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Compass m a g a z i n e
New
Directions Compass Magazine: Connections and Collaboration Launching the Strategic Plan Student and Faculty Global Citizen
Endeavors
American Section
LycĂŠe International
St Germain-en-Laye
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Kelly Herrity with faculty member Mike Whitacre in Auvergne
t is with great pleasure that I introduce Compass Magazine to the entire American Section community. This magazine is the result of much planning and thought, and most importantly, collaboration. It has come together thanks to the hard work of so many different people and groups – parents, board, faculty and staff, alumni, and last but certainly not least, students. In many ways this magazine embodies the essence of the American Section – collaboration, the celebration of diversity, and a commitment to offering our 700+ students an excellent American educational and cultural experience within the Lycée International system. The ability to work with others on a common goal or purpose is such an important skill, even more so in our shrinking global economy. Every day in class our students are asked to work together in some capacity; whether during a close reading of a poem or a debate about the impact of an historical event. Similarly, our teachers – from Moyenne Section to Terminale – discuss the program, lesson plans, students and larger pedagogical issues to ensure consistency within the different classrooms and across the different campuses. Collaboration is a core part of the curriculum and is put into practice daily. As one of the newest members of this vibrant community, I am consistently impressed by what we accomplish both as a Section and within each classroom. Space issues are overcome by parents opening up their homes for meetings and social events. Faculty, staff and our large pool of dedicated volunteers find the time to collaborate by coming in early or staying late. This is a community that puts its heads together to develop a program – both in class and extra-curricular – that is preparatory, challenging and enriching, a program which embraces the multilingual and multicultural environment in which we are so lucky to find ourselves. Over the last few months, a number of people representative of the different constituencies that make up the American Section brainstormed about ways we can better celebrate and communicate the excellent work of our community, and specifically our students. The result of those discussions and collaboration is this magazine: an insight into the day-to-day life of the Section that exists thanks to the tremendous support of the entire community. Enjoy this first issue of the Compass, and share it around; we are truly proud of it! I very much look forward to working with each and every one of you as we create ever more collaborative successes for the school and our children. Kelly Herrity Director
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Compass
Compass
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American Section of the Lycée International Rue du Fer à Cheval - BP 70107 78100 St. Germain en Laye, France Phone + 33 1 34 51 74 85 Fax + 33 1 30 87 00 49 www.americansection.org
A word from the Board The Strategic Plan
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Faculty and Staff
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Primary School The Art Program
This magazine is distributed without charge to current and former members of the American Section community.
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Middle School The Troisième Art History Brevet
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Upper School Seconde Field Trip to Auvergne
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Spotlight University Counselor Catherine Boalch
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Alumni - Pete Brueggemann ’99 - Our alumni program
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Annual Development Report
embodies the essence
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Gala
of the American Section –
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AS PTO - Homeroom Parents Network - Halloween
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Student Voice Global Citizen Scholarship
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Faculty Voice Terry Hershey on her sabbatical
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Window on the Lycée - APELI’s Carrefour des Etudes et Métiers - Club International’s new President
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Graduation 2011
Director: Kelly Herrity, director@americansection.org Editor: Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione, communications@americansection.org Graphic design: Judy Loda, Newwalk Design Printer: Imprimerie Jasson-Taboureau Contributors: Alexy Abélanet, Ariane Benrey, Pete Brueggemann, Lynne Costet, Adrienne Covington, Lisa Demangeat, Marie Eichwald, Betsy Farhi, Mary Friel, Lucy Gianasso, Kelly Herrity, Terry Hershey, Beth Heudebourg, Louis Jamart, Sébastien Jarquin, Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione, Alice Lamy, Sonia Lee, Nadège Legroux, Siun O’Sullivan, David Pointeau, Tiffany Snel-Wark, Claire Weil, Anita Youngblood, Robert Youngblood Photography: Lisa Demangeat, Judith Hamery, Celia Heudebourg, Alice Lamy, Barbara Larran, Nadège Legroux, John Mathieu, David Pointeau, and other members of our community. Vol. 1, Number 1 Copyright 2011 by ASALI. All rights reserved. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this magazine. For any questions, corrections or comments please contact the editor, Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione, at communications@americansection.org. Within the unique context of the Lycée International and its partner schools where students learn in both French and their national language, the American Section provides a high quality American educational and cultural experience. We strive to offer the best teaching practices and extracurricular activities, in a collaborative and engaged American and international community, in order to foster intellectual curiosity and selfconfidence that will help students realize their full potential. The American Section prepares students to play dynamic roles in the world, by developing their leadership abilities and sense of responsibility towards others. Please address admissions inquiries to: Director of Admissions, Mary Friel, at: admissions@americansection.org.
