As both the Service Prefect and the MUN (Model United Nations) Chair, Caia’s school life is busy and diverse. She knows exactly what drives her: a passion for participation, self-expression, critical thinking about global issues, and learning from every person and experience she encounters.  

MUN is one of her favourite activities, something she chooses to invest her time and effort into. Since joining in Year 8, she has spent over two years honing her teamwork, public speaking, and leadership skills. 

For Caia, respect is at the heart of leadership:

You can’t be too forceful, but you also can’t step back too far. You want people to respect you as a leader, but you also need to listen to them with respect. This balance becomes especially important when working with people from different schools or backgrounds.

This year, Caia also became the Service Prefect for the Pudong campus. For her, the role isn’t about polishing a CV—it’s a chance to put values into practice.

Back in Year 8, she launched her first social project through Genius Hour: making and selling handmade pet treats to raise money for stray animals in her neighbourhood. She eventually donated 800 RMB to a shelter, funding surgery for a cat in need.

These experiences have shaped her ambitions for the future. She’s interested in political science and international relations—fields that align with her curiosity about how the world works. History, especially Roman, Greek and American history, has always fascinated her:

Some events might seem far away from us, but once you look closely, you realise those stories are still relevant today.

Ever since she was a child, Caia has loved learning. At just seven or eight, she would watch history documentaries, draw charts, and make her own notes to break down complicated ideas.

Caia would one day like to work in the creative industries—perhaps writing, filmmaking, or directing.

When I joined the film competition, I really enjoyed turning ideas into something real, working with others to create something meaningful.

To manage her time in her daily life, Caia has found her own balance between structure and space.

I use to-do lists to keep me organised. Crossing things off gives me clarity but doesn’t make me anxious.

She also builds in rewards for herself:

When I finish an assignment, I’ll let myself watch a film or play guitar for a while.

For Caia, real growth comes from staying curious:

You never know what you’ll end up loving, unless you try it first.

Wai Hon has spent nearly his entire education at YCIS, joining in K2. For him, school is more than just academics — it’s where he grew up.

To him, happiness and solid foundations are the two pillars of growth———"both are equally important."

Today, he is known for being reliable and steady—the kind of student who may not be the loudest in the room, but who is always there, quietly getting things done.

Whilst Wai Hon has had a high degree of acadmeic success, he doesn't see himself as a "naturally gifted" student. 

This belief has carried him to 11 A*/A grades in IGCSE and success in competitions such as the British Physics Olympiad, UKMT Maths Challenge, and the National Economics Challenge. Through these high-level contests, he’s developed time management and critical thinking skills. 

During competitions, you have to make decisions quickly, and the questions push you to break out of your usual way of thinking. You have to find new angles.

Outside the classroom, Wai Hon is a core member of the Peer Tutoring CCA, helping younger students with their studies. He enjoys the process of teaching because it helps him deepen his own understanding.

If you can explain something clearly to someone else, that means you’ve really mastered it.

He’s also an active member of Hope Beans, a student-led social enterprise selling coffee and related products to raise funds for charity.

It’s taught me that real impact doesn’t always come from being centre stage. Sometimes it’s about the little things you do, day after day.

Receiving the scholarship gave him an extra boost of confidence:

It’s pushed me to step up and try things I might not have dared before, like leading a group or taking charge of a project.

Looking ahead, he’s in no rush to define his future too narrowly. While his current focus is Physics, Mathematics and Economics, he’s keeping an open mind.

Caia and Wai Hon—one thrives in diverse, outward-facing roles, and the other grows steadily behind the scenes. Their personalities may differ, but they share a quiet confidence in their own pace. Neither rushes, but both move forward with purpose, becoming role models for other students.

At YCIS, this is what scholarship is truly about—not just high scores, but students who shape their own definitions of excellence. Each follows their own path, but all move forward with determination toward a successful future.