Showcase Academics
At NCPA, we believe that students cannot achieve academic and social excellence solely through studying textbooks, taking tests, and giving presentations in controlled environments. They need opportunities to take risks, apply their learning in new contexts and be challenged by unexpected, unpredictable situations. That’s why our dedicated faculty lead a special category of after school activities that we call showcase academics. These ASAs are associated with external organizations where students compete and perform in front of an external audience. Through our showcase academics, students are able to compete in robotics competitions at the national level, learn and perform with master musicians and artists, test their geopolitical wits against peers across Asia and the world, and more.
The Association for Music in International Schools
Music forms an important pillar of our school culture. Musical performances anchor most student events, from the Christmas Banquet to graduation. Our membership in the Association of Music in International Schools (AMIS) exposes our students to high-level performance opportunities. AMIS organizes events worldwide for groups ranging from middle school ensembles to competitive auditioned high school ensembles. We have sent students to perform in selective festivals around the world in cities as diverse as Salzburg, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and Mumbai.
Visual Arts Excursions
The visual arts form another important pillar of our school culture. Our Visual Arts Excursions are selective admission activities in which 16-24 students engage with professional art communities around the world. The destination changes from year to year; past successful applicants have visited Art Basel, art districts in Beijing and Shanghai, and Florence.
Future Business Leaders of America
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is an organization that "inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences." Our chapter, one of more than 5,200 globally, provides students interested in careers in business the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and strengthens their self-confidence. Student members compete in national FBLA business competitions and are also in charge of operations of our new campus store, The Vibe.
Math Competitions
Math competitions offer our students opportunities to challenge themselves and represent NCPA in prestigious international contests. Through competition-focused study sessions, students become better mathematicians as they deepen their conceptual understanding, participating as both teachers and leaners. Our students, once again, perform admirably: one year at the Waterloo Mathematical Contest, every grade level at NCPA received a “Distinction Award,” and each high school grade had at least one participant medal in the event.
Model United Nations
Meaningful student interaction lies at the heart of our English immersion model, and one quintessentially meaningful experience is Model United Nations. MUN delegates participate in simulated United Nations meetings, where they draft and debate resolutions to solve world issues. Students apply their ability to negotiate, collaborate, plan and achieve so that they can successfully engage in the diplomacy, public speaking, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership that comprise a successful MUN delegate. They do so at conferences from Chennai to Singapore to New York. Our students frequently take leadership roles in conferences as committee chairs or conference leaders, and even organize our own South China MUN Conference attended by over 170 delegates from the Pearl River Delta.
Robotics
Our middle school and nascent high school robotics teams compete in FIRST Lego League robotics competitions against both local and international schools. Robotics competitions ask students to research and present on a contemporary problem related to science and the environment, and then program a robot to complete a series of tasks related to that problem. Our students perform admirably, frequently placing in competition against teams whose native language is English.
Drama
Our drama program dazzles and charms our community with two productions a year spanning plays and musicals. A dedicated, diverse group of students supports the complex choreography required to stage these productions. From the public roles of acting and playing in the pit orchestra to the behind-the-scenes logistics of stage management, backstage crewing, and directing, drama students apply real-life skills. These skills include negotiation, collaboration, planning, artistic expression, creativity, public speaking, confidence, flexibility and adaptability. Students also experience professional productions, especially at the renowned Guangzhou Opera House, and work with industry professionals like Johnny Gillett, Dinos Aristidou, Anne Drouet, Ulrich Gottlieb, Fenella Kelly, Mhairi MacInnes, and Pete Bensonat at International School Theater Association events – including one hosted every other January at NCPA!
