Student Profile: Vanessa Lee

What are your favourite subjects?

I currently take 4 subjects for my A Levels: Mathematics, Economics, Biology and Chemistry. I love all my subjects so it’s hard to choose a favourite!

What kinds of extracurricular activities do you do?

Luckily for me, GIS offers a multitude of extracurricular activities that guarantees to pique students’ interest. 

As someone who loves sport and staying active, I am a member of the swimming, athletics and cross-country team. Over the past three years, I have also been fortunate enough to captain the swim team, which has been an extremely humbling and valuable experience.

Journalism is also something I am interested in. I had the unique opportunity to be Editor-in-Chief of the school magazine last year which not only allowed me to immerse myself in the world of journalism, but also develop my leadership skills along the way.

My last area of interest is community service. GIS offers numerous opportunities for students to give back to the community. Personally, I have been involved in Reach Out (leading activities with refugees), Street Feeding and Project Smile (interacting and playing with disabled kids).

Who is your favourite teacher and why?

My favourite teacher would be Dr Saunders, my Biology teacher. Despite teaching a very dense subject, he never fails to make lessons interesting. He also likes to go beyond the syllabus at times, covering engrossing aspects of Biology such as evolution and microbiology.

Dr Saunders has also taken the initiative to launch his own website complete with relevant notes and revision tools which prove to be very handy for all students. Not to mention his passion for the subject… which one cannot help but also reciprocate!  

What is one thing that you like most about your school?

My favourite thing about GIS is the number of opportunities given to students. Aside from being immersed in a rigorous academic schedule, GIS ensures that we develop holistically by allowing students to explore their interests in sports and the arts. 

Furthermore, we are given the chance to participate in the International Award, Discovery Week and the student leadership programme. All in all, the GIS experience grants students a very wholesome and well-rounded education through the plentitude of opportunities on offer. 

Share a memorable experience in your school life so far.

The most memorable experience in my school life so far was being selected as Head Student this year. It was a competitive process and I am humbled to be able to represent the student body on such a large scale. 

As Head Student, I have been focussing on increasing student voice and being a bridge between students and teachers. In order to do so, I began hosting friendly lunches with students to gather more feedback, which I in turn presented to senior members of the school. Looking forward, I am eager to introduce a few other projects to promote gratitude and empathy in the school community. I am really enjoying my role thus far, and it is truly empowering to be granted the ability to inspire change in the school!

Describe your school in three words.

Inspiring, competitive and supportive.

What is the best thing about being a student?

To me, the best thing about being a student is the ability to grow and learn in a safe environment. I am always taught to go out of my comfort zone, not be afraid to make mistakes and strive to be the best version of myself. Through the support of the amazing community of teachers, friends and family, being a student enables me to push my boundaries and achieve my full potential.

What do you hope to do when you finish school?

I hope to pursue my further education in the United States and find a job where I can contribute back to society and make a positive change in the world. 

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

If I could change one thing in the world, I would make education accessible to every child regardless of their social and economic standing. In the words of Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.