Testimonial Book - 2016 by EF Academy

LOOKING BACK LOOKING AHEAD Our family’s stories and experiences

At EF Academy, students benefit from renowned academic programs that are taught by passionate teachers who inspire their pupils to learn in and out of the classroom; they grow as they explore their own interests and change their worldview by interacting with peers who come from different corners of the globe. But what truly distinguishes our private high school are the individuals who make up EF Academy’s colorful, multi-cultural student body and faculty. In the pages of this testimonial book, you’ll read the real stories of students, graduates, parents and teachers whose lives EF Academy has touched. Here you’ll get a glimpse of the unique lives and personalities of the people who make our school so great. Moments with classmates captured with smartphones and personal cameras decorate the pages, inviting you, the reader, to join in. EF Academy is more than a world-class private high school. It’s a meeting point for creatives, entrepreneurs, visionaries and academics, and a melting pot of cultures, personalities and ideas. These stories, quotes, interviews and pictures serve as a genuine testament to our mission of opening the world through international education, a mission that we are accomplishing one student, one family, one lesson at a time.

Welcome to EF Academy.

STUDENTS

102 – 137

ALUMNI

138 – 157

FACULTY

158 – 189

PARENTS

14 – 97

“The teachers really care about everyone being able to excel and learn new concepts. They don’t do that by lecturing, they use other interactive techniques and they have students come after school to help their classmates. It’s different and really great to see teachers who care that much about their students and want to see them succeed.”

Andrew Torpie

“I previously taught at a public school and when I came here, I just fell in love with the IB program, IGCSE program and the students. The students are everything. My professor once told me that students are the heart of the curriculum, and when you teach at EF Academy that’s true.”

Jenna Marcus

“I always said to myself, ‘I want to meet new people and that is why I am here.’ In the end, that is exactly what I did. That is what EF is about – meeting people from other countries and being part of a global community.”

Rena Yap

“We plan on sending our daughter to a UK university for her Bachelor’s Degree and we thought that EF Academy Oxford would be the beginning of this journey. She has been studying at EF Academy Oxford for four months now and she has adapted to the new environment and made friends so quickly. We feel comfortable about the second home that we chose for her.”

Sahakit Suwanphaitoon

STUDENTS

Student council is one of the clubs we have at EF Academy Oxford. As the president, I talk to the students and ask for ideas about activities and ways to improve the school. I also communicate with the head teacher and hold presentations for the students at assemblies. The position is really interesting because I serve as a student representative and I help my classmates during their time at EF Academy. When I first arrived, I decided to get involved in theater for fun and to push myself out of my comfort zone. The IB theater class is not only about acting and writing scripts, but also about improving your confidence. Because of this class, I feel more comfortable giving speeches in front of an audience, which is important for my role in the student council.

NAME

Italy

H O M E C O U N T RY

English, Italian, French, Spanish and Japanese

L A N G UAG E S

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Theater – I discovered a talent for acting that I didn’t know I had.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Student Council

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Alessandra Galletta

A-Level

P RO G R A M

I like all the subjects, but the sciences are my favorite. We do a lot of practical experiments. Today, for example, we are doing an experiment to determine the heat coefficient of water. It’s great to combine the theoretical knowledge with practical work too.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Latin Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

At EF Academy, Anastasiya has a balanced and well-rounded experience, with advanced courses that focus on her interests, personalized university guidance that will help her achieve her goal and varied co-curricular activities that broaden her horizons.

Russia

H O M E C O U N T RY

She has prepared numerous versions of application essays and her university advisor has given her feedback on every one, allowing her to learn from mistakes and create a final product that will

help her receive acceptance to the school at the top of her list. To complement the A-Level math, physics and chemistry courses she’s taking, and to help her hone skills that will benefit her at university and in her career, Anastasiya takes part in Latin Club where she learns vocabulary and the structure of the language.

NAME

Anastasiya Lankina selected EF Academy Oxford with a clear goal in mind for her future: to attend university abroad and earn a degree in medicine or biomedicine. More specifically: “I’m very interested in pursuing nuclear medicine – combining nuclear physics with advanced chemistry to diagnose and treat cancer,” she says. Our university guidance counselors have worked closely with Anastasiya to help her write personal statements, prepare for interviews and submit applications to Oxford, Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol in the UK.

Anastasiya Lankina

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EF ACADEMY?

WHAT SUBJECTS ARE YOU TAKING? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR ENGLISH CLASS?

HOW ELSE DOES YOUR TEACHER HELP YOU IN CLASS?

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE IN A SCHOOL THAT IS SO INTERNATIONAL?

WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING A DAY-SCHOOL STUDENT?

I researched a few different high schools with my mother over the course of several weeks, but I ultimately chose EF because of the remarkable international environment, which guaranteed that I would graduate from the school with an unparalleled insight into the world, preparing me for components of leadership, like diplomacy. History accelerated, chemistry and, my personal favorite, English literature. The teacher, Ms. Marcus, is immensely organized. She grades our essays quickly, without neglecting to include in-depth insights that really help us improve. My writing and reading has improved so much in the last two months. I’ve learned more than I have since kindergarten when I learned to read. In class, we don’t just sit, watch, nod and take notes. My English teacher uses “Harkness discussions,” which is when students talk to each other and exchange ideas and she doesn’t really involve herself in the conversations. This method of teaching really highlights what makes our school so unique: its students. Everyone interacts and she grades every student based on how they interact with the other students; everyone is engaged and it creates this environment in the classroom where we all feel comfortable saying things and sharing our ideas. It’s interactive, fun and challenging, and it really changes the atmosphere of the class. I think that her understanding of how much we can learn from each other makes her an extraordinary teacher. Her teaching methods represent the spirit of EF Academy in the best way. All the students have such different backgrounds and they contribute different opinions. It opens your mind and gives you a new perspective of the world we live in. It’s really, really interesting. Not to say that it isn’t challenging – learning to see the world from the perspectives of others requires constant contemplation of preconceptions you’ve been raised to believe, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. You could say that in some ways you learn more outside of the classroom, simply by interacting with people from around the world. Life as a day-school student isn’t as dramatically different as the life of a boarding student. I tend to stay at the school much later than you’d expect because of clubs, meals and always being surrounded by friends. I expected to be a bit cut off from the community because I go home every day, but honestly, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I don’t have a roommate so I was left with a slight disadvantage the first week that I was here, but as I came to see, that disadvantage was really just an opportunity to open up to other people. I had to go up to people and introduce myself and actually become friends with them in the halls, it was something that I’d never had to do before. At the school I attended prior to EF Academy, I was surrounded by the same group of people since early childhood and my friendships kind of grew from there. It was a challenge, but I gained so much independence from that single first day when I met all these new people. It was so rewarding and it really helped my confidence.

I’m in Gay-Straight Alliance and I do peer-tutoring for chemistry because I’m not very good at that subject. The teachers really care about everyone being able to excel and learn new concepts. They don’t do that by lecturing, they use other interactive techniques and they have students come after school to help their classmates. It’s different and really great to see teachers who care that much about their students and want to see them succeed.

As cliché as it sounds, I’ve learned first-hand so much about different countries that I feel like the most well-traveled freshman in the United States. From talking to Germans about World War II, to Middle Easterners about the refugee crisis and to Chinese about how environmental stability is crucial to a healthy and successful future in Beijing; I think I found my path in life. Possibly in international politics where I would be able to utilize my new found passion for diplomacy to create a better future for all of us.

In my efforts to become friends with as many people as possible, I sat next to someone new in a lounge area on my first day and said, “Hello!” She didn’t seem like she wanted to talk but I eventually asked her where she was from and she told me she was from Catalonia. Luckily, I had some prior knowledge of current events in that region of Spain, so, with the goal in the back of my mind to become friends with everyone, I asked her about the issue of Catalonia’s independence and what her thoughts about that were. We had this whole discussion about Catalonia’s independence from Spain and how passionate she feels about this issue, and now, we’re best friends. I learned a lot about myself just from that awkward exchange and it ended up being really rewarding. I’m making friends with a diverse range of people as they see in me someone who is eager to learn more about the world, and that image is exactly what I want people to see. I couldn’t be happier.

HOW DO YOU INTERACT WITH OTHER STUDENTS?

WHAT CLUBS OR ACTIVITIES ARE YOU INVOLVED IN?

IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST MEMORY SINCE YOU STARTED HERE?

NAME

USA

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

IGCSE

P RO G R A M

English literature

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Andrew Torpie

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL ABROAD?

I want to get into a top university for my undergrad education, and I find that living independently is an important experience to have. Studying abroad is going to help me become more independent and push me to develop more. It’s a great opportunity to be able to live away from home in a host family. Sharing a room with another person is sometimes challenging, but we are both learning a lot about respect.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR COLLEGE?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY?

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MONTH AT EF ACADEMY LIKE?

I want to study chemical or mechanical engineering – my long-term goal is to start my own company. I have applied to five universities in the UK, and I will apply to another eight universities in the U.S. I want to have options in both places so that I have more universities to choose from. We went to the Mathematical Institute two weeks ago. There was a conference there, and I met an idol of mine Maryam Mirzakhani. I didn’t know that she would be there. She is an Iranian Math Professor at Stanford University and was awarded the Field Medal. It was quite strange because I never lived independently or lived abroad before. It was also strange making new friends. I was at the same school for twelve years, so it was a bit of a challenge to be surrounded by so many new people at once.

Iran

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

Physics and chemistry – The most interesting thing about these subjects is the application of math. I like to understand how these subjects are used in daily life, for example, in radiology.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Guitar Club and Running Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

NAME

“I want to study chemical or mechanical engineering – my long-term goal is to start my own company.”

Arman Karshenas Najafabadi

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EF ACADEMY?

WHAT IS IT LIKE TAKING CLASSES WITH STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD?

WHAT ACTIVITIES HAVE YOU JOINED SINCE YOU STARTED ATTENDING EF ACADEMY

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR COLLEGE?

HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AT EF ACADEMY CHANGED YOU?

I wanted to go to a school where English was the main language, but I didn’t want to attend a traditional British school. With EF Academy, I get to take part in the British culture while still being in an international environment with diverse cultures. It is very interesting learning with people who have different perceptions. In history class, for example, we are learning about World War I and in the class, there are people from both Russia and Germany. Of course, there is a bit of difference in what we learned in our home countries, which leads to interesting discussions. I want to embrace this experience and make the most of it, so I’m trying to sign up for all the activities. Since I’ve come to Oxford, I have been to four or five different musicals and plays; we saw “Matilda the Musical” in London last weekend. We went to a university fair yesterday, so I have started thinking of what I want to do after high school. Right now, I’m thinking of maybe doing something with politics or history, or maybe forensic science.

There are so many good memories but being in class is one of the best experiences. The teachers here are great, I am so inspired by them. They are more engaging than the teachers back in Norway, and the classes here are much smaller, sometimes with only six students. The teachers here really care and there is a closer relationship between the teachers and the students. The teachers here have taught for so long that they don’t need to follow the book but instead can create more interesting lessons based on their experiences.

It is interesting, they are my family here in Oxford and I feel like I am a part of theirs. I’m learning a lot about British culture from them, for example, British food. But to be honest, I like Norwegian food better.

The first week here was terrifying; I wasn’t used to talking to people I didn’t know and in Norway, it’s usually a bit quiet during the first weeks of school. But here, people were talking to each other with a surprising amount of interest and friendliness on the first day. Now I feel at home here and there is always someone for me to talk to.

I definitely feel that I’m becoming more international and that I have a better understanding of different cultures. Being in an academic environment with Oxford scholars around me really inspires me to do well too.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EF ACADEMY MEMORY?

WHAT IS IT LIKE LIVING WITH A HOST FAMILY?

HOW WAS YOUR FIRST WEEK AT THE SCHOOL?

Norway

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

History

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Amnesty International – We are researching amnesty campaigns and working to promote them and bring their messages to the school. We also organize ways for students to show support and help change the world.

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

“I’m learning a lot about British culture from my host family, for example, British food. But to be honest, I like Norwegian food better.”

Åsmund Stemland

Thailand

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

IGCSE

P RO G R A M

English

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

NAME

I decided to attend EF Academy in the UK because I wanted to challenge myself and have a new experience. The school I attended in Bangkok was also an international school, but here, I encounter different nationalities and I’ve been able to learn words from different languages that my classmates speak – I even know a few words in Russian. Our teachers are really supportive. I like the way that they care not just about my grades, but also about my emotions and how I’m feeling. They take good care of me.

Ben Treeyapong

The Hong Kong school system makes it really hard to get into university â&#x20AC;&#x201C; only the top 20% of students get in. There are also fewer subjects to choose from. I would like to continue my university studies in Hong Kong and completing high school in the UK will prepare me for university and will help me get accepted to a school back home.

NAME

Hong Kong

H O M E C O U N T RY

English, Cantonese and Mandarin

L A N G UAG E S

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

IGCSE and A-Level

P RO G R A M

Math – When I do math, I feel free! It’s challenging but at the same time it’s fun. I’m planning on competing in a national math competition later this year.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Ultimate Frisbee

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Bobby Law

Taiwan

H O M E C O U N T RY

Chinese, English, French and Japanese

L A N G UAG E S

New York

EF CAMPUS

IGCSE

P RO G R A M

Chemistry, world literature, additional math, global perspectives, music and IB French

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Cheerleading and peer tutoring

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

NAME

“I believe I’ve become more open and more engaged. Kids in my country tend to be silent and shy; at EF Academy, I learned how to reach out to make friends.”

Cherry Huang

WHY DID YOU MOVE ALL THE WAY FROM TAIWAN TO NEW YORK?

HOW IS THE TEACHING STYLE HERE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU’RE USED TO IN TAIWAN?

YOU WERE SO YOUNG WHEN YOU DECIDED TO ATTEND EF ACADEMY IN NEW YORK. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO MOVE AWAY FROM HOME AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE?

WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY?

ARE YOU INVOLVED IN ANY CLUBS?

HOW DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE CHANGED OR GROWN SINCE YOU’VE COME HERE?

It’s part of my American dream! I want to go to Harvard University; it’s my ideal university and I’ve dreamt about attending since I was very, very young. It actually only took me three days to decide that I wanted to come to EF Academy New York. My mom told me that if I went to school in America, I would increase my chances of getting into Harvard. I also like the American education system – it’s open and I learn a lot from this learning and teaching style. At EF Academy New York, I have to speak up in class and discuss ideas with my peers, and I am more engaged. The PowerSchool system is also something that I never had in my home country. In Taiwan, if a student skips classes the whole year but earns 100% on the midterm and final exams, the teacher will give them that grade for the class. But here, if you skip three classes, your GPA will decrease and that’s kind of scary. I feel like I’m not only improving my studying skills, but I’m also becoming more responsible because it is my responsibility to go to class. When I left home for EF Academy, it was painful and I also felt guilty for not spending time with my family. But it was the right choice for me to achieve my dream and I think it’s important for me to enjoy what I’m doing. I’m actually not that homesick because I talk to my mom every single day so that’s why I don’t miss her that much. There’s a 12-hour time difference but I talk to her when I’m eating breakfast and when I finish dinner. My dream has always been to become a doctor. My mom always told me that graduating from Harvard would be the best way for me to accomplish my goal. So that’s how I built my dream and I’m sticking to it. If I become a doctor, then I can go back to Taiwan and cure patients in my home country. I didn’t start any clubs but I am involved in cheerleading and peer tutoring – I tutor my classmates in chemistry.

There are a lot! I made a lot of friends and I learned about different cultures and traditions.

I think European culture is the most different from my own. Europeans are more open and the way we think is different; we believe in different ways of making friends. In Taiwan, we all want to make true friends and my new friends at EF Academy just want to hang out. I feel like Europeans just want to have fun all the time. Before, I only knew how to study hard, but at EF Academy, I learned how to make my life better and more interesting by having more fun.

Last year, I was the top 9th grade student in the school. I was shocked when I first heard the news. They ranked the top 10 students and I was number one. Just before I came here, I published a book and now I’m writing the second one which describes my life in America – that’s another achievement I’m very proud of.

The first book was about my perspectives on life and stories of my travels. I really like to think about life and the way we do things and the way we behave. I wrote about all of that in Chinese. I actually brought fifteen books here but I gave them away to all of my friends. During summer vacation, my family and I went to Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, and we went to the libraries to find the books and we did. I was so excited!

EF A cademy is an international school and there are so many opportunities to get to know people from other countries and cultures. It’s important to learn how to be more engaged and open to new environments and different nationalities. Students who are thinking about coming here should imagine what it would be like when they go back home to Taiwan and share their stories with their families. At EF Academy New York, they can see more of the world even if they’re just in the U.S.

I believe I’ve become more open and more engaged. Kids in my country tend to be silent and shy; at EF Academy, I learned how to reach out to make friends. I’m not only concerned about my academic record anymore because I realized that life isn’t just about grades. If there are opportunities for volunteer work, then I participate. Before coming here, my parents told me that I would have more chances in America and that I would have more opportunities to socialize and to understand how society works. I think they were right.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY SO FAR?

WHICH CULTURE WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MOST DIFFERENT FROM YOUR OWN? IN WHAT WAYS?

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT SINCE COMING TO EF ACADEMY NEW YORK?

WHAT WAS THE FIRST BOOK ABOUT?

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR TAIWANESE STUDENTS WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT COMING TO EF A CADEMY?

“Students at EF Academy are not only encouraged to take part in after-school activities, they are also given the means to create new clubs on their own if they feel that what they want is missing.”

Sailing Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Sociology – In sociology, we talk about and discuss different ethical and moral issues. I like subjects where we discuss and share our own ideas. There are only five or six people in the class and everybody has different views so it’s really interesting.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

“We have two boats and we go sailing on the weekends. I have all the certificates I need to be an instructor and I already have sailing experience so the school agreed that I could be the sailing teacher.

A-Level

P RO G R A M

“The feeling of missing somebody is something I never really experienced in France,” he said. “When I was home over the holidays, I missed the school and really wanted to come back here. It was the first time I wanted to go back to school.”

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

In addition to the Sailing Club, Corentin also enjoys spending time with the friends he’s made at school. He appreciates the diversity of the student body and considers his classmates to be a second family, which makes attending school more gratifying as well.

France

H O M E C O U N T RY

Students at EF Academy are not only encouraged to take part in after-school activities, they are also given the means to create new clubs on their own if they feel that what they want is missing. Corentin did just that – using his experience as a sailor and motivated by his desire to share his passion with his friends, Corentin created EF Academy Torbay’s Sailing Club.

There is also a teacher from the school who is on the boat with us,” Corentin said. “I look forward to bringing my friends out on the sea and showing them how to sail and steer the boat.”

