Graduation 2011 – Beijing Kids

Beijing’s Top 3 High School Graduation Speeches of 2011

Beijing’s top high school graduation speakers (from left): Helen Leung (YCIS); Melissa Powers (ISB); and Charlie Choi (BCIS)

For the past month, beijingkids has been following the graduations of international high schools across Beijing. Now that we’ve covered them all, we’ve put the students speeches to the test to come up with our editorial panel’s picks for the best speeches of 2011.

Six senior editors and personnel at True Run Media, the producers of beijingkids, cast a ballot for their top 3. Each judge reviewed all the essays, and awarded three points to their top pick, two points to their second pick, and one point to their third.

Once all the votes were tallied, three of the students speeches came out on top. Here’s our top picks:

1. Helen Leung, Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS)

2. Melissa Powers, International School of Beijing (ISB)

3. Charlie Choi, Beijing City International School (BCIS)

Congratulations to each of the top speech givers, as well as all the other graduating seniors across Beijing. May you bring fond memories of your time in Beijing to all corners of the planet, spreading the gospel of the capital city to all who don’t know its charms.

The full text of all three winning speeches are below.

Helen Leung, Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS)

Co-principals, teachers, students, friends, and fellow graduates:

Two weeks ago, I completed my last IB exam along with all the year 13 students. I cleaned out my locker, returned my textbooks, and threw away all my used notebooks. You would think that it must have felt good, and it did. But at the same time, a sense of emptiness washed over me because it felt like I was throwing away a part of me. It broke my heart because the pages represented every class that I took and the countless hours of hard work including the weekends and fun that I sacrificed to fill in the lines on these pages. I was scared that without my textbooks and notebooks, I would forget everything that I had learned, and it was frightening to realize that all I had left of IB was what I could remember off the top of my head! Only at that moment did I realize the true meaning of schooling. The value of our education lies within what we take with us, and what has already become a part of us, wherever we go and whatever we do in life.

As a child, I went to school and did what I was supposed to do because I was told that it was the right thing to do. And then I went to school for a few more years after that and did well just to prove to other people that I can be just as smart as my sister. But over the years, I gradually realized that my education did not belong to anyone else but myself, so I stopped studying for other people, and started taking responsibility and control over my own education.

So what have we learned over the years? I have to admit that I do not remember what any of my exams in 6th grade were about. But remember that kindergarten teacher who insisted that you copy your ABCs over and over again until they were perfect? Or how nervous you were when you delivered your first oral presentation in front of the whole class? Or how touched you were when everyone sang Happy Birthday to you? Through our every little experience in school, we piece together the lessons of responsibility, care, respect, integrity and teamwork.

Perhaps what is more important than the content of our class work is our perception in the meaning of education and the attitude we take when approaching our tasks. As Mark Twain said, “Never let your schooling get into the way of your education.” Ultimately, what we take with us as we leave high school is what we chose to learn over the years both inside and outside school. In the end, what we really learned are not the facts that we memorized for the sake of exams, but the knowledge and skills that interested us, touched us, mattered to us – and have become a part of us. Remember that it was the class that we chose to listen to, the lessons that we chose to learn from, the challenges that we chose to tackle, the mistakes that we were brave enough to make, and the obstacles that we faced in life that have allowed us to grow into stronger and better people. May you continue to explore your interests and passion regardless of what they are, and have the courage and open-mindedness to learn new things.

There are times when we ask ourselves why we are so much luckier than the millions out there who cannot afford an education and will remain illiterate for the rest of their lives. We question why they are less privileged than we are, and whether we deserve to be so advantaged. I have no answer to this question, but I do know that because life has presented us with so many opportunities, it is now our responsibility to use what we have learned and make the most out of our lives.

But of course, none of our achievements would have been possible without the infallible support of our families, teachers, and friends.

We thank our families for loving and accepting us, for showing us the way in life and for always being there to catch us when we fall.

Teachers, we are constantly touched by the passion and enthusiasm you bring into your work. Thank you for your patience, guidance and love. Thank you for leading by example and inspiring us to strive for our best. Thank you for helping us build our future.

Finally, thank you to all our fellow graduates. We have all laughed and cried through the highs and lows of our IB journey together. Today, there isn’t just one, but thirty one valedictorians in front of you because each and every one of us is unique and special in our own ways. We all came a long way and struggled through our own personal battles to reach where we are today. This is an important milestone to every one of us. In the end, know that it is not our grades or awards that matter, but more importantly it is the lessons that we have learned and the people that we have become that deserve our true celebration.

Today, we walk away from high school not knowing what the future holds, but the one thing we do know is that we will grow on.

亲爱的毕业生们，就让我们继续面对生命中的挑战，继续学习，继续成长吧！

Thank you and congratulations.

Melissa Powers, International School of Beijing (ISB)

Students and staff, family and friends, acquaintances and total strangers — in a word, hello. My name is Melissa Powers.

Today’s graduation marks the end of the eleven and a half year relationship that I have had with ISB. I can’t pretend that all of the experience I’ve had here was good — I’m not really sure anyone in this room can say that — but it was an experience, and that, I guess, is what counts.

