Яна – выпускница школы Branksome Hall, Торонто, Канада
"...Branksome was memorable to us because of its friendly atmosphere, welcoming teachers and students and a secure feeling of care and protection..."
Yana, Grade 12, in her second year at Branksome Hall, is from Russia
Care and support.
Before making a final decision about my future school, my mom and I visited most of the possible options. Branksome was memorable to us because of its friendly atmosphere, welcoming teachers and students and a secure feeling of care and protection. We felt that Branksome would be a great place for me to start my independent life, where I would be able to develop as person, but also be protected and taken care of.
Our hopes came true.
Each student gets a huge amount of help from teachers, guidance counselors, Residence Dons and other staff members. I am especially thankful to our Guidance Department, who led me through the journey of applying to universities. They were always there, literally at any time of day or night, to help me.
International in mind and spirit
Branksome is truly an internationally-minded school. Students are well aware of world issues, are open-minded and are willing to discuss and communicate - especially with the integration of the International Baccalaureate program, where global issues and concerns are thoroughly discussed in the classroom. The Residence program at Branksome brings a unique flavour to the community. International students from about 15 different countries share their customs and traditions, and bring their ideas into every aspect of school life. Day students are always interested in trying foods of various cultures or joining traditional celebrations. The willingness and ability to communicate with students from different backgrounds brings new opportunities and perspectives to school life.
Beyond tolerance to immersion.
Cultural integration is a great feature of Branksome. We recently held Infusion – a performance of song, dance, poetry and humour from a dozen different cultures. We often enjoy special residence dinners such as at Chinese/Korean New Year or Passover, and the Multicultural Society is very active. The best part is how widely the students immerse themselves in these activities; for example, the Indian dance in Infusion included a couple of Indian girls, and the rest were their friends from various cultural backgrounds. Students are not only tolerant of other cultures, but hunger for a taste of them. I think it's great when all students join together in a celebration of multiculturalism and diversity.
Leadership and service opportunities.
Branksome gives you lots of opportunities to become involved and committed outside of the classroom. My two main extracurricular and leadership positions are co-head of Horizons tutoring program, through which we help public junior school students; and Residence Junior Don for Entertainment, organizing various events and activities for our Residence community. Branksome taught me that one of the most important aspects of leadership is communication, and provided me with everything I need to do it successfully. Students and staff at Branksome are very supportive and friendly, which makes every task more manageable. Even with a significant workload at school, I enjoy all my extracurricular activities, because they bring a new flavour to my life, allowing me to meet new people and develop as a person.
Информация подготовлена на основе материалов с официального сайта школы branksome.on.ca