NAME

Before coming to EF Academy Torbay, Corentin Le Got took a year off of school in France to pursue his passion for sailing. But after that, it was time to concentrate on his education again and EF Academy was just the place for him. He enrolled in the High School Preparation Course and it wasn’t long before he was ready to start the A-Level program.

Corentin Le Got

As an EF Academy ambassador, Daniel Mendez is a face of the student body and in this special role he supports his classmates and works with the teachers and staff to help the school continue to develop and grow. For Daniel, being selected as an ambassador is among his greatest accomplishments, as is being awarded EF Academy Oxford’s “Endeavour Prize in Physics” for demonstrating excellence in this subject. It’s no surprise that Daniel was recognized with this award since physics is his favorite subject, thanks to the teacher he had last year who he described as the greatest teacher he’s ever had. Daniel is so passionate about physics that he used his Extended Essay to explain how physics can keep us alive.

Daniel plans to earn a Master’s Degree in Astrophysics in the UK, but his ambitions don’t stop there. “I want to earn a Master’s Degree in Astrophysics, maybe at Birmingham, Bath or Imperial. I’m thinking of doing a PhD afterwards. I’m not sure what part of Astrophysics, but I like researching and developing technology,” he said. “I always wanted to go to a research institute where I could work with different people. I already have that experience from EF Academy. Here you learn about cultures you’ve never even heard of.”

“In my Extended Essay, I modeled the prediction of lightning to help save people from injuries and death from lightning. I worked with the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) on this. I got the idea from a beta project at the university in Brazil,” he explained.

NAME

Brazil

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Physics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; You can explain what and why things happen. I like astrophysics, and want to pursue that at university. I study astrophysics on my own and have joined a local astronomic society to learn more.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Guitar club â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I run a club where I teach others to play guitar. Some students saw me play and they wanted me to teach them so I started a club.

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Daniel Mendez

My host family is fabulous, every time I have a problem, I know I can come and talk to them. They support me and have welcomed me into their lives. My roommate and I are completely part of the family. We do a lot together and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like a real international family. We sometimes decorate the house together for special holidays like Christmas and Halloween. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun because we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t celebrate Halloween in my country, so that was a new experience and I learned more about British culture. I feel like a sponge, absorbing things like the language, culture and humor.

NAME

Kazakhstan

H O M E C O U N T RY

Russian, English, Kazakh, Ukrainian and a little bit of Spanish

L A N G UAG E S

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

IGCSE and IB

P RO G R A M

Spanish – I really like languages because they’re all interesting and unique. I learned a little bit of Spanish from my roommate at EF Language summer courses and this year, I’m studying Spanish in school.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

I’m involved in several clubs and I love them all: guitar, climbing, frisbee, dancing and drama.

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Darya Bulayeva

WHAT DO YOU STUDY AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO STUDY ABROAD IN THE UK?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GO FROM THE CHINESE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO THE UK SYSTEM?

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO STUDY AT UNIVERSITY?

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR FUTURE EF ACADEMY STUDENTS COMING FROM CHINA?

I am enrolled in the A-Level program and I take mathematics, further mathematics and economics. Mathematics and further mathematics are my favorite subjects because I really enjoy the process of solving difficult problems and questions. I also joined the Math Club at school and we compete against other schools in the UK during the Team Math Challenge. A lot of people ask me this question. I thought it was a good opportunity because in China, students are being taught to study but when I apply to universities in the UK, they will also ask me about my experiences and achievements outside of school. In China, all they care about are grades. I like studying with people from different countries because I have learned interesting things and made new friends. When I first came here, my host family asked me everyday, “Derek, have you made any friends today?” I realized that the most important thing at the beginning of an experience like this is to make new friends. The classes here are very different from classes in China, instead of 60 or 70 people in one class we are no more than ten students. Here at EF Academy, the teacher can get to know and cares about each student. I would like to continue studying math at university and maybe combine it with economics. When I graduate from university, I would like to get a Master’s Degree or PhD and maybe even work here in the UK too. You can have Chinese friends at the beginning, but the most amazing thing is to find international friends. You also need to practice your English, so don’t speak Chinese! British food is very different from Chinese food, but you should try it, it gets better.

China

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

Further mathematics

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Team Math Challenge

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

“The classes here are very different from classes in China, instead of 60 or 70 people in one class we are no more than ten students. Here at EF Academy, the teacher can get to know and cares about each student.”

Derek Li

“It’s not just the Filmmaking Club that has allowed Eric to follow his interests – his IB theater class has also given him opportunities that will certainly benefit him as he pursues a career in directing.”

IB theater

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Filmmaking Club (President and Co-Founder)

FAVO R I T E C LU B

P RO G R A M

“I think being involved in different clubs is really important in helping me prepare for my future. It’s difficult to make time for your interests without

New York

EF CAMPUS

It’s not just the Filmmaking Club that has allowed Eric to follow his interests – his IB theater class has also given him opportunities that will certainly benefit him as he pursues a career in directing. One of his favorite memories of being a student at EF Academy is when he took part in the Theater Arts Program Symposium, which brought together IB theater students from around the world for a three-day theater workshop with experienced actors. For someone whose dream is to make it big in Hollywood, starting in NYC is a big step in the right direction.

South Korea

H O M E C O U N T RY

With his sights set on the filmmaking industry, Eric thought the U.S. would be the best place for him to follow is dream of becoming a director. He’s already started working toward achieving his career goal by creating the Filmmaking Club at EF Academy. The after-school club allows students to write scripts, rent filmmaking equipment and create their own short movies – a great experience for someone who knows what he wants to do with his life after receiving an IB Diploma.

after-school activities, but with the opportunity to participate in clubs, my interests become a school activity and I can dedicate my time to them,” Eric says.

NAME

Attending EF Academy in New York wasn’t Eric Park’s first time leaving South Korea to study abroad – he actually attended school in Arizona for one year before deciding to look into private high schools and eventually choosing EF Academy in New York.

Eric Park

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE NIGERIA AND STUDY ABROAD IN THE U.S.?

WHAT UNIVERSITIES HAVE YOU APPLIED TO?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING AT EF ACADEMY?

WAS IT EASY TO MAKE FRIENDS?

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT SINCE COMING TO EF ACADEMY?

I want to study engineering at university and the best schools for that degree program are in the U.S. I chose EF Academy because they offered a great university preparation program. Northwestern University, which I actually visited this week – that’s my top choice. It’s in Illinois near Chicago. It’s kind of like EF Academy in that there are so many different people from around the world who are studying different subjects. I want to study engineering but I want to be able to make friends with people who are studying journalism or psychology. The group of friends that I have now are from everywhere – we’re from 10 different countries including Norway, Italy, Indonesia, Bahamas, Andorra, Togo, I could go on and on. That’s the best part of being here: my group of friends. It actually wasn’t that hard to make friends. I remember that my dad came with me to the U.S. and on the first day of school, I didn’t want him to leave. Two days later, when he came to visit me at school, I couldn’t wait for him to go so that I could hang out with my friends. It wasn’t hard at all – it was very easy to click with people. Some of my friends are people who I met on the first day of school, but I’ve become friends with more people since then.

It was a month-long program in the summer and I worked together with students from all over the U.S.; we studied different types of engineering. There were professors from John Hopkins and other schools. My teacher wasn’t currently teaching at Johns Hopkins but that’s where she earned her PhD. The point of the program was for us to take different classes so we could get a taste of engineering and to find out if it is a program of study that we want to pursue.

I think I want to go into mechanical engineering and have that be my first degree. My ultimate goal is to become an aeronautical engineer and I want to work with companies like Boeing or Airbus.

I definitely know that my experience at EF Academy has allowed me to grow as a person, both intellectually and personally. Because I’ve been exposed to so many different cultures, I know that wherever I go I’ll be able to relate to and communicate with other people and add to discussions. I’ve definitely grown and my mind is much more open than if I’d stayed in Nigeria. If I had attended any other school, I wouldn’t have had as much exposure to the world as I have had here.

HAVE YOU DECIDED WHAT KIND OF ENGINEERING YOU WANT TO STUDY?

AFTER YOU FINISH AT EF ACADEMY AND YOU MOVE ON TO UNIVERSITY, HOW DO YOU THINK YOU’LL LOOK BACK ON YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE?

This summer, I enrolled in a month-long engineering program at Johns Hopkins. I don’t think I would have been able to take part in this program if I hadn’t come to EF A cademy. EF Academy helped me become the kind of person who could take a rigorous engineering program like this at such a prestigious school.

“EF Academy helped me become the kind of person who could take a rigorous engineering program like this at such a prestigious school.” 44

NAME

Nigeria

H O M E C O U N T RY

English, Yoruba and Spanish

L A N G UAG E S

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Physics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I like that different things can be explained by physics. It offers an explanation for how everything works.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Journalism Club, Student Council, Tutoring Club and Senior Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Folatomi Alli-Balogun

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being more in control of my life has made me more confident.â&#x20AC;?

P RO G R A M

History

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Drama Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

New York

EF CAMPUS

Gabriela is only in her first year of the IB program, but she already has a clear idea of what she’d like to do when she heads to university. Her passion lies

“Here, I don’t need to fit into a mold that doesn’t fit me, I can be anything I want. That’s what I really like about EF Academy, there is no pressure to look or act a certain way – here, the only pressure is the pressure you put on yourself. That has also helped me take off the pressure that I put on myself,” she said. “Being more in control of my life has made me more confident.”

USA

H O M E C O U N T RY

“At my school in Bermuda, I was taught by British teachers and from a British perspective, with UK politics being at the center. Here, I’m educated from different perspectives and with students from all over the world in my classroom I get to see many more views,” she said. “Everybody brings a different mentality and while we might not agree on everything, it does help us try to find common ground and learn to compromise.”

in filmmaking and her long-term goal is to become involved in making movies, either with editing, production or post-production. Her participation in the school’s Drama Club – Gabriela’s favorite after-school activity – gives her the chance to develop the skills she’ll need behind the camera. Something else she’ll need as she follows her dream to the movie industry is confidence, which she says is something she’s been able to grow while at EF Academy.

NAME

Though she originally hails from New York, IB student Gabriela Rosati actually traveled from Bermuda to attend EF Academy in Thornwood. A desire to experience something new and learn about different cultures is what drew her to EF A cademy where she’s traded in island life for city life.

Gabriela Rosati

Algeria

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

High School Preparation Course and A-Level

P RO G R A M S

Math

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Badminton, French Club and Cooking Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

NAME

The High School Preparation Course was a really good experience. It was a great chance to work with exceptional teachers and to develop my English. There were about 12 people in the class; we did group activities and we had to use English in everyday situations outside of class. After a year, I had learned enough to start the A-Level program.

Gacem Taibi

What I like about studying in the UK is that the teachers encourage us to engage more in the subjects. In Indonesia, the teachers mostly lectured, but here, we are encouraged to think of solutions to problems, be creative and apply our knowledge. My brain is stimulated a lot more when I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to just focus on memorizing the things we learn. I like my law teacher! She can make even the tedious topics fun, and she gives praise where praise is due.

NAME

Indonesia

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

IGCSE and A-Level

P RO G R A M S

Law

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Badminton Club, Chess Club and Piano Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Gemi Nastiti

“It’s much better to look at the stars here in Oxford because there is not as much light pollution as in Italy. They have an observatory at the university and my teacher arranged for me to visit last year.”

Physics

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Italian Club – My friends wanted to learn Italian, so I started a club and taught them the language and about Italian culture. It was a challenge for me because I had never taught anyone before, but my friends learned some words they still remember, so I think I was a good teacher.

FAVO R I T E C LU B

P RO G R A M

A traveler at heart, Gianluigi found his way to EF Academy by recommendation from a former teacher. He enjoys learning from and teaching his

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

Gianluigi’s experience at EF Academy has made him more open-minded, responsible and conscious of what he is doing in life: “Being a student at EF Academy has helped me grow and become more mature.”

English, Italian, and some French, Spanish, old Greek and Latin

L A N G UAG E S

Italy

H O M E C O U N T RY

classmates and even started the school’s Italian Club where he taught his friends the language and culture of his home country. Gianluigi finds that, “Life at an international school is never boring.” He says that he learns something new everyday, especially when someone explains how something they are learning in class is connected to or different from their own culture.

NAME

Gianluigi from Lecce, Italy – a city located in the heel of the boot that is often used to describe the European country – is an IB student at EF A cademy Oxford. As a young child, he was drawn to the history and people of ancient Egypt because of their role in astronomy. This fascination has continued to this day: his favorite subject is higher level physics and he hopes to study astrophysics at university.

Gianluigi Zito

WHAT WAS IT LIKE MOVING FROM VIETNAM TO ENGLAND?

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EF ACADEMY?

Coming to the UK to study at EF Academy Oxford was my first time traveling abroad and it was a long flight all the way to England. Coming here felt perfect though, I love the beautiful surroundings and the colder climate. I was a bit scared in the beginning because I have never lived alone before, but my mom came with me to make sure I was okay. Since I’ve come here, I have made a lot of new friends and I’ve become more responsible. It was a fast and quite sudden decision. My friend studied abroad in Australia and I thought that it seemed really nice and I decided to do that too. But I think the education is better in the UK so I wanted to come here instead. One of my friends also studied here with EF before me. Oxford is my ideal place to live. It’s quiet, peaceful and the people here are so nice. But most importantly, the education is great. I really like the campus area with the brick building, the trees and the fresh air.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EF ACADEMY MEMORY?

I have a good memory from last week when all the Vietnamese students came to my host family and we had a Vietnamese evening. Everybody brought some food with them – like spring rolls – and we all ate together. I also really enjoyed all the trips I have gone on with the school. We’ve gone to Bath and recently, we went to London to visit universities.

Vietnam

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

Math

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Oxfam

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

“Oxford is my ideal place to live. It’s quiet, peaceful and the people here are so nice. But most importantly, the education is great. I really like the campus area with the brick building, the trees and the fresh air.”

Ha Uyen Nguyen

Vietnam

H O M E C O U N T RY

Vietnamese, English and Spanish

L A N G UAG E S

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

I love the IB program because it lets you pick the courses you are interested in and gives you a broad understanding of a variety of subjects. My favorite subject is chemistry. Chemistry in Vietnam was boring and full of equations and theory. Coming here opened a new world for me. My Extended Essay was about perfume. I’ve been experimenting with esters in the lab, but perfume is so much more than just the smell – the design of the bottle and the brand are also important.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

There are too many clubs that I like, but I really enjoy Color Napoleon, where we paint small figures, sell them on EBay and donate the money to charity. It’s really relaxing and reduces my stress.

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

I had a good level of English when I came here, but it was still quite overwhelming to suddenly start analyzing English literature. Exploring your own potential and what you can do is part of the experience you have at EF Academy. I would never have imagined that I would develop this much in one year.

Harry Nguyen

Thailand

H O M E C O U N T RY

Thai, English and Spanish

L A N G UAG E S

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

English literature, Thai literature, biology, geography, math and Spanish

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Soccer and basketball teams

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

NAME

When I was at school in Bangkok, I was afraid of speaking in English because I wasn’t used to it. I attended an international school in my home country, but my classmates and I always spoke Thai. Since I’ve come to EF Academy, I don’t have that fear anymore. I can express my ideas in English and I think that I’ve become more confident. I have friends who always support me and that helps. I’ve also become more mature. To be successful in IB, I have to be able to manage my time to finish my homework, be social and maintain my GPA.

Jaa Charoenboriboon

When I finished first grade of elementary school, I left Korea and studied abroad at an international school in Berlin for eight years. After spending a long time in Berlin, I was ready to go on an adventure and to face new challenges, so I decided to come to EF Academy.

Generally, I’m very close with many of my teachers and I feel comfortable in class with all of them, which is a great advantage because I am able to focus more on my studies. At my previous school, there was a small distance between students and teachers, but at EF Academy they are more like a family.

I am interested in studying biochemistry in the UK. I have applied to five universities and I have received offers from all of them. Now my task is to think carefully and make the right decision. I want to research how cosmetics are produced and do lab work for a cosmetics company; I am particularly interested in skincare and what products suit individual needs.

I am quite thankful for this experience. I have made amazing friends like Zoe and Jessie, who are like my sisters. I have never met anyone like them before in my life and I think we were destined to meet each other. We understand and always support each other. We are one.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EF ACADEMY?

WHAT TEACHER HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOU? WHY?

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR UNIVERSITY?

HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WILL LOOK BACK AT YOUR TIME AT EF ACADEMY?

South Korea

H O M E C O U N T RY

Korean, English, German and Spanish

L A N G UAG E S

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

Right now, I like chemistry because we are studying equilibriums, acids and buffer solutions.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

NAME

“Generally, I’m very close with many of my teachers and I feel comfortable in class with all of them, which is a great advantage because I am able to focus more on my studies.”

JooHee Kim

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EF ACADEMY?

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR UNIVERSITY?

HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AT EF ACADEMY CHANGED YOU?

I wanted to study the IB, but my school back home didn’t offer it so I knew I had to transfer to another school in Costa Rica. I visited the UK with my school and I fell in love with Oxford, so I decided to come here. It was a big change to come here and it was a bit scary at the beginning. The hardest part was to adapt, I had a culture shock when I arrived because everyone formed their own groups with people from the same countries, and there was nobody else from Costa Rica. Even though I did feel connected with the other Latin Americans, I still felt lonely, but this made me be more open and now my friends are all from different continents! It is amazing.

The graduation ceremony we had last year is my favorite EF A cademy memory. It was for the second-year students, but they gave out awards for the first-year students. I received three awards – “Endeavor and Excellence,” “Literature,” and “Biology and Mathematics” – which I didn’t expect at all.

I want to study medicine back home in Costa Rica. One of the main reasons that I choose EF A cademy was the university guidance team. One of my favorite staff members at the school is my university guidance counselor; I think he is amazing. Even though I’ll be going back home for university, he is still helping me with applications. He has a lot of experience and has helped me realize that choosing a university is not so much about the name or the ranking, but how well it fits your personality and how you want to develop as a student.

You should also take advantage of all the opportunities that the school offers. Don’t just sit in your room, there are so many interesting things to do and trips to go on.

Don’t judge people based on first impressions, especially here where everybody is different. It’s easy to get impressions of other countries only from the media, and that is biased. I learned from other people’s perspectives and from stories I had never heard before. It’s important to be open.

