Interview with Niagara Christian Collegiate Alum, Takeshi Yamaguchi
- Name
Takeshi Yamaguchi - University (major)
University of Toronto (Commerce)
Takeshi Yamaguchi, an alum of Niagara Christian Collegiate, shares how the close-knit, multicultural community, supportive teachers, and focused academic environment shaped his confidence, communication skills, and long-term personal and academic growth.
Highlights from the interview
From a personal level, I would say what makes the school unique is how the school community is able to connect with each other on a personal level… Usually, that connection is academic-based, but when it gets personal, it can build a person's character and make them grow for the better.
The environment allowed students to really focus on their academics and sustain high grades. What that does is not only help people bring their grades up and get A’s or A+’s, but it also brings out a person's strengths. It brought out my strengths and improved me mentally and physically.
The NCC community is very close, and it's an aspect the school can extend to communities all around the world by being encouraging and supportive.
I remember when NCC hosted basketball and volleyball matches; a lot of people would come out to the gym and support the NCC team. We would hype them up so they would win, and even if they lost, we would cheer for them for playing such a great game.
One of the biggest things for me was multiculturalism, as there are literally students from all around the world. It's a great attribute to have as it allows students to learn new things when they connect, and helps them grow during high school and even after high school.
There are a lot of activities and events during class and in school events where teams and groups were the main focus, and that allowed motivation and determination among people.
I appreciate NCC more because I was able to connect with a lot of people on a personal level. There are a lot of memories from events they shared as a group and other fun activities they did. I think that is one of the big factors that makes NCC graduates remember the school.
NCC allows students to have a different perspective on the world. Connecting with different students from around the world helps you expand your knowledge in various ways.
I have learned so much not only academically but also about myself. Being at this school allows you to gradually become comfortable, improve your communication skills, and social skills, which are key to developing as a person.
It's important to balance grades and life, sports or involvement in school and dorm events, which I strongly encourage.
