By James Penstone, Secondary Principal
By the time this reaches your inbox, our Grade 10 students will most likely be dispersed across Zürich enjoying the sunshine and the start of a long summer vacation. But this does not mean that they stop learning now that their classes have ended. Far from it.
"Something I have always found special, and perhaps unique at ICS is that, even though today is the last day of Grade 10, their programme doesn’t end now. 73 students are now embarking on what we hope is a transformative journey; something we call the Personal Development Experience (PDE)."
This is a commitment to two or more weeks in which students have long ago identified and planned for a meaningful summer experience tailored to their interests and aspirations. Their PDE might be based in Switzerland but for many, it will be in other countries, some as far-flung as Brazil, Dominican Republic and Thailand. In all cases, the PDE offers students the chance to build and deepen essential life skills and learn more about their true selves.
To give a flavour of the varied and fascinating 73 experiences, examples include:
Leadership and Responsibility: Taking up roles like teaching English in Brazil, coaching football in Spain, or assisting in primary schools, where students learn to lead, mentor, and take responsibility for others.
Internship: Gaining practical work experience in fields such as law firms, engineering companies, real estate, or asset management.
Volunteering Work: Contributing to social causes, such as working in dog shelters, supporting projects for underprivileged communities, or assisting in sustainable farming.
Language and Cultural Immersion: Participating in language courses abroad, such as learning French in Paris or attending an intense French programme in Switzerland.
Academic Growth: Participating in summer courses at prestigious institutions like Cambridge, Oxford, or Rhode Island School of Design to gain exposure to specific subjects like architecture, engineering, or art.
Sports and Skills Development: Engaging in activities like tennis, golf, surfing, scuba diving, horse riding, or volleyball camps to improve their athletic abilities.
Creative Pursuits: Exploring artistic endeavours such as jewellery making, pottery, baking, piano lessons, or even learning how to code a game in Python.
So, before the summer vacation properly starts, we hope that our students will have fun and learn a great deal about themselves. The PDE not only serves as a bridge to the challenges of the Diploma Programme but also lays a strong foundation for their future endeavours beyond Secondary school. In doing so, we hope that this experience further supports their ongoing development as well-rounded individuals ready to make a positive impact on the world.
We congratulate Grade 10 for reaching this momentous day and we wish each of them the very best for the summer ahead. A special mention to those who are leaving us for new pastures – we thank you for your contributions to ICS and we wish you every success ahead. For the majority who are continuing into the Diploma Programme … we look forward to hearing all about your PDE adventures in August.