It has mostly impacted my whole outlook on life. I always felt like things could only be done one way, I wasn’t very flexible. People always expected good results from me and it always felt like a burden. I attended the same school for ten years and people always had the same picture of me, the pressure became a bit too much. At 16, I felt that I had to have my life sorted out. When I came here, I had no idea what to do; I was really confused. At EF Academy, you can really choose the path you want and you learn and are encouraged to think outside of the box. Being here has helped me see that university doesn’t define you; it gives you the tools to create as a professional. The possibilities are limitless if you are determined and work hard. For me, that realization was revolutionary.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EF ACADEMY MEMORY?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO FUTURE EF A CADEMY STUDENTS?

Costa Rica

H O M E C O U N T RY

Spanish, English and French

L A N G UAG E S

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Biology and history – The teachers are really good; they are experts and most important, they are passionate about what they teach. It’s very inspiring. Even though I want to go to medical school, I’m really interested in history because of our history teacher, he really communicates his love for the subject to the students which makes it fun.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Ballet

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

“You should also take advantage of all the opportunities that the school offers. Don’t just sit in your room, there are so many interesting things to do and trips to go on.”

Julia Niebles

HOW DO YOUR TEACHERS SUPPORT YOU?

WHAT IS IT LIKE TAKING CLASSES WITH STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD?

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR UNIVERSITY?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EF ACADEMY MEMORY?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO FUTURE EF ACADEMY STUDENTS?

We have many revision sessions, where we write essays about the topics we covered last year to refresh our memory. We also get predicted grades, which is really motivating – if the predicted grades are lower than what you want, then you can study hard to prove them wrong, but if they are high, then you need to work hard to ensure you’ll actually meet the expectations. At EF Academy, there are fewer people in my classes than at my previous school in Germany – instead of 30 people in a class, we have six to ten students. It’s great because the teacher can focus on all the students and if I have a problem or a question, I can get the teacher’s full attention. I really enjoy studying with students from all over the world. People from different cultures act differently and have different opinions and experiences that I can learn from. In the evenings, I usually have dinner, do homework, watch a movie or listen to music. On the weekends, we visit nearby cities like Exeter or Plymouth, which are both really nice. Exeter has a lot of shops and nice cafes. We also go to the gym or go out to eat – there are some really nice places by the harbor where you can sit and watch the ocean. Academically, I want to achieve as much as I can – I know I’m capable of getting great grades, I just need to get myself to revise and study. I want to improve my English to be able to speak like a native. I’d also like to gain new life experiences – I more or less live alone here with my host family, so I have a lot of freedom to do things my own way. I gained a lot of experience here from living on my own and I’ve become more responsible. I want to study international law, maybe in Hamburg, with one exchange year abroad. I have had really nice moments here. I have a big room at my host family’s house and my friends and I usually gather there in the evenings, hanging out, having fun and listening to music. Those moments will be some of the best memories I will have from my time here. Be aware that it’s not only about having fun. The IB Diploma is a lot of work and you will be rewarded if you put in the effort.

Germany

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Business – I am interested in how the business world works: how money flows and how businesses work with marketing, promotion, advertising and accounting. I want to do something related to business and law in the future.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

NAME

“We have many revision sessions, where we write essays about the topics we covered last year to refresh our memory.”

Julius Schnoor

Before I came here, I was attending an international school in Germany. When my mom found EF ÂAcademy, she really liked the programs and how the staff in Germany promoted the school â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they were really helpful, friendly and answered any questions that we had. I have attended international schools since Grade 5, so I knew I wanted to do the IB program. The problem with my other school was that 70% of the students were German and I wanted to improve my English and get out of Germany.

NAME

Germany

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Economics – I’m thinking of studying something related to business, but I really like economics because it helps me to understand what is going on in the world. I’m looking at different universities; I either want to study business or medicine, or a combination of those, like medical controlling and management.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Model United Nations – Every week, we have a different topic like refugees or the war in Syria. Everybody gets assigned a country and then they have to argue from that country’s perspective. That makes you start thinking about perspectives other than your own. We are organizing a conference with another school where we will debate and further build connections with other people.

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Laura Milani

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST MEMORY SO FAR?

WHO DO YOU GO TO WHEN YOU NEED TO TALK?

DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES?

My parents considered moving our family to Florida, but in the end, they decided against it. My mom said that I could still go to school in the U.S. if I really wanted to. My grandmother used to live in New York and she told us that the schools there were better than the schools in Florida. We did some research and we found EF Academy. It was interesting to us because EF Academy offers the IB program which means that I can come back to Switzerland for university. Obviously, I’m far away from home and my parents, but I’ve become so close with my friends that they’ve become like family. I can’t hide anything – if I’m sad, they know and I think that’s nice. There are so many opportunities to visit different places. You can always take time for yourself, but no matter what, you always have your friends around. I’m really close to my teachers. If I ever had a problem, they are the first people I would talk to. It’s hard for me to talk to my parents all the time because of the time difference but I know that my teachers are always here for me.

Being so far from home has really helped me find myself, and that’s something I’m proud of. When I came here, I started to become genuinely happy. I’m also proud of my academic results – EF Academy has really encouraged me to do well. I enjoy doing my homework and writing essays. My parents can tell from my grades and GPA that I really enjoy studying here. The environment at EF Academy is naturally very encouraging – whatever situation you’re in, or whatever you want to do, the people at the school will encourage you.

I think that being at EF A cademy has helped me find out who I am – that wasn’t happening in Switzerland. The first few months at EF Academy were sort of normal for me, but last January I realized that I was really happy – I wake up every morning with a heart full of love and I just can’t imagine that being this happy is even possible. I honestly feel like the happiest person on the planet!

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT SINCE COMING HERE?

WHY DOES BEING HERE MAKE YOU HAPPY?

I’m waiting for the basketball season to start so I can try out for the team. If I don’t make it, I’ll try to become the team manager. On Mondays, I’m involved in the yearbook – we’re deciding on what we’d like to include in this year’s edition. If I don’t do that club, then I’ll do yoga. On Tuesdays, I do pilates – that’s my favorite club – and on Thursdays, I do zumba. On the weekends, the activities coordinator organizes things that we can sign up for like chaperoned trips to Manhattan, for example. On Friday nights and Sunday mornings, I usually go to church in Sleepy Hollow.

“Being so far from home has really helped me find myself, and that’s something I’m proud of.”

NAME

Switzerland

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

IGCSE

P RO G R A M

Spanish

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Pilates Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Livia Ulrich

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE EF ACADEMY?

WHAT IS IT LIKE STUDYING WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD?

WHAT KIND OF CAREER WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE IN THE FUTURE?

DO YOU ENJOY LIVING IN THE RESIDENCE?

HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WILL LOOK BACK ON THIS EXPERIENCE?

I really like EF Academy Torbay, it’s like a small city and you get to know people from different places around the world. You get to know everyone at the school and they become a big family because you spend 24 hours per day, 7 days per week together. They’ve seen you in your pajamas and without make-up on! It’s good studying with people from around the world because I have met friends that can teach me the languages they speak – here, you can learn Korean, Turkish, French, Spanish, Arabic and a lot of other languages. I tried to learn Arabic, but it’s quite hard because they speak too fast. I want to be a fashion designer. I want to study design at Parsons School of Design in New York. My dream is to have my own clothes store. Yes! It’s like I have a lot of sisters and we all care about each other. We eat together in the evenings and we always have a lot of fun – everybody talks and makes plans for the weekends. Our house parent is so nice, he is like a father and he looks after us. I will always remember my friends and my teachers. My friends are my family and I will remember all the times we laughed and cried together.

NAME

Mexico

H O M E C O U N T RY

English, Spanish and French

L A N G UAG E S

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

CAS – It’s a fun subject where we have been camping, walking in rivers, surfing and coasteering with cliff jumping into the sea.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

French Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Maria Fernanda Ocampo Oceguera

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO MOVE FROM BRAZIL TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE U.S.?

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU’VE CHANGED OR DEVELOPED SINCE COMING HERE?

When I was three, my father started teaching me English and since then, he has always motivated me to continue studying it as a second language. When I was just a little girl, he already began planning for me to study abroad. At first, I was only interested in a short-term English program, but then he asked me why I wanted to study something I already knew and he encouraged me to study something else. Then, we found EF and we discussed the option of attending high school abroad and not only learning English, but also mathematics, business and economics. I loved the idea! Back in my home country, my parents made decisions for me and they helped me get through challenges. When I came here, I realized that I was really on my own and that it is my responsibility to face challenges and achieve what I want in the future. At EF Academy, you realize that if you want to do something, it’s up to you to take action; it’s your own life. I learned Portuguese, Spanish and English when I was a little girl but now I’m also learning Norwegian because I have a lot of Norwegian friends. I’m really interested in that language and culture and I wanted to feel more comfortable around them. Over the summer, I decided to study Norwegian on my own so that I could come here this year and meet new Norwegians and actually speak with them. I’m getting a recommendation from my Norwegian teacher because I’m studying on my own – there isn’t an Intro to Norwegian language course here for students who would like to start learning the language from the beginning – so I’m studying and learning the language in my free time. I have a book, I have my friends, and I’m actually doing really well.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DO YOU GET FROM THE COUNSELORS, TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF HERE?

In Brazil, the schools don’t have business or economics classes, and I only learned conversational English. When I came here and began studying these new subjects in depth, I realized that my English wasn’t strong enough because I was hearing a lot of terms that were specific to the subject. In my first business class, I felt like the teacher was speaking a completely different language. But he was so supportive and he gave me a website and a business dictionary that I could use when I needed to look up a word.

I’m 17 years old now; when I was back in my country I had just six months left of my senior year so I would already be in college if I had stayed in Brazil. I came here knowing that I would leave my friends, family and school behind – I knew that I would have to start from zero. I had to get out of my comfort zone and did something that I wasn’t sure would actually work, I wasn’t sure if I’d made the right decision. But I went for it because I’m really determined – I was determined to achieve my goals of studying abroad and attending college. When I came here, I got involved in a lot of extracurricular activities: I ran for Vice President of Student Council last year, I’m involved in community service projects like picking up trash around the campus and in Rosehill, and I’m the captain of the varsity volleyball team. I also tutor students in the High School Preparation Course. I consider all of those things to be achievements and I’m proud of all of them.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT SINCE COMING HERE?

Some experiences are so small, but they really make you grow as a person and they make your personality shine. I never would have imagined myself experiencing all this. When I was home, I was so afraid of what I would find here, but now, when I get on the plane to visit my family in Brazil, I ask myself if I’m going home or if I’m going on vacation.

When you make the decision to study abroad at EF Academy, you’ll think of a lot of different possibilities and scenarios: being rejected, making friends, learning new things, but when the school year actually begins, you realize that it’s different than how you thought it would be. You’ll experience feelings of independence as you become an adult, but most importantly, you’ll start to realize that you can make your own decisions and your own choices. You’ll feel yourself leaving childhood because you’ll start growing as a person and a student and you’ll slowly see yourself becoming the professional that you hope to be in the future. You’ll become more mature because, whether you want it to or not, each challenge and experience will teach you something. The experience you have here is something that you’ll carry with you your whole life.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT COMING HERE?

NAME

Brazil

H O M E C O U N T RY

Portuguese, Spanish, English and some Norwegian

L A N G UAG E S

New York

EF CAMPUS

High School Diploma with IB courses

P RO G R A M

Math and business

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Volleyball and volunteer work

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Mariana Comar Kawabe

I knew that I wanted to study abroad in the U.S., but I had a difficult time finding a school where I felt comfortable and where I belonged. EF 足Academy felt like the right place for me. The fact that the school offered the IB Diploma program was also very important to me. I spoke to one of my teachers in China and he suggested that I study the IB because I want to attend an American university.

NAME

China

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Business

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Model United Nations

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Muhua Liu

Nisrina Salsabila from Indonesia started her Fall Term at EF A cademy Oxford one month after her classmates, but that didn’t stop her from adapting to and succeeding in her new environment. While the first month posed a challenge, she caught up on schoolwork and got used to her new home. After one month, she was on track thanks to the support she received from her teachers. One of her greatest accomplishments was being selected as a prefect along with just 15 other students. The role is common at schools in the UK and is similar to a Student Council member. Prefects represent the student body and they regularly meet with faculty and staff to share and discuss the feedback they’ve heard from their peers on campus. As a prefect, Nisrina has contact with her fellow classmates on a regular basis, and this exposure to so many different nationalities has changed her.

The diversity of the classes at EF Academy is what Nasrina finds most interesting about the school. “There are students from so many different countries. I am increasing my knowledge of other countries and learning how people from different countries interact with each other,” she said. “My friends are from many different countries so we speak English together, or a mix of English and other languages. I even speak English with other Indonesian students so that we can practice as much as possible.” As a representative of the study body, it’s important for Nasrina to be familiar with the unique culture of the school and she must have advanced communication skills in order to form a bridge between the students and the faculty. This experience as a prefect at EF Academy, and the collaboration and tolerance that go along with this sort of position, serve as cornerstones in her path to success in the globalized 21st century.

“Being here at EF Academy has made me more open-minded: I understand people from different countries and I am more open to other peoples’ ways of doing things. It also changed my lifestyle and made me more independent,” she said.

Indonesia

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

Business, psychology and economics

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Drama Club – I love the improvisation activities, they help improve my confidence.

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

“My friends are from many different countries so we speak English together, or a mix of English and other languages. I even speak English with other Indonesian students so that we can practice as much as possible.”

Nisrina Salsabila

At the beginning of the year, we studied the 19th century and it was fun to learn about other countries and perspectives from my classmates from Africa and Asia. Everyone has a different perspective of history.

I’m on the varsity soccer team and I have practice every day. Soccer Club is tough – every day we train for one and a half hours and then we have two matches per week. It’s really fun to travel around New York and play against other high schools.

I came from an IB school but I was interested in taking a music course in the program, which is really difficult to find. I wanted to finish the IB program but not at my school in Holland so I decided to look for something else. I had lived in Spain for seven years but I didn’t want to go back there. I received a brochure for EF Academy and when I visited the campus, I knew it was the right one.

The first three or four days I didn’t really like it and I wanted to go back home. I didn’t like being in a new room but after one week, I loved it so much. The first few days we had tests but after that, we had activities, went to the city and I met new people. I got into the rhythm and then it became fun.

I live in the East Wing. I share a room with students from Vietnam and China. I expected it to be challenging but they’re both nice guys. I’ve become especially good friends with one because we play on the soccer team together.

I play the piano and I sing. I’ve been playing piano for nine years and singing for the same amount of time. I write my own songs and I have recorded an album – I recorded two songs this summer in the studio. I write pop ballads with piano and I listen to basically everything. My favorite music to listen to is jazz and I love old jazz singers like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, but I write more acoustic music. There are a lot of people who play piano here. One girl is amazing and she is from Germany. She plays classical and we have lots of conversations about music. It’s fun to be with her and play the piano with her too.

Going to other schools with the soccer team has been fun and I’ve also enjoyed going into town. My friend participated in a marathon and it was so inspiring to see him cross the finish line. I saw that and thought, “I want do that too.” I’m going to start training so that when I’m 18, I can also take part in it.

WHAT IS IT LIKE STUDYING HISTORY AT EF A CADEMY?

WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF CLASS?

WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO ATTEND EF ACADEMY?

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST WEEK LIKE?

WHAT DORM ARE YOU LIVING IN?

DO YOU PLAY MUSIC AT SCHOOL?

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST MEMORY SO FAR?

The Netherlands

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Music and history

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Varsity soccer

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

“I’m on the varsity soccer team and I have practice every day. Soccer Club is tough – every day we train for one and a half hours and then we have two matches per week. It’s really fun to travel around New York and play against other high schools.”

Raffie van Maren

The first week was amazing. Saying goodbye to my friends, family, house and all of my favorite Mexican food was hard, and it was a bit shocking to leave everything behind for a year or more. But as soon as I landed in the UK, I forgot about everything. In the first week, there were so many different activities and I met new people almost every second. With so much going on, it is almost impossible to focus on what I miss at home.

NAME

Mexico

H O M E C O U N T RY

English, Spanish and French

L A N G UAG E S

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Business and Spanish

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Running Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Renata Flores Orozco

Spain

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Business – I find it challenging the way our teacher conducts the classes. It’s more dynamic with a variety of topics and teaching styles.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Art Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

If I could give new students a piece of advice, it would be to not worry at the beginning – even if it feels strange on the first day, it does get better. Maybe it’s hard when you first arrive, but you will really start enjoying it. Just give yourself time. At EF Academy, you can learn about the perspectives of people who come from different places. Even if we come from different parts of the world, we all have similar goals and we want to succeed, and we help each other. Here, nobody will judge you – you can do what you want and dress as you like, everybody is different here so everybody can be themselves.

Roxana Marocho Marin

Sarina Hotchandani Dayaram, an IB student at EF Academy New York, was born and raised in Andorra. A fluent communicator in five different languages – Spanish, Catalan, French, Sindhi and English – she’s a linguistically talented student who plans on building on these skills in the future. EF Academy appealed to her because of the international environment and the opportunity the school would give her to expand her knowledge of languages, and how to make use of them. Sarina knows that pursuing her interest in business as part of the IB program will help her prepare for university where she’d like to major in business and languages.

Over the summer, EF Academy helped Sarina take advantage of a unique internship opportunity that allowed her to apply her language skills and gain valuable work experience. “As an EF Intern, I traveled around to different language schools in the UK and talked about my academic experience. I think my language and communication skills really helped me get the internship,” she says. “I used my skills for daily life experience – that’s what work is. I also used my language skills because I needed to speak Spanish with Spanish students and French with French students to make them feel more comfortable. I found that people were more likely to talk to me if we spoke the same language.”

In fact, business is her favorite subject: “Everything is related to business. You have to have a basic knowledge of business if you want to go anywhere in the world, especially if you combine it with languages.”

Andorra

H O M E C O U N T RY

Spanish, Catalan, French, Sindhi and English

L A N G UAG E S

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Business

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

French tutoring, Senior Club, Student Council, community service, graduation, culture fairs and Language Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

NAME

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As an EF Intern, I traveled around to different language schools in the UK and talked about my academic experience. I think my language and communication skills really helped me get the internship.â&#x20AC;?

Sarina Hotchandani Dayaram

“Before I came here, people told me that I would change a lot while I studied abroad but I didn’t think that would happen. I see what they mean now.”

Since starting at EF Academy, Thea has stepped out of her comfort zone and into the community. An IB student whose favorite subject is history, Thea serves as a leader of the school’s Community Service Club and she divides her time between studying and volunteering outside of the school with her classmates – a co-curricular activity that often appeals to universities. “During Fall Term, the club went to a soup kitchen in Manhattan where we served food to homeless people. We were there for a day to give back to the community. I have also helped out at a literacy program in Westchester, where kids come to a church and we study together for a day on the weekend,” she said. “It was very different from what I’ve seen in Norway. It’s strange to speak to people who don’t have anywhere to go – a lot of the people at the soup kitchen probably didn’t know where they were going to stay that night. It was an eye-opening experience for me, and also a great thing to do.”

