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It’s hard to imagine that just over seven months ago our current group of Grade 12 IB Diploma Candidates began their Extended Essay journey. As with any significant piece of work, the path was easygoing at times and challenging at others, but these amazing students persevered and can be proud of all that they have accomplished.
The IB Learner Profile describes a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success. They imply a commitment to help all members of our school community learn to respect ourselves, others, and the world around us. The IB programmes aim to develop learners who are:
- Inquirers
- Knowledgeable
- Thinkers
- Communicators
- Principled
- Open-minded
- Caring
- Risk-takers
- Balanced
- Reflective
- Persevering
At some point during their EE journey, each of these students has embodied at least one of these attributes.
As teachers, we, too, aspire to embody these attributes on a day-to-day basis. If you will allow me, I would like to try being a risk-taker for a few moments and take a risk in an area where I do not always feel at ease—maths—as I try to “sum up” what goes into these Extended Essays.
4000 informed words
+
34 maximum points
+
28 dedicated students
+
14 supportive supervisors
+
7 sometimes long months
+
6 different subjects
+
5 distinct criteria
+
3 well thought out reflections
+
2 rough (or in some cases, very rough) drafts ; )
= 28 Extraordinary Extended Essays
The Extended Essay is to the Diploma Programme as the Exhibition is to the Primary Years Programme and the Personal Project is to the Middle Years Programme. The essay is an independent research paper that students begin in May of Grade 11 and complete by mid-October of Grade 12. Students choose a topic related to one of the courses they are currently studying and work with one of our GNS teachers as their supervisor throughout the process.
This year, students wrote their essays in six different subjects: English, Global Politics, History, Chemistry, Theatre, and World Studies. A journey such as this requires a great support system and we want to recognize and thank the supervisors, parents, host parents and peers who offered encouragement to these Diploma Candidates. On December 6, we were proud to celebrate the students’ outstanding accomplishments at the Extended Essay Extravaganza in the Dining Hall.
“It helped me develop a lot of study skills,” said Nicholas Obrocea, who crafted his essay on the extent that the research, production, and deployment of penicillin by the Allies was a factor in the outcome of WWII. After an initially daunting process of research and writing, Nicholas is more self-assured in his ability to proactively work towards big goals.
Or take Alexis Kuo, who took on a unique Chemistry challenge that didn’t necessarily turn out the way she expected. When sharing about her process of exploring how the physical properties of eumelanin affect its ability to sequester heavy metals, she explained “It was pretty challenging in the beginning, because there hasn’t been research done before. There was a lot of trial and error. I had to redo my trials many, many times […] one thing that I learnt from this was to really persevere and keep on going even though the results might not turn out.”
As any undertaking of this size will show, reflections upon completing these essays represent important lessons that can be applied to many facets of life. When asked what advice they would give future candidates of the program, students emphasized the importance of pursuing what you’re passionate about. “When you pick your topic, pick something you’re interested in and that you’ll enjoy,” Aleem Carino said. “As somebody who enjoys researching specifically WWII stuff, I enjoyed it […] which made it a lot easier than it otherwise would have been!” Aleem’s paper explored the extent to which SHAEF’s decision-making was at fault for the failure of Operation Market Garden.
Students like Nam Nguyen, who when researching the extent that an increase in renewable energy is beneficial in Vietnam from an environmental and economic perspective, wrote with an immersive approach that brought learning to another level. “I did it in Vietnamese so I understood the economy better. I wanted to find information that was written by Vietnamese writers so that it was more specific.” After diving into his research, Nam translated his entire paper back to English.
The tenacity and perseverance that was required from students to write these papers won’t go unnoticed. We truly hope that each of you is as proud of your amazing accomplishment as we are of you!
Congratulations IB Diploma Candidates Class of 2024!
Efe Akpikie
Subject: English
Research Question: How does Thomas Lockley and Geoffrey Girard’s novel African Samurai explore the intersection of identity, and power through the life of Yasuke, the first African samurai?
Aleem Carino
Subject: History
Research Question: To what extent was SHAEF’s decision making at fault for the failure of Operation Market Garden?
Rachel Baumgartner
Subject: English
Research Question: How does Margaret Atwood use metatheatre in order to examine guilt and role of the correctional system in Hag-Seed?
