Every year, the school holds a grand cultural festival that is considered a rare event in the local community. Students compete in performances, art displays, and food stalls, and the student council sets up dozens of booths across the school grounds. Preparation began months ahead, and each club member had to hand in an assignment about their booth plans to the teacher in charge.
One major challenge was the expense. The clubs decided to split the bill equally so no one group would carry the full burden. However, buying materials and dragging heavy equipment from the storage room still cost more than expected. In addition, severe air pollution from a nearby construction site forced the team to switch their outdoor stage to an area under the gym roof. The drawing of the new layout took an entire afternoon.
Even though the problems were difficult to handle, the students refused to give up. Apart from the budget issues, an unknown problem appeared on the morning of the festival — the school's foreign currency exchange booth, set up for international students, ran out of all its currency by noon. The team leader, badly shocked by this news, said a quiet prayer and quickly found a solution. The shock did not drag the team's spirit down for long.
In the end, the event turned out to be a great success. A shy student moved the audience to tears with her sharp singing voice. The refreshment booth, which served snacks and root beer, became the most popular spot. The independence they gained from solving real problems taught them to always look on the bright side, even when things go badly wrong.