Student/Parent Portal
Kira, a student of Pope John Paul II High School through Cambridge Network, was admitted by Parsons, the New School for Design (the top fashion design university in the U.S). Kira also was awarded a scholarship of $10,000 per year.
Founded in 1896, Parsons is a world-famous design school which boasts the number one fashion design major in the U.S. Famous alumni include Tom Ford, Gucci’s former chief designer, Donna Karan, Mengdi Wu, Marc Jacobs, who makes Louis Vuitton famous in fashion design, Anna Sui, Steve Meisel, a well-known photographer, Jason Wu, and Alexander Wang.
Recently, Cambridge Network had the chance to interview Kira:
What’s your SLEP score before you entered Pope John Paul II High School?
Kira: 59.
And the TOEFL score now?
Kira: 92.
Was it difficult for you to adapt to the American high school life?
Kira: It’s common for it to feel difficult at first. The first year for me was very hard because I did not know any Chinese speaking people here, my parents weren’t here, and I had a little housing problem which was solved very soon, luckily. Later, I tried to sit next to American students and listen to the topics they discussed and learned the way they joke around. Life becomes easier little by little.
How do you feel about being accepted by the top design school in America and getting a scholarship?
Kira: Getting the offer and scholarship is a kind of affirmation about the efforts I spent in these years. Countless sleepless nights, going to fabric market on hot days, countless drafts – all of which brought me the offer letter and scholarship. Worth it. For me, this is a wonderful ending and a brand-new start.
What’s the most precious lesson you learned in an American high school?
Kira: Finding myself. Before I came to America, I never thought about being an art student. The free teaching methods and encouragement from teachers and students make me recognize the love I have for art. American schools gave me confidence.
Can we have a look at your works?
Kira: Sure.
Do you have any hobbies? And what kind of activities you participate in?
Kira: Painting, going to painting exhibitions, and watching films. Yesterday I joined the cheering squad, but did not stay long. The school had an Art Club, I like that.
Any plans about the future?
Kira: I plan to spend the first two years in New York and finish the following two years in Paris. I want to travel to different countries, make friends with more interesting people, and learn many new things! After graduation from university, I want to work a few years, accumulating experience, and then create my own design brand.
Any tips you can share with your juniors?
Kira: You must learn to manage your time. Make a list every day and to accomplish it one by one. Ask teachers more questions, maintain a sound GPA, have the right attitude toward making friends. You do not need to work on it too hard, because time will bring the right ones to you.
Work hard when you need to, no excuse. America is a country in which people can get what they want if they try. Be strict with yourself, and never idle away.
What’s the difference, in your eyes, between American high school life and Chinese ones?
Kira: American high school life gives students more freedom and space for innovation. We have less study pressure. All you need is to be independent and industrious. There are many opportunities for one to develop their interests.
Who is your favorite teacher in Pope John Paul II High School? Any comments on them?
Kira: All teachers in Pope John Paul II High School are the best teachers I’ve ever met with. They are enthusiastic, full of passion, and can teach in an interesting way. They will never dislike you because you do not understand, so we feel no pressure asking them questions.
Any comments on your SSC (Support Services Coordinator) from Cambridge Network?
Kira: Our SSC is Emily who is super sweet. She cares a lot about us, and helps us solve many problems. We are very close. For example, if there is nobody in the homestay, Emily would pick us up and send us to wherever we need to go. If I had problems with my homestay, she would come and care about my feelings.
We also had the chance to interview Emily, Kira’s SSC in Cambridge Network. 
Note: SSC is mainly responsible for supervising the student’s learning. They help students and their homestays to communicate and coordinate their relations. In addition, SSC reports and satisfies the relevant needs raised by students.
What do you usually do as a SSC?
Emily: The SSC has close connections with both the homestay and the school. We give instruction to students who just came to America.
While helping students to solve their housing problems, SSCs also pay close attention to students’ psychological changes, and lead students to participate in activities like weekend tour, helping them to get familiar with American schools, the surroundings, American culture and customs.
What service does an SSC offer? What help did Cambridge provide to her?
Emily: Pretty much like the answer to the first question, and besides that, I think an SSC is a friend and teacher to students. Once encountering a problem, students can contact their SSC directly, and the latter will help solving the problem or report according to the specific situation. And if students have requirements, they can also tell me, like questions about courses, the school, and feedback on their homestay etc. I will also help them with their problems in life. My husband is Chinese, and he communicates with students a lot.
What was your first impression on Kira? Any changes now?
Emily: Kira was very shy when we first met. Now she is more confident, and will directly tell me about her problems. She lived with me for a week before finding a new homestay. I go to art exhibitions with Kira a lot, and I will always be her biggest fan, always support her. My students call me older sister. I think that’s because students can get emotional support and care from me and other SSCs. I love my students, like to spend time with them, and they are like my younger brothers and sisters.
