In commemoration of a century of continued education at VC, we take a look a century into the future. This is VC 200.

As the sun shines in the clear blue sky in the year 2122, the 17,000 students of Vancouver College begin to make their way through the campus. A significant number of them have taken the VC–Oakridge Line, a part of the renovated Fraser Area Rapid Transit Network. Upon exiting at Vancouver College station, they are greeted by the VC campus, a sprawling 400 hectares of eco-friendly buildings, natural rainforest, and perfectly manicured fields, all seamlessly integrated into the natural environment surrounding the school. The large student population fuels the countless number of courses, programs, and opportunities available for almost anyone of any background to pursue.

A Senior School student, a new transfer to VC, heads off for the first block of his first day: Extending Science A2. In the 22nd century, courses aren’t primarily determined by grade level or age, but are rather custom tailored to fit every individual student’s needs, and as the student enters their classroom in the Povey Science Centre, he observes students at their sleek glass desks, arranged in a semicircle around the teacher’s podium.

Attendance is taken automatically by a computerized system, and as the teacher begins his lecture, interactive infographics surround the space, taking shape like holograms, floating in the air. 3D models appear as new topics are introduced, and key points are summarized on heads-up display screens. It’s the perfect combination of interesting, yet not distracting; informative, and yet not mundane. It’s a learning model that has found much success in student achievement and is well-liked by students. A 360-degree camera mounted overhead allows absent students to participate in lessons through VR. The Senior School student's educator distributes a digital form and waiver to everyone. As he opens it, he notices it’s a permission slip for An Orbit Around the Moon, a government-sponsored trip provided by SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, for the low price of $100. Constant innovation in aerospace technology and tourism has resulted in space travel being cheaply available for all, to the point where field trips of this type have become the norm.

As the block comes to an end, our student makes his way to the VCSS cafe. As he scrolls through his social networking device, he notices university students pass by on their way to the main atrium, and kindergarteners in a single-file line, led by their teacher. After a century of growth, VC has developed to now fully embody the “College in Vancouver College,” and is now predominantly a complete education journey: preschool, elementary, high school, and all the way to post-secondary education. VC has also consolidated some of its campus buildings and resources with nearby institutions, such as LFA, although its near-universal name has remained dominant.

The student begins to make his way to Lannon Park for Natural Environment Studies, his elective. After the climate crisis of 2067, subjects like these have become much more important. Unlike the previous subject, this block is completely hands-on and based completely on reality, a change that was welcomed by society after issues like the encroaching danger of social media addiction and corporate control came to light.

His teacher leads them through the on-campus rainforest, touring through the dense undergrowth. Within this forest is an entirely natural and self-sustaining ecosystem. Aiding in this journey are augmented reality glasses, which allow the student to learn, almost instantaneously, about everything surrounding him, and to ask questions without interrupting the lesson. The teacher’s goal in this course is to emphasize the importance of not only the ecosystem, but of the greater natural environment, and that being stewards of the environment doesn’t just benefit the flora and fauna within it, but also the continued existence of humanity on our planet.

After the end of the class, the student returns to the cafeteria to meet his newly-made friends. Their food and refreshments come mainly from genetically-modified fruits and vegetables grown locally on-campus, at gardens and greenhouses consistently maintained and grown by students. Additionally, their meals are supplemented by mass-produced lab-grown artificial meat, which is grown without the use of antibiotics.

His next block passes by fairly stress-free. Unlike a century before, percent grades have completely disappeared, and have been replaced completely by in-depth reflections, feedback, and, perhaps most interestingly, advanced AI. After having neural networks develop their algorithms, having been fed student data for decades, the AI can accurately surmise a student’s greatest strengths and weaknesses, and can identify ways of growth for the student in preparation for their post-secondary life or education. Additionally, AI can even predict jobs and occupations an individual student would be best predisposed to. In this era, the job of a teacher is not just to grade, but to simply educate their students to the best of their ability, provide feedback and ways to improve and provide a distinctly human connection to the variety of subjects they may teach.

His last block, Catholic Religious Studies, begins with the resurgence of a theme from a century prior, “To Foster and Invigorate a Community of Faith.” To VC, Catholic values are still important and emphasized in the 22nd century, although other additional cultures and faiths have grown a foothold in the curriculum. Cultural unity and understanding are promoted throughout the course, a practice which has served to almost entirely eliminate discrimination.

He ends the school day at the bleachers, watching the football game, as an air of excitement fills the vast stadium. Although the sport has seen minor changes and evolution over a century of development, at its heart it still is the same game and is played in much the same way. After a stunning 40-0 victory for the Fighting Irish, the mood of the crowd is jubilant. After all, some things never change.

As the sun sets, the student retreats to his high rise in one of the school’s on-campus residential towers. As he relaxes in his bed, he mentally prepares for the long day ahead of him tomorrow. After all, it will be the VC 200 Homecoming Celebration, and he’s looking forward to seeing what’s next.