I arrived on Valentine’s Day – and had three snow days in my first week! 

 In China there is pressure and a lot of homework. Here there is much more self-management. This was somewhat natural as this is what I prefer – as we get older there are not going to be teachers there to motivate you. It is good practice for university.  

All the students are nice, and there are a lot of different cultures and languages. My first roommate was warm hearted, but we had different ways of living (different sleeping habits/patterns). I am a quiet person – reading and doing homework. The dorm parents helped solve our differences and helped make it OK.  

Science and math are my favourites – all the teachers are nice. Two teachers stand out: my grade 9 science teacher (Ms. Moroz) – when I was new to the school and was nervous and shy. Ms. Moroz helped me build confidence to talk with my classmates and I learned science from a different perspective. Also, Mr Hernandez in Grade 10 math – his fast speaking voice challenges me to listen carefully and understand the topics he teachers. He makes complicated topics clear and easier to understand. 

I really like the environment – we are close to Mt Washington. I took my first skiing lessons here! I have tried new things here – Spanish and soccer. Although I can’t play well, I really enjoy it. Playing sports with English speakers is a great way to practice and learn English. 

Eva – Hangzhou, China

 

Brookes’ community accepted me right away and I am so glad that I transferred to Brookes to finish my high school diploma.

The IB program was hard, but it did prepare me for all of the essays and research assignments that I need to write as part of my Asian Studies program (Australian National University).

The IB cohort is everywhere in the world. I’ve bonded over IB with new friends who did the IB program in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK

I never felt like I was the ‘international student’ because everyone came from such diverse backgrounds. You’ll never believe that a small school in small town in British Columbia has such diverse student body. Living in the dormitory allowed me to easily become a part of the Brookes community and I still miss the times I’ve spent in the dorms at Brookes

Henry – South Korea – Australian National University

 

The staff and students are so inclusive that Brookes feels like a home away from home.

Not only did they help me regain my confidence in subjects I used to be afraid of, they always made sure I maintained a good work-life balance while doing so.

I am studying Medicine – the IB programme has definitely helped me develop a fantastic work ethic. And big IB assignments, such as the Extended Essay and Internal Assessments, have also prepared me well for the assignments I now have in medical school

Carol – HK – Medicine

 

The two years of IB were my first time that I actually enjoy learning and studying! (I still do now !)

Brookes became my home – all the teachers, students, dorm staff, kitchen staff, maintenance people, laundry ladies…. I loved being around them-  that was very different from other school that I attended

Sumika – Japan / University of Guelph

The staff always encouraged positive relations between students from different parts of the world by creating many memorable events and club activities. The school taught me to adapt to my new surroundings more effectively which has become one of my strongest abilities.

Effective time management skills and prioritization of information that I learned in those IB classes really helped me to get through my first year classes with success.

Jesse – Taiwan – Masters in agricultural microbiology

I really enjoy my English classes – Mr McKnight is an excellent English and ToK teacher. He’s very experienced and has excellence storytelling skills. His unique way of teaching – I have never experienced before. He introduces us to the background (eg Greek Mythology) and then we move on to the text (The Odyssey). I really enjoy his classes, the best English teacher I have ever had. 

I love the organized dorm life – we are not exactly free, but we have a lot of freedom to do what we like. There are scheduled activities, but we make choices for ourselves about what we do. We have so many activities to choose from – they are beginner friendly, and some are very localized (Canadian) – like ice hockey, camping trips, ski trips.

George – Beijing, China

 

The IB programme prepared me a lot for my university life. For example, it taught me the importance of research, the way to present in front of many people, think more deeply about social issues or news and being more active in different communities.

Roy (Ryuta) – Tokyo,Japan

I attended a big high school in the US and unfortunately, I didn’t get much chance to know many of the students or teachers because of the size of the school. Brookes’ open community accepted me right away and I am so glad that I transferred to Brookes to finish my high school diploma. The IB program was hard, but it did prepare me for all the essays and research assignments that I need to write as part of my Asian Studies program (Australian National University). Also, the IB cohort is everywhere in the world. I’ve bonded over IB with new friends who did the IB program in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK.

Henry – South Korea

The great personal learning environment Brookes offers, the extremely strong support system, as well as the excellent co-curricular opportunities which I got to experience.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is a fantastic and extremely challenging academic program which really prepared me for university. It was not easy, but totally worth it.

At Brookes, I was able to envision what person I was able to become. I can confidently say that without the chapter Brookes in my life, I would have never become the person I am today

Johannes – Austria

 

Brookes is a place where students are valued and understood. A place where students can feel safe and confident through their unique journey of education.

Sydney – VIU / Bachelor of Education

 

I was a student at the University of Victoria, and am thankful for the tools that the IB taught me; it was evident that I was incredibly well prepared for the rigor of university courses.

Francis

Brookes’ greatest assets were the small class sizes, enriching summer programs, and caring teachers that have continued to support me since I’ve graduated

Every student was encouraged to find their passion and explore new avenues of learning. Brookes encouraged individuality and celebrated the success of every student, academically and otherwise.

I attribute my foundational knowledge of science, and thus my success in university, to the IB program at Brookes.

Savannah – Bioinformatics @ Simon Fraser University / graduate degree in Molecular Medicine at Montana State University

 

Brookes was such a different experience than any other school I attended. I bounced from high school to high school and nothing felt like a fit until I came to Brookes.

It is such a unique and exciting experience that if I could go back and do it all again, go to any school I wanted, I would choose Brookes all over again.

I am a full IB graduate. It was the best thing I could have ever done to prepare me for university. It was because of IB that I was able to skip first year and university and go straight onto second.

The Brookes IB teaches you the necessary lessons that most student won’t learn before university. The Extended Essay requirement of IB was a project like no other and it still remains something that I am extremely proud of.

Madeleine – UVic / Political Science and Philosophy double major

 

Gary Ward, DP Coordinator

A leader in education, Mr. Gary Ward has over 26 years of experience in teaching and leadership. Originally from Texas, Mr. Ward earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Bachelor of Science in Physics and his Master of Science in Physics from the University of North Texas… read more

Melanie Moroz - MYP Coordinator

I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba – home to bitterly cold winters and sunny hot summers. Alumni of the University of Manitoba, I obtained my Bachelor of Science and my Bachelor of Education before I started my professional career. I spent my first years working at a small school in a rural community, teaching almost every science and mathematics course!… read more