Bouke, Class of 2016, Century Park campus

My name is Bouke and I’ve been at YCIS for eight years. It feels great to be graduating from high school, and I’m looking forward to going to university in the UK where I will be studying biological sciences. YCIS is a special place for me as I’ve been here for so long and I love the people here.

The community here at YCIS is different from other schools. It’s such a close knit group that focuses on personal interactions rather than just studying, and that’s why I like it so much.

I’ve enjoyed participating in a lot of different extracurricular activities at YCIS, particularly sports. I did football and joined the basketball team. I was also on the eco committee, and the media committee where I wrote articles for the school magazine.

I greatly appreciate the unique experience I’ve had at YCIS -- I think it’s a much more holistic education than you would find at other schools. The school really helps students throughout the IB program, and the teachers are always there to help you one-on-one. The interactions I have had with teachers and friends at YCIS have been essential to my educational success.

The trip we took to Thailand last year was one of my most memorable experiences at YCIS. We worked on a group project while we were there, and apart from being educational, it was really enjoyable to get to know my friends even better.

I also really enjoyed attending an international school. I studied at a local Chinese school before YCIS and it only focused on academics. YCIS is different, because in addition to getting a great academic education I have also developed important life skills, which is great!