Art works are usually shown in exhibitions, museums and in some private galleries. When you wander the halls of Sino-Canada High School you will be pleasantly surprised with the art on display.

 

In most traditional Chinese schools, it is not permissible to draw pictures on the building, not to mention on the clean white walls. However, it's quite different in this international school. Art students, as well as teachers, are encouraged to design a mural and paint it on the walls of the hallways.

 

One piece of work in particular is admired by all visitors when they find it hidden away in one of the back hallways. The placement tells a lot about the character of the young man who created it. "A.J." as he is known by his friends, is a very quiet, unassuming young man whose artistic ability is admired by all.

 

His work of art, a tiger in the wild, took about eight hours to complete. This young man is not only a great artist but also a great student. He recently won a 16,000 Canadian dollar (US$13,541) scholarship to the University of Alberta in Canada.

 

Other works of art at the school include animals, street scenes and people as well as a number of impressionistic pieces.

 

"You cannot imagine how focused the students are when they are preparing for the mural," said an art teacher from Canada surnamed Ma. "Art can purify one's mind. For the students of this generation, they need to learn more skills, preparing their overseas life independently. Moreover, when students see their own works shown publicly, they will be proud of themselves, which helps to build up their confidence."

 

The art works in Sino-Canada High School are not just pieces of art work; they are, more importantly, the creation of a student's imagination. This is one of the many things that sets the school apart from many of the other traditional Chinese schools as well as international schools.

 

Sino-Canada High School is an international school approved by both the Ministries of Education in Jiangsu Province, China, and British Columbia, Canada. The school is located in the Sino-Canada Education Park, along the beautiful Dingshan Lake, near the boundary between Shanghai and Suzhou.

 

(Shanghai Daily January 24, 2007)