When I first arrived here — here being the 3rd floor of the Beijing United hospital downtown — at an exceptionally obnoxious six years old, it never really occurred to me that my parents were paying for a world class education. Having lived overseas previously, an international school didn’t sound like anything special, and, maybe narrow-mindedly so, I spent most of my academic career under that impression.

Perhaps I was vaguely aware of claims like "best school in China" or "ranked high in Asia" thanks to my fiercely school-spirited peers, but having never had another education to compare this to, I had to ask myself what "this" is.

In a slightly less rambly way — what does the ISB education amount to? My immediate response to that question was to check a primary source — the ISB mission statement. Clocking in at a mere 53 words, it states that the goal of ISB is to "educate and inspire students to reach their unique potential and contribute positively to society."

Despite the incredible clause confusion in that sentence, it’s an admirable sentiment, and I honestly do believe that our school tries to make it a reality. For the education of students is not confined to scholarly pursuits. I hate stating the obvious as much as the next person, but I’ll probably say this again at some point only because it’s so … true. And I think that personal growth always has its place as an accidental afterthought in a rigorously academic environment such as ours. ISB attempts to help you reach your unique potential as much outside of class as inside of class. I would say that almost everyone is involved in after-school activities.

I don’t believe that a school would be complete without student interaction and participation, and it’s fairly obvious, I think, to see how those kinds of activities could help you find a path in life. A hobby or a career. Same goes with classes, but a bit less obviously.

I don’t need to explain how history helps you analyze past events, or how biology teaches you that you can get salmonella from cookie dough, or how every class will, at some point, lend you some kind of applicable skill for later life.

I don’t need to explain any of that, even though I just did. You pick up learning skills, you pick up social skills, you pick up patience and frustration and learn how to deal with procrastination. In many cases, we learn that we haven’t learned how to deal with procrastination. But it’s fine, as long as we do the learning bit.

Your unique potential is not a B+ on that essay, because I think most of the grade got that too. Your unique potential is getting that B+ and turning it into an A, or getting that B+ and publishing it in the China Daily, or getting a B+ and forgetting about it because you understand that it’s really not that important in the grand scheme of things — I can’t even describe how many unique potentials there are because by definition I would keep you here until next week, and I’d really prefer to graduate today.

Cause, after the relief of college acceptances and the impending departure from our proverbial bird nests, it could be a little disconcerting to think that everything you have worked for in the past few years is suddenly kind of nothing. All those late nights working on IAs or EEs or SATs or other acronyms, suddenly suddenly irrelevant.

But, I guess the magic is in overlooking the original significance of those items. Your extended essay, not as requirement, but as a really cool experience writing an in-depth research paper. Your internal assessments, not as the IBO’s attempts to make you suffer, but as a good gauge of how fast you can type the night before its due.

Don’t leave this room thinking that today is one of the most important days of your lives. Symbolic, maybe, but not significant. If you really think so, I’m not sure ISB has done its job correctly. Because the purpose of an education to for you to rise above it. Your big accomplishment is not leaving your school work behind, but the genuine doing-school-work parts, if you know what I mean.

If the school has helped you find something you love, you want to pursue; if the school has taught you any life skills at all, which, I really really hope it has … then, it’s done all right. We’ve all done all right, I guess, and that’s what counts. Because the education of students is not confined to scholarly pursuits. I told you I would say it again.

Thank you.

Charlie Choi, Beijing City International School (BCIS)

I’m horrible at telling jokes, so I might have to remind you that I am making a joke sometimes.

Good morning everyone! It is a great honor to stand here as the valedictorian of the Class of 2011. Every one of you at this moment deserves the utmost praise and recognition for your talents and accomplishments that make up who you are. At last, class of 2011, congratulations! We are graduating!

The four years of high school was like starship travelling at warp speed, which means real fast in Star Trek. Just getting used to high school as a little freshman seems like yesterday. How did we even get here? What has helped us to become our incredible selves today? Renowned psychiatrist William Glasser once said, “We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, belonging, power, fun, and freedom.” These five genetic needs would not have been satisfied if not for help from numerous people sitting in this room today.

Survival: I come from an average family with very hardworking parents relentlessly sacrificing and giving so I could survive a privileged teenage years. They chose to abandon their potentially luxurious life, and in turn provide an opportunity for me to receive top-notch education and lead a better life than they did. And, it is not just about the money. Their values, philosophies, and love have guided me to grow up into an upright person filled with optimism, wisdom, and compassion. I believe all the parents in this room did so as well. Thank you so much, we will never forget your love, sacrifices and guidance.

Belonging: During my three years in BCIS, I have made so many friends. In fact in a small school like BCIS, it is quite hard not to. My fellow graduates, we all come from different backgrounds and have different stories to tell, but we have laughed, cried, fought, and forgiven together. You were my motivation to wake up at 7:00AM everyday, because with you, I felt like I belonged to a caring group of people. Now as we get ready to embark on different journeys to different parts of the world, we must not forget each other. We will soon belong to different communities, but remember that your roots belong with the BCIS Class of 2011. We will be each other’s most important assets in life when aspiring for that brighter future. I am seriously curious as to our futures five years later. Who knows, Tom might be playing for the Chinese Badminton national team, Daniel might become a Chinese teacher in Korea, Yunan could be playing for Barcelona FC Iga could become a Polish supermodel, or Jong Gwon might discover cure for Alzheimer’s. So people, get Facebook and add each other. ‘Like’ each other’s status once in a while and keep in touch!