As a “media school” student from Norway, her options of study abroad programs were limited because of the differences in the education systems. Thea was introduced to EF Academy at an info meeting in her home country and when she learned about the school in New York, she made her decision. “Before I came here, people told me that I would change a lot while I studied abroad but I didn’t think that would happen. I see what they mean now,” she said. “By being a student here, you move to another country and live with other students. When I came here, I didn’t know anybody, not a single person. I have changed, learned a lot and grown up very fast. It feels like I left this little bubble that was my life in Norway and now I’m seeing it from a different perspective.”

NAME

Norway

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

History

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Community Service Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B

Thea Charlotte Lohne Landsverk

“I thought EF Academy would be a good place for me because the IB program lets students figure out who they are and what they want to do. At EF Academy, I get the opportunity to develop my skills while I figure out who I am.”

With favorite subjects like biology and chemistry, and after-school activities that include Drama and Dance Club, it’s clear that Winnie Sun is benefitting from a balanced academic experience as an IB student at EF Academy Oxford. While she was still in Taiwan, Winnie knew what subjects she was interested in but she was confused about what to pursue since the school system in her home country does not offer the course diversity that EF Academy does. “I thought EF Academy would be a good place for me because the IB program lets students figure out who they are and what they want to do. At EF Academy, I get the opportunity to develop my skills while I figure out who I am,” Winnie said.

Winnie’s greatest accomplishment at EF Academy has been completing her Extended Essay. The topic she covered – a medical mushroom that can lower blood lipids – was based on an idea she had during her summer internship in the mushroom laboratory at Tunghai University in Taiwan. “I think that this mushroom could be beneficial to people who have had a stroke; it could potentially be taken as a daily supplement. I decided to find a way to optimally cultivate the mushroom and I found out that 25 degrees Celsius is the best temperature for mushrooms to grow,” Winnie explained. The combination of the IB program, subject options and inspiring teachers at EF Academy have helped Winnie boost her knowledge as she accomplishes her goals, grows and learns.

Another difference between her local Taiwanese school and EF A cademy is the passion that teachers bring to their instruction. “I didn’t know that teachers could be so passionate about their subject,” Winnie said. “Our teachers share their knowledge because they love the subject and they want us to not only understand the content but also share their fascination with the subject.”

NAME

Taiwan

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Biology and chemistry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I want to study medicine, so I need the background knowledge from these two subjects. I like medicine because I want to have more knowledge about my own body, but I also want to help other people that are in need.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

I like Drama Club. We do improvisations by just getting a script and then acting it out. We also study the different skills you need to have as an actor. I am involved in Dance Club too.

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Winnie Sun

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO STUDY AT EF ACADEMY?

YOU ALREADY KNOW YOU WANT TO CONTINUE STUDYING HERE IN THE U.S. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO STUDY?

HOW IS EF ACADEMY HELPING YOU PREPARE FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL?

I started to think about the future and my education – I plan on applying to an American university – and I thought coming here would help me figure out exactly what I need to do to develop the skills I need. I want to study medicine – I want to be a pediatrician and help children. I know being a doctor here is competitive so it’s important for me to work hard so that I am accepted to university. There are a lot of American students who want to be doctors as well, that’s why I plan on working hard now so it will be easier when it’s time for me to apply to universities later. I’m involved in the Medical Club, an after-school club where we watch videos about medicine and talk about the field. I’ve become interested in things that I learned about at the club, like stem cells. The school is also helping me prepare for the SAT and TOEFL exams because I need high scores to get accepted to university.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TEACHERS AT EF ACADEMY? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE?

WHAT WAS IT LIKE MOVING FROM KAZAKHSTAN TO AMERICA?

My biology teacher is my favorite teacher. He gives us flexible working times so that we can complete our tasks in a way that works for us – I appreciate that because we all have different study habits. He’s funny and we don’t feel like we’re in class, it’s more like studying and talking and that helps me remember the information better than just writing and taking notes. He also knows each of us as individuals and he knows who is good at what; sometimes, he asks us to help each other out.

I’ve traveled alone since I was 13. My family sent me to different schools and countries because they wanted me to become a global citizen. After I came back to Kazakhstan, I didn’t really feel like I belonged because I felt that inside me there was so much of everything and I wanted to share that with people. That’s why I came here and now I feel like I’m in the right place. I’m not just from one country and I don’t stick to just one tradition; I have a broad understanding of different things, and at EF Academy, I feel like I can be myself without being judged or criticized because everyone understands what it’s like to be so international. I found something for myself here. Being here helped me understand myself better and helped me clearly see what I want and who I really am. I became aware of my strengths and that has changed me. I no longer have to be scared, I accept myself as I am, and others do too.

My advice is to be open before coming here – be open to cultures and open to change. If you are tolerant and ready for everything, you will see so many different perspectives. Don’t be scared, just be ready for anything and you’ll see how much your life will change.

I knew where I was going because I’ve been here before so I didn’t have a big culture shock. Of course, it was hard at the beginning, as it is for everyone, to get used to the distance between family and friends from home and being in an unfamiliar environment. But I never really felt alone because the faculty and staff were really supportive and every day at the community meetings they told us that they cared about us and that’s something that made me feel more at home.

HOW HAS BEING AT EF ACADEMY CHANGED YOU?

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR KAZAKH STUDENTS WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT COMING HERE?

NAME

Kazakhstan

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

Biology and chemistry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; In my classes at EF ÂAcademy, we cover different topics and we go deeper into the subject material. In Kazakhstan, we learned more but it was just shallow information, and here, the learning is more specific and more in-depth. I really appreciate this because I think its better to have a deeper understanding of a topic rather than to know just a bit about everything.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C TS

Medical Club, Yoga Club and Pilates Club

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Yelizaveta Lukina

South Korea

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

Physics is my favorite subject; with physics, you can explain the whole world.

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Math Club – We are preparing for the national math competitions. Last year, I won a bronze medal.

FAVO R I T E C LU B

NAME

I came here because I specifically wanted to study physics and there isn’t so much of a focus on this subject in Korea. In my family, everyone is a musician, so naturally, they wanted me to get involved in music too. But I wanted to study physics, so I asked my mom if I could study abroad and eventually she agreed to let me come to EF Academy. I think that is a great achievement because now I’m doing what I’m passionate about.

Yerim Shin

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT UNIVERSITIES YET?

WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING?

WHAT OTHER CLUBS ARE YOU INVOLVED IN?

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE RUSSIA TO STUDY IN NEW YORK?

Yes, I already have a list! My parents are super organized and they passed this down to me. I want to be a chemical engineer and I’d like to study in the U.S. but I’m applying to UK schools as well. I have three files: the first has information about the top 50 engineering schools in the U.S., the second file includes my top 10 choices and the last file contains my top five choices. I have a chart that includes information like the name of the university, its ranking based on the major, deadlines for tests and applications and minimum exam scores. I wanted to pursue criminal justice and become a criminal detective who had to think about what a murderer might have been thinking when he or she committed a crime. My parents suggested that I look for something broader. So, we did more research about careers in this field and that’s how I landed on chemical engineering. If I’m going to get a good education, then I can have any job I want. Two months after I decided what I wanted to major in, I started doing more research and realized that it’s actually a pretty interesting field. I realized that chemistry is actually what I want to study. In my home country, we only have this subject for two years – 8th and 9th grade – and we never had labs. When I first came here, I was so excited about how many experiments and practical work we were doing in my chemistry class. I’m not involved in as many this year as I was last year. We have CAS hours that are required for the IB program, but I have a lot going on with my applications and SATs so I’m only involved in the Chemistry Club now. Last year and the year before, I was very active. I volunteered, I was on the varsity cheerleading team, I acted in the play “Our Town,” I was in the Model United Nations and I took part in a lot of external conferences including some at Yale and Stanford University.

Australia and Antarctica, but I had never thought about studying abroad before my friend said he was going. I decided to come here after him because I didn’t need to take the High School Preparation Course. I started in 10th grade so this is my third year at EF Academy.

My favorite memory was prom last year on May 28th. I had a lot of friends who were seniors and for some reason, it was the saddest but also the best night of my life. I realized that I would be a senior the following year and it was a scary thought.

When I was in 10th grade, we still lived at the Tarrytown campus and the quality of the dorms wasn’t that great – we had four people in our room and my roommates were all from China. It was challenging because I couldn’t understand what they were saying when they were talking to each other and I always felt left out. So, I decided I was going to learn Chinese so that I could understand them. Everyone said I was crazy and they told me that it was a hard language to learn. But I’m the sort of person who loves challenges like that. Last year, I took IB Chinese ab initio and then just last week, I asked my Chinese friend a question and he answered in Chinese and I understood! It was such a small thing, but I understood and it was such a great feeling because I realized that I can understand Chinese; I learned it! It sounds like a little accomplishment, but it was a big deal for me.

I know one student here, and we’ve grown up together – we went to kindergarten together. Once, we decided to go to an aqua park together and he mentioned that he’d be attending EF A cademy New York for summer school and then for 10th grade. My parents then told me that they wanted me to study abroad as well, so I decided to come here. I’m here because of my friend. I traveled a lot with my family, I’ve been to every continent accept

THROUGHOUT ALL THAT TIME, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST MEMORY?

WHAT HAS YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT BEEN?

NAME

Russia

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

IB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; My Extended Essay focused on to what extent music influences a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brain process while they are studying. The results were very surprising. I selected four types types of music and in the end, I found that energetic music helped students remember more.

P RO G R A M

Chemistry

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

Chemistry Club and varsity cheerleading

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Yulia Dichenko

Kazakhstan

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

Economics

FAVO R I T E S U B J E C T

I am involved in the Football, Running, Social Enterprise, and Debate Clubs and the Student Investor Challenge. I have been playing football for as long as I can remember, so I really enjoy this club.

FAVO R I T E C LU B S

Zhoshu Sabdalin

NAME

The Induction Week went by so fast. The first impression I had was that it was raining all the time, but I still really liked it. People here are friendly and everybody got to know each other very quickly. I already knew one student from Kazakhstan; we’ve been friends for ten years already and decided to attend EF A cademy together. Sometimes, it’s difficult to be away from my family and they miss me but they are also proud that I’m here.

A FUTURE WITHOUT BORDERS

NEW YORK

SAN DIEGO Canada USA

OUR OWN WORLD Our students come from more than 75 different countries around the world, and when they arrive at EF Academy they bring with them their unique ideas, perspectives and personalities. All these wonderful individuals come together to form one EF Academy family. Despite their differences, they are unified by their desire to become a

Argentina

global citizen and their dedication

Bolivia

to broadening their horizons.

Brazil Chile Columbia Costa Rica Mexico Uruguay Venezuela

EF ACADEMY SCHOOLS

HOME COUNTRIES OF EF ACADEMY STUDENTS, ALUMNI & PARENTS

100

Austria

Norway

Belgium

Poland

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Czech Republic

Romania

Denmark

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OXFORD

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TORBAY

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Angola Algeria Egypt Guyana Malawi Mali Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nigeria South Africa St. Helena Sudan Tanzania Togo Uganda Zambia

101

102

ALUMNI

103

“When I had the chance to go to EF Academy, I thought that I should definitely go because I knew it would be a unique opportunity to live with people from all over the world and practice new languages.”

104

P RO G R A M

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University

UNIVERSITY

105

New York

EF CAMPUS

The IB curriculum, especially the Extended Essay, really prepared me for university studies. I still rely on those skills today. I did Advanced Placement – the American equivalent of the IB program – in my previous school and it was more about memorizing, whereas the IB really focuses on actual learning and making connections. I also had more exposure to standardized tests. The only standardized test that we have in the American system is the SAT.

USA

H O M E C O U N T RY

I also knew that I wanted to do the IB program because I wanted to apply for universities both in the UK and U.S. Being American and studying at an international boarding school definitely helped set me apart when it came to university

applications – I was invited for an interview at Cambridge.

NAME

I lived an hour and a half away from the EF Academy campus and my stepmother would drive past the school on her way to work. When I had the chance to go to EF Academy, I thought that I should definitely go because I knew it would be a unique opportunity to live with people from all over the world and practice new languages.

Addie Nix

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GO TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT UNIVERSITY DO YOU ATTEND AND WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING?

Before EF Academy, I was studying at an international school in Spain. Through that school, I had the opportunity to study in Ireland and I really liked the international experience. I also knew I wanted to study the IB but I was not satisfied with the IB programs in Spain. That’s why I thought that EF Academy Oxford was a perfect fit for me when I looked at the school and the IB page online. Firstly, the university placements and grades of previous students showed that the school offered the academic level that I was looking for. Secondly, the school seemed to provide the freedom that I was looking for. There were, of course, rules and people watching over you, but the school seemed to allow students the freedom to try new things outside the school itself. I study Veterinary Medicine at the Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, and I’m looking forward to specializing in wildlife and conservation in the future. Did you know that animals that live too long in seclusion develop mental disorders? For example, lions that live in seclusion sometimes develop a tick: they lick themselves until they reach their bones because the endorphin that is produced makes it so they do not feel the pain. I am very excited to have the opportunity to learn more about these kinds of things.

> Find your passion in the passion: For me, it was finding out that I was passionate about exotic animals within the field of veterinary medicine. The more passionate you are about something, the more motivated you will be to pursue it. It is challenging to study for the IB and live abroad, but it is important to set goals that keep you happy and motivated.

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS WHO WANT TO STUDY WHAT YOU STUDY?

> Gain as much experience as possible: I used contacts to get two internships during my studies – one at a zoo and one with a team of equestrian vets. I also contacted a company that arranged courses at an elephant conservation center – I spent ten whole days with elephants. It was through this experience that I realized that I wanted to work with exotic animals. > Believe that things always work out, but maybe not the way that you thought: Of course, not everything will turn out exactly as you want it to. For example, I applied to study veterinary medicine in the UK but I did not get accepted because they did not want to focus on wildlife veterinary medicine. This was very tough for me but I needed to move on. That is when I learned that just because Plan A does not work out, it does not mean that Plan B and Plan C do not exist, you just need to find them.

There are so many things but the main things are the students and the friendly environment. I love the fact that I could always start talking to people when I overheard something interesting, no matter if it was going back from class or in the canteen. Everybody was welcomed and no one would think that it was weird, thanks to the sense of instant friendship and belonging.

106

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM EF ACADEMY AND WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

Spain

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

2015

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Murdoch University

UNIVERSITY

Veterinary Medicine

MAJOR

107

NAME

“I love the fact that I could always start talking to people when I overheard something interesting, no matter if it was going back from class or in the canteen.”

Ana Maria Santiago

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO ATTEND EF ACADEMY?

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

At my previous school in Hong Kong, we always received news about EF’s summer school. I thought it sounded interesting so I spent one summer at Isle of Wight and in Torquay, UK, to learn English. I liked the environment and the people in the UK, so when my parents asked me if I wanted to go abroad to study I decided to go to EF Academy in Oxford. The driving force behind my decision was that I felt that I could not do well in Hong Kong and I needed to get out of my comfort zone and change. The environment in Hong Kong made me more dependent on other people and I rarely made decisions for myself. I felt that I needed to change this and in order to do that, I needed to change the environment I was in. After two years at EF Academy Oxford, I really transformed. I became more independent and started making decisions while taking my future into consideration.

I am currently studying Economics at Warwick University. I really like macroeconomics, since I find it very interesting how one can use models to describe different and complex situations in the world. It also feels very relevant because it has very much to do with human behavior. When choosing my university, I had to decide between Exeter and Warwick. In the end, I chose Warwick because it was ranked higher and, more importantly, I really liked the campus when I visited during the Open House.

WHAT UNIVERSITY DO YOU ATTEND NOW AND WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING?

My university guidance counselor helped me a lot with my university application. He let me write and go through everything myself but he would support me, for example, with the personal statement.

I miss my teachers. Compared to my EF Academy teachers, my university professors don’t care as much about the students. It is much more about individual studies. At EF Academy, I felt that the teachers really wanted to know me and cared about me; they would come by and ask me questions to make sure I understood. If I had problems or issues, I always had someone to talk to. First of all, they provided me with a good academic base. The teachers were really good and they helped me understand and prepare for my exams. Thanks to them – and a lot of studying – I scored A*A*AA on my A-Level exams.

“I miss my teachers. Compared to my EF Academy teachers, my university professors don’t care as much about the students. It is much more about individual studies. At EF Academy, I felt that the teachers really wanted to know me and cared about me.”

EF Academy also provided me with the opportunity to interact with people from different countries and who had different beliefs. This gave me an understanding of what distinguishes other cultures and I learned how to get along with people from different backgrounds. At university, there are many international students and my experience at EF Academy prepared me for it. If I would have stayed in Hong Kong, I would only have been interacting with other people from Hong Kong and it would not have helped me improve my communication skills.

108

NAME

Hong Kong

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Warwick University

UNIVERSITY

Economics

MAJOR

109

Bernard Tsang

I first came into contact with EF Academy through the Founder’s Scholarship, which really grabbed my attention. For me, it was very attractive to study at EF Academy because it offers the unique opportunity to meet people from different places in the world with very different perspectives and experiences. I always liked the UK and knew I wanted to attend university there, so Torbay was a good choice for me. Looking back, it was a great way of getting exposed to the ‘real world’ without my family.

110

NAME

Nigeria

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Cambridge University

UNIVERSITY

Engineering

MAJOR

111

Chidera Egbujor

â&#x20AC;&#x153;After Tanzania, I went to do an internship at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City. That city will always be special to me thanks to EF Academy.â&#x20AC;?

112

NAME

Norway

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

2009

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

California Lutheran University (Bachelor’s Degree in Global Studies) and Yonsei University (Master’s Degree in International Cooperation)

UNIVERSITY

113

Elisa Chavez

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO ATTEND EF ACADEMY?

I grew up in a multi-national family in Norway – my dad is Mexican and my mom is Norwegian. I think this environment made me curious about the world and its different cultures from an early stage. So when I got to high school and going on an exchange was on the table, I already knew that I wanted to do it. The spring I graduated from middle school, I got in touch with the EF office in Oslo, took some placement tests and was interviewed. Then one day in June, the Admissions Director called me up and told me that EF Academy was opening a new campus in New York. Since she knew I wanted to study abroad and be challenged academically, she recommended that I go, which I did. This was in 2008 and it was my first time away from Norway and my parents. I loved the year that I spent with EF Academy in New York. I understand that the school today is very different from when I was there. We were only 120 students at the Tarrytown campus and only the pre-IB was offered at that time. But it was an amazing experience to live with my peers and have so many languages and different people around me. Between us students, we often shared anecdotes from our home countries, which increased my appetite for learning about the different corners of the world. I even started picking up German during my year with EF Academy because I was spending time with a lot of German students.

