Libby, Year 11, Century Park Campus

Over the past 11 years, YCIS has given me so many things to be thankful for. Lifelong friends, caring teachers, and a global education are all part of my experience as a YCIS student. I have times when I take these special opportunities for granted, forgetting that my experiences here are unique and wonderful.

Not many sixteen-year-olds have best friends from all over the world – my closest classmates and I always are joking about having a Model United Nations meeting at our lunch table. We would have representatives from India, Australia, Italy, Germany, Nigeria, America, and Spain, just to name a few. We never have a dull moment together, and learning about each other’s cultures and traditions can lead to crazy discussions and I couldn’t be more grateful to YCIS for introducing me to these awesome friends. 

My teachers here at YCIS do way more than just teach me the academic curriculum – I’m continuously learning life lessons from them. One moment that stands out in my mind is the time a few friends and I were going on about our workload and I jokingly stated that “I couldn't wait for retirement”. Our teacher overhead this and he told us “If you spend your whole life looking forward to retirement, you will never value your life as you live it”. His words stood out to me and I’m now thankful for no longer looking at my days as a countdown, but rather as days to do something. 

Ask anyone in my class and we will all tell you that Global Perspectives is the most time-consuming and challenging subject we take; however it is also the most insightful. We look at international issues, their causes, and their effects. We spend hours researching our own individually chosen projects, and we become experts in our little areas. Our talks in class usually involve heated debates that are never boring, and I’m grateful to YCIS for encouraging us to study these interesting subjects. 

YCIS is where I’ve grown up, and I’m forever thankful for the person it has shaped me to be.