“In many ways this magazine
collaboration, the celebration of diversity, and a commitment to offering our 700+ students an excellent American educational and cultural experience within the Lycée International system.”
B American Section Board of Trustees
Ina de Witte, Roman Bereza, Betsy Farhi, Robert Youngblood, Beth Heudebourg, Sonia Lee, Jonathan Marsh, Debbie Bloch, Jonathan Hall, Marc Fournier. Missing: Marie-Anne Aymerich, Jean-Michel Bouché.
Don’t miss the AGM November 14, 2011 Each year the American Section Board of Trustees invites all parents to a presentation on the state of the Section. The 2011 American Section Annual General Meeting will take place on November 14th at 8:00 p.m. in the Château amphitheater. Parents vote on the end-of-year accounts and the 2011-2012 budget before hearing from Board member candidates and electing new members. Please join us for this important evening regarding the life of the American Section.
American Section Mission Statement Within the unique context of the Lycée International and its partner schools where students learn in both French and their national language, the American Section provides a high quality American educational and cultural experience. We strive to offer the best teaching practices and extracurricular activities, in a collaborative and engaged American and international community, in order to foster intellectual curiosity and selfconfidence that will help students realize their full potential. The American Section prepares students to play dynamic roles in the world, by developing their leadership abilities and sense of responsibility towards others.
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C O M PA S S M AG A Z I N E
“Make No Little Plans. . .
. . . they have no magic to stir men’s blood. . . Make big plans; aim high in hope and work.” So American architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham proclaimed. With this driving spirit, the American Section launched its fiveyear strategic plan with the rentrée this past September. A Board of Trustees has no more important duty than to advance its organization in pursuit of its long-term vision - to support its very mission. Thus, over the course of 18 months, the American Section Board, along with the administration, consulted with many members of our community, including students, faculty, staff and parents. To better address the needs of the 21st century student, the final plan was unveiled to parents at the Spring Information Meeting last May. Words and ideas are exciting enough, certainly, but the real “magic,” as Mr. Burnham mentions above, began this fall, as we put the plan into action. Some of the highlights are already underway: the American Section is increasing its support for community service, introducing new advisory services for our students and increasing our outreach to alumni. Soon will come further integration of technology in education. Community Service The American Section has long supported community service, as we recognize that our students must be full and committed global citizens in order to best face the challenges of a quickly - changing world. But our students need more opportunities and aid to reach that goal. Since September, a Global Awareness Coordinator is shepherding a number of new service initiatives. One key improvement: the Section will now have a service learning curriculum, which is being woven into the CM1, 4ème and 2nde curriculum. Also, we are identifying local service projects so that each and every secondary student has an opportunity to participate. In addition to our successful India program, a second international project will be developed to answer our students’ growing demand to reach out and help less-fortunate children from other parts of the globe. Advisory Program To better answer the pressing need for pastoral care for our students, the American Section this fall restructured and significantly increased its advisory program. We now have a Student Support Coordinator overseeing the full advisory program. Recognizing the need for increased contact by a team of advisors for our upper school students, advisory has been added for 1ère students, as well as the on-going program for our 6ème and 2nde students. At the primary level, we are developing a life skills curriculum to be incorporated into the regular program. And every year, students and parents can take part in a wellness workshop to address specific concerns our students face. The ultimate goal is to offer our students means to manage stress and tools to make sound decisions at every age. Alumni Outreach Also beginning this fall, the American Section is providing more services for alumni. Some of these services include increased networking, communications, and reunion opportunities. This should help current students tap into the wide-spread network of Section alumni, which can provide benefits for the whole community. Technology in Education In terms of embracing technology for a 21st century educational experience, the American Section, as you may know, has already been able to invest in hardware for the classrooms, thanks to generous donations from families. To advance the integration of new tools, approaches to teaching, collaboration among the faculty and internal and external communication, the American Section staff will soon include an information technology expert. We are finetuning the job description and will meet with candidates in the new year. These highlights are just a few of the plans to move our Section forward. To see the full, detailed descriptions of all elements of the plan and its five-year phase-in, please visit the Section’s website. With our strategic plan, we are recommitting the Section to our mission so that we continue to “aim high in our hope” for a better education for our students. This plan, like everything the Section does, depends on your support and goodwill. We are counting on you to make it a success. Beth Heudebourg President of the American Section Board of Trustees