WHAT UNIVERSITY DID YOU GRADUATE FROM AND WHAT DID YOU STUDY?

Growing up, I never liked history or politics. But I guess it is true what they say about a teacher’s ability to make all the difference in the world. My fantastic history teacher at EF Academy allowed me to discover my passion for history and international affairs. From then on, I just knew that I wanted to pursue my studies within these fields. Once I was back in Norway, I realized that I wanted to go back to the U.S. and continue to explore. The U.S. was a very fascinating place for me because it is so diverse. Thus, I applied and got into California Lutheran University with a good scholarship to help me earn my Bachelor’s Degree in Global Studies, minoring in Political Science and Spanish. Honestly, my university experience was much easier thanks to my experiences at EF Academy and the IB program. For example, we would be asked to write a research paper and I felt that everyone else was freaking out except for me because I had

already learned how to do this when I worked on my Extended Essay and Internal Assessments. Also, I was able to transfer more credits from my high school degree toward my university courses, which allowed me to study abroad in Colombia in South America. After graduating in May 2014, I went back to Norway and worked for six months at a non-profit organization that is involved with human rights. It was a fantastic experience to be hands on in seeing different governments come together and work towards a common cause. In January 2015, I went to Tanzania to volunteer as an English and history teacher at a primary school. I strongly believe that education is the most important key to success, and exposure to different cultures and norms in our globalized world is becoming an increasingly important part of that education. After Tanzania, I went to do an internship at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City. It was a great feeling being back in NYC. That city will always be special to me thanks to EF Academy. The UN experience seemed so surreal as I was suddenly a fly on the wall in a high-level world of politics after months of living in rural East Africa. To be honest, I got a bit turned off by the diplomatic processes and how long it takes to get anything done. But I guess it was an important reality-check on diplomatic work. At the same time, I must admit, I am an impatient person by nature, and I think at this stage in my life, with so much energy and lots to give, it might be more rewarding for me to work with something that allows me to be handson and see the progress in motion. However, I learned a lot and it was an extremely valuable experience – being able to hear live speeches from big shots like Bill Clinton and the Secretary General of the UN. It was very inspiring. After the UN, I decided to start my Master’s Degree in International Cooperation at Yonsei University in Korea because I was starting to get hungry for exposure to the Asian continent. My professors are Korean, but have very diverse backgrounds. This experience is both very different and very cool – one can really feel how Asia today is a political center in international affairs.

114

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR YOUR FUTURE?

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO STUDY WHAT YOU DID?

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR EF ACADEMY CLASSMATES?

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST FROM EF ACADEMY?

I hope to work in an international organization, even a UN-related one as long as I can be more hands-on than in the headquarters. My areas of preference as of now are: human rights, children and women, and refugees. I feel there are too few people working on these issues, and as a result, what we see today are the unfortunate challenges we must face. I would like to quote the opening words of the former principal of EF Academy, Gary Julian, when he spoke to us on our very first day: “People will say a lot of things when they hear that you are 15-16 years old and moving across the world on your own. But I have one thing that I want to add to the top of the list: you are risk-takers.” Although I have lived in Tanzania and Colombia, the biggest risk that I have taken up to this day was moving away from my family in Norway for the first time, to go to school in EF Academy in New York. I was only 15 years old and I went abroad on my own without being comfortable in the language and not knowing the culture. I had never been to New York before. Luckily, all my peers were at that same level and through that experience, we all learned the value of friendship across language and culture. I do! Everywhere I go I try to meet up with former classmates. When living in Colombia, I spent a lot of time with them, and due to proximity, it also allowed me to go to Chile and have another EF Academy reunion. Even now, when I am in Korea, I try to meet up with my Korean friends from EF. We have also had reunions in Europe between Colombians, Chileans, Mexicans, Koreans, Germans, Dutch, Turks and Norwegians. It is very cool to see who people have grown up to become because we were only kids when we first met. But we will always have that special bond – it feels like an extended family. The people and the memories that we shared that year. The hardest part is the thought of there never being a place or a time again when we all will be together. But I guess that also makes the memories even more precious.

115

My year at EF Academy really gave me perspective on what is important in life. Having grown up in a rather wealthy neighborhood in Oslo, despite my multicultural family, I was getting used to the homogeneous environment with skewed views on values in life. But after my year abroad, I realized the extreme value in genuine friendships and meeting people who teach you about ingenuity, loyalty and finding happiness in something other than material items. Going back to Norway after EF Academy in New York, I could really feel that I had changed my priorities. I was suddenly saving my money to go travel and see my friends instead of going shopping and buying material things. From this change of attitude, I also discovered the value of spending my money on combining travel with volunteer work. Since I was in high school, it had been something I had dreamed of doing.

Be a risk-taker and get out of your comfort zone. It is important to take risks because that is the only way you will grow.

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU LEARNED AT EF ACADEMY THAT YOU HAVE FOUND TO BE THE MOST VALUABLE IN YOUR EDUCATION, WORK LIFE AND PERSONAL LIFE?

WHAT FINAL TIP WOULD YOU GIVE TO CURRENT STUDENTS?

116

Indonesia

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Cardiff University

UNIVERSITY

Civil and Environmental Engineering

MAJOR

117

NAME

My favorite EF Academy memory was definitely the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award competition, which is a national program that our activities coordinators at EF Academy Oxford helped organize. Basically, we had to participate and set targets in four different categories. For me, that was: running, creating the EF Academy yearbook, helping disabled children at KEEN Oxford and camping. I completed my four objectives and earned a silver award. It was an amazing experience.

Kathleen Valencia Hartono

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR UNIVERSITY AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?

I am currently studying business at Babson College, which is located close to Boston. I had no idea about the school until my counselor told me about it. I wanted to stay on the East Coast and I liked the small class sizes that they offered – that combination led me to choose Babson. I’m very happy with my choice and the school has definitely exceeded my expectations. I am in my freshman year so I don’t have to decide on my major now, but I think I will go for finance, probably because of family influences – my dad started his own business when I was five years old. One course that I find particularly interesting right now is “Foundation of Entrepreneurship and Management.” We received $3,000 from Babson to fund a company idea that we’ve come up with. Our idea is to sell advertising space on paper coffee cups. I have learned a lot, everything from making feasibility presentations to setting up corporate structures.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO NEXT?

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS WHO WANT TO STUDY WHAT YOU DO?

I think I want to either go into finance and do trading or become an entrepreneur. Babson really emphasizes social entrepreneurship, through which we can bring a change to the world. I think this is really important. In the short-term, I would like to go to the London School of Economics for an exchange program. Appreciate the IB program because your IB experience will help you a lot at university, so don’t give up even when it is hard. Personally, the IB taught me a lot when it comes to time management as I was used to procrastinating.

“Appreciate the IB program because your IB experience will help you a lot at university, so don’t give up even when it is hard. Personally, the IB taught me a lot when it comes to time management as I was used to procrastinating.”

118

NAME

Taiwan

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

2015

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Babson College

UNIVERSITY

119

Maggie Teng

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT UNIVERSITY DO YOU ATTEND NOW?

I went on an exchange program in Virginia with EF High School Exchange Year and I really liked the experience. When I got the e-mail that introduced me to EF Academy, I thought, “Why not?” I had absolutely no expectations except that I wanted to spend more time in the U.S. I started off in Tarrytown and got to experience the move to Thornwood. Initially, I was planning to go to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and I had even paid the deposit after visiting for Bruins Day. However, due to my indecisiveness, I was not so sure that I actually wanted to attend UCLA so I visited Tulane University at the last minute. I ended up attending Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, just because they provide more options to explore majors. UCLA is the better university in terms of rankings, but the choice of university should not be about which is better but rather about which fits you better as a person. You can go to the best university and still be unhappy. You are the one spending four – or maybe five – years there so you should be the one making the decision.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO NEXT?

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR EF ACADEMY CLASSMATES?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT EF ACADEMY?

We had a food-eating competition, free stickers for donations, a bake sale and “Pie Faculty in the Face” fundraiser. It was a lot of work making sure everything ran as smoothly as it did. So many things did not go the way we planned, but we made it work. Since the three of us could not do all the work alone, a lot of people gave us a hand and helped put up the show. We ended up raising so much money, and the week was so much fun.

One thing I learned at EF Academy is that it is absolutely okay to just be you. People say, “College is the four years of your life where you will find out who you truly are,” but EF Academy gave me a head start on that. No matter where you are, as long as you are you, you will end up meeting someone like yourself and maybe become friends. And the next thing you know, they never leave your side.

Life is a little harder outside of high school. Don’t wish it was over, because, trust me, there will be moments when you want to go back.

I have no idea what I want to do, and I feel like there’s nothing wrong with that. I know that I will be happy with whatever I end up doing. Absolutely! Sometimes it’s hard when we all have our own things to do and are so far away from each other. But some friendships can’t be torn apart by distance. We see each other and talk when we have time. Last summer, I visited friends in Malaysia and Indonesia, and one friend came to visit me in Thailand. It’s so much easier to travel with a local, and EF Academy gives you that opportunity. I get to try all the local foods that I wouldn’t try if I went alone. I’d say one of my favorite memories is definitely Leukemia Awareness Week! A classmate and I came together and organized Leukemia Awareness Week to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with the help of Emily Aquina, the Activities Director.

120

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU LEARNED AT EF ACADEMY THAT YOU HAVE FOUND VALUABLE FOR UNIVERSITY?

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO CURRENT STUDENTS?

Thailand

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

2015

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Tulane University

UNIVERSITY

121

NAME

“One thing I learned at EF Academy is that it is absolutely okay to just be you.”

Patch Nattamon Rawanghet

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GO TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT UNIVERSITY DID YOU ATTEND AFTER YOU GRADUATED FROM EF ACADEMY AND WHAT DID YOU STUDY?

WHERE ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING?

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR APPLYING TO UNIVERSITY?

I was aware of EF long before I found out about EF Academy, I even took an EF English course in Malta. Then, I got to know about EF Academy, or EF Brittin College as it was called then. I found it to be a very interesting school so I applied and I received the Founder’s Scholarship. EF Academy was a great experience. Torbay was a nice place and I met a lot of great people. As I was part of the second intake at EF Academy Torbay, we were only 50 students. Everyone, from teachers to mentors, was very supportive - it was like a big family and everyone was looking out for each other. Moreover, the environment in Torbay really allowed me to focus on my studies and it was also a safe option for my parents. After EF Academy, I started studying Banking, Finance and Management at Loughborough University. It was my top choice, very much because it was a socalled “sandwich degree”: a bachelor program during which I could undertake one placement year or internship. I did my internship year with KPMG, one of the four global accounting firms, which then offered me a full-time position when I graduated. I must say that the last year at university was much more relaxed than the years before thanks to my KPMG offer. For the past four years, I have been working for KPMG. I started as an auditor but joined the “Deal Advisory” division six months ago and now I work with mergers and acquisitions. I work as an advisor for corporations when they want to acquire or divest a company, either wholly or partially. I do everything from conducting corporate valuations, searching for potential buyers and preparing sales packs for businesses. It is very different from what I did as an auditor and I like it a lot because I get to see commercial trends and understand the key drivers in different companies.

Be open to new experiences and people. People tend to stick to their groups and what they are familiar with, which can prevent them from finding new experiences and learning about the environment at hand. However, synergies are created when you speak to different people and understand different ways of doing things. I would really recommend opening up to the ‘different’ because only then will you develop and learn new things. At university, everyone is competing so interpersonal skills and being able to communicate to different peers are great advantages to have.

I do keep in contact with my classmates from different parts of the world. It is also very interesting to see where people end up in terms of work by using LinkedIn and Facebook.

I really enjoyed being in an environment where people around me were so driven and open to change and actually wanted to make an impact in the world. In some respect, it is similar to my current work environment at KPMG and that was actually an important criterion for me when I chose my employer.

For me, I think it is the realization that there is often no clear right or wrong answer. There are supported answers, but many times, it is all about the open discussion. At EF Academy, students came from different countries and had different views. Our teachers leveraged this in their teaching and created a very good environment for interesting, open discussions. This enabled me to come to university with an open mind.

At the end of the day, you need to understand what you want to do yourself. It comes down to whether you like the subject and the environment that you are going to study in. I would really recommend going on university tours and speaking to students at the university of your choice to get a good view of what it is like. In my case, my dad wanted me to apply for a different school but after visiting Loughborough University, I knew that this was the school for me because I liked it a lot.

122

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO STUDY WHAT YOU DID?

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR EF ACADEMY CLASSMATES?

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU LEARNED AT EF ACADEMY THAT YOU FOUND VALUABLE FOR UNIVERSITY LIFE AND BEYOND?

Russia

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

2008

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Loughborough University

UNIVERSITY

Banking, Finance and Management

MAJOR

KPMG

C U R R E N T E M P LOY E R

123

NAME

“For me, I think it is the realization that there is often no clear right or wrong answer. There are supported answers, but many times, it is all about the open discussion.”

Pavel Shamanov

124

Pennsylvania State

UNIVERSITY

Mechanical Engineering

MAJOR

125

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

This goes hand-in-hand with the advice that he would give to current EF Academy students: “Think of yourself as an adult and take responsibility for yourself. The aim of your time at EF Academy should be to become independent and to learn how to manage your life. But don’t be afraid of making mistakes during high school – you will learn from them and they will not make a big impact on your life overall.”

A-Level

P RO G R A M

After graduating in 2014, Peyman began attending Pennsylvania State University where he is now studying Mechanical Engineering, which he balances with a minor in Art History. He is also part of the university’s Schreyer’s Honors College which offers select students the chance to graduate with honors from Penn State when they accomplish the academic requirements. This distinction is

“When I started university, I could really tell that I was ahead of my peers. For most of them, university was the first time that they left their parents and they found it quite challenging,” he said. “On my end, I had already been independent for two years so I felt that I was ready right from the beginning. I knew exactly how to manage my time.”

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

“The A-Level program was great for me because I got support to focus on my studies. Compared to the IB, we studied fewer subjects but the teaching was more in-depth. I was really happy to find out that A-Levels are a respectable qualification in the U.S., which meant that there were no problems for me to apply to universities in America,” he said.

given to just five percent of the undergraduate students enrolled at Penn State. As a student of the exclusive college, Peyman has access to a bigger network that will become especially helpful for his research work. Reflecting on his time as a student at EF Academy, Peyman said that the most valuable skill he learned was time management.

Iran

H O M E C O U N T RY

Peyman Norouzi always exhibited strength in subjects like mathematics and physics so it was clear to him that he’d study something sciencerelated at university. The A-Level program allowed Peyman to focus on the subjects that interested him the most. Though the program is a standard pathway to universities in the UK, he was able to use his qualifications earned at EF Academy Torbay to receive acceptance to universities in the U.S. as well.

NAME

“When I started university, I could really tell that I was ahead of my peers. For most of them, university was the first time that they left their parents and they found it quite challenging.”

Peyman Norouzi

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Enjoy your experience as much as possible, make as many friends as possible and, of course, study hard.â&#x20AC;?

126

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE

Ra Salah

Brazil

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Brunel University London

UNIVERSITY

Aerospace Engineering

MAJOR

It was always my dream to go and study in the UK so when my parents gave me this opportunity to study with EF Academy, I went for it. Honestly, I was a bit scared at the beginning since it was my first time leaving my family and being on my own. In hindsight, this was very beneficial for me since I had to become more mature and independent.

NAME

EF ACADEMY?

Aside from the annoying fact that I had to buy four to five umbrellas during my time in Torbay, I have never regretted going to EF Academy. I cannot say enough about how good of an experience it was. I met so many good friends and teachers that I still keep in contact with. WHAT UNIVERSITY DO YOU ATTEND AND WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EF ACADEMY MEMORY?

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO CURRENT STUDENTS?

I am studying Aerospace Engineering because airplanes have always fascinated me; everything from how they are built to how the technology has developed. I was initially studying at Kingston and was also accepted to Queen Mary but I felt like I wanted to really challenge myself. That is why I chose to go to Brunel, one of the top engineering universities in the UK, and I am really enjoying myself here. I was awarded the ‘Physics Student of the Year’ prize. I was not expecting it so I became completely speechless but I was so, so happy! It was truly an amazing day! Without a doubt, my friends. I can still remember our seating arrangement in class everyday. We would always help and support each other – like a family. Compared to university where you work and live more individually, there was a true ‘team’ feeling at EF Academy. Enjoy your experience as much as possible, make as many friends as possible and, of course, study hard. But make sure you do enjoy this unique experience. Today we have and tomorrow we have not.

127

I always said to myself, ‘I want to meet new people and that is why I am here.’ In the end, that is exactly what I did. That is what EF Academy is about - meeting people from other countries and being part of global community. I would recommend just getting out of your comfort zone and talking to people. You never know where you will be traveling next and it is nice to have a local friend.

128

NAME

Hong Kong

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

2013

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Cass Business School at City University of London

UNIVERSITY

Business

MAJOR

129

Rena Yap

I am currently studying Business, specializing in Finance and Accounting, at New York University (NYU). I also applied to UK universities and was accepted to Manchester, Loughborough and Lancaster. However, I always wanted to go to the U.S. and thus applied to NYU. I knew already then that I wanted to work in finance and specifically in investment banking because there are so many opportunities in that industry. Since New York is the financial center of the U.S., it was clear to me that studying at NYU was really my first choice. As they say, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere! The application required for an American university was very different, but I got a lot of support from our guidance counselors in Torbay. I will never forget the night that I received my acceptance to NYU. It was midnight and I was so happy that I was literally jumping up and down with joy.

130

NAME

Kazakhstan

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

New York University

UNIVERSITY

Business

MAJOR

131

Sabina Chokusheva

â&#x20AC;&#x153;...it was a great experience to collaborate with such an international crowd because we had so many different perspectives within our group.â&#x20AC;?

132

University of Bologna

UNIVERSITY

Law

MAJOR

133

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

“Through the IB at EF Academy, I learned the importance of following your own passions,” she said. “I have learned that building a network is important too and I believe that completing the IB at EF Academy provided me with a good foundation because I got to interact with so many people from literally all over the world.”

P RO G R A M

As she looks ahead, Stephanie lets her experience as an IB student at EF Academy guide her.

