Marion, Class of 2016, Gubei Campus

My name is Marion, and I recently graduated from YCIS after attending the school for six years. Studying at YCIS was very different from my previous education in France, where it’s quite focused on academic subjects. At YCIS, what I really appreciated was the fact that there is a big emphasis on creative subjects.

To me, Design & Technology (D&T) was my biggest discovery coming to YCIS and I really enjoyed having the opportunity to design and create products. This Fall, I will be attending the University of Kent to study Architecture and my classes at YCIS have helped me select this path. In Year 11 for example, I made storage units and lamps, which was definitely something that encouraged me to pursue a profession that included creative aspects. My D&T teachers have also been very inspiring to me. They have always helped guide me through projects I didn't think I could do, and they encouraged me to push my boundaries. My IB teacher, Mr Mitchell, has a perspective and view on D&T that is quite unique. He always tried to make sure that I did not limit myself, always tried something different, and did what I liked to do versus what was going to get me the highest marks.

When I first arrived at YCIS I could not speak any English or Chinese. With the help of my teachers and friends I was able to improve my language skills greatly. It is one of my biggest accomplishments to say that I am now fluent in English and have a strong base in Chinese.

The best part of the community at YCIS is definitely the diversity. I’ve had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and I now have good friends from South Korea, Brazil, Poland, England – really, everywhere. Because we meet people from all over the world, we are introduced to different opinions and experiences from other cultures’ perspectives. This has allowed me to obtain a bigger perspective of the world, which is something I will take along with me to university.