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Back row: Barbara Larran, Kelly Herrity, Ben Heckscher, Andrew McGovern, Catherine Boalch, Douglas Penner-Lacompte, Matthew Jackson, Alice Lamy, Charlotte Jarquin, Michele Silvestri, Catherine Reed Third row: Scot Hicks, Lucas Mennella, Michelle Green, Adrienne Covington, Josephine Crichton, Hannah Blanning-Leloup, Amy Crist, Kate McCarthy Second row: Barbara Moross, Mike Whitacre, Judith Hamery, Jenny Waters, Donna Le Joncour, Mary Friel, Alain Ginsbach, Front row: Lisa Demangeat, Beccy Haugen, Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione, Terry Hershey, Kellie Bourque Rigal Missing: Lisa Morvan
American Section Organizational Chart Kelly Herrity Director
Primary School
Middle School
Upper School
Barbara Moross Principal
Adrienne Covington Principal
Kelly Herrity Director
Lycée International
Ecole Schnapper
Josephine Crichton GS, CE1 Lisa Demangeat Art, CP, Amerikids Beccy Haugen MS, CP, CM1 Matthew Jackson CE2 Kate McCarthy CE1, CE2, CM2 Douglas Penner-Lacompte CM1, CM2
Librarians: Amy Crist - Library Director Kellie Bourque Rigal - Primary Donna Le Joncour - Marcel Roby Charlotte Jarquin - Secondary
Administration Mary Friel - Director of Admissions Alain Ginsbach - Business Manager Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione - External Relations Officer Barbara Larran - Office Manager Lisa Morvan - Administrative Assistant Business Office Jenny Waters - Administrative Assistant Marcel Roby
Lycée International
Matthew Jackson Coordinator CP, CM1 Josephine Crichton CM2 Alice Lamy Art Barbara Moross CE2 Douglas Penner-Lacompte CE1
Collège Marcel Roby
Hannah Blanning-Leloup English 3ème
Hannah Blanning-Leloup English 3ème
Adrienne Covington History 3ème
Adrienne Covington History 3ème
Judith Hamery English 6ème, 5ème, 4ème
Michelle Green English 6ème, 5ème, 4ème, 3ème History 6ème
Michele Silvestri Head of History History 6ème, 5ème, 4ème
Terry Hershey Global Awareness Coordinator English 6ème, 5ème, 4ème Lucas Mennella History 5ème, 4ème Michele Silvestri Head of History History 6ème, 5ème, 4ème
Lycée International Catherine Boalch University Counselor History 1ère Judith Hamery English 2nde Ben Heckscher History 2nde Scot Hicks English 1ère, Tle Andrew McGovern Student Support Coordinator English 2nde, 1ère, Tle Lucas Mennella History 2nde, Tle Catherine Reed Head of English English 2nde, 1ère, Tle Mike Whitacre History 2nde, 1ère, Tle
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P S
communication...
Our Primary Art Program has three essential goals. The first is for the students to explore their natural talents and expand their creativity. Students are given the opportunity to experience different art materials, techniques and approaches designed to enrich their appreciation of art, aesthetics and eventually to use them to express their own life experiences. The second goal is to discover and appreciate the art process. Projects focus not only on the finished product, but also on the experience. Introducing playful problem solving (freedom with rules) promotes critical thinking for a better understanding of the artistic aim. Each individual is able to achieve a personal direction by finding his/her way as independently as possible. Art is a form of self-expression from the child outward, rather than from the adult into the child. The third goal is to develop specific skills. Welldeveloped fine motor skills empower students to manipulate various materials successfully. Visual acuity and perception promote artistic observation and sensitivity. Critical thinking skills help expand knowledge and comprehension of the art world. Specific vocabulary is also taught so students become more articulate when speaking about their artwork. Social and emotional skills develop a sense of responsibility, along with the ability to work in groups, express feelings and respect others.They also aid in building self-confidence and creative fulfillment. The art program evolves from simple techniques and exercises to more elaborate and detailed projects to meet the needs of the students. However, all grades experience the basic elements of composition color and form. Detailed studies of contrast, contour, geometry, symmetry, texture and pattern are emphasized. These are introduced via drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, constructing and modeling. All grades are also introduced to different artists, their work and their concepts, when appropriate. The choice of artists stretches from antiquity to the present. Various cultural arts and their origins are explored as well. The art program is considered an important extension of the overall curriculum. Art projects at times incorporate academic subjects by expanding upon themes being studied in class. Art teachers and classroom teachers work together to create these curriculum connections when appropriate.Students should leave art class with a desire to seek out their own creativity and innate talents while increasing their understanding and respect for the work of others.
