Nerves, apprehension and excitement seem to collide on the first day at a new school, a pivotal moment for many teenagers. How welcome then are words of encouragement from a senior teacher. Words such as: "You don't need to call me Principal Zhang, just call me Ms Zhang. If you have anything troubling, you can always come to me." Or "you don't have to be afraid of anything when you are here".

On the evening of Aug 24, Xinhua News Agency posted a short video recording the opening day at Huaping Girls High School in Lijiang, Southwest China's Yunnan province. School principal Zhang Guimei was having a cordial conversation with Yang Limei, a new student who lost her parents when she was a child.