Aleem Carino
Subject: History
Research Question: To what extent was SHAEF’s decision making at fault for the failure of Operation Market Garden?
Bill Chen
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: How and to what extent has the development of genetically modified canola impacted the Canadian economy in regards to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability?
Yen-Chen Caitlin Chen
Subject: Global Politics
Research Question: How and in what ways does Taiwan’s semiconductor industry enhance Taiwan’s power both presently and in the future?
Elvis Chow
Subject: English
Research Question: How does viewing Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind through an escapism lens portray the challenges of the individual and couple in navigating relationships?
Kylie Chow
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: How and in what ways does addiction contribute to homelessness, and by association human rights violations, in Downtown Victoria?
Finn Cullen
Subject: History
Research Question: How and in what ways did operations at Bletchley Park and the allied ULTRA intelligence program affect the outcome of the Second World War?
Sophie Davies
Subject: English
Research Question: To what extent is Terry Pratchett’s novel Small Gods an existential text?
Kaiyuan Kevin Hu
Subject: History
Research Question: To what extent did the Policy of appeasement lead to the signing of the Nazi Soviet Pact of 1939?
Luka Hurschler
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: To what extent is the environment of Sudan affected by Internally Displace People (IDP) camps in response to conflicts and war through land pollution and resource depletion?
Marvin Jeong
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: To what extent did the nuclear power plant in Fukushima influence Japan’s energy policies and socio-economic landscape before and after the 2011 disaster?
Hikari Kinugawa
Subject: English
Research Question: How does Martin Amis use temporal reverse, an unreliable narrator, and figurative language to comment on human coping mechanisms in the face of guilt and moral responsibility in Time’s Arrow?
Alexis Kuo
Subject: Chemistry
Research Question: To what extent can physical preparation of eumelanin rather than a chemical process of isolation still allow melanin to maintain its ability to sequester heavy metal ions copper (II) and iron (II)?
Jonghoon Kevin Lim
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: To what extent can alcohol taxes and minimum prices on alcohol reduce alcohol consumption and consequently risks of severe alcohol-related liver disease in British Columbia?
Mitchell Little
Subject: History
Research Question: How and in what ways were the tactics used in the Battle of Kollaa able to lead Finland to victory against the invading Soviet forces during The Winter War?
Tsz Hin Jeffrey Ma
Subject: English
Research Question: How does Patrick Ness use storytelling and language to explore the complexity of human emotions that induce Conor’s coming of age in A Monster Calls?
Ewan Macdonell
Subject: History
Research Question: To what extent did the Opium Wars affect early Chinese Industrialization?
Theo Marill
Subject: Theatre
Research Question: To what extent is Tina Landau’s SpongeBob Square Pants: The Musical influenced by Jacques Lecoq’s clowning?
Nam Nguyen
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: From an environmental and economic perspective, to what extent is an increase in renewable energy beneficial in Vietnam?
Analee Obrocea
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: What factors of development lead to the more effective treatment of leukemia in Australia, in comparison to Canada?
Nicholas Obrocea
Subject: History
Research Question: To what extent was the research, production, and deployment of penicillin by the Allies a factor in the outcome of WWII?
Arshia Shahab
Subject: World Studies
Research Question: To what extent does the consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) promote obesity and how does Berkeley California’s Soda Tax influence said consumption and therefore impact the prevalence of obesity?
Polina Skrigitil
Subject: English
Research Question: How does Oscar Wilde explore the power of artistic influence through parallel structure in The Picture of Dorian Gray?
Paton Stobie
Subject: History
Research Question: To what extent did the leadership of George Washington and Friedrich Wilhelm Von Steuben influence the professionalism of the Continental Army and its ability to challenge the British military during the American Revolutionary War?
Lara Tiampo
Subject: English
Research Question: How does Bram Stoker use the role of outsider throughout the book Dracula?
Haoting Harry Xu
Subject: English
Research Question: How does William Gibson’s Neuromancer explore the role of technology in influencing the identity of an individual?
Isaac Yu
Subject: History
Research Question: What factors of the post-1950s totalitarian Chinese Nationalists Party regime contribute to Taiwan’s lack of international recognition?