- Jean Dubuffet
Lisa Demangeat - Art Teacher, LycĂŠe International Alice Lamy - Art Teacher, Ecole Schnapper
Focus on: The Art Program Antoine Van Veen - CE2
Art addresses itself to the mind, and not to Anna Souchet - CM1
the eyes. It has always been considered in this way by primitive peoples, and they are right. Art is a language, instrument of knowledge, instrument of
Hadrien Trojani - 6ème
Charlotte Guerin - CE2 6
C O M PA S S M AG A Z I N E
Quentin Charcellay, Etienne Choquart - CE1
Sarah Gaynor - CM2
The most exciting innovation to the Middle School curriculum occurred last year with the inauguration of the Art History Brevet in Troisième. Designed to ensure that students be compelled to learn about their country’s cultural richesse, this oral exam was at first greeted by all of us with universal scepticism. After all, don’t our students have enough on their plates? Come to think of it, don’t we have enough on our plates? How could we possibly manage to fit yet another unit of instruction into the Section’s already dense collège curriculum?! The Art History exam proved to be an example of American ingenuity and “cando” at its best. Through departmental meetings, hallway conversations and late night ruminations, the entire Middle School faculty came up with a program that offers all of our students a most excellent preparation for this groundbreaking exam. However, a very special acknowledgement of appreciation must also go to our French colleagues - for the Art History exam gave us an opportunity to collaborate at all levels and across the curriculum. This Franco-American collaborative approach produced one of the finest curricular innovations I have experienced in a long time. Exciting faculty-led innovations to the curricula were numerous, from art-dedicated field trips and classroom lessons to specially tailored “Worksheets” for art exhibit follow-up, from Art History binders to their (gorgeously!) decorated dividers.
In short, all four Middle School grades were included in the learning process. Younger students were introduced to different types of art through literature and history, while older students received coaching in oral exam preparation in front of Section classmates. All of these innovations were designed to give the children the confidence and skills they needed to ace this component of the Brevet - and its ever-present Big Sister exam, the OIB. In short, the Middle School is now devoted to bringing Art History instruction to all four grade levels, either in the classroom or through its classroom-without-walls initiatives. No article of this nature would be complete without a peek at the grades our students received. The average grade hovered around 17 - with many students receiving a 20 for their presentations. But perhaps the final word should go to the students themselves. When polled at the end of the year about their thoughts and experience with the Art History exam, one inward-looking student commented: “I never thought I would actually enjoy learning about art…but not only did I learn a lot this year - I feel really proud of myself for all that research - and having a good time while I did it.” The words of American author Henry James perhaps best sum up this young man’s bit of self-realization: “It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance…and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process.” Indeed, for all of us in the Middle School, James’ quotation most eloquently captures our newfound excitement over the ennobling power of art. Adrienne Covington Middle School Principal
M S Focus on: The Troisième Art History Brevet
Above: 5èmes outside the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, March 2011 Below left: 6èmes visit the Musée d’Orsay while discovering Paris, October 2010 Below: 2 examples of 3ème Art History binders: Daniel Nascimento on modern architecture and Lucas Abélanet’s art timeline.