New York

EF CAMPUS

“My time spent studying the IB at EF Academy New York helped me grow so much; both academically and personally. The experience really opened my mind. Even though Bologna – the university of my choice – is one of the most international universities in Italy, I often feel that I got a head start on my fellow Italian peers who never went abroad, because for me, being around people of different nationalities is already the norm,” she said. Stephanie’s favorite

“We didn’t win, but it was a great experience to collaborate with such an international crowd because we had so many different perspectives within our group,” Stephanie said.

Italy

H O M E C O U N T RY

memory at EF Academy is one that underscores the collaboration that goes on between students in and out of the classroom. She took part in the Hult Prize competition and together with classmates from Mexico, Indonesia, Malaysia and India she came up with a solution to the world’s water problem.

NAME

Stephanie Arnold began high school at home in Sudtirol in Italy, but the teaching method at her local school focused on memorization, which didn’t suit her individual learning style. After researching other options, Stephanie found EF Academy and the combination of studying abroad and following the IB program was perfect for her. Stephanie graduated from EF Academy New York in 2014 – completing her high school education in four years instead of five – and went back to her home country to study Law at the University of Bologna.

Stephanie Arnold

I am currently studying at Parsons School of Design in New York, which is one of the top design schools in the U.S. My major is Communication Design, which involves a lot of design in the space of advertising and branding. I think the coolest project that I have done up to now has been designing a magazine from scratch. My advice to current students is to take the opportunity at EFÂ Academy to experiment, that is the only way to find out what you really like. I tried and liked so many different things at EFÂ Academy before I found my passion.

134

NAME

Vietnam

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

2014

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Parsons School of Design

UNIVERSITY

Communication Design

MAJOR

135

Tom Nguyen

Victor Huang from China was one of the first students to graduate from EF Academy Torbay in 2007. After studying Mathematics and Finance at Queen Mary University in London and the University of Reading, Victor has worked in consulting, commercial finance and, currently, investment banking. Before attending university in the UK, Victor completed the A-Level program in Torbay and focused on mathematics, further mathematics and economics. At Queen Mary, he focused on mathematics simply because he loved the subject. It was there that he began dreaming of a career in the financial industry, which influenced his decision to study finance. After completing his Master’s Degree in Finance at the University of Reading’s ICMA Centre, he was drawn back to Asia because of the opportunities created by the booming, dynamic market. He started in a Graduate Trainee role with GE Capital, after which he took on a full-time position in Hong Kong where he worked with structured finance. “After that, I started trying to transfer out of commercial finance and into investment banking. This was much harder than I expected because investment banks are much more competitive and also require experience within the field. However, I did not want to give up so I kept trying. Luckily, I was offered a place at one of China’s top boutique investment banks - the Hina Group,” he said. “I have now been working in Beijing as an associate for over five months and I absolutely love it. In my daily job, I get to do private placement and merger and acquisition transactions. I am so happy that I was persistent and never gave up on my goals.”

For students who are interested in following in his steps, Victor recommends working hard, remaining persistent and understanding your own skills and priorities before choosing a career that best fits you. “Take the time to figure out what you really want in the long-term and then base your career choice on that. But don’t panic! It took me tons of time before I finally figured out what I was good at and what I wanted to do,” he said. Victor has fond memories of his time at EF Academy where he felt completely free and surrounded by close friends who he would cook and travel with. Today, he still stays in touch with his former classmates and considers them to be brothers and sisters. In addition to making friends with students from around the world, Victor was also able to improve his fluency in English at EF Academy. Before arriving, he had difficulty understanding and speaking in English, but he learned quickly. “Being fluent in English was immensely helpful when I started at university and I could communicate freely with other classmates,” he said. “When I started working, having good English skills was of course essential to being able to work in an international setting.”

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China

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

2007

G R A D UAT I O N Y E A R

Queen Mary University (Mathematics) and University of Reading (Finance)

UNIVERSITY

The Hina Group

C U R R E N T E M P LOY E R

137

NAME

“Take the time to figure out what you really want in the long-term and then base your career choice on that. But don’t panic! It took me tons of time before I finally figured out what I was good at and what I wanted to do.”

Victor Huang

138

FACULTY

139

140

University Guidance Counselor and Business & Economics Teacher

RO L E

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

September 2011

S TA RT E D AT E F A Â CADEMY

141

NAME

The university guidance counselors offer career guidance, where we use tests to help the students get an idea of what they would like to do. It helps them feel like they have a direction. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprising how many students have not received any help with this previously. We also have an academic testing tool to help them assess their academic strengths and create a target grade, so we can sit down with the students and work out what their best options are. We start this process in the first year and we work together with the students throughout their time with us.

Cy Webber

At EF ÂAcademy Oxford and in the surrounding area, people respect each other, especially if you are from a different country, and this is a part of the culture. If you are different, it is a point of interest rather than a reason for discrimination. When students come here, they experience different cultures and they communicate in English. I would recommend the High School Preparation Course for students who need English support. Sometimes we have students who perform poorly only because their English language skills arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sufficient. Having a good knowledge of English will help them feel more comfortable and they will participate more in class, making the learning process much more effective.

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NAME

Head of Literature

RO L E

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

March 2011

S TA RT E D AT E F AC A D E M Y

143

David Zakarian

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT EF ACADEMY?

I plan trips for the students off campus and I organize the clubs, I’m involved in the sports events and I organize on-campus activities as well. Basically, I’m involved in all the fun things on campus. We have over 50 clubs at the school, with new clubs being added all the time. My favorite club right now is our Broadcasting Club, they take pictures, make movies and write articles about the stuff that’s happening on campus. The students are super involved and driven. We also have student-led clubs, for example the Filmmaking Club. We rented equipment so that they could film all the scenes of their videos, and now they are editing them. Any student can start a club as long as they can get 10 members to join. I provide them with a room and funding from EF Academy and I help them get started.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE ACTIVITIES YOU ORGANIZE HELP THE STUDENTS DEVELOP?

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE STUDENTS?

I think clubs and activities are important for a million reasons, but I’ll tell you two. Firstly, it’s a great way for the students to learn time management. If you are part of several different clubs and you can still manage to be successful in the clubs, in school and in your relationships, that will really help you to prepare for university. Secondly, being involved in clubs lets you meet people you never would have met and do things you never would have done if you hadn’t participated in the activities. When you join different kinds of clubs and do different kinds of activities you can meet people who aren’t in your classes.

One great memory was the sports banquet. All of our athletic teams went out for a big dinner together and we gave out awards. I was awarded honorary sports mom, always being there to support “my kids.” Another good memory was the graduation in 2015 – I was crying throughout the whole ceremony! It was so beautiful to see all these kids walk across the stage and get their diplomas.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST MEMORY SINCE YOU STARTED HERE?

I’m happy to have maintained the relationships with a lot of these students, seeing their progress in college, getting updates on how it’s going for them – to know that I had an effect on somebody’s life in a positive way, that has been the best thing for me.

That’s one of my favorite things! I have only been here for a year, and I can’t wait to be here longer so I can see even more change. I see them develop as they go outside their comfort zone, starting to become themselves in front of other people. For example, some of the students in 10th grade were too scared to try out for the team last year, but went for the try-out this year and made the team.

As a typical New Yorker, I had not been exposed to different cultures to the extent that I have at EF Academy. Our students teach me so much about the world. I also learned so many different sayings from students who have translated something from their native language into English – for example, “He thinks he’s the holder of truth,” instead of, “He thinks he’s right.”

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HOW DO YOU SEE THE STUDENTS DEVELOP DURING THEIR TIME AT EF ACADEMY?

NAME

Director of Activities and CAS Coordinator

RO L E

New York

EF CAMPUS

January 2015

S TA RT E D AT E F A 足 CADEMY

145

Emily Aquina

146

NAME

High School Preparation Course Coordinator

RO L E

New York

EF CAMPUS

January 2011

S TA RT E D AT E F A 足 CADEMY

147

Fabiana Da Silva

WHAT SPURRED THE CREATION OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION COURSE?

WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO YOU HAVE AS THE COORDINATOR OF THE PREP COURSE?

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TESOL MASTER’S DEGREE?

In the beginning, EF Academy had 100-200 students, including some who didn’t really have a very high level of English but who were nonetheless interested in joining the IB or IGCSE program. The administrators at the time realized the necessity for a program that would enable these students to enhance their English language skills. I was invited to teach some intermediate and advanced classes. I started teaching vocabulary classes and we saw how beneficial it was for these students to improve their vocabulary before starting content-area classes. I also taught TOEFL classes in the High School Preparation Course. Students were excited to have this opportunity to improve their English skills while also learning test-taking strategies for an exam that is extremely important to a non-native English speaker. The Prep Course is my baby, my passion. I think it’s so amazing to see how students come here with a low level of English ability, and then progress to the point of earning a diploma that will benefit them in the future. I too am an ESL student, having learned English in my native Brazil. I had a dream that I pursued, and was able to reach. I always tell my students that if they have a dream they really believe in and fight hard for, they too can reach it. They see me as an example of someone who came from another country and was able to study really hard, earn a degree, then a Master’s Degree, and is now teaching others to do the same. I think it’s good for students to have a role model who can make them feel that they can do it as well. My background allows me to identify with and understand my students’ struggles in a way that is beneficial for them. When I first arrived at EF Academy, I was interested in exploring the opportunities available in my field. I saw the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program and I thought it would be perfect for me, and I was able to complete the degree in two years. When I began teaching, I was very happy that I would be putting into practice all the strategies I had learned in my TESOL Master’s Degree program. It’s so important for a teacher to be able to incorporate strategies that keep students engaged in learning the content of a course without getting overwhelmed because of the challenges of doing so in a second language.

There are many effective strategies that I believe are essential to teaching in the ESL classroom. “TPR” – “total physical response” is one of them. If you’re teaching an English language learner, you have to ensure that your class is not boring. So, if I’m teaching about body parts, I encourage my students to stand up. I ask them, “Do you remember what cheeks are? Where is your nose?” Instead of only writing, they actually get involved in movements they find exciting. Learning English, or simply improving it, has to be an exciting task. It would be boring for students to sit still and write about unfamiliar topics from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU USE?

I also like that the students have the opportunity to be independent learners and take responsibility for their learning. It’s another thing I like about being a teacher in the Prep Course: I can highlight something that is from the students’ culture and use it to practice English skills. When students give presentations in English about their culture, it is great for teachers as well because it offers us an opportunity to learn more about our students’ cultures. These students are very excited to talk because they have so much knowledge on this topic and so many examples to share with everyone. Moreover, they realize that their culture is valued and respected, and that they are the ones responsible for the group’s new knowledge.

I believe that we, as teachers, must help students develop not only socially, but also academically. We can best accomplish this by teaching our students skills and strategies that will serve them in their future IGCSE or IB courses. For example, effective study skills. This includes developing good note-taking habits, building a stronger academic vocabulary, and implementing good time-management habits. I also strongly believe it is important to help English language learners become more confident; some may feel afraid of making mistakes or are a bit intimidated because of their accents. It is great to see that by working in small groups where they can receive one-onone attention, they begin to believe in themselves and to strive to reach the next level or class.

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IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU HELP SUPPORT THE STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY?

WHAT DEVELOPMENTS DO YOU SEE IN YOUR STUDENTS AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES?

THE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION COURSE ALSO LEARN GEOGRAPHY, SCIENCE AND MATH IN ADDITION TO THEIR ENGLISH CLASSES. WHAT IS THE REASONING BEHIND THIS?

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM WORKING WITH YOUR STUDENTS?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS WHO ARE THINKING OF ENROLLING THEIR CHILDREN IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION COURSE?

It’s amazing! We not only prepare students to use proper grammatical structures, but in our Prep Course we also ensure they have the content-area knowledge as well. The students are really immersed in the language and also receive preparation in the content areas that will come the following year. It’s great to hear from them that they feel with this Prep Course they’re going to be stronger students when they go on to their regular studies. We decided to integrate geography, science and math into the Prep Course because we feel that it’s so important for students to understand that next year – in the IGCSE or IB program – they’re going to have not only English classes, but content-based classes as well. We want to make sure that the academic foundation is already built. Once they go to the IGCSE or the IB history or geography classes, I want them to feel confident. The second part of the year is a little more challenging for them because they start using the same materials that the IGCSE and IB classes use. In the first semester, we build English skills and as the year progresses they become more familiar with the content and assessments that will be taught the following school year. Students feel that the Prep Course really helps them do well academically because they are exposed to the material beforehand. I have learned a lot about my students’ cultures. When they get a chance to teach me about where they come from, they feel important. Giving them the opportunity to teach me makes them feel comfortable and in the end, everybody learns at the same time. I think the best thing I’ve learned at EF Academy has been the beauty of each culture; it’s so rewarding to have people from all parts of the world in my classes. When I allow my students to teach me something new, I am allowing them to be engaged in their educational setting and they gain a deeper sense of belonging. Prep Course students have to be open-minded and willing to study hard to improve their language skills. It’s important that they have a passion and a desire to improve. They should be ready to learn English and have fun at the same time. They should also be ready to explore the world – that’s one unique opportunity they have in the Prep Course. They’ll be able to learn about other cultures, improve language skills and prepare for our academic programs. My advice would be to use time wisely and be committed to learning and to perfecting their English.

149

They should realize that their child is committing one year to English preparation so that they can gain four wonderful, successful years. It’s one year that the student is here improving their English skills so that they can do extremely well in 9th grade. A student who doesn’t have the required language skills to be in the IGCSE or IB program, but goes straight into these programs will struggle with basic tasks such as homework assignments or even with understanding a teacher’s explanation to the class. Students come here with the goal of succeeding academically, so I think that sending them into a program for which they are not prepared, is setting them up for failure. Basically, the Prep Course will help them do well in 9th and 10th grade, and even beyond. Students who come here to study not only become familiar with Thornwood and New York, but they gain confidence in English as well. They aren’t afraid of stepping out in front of a class with people from all over the world and giving a speech or reading a passage out loud because these are activities they are exposed to during their one-year Prep Course. Even the student with very strong math skills, but who is unable to understand what a math problem is asking, is going to fail – that doesn’t happen with our students because they are able to practice their math skills along with their English skills.

SOME OF OUR PARENTS ARE HESITANT TO SEND THEIR STUDENTS TO THE PREP COURSE BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT THEM TO FALL BEHIND IN SCHOOL. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT TEACHING AT EF ACADEMY?

HOW DO YOU, AS A TEACHER, HELP THE STUDENTS DEVELOP ACADEMICALLY?

HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THEM EMOTIONALLY?

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR STUDENTS?

I previously taught at a public school and when I came here I just fell in love with the IB program, IGCSE program and the students. The students are everything. My professor once told me that students are the heart of the curriculum, and when you teach at EF A cademy that’s true. Everything that we do in the classroom is for them. My classes are very student-centered so sometimes when I’m teaching, my lessons completely change because of what they are saying or what insights they have into the text. That revitalizes and energizes me, and makes me go home happy. That’s just one of the many reasons why I love it here. As I mentioned before, my class is very student-centered and I usually use a “Socratic method” or the “Harkness method,” which is really based on the students’ discussions and inquiries. It’s really a back and forth between them, and I facilitate. There are times when I have different forms of instruction. I may use certain strategies, like jigsawing groups, in which heterogeneous groups collaborate and support one another. I also offer extra help, where I’ll work with a student individually. I try to do so in class as well because it’s important for students to receive individual attention. For instance, after I assign an activity, I try to go up to each student and ask them how it’s going and how I can help. When I can, I try to do as much work as possible in class because I want to be there to support them. I also let them know that I have extra help days when I will stay later if they need me to. I’m constantly checking their level of understanding; if they don’t understand, then the lesson completely changes so that I make sure that they get it. Sometimes a student just needs someone to listen. We’re not just teachers – in a way we’re parents, no matter how old we are or whether we are actually parents. I feel that all of us at EF A cademy take on the roles of a teacher, a parent, a listener, and just someone the students can lean on when they need to. There are a lot of aspects that are very unique about EF Academy, aside from the IB and IGCSE programs. I think the level of diversity makes this school special. It’s not just a diversity of cultures; it’s a variety of personalities and of people. My classes are very diverse, so just seeing the students come together with their different experiences, becoming friends and really connecting with one another is just one of the facets that make EF Academy so original. So much! I learned that it’s important not to overwhelm them. The IB and IGCSE programs are very rigorous curriculums. Sometimes we need to focus on balance, pacing and checking in

with them. It can be easy as a teacher to give out a lot of work – there’s so much that you want them to learn and accomplish, and your expectations are really high, but you can still have those high expectations without overwhelming them.

I see them develop timemanagement skills and they learn how to sustain balance. Some get there and some don’t, but I think more often than not they do find a balance, learn to manage their time and they become more organized.

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU SEE IN YOUR STUDENTS AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES?

Some of the students who come to EF A cademy are already very independent and they may be reluctant to ask for help. Those students do come to realize that we are here to support them; we’re not just giving them assignments and telling them to do certain tasks because they have to and that’s it – we’re also here to help them and I think it does take some of them time to realize that the support is available.

Balance is an ongoing lesson – I think that’s something that you need to realize and live when you’re here. These students have to balance a lot: they have to be self-reliant, there is support but they’re living on their own. Even picturing being prepared for it is nothing like living it. When you’re here, you really have to learn how to maintain a balance quickly – you can’t just study and be a bookworm because you won’t be living, but you also can’t procrastinate, put everything off and just have fun, because that’s not really learning. You have to realize that there is a balance between living and learning, and that there is support here to help you do that. As I mentioned before, students are the heart of the curriculum, so everything we do, we do for the students and we will always make time for them. My advice is to try to prepare for the balance that you’ll need when you come here. Try to prepare for it, do as much research as you can about the school and then come prepared to work.

I think it’s a compilation of moments. When I have a review session or if I’m giving the students extra help, it’s so rewarding when they understand something; they gasp and say, “I understand everything!” I remember, during my second year teaching here, I had a review session and two students said that exact quote at different times and I said, “Everything? You understand everything?” and they said, “Yes!” Moments and days like that – when they don’t want the class to be over and they’re learning and having fun – are very special and priceless.

150

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AND PARENTS?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OR MOMENT?

