From dazzling demonstrations of chemical reactions to intricate engineering marvels, each project featured in the BCIS Science Fair tells a story of imagination, hard work, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Beijing City International School is excited to host BSF II, scheduled to convene in person Jun 6-7 and open to Grades 4-12 with three different divisions. This is an opportunity for students interested in STEM to establish bonds across schools and grades. The fair is not just a research and investigation competition between groups delving into specific topics; it is also as a platform for STEM and innovation clubs to share their achievements for the past two semesters. 

BSF II will feature a series of workshops and guest speakers from various fields within STEM. These sessions are designed to provide students with insights into real-world applications of their studies and to inspire the next generation of innovators. All participants are encouraged to interact actively, ask questions, and learn from the experiences shared by our esteemed guests.

In the initial launch year of the BCIS Science Fair, students from Grades 4-10 delved into fascinating research topics and immersed themselves in the investigation process. BSF I included G9 and 10 STEM exhibits such as the G9 VEX robots, G9 architecture models, G9 Python animations, G9 Math Ramp proposals, G10 jewelry designs, and G10 Python games, with an addition of STEM club achievements throughout the year, with the Aerospace & Aviation club’s airplane models as a great example, further expanding the scope and diversity of the event.

By preparing and delivering engaging presentations, participants enhance their communication abilities, learning to clearly and effectively convey their ideas to both their peers and judges. These experiences can be particularly valuable for those aspiring to pursue jobs in STEM fields, where the skill to communicate scientific findings is paramount. Students from each age division who demonstrated the thoroughness of their research and their outstanding research and presenting skills will be awarded prizes and further opportunities to participate in advanced regional, national, and international science fairs.

One group of Grade 8 students prepared thorough research into the distribution of world primates and came up with issues to solve to achieve primate protection.

Austin Qiang from the Elementary School investigated different methods to meliorate sleep conditions. His research in melatonin and sleep cycle is beyond the expectation for average Grade 5 students.

Several groups of students creatively integrate chemistry and science fiction to propose future fuels for space travel. Their aspiration for interplanetary transportation astonished everyone.

Hundreds of Elementary students came to the exhibition and celebrated the STEM achievements of their classmates.

As we look further into the future, the significance of science fairs will only continue to grow. In an era of rapid technological development, the skills and knowledge acquired through these events will be invaluable. By cultivating the scientific passions of students, we are investing in the future of our society, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and innovative solutions to global challenges.

We believe that collaboration is paramount to advancing knowledge and inspiring innovation. This event is not just about competition; it’s about collaboration, learning, and building a community that values STEM education.

If you’re interested:

Express your interest by filling out the form at this link

If you have any questions, email science.fair@bcis.cn or contact Qi Ziyao (Vickey) at 2019136050@bcis.cn.

Vickey Qi is a Grade 10 student at Beijing City International School who loves astrophysics, astrophotography, volleyball, and singing.

Images: Vickey Qi

From an idea that popped into my mind back in Grade 5 to launching our first product – the launch of Eco Apparel has been a remarkable journey for me. I have learned so much from this experience, and I feel that it is time for me to share my journey of revolutionizing the fashion industry.

The idea first came to me in Grade 5, when I stumbled upon a YouTube video on how vegan leather is made. I was completely fascinated – the company would receive otherwise wasted mangos from a mango export company in the Netherlands and would use that as the raw material to create a sustainable textile. I thought that this could be the invention that could forever change the fashion industry, but I was wrong. The manufacturing process was expensive, and people were skeptical of calling it “vegan leather” when there wasn’t any cow skin involved in the manufacturing process. Despite all the pessimistic views on this invention, the seed of the idea for Eco Apparel started to grow in my head, as I started to think about bringing this invention to more people and the population that may not be exposed to these types of technologies.