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U S Focus on: Seconde field trip to Auvergne
Photos by Celia Heudebourg 8
C O M PA S S M AG A Z I N E
From the 23rd to the 25th September, American Section Seconde students went on a field trip to Auvergne. The purpose was to enable us to get to know one another and bond as a group as we move forward into our final three years together at the Lycée International (throughout Middle School American Section students attend two different campuses). To this end, our teachers had planned a host of team-building activities: rock-climbing, mountain biking and hiking. Without a doubt, when you’re belayed 20 meters up a steep cliff-face, suspended in mid-air over a vast valley of green, the person anchoring you below becomes pretty important! Likewise, as we hiked the mountainous terrain around the Puy de Dôme, collective sighs of fatigue could be heard as yet another hill rose into view, and we ‘shared the pain’ (although we quickly learned to keep a smile on our perspiring faces… as around each corner a camera awaited). In addition to the structured physical activities, all sorts of unprepared events also contributed to cementing us as a community: we would come together in a small hallway after dinner to sing songs; or organize a soccer game in which everyone participated, despite trembling legs after a day of pedaling up and down rocky trails. And all of this was possible because of the day’s shared experiences and because we were away together. It helped enormously that the environment in which all of this activity took place was the stunning Auvergne - a mass of ancient volcanoes surrounding an
ocean of calm green valleys. The fresh air awoke our senses which, after a month of the taxing school routine, had already begun to wane, and allowed us to relax and be our natural ‘selves’. We were accompanied on this trip by dedicated American Section faculty, who had given up their weekend to be with us. They too participated in all activities, and made a big effort to get to know us all better. So over and above building relationships with our peers, we were also building relationships with our teachers. Director Kelly Herrity even took it upon herself to memorize the name of every single student by the end of the weekend. Our mouths dropped open in amazement as she accurately recited them on the return trip. One impression that really encapsulates this field trip for me is the contrast between the bus ride to Auvergne on the first day and the return trip two days later. As we left the Lycée International on Friday morning everyone (including myself) was sitting next to someone with whom they had felt comfortable for quite some time. Social groups were in place, and the bus could probably have been divided into several sections. By Sunday night, everyone was sitting next to newlyfound friends. The various groups in the bus had become one. This was especially clear to our wonderfully patient teachers, as they had to repeatedly ask students to refrain from walking around the bus to talk to different people while it was moving… quite a measure of success I would say! Louis Jamart Seconde
S University Counselor Catherine Boalch
University destinations Class of 2011
US (17students)
Bard College Berklee School of Music Boston University Brown University Duke University (2) Emerson College Middlebury College Parsons New York Pratt Institute of Art Tufts University University of Miami (2) University of Oregon Honors College University of Pennsylvania (2) Yale University
UK (22 students)
Arts University College at Bournemouth Courtauld Institute of Art Imperial College London (2) King’s College London London School of Economics University College London (2) University of Brighton University of Bristol (2) University of East Anglia University of Exeter University of Leeds University of Loughborough University of Reading University of Southampton University of Sussex (2) University of York University of Warwick (2)
Canada (5 students) McGill University (4) Queens University
Mrs. Boalch grew up outside Boston and attended university in the United States, but always wanted to go abroad. She spent her junior year abroad in Bologna, Italy, worked for six months in London, and taught English in Japan on the JET program. In 2004 she moved to Paris with her husband, a CNRS researcher. She taught history in 2nde, 5ème and 4ème at the Lycée that year, and is thrilled to be back in her new role as University Counselor. - So, how did you decide to come back to the Lycée? Well, I wanted a change, so I called Mr. Lynch asking if he had any part-time history jobs, and he said no, but he did have a job as a college counselor opening up. I wasn’t looking for full-time, but he told me to think about it. So we met at Starbucks one day, and you know how he is, he’s a force of nature, and I was convinced, even though I knew what I was getting into. I started meeting with students last March, and am now on board full time. I’m also teaching one 1ère history class and it’s nice to do both - gives me a chance to stand up and stretch. - How do you like counseling? Did you have any specific experience before coming? In my last school in Paris, which has a bilingual program, there was no administrative staff, so I started doing counseling and writing references for my students. It wasn’t OIB, but I really enjoyed it. The advantage of