STEAM Learners in the Pearl of the Orient: Sampoerna Academy's 2025 Shanghai Adventure

In the winter of 2025, six students from Sampoerna Academy L’Avenue, accompanied by Ms Myrrh, ventured out of their classrooms, ready to step into the world of one of China’s most advanced hubs of modernity and tradition. This Shanghai STEAM Trip stretched from December 14th to 21st, offering a transformative immersion into the city’s innovation and culture, providing a look into the past and future of global science and art.

Arriving in the Heart of the City

The journey officially commenced on December 14th, with the group landing in the crisp Shanghai winter night before checking into the Geofei Hotel. For many, it was the vivid environment and the stark shift in the senses that lit the first sparks of adventure; Taihong Guo of Grade 7 recalled the arrival with a sense of exhaustion, charged with a striking adrenaline: 

“Once the cold actually hit all of us, I was like, ‘This isn’t as cold as I thought.’ It was more like a chilling breeze that reminded me this is real - that we were finally here!”

After a good night’s rest, the group’s first stop was the must-visit architectural wonder that is the Oriental Pearl Tower, which overlooks the vast skylines of the Pudong landscape. After a walk through The Bund to observe an array of cloud-piercing skyscrapers, they delved from the “Modern” into the “Old”, donning traditional attire to explore the sacred City God Temples. The day concluded with a dazzling cruise across the Huangpu River, students soaking in the marvels of innovation erected along its banks.

Living in the Future: Drones and Evolution

Day 2 was when Sampoerna Academy’s STEAM-centric itinerary shifted into high gear: the group set off in high spirits to the East China Drone Base, where students moved from classroom theory to hands-on operation of China’s exciting rotary technology. The facility comprises sixteen research and manufacturing companies focused on drone development, with our learners participating in a tour of drone-powered applications in performance art, modern agriculture, and even drone-operated package delivery. Alma Romero of Grade 10 found that this exposure to such rapid industrialisation changed her perspective as an artist in the digital age:

"Now I try to stay more conscious of the way we use these technologies (like AI) to be more beneficial to my work and academic progression rather than letting a machine take away my critical thinking and skills."

The academic rigour continued on the third day as the group explored Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s role in the history of Chinese higher education, followed by a visit to the Shanghai Natural History Museum. The life-sized mechanical Brachiosaur mockups, paired with the roaring animatronic T. rexes, made clear the thought-provoking intersection of biology and technology in modern society.

Like a Fairytale: the Magic and the Stars

With all the fascinating museums and labs thus far, the trip wouldn’t be complete without the joy and thrill of discovery. The fourth, and most anticipated, day was spent at Shanghai Disneyland Park, a firework-lit core memory the group shared. Alma Romero noted that the small group size made the day special: “The whole day was just rollercoasters, parades, giggles and excitement… I remember never wanting that day to end.”

The final leg of the journey took the students to the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, a personal favourite of Aufa Mazhhar, a Grade 10 student. "I’ve always loved the sky at night," Aufa shared. "It felt so close to me for a second, to just get lost on the displays and galaxies." For Vano Ardika in Grade 9, Shanghai’s immersive technological displays of giant orbitals and blazing stars felt like a “sci-fi movie coming to life.”

An ‘Insider’ Guide to the Pearl of Asia

For students interested in joining future expeditions like this one, Tomas Romero of Grade 9 offers a handy piece of practical advice: Have backup payment plans. “China’s a country with its own ways of paying that you can’t test if they’ll work in your own country,” Tomas warned. “Sometimes one [payment method] doesn’t work… so it’s best to go prepared with different methods.”

As the students returned full-heartedly to Jakarta on the not-as-cold night of December 21st, they carried with them a global awareness and a sharpened curiosity about the developing world - coupled with each their own suitcases' worth of souvenirs. STEAM has come to life in front of them, from drone gadgets to celestial observatories to futuristic roller coasters, our learners walk away not with mere lessons, but lifelong experiences.