The idea came back to me when I saw the video again in Grade 7 – the exact same video I saw in Grade 5. I started to think deeper about what I could do to bring this to life. At first, I wanted to invent another type of sustainable textile, and I even did research on what types of fiber and raw materials I could use to create sustainable textiles. However, after diving deep into the possibilities, I realized that this may not be the path for me to take as basically all the possibilities are used and they are products that you can buy from companies that produce them that have unfortunately patented them, so that means I could not produce them and make that into a business. However, after sharing my ideas and findings with a teacher, who I’d like to say is a mentor to this project, we decided to develop this project into a fashion business where I take the sustainable materials manufactured by those companies that make them and process them into clothing and sell the clothing. This idea was not particularly appealing to me back then as I thought that the world of fashion is way too crowded and the space for me to grow would be minimal. However, after considering all the pros and cons of spending the next four or five years of my life engaging in a research project that requires so much more money and time compared to starting a fashion business that would generally take less time and bring more revenue for me to use for charitable purposes, I decided to execute the idea. And the first step was to find MONEY.

The first step my team and I decided to take on the project to seek funding was to apply for the Jim Koerschen Award from the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS). I was hesitant to apply for the award as I did not know if I wanted to bring the project to life yet. However, seven days before the award application deadline, our mentor notified us about the upcoming deadline, and we immediately started crafting our award application. We submitted it one day before the deadline.

Then, I saw advertisements for the Avenir business competition, and I decided to sign up. When I got into a group with one of the team members from the award application, we used Eco Apparel as our idea for the competition. We attended the competition and won the Junior division. The primary reason why I attended the competition was the fact that there was the potential for me to win the prize money, and thankfully, we received the prize money as intended.

We got the notification for the result of the Jim Koerschen award, and even though we did not win the award, the executive director of ACAMIS back then, Mr. Tom Ulmet, emailed us saying that even though we did not receive the Jim Koershen award, the committee felt that our project was very worthy of the Service Learning Grant. Thus, they presented us with the funding of the Service Learning Grant.

Right after we received those two funds, I wanted to pitch our idea to a VC and see what they thought about it. However, even though we mentioned every single unique selling point and specialty of the brand, the VC was not particularly fond of the idea and even suggested to us that we could start getting paid for working on this project even though it would be illegal. After we pitched to the investor and received his rejection, four of the six members of the team left, and the only two people that were left were Selena and I (Eco Apparel’s current team), and that made me doubt if this project was really worth doing if everyone did not want to do it with me. This is a point of the project that I would consider a lowlight, and even though I did know that there would be parts of this startup that would not be successful and would not be going as planned, I was not ready to receive such a result for an idea that won two awards. However, the lesson that I learned here allowed me to push through the next stages of the project and made me more confident in the fact that although there will be parts of the project that people do not like, I am the one who carries it out and makes it a success; it will be a rewarding journey regardless.

With those two funds in hand, my team and I got started on executing the project. We began to discuss the design and negotiated with the manufacturer if we could purchase an order that is below their minimum order quantity, and thankfully, they said yes. We then were able to have our design manufactured and made into the product we have today!

Below is a picture of the product we launched in December of 2024 on our 小红书 account (ecoapparel), and we hope you can support us on our journey!

