Daystar Academy - Beigao

Daystar Academy was founded in 2002 by Cai Jin-Yong and Dawn Vermilya. The couple sought a bilingual and bicultural school for their three children, but were unable to find a school that aligned with their vision of education. So, with the support of a small group of like- minded parents the couple started Daystar Academy as a bilingual elementary school with a commitment to character education and building cultural understanding bridging the gap between East and West. In 2008, Daystar opened the Beigao campus while also adding an early years program.

With the growth of Daystar from a small, niche elementary school to a K-12 school, the school mission has expanded to developing students with a social entrepreneurial mindset who will have the courage to be changemakers who positively impact their communities while at Daystar, and beyond.

We cultivate social innovators to inspire the best in humanity and create a world that is more equitable, sustainable and united. We nurture students’ character, curiosity and motivation to positively impact their communities, demonstrating the courage to change and inspire.

The bedrock of the SI curriculum and program development, are the 9 SI competencies. Our Teaching, Learning and Innovation (TLI) team, Academic Leaders, and Social Innovation Team embarked on the journey of collaboratively developing this framework in 2021. Through the review of global educational research and social innovation studies, combined with practical experience of nurturing social innovation in our students in China, 9 unique social innovation competencies were developed across 3 domain areas: Being, Connecting and Innovating. Students need a place to innovate, share, and inspire others. Daystar Beigao campus holds a regular Social Innovation (SI) Marketplace enabling middle and high school students to have their own stalls to sell items they have created (e.g. digital art or green fashion items), or to advocate for their causes or fundraise.
In parallel with the SI Market is our Phoenix Forum hosted by middle and high school students to build community and showcase creative talents and ideas. It includes performances by musicians/bands, demonstrations of talents, and students showcasing their innovative art and videos. Phoenix Forums also provides a platform for meaningful pitches and debates on topics of importance such as sustainability and mental health and well-being. The forums have proven to elevate discussion inspiring other students to think what they might want to contribute at the next Phoenix Forum or SI Market!