Yew Chung students see a world without limits

“Our holistic education approach emphasizes not only academic excellence but also creative arts, heritage arts and sports, allowing students to express themselves and explore their passions,” says Shannon Shang, Chinese Co-Education Director and Co-Executive Principal at YCIS Hong Kong.

A good example of that was the open day performance of playwright Carolyn Lane’s The Scheme of the Driftless Shifter by a talented group of Year 10-13 students. The plot provides plenty of laughs based on mishaps and misunderstandings, and the team involved threw themselves into every aspect of production, set design, costumes and makeup, not to mention the on-stage antics.   

“In this play, we had to improvise a bit and that added to the fun,” said Year 13 student Rhiannon Scott, who directed and acted in the show and has plans to study theatre arts at college. “I used to be very insecure and reserved, but I have gained a lot of confidence from performing. Theatre got me into another social circle and I now have a safe space with people who have different interests.” 

Last year, Scott joined a school tour to New York to see five Broadway shows including Moulin Rouge. She found the design of that production particularly impressive with the theatre set up to make the audience feel an integral part of the performance. The trip also inspired her to work harder on her dancing, something she is now doing with the help of a friend who is a choreographer. 

“When I’m directing, there are a lot of things to do at once,” Scott said. “However, the experience has taught me about the importance of time management, communicating clearly, and organising rehearsals, even online when that is necessary.” 

For Brandi Burtts, cross-school drama coordinator at YCIS, the various performances staged throughout the school year are a great way of developing skills, self-awareness, and connecting with the world outside the classroom.   

“Drama teaches students about their individual creativity and the soft skills needed to engage with people, solve problems quickly, and step outside their comfort zones,” Burtts said. “They learn so much about themselves and about life. They start to collaborate in an intuitive way, become critical thinkers, and see how to make changes.”  

Such attributes, of course, are invaluable for anyone looking to pursue a career in the performing arts, design, multimedia - or almost any other sector. That explains why drama is a required subject for Years 7-9 at YCIS and strongly encouraged thereafter.

Guided by the concept of holistic education, the school is similarly committed to providing high-quality support and facilities for everything from art, crafts and music to digital tools, 3-D printing and computer-aided design (CAD).  

Sometimes, these activities can overlap or interconnect, as in the case of an art project which saw students using Adobe Firefly generative AI to create Christmas-themed images incorporating both past and future.  

“Usually, we paint by hand, but for this project we used AI and typed in a description of the image we visualised,” said Jaimee Chan, who is in Year 10. “It is another way to express our creativity and explore different techniques.”  

Such exercises spark innovation and teach new skills, but also lead on quite naturally to questions about what Christmas means; how it is celebrated elsewhere; and, more broadly, to an interest in and respect for different cultures and traditions. 

That is clearly on display at the Madam Tsang Chor-hang Heritage Museum, which was recently opened on campus in Kowloon Tong. Named after YCIS’s founder, the museum traces the school’s own history, evolution, and pioneering blend of eastern and western influences. 

The current collection also includes notable artefacts and ceramic ware dating back to China’s Tang dynasty. 

A team of student ambassadors is on hand to conduct bilingual guided tours for parents and visitors, explaining the finer points of each exhibit. In doing so, they acquire a range of essential skills – planning, organising, presenting, and coordinating with others – while also coming to appreciate the nation’s history and the school’s legacy.   

“The whole experience has been super eye-opening for me,” said Year 9’s Gabrielle Chan, who is among the pioneered batch of Hong Kong Palace Museum Student Ambassadors graduated in August 2024, which included joining its docent training trip at the Beijing Palace Museum, and now trains younger pupils as student ambassadors. “I teach them how to communicate and explain how guiding skills can be integrated into academic studies and other aspects of life. By giving these seeds, they have the freedom to explore, learn more about Chinese culture, become effective storytellers, and can help to shape a more positive and inclusive future.”

YCIS has introduced “High Performance Learning” initiative this year, which allows the school to elevate and accentuate all that raises student achievement and well-being. Rooted in Cognitive Science and based on years of rigorous research, the initiative allows all students to become the best they can be for a future that is ever changing.  With the integration of the “High Performance Learning” initiative, YCIS remains dedicated to empowering students to thrive as adaptable, caring global citizens, ready to navigate the ever-changing world around them.