WeChat Official Account: Eco Apparel

Images: Avenir Photographers, Margaret Yang, Pexels

Beijing has been my home for the past seven years, and leaving it is daunting. Whenever I think deeply about what I have done here, how much I have grown, and all the unforgettable memories that I, my family, my friends, and my teachers have made here, I always end up crying. Leaving a school that I have been at for my entire primary and (almost) middle school career saddens me even more. Change is happening. And I have to face it no matter what. The funny thing is that I don’t even know which city in China I am even from, which is a very difficult thing to deal with because wherever I go, if people want to simply know a little bit more about me and ask, “你是哪里来的？” (which means “Where do you come from?” or “Where are you from?”), I always end up answering, “成都.” Technically, my household registration is in Chengdu, so it would make sense for me to say Chengdu. However, I have not lived in Chengdu for a long period of time, which also makes me wonder if I really should say that to people. I was born in Suzhou, and so, also technically, I am from Suzhou as well. This may seem irrelevant to talk about as the place that I am leaving from is Beijing, but a conversation I had with a friend from the summer program I participated in this year perhaps answered the question everyone was asking me. He said that because I have been in Beijing for the longest period of time of my life, I am from Beijing to him personally. I told him my entire moving journey from the day I was born – being born in Suzhou, then after 100 days moving to Zhenjiang for four years, then to Wuxi for two years, then to Hefei for two months, and finally moving to Beijing and staying here for the past seven years as I am about to move to Zhuhai to finish my middle and high school. Perhaps, I am a Beijinger now. Whenever I speak Mandarin, some people say that they hear a distinct Beijinger accent. Once, I tried to learn the Chengdu accent from my dad as he is from Chengdu, and he said that when I spoke in a Chengdu accent, it sounded like a Beijinger or someone from the Dongbei (northeastern) region trying to imitate the Chengdu accent. This really made me wonder what my identity truly is.

G4&5 compilation

When I first moved to Beijing, I felt like I was moving to a foreign region – the weather and climate were different, the streets had a completely different vibe compared to the southern cities of China, and the people seemed to be different from the people I had met before. However, now, when I step on the streets of Beijing, I have this weird feeling of belonging but also not belonging. I feel a sense of belonging because I have spent so much time of my life here and even though Beijing may never feel like a “hometown” for me, it definitely shaped who I am today.

G6 www trip

I still remember vividly what the first day of school was like – the yellow school bus pulled into the driveway in front of my compound, and I was astonished that I was actually going to the school that I liked, not even discussing it with my parents. Now here I am, leaving the school that I have been at for seven and a half years. Every single teacher that I have had at Beijing City International School (BCIS) has given me some extent of encouragement and inspiration that allowed me to move forward with my academic and extracurricular life with ease – my Grades 1 and 2 homeroom teachers opening me up to a variety of sustainability projects, allowing me to find my true passion; my Grade 3 homeroom teacher teaching me how to find my own principles and follow instructions; my Grades 4 and 5 teachers leading the way to let me have a smooth transition into middle school, and the countless teachers I have met in my middle school life giving me confidence and pride to let me tackle high school with a stronger heart.

G8 shorts theatre performance

Every teacher that I have met these few days in the hallways were always saying something along these lines: “I heard that you are leaving us… Why?… You can’t!” This makes me realize how much effort and hard work I have put into my entire time here at BCIS and I simply think that without the community’s encouragement and love, I would never have been able to accomplish so much. I conclude my seven years in Beijing by saying, “Whatever way our stories end, I know you’ll have rewritten mine by being my friend.” Images: Margaret Yang

The eighth iteration of the Avenir contest organised by Beijing City International School (BCIS) came to a heady conclusion after 11 teams pitched their business ideas to mentors and judges the weekend of April 20-21. The competition saw the involvement of Beijing’s top international schools including the British School of Beijing (BSB Shunyi) as well as BCIS students. In the end, Team Businesslike Grasshoppers clinched first place in the Senior Division with their pitch of putting together a new drone prototype to safely and efficiently deliver takeout, while Team Eco Apparel took first place in the Junior Division.

Jingkids International spoke with the Junior Division winning teams Eco Apparel’s members Selena Liu and Margaret Yang, second place Team Hare (members Eva Jin, Rita Jiang, Amy Zhai and Helen Xu) as well as Anna Fu from Senior Division runner-up Team VMAX to glean their insights and share their advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Q: How does it feel to win Avenir 2024? 

Selena: Among the overwhelming emotions that barged into my mind when winning Avenir, I believe the excitement, motivation, and sense of relief stood out the most. The award was a powerful recognition of our efforts in this journey, and made us feel more encouraged and faithful to continue to this project and pursue entrepreneurial activities in the future. 

Q: What do you think led you to your victory?