Power: My fellow graduates, I would also like to leave you with a thought. Looking back at the last four years of high school, I have so many regrets that I wish I could travel backwards in time. The things that we wished to do but weren’t able to, or the mistakes we made that changed our lives, we all wish we could travel back in time and change them. I sincerely wish to go back to ninth grade and start working out, and stop eating chocolate, and then maybe I could have been a better soccer player.

Unfortunately, we don’t have the power to travel back in time. What we do have is the power to take control of our lives, act immediately according to our will, and take responsibility for our actions. Author Henry David Thoreau once said, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." So, go learn that guitar you wanted to learn years ago. Go chat up that cute girl you fancied since 9th grade but were too shy to do so. Go start studying as hard as you can, so you can be the valedictorian of the class of 2015 at your university. It is never too late to do something that you wished you had done in the past. Today is a perfect place to start. I would like to thank our teachers at this point, for education is a human right with immense power, and without our teachers’ care and effort, we would not have had such power to take control of our lives. Thank you so much!

Fun: Even though the four years of high school were painful, especially the last two in the forced labor camp of the IB diploma (that’s a joke), they were nonetheless extremely fun! Before coming to BCIS, I wasn’t very much a laughing person. Now, I can laugh at anything, anywhere, anytime. Students in Math SL class would know that students love the class not for the math, but for Mr. Patrick. Which other math teacher in the world has such a wonderful collection of newly imported shirts from Africa? Who would have thought that English could be so interesting if not for Mr. Selkirk’s hilarious jokes and sarcasm? Who else could make as many ridiculous noises as our very own Yunan could make? Everyday at BCIS was filled with small yet hilarious moments that alleviated our stress in school and made it a desirable place to be.

Freedom: Although we all loved being at BCIS, we absolutely do prefer life after the IB. Today is the start of that freedom! We are liberated from internal assessments, oral presentations, and all other forced labor on the IB diploma program! But seriously, such rigorous education is what has given us the freedom – which has opened our minds, and our hearts, and helped us to make connections we never would have made. I understand graduation is a bittersweet moment, but please do not cry. Instead, put on a big smile, congratulate each other, and enjoy this moment.

Today is the end, and we have all reached a milestone in our lives. Today is also the new beginning for a brighter future we all dream of. Congratulations Class of 2011. We have made it!

* * *

The voting panel consisted of: Jerry Chan, Editorial Director, True Run Media; Imogen Kandel, Managing Editor, beijingkids; Jonathan White, Managing Editor, the Beijinger; Jennifer Thome, Managing Editor, Agenda; Lilly Chow, Copy Editor, True Run Media; and Michael Wester, General Manager, True Run Media

Graduation 2011: No. 55 High School IB Section graduates receive their diplomas

Proud Beijing No. 55 High School grads flash their diplomas

Today we conclude our series on international high school graduations in Beijing. To read the whole series, visit our archive here. Stay tuned next week for the results of our editor’s panel choices for the top 3 Graduation Speeches of 2011.

Beijing No. 55 High School

Beijing No. 55 High School was founded in 1957 and became the first school in the Chinese mainland to offer the international baccalaureate program in 1994. Since then, more then 4000 students from 110 countries have come to study at No. 55.

This year’s graduates celebrated with a ceremony on June 28t. Under the hard work of both students and faculty, the graduates of this year’s graduating class have been admitted to 40 top universities worldwide, including: University of British Columbia, Purdue University and University of Sydney as well as Beijing University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University.

In the many years it has been operating No. 55 has prided itself on creating a beautiful learning environment for students, with top facilities and quality. With a new renovations finished, the school is looking to expand its student population in the near future.

Pictures from the school’s graduation can be seen in our gallery here.

Graduation 2011: Harrow Class of 2011 graduates toss their boater hats and look to the future

In their blazers, with bright gazes, the Harrow sixth formers look like they are ready to take on what the world has to offer them at the Leaver’s Ball.

Throughout the month of June we have captured the graduation ceremonies of more than a dozen international high schools in Beijing. To review the ones we’ve covered so far, click here. We still have a few more to go, so check in each weekday at 10am for more.

Harrow International School Beijing

Following English tradition, Harrow does not have a graduation ceremony per se, but their Speech Day and Leaver’s Ball are their equivalent.

Harrow celebrated the sixth form leaves with Speech Day on Saturday morning June 25 with formal speeches delivered by Head Boy Saikiran Adapa and Head Girl Aurelie Babey. They also celebrated with the Leaver’s Ball on Wednesday evening June 29 at the Swiss Hotel, where fellow Head Boy and Head Girl gave informal speeches and prefects, the graduates received their Leaver’s certificates, while celebrating with classmates, friends, and teachers.

Photos of Thursday’s ball can be found in our online gallery here.

Head Girl Aurelie Babey and Head Boy Saikiran Adapa

Saikiran Adapa is originally from Visakhapatnam, India and has been in Beijing for 2 years. He will study engineering at Cambridge University and plans to pursue aeronautical engineering or mechanical engineering in the future.

