Our students are the next generation of innovators, pioneers, and global leaders. They have the potential to change the world, and our goal, as a school, is to empower them to do exactly that.
How? By offering transformative leadership and community service opportunities that develop the skills, values, and outlook our students need to become the conscientious global citizens of tomorrow.
We put leadership and community service at the heart of education
At Léman International School (LIS) Chengdu, leadership and community service are an essential part of every student’s education. Why? Because helping others, whether it be classmates, local community groups or international organisations, brings so many positive benefits.
For example, taking part in community service and student leadership programmes:
Encourages our students to engage with local and global issues.
Enables our young people to create meaningful connections within the LIS Chengdu family.
Demonstrates the impact a person or people can have on the lives of others, both locally and overseas.
Teaches our students about their place in the world, encouraging self-reflection and humility.
Instils strong values, such as kindness, compassion, and respect.
Leading the way in our community
Our school has a long history of leadership and community service, and we’re proud to have strong connections with people and partners in our local area. This creates opportunities for our students to take on meaningful leadership roles and get involved in life-changing outreach activities.
Our students are committed to making our planet a cleaner, greener place. One of the ways they demonstrate this commitment is through our partnership with Zero Waste Company Chengdu. By learning how to create a circular economy – an economic system that aims to eliminate waste and the continual use of resources – our students discover the fundamentals of building a more sustainable future.
Building relationships with people from different backgrounds opens our students’ eyes to the world – and encourages them to be good citizens. Our young people, for example, teach English at Wawu Primary School, a local school for the children in the rural area. They also organise charity drives to collect clothing and classroom resources.
As part of our student leadership programme, our children raise money and awareness for the charities that matter to them. Their efforts are supported by our parents, too. Together, our community supports organisations such as Hopeful Hearts, Chengdu Anti-Cancer Association, and Animal Asia. In recent years, we’ve donated almost 200,000 RMB to charities in Chengdu.
Empowered by their classmates, our Student Council is a trusted voice for the community. In communicating their peers’ needs, concerns, and desires, our Council members demonstrate a genuine sense of purpose and passion. They also develop leadership skills, such as communication, organisation, and delegation, which are vital for the future.
Becoming a global citizen
We like to look outwards at LIS Chengdu, too, creating opportunities for our students to engage with the world around them. These experiences not only teach our young people what it means to be a global citizen, but also encourage them to lead the way and find solutions to the challenges we face as a society.
Our students explore world issues, including climate change and the UN Rights of the Child, through our collaboration with UNICEF. Each year, our young people support hundreds of good causes through UNICEF activities, and by connecting their actions to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Our young leaders also drive change on an international stage, joining the annual Nord Anglia Education trip to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) at UN headquarters in New York. Contributing to seminars and workshops, LIS Chengdu students engage, influence, and propose solutions to local and world leaders.
Our expedition to Arusha in Tanzania nurtures global citizenship through service work with the local community. Students work on construction programmes with villagers, while learning about sustainable development and the environment. This gives them a fresh perspective on what it means to be a community – and the role they can play to help others.
From Year 9, all our students follow our bespoke Global Perspectives curriculum. This introduces important themes and ideas, and raises awareness of what it means to be a global citizen.
Both our International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme and our IB Diploma feature a global citizenship framework. Through the framework, our students explore global issues and topics, and connect what they learn to hands-on leadership and community service opportunities.
Every student takes part in enrichment programmes that give them a global perspective. These include The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, which is renowned for its contribution to student growth and development, and our Model United Nations club, which immerses learners in eye-opening global debates and discussions.
The benefits of community service for our students
Actively contributing to our community, engaging with the world, helping others, taking the lead – these actions are the very definition of positive global citizenship. Our young people do these things every day, both through community service activities and our student leadership programme, and it shows.
Ask anyone about the qualities our young leaders possess, and you’ll hear answers like:
Trustworthy, responsible, respectful, and resilient.
Great listener and communicator.
Capable of finding solutions that work for everyone.
Able to get along and work well with others.
Has purpose, vision, and sets goals.
These are the attributes that help our students stand out from the crowd – now, at university, and when they move into influential positions around the world.
Leadership and community service | LIS Chengdu
Discover how LIS Chengdu cultivates the leaders of tomorrow, through extraordinary community service activities and a commitment to global citizenship.
Léman International School Chengdu
No. 1080 Da’an Road, Zhengxing County
Tianfu New Area, Chengdu, P.R.C. 610218
