Lotte Mink, Class of 2015, Century Park Campus

I’m from Holland, and I’ve studied at the Century Park Campus since Year 6. The whole experience has been great. I feel like leaving YCIS is kind of like leaving a family, especially with all of the people I’ve met and all of the experiences we have shared together.

My greatest achievement at YCIS was the Art Exhibition that the IB Art students put on after we completed the IB Art course. It was a really great show at a professional gallery in Shanghai, and even more so, because we put so much hard work into it. When we finished setting up, it was amazing to look around and see how much work we put into this class and everything that had built up to that moment. It was a fantastic opportunity, and all of us were very proud of what we achieved.

At YCIS, I have been very active in other areas as well. I’ve joined the volleyball team, the Broadcasting Club, the life drawing Co-curricular course, and I’ve volunteered at events like the YCIS Global Child Day. One of the things that YCIS does best is that the school is able to provide students with many opportunities to grow. There are so many ways to get involved and gain experience, and there is always something to do around the school, whether you want to be involved in art, music, science, or technology. In every aspect of the school, there is an activity for you to get involved in. These experiences also allow you to decide what you like and what you want to do with your future.

There is a lot that makes YCIS great. The teachers are fantastic and they care about you as a person as well as your studies. Additionally, you make great friends with the students at the school and you will share amazing experiences with them that you will have for life. Furthermore, we have one of the best Chinese programmes that I know of. I haven’t lived in China for my whole life so far, but since I moved away from Holland when I was very young, I’ve lived in Taiwan and then Shanghai. Before I came to YCIS, I went to Chinese public school so my Chinese was actually better than my English when I enrolled. YCIS has really helped me to improve my English, and the Chinese programme has really helped me develop my language skills from where I started.

In the fall, I am going to the UK to attend Norwich University of the Arts to study Illustration. YCIS has helped make this possible through the IGCSE and IB Art programmes. My Art teachers at the school have encouraged me to build my own style and taught me how to interpret art and come up with ideas to create something of my own. In pursuit of this path, my teachers’ encouragement has been one of the biggest influences on me, and I am extremely grateful for their enduring support.