Roundtable Q&A Discussion About Niagara Christian Collegiate (2025)
Niagara Christian Collegiate alumni, current students, and parents shared their insights on the school’s culture, values, strengths, and weaknesses. Hear what Orafiri Ibisiki, Josiah Forde, Judith Mugabe had to say about the school.
Video Contents
- 5:14 - If you were to introduce the school to someone, what is the first thing you’d tell them about the school?
- 13:04 - What trade-offs do you think reflect the school’s mission? (Selectively prioritizing some things at the expense of others)
- 20:10 - What was the highlight of your experience with this school?
- Show Full Video Contents
Highlights from the Q&A discussion
Orafiri Ibisiki — alum
Orafiri, a student at the Niagara Christian Collegiate, shared her perspective on supportive teachers, leadership opportunities, faith integration, academic preparation, community belonging, and confidence gained through meaningful experiences in academics, worship, and extracurricular activities.
Even though we're a really small community, it's also an advantage because we're really tight-knit and everyone knows everyone. It's a really cool big family we have at NCC. I think it's cool.
I think the teachers at NCC are absolutely amazing, and I don't think I've been to a school where the teachers are as caring or as involved in my life as at NCC. Specifically, the devotions in the morning really foster that connection much beyond the classrooms on a more personal level.
I feel like my teachers are my friends at NCC. We're that close. There's that much of a bond, and you can talk to them in the lunch line or during break.
My highlight at NCC was definitely being part of the PE leadership class.
Another really cool experience is how they integrate faith and Christianity into every aspect of our lives. I never thought you could relate science and the Bible, or math and Christianity. I never saw that before, but now I don't even need my teachers to point it out; I can now see that by myself.
Toward the end of the school year, we had student-led chapels, and I had the opportunity and privilege to speak at one of them. When I got up there, I was shaking, but I did it. I've become so much more confident, and I'm not scared to speak in public anymore.
NCC prepares us for the real world as well because they're teaching us to serve, to lead, and to have confidence.
NCC was definitely there with academic excellence, and they also gave us a medium to relax through sports teams. It was another way to connect with students outside of the classroom and talk to people you don't usually talk to.
Josiah Forde — alum
Josiah, an alum of the Niagara Christian Collegiate, shared his perspective on strong academics, faith-based community, leadership opportunities, personal growth, meaningful relationships, and confidence gained through supportive teachers and diverse school experiences.
When I think back to NCC, I think of very fond memories. NCC's main core value is family, building and fostering a community.
The staff genuinely care in all aspects: the teachers, the faculty, and the administration. They generally care about you and know your name, and know about you and are interested in you. You're not just a number.
Christ-centred values are lived out daily. We did morning devotionals, and our first-period teachers were responsible for doing the devotions with us.
ASP — academic study period — was another thing I valued. It was kind of like a mini study hall for the local kids, which allowed you to learn different life values, learn about scripture, and have time to just sit down, ask questions, and do homework if you needed to.
A highlight for me was having the unique opportunity to be a local student and also live in a dorm. That gave me the opportunity to build deep friendships with people I might not have spent time with or crossed paths with.
Confidence was another huge thing NCC gave me. This is a crucial point in life, deciding who we are and where we're going next. NCC gave me the confidence to say, 'Yes, this is what I want to do.'
NCC balanced academic rigour with outlets and support. As a local student, ASP created structured academic time, but there were always opportunities to volunteer, play sports, join activities, always announcements encouraging people to get involved.
Judith Mugabe — current parent
Judith, a parent at the Niagara Christian Collegiate, shared her perspective on the welcoming community, supportive staff, strong academics, leadership development, and the confidence and growth her child experienced.
I love the location. So whenever I am telling someone, I will say you will first love the location before you even reach.
We were communicating with the enrollment department, and it was like I knew them... So the moment we went there, we knew everything.
It’s a small school with few students in classes, and you find that the students are not struggling a lot. They are not left behind. That way of dealing with students alone was good enough for me to recommend other parents to take their students there.
There are many things she enjoyed, but the most important thing that stood out was when they were organizing the fundraising as leaders. I think the school put in her that responsibility and she owned it.
Take her anywhere without me, and she can do it alone because she was shown better ways of dealing with things.
I'm very proud that my children passed through NCC. And even yesterday, Kesa was telling me, ‘Mommy, I'm missing NCC.’ Means that really NCC was so good for them.