NAME

IB & IGCSE English Teacher, CIE Support Coordinator and Extended Essay Coordinator

RO L E

New York

EF CAMPUS

October 2011

S TA RT E D AT E F A 足 CADEMY

151

Jenna Marcus

152

Accommodation Officer

RO L E

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

October 2011

S TA RT E D AT E F A Â CADEMY

153

Kelly Hall

NAME

I love my job. Interacting with these students on a daily basis is great. My job is all about the experience of the students outside of school, on the weekends and with their host families. I try to make sure that they have an outstanding time here. They are all part of the EF family. Students come here with big, wide-open eyes, not knowing anybody or very much about England, but they leave us so mature, so kind and so caring. They leave as adults prepared to go out and study independently, with amazing experiences and wonderful friendships. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a privilege being part of this and seeing their lives unfold.

“Be open-minded and don’t be afraid. I have such an admiration for the students, coming to learn in a different country and in a different language.”

154

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT

REWARDING PART OF WORKING AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE STUDENTS?

Seeing the students grow. From arriving as a young adult, sometimes quite shy or scared, and then over the years seeing them develop – becoming more confident and outspoken. Another part is seeing them graduate at the end, going off to university and coming back here and telling us about what they are doing. Be open-minded and don’t be afraid. I have such an admiration for the students, coming to learn in a different country and in a different language. They are up for everything and they have taught me to be more open to trying new things.

155

Oxford

September 2013

S TA RT E D AT E F A CADEMY

WHAT IS THE MOST

Guidance Counselor

EF CAMPUS

SUPPORT THE STUDENTS?

We help them develop strategies for handling stress and managing their time. I try to meet with all the students every term, at least once, and have a conversation with them about how they are getting along. Some of our students have never been away from home before, and some are familiar with this kind of environment. The pastoral team has an “open door policy” where students can always come and talk to us.

Luan Brothwood

RO L E

HOW DO YOU HELP AND

I’m a guidance counselor, so my role is a pastoral one where I look after the welfare of the students. Our guidance team makes sure that the students are happy and healthy and that they are enjoying their experience here.

NAME

EF ACADEMY?

I have been a teacher for 22 years now, but out of those 15 years, I was teaching abroad. I have worked in Bahrain, Portugal and Japan. Once you have worked in an international school, you never want to work anywhere else. I am British, from Wales, but I love traveling and in the end, I see myself more as a European than anything else. Teaching the IB and A-Level to international students in Oxford is the perfect job for me. I find teaching a class with students from all over the world very easy, because I’m used to teaching a mix of students. It’s more interesting because students from different countries have so much to add. The students here are all very ambitious and want to work in the UK, U.S., Canada or Europe. I like their attitude and motivation, they are all here to work. It’s never boring here, it’s like you have the United Nations in front of you. For me, it’s perfect.

156

NAME

Head of Science

RO L E

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

September 2010

S TA RT E D AT E F A 足 CADEMY

157

Tim Lewis

158

PARENTS

159

WHY DID YOU SEND YOUR CHILDREN ABROAD IN THE FIRST PLACE?

WERE YOU BROUGHT UP IN AN INTERNATIONAL FAMILY?

HOW DID YOU PROCEED WHEN TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT SCHOOL ABROAD AND WHAT MADE YOU BELIEVE THAT EF A CADEMY WAS THE RIGHT FIT?

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE WHEN YOUR SONS VISIT HOME THESE DAYS – HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THEIR DEVELOPMENT?

It was what our children wanted. This was the most important reason not just for our family but also for us, as parents, because we would have never sent them abroad if it wasn’t something that they also wanted. Of course, we knew it would be beneficial for a number of reasons, too. Firstly, the school system here does not provide the best opportunities. Secondly, we wanted to introduce them to the international world that we believe will become more and more important in their future. Where else would they gain an international understanding than abroad? Thirdly, personal development certainly happens faster and on a more intense level when one is away from the protection and comforts of home. It’s important to be independent, to explore other cultures and to be organized. I lived in Hong Kong for one year after my university studies. That experience shaped me enormously because I saw what was possible beyond German borders. We did a lot of research on the internet and talked with friends and acquaintances. We quickly realized that it wouldn’t be a single or local school somewhere abroad, but rather an international organization with one global mindset and network. A “normal boarding school” seemed too narrow. Then we looked at rankings and had discussions with various people. Ultimately, it is the people in an organization that have the most impact. The team in Germany convinced us that EF Academy was the right choice for us and they guaranteed a successful journey for our children. It was not just the consultation with the admissions office that made us feel confident about our decision, but also the entire back-up that EF provides with its staff and the service of central admissions on one side, and the school and educators on the other. Both of our boys are aware that they are privileged. They know the value of studying abroad and appreciate this. When we ask if they want to come back, they say, “No way,” because they have seen the difference. Life at school abroad is more stringent, goal-orientated and disciplined. They learn and retain more than before and see the benefit of this for their futures. Academically, for instance, they enjoy subjects such as business studies or economics – subjects that are not offered at an ordinary school in Germany. On a personal level, they have broadened their horizons and taken a huge step forward, too. We can see that they have become more confident. If there is something to organize or plan,

usually it’s our boys that take matters into their own hands. They like doing it and they do it well.

This was important. Robin was drawn to America because we had visited New York before. He loves New York and would have become a taxi driver just to live in New York, so there was no dispute about which campus would be best for him. At EF Academy New York, he had several teachers but in the end he was lucky to have two or three outstanding teachers that he could work closely with. They helped him define and work on his soft skills. These days, he is in touch not only with his teachers, but also with many of his international friends. Soon, they will reunite in Miami. His peers come from Mexico, Indonesia, and so on. Robin really benefitted from a large, international network and that is something he is proud of.

YOU HAVE TWO SONS WHO HAVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES. HOW IMPORTANT WAS THE CHOICE OF THE INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES TO MEET THEIR DIFFERENT NEEDS? ROBIN ATTENDED EF ACADEMY NEW YORK AND LUKAS IS CURRENTLY AN IB STUDENT AT TORBAY.

Lukas would have loved to go to New York as well, however, he was only 15 when he started at EF Academy while Robin was already 17, so he appreciated being closer to home and chose the UK campus. In addition, Lukas did not want to follow in his brother’s footsteps. Torbay was just right for his needs at the time.

At first, Robin’s German university of choice rejected his application. We knew he might have problems when applying for universities in Germany because he didn’t have all the relevant subjects that are required for acceptance in Germany. However, Robin was accepted to the university in Munich in the end, quite frankly, because of his individual IB grades and his ability to make an impression on a personal level. When they met him, Robin was able to prove that he has what it takes to be a great student. The staff at the university assessed him and they believed that he would be a great addition to the school.

Yes, we are very proud of that achievement. Coming from school and enrolling in a university was a change for Robin. Robin had to motivate himself. He did not have the small network that he was used to but he managed and we believe that, coming from EF Academy, he was prepared for the “real world.” We noticed that he was given certain additional responsibilities at university due to his personality. For example, he was asked to give the welcoming speech at the beginning of the semester in front of 800 students, special guests and delegates. He is also part of the university committee that manages the extracurricular activities. He has a

160

WHICH OF THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT SINCE HE DIDN’T HAVE THE OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION THAT IS USUALLY NEEDED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ENROLL IN A GERMAN UNIVERSITY.

Robin & Lukas Kraus

N A M E S O F S T U D E N TS

André & Claudia Kraus

N A M E O F PA R E N T

Germany

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York and Torbay

EF CAMPUS

IB and IGCSE

P RO G R A M

standing at university that he may not have reached if he hadn’t studied abroad. We are very proud of Lukas, too. Even though he is younger than most of his fellow university applicants in Germany, he scored above average in the assessments. He has secured a spot at Cologne Business School for next year and we are very happy about that. AS MOST OF OUR STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE ENGLISH AS THEIR MOTHER TONGUE, SOME PARENTS ARE CONCERNED THAT THE ENGLISH LEVEL AT EF ACADEMY IS LOWER THAN THE LEVEL AT OTHER TRADITIONAL BRITISH AND U.S. BOARDING SCHOOLS. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?

OVERALL, YOU HAVE INVESTED IN FIVE YEARS OF BOARDING AND TUITION FEES. WAS IT WORTH IT?

If our future jobs were in the UK and they were related to English literature and language, then this is an argument we would take into consideration. However, the world is global and international. English is the common language, so we see it as an advantage to have our children excel in an English-speaking environment while simultaneously being exposed to different cultures. We do think it is very important to break down cultural barriers and get rid of stereotypes. The benefits of an international school community are far greater in our eyes than a local, traditional school. Investing – that is the correct word. Many people ask us how much it costs to send our children abroad for their private education at EF Academy. Our answer is always the same: it is an investment in the future of our children and that doesn’t cost us anything.

“Many people ask us how much it costs to send our children abroad for their private education at EF Academy. Our answer is always the same: it is an investment in the future of our children and that doesn’t cost us anything.” 161

162

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED

ADMISSIONS TEAM HELP YOU WITH YOUR DECISION?

HOW DO YOU SEE AN EF ACADEMY EXPERIENCE BENEFITTING YOUR CHILD IN THE FUTURE AFTER GRADUATION AND IN THE WORKPLACE? WHAT DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR CHILD?

Binli & Wei Zhang

China

New York

P RO G R A M

HOW DID THE LOCAL

EF CAMPUS

IT WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE?

H O M E C O U N T RY

WHAT CONVINCED YOU THAT

Jiawen Zhang

N A M E S O F PA R E N TS

EF ACADEMY?

As EF Academy is an international boarding school, students come from all over the world and this helps them broaden their worldviews.

NAME OF STUDENT

IN SENDING YOUR CHILD TO

Over the past year, the local admissions team has provided us with all the information we needed to get a better understanding of EF Academy. The progress my child has convinced me that we made the right choice. The local admissions team helped us by giving us details about the school’s management, university acceptance rates and student life activities, and they helped us understand how we could stay informed about our child’s activities, progress and grades. This kind of information made it clear to me that EF A cademy is a formal international school with an excellent learning environment. In this era of globalization, I see my child’s open mind and his excellent academic performance helping him to adapt to life at university and continue to achieve his goals as he begins his career. This is thanks to his experience at EF Academy. I wish for my child to attend his firstchoice university and study his favorite program. I also wish for him to become a global citizen who is capable of communicating with people from all over the world.

“As EF A cademy is an international boarding school, students come from all over the world and this helps them broaden their worldviews.”

163

The Swiss school system wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suitable for our daughter and we wanted to enroll her in a curriculum that had a good combination of activities and academics. Since starting at EF ÂAcademy, she has become more enthusiastic about studying, generally happier and, because of the international environment, more open to the rest of the world. She has taken more initiative and is involved in clubs. She even had the opportunity to go to Asia for a leadership summit. Our daughter would never have had the chance to do these things if sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d stayed in Switzerland.

164

NAME OF STUDENT

Catherine & Ridha Belaiba

N A M E S O F PA R E N TS

Switzerland

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

U.S. High School Diploma

P RO G R A M

165

InĂ¨s Belaiba

166

Cesar Angel & Alicia Bueno

N A M E O F PA R E N TS

Mexico

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

167

NAME OF STUDENT

The school staff is very close to the students and this is among the things about EF Academy that we value the most. They are always emailing us – it can be a special permission for my daughter, or just a heads up about something Priscila is involved in. They are always letting us know how she is doing. Communication is key!

Priscila Angel Bueno

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN SENDING YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT CONVINCED YOU THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE?

HOW DID THE LOCAL ADMISSIONS TEAM HELP YOU WITH YOUR DECISION?

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR CHILD SINCE SHE STARTED AT EF ACADEMY?

Living in the same small town since she was two years old, our daughter, Samie, was anxious to see more of the world. In 10th grade, she left her public school for six months to study abroad. When she came home, we wanted her to be able to continue her international experience without sending her so far away. Discovering EF Academy felt like a meant-to-be experience because it meant Samie could continue interacting with students from other countries, who are also internationally minded, while staying closer to home. There were several things that told us EF Academy was right for our daughter. We knew EF would allow her to enjoy both close friendships and interesting classroom discussions with students from all over the world. In addition, we were hooked by the IB diploma, which is offered by few schools in our area. We saw the collection of all these factors as a way for Samie to be challenged both personally and academically, and also as a signal to the colleges to which she would apply that she is a student interested in extending herself. The local admissions team was always available to answer our many questions quickly, openly and thoroughly. Not only was this our first experience with an international school and the IB program, it was also the first time we sent one of our children to a private school, so we had a lot of questions! They also arranged for us to meet with several other staff members, so we could ask them even more questions first-hand. Even after we decided to enroll Samie at EF Academy, the admissions team continued and still continue to be helpful and available. They are truly representative of the enthusiasm that permeates the entire staff regarding the incredibly unique educational opportunity offered by EF.

Although she sometimes shares these issues or questions with us, she has gradually shifted from asking us to resolve them, to finding out on her own what needs to be done. We attribute this greater independence to boarding at EF Academy, and we believe it will help make her transition to living at university in a couple of years immensely easier.

Our favorite thing about EF Academy is watching our daughter enjoy friendships with students from all over the world. Even though they are from distant places, it’s interesting to hear many of them share similar reasons for choosing to attend EF Academy. And unlike our daughter’s study abroad program, which left her scrambling upon her return to catch up on all the material she’d missed while she was away, at EF Academy, Samie is getting both a unique international experience and a rigorous academic program that can help her get into a college of her choice. As a parent, it feels good to know you’re doing something that not only makes your child happy in the moment, but will also benefit her in the future.

Our daughter says she participates in class more regularly at EF Academy than she did at her previous school, because she is more comfortable injecting herself into classroom discussions. Classes are structured in such a way that students’ conversations develop teachers’ remarks, rather than a straight lecture format, thereby making the classroom experience inherently more conducive to participation. Samie also finds the students at EF A cademy more eager to engage in these types of group discussions about the subjects they’re learning. Since starting at EF Academy, Samie also has learned to take greater responsibility for issues or questions that come up about her schedule, attendance, grades, or anything else.

168

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT EF A CADEMY?

NAME OF STUDENT

Doris & Jon Freedman

N A M E S O F PA R E N TS

USA

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

169

Samantha Freedman

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN SENDING YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT CONVINCED YOU THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE?

HOW DID THE LOCAL ADMISSIONS TEAM HELP YOU WITH YOUR DECISION?

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR CHILD SINCE SHE STARTED AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT EF ACADEMY?

I wanted my daughter to learn English and to get a good high school education. Matilda is dyslexic and I learned that EF Academy’s Englishteaching methodology was much better for her and much more motivating. I read about the IB program and learned that it is internationally recognized. This led me to think it could be a very good way to prepare Matilda for a bright future. I really liked EF A cademy’s professional admissions approach: the online English testing and the interview. I already knew EF as a trustworthy worldwide organization with experience in education and managing young students. Matilda has changed a lot since she started her experience with EF Academy. She is enthusiastic, motivated and more confident. She has very good teachers who know how to push her to achieve great results and how to motivate her to do her best to succeed. She is more independent and for her it is very interesting living in such an international environment.

I really liked the campus and I think the location is ideal. I wanted Matilda to study in the UK, but I wanted a city close to London but smaller and with a sparkling international student life, so Oxford was perfect. I liked the facilities the school offered; the classrooms and the canteen.

First of all, there is the amount of attention she is given by the faculty. Not only are classes very small with a maximum of 15 students and often less than this, but teachers are always available to help individual students outside of class as well. Matilda was often penalized in her Italian school for mistakes that she made because of her dyslexia. The teaching methodology at EF Academy is something she benefits from.

I was looking for a school I could trust, that was located in the UK and that had a campus in a city big enough to have an interesting culture but that was not London. EF Academy could offer us all of this in addition to a very good teaching faculty and experience in educating young adults.

I really like the campus; I visited it when Matilda started her education with EF Academy. But the best of all is the faculty – the teachers are committed, available, very well prepared to work with international students and, above all, able to involve students during lessons and outside the classroom. The pastoral team is also fantastic and always there to help if there is anything my daughter needs.

170

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE SCHOOL DURING YOUR VISIT?

HOW IS YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION AT EF ACADEMY SUPERIOR TO THE EDUCATION SHE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED AT HOME?

WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR YOU CONSIDERED WHEN MAKING THE DECISION TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

Enrica De Cecco

N A M E O F PA R E N T

Italy

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

171

NAME OF STUDENT

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really liked the campus and I think the location is ideal. I wanted Matilda to study in the UK, but I wanted a city close to London but smaller and with a sparkling international student life, so Oxford was perfect.â&#x20AC;?

Matilda Bortone

The school system to which we are accustomed does not include university preparation. There is no coaching in the early years of high school that allows a student to develop his or her skills. In Italy, the path to university is hindered by lack of organization and lack of counseling. EF 足Academy immediately began supporting my child by introducing university as a way to continue learning, organizing specific meetings to help him become familiar with the application process, and helping him develop the skills that are vital to obtain excellent results. It is as if students simultaneously experience high school and university, and this will help them manage their time and their studies on their own when they are actually in university.

172

NAME OF STUDENT

Faustina Birti

N A M E O F PA R E N T

Italy

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

173

Alessandro Francisci

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN SENDING YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

HOW DID THE LOCAL ADMISSIONS TEAM HELP YOU WITH YOUR DECISION?

WHY DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE SENDING YOUR CHILD ABROAD TO EF ACADEMY?

HOW DOES THE SCHOOL MAKE YOU FEEL THAT YOUR CHILD IS BEING LOOKED AFTER AND TAKEN CARE OF?

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR CHILD SINCE SHE STARTED AT EF ACADEMY?

JooHee started studying at an international school in Berlin when she was eight years old. That school didn’t have any residence buildings and they didn’t do a good job of taking care of the students; the teachers didn’t take the time to get to know the students either. I appreciate that EF Academy had a residence building and that JooHee can study hard with the teachers’ support to achieve her goals. That’s why I transferred her to Torbay for the IGCSE and A-Level programs. I was very worried while I was making the decision for JooHee to transfer to EF Academy in the UK, but I was relieved after the consultation with the local admissions team in Korea. I have trusted them up to this point and I’ll continue to do so in the future. I cannot say that I was 100% comfortable with sending my daughter to the Torbay campus since it is very far away, but I believe that the experience will create a lot of opportunities for JooHee to achieve her goals and fulfill her dreams. JooHee always tells me that she solves her problems together with her teachers. The teachers listen and respect her opinion. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time, but they never ignore the students and they help them as much as possible. As a mother, I am really thankful for all for the great support my daughter receives. JooHee’s nickname is “Question Girl” and I am impressed with her proactivity. For example, she goes to school early in the morning to ask her teachers the questions she has about the material they are learning. She has become more active and passionate. She gets frustrated sometimes when she receives results that don’t meet her expectations, but she always works harder. That is the biggest change I’ve seen in my child.