counseling is that you get to know the students one on one. It’s not like in the classroom, here students want to do it, they take the initiative: it’s a completely different rapport. And it’s interesting: choosing a college is often the first thing students undertake on their own, and people here have so many different options. Where I grew up, people didn’t leave the Northeast, it was much more regional, and a simpler process: you knew pretty much where you would get in. It’s different here: everyone has such a different history. People ask me if I don’t get bored writing the same thing over and over again, but it’s never the same reference, they’re all unique. It’s been fun so far. It’s been busy, but a lot of that was just getting on top of things (I hope…). And then there are always the last minute decisions. - If you had to give one piece of advice to students going through the marathon of the application process? Start doing your research early, but don’t make decisions too soon. Know what you need to do when, but don’t get overwhelmed trying to prepare three different applications. Study for the SATs and get them out of the way - it’s just additional stress. Taking them four times is probably excessive: scores only go up if you’ve sat down and studied. So far, I’ve been really impressed with the Terminales: I’ve gotten essays a month in advance, people are really motivated. - Something you really don’t like about the whole system? I’d have to say having no control. When you teach a student, there are things you can do to help them and make them succeed. In counseling, there is nothing you can do to get a student into their dream school, other than helping them with their application. It makes one uneasy. Also, I’m not used to sitting down at a desk so many hours a day. - Any last comments you’d like to share? Only that I think that it’s very hard for people not to see getting into college as a referendum of their worth as a human being. It’s not. It’s somewhat random, unpredictable, and unfair, but it’s a necessary step. Ariane Benrey - September 20th, 2011 Terminale
France (10 students)
ESSEC Business School IESEG School of Management L’Ecole de Condé (MANAA) Lycée Fenelon (prépa) Lycée Hoche (prépa) Sciences Po Paris Université de Paris Ouest Université de Pierre & Marie Curie Unreported (2)
Holland (1 student) University of Maastricht
BAC results - American Section Class of 2011 Mention Bien High Honors
Mention Assez Bien Honors
7
11
2
6
8
9
4
1
1
2
0
55
14
20
13
8
100%
25%
36%
24%
15%
Inscrits Candidates
Reçus Successful Students
Series S (Science Track)
24
24
Series ES (Economics Track)
27
27
Series L (Literature Track)
4
4
Total
55
Percentage
Mention Très Bien Highest Honors
Passable Passed
4
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Spotlight on Peter Brueggemann ‘99 FoASALI President
Peter Brueggemann arrived in France with his family in the fall of 1990. Although the Brueggemanns planned to stay only six months, their temporary stay turned into nine years! Pete joined the American Section in 1994 in 4ème, and stayed on through his graduation in 1999 (Tle S). He received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and earned a Masters Degree in systems engineering in 2010, also at JHU. He now lives in Baltimore and works in systems engineering at Motorola. He found that the American Section offered unique outlets from the “madness,” (the Lycée in general and the OIB in particular he found quite challenging), with its array of extra-curricular activities. These activities, and the esprit de corps not normally found in French lycées that existed within the American Section, made his whole Lycée experience somewhat easier. Matthew Tobin and the entire History Department, as well as MUN and the somewhat ill-fated production of “TV or Not TV” stand out as his best memories of his years in the Section. Academically, Pete found the American Section put him “well ahead of the curve.” The Baccalaureate in general was far more taxing than anything his peers had experienced going into college, and his knowledge base in both history and literature was a cut above. Over time he realized that although his university had no concept of what the OIB entailed and didn’t honor those grades, he was uniquely prepared for the rigors of college though his OIB influenced work ethic - “I got the distinct impression that I was one of very few people who knew what an all-nighter felt like!” The experiences Pete had at the Lycée most certainly influenced his life. “Living abroad for many years certainly gave me a different outlook, and the Lycée was up there in terms of personalityshaping experiences.” Pete accepted the position of FoASALI President to try and bridge the gap between the Section and its friends, parents and alumni stateside, and because he thinks a stronger bond and a continued sense of involvement will allow the creation of opportunities for current students. The current FoASALI Board hopes that anyone who is or was affiliated with the American Section maintains a sense of identity; by fostering that identity through social events and news updates we hope to help make the Section an even more valuable experience for students than it already is.
Current FoASALI officers, Pete Brueggemann (middle row) and Jeremy Da (back row), at THIMUN with the American Section delegation and advisors Sean Lynch and Mary Friel in 1999.
