The Halton District School Board is proud to announce that two Grade 12 students from White Oaks Secondary School in Oakville - Yanzi Guo and Bana Maarouf - achieved rare perfect scores in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme.
A perfect IB score is an extraordinary achievement, earned by only a small percentage of students. Yanzi and Bana received top marks - a score of 7 - in all six subject areas, as well as an A' in both the Theory of Knowledge course and the Extended Essay.
The IB program is a comprehensive world-recognized, two-year diploma, which provides a challenging curriculum for highly motivated students. It offers high academic standards in first and second languages, mathematics, humanities and sciences. It is offered at 5,000 schools around the world including in Halton at Burlington Central High School, Craig Kielburger Secondary School, Georgetown District High School and White Oaks Secondary School.
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"The IB program reflects the HDSB's ongoing commitment to fostering academic excellence and global citizenship," says Tara Connor, Superintendent of Education with responsibility for Learning and Achievement (Grade 9-12). "Yanzi and Bana's outstanding achievement speaks to the program's depth and rigour, as well as the dedication of the educators who bring it to life each day. Providing high-quality programming like IB in secondary schools across Halton has a powerful impact - it inspires students, challenges their thinking and prepares them to thrive in a complex, interconnected world. We are incredibly proud of Yanzi and Bana and wish them every success in their future endeavours."
"Yanzi and Bana embody the core values of the IB Programme - academic excellence, global-mindedness and a commitment to community service. Their perfect scores are a testament not only to their hard work and determination but also to the strength of the IB program at White Oaks Secondary School. Our students consistently perform at the highest levels, and we are incredibly proud of their achievements." - Derek Graham, Principal at White Oaks Secondary School.
"The IB program gave me the opportunities to refine my skills in critical thinking, time management and communication, and it taught me how to stay disciplined and push myself to achieve more than I thought possible," says Bana Maarouf, recent graduate of the IB program at White Oaks Secondary School. "I'm so thankful to have achieved this score, and couldn't have done it without the constant support and encouragement of my friends, family and especially my teachers at White Oaks. They motivated me throughout my studies and offered their endless support to help me overcome challenges and consistently perform at my best."
"I'm extremely grateful to all the White Oaks teachers and staff who have supported me throughout high school - whether that's answering my never-ending questions, helping supervise and plan club activities, or even just being a friend to chat with about my day," says Yanzi Guo, recent graduate of the IB Program at White Oaks Secondary School. "I've learned so much during my time in the IB program at White Oaks, even beyond how to write a good essay or solve a differential equation. It's helped me grow as a person: I've learned how to manage my time, to face obstacles with an innovative mind, and to contribute to the flourishing community that has nurtured me for years. And I couldn't have done this alone; to my teachers, friends, and everyone I met along the way: thank you! For always being there for me, for all our accomplishments, and for the endless memories!"
HDSB 2024-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan
The 2024-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan sets direction and prioritizes the collective actions of all students, staff, families and community members. This plan ensures our efforts as an organization are aligned and coordinated to support more than 67,000 students, 11,000 staff and the broader HDSB community. The six commitments identified in this four-year plan intersect and overlap to ensure that we take a cohesive approach to fulfilling its objectives.
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