Amy: Throughout the entire preparation process, the team was super dedicated to developing our business plan and pitch. Although there are imperfections, the effort and confidence we showed is something that led to our success. Particularly, I am extremely proud of our prototype because, even though it isn’t necessarily “good looking”, the completion of the final prototype made the time and effort we devoted to it worthwhile. I am also incredibly thankful for our two mentors, who gave us numerous helpful feedback and made our pitch more structured and logical.

Margaret: This victory was influenced by a lot of factors, and one of the biggest is the countless times Selena and I practiced our pitch. The week prior to the compeititon, we met up 3 times and practiced the pitch 2-3 times each time and worked on our business plan during those times as well. It is our dedication and teamwork that led to the victory of our team.

Selena: I believe it is the dedication, passion, and knowledge we had towards our project that allowed us to stand out among competing teams. Overall, our team was highly meticulous regarding all aspects in the business – from finance details, marketing strategies, and competitive positioning, we ensured that we had a thorough understanding about our business and had the ability to explain and justify all the choices we made in the process, which directly comes from continuous research and discussion with our mentor. Furthermore, I believe that one of our team’s highlight is the business presentation. We were able to display our authentic samples of our product and showed high passions and confidence towards our product during the pitch, which created a positive impression on our audience and judges.

Q: What are your most valuable lessons from the whole experience?

Rita: The most profound lesson gleaned from this experience is the imperative of harnessing knowledge to effect tangible change in the world. Throughout the journey of developing our business, we learned to prioritize addressing the genuine needs of society rather than only conceptualizing theoretical ideas. This directs us towards designing a product that could genuinely make contribution to society.

Anna: I think an important lesson I learned is having a good mindset. I had a better mentality during this year’s competition than last time because I viewed it more as an opportunity to appreciate and learn from other people’s business ideas, and there wasn’t an immense amount of pressure. I also realized that the purpose of the pitch is simply to showcase the idea that we worked for the past few weeks to others, and it shouldn’t be overly stressed over.

Selena: Thriving to be as resourceful as possible, and never be afraid to ask questions, research, and communication is one of the main takeaways I got from Avenir. During the process, our group encountered many business and financial concepts that were unfamiliar with – such as cashflow statement, runway, profit margin, and equity share – which made us feel anxious at first. Still, we demonstrated strong inquiry skills and proactively reached out to a range of sources we had access to, including our mentors, teachers, business supplier (like GRNTEX) and other relevant field professionals that were willing to share their insights. Learning about novel business concepts and models and directly applying them into our entrepreneurship idea is certainly a challenge. However, through overcoming this challenge, we were able to achieve substantial growth as a business learner, and enhanced our prepardness in the entire competition.

Q: What advice would you give to those who are thinking of participating in next year’s Avenir?

Eva: For those considering participating in next year’s Avenir, I advise to embrace the inevitable nervousness that comes with such an event. It is essential to approach the competition with a mindset of continuous learning and growth. Seek feedback from mentors and teammates, andremain open to making necessary adjustments. Remember that collaboration and effective teamwork are key to achieving success in this competition.

Margaret: I would say to practice your pitch as much as possible with your team and choose a business idea that you are truly passionate about as that would lead to exceptional teamwork and dedication throughout the whole process of preparation and when performing. Try not to get distracted by other team’s performances as that can really affect your confidence, so just try your best for the entire process!

Images: Courtesy of BCIS 

KEEP READING: Avenir Business Competition Sees International Participation for First Time

On Jan 26, Beijing City International School (BCIS) inaugurated its APEX Lab on school premises, heralding a step into the future of education at the International Baccalaureate (IB)-accredited school. The opening event was the culmination of a week’s worth of interactive robotics experiences and also hosted local award-winning innovator and founder of Tiangong Robotics, Xiao Jun, in a panel discussion with students, teachers and parents alike.

