Beijing City International School (BCIS) revolves around compassion. While this week we celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week, mental health and wellbeing is a staple focus in our community. Our culture of compassion and wellbeing binds us together, as we learn to care for ourselves and each other. In the words of our Head of School, Julie Lawton, "We are friends. We are a community. We are Warriors."

Mental Health Awareness Week activities began with our BCIS Warrior Horse Mascot dancing and sprinkling cheer as our students entered campus on Monday morning. Our Elementary School students focused on the importance of friendship – the need for a friend and to be a friend.

Our younger students at the Early Childhood Center took the time to engage with feelings through stories. Our ECC students focused on learning to be aware and acknowledge their own emotions and others, as well as calming strategies.

Back in the Secondary School, our older students learned about the benefits of kindness on mental health. Our Grade 10s worked on "Intentional Acts of Kindness". They shared what 'kindness' means to them on a paper leaf as part of the Kindness Tree. Each student picked someone's leaf and acted on that 'kindness' to see how it affected their moods – hopefully adding more sunshine to their day!