Aurelie Babey was born in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France and has spent 6 years in Beijing. She plans to study for a Bachelor of Exercise Science: Athletic Therapy at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Here is the speech delivered by Saikiran:

Good morning Honoured Guests, Staff, Parents and fellow students I would like to take a slightly unusual approach to this speech. Next year I am going to university to study Engineering and in thinking back over my time at Harrow I have tried to analyse what makes this school special in Engineering terms: what are the inputs, processes and outputs of Harrow International School Beijing?

Let’s start with the inputs. The raw materials are the students, the staff and the school site.

First the students: there are not that many of us but this isn’t a weakness, it’s more of a strength. It is possible to know everyone’s name, the atmosphere is more like a family and teachers are able to give more attention to each individual.

A feature of Harrow is the close relationships with teachers, who not only teach us the subject, but share their life experiences both of university and beyond. The teaching is excellent and often pushes us beyond the exam specifications.

The new site will no doubt be wonderful but even the current school provides us smart boards, laptops, a new 6th form study room and excellent resources for independent study in the library.

Once you have your inputs you can start processing and the most important process happening in any school is learning. I guess most of you are immediately thinking of academic subjects, and the prizes we have awarded today show that Harrow values excellence across a whole range of disciplines.

I know for a fact that my parents believe academic work to be the most important part of school life, but at Harrow the learning does not stop at ten past three. The tutor system puts emphasis on the whole person, and the student is able to share his problems with the tutor. The leadership in action co-curricular activities, expeditions and house events all add an extra dimension to our learning, building character, experience and social awareness – these can not be taught inside the four walls of a classroom.

For me personally this has been really important. I have learned far more than my academic subjects. Being head boy has developed my leadership, time management, negotiation and team working skills while facing numerous challenges and I would like to thank Mr. Murchie and the prefect team for all I have learned from you. Anna showed amazing strength of character when she took the initiative to carry out fund raisers after the Japan earthquake. Simon’s commitment and dedication have been flawless and it is not surprising that he is the first person at Harrow to complete the International Award at Silver level. Aurelie’s consistency in enforcing the rules around school is amazing and she has been utterly reliable, keeping us on track and reminding us of impending events.

I would like to encourage all my fellow students to learn all you can from each other and to make the most of the tutorial and co-curricular opportunities given to you. Do your best in your academic studies but learn and develop in all your other dimensions as well.

Harrow has a stringent quality control system, which includes the parent-teacher conferences and those reports that teachers hate writing, students hate receiving but parents love reading. I would like to thank all the parents here for your patience and guidance. Thank you for supporting us, both when we do well and when we have bad days – and for baking cakes again and again for every fundraiser without any complaints.

And so we come to the final stage: the outputs. These are the Harrovians you see before you today, whose achievements we have celebrated together. My peers display fantastic qualities: confidence, academic success, global awareness, leadership skills and a strong sense of community.

However as an engineer, this excellence presents something of a challenge. As well as the stages we have considered, there must be some other unquantifiable, almost magical ingredient that somehow transforms the whole so it is greater than the sum of its parts. While I cannot claim to fully understand what this is, as a Harrovian I am very grateful for all that this school has given me.

Thank You.

Here is the speech delivered by Aurelie:

Parents, Teachers, Family, Friends, Governors and Headmaster; Good morning.

I’d like to begin this speech with a quote by Winston Churchill, that reflects my time spent in Harrow. “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”

When I first came to this school I could not speak a word of English. I struggled to follow classes, especially Science, which was the subject I wanted to pursue. The first few months were difficult but I was determined, and by December I was confident enough to talk comfortably with my classmates and teachers. Getting involved in class discussions and even taking exams became much easier. This was the first challenge that I needed to overcome at Harrow but as some of you know, learning English is simply the first step.

Success is not final.

Going into the Lower Sixth was a big change, with Mr Murchie fighting a losing battle against our love of technology. Apparently watching movies in your free periods will not help you to achieve high marks in your A Levels – I won’t mention names (*cough*), year 12s. We had Mr Murchie on our backs the whole time about absolutely everything – academics, English, being a role model (repeat the words 3 times).

However, despite the nagging and all of his constant reminders, you realize that the legendary Mr. Murchie is simply trying to help and support you. And we always appreciate that at the end of the day!

Failure is not fatal.

When I had to repeat Year 12 it made me grow even more and want to become a leader within the school! I would not have been Head Girl now if it weren’t for that retake year. The fact that I went for the position has made me the person I am today – determined, strong and committed In French you say “Prendre son courage a deux mains”, take your courage in both hands and you keep going.

Harrow has taught me to be a leader. But what makes a great leader? To me, a great leader has Pride, passion and purpose. Pride the very second you wear that school uniform and walking through the corridors; the passion to lead by example and be a role model for younger students. The passion and the desire to improve, to develop and to grow stronger every day. And finally, purpose. My purpose is to get far in life and to achieve every single one of my goals.

Furthermore, behind a great leader there is a great team. A leader can only be great by communicating well with their team and by delegating to, organizing and managing that team effectively. Without communication you can’t do anything. A team succeeds together.

