20th birthday a cause of pride and a reason for reflection

More than 1,800 students of 41 nationalities are joining 250 staff, supportive parents, generous benefactors, more than 800 alumni and well-wishers to raise a  toast this year to the 20th birthday of the Canadian International School of Hong Kong, as they salute the academic and extracurricular achievements, and contributions to society.

A landmark is being hailed, while recalling with pride the many milestones along the way.

Founded in 1991, the school has elevated itself to the stature it enjoys today with the unfailing support of the Chinese-Canadian Association of Hong Kong, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Canadian Consulate General of Hong Kong.

Celebrations will reflect on the history and the 13 graduating classes, and will reach a crescendo with The Roaring Twenties Anniversary Ball featuring The Canadian Cotton Club on Saturday, 25 February 2012 at The Grand Hyatt Ballroom.

The anniversary logo that adorns the souvenirs, banners, posters, hats and everything else, itself has been designed by a talented young student and selected from 100-plus entries to a contest.

In the past two decades, the school, which is now spread over a 31,000 square metre campus, has evolved from its infancy hosting 81 students who studied in a four-storey rented building in Causeway Bay, where the children had to haul their books to the classrooms by climbing 150 steps. There was not even a computer network, then.

Now, the entire campus is wireless, and the library, which originally had 30 iMacs connected to the internet, has 31 machines with 24-inch flat screens. Each student from Grade 5 and up has his or her own MacBook.

The school became the first in Asia to be awarded the certification Apple Distinguished School, 1998- 2000. And in 2009, the school hosted the global Apple Educator Leadership Summit, the first of its kind in Asia.

Much like the story of how the campus turned into IT heaven, other aspects, too, have evolved for the better over the past two decades.

The 20-year-old has grown into a leading academic and technologically advanced international school in Asia producing women and men equipped to handle the world’s many challenges.

The school’s mission of “developing responsible global citizens and leaders through academic excellence”, is reinforced by emphasizing service to the community and environmental responsibility in tandem with academic excellence.

Head of school Dave McMaster takes pride in the school’s outstanding academic achievements in the IB Diploma. In 2011, every one of the 104 students registered in the full diploma programme received their IB Diploma compared with the worldwide pass rate of 76 percent. Two students received a perfect score of 45, a distinction gained by only 96 students, or 0.20 percent, worldwide in 2010.

All students from Pre Reception through to Grade 12 study the IB curriculum at the school.

As a through-train IB World School, this leading institution offers the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programme, in addition to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, with grades from Pre-Reception (3 years old) to Grade 12.

Graduating students are highly sought after and  they attend world leading universities. So too, are those who excel in the arts and athletics, representing Hong Kong on the city and country scale.

Students excelling in extracurricular activities are notable, too.

One student in particular was chosen to visit Antarctica and the Arctic, within a year, in recognition of her environmental campaign to raise awareness of food waste at school.

Another young student, drew on the compassion of family and friends to raise HK$16,000 to assist survivors of the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

A lower school student went to a summer training camp with Chelsea Football Club in England and another became the first Winter Olympian to represent Hong Kong.

On an even more joyous note, a song by the music band Sun Eskimos, formed by four students, reached No. 1 on a local radio station.

Recently, the CDNIS UNICEF Club once again hosted the annual “Stand Up Against Poverty” programme to provide students insight into humanitarian issues through fun and educational simulation games.

Academic achievements are outstanding and the extracurricular activities are inspiring. Good reasons to wear the CDNIS badge with honour. 

McMaster says: “ I am proud to be the Head of School at this time in CDNIS’ history. The reason we are here now and have the reputation we do is because of the tremendous hard work, belief and dedication of the people who came before me such as Neil Johnston and Alan McLeod, former Heads of school, and the long list of volunteers that helped to form the school during its fledgling days. They set the stage for the people currently at CDNIS to take the school into its next chapter.”

As they reflect on a new chapter, students, teachers, parents and alumni will be looking back with fond memories on a colourful history replete with many milestones and even reported sightings of ghosts in the Borrett Rd campus, where 200 students studied, to the era when the Aberdeen campus overlooking Aberdeen Harbour opened, when 720 students streamed in through the gates. 

They will find encouragement in facilities such as the fully-equipped magnificent Leo Lee Arts Centre — a 604-seat drama, music and arts centre that opened in 2008. And they will remember the second phase of the Aberdeen campus that doubled the size of the main gym, adding 60 more classrooms and a swimming pool. The gym was renamed the Ho Sports Centre after Dr Stanley Ho’s contribution to its construction.

These memories will flood in and be recalled with gratitude to all those who made it all possible. 

FAST FACTS
• Canadian International School of Hong Kong was established in 1991 with 81 students

• A through-train IB World School, offering the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programme in addition to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma 

• Currently over 1,800 students of 41 nationalities and 250 staff