JooHee seems to have built friendships with other students at the school and I am sure these friendships will last beyond graduation, which will be a great advantage. I think the ability to accept different cultures is a great skill for the future. The strong friendships she has with her teachers and friends will certainly benefit her; she has made many great memories at EF Academy.

It is really great that we have a local admissions team in Korea. I can consult with them anytime I need to and I feel very comfortable discussing any concerns I have about JooHee with them. I also like the safe and warm atmosphere of the school and the assistance she receives with her academic plan and university preparation – those are some of the greatest advantages of an EF Academy education. In Korea, parents spend a lot of money on after-school tutoring and that can be very stressful, but EF Academy has academic counselors who work together with my daughter to help her prepare for her career and that is a huge advantage.

I have two daughters and they’ve both been brought up in an international academic environment. My first daughter is in Germany and JooHee is in the UK. I do not know exactly what the differences are between Korean high school and EF Academy but Korean students who receive an education in Korea don’t usually say or discuss their opinions and they can be close-minded, which is a pity. I wanted my children to get out of that kind of environment from an early age.

As a mother, I want my daughter to be happy and to become someone that this world needs. JooHee has been working really hard to get into a good university and I hope her efforts are rewarded.

174

HOW DO YOU SEE AN EF ACADEMY EXPERIENCE BENEFITTING YOUR CHILD IN THE FUTURE AFTER GRADUATION AND IN THE WORKPLACE?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT EF A CADEMY?

WHAT SETS IT APART FROM THE LOCAL SCHOOL YOUR CHILD WOULD HAVE ATTENDED AT HOME?

WHAT DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR CHILD?

NAME OF STUDENT

Hyeongjin Kim

N A M E O F PA R E N T

South Korea

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

175

JooHee Kim

EF 足Academy strives to treat students as individuals and to help each one achieve their full potential. They give students the freedom to follow their dreams. Our daughter has become more confident and independent. She found a way to adapt to the new environment and express herself. We knew that EF 足Academy was the right choice when she was accepted to the University of Edinburgh.

176

NAME OF STUDENT

Lijun Xiong & Bijun Ye

N A M E S O F PA R E N TS

China

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

177

Xinyu Xiong

“‘Mom, this has been the best decision of my life so far. This is perfect for me and I want to succeed!’”

178

Germany

H O M E C O U N T RY

Torbay

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

179

Martina Schnoor

N A M E O F PA R E N T

When he left home, Julius was only 17 years old and we wanted him to be in a safe and secure environment. The chaotic teenager who left to study abroad hasn’t come back. Saying goodbye and letting him go has been tough and very emotional for us. He came home after a few weeks to visit and said, “Mom, this has been the best decision of my life so far. This is perfect for me and I want to succeed!”

NAME OF STUDENT

We spent about a year discussing the idea of Julius studying abroad. We searched online, read parents’ stories and talked to friends about their experiences. After careful research, we chose EF Academy. They just seemed to be professional and we had a great impression of EF in general. We heard from friends who had sent their children to other British boarding schools. They were excellent schools, but the whole package wasn’t there – the organization at the school, integration in the host family, contact people at the school, visa compliance assistance, and doctor’s visits. We knew we would have all this at EF Academy.

Julius Schnoor

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN SENDING YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR CHILD SINCE HE STARTED AT EF ACADEMY?

HOW DO YOU SEE AN EF ACADEMY EXPERIENCE BENEFITTING YOUR CHILD IN THE FUTURE AFTER GRADUATION AND IN THE WORKPLACE?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT SETS EF ACADEMY APART FROM THE LOCAL SCHOOL YOUR CHILD WOULD HAVE ATTENDED AT HOME?

I visited the school in New York last year and was impressed with the environment and the establishment. My son really wanted to go to EF Academy New York and I’ve always respected his choices. The school is very international and diverse and that appealed to him. He is certainly more independent and responsible. He also has a wider view of the world and has made a lot of international friends. The experience is helping him become a global citizen and the connections he is making right now will also be great resources in the future. He used to be unfamiliar with China, but because of his Chinese friend, he has learned about business and about the cultural differences throughout the country. I like the local admissions team, which has helped me a lot with communicating with the school staff. Most of the consultants have studied abroad themselves and can provide insight into the whole experience. They make me feel comfortable about sending my child abroad to study.

It is really modern and the fact that it’s a good school that isn’t just focused on language learning puts me at ease. I am also a big fan of the new curfew times that have been put in place at New York because it pushes my son to finish his homework before a certain time.

I’m very proud that he has learned so much about international economics and how it influences people’s lives. When I spoke to him about my business, he started telling me about how business management affects people and contributes to international economic change. He also told me about how the fluctuation of currency exchange rates affects global economies.

I wish for him to take responsibility for his choice to study abroad and I want him to do his best at school so that he will get into a good university.

He is learning outside of the classroom, which makes him a more well-rounded and outgoing person. He is also very committed to meeting the deadlines for his assignments and projects; in Taiwan, he would often just give up. His English skills have also improved.

180

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE SCHOOL DURING YOUR VISIT?

ARE YOU PROUD OF WHAT YOUR CHILD HAS ACCOMPLISHED AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR CHILD?

Rita Chang

N A M E O F PA R E N T

Taiwan

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

181

NAME OF STUDENT

“I’m very proud that he has learned so much about international economics and how it influences people’s lives. When I spoke to him about my business, he started telling me about how business management affects people and contributes to international economic change.”

Jin-Ting Chiu

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN SENDING YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR YOU CONSIDERED WHEN MAKING THE DECISION TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

HOW DID THE LOCAL ADMISSIONS TEAM HELP YOU WITH YOUR DECISION?

WHY DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE SENDING YOUR CHILD ABROAD TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT DO YOU VALUE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS?

My daughter took a summer course with EF in Cambridge for one month and that was when we learned that EF has a boarding school in the UK. We were more interested in the school after learning about the programs offered, talking with the local admissions office and visiting the Oxford campus. After that, we decided that this was the right option for her. Our family visited the school and we were warmly welcomed by the staff at the campus. They took us on a tour and we saw the classrooms, the bedrooms and the surroundings. They told us about the academic programs, the subjects and the extracurricular activities, all of which were in line with what we were looking for. The campus location is convenient for a student as it is not far from the city center and there is a bus station near the school. The local admissions team played a key role in our decision because they assisted us promptly and helped us coordinate with the school. We plan on sending our daughter to a UK university for her Bachelor’s Degree and we thought that EF Academy Oxford would be the beginning of this journey. She has been studying at EF Academy Oxford for four months now and she has adapted to the new environment and made friends so quickly. We feel comfortable about the second home that we chose for her. The school’s online application, PowerSchool, has helped us stay upto-date on our daughter’s progress and we can look at her attendance, grades and any comments from her teachers whenever we want.

The best benefit of EF A cademy is that our daughter can use English to communicate with others, and this has helped her improve her English very quickly. Another advantage is that she is living by herself abroad and she has learned how to manage her time for studying, doing homework and also taking part in activities. She knows how to make friends and has learned about other cultures. These are all important things that will benefit her when she applies to university in the UK, and they are experiences that she wouldn’t have had in her home country.

Our daughter has new friends from different countries and it is given her a good opportunity to learn about new cultures. This will help her communicate, understand and live in the globalized world in the future.

Some families wish for their child to be an excellent student who is successful in their academic studies, but our family wishes for our daughter to be happy and for her to use her knowledge to improve herself and to help our country develop. We wish for her to be a good person who has the skills to solve any problem.

We are so proud of her. She has proven to us that she has grown up, that she can manage her time, and that she can adapt in other cultures with different people.

We stay in contact with the EF Academy staff in Thailand because it is convenient for communication and coordination. They always give us good advice and they are very active and helpful.

182

HOW IS YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION AT EF ACADEMY SUPERIOR TO THE EDUCATION SHE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED AT HOME?

DO YOU FEEL YOUR CHILD HAS BUILT AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF FRIENDS AND CONTACTS?

WHAT DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR CHILD?

ARE YOU PROUD OF WHAT YOUR CHILD HAS ACCOMPLISHED AT EF ACADEMY?

NAME OF STUDENT

Sahakit Suwanphaitoon

N A M E O F PA R E N T

Thailand

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

A-Level

P RO G R A M

183

Praeploy Suwanphaitoon

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN SENDING YOUR CHILD TO EF ACADEMY?

WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR CHILD SINCE HE STARTED AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT SETS IT APART FROM THE LOCAL SCHOOL YOUR CHILD WOULD HAVE ATTENDED AT HOME?

Shuo-En found EF Academy on his own and was very interested in studying abroad and, as we often do, we respected his choice. EF Academy provides extra learning opportunities and space to grow. The results of his English test showed that his abilities were at a level that would enable him to excel in a foreign learning environment. He likes to smile more in pictures! He studies harder at EF Academy than he did when he was home in Taiwan. He didn’t care much before and didn’t try hard to get good grades because he disliked the education system. The different teaching style at EF Academy has definitely inspired him! The excellent location and experienced staff and teachers are my favorite things about EF Academy. Shuo-En thought about changing from the IB program to the A-Level program, but the school’s guidance counselor suggested he continue with the IB, and he enjoys it very much now.

Yes, he has made a lot of Norwegian friends. He is going to visit his friends in Norway before returning to school this winter break and he might visit other friends in Spain and Italy over the summer. Overall, his circle of friends is very international.

We were all surprised that he was able to tackle tough subjects like philosophy and religion, and he expresses his thoughts and opinions clearly in English in his Extended Essay.

I wish for him to be happy and for him to do whatever he wants in the future. I’m not so concerned about him getting into a top university, but I would like for him to get to learn about and practice whatever interests him.

The major difference is the teaching style. He didn’t like the passive teaching style in Taiwan. EF Academy uses dynamic teaching methods that inspire students to think.

184

DO YOU FEEL YOUR CHILD HAS BUILT AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF FRIENDS AND CONTACTS?

ARE YOU PROUD OF WHAT YOUR CHILD HAS ACCOMPLISHED AT EF ACADEMY?

WHAT DO YOU WISH FOR YOUR CHILD?

NAME OF STUDENT

Shih Hui Wu

N A M E O F PA R E N T

Taiwan

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

185

Shuo-En Tsai

Melissa had expressed a disconnect with the students at her high school. Growing up in a very small community and being with the same children, year after year, was frustrating. She had traveled internationally as part of a teen tour and returned feeling like she wanted to expand her experiences on a more global level. Everyone that talks to Melissa notices the difference in her. Since starting at EF 足Academy, she is much more confident and enthusiastic about school. She is fascinated by the number of international friends she has made and she is even trying to learn German from two of her good friends.

186

NAME OF STUDENT

Sue & David Pomeranz

N A M E S O F PA R E N TS

USA

H O M E C O U N T RY

New York

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

187

Melissa Pomeranz

Apple has applied to veterinarian programs at some UK universities including Bristol, which is ranked 11th worldwide in veterinary medicine. EF 足Academy has held mock interviews to help her prepare and has arranged volunteer opportunities and an internship for her. Furthermore, the university placement advisor has been helping her write her personal statement. We look forward to seeing the outcome.

188

NAME OF STUDENT

Yuk-Kuen Jim

N A M E O F PA R E N T

Hong Kong

H O M E C O U N T RY

Oxford

EF CAMPUS

P RO G R A M

189

Apple Lam

190

“I’m not just from one country and I don’t stick to just one tradition; I have a broad understanding of different things, and at EF Academy, I feel like I can be myself without being judged or criticized because everyone understands what it’s like to be so international. I found something for myself here. Being here helped me understand myself better and helped me clearly see what I want and who I really am.”

Yelizaveta Lukina

191

192

“Your child will be safe here, they will be stimulated and it will open a whole new world for them. It sounds cliché, but good qualifications and an IB diploma will give them access to the UK universities and that will open so many doors.”

Tim Lewis

193

194

“EF Academy also provided me with the opportunity to interact with people from different countries and who had different beliefs. This gave me an understanding of what distinguishes other cultures and I learned how to get along with people with different backgrounds. At university, there are many international students and my experience at EF Academy prepared me for it.”

Bernard Tsang

195

196

“JooHee seems to have built friendships with other students at the school and I am sure these friendships will last beyond graduation, which will be a great advantage. I think the ability to accept different cultures is a great skill for the future. The strong friendships she has with her teachers and friends will certainly benefit her; she has made many great memories at EF Academy.”

Hyeongjin Kim

197

198

INDEX

199

NAMES A-Z Addie Nix

104

Julius Schnoor

Alessandra Galletta

Kathleen Valencia Hartono

116

Ana Maria Santiago

106

Kelly Hall

152

Anastasiya Lankina

Laura Milani

Andrew Torpie

Lijun Xiong & Bijun Ye

176

AndrĂŠ & Claudia Kraus

160

Livia Ulrich

Arman Karshenas Najafabadi

Luan Brothwood

154

Ă&#x2026;smund Stemland

Maggie Teng

118

Ben Treeyapong

Maria Fernanda Ocampo Oceguera

Bernard Tsang

108

Mariana Comar Kawabe

Binli & Wei Zhang

162

Martina Schnoor

178

Bobby Law

Muhua Liu

Catherine & Ridha Belaiba

164

Nisrina Salsabila

Cesar Angel & Alicia Bueno

166

Patch Nattamon Rawanghet

120

Cherry Huang

Pavel Shamanov

122

Chidera Egbujor

110

Peyman Norouzi

124

Corentin Le Got

Ra Salah

126

Cy Webber

140

Raffie van Maren

Daniel Mendez

Rena Yap

128

Darya Bulayeva

Renata Flores Orozco

David Zakarian

142

Rita Chang

180

Derek Li

Roxana Marocho Marin

Doris & Jon Freedman

168

Sabina Chokusheva

130

Elisa Chavez

112

Sahakit Suwanphaitoon

182

Emily Aquina

144

Sarina Hotchandani Dayram

Enrica De Cecco

170

Shih Hui-Wu

184

Eric Park

Stephanie Arnold

132

Fabiana Da Silva

146

Sue & David Pomeranz

186

Faustina Birti

172

Thea Charlotte Lohne Landsverk

Folatomi Alli-Balogun

Tim Lewis

156

Gabriela Rosati

Tom Nguyen

134

Gacem Taibi

Victor Huang

136

Gemi Nastiti

Winnie Sun

Gianluigi Zito

Yelizaveta Lukina

Ha Uyen Nguyen

Yerim Shin

Harry Nguyen

Yuk-Kuen Jim

188

Hyeongjin Kim

174

Yulia Dichenko

Jaa Charoenboriboon

Zhoshu Sabdalin

Jenna Marcus

150

JooHee Kim

Julia Niebles

200

COUNTRIES Algeria 48 Andorra 84 Brazil

36, 72, 172

China

40, 74, 136, 162, 176

Costa Rica

France 34 Germany

64, 66, 160, 178

Hong Kong

28, 108, 128, 188

Indonesia

50, 76, 116

Iran

22, 124

Italy

16, 52, 132, 170, 172

Kazakhstan

38, 90, 96, 130

Mexico

70, 80, 166

Nigeria

44, 110

Norway

24, 86, 112

Russia

18, 94, 122

South Korea

42, 60, 92, 174

Spain

82, 106

Switzerland

68, 164

Taiwan

30, 88, 118, 180, 184

Thailand

26, 58, 120, 182

The Netherlands

USA

20, 46, 104, 168, 186

Vietnam

54, 56, 134

201

PROGRAM A-LEVEL

Enrica De Cecco

170

Anastasiya Lankina

Eric Park

Arman Karshenas Najafabadi

Faustina Birti

172

Bernard Tsang

108

Folatomi Alli-Balogun

Bobby Law

Gabriela Rosati

Chidera Egbujor

110

Gianluigi Zito

Corentin Le Got

Harry Nguyen

Derek Li

Jaa Charoenboriboon

Gacem Taibi

Jenna Marcus

150

Gemi Nastiti

Julia Niebles

Ha Uyen Nguyen

Julius Schnoor

Hyeongjin Kim

174

Laura Milani

JooHee Kim

Maggie Teng

118

Kathleen Valencia Hartono

116

Mariana Comar Kawabe

Lijun Xiong & Bijun Ye

176

Martina Schnoor

178

Maria Fernanda Ocampo Oceguera

Muhua Liu

Nisrina Salsabila

Patch Nattamon Rawanghet

120

Pavel Shamanov

122

Raffie van Maren

Peyman Norouzi

124

Rena Yap

128

Ra Salah

126

Renata Flores Orozco

Sahakit Suwanphaitoon

182

Rita Chang

180

Victor Huang

136

Roxana Marocho Marin

Yerim Shin

Sabina Chokusheva

130

Zhoshu Sabdalin

Sarina Hotchandani Dayram

Shih Hui-Wu

184

Stephanie Arnold

132

HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION COURSE Fabiana Da Silva

146

Sue & David Pomeranz

186

Gacem Taibi

Thea Charlotte Lohne Landsverk

Tim Lewis

156

Tom Nguyen

134

IB Addie Nix

104

Winnie Sun

Alessandra Galletta

Yelizaveta Lukina

Ana Maria Santiago

106

Yuk-Kuen Jim

188

André & Claudia Kraus

160

Yulia Dichenko

Åsmund Stemland

Binli & Wei Zhang

162

IGCSE

Cesar Angel & Alicia Bueno

166

Andrew Torpie

Daniel Mendez

André & Claudia Kraus

160

Darya Bulayeva

Ben Treeyapong

Doris & Jon Freedman

168

Bobby Law

Elisa Chavez

112

Cherry Huang

202

Darya Bulayeva

Gemi Nastiti

Jenna Marcus

150

Livia Ulrich

U.S. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA Catherine & Ridha Belaiba

164

Mariana Comar Kawabe

203

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This book would not have been possible without the help of the EF Academy students, alumni, teachers, counselors and parents who took the time to answer our questions and share their stories with us. To our students and their families, alumni and faculty: we thank each and every one of you for letting us into your lives and for allowing us to print your experiences for other students and parents around the world to read.

Thank you!

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EF Academy International Boarding Schools, with campuses in New York and San Diego in the U.S., and Oxford and Torbay in the UK, offers students from around the world a superior education abroad, thorough university preparation and access to a future that knows no borders. High school students between the ages of 14 and 19 can choose from internationally recognized academic programs like the IGCSE, IB Diploma, A-Levels and U.S. High School Diploma, and they receive support, guidance and instruction from highly qualified teachers and counselors. At our schools, students complement their studies with co-curricular activities such as academic competitions, social clubs, teacher-led cultural excursions and a variety of sports. At EF Academy, students become independent, confident global citizens equipped with the skills they need to excel at university and beyond.

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