and heard from an entrepreneur whose innovative business builds greenhouses alongside factories, using CO₂ emissions to sustain plant growth. Lunch was at a popular pizza restaurant, followed by some well-received ice cream. In the afternoon, students collaborated using AI tools to develop and present ideas to combat food waste. Mixed-country groups were then challenged with questions to test their thinking. The day concluded with a closing ceremony, where every participant wrote reflections on memory stones and placed them into a jar for the host school — a lasting reminder of the week’s global connections. The evening finished with a silent disco and fond farewells.
Although the conference itself had ended, the final day remained full for our students. They spent the morning with a Grade 7 class, sharing insights about life in England and taking part in fun activities. They then visited Tampa Zoo, spotting animals not typically found in British zoos due to climate. With warm weather, the water rides were a welcome highlight. The trip concluded with a visit to The Manatee Rescue Center, where students learned how manatees become unwell, how they are treated, and how they are monitored, released and protected.
The students commented:
Emily: “We made so many new friends! We got a private talk and got to learn so much about manatees which honestly didn’t feel real, we got to see some of them in the hospital and it was so great to learn about their experiences. When the next Round Square trip comes up, I can tell you now I’m signing up!”
Elsie: “I absolutely loved going to Florida and it was probably one of the best experiences I have ever had. One of my favourite activities was the group party because we played loads of volleyball, tried different types of food and got to meet and get to know the people a little bit more (the musical chairs was the best bit).”
Hattie: “I met so many new people and made friends for life. One of my favourite parts was the day we spent at the beach! I also loved the speaker that talked about coral reefs and the activity we did that went with it, I learned a lot about how we can help protect the reefs, even when we are at home in the middle of England.”
Bea: “Going to Florida was such an amazing experience! Being able to travel to a different country with my friends and make new friends from all around the world. I have had the most incredible time and if I was given the chance I would 100% go back again.”
Roisin: “I loved Florida so much, I have made so many friends for life! My favourite bit about the trip was definitely the beach and aquarium day. I loved hanging out with my friends from Kingsley and also my friends from different countries too.”