Most important of all, Harrow has taught me to give to others, whether this be to the survivors of the earthquake in Japan or to a small charity that just needs some blankets and winter clothes. Harrow is a great school in which every student contributes and learns that sometimes it is worth giving up your favorite things to put a smile on an orphan’s face. Even though you have to take different paths in life you will get to your goal one way or another and you cannot give up. Even broken thumbs shouldn’t stop you.

No matter where I end up in life, no matter where I go, I know that I will always be relying on my skills learned at Harrow and am proud to call myself a Harrovian!

To conclude this final year, I would like to thank our families, friends and teachers for supporting and encouraging us through our A Levels without even thinking of giving up on us. A special thanks to this year’s prefect’s team: Sai, Anna and Simon. We have done an amazing job this year, raising tons of money for the sixth form and charity, and we still managed to sort out University stuff and keep up with our final exam studies. So, CONGRATS!

To the new prefect’s team – good luck! We set the bar so high that it is doubtful you’ll do better. Oh well, keep trying. To all the other students, whether you are in Year 5 or coming in to the Lower Sixth, fight all the way for what you believe in and want to achieve, and do not give up. Otherwise I’ll come back here and tell you off. To my fellow Upper Sixth mates, good luck in your new studies, this is not end, just the beginning.

FAREWELL. Thank you and have a great day!

Graduation 2011: British School of Beijing sends off first-ever graduating Class

BSB’s first ever graduating class has hopes to soar as high as balloons in their future endeavors

The British School of Beijing

The British School of Beijing (BSB) held their first-ever Sixth Form (senior year) graduating class on June 24. Eight students graduated, representing 7 different nationalities — French, Filipino, Korean, Mongolian, Brazilian, British and Canadian. All the students worked incredibly hard throughout the years culminating into a fantastic ceremony which sent off the first cohort of BSB students to universities across the globe.

BSB also held their Year 6 class graduation with over 90 students on June 19th and 24th. Moving from primary to secondary school is a huge step for younger students, to mark the occasion graduation ceremonies were held at both campuses; from a very formal presentation and BBQ at the BSB Sanlitun campus to an afternoon disco and awards ceremony in the Shunyi campus.

Check out more pictures from the ceremonies here.

Head girl Min Jung Kang delivers her graduation speech

Head girl Min Jung Kang delivered the graduating class speech. Min Jung is from Seoul, South Korea and has been living in Beijing for 13 years. She will be attending the University of Creative Arts, London to study Art and Graphic Design.

Here is her speech:

Hello everyone, I am delighted to give a speech at this special event.

Welcome everyone to the first graduation in the British School of Beijing. My name is Min Jung Kang, Head Girl at BSB. First of all I would like to mention that I am very proud to be part of the class of 2011. It is sad how we have to say our farewell to all the teachers and friends. It feels like we have just begun high school, getting to know each other, but in reality, some of us have already known each other for over five years.

I cannot believe how fast the time has passed. We have gone through both highs and lows but these experiences will lead us to the next step of our lives. Being part of our school I have realised how many opportunities I have had, by being able to represent the school in both sports and education events.

Also, I now realise how grateful I am to be introduced to the A-Level curriculum, where I was able to study the subjects I wished to learn in such a high level of detail. This allowed me to find and work out what my future ambitions are and the career path I would like to follow; all of this was done with full support from the university counselor and teachers.

I know we are all excited about the future, and everything that has happened to us, everything we have been through, has made us into who we are today. Although we have to move on, our high school memory in BSB will always be inside our hearts. We might not all be near each other and we may all be going to different countries, but hopefully, we will have a chance to meet in the future and if not, we will always have our memories of Beijing.

Thank you.

Graduation 2011: Congratulations to St. Paul’s Class of ‘11

St. St. Paul American School seniors say farewell to their high school years

May and June is graduation season — and we’ve been covering international high school graduations for the past two weeks. We bring you more every weekday for the rest of June. Check out our posts on each of the schools so far here.

St. Paul American School

The seniors at St. Paul finished their high school years at their graduation ceremony June 16. The thirteen students from 8 countries, dressed in black caps and gowns with white tassels and white scarves, proudly took their diplomas.

The stage was tastefully decorated with white, pink, and lavender bouquets. The school band performed live. It was a day of congratulations and celebrations. Students celebrated prom night on May 28.

For more pics from the St. Paul graduation, see our gallery here.

St. Paul’s valedictorian receives his diploma!

Valedictorian AG Turner delivered the graduating class speech. He has been in Beijing for a year and has been accepted to the University of British Columbia. Here is his speech:

Hans Zimmer, a German composer, said, ‘Why get up in the morning unless you’re going to have an adventure?’ So, having quoted that, I stand here this morning ready to step out into the world and I feel apprehensive and yet excited at the same time.

To my fellow graduates, this is the end of our school adventure and the beginning of – or another step in – our adventure of life. I hope you’re ready for it! While my time here at Saint Paul has been shorter than for many of you, I quickly came to feel part of the school community. S.P.A.S. has a unique learning and living environment with students (and teachers) from many different cultures coming together to complete our schooling in both English and Chinese. It is an innovative idea to give students not only the opportunity to become fluent in two (or more) languages, but also the chance to graduate with qualifications from both the American and Chinese education systems.