Functioning as both a tech-driven space and an intelligent robotics learning hub, the BCIS APEX Lab (also referred to as “The APEX”) aims to deliver a unique teaching experience and hands-on engagement for teachers and students. The APEX is a natural step up from the elementary school’s Maker Space and the middle school’s Design Technology Lab. It serves as a hub for learning, showcasing, and competitions, extending the school’s existing technology education initiatives. The word “apex” signifies the highest point, and in this case refers to the pursuit of academic excellence at BCIS as well as the school’s commitment to achieving outstanding accomplishments in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The aim is to lead innovation, adopt cutting-edge technology, and ensure the school remains at the forefront of tech education.

A week before the launch event, coffe-making and SRT fruit-sorting robots made their debut in the school cafeteria to spark students’ curiosity and encourage them to understand robot performance characteristics through observation and operation. Furthermore, the school collaborated with industry-leading robot education project developers to share insights with high school students on the “journey from maker to entrepreneur” and how they transform passion for robots into viable entrepreneurial projects.

BCIS believes that future education is not about describing the future but inspiring students to create it. True to that belief, student representative Jiarong revealed the collaborative efforts of teachers and students in designing The APEX. The construction involved converting an unused space into the envisioned learning environment, with students participating in 3D modeling and planning. Over nearly two years, the center was equipped with classroom robots, including existing LEGO EV3 and VEX V5 for both in-class and extracurricular teaching. Industrial robots were also introduced to emphasize practicality and problem-solving capabilities, inspiring students to think about future exploration areas.

With the launch of The APEX as a starting point, BCIS students will explore unmanned warehouses in e-commerce platforms, teachers will continue to iterate and upgrade tech courses, and the school will host large-scale robot competitions, focusing on cutting-edge technology to contribute to the deep integration of technological innovation and socio-economic development in the education industry.

Tom Egerton, principal of BCIS, states: “The APEX fits with our strategic direction of a personalized approach to education, developing collaboration and leadership skills. It challenges, inspires and empowers our students to dream big, aim high and reach their pinnacle. We hope in time ‘Meet you at The APEX’ becomes a common phrase at BCIS for parents, students, and teachers to gather to learn.”

Images: Courtesy of BCIS

KEEP READING:

Ok parents, admit it, you would have LOVED to have the resources that your kids have access to today. Stay tuned with us as we take a closer look at the coolest clubs, classes, and gadgets that are available to your kids at Beijing’s international schools.

Beijing City International School (BCIS) is an integral member of YueCheng Education. Founded in 2005, BCIS is a non-profit private school located in Beijing’s central business district (CBD). Approved by the Education Committee of Chaoyang District, Beijing, BCIS is a fully authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS).

YueCheng Education is committed to inspiring passionate, forward-thinking learners. Its mission is to enrich and enhance learning by empowering its member institutions that include Beijing City International School, YueCheng Kindergartens, YueCheng Education Research Institute, Learning Frontier, and Reading Frontier.

BCIS is a future-focused school, employing innovative educational practices and comprehensive learning strategies, and guiding and supporting students to make informed choices and creating unique life stories. The rigorous curriculum at BCIS creatively and authentically implements the Chinese national curriculum. Through personal learning experiences, BCIS students are challenged to be proactive thinkers and purposeful doers. Expert academic staff empower students by supporting and equipping them with the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in an uncertain future. Programs are implemented by an experienced and diverse faculty consisting of teachers from 20 different countries. BCIS is the center of a compassionate community that provides a home in the hustle and bustle of China’s capital city, and which is a hub of activity and care. Since 2009, BCIS has had over 400 graduates, spreading to over 20 different countries in their chosen universities around the world.

How Does BCIS Teach Tech Literacy?

What’s the best place in Beijing to learn about robots, computer programming, app development, and more? In the BCIS Makerspace and Design Technology (DT) facilities of course!

At BCIS, personalized future-focused learning prepares students for a rapidly changing world full of wondrous technology. Nowhere is this emphasis on technological literacy more evident than the Makerspace and DT classrooms, where students build the skills they need to succeed in a hi-tech world. Whether it’s basic programming or developing a brand-new phone app, when it comes to cutting-edge tech training for students, BCIS has it all!