When I look back on my time here at S.P.A.S. some of the things that will make me smile are watching my sister play football against other schools and yelling every time the ball came near her, cheering for S.P.A.S on sports day, the length of time it took us to get to Mongolia and how cold it was when we arrived, teachers coming to check us in the dorms at night and Mr Gable saying ‘Okey Dokey’.

On behalf of everyone graduating today, I want to thank all the teachers who have helped, guided, cajoled, disciplined and even yelled at us. Each one of you has been a part of this adventure and none of us would be graduating today without your patience, wisdom and generosity. We will soon be living in many different countries but the lessons we have learnt here at the school, and in China, makes us unique and ready to participate in a multi-cultural world.

I don’t have a crystal ball and can’t say exactly what our lives will be like in the coming years, but I can say this: life is unpredictable – we never know what is headed our way. So live life to the fullest, make every day count and remember that mistakes are part of the learning process. A famous Spanish proverb sums it up best by saying, ‘A life lived in fear is a life half lived’.

Tsinghua International School says goodbye to the Class of 2011

Personal moments were shared with the crowd at the Tsinghua International School Class of ‘11 graduation

Graduation season is almost at an end. We congratulate all high school graduates from Beijing’s international schools, and wish you all the best in your future endeavors! Check out our coverage of all of Beijing’s international high school graduations here. And stay tuned for the conclusion of the series beginning Monday.

Tsinghua International School — bid farewell to its six graduating seniors June 22. The six individuals dressed in black caps and gowns with purple scarves, the traditional school color.

The ceremony began with a speech from THIS’ executive principal, then an inspiring guest speech by long-term Beijing expat Sabina Brady, one of the founders of WAB and past country director for the Clinton Foundation in Beijing. Brady shared her words of wisdom with graduates, telling them to embrace the unexpected (“yi wai” (意外) as she put it in Chinese) because in ‘life there are no straight lines.’ Sabina also enlightened the graduates by attempting to define the meaning of success — she believes that success is not achieved through material wealth, but that success can come in all shapes and sizes, regardless of how much money you have.

Collectively the graduates have been offered places at 12 universities: Colulmbia University, UC Berkeley, University of Southern California, UCLA, University of Michigan, UC San Diego, Fordham University, Indiana University, Michigan State University, Drexel University, Arkansas State University and Trinity Western (Canada).

Check out some images from the graduation here.

In addition to the seniors, 5th and 8th graders at the school were honored at the ceremony for moving on to middle school and high school, respectively. Graduates shared personalized heartfelt picture presentations of all the memorable times they had shared together, including pictures from childhood. Schoolmates cheered on one another as their friends received awards for leadership and academics.

Excited parents, siblings and teachers cheered on as the graduates took the stage one by one. Rather than choosing one student to deliver a speech, THIS gave all six of its graduates a chance to offer a short personal statement. Here are the speeches:

Rui (Rick) Chen: I believe that if all people could capture the opportunity presented to them, they would be amazed with what they can achieve. Last May, I was assigned to do a rap “Love the Way You Lie” by Eminem. English is not my first language, so I listened to the song hundreds of times to imitate the way the singer rapped. I tried and failed thousands of times during the process. I never expected that I could rap, but I did it, and I believe everybody in this school can achieve success. Many of you are really talented geniuses; many of you are hardworking students. Cherish the good qualities you possess. Lastly, I want to say that while people come and go, leaving doesn’t mean losing; departure doesn’t mean forgetting. I really appreciate that you came into my life and were beside me all along the way. I love you all.

Daniel Huang: Playing the drums is mainly about keeping time, but when I play, I feel relief from the burdens of time. I start with my bass drum on a solid quarter note beat, until it becomes an integral part of me, like the beating of my heart. I then lift my two arms and initiate a dynamic dialogue between my toms, mindful of the pulse generated by my bass drum. Gradually, I build in volume and intensity until the climax, where I release all my remaining energy and pent-up emotion, ending with an invigorating crash! One thing I know: I love drumming. The energy, excitement, and empowerment of the drums all serve to drown out all the nuisances that I encounter on a daily basis. To me, drumming is like life itself: it’s fun, it’s satisfying, and it’s an indispensible form of self-expression, a catalyst for rejuvenation and transformation. It is an essential and undeniable part of my existence.

Yan Jin: I have many beliefs. I believe that one day soon, we shall achieve world peace, that racism and discrimination will end once and for all. I believe that answering all the scientific questions in the world is not always for the best and that men should start to bond more with Mother Nature. I value culture and books because they are what make us different and interesting. I believe in valuing friends and family more than money. I value their well-being and happiness well before my own. I will never forget the memories I made with my friends here at T.H.I.S. I want to tell the next graduation class – "See you later, suckers!" Ok, just joking. I want to tell them, study hard and be ready to fill out your college applications. Don’t worry, because after January you’re basically free! I also want to say thank you. Thank you for all the time we spent together at T.H.I.S., thank you for allowing me to meet you all. And, thank you for becoming my second family. I’ll miss you all.

Cory Guo-Chuen Lee: T.H.I.S. is my first international school. Before that, I was in a Chinese school; I knew that what I learned there was only useful for tests and exams. Now being a graduating student, I value the time I’ve spent here. I still remember the first time I came to T.H.I.S. That first year I nearly failed all my classes. And now as I go to college, everything will be new once again, and I will soon have to adapt once more. Schools have a tradition of graduates leaving some suggestions to the younger classes. I would say this: “I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. For in much wisdom is much folly, and those who increase knowledge also increase sorrow. The only thing to stop this is to give oneself more entertainment, and to relax.” That is my opinion, and that is who I am.

Wing Yan Lun (Renee) Lun: I believe that people should learn from their past mistakes. Live your life to the fullest and remember all your experiences because no matter how bad or good it was, they all play an important role in your lives, especially in helping us mature. I believe people must learn to be independent, and once a person gets enough experience, they will become successful. Personally speaking, I think that the most important thing in life is that you can’t lose your friends. During hard times, one has their friends’ comfort and support to help them get through it. And when my life ends, I will tell God that even though my life was short, it was memorable. Thank you for allowing me to be born into a world where I had loving friends and family. If not for them, I would probably be a lost and wandering soul. I had great times at T.H.I.S. and I am happy to be able to meet every one of you, because you all are my brothers and sisters. Thank you.

Kyoung Hyun (Kevin) Na: I came to T.H.I.S and learned what leadership is. When I got in student council I was the 11th grade representative. My responsibility was to the 11th graders and helping the faculty advisors build up our school community. To be honest, many times I was really upset with the school class president because his ideas were greatly different from how I envisioned the school to be. Once I reached 12th grade, I joined the volleyball team, basketball team and soccer team, and became a captain for all three teams. I yelled a lot, got angry a lot, and didn’t know how to be a good team leader – someone who encourages his teammates, even when there seems to be no hope. Throughout the year, I was able to grasp the idea and what it took to be a good leader. Mr. Webb taught me this; he was like a father to me, mentoring me and teaching me about how to lead a team. Even though he always called me a loser, I knew he meant it with love. I think this school has changed me for the better; I wish you all luck at T.H.I.S., it will be a memorable part of your life.

Canadian International School of Beijing bids adieu to Class of ’11

Each weekday this month at 10am we bring you details of one of Beijing’s international school graduations. Check here for an archive of our coverage so far.

The Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB)

The Canadian International School of Beijing bid farewell to 18 graduating seniors on June 21 in a ceremony and reception held at the school’s campus near Liangmaqiao.

The intimate ceremony featured a nostalgic slide show of pictures of each of the graduating seniors from childhood to the present day.

In a twist representative of the global nature of the class, valedictorian Janet Wright, who had already departed Beijing by the time the ceremony took place, delivered her speech via a multimedia presentation that was broadcast to the class.

This was the third graduation of CIS, currently celebrating its 5th year anniversary, and the first time the school has issued IB diplomas in addition to their accredited Canadian high school diplomas.

For more pictures of the ceremony, please visit our gallery here.

Here is Janet’s speech:

Hello! Greetings teachers, parents, and of course the graduating class of 2011!

Wow, today we are graduating and we have reached another chapter in our lives. Friends, this has been the best year ever, because it is filled with memories of friendship and hard work.

Now I’d like to take some time to thank the school administration which has allowed me to make my speech via a video, and this allows me to incorporate sound effects, images and of course all the multimedia you can imagine!

Today we will receive those diplomas, knowing that they are the fruits of our hard work and perseverance. Everyone here has participated in one school event or another and many of us have been loyal members of the Social Committee, Student Xouncil, the newspaper team, the yearbook team, Global Issues, the Math Help Center, and more.

We have worked together to create awesome socials, charity events and brought amazing memories to all students in the school. So we have reasons to be proud to be the Class of 2011, because we were there to take a stand; we were there to put forth new ideas; and we were there to set a great example for generations of graduates to come.

Now I’d like to take a few minutes to thank everyone who has made these high school years amazing.
First I’d like to thank my parents for all the support they gave me. Next, I’d like to thank my brother David, who, apart from being my tallest buddy, also never fails to lend a joke to cheer up a rainy day.

Of course I’d like to thank the teachers for always being there whenever we needed them. And also I’d like to thank my friends and classmates for being so supportive and active during the school year.

Even though I’m halfway around the world right now I will miss all of you and all the memories we had as a class together. I just want to say never stop trying to reach your dreams and remember, you are the graduating class of 2011, you have made this day possible, and you will always be a cherished alumni of CISB.

Thank you!

ISB says farewell to Class of ‘11

ISB’s Class of 2011 poses in front of the iconic Tiantan

June is high school graduation season in Beijing, and every weekday in June we’re bringing you coverage of Beijing’s international high school graduations. Check out the ceremonies we’ve covered so far here and stay tuned each weekday at 10am for more.

ISB (International School of Beijing)

ISB celebrated their high school graduation on June 4th, with 146 students from 22 countries. Teachers and parents packed the ISB auditorium for the standing room-only affair.

ISB’s Class of 2011 selected the theme of "yue" (越) meaning "to surpass or exceed" for the event. "Yue" embodies the students’ continuous pursuit of excellence, hoping their class will soar into a better and brighter day than the last. A specially-prepared vanilla cake decorated with the names of every graduate was served at a post-ceremony reception on campus.