Tech exploration starts at the BCIS Early Childhood Center (ECC) and Elementary School (ES), where students visit the Makerspace to use tools and technology to create fantastic projects. Students can make anything they imagine using 3D printers and laser cutters. One laser cutting machine allows young learners to sketch up their idea on paper and then cuts it for them!

Students from Grades 1-5 can safely explore these fascinating tools to turn their dreams into reality. Using their iPads, students combine their designs with digital modeling using Tinkercad digital design software. In addition to the plethora of tools in the Makerspace, students can also work with basic programming using Micro:bits and Meowbits to dive into the world of programming.

As students move to the BCIS Secondary School (SS), they continue their deep dives into different types of technology. In DT, students engage in investigative projects on subjects such as programming through projects centered around various tech tools. This past year, students in DT were able to assemble and program their own robots to perform problem-solving tasks and compete against other robotics teams. Starting with Lego robotics kits, students can move up to VEX robots where more complex programming and problem-solving are needed.

If robotic tech wasn’t cool enough, students eventually move away from kits and into working on integrated technology. The BCIS DT room comes with an abundance of components, from circuits and batteries to sensors that can measure rainfall and solar energy. As students begin to explore integrated tech, they take control of their learning, finding problems to solve themselves.

For example, one student last year designed a rotating solar panel that used a censor to track the position of the sun and move the panel. This added an additional 33 percent efficiency to the panel’s output, generating more energy and improving efficacy. After investigating integrated tech, SS students go on to hone their programming skills and develop their own mobile apps.

The projects students create in-class are not the only cool use of the technology found all around the BCIS campus. The school offers an array of exciting Enrichment Activities (EAs) that enhance student learning beyond the scope of the classroom. Interested students can join EAs to sharpen their tech talents, such as the Circuits EA, where students built their own 3D printer, or the Robotics EA, where teams build robots for competitions. All these wonderful curricular and extracurricular opportunities inspire students to be leaders in the technology-focused world of tomorrow!

Address: Main Campus: 77 Baiziwan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District 北京市朝阳区百子湾南二路77号
ECC Campus: 11 Dongbai Street, Chaoyang District  北京市朝阳区东柏街11号
WeChat: 北京乐成国际学校BCIS
Contact: 8771 7171 (Main Campus), 6770 0766 (ECC Campus), admissions@bcis.cn
Web: www.bcis.cn

Images: BCIS

Psssst, our sister publication the Beijinger is putting on its first-ever Burger Festival this Saturday, August 17 from 4-9pm at Beijing City International School. Why should you care (besides the fact that everyone loves burgers)? For one thing, entry is free for kids under 12 (and a very reasonable RMB 50 for adults). The ticket is redeemable at any vendor for a mini-burger and beer. Water, soft drinks, and fruits will also be available to keep everyone hydrated. There will be chairs and tables provided, but you can also bring your own mat to sit on and have a picnic-style day out. For younger kids, there will be three small inflated pools filled with toys to cool off in. Plus, moms and dads can enjoy some soothing late afternoon country music from the Randy Abel Stable band.

The munchies will be spirited away by the elite eight burger joints that made the cut: Home Plate Bar-B-Que (last year’s winner), Union Bar and Grille, Tim’s Texas Bar-B-Que, Great Leap Brewing, The Local, Blue Frog, Let’s Burger and Lily’s American Diner.

The final eight were chosen through a series of online voting heats on thebeijinger.com that closed on August 5. There will be a live cook-off, with the restaurants trying to make a lasting impression. The 2013 Burger Cup winner will be decided after live voting closes at 7.30pm.

Winning will not only be left to the restaurants, as there will be raffle draw with a bike from Vedett worth RMB 1,300. Also to be snapped up is a one-night stay at the Imperial Mansion, Beijing Marriott Exclusive Apartments and more.

See you there!