See more pictures from the important day here.

Student speakers Daniel Plafker and Melissa Powers spoke at the ceremony, which can be viewed online at the ISB website by clicking here (Daniel’s speech can be viewed at 00:08:15 and Melissa’s at 00:11:30).

Melissa’s speech is excerpted below:

Students and staff, family and friends, acquaintances and total strangers — in a word, hello. My name is Melissa Powers, and I am your second student speaker this afternoon.

Don’t leave this room thinking that today is one of the most important days of your lives. Symbolic, maybe, but not significant. If you really think so, I’m not sure ISB has done its job correctly. Because the purpose of an education to for you to rise above it. Your big accomplishment is not leaving your school work behind, but the genuine doing-school-work parts, if you know what I mean.

Thank you.

Graduation 2011: Hats off to IAB Class of ‘11

IAB graduates look ahead to the future

Graduation days are upon us. In May and June Beijing’s international schools have been bidding farewell to their senior classes. We’ve been reporting on these graduations with details on each class and the text of speeches delivered by the students … check out our coverage so far here. Stay tuned each weekday at 10am as we bring you more.

IAB (International Academy of Beijing)

The twelve seniors at the International Academy of Beijing graduated from high school at a ceremony witnessed by family, friends and faculty on June 4. The students came from six different countries and special music was provided by the High School Chorus followed by soloists Bellamy Tang and Pauline You.

Students celebrated their accomplishment in style at the China World Hotel in a private dinner with family and faculty. The night was wonderful, and students took turns speaking about their time at IAB, with teachers sharing meaningful and funny moments they had shared with students over the past few years. It was a celebratory night filled with joy and delight.

Below is a full list of graduates:

Eugene Ahn from the United States has received a scholarship offer from Berea College in Kentucky and plans to study Psychology.

Jamin Ahn from the United States was admitted to Emory University in Georgia, and is considering studying a dual degree in Science and Biomedical Engineering.

Joel Colina Fung from Venezuela will attend Queen Mary University of London in the fall and prepare for a career in Law.

Ryan Kim from Korea will attend the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in the fall and plans to study Biochemistry.

MJ Koo from Korea will apply to Korean Universities in the fall.

Fiona Leung from Canada will attend the University of British Columbia in the fall, and plans to study in the Faculty of Arts.

Cielle Lucas from the United States will attend the University of Oregon in the fall, and plans to double major in Environmental Science and Chinese.

Angel Moon from Korea plans to attend Heriot-Watt University in the fall and major in fashion merchandising and retail management.

Centane Nasri from Indonesia has been admitted to the University of The Hague in The Netherlands. He plans to study Law.

Bellamy Tang from the United States/Hong Kong will attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison and plans to major in Mechanical Engineering.

Pauline You the United States will attend Biola University in the fall and is considering majoring in Political Science, Art, and/or Music.

Christina Yuan from the United States will take a gap year before pursuing further
studies.

For more pictures of the graduates click here.

IAB graduate Bellamy Tang delivers his speech

Bellamy Tang, the Senior Representative for his class, gave the graduating speech. Here it is:

Honored Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, and the Graduating Class of 2011.

When I was asked to speak at the graduation, the first thing that came to mind was the beginning. What was freshmen year like? Then I realized that, since 9th grade, 17 (yes, I counted) 17 of our classmates have come and gone.

Seventeen is a pretty significant number, considering that there are only 11 of us here today, ready to receive our diplomas. But this is what it’s like to be a part of this school. Everything is constantly changing. Most people don’t like changes, but for us, somewhere along the way, we have learned to adapt and accept. We have become an active and unified class.

In our heart, we know that even in chaos, God has a plan. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future."

With that in mind, we no longer fear the future and we put our focus on the present. This is the kind of people we have become; we embrace the changes life brings to us and we make the most out of it.

Well, here we are. I don’t know about you, but I am very excited. As we walk out of that door today, we will finally be done with High School! But before we do that, my fellow Graduates, take a look around, and take a mental picture of the faces in this room. Remember them, because these are the people who have been here for us.
I want to take this time, and give thanks to all of you.

Parents, thank you. For the lessons of life you have taught us; for the times you have picked us up when we fell; and most of all, for believing in us. Please know that we will always be grateful for your effort to provide us with everything we need to become who we are.

Teachers and faculty, you are our mentors. You are the ones who guide us towards the gate of knowledge; you are the ones who encourage us to explore the unknown. Thank you, IAB. We will always remember how to find the area under a curve, how to appreciate poetry, how to take responsibility, and many more lessons we have learned here.

Friends, thank you for the memories. We will always remember the enrichment weeks, the sports tournaments, and the times we spent wandering the streets after school. These are the memories we will cherish forever. With you, the joy last longer, and the sorrow ends sooner. You have made this journey that much easier. Each one of you here took part in building, shaping, and molding us into the people we now are. Because of you, we know that we are prepared for whatever is ahead of us.

We know that there is a group of people who will always have our back. So let’s go and have a blast and be who we are meant to be, Class of 2011, we owe it to everyone that has helped us along the way. How? It’s simple really, just be the amazing person that you are, and whatever you do, do with all your heart. Let’s go and show the world what we are made of!