A word from Friends of ASALI FoASALI is trying to take a larger role in fundraising and generating opportunities for friends of the American Section stateside. Our mission is to not only give back to the Section, but also foster and further a sense of community among parents, alumni and faculty, both current and past. While we are aligning ourselves with the Section’s priorities, our goal is to expand the scope of programs we provide funding for. We also hope to organize a few get-togethers for Section affiliates -- the first of which will take place in New York City sometime in the near future. Stay tuned! Pete Brueggemann ‘99
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C O M PA S S M AG A Z I N E
Alumni Relations Update There has been a lot happening with regard to alumni relations in the Amercan Section. While some of it, such as the bi-annual Alum-Link, our Facebook group and informal reunions, is visible, most has been transpiring behind the scenes. Some examples? This very magazine allows us to give our alumni, who have received an electronic copy, a glimpse into the Section today. Four alumni, Pete Brueggemann ’99 (President), Jeremy Da ’99 (Treasurer), David Warren ’77 and Anton Zietsman ’08, sit on the Friends of ASALI Board, along with alumni parents Lorna Colarusso (Secretary), Paul Newhouse, Evelyne Pinard and Elizabeth Sheehan. With the help of Friends of ASALI, the Section plans to host the first official American Section reunion in New York City later this year. The long-awaited website, which will enable networking opportunities for former and present students as well as providing alumnispecific information, has progressed, and we hope it will go live this year once it has been harmonized with the Section’s main website and the Association des Anciens du Lycée International database. And less glamorous but nonetheless essential, we are investing in the database, software and training necessary to run an alumni program active enough to keep up with our dynamic, globe-trotting graduates! Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione External Relations Officer
A D R Charting the Course TOTAL FUNDRAISING INCOME 2010-2011:
98,807€
Is the glass half full or is it half empty? One could look at our fundraising results for the 2010-2011 school year and fixate on the idea of almost. Almost six figures in total fundraising, almost 60K€ in Annual Fund Giving. Or one could choose to look instead at the progress we have made. We have multiplied more than tenfold our fundraising income in ten short years. We have consistently mobilized over half of our community in the effort. Our fundraising Gala has become increasingly well attended, profitable and professional. And we are almost (!) at 100K! Break the six - figure mark we most surely will, and why not in 2011-2012? We have a new strategic plan that provides the direction and the impetus, a new Director with a savvy, pragmatic vision and a community that is involved and vigorous. We are frequently asked by members of our community what we do with the money we raise. Quite simply, it is used to provide services and support above and beyond what our program could offer if it was funded by tuition alone. Fundraising income allows us to provide financial assistance to families in our communities who are experiencing financial difficulties. It funds programs that have become, in four short years, integral parts of the American Section fabric – such as the Writer in Residence program and the Global Citizen Scholarship. It permits us to invest in state-of-the-art information technology to enhance our curriculum, such as interactive whiteboards, cameras for digital reporting and wikis. Its funding fills the shelves of our libraries with books, and subsidizes the arts programs. By making a donation to the Section, be it by sending in a contribution to the Annual Fund or Senior Class Gift, purchasing an item at the Gala or participating in the Birthday Book program, you are tangibly showing your support for our mission, and affecting the educational experience we offer American Section students. Over the past eighteen months our community has mobilized to develop the strategic plan that will guide us for the next five years. We have determined four priorities, all central to our mission, and are already at work to implement the changes and innovations that will enhance our children’s education, advancements that will permit us to do what we already do, but better. Fundraising will allow us to bring the plan to full fruition. It is an exciting time to be part of the American Section, for all the blocks have been assembled to build a solid and exciting future. Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione External Relations Officer
Betsy Farhi Chair, Board Development Committee
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0
1
Program Supporters Marc, Christine & Natacha FOLLIGUET Alain, Claude & Emilie FOULGOC Augusto & Mary FRANCIA Mary FRIEL Richard & Catherine FUHR Michel, Susan & James GALAND-JONES Philippe, Maryvonne & Nicolas GERMAIN Eric, Margaret & Lucas GHIGLIONE Noé & Michelle GREEN-LEVASSEUR Jurgen & Gabrielle GRIEB Bruno & Frédérique GUIOT The HEUDEBOURG Family Etienne & Laurence JACQUES Olivier & Julia JAMART Eric, Brigitte & Morgane JOLY Bradley & Laurence JOSLOVE Youssef & Muriel LEBBAR Olivier & Catherine LETEURTRE Didier, Marie & Claire LEXA Peter, Eve & Stamati LIAPIS Brian & Ilona LOCKHART Stephan LOESCH & Martina ZOEBELIN Christian & Myeong-Hee LOPEZ Sean & Molly LYNCH René-Philippe & Claire MANTRAND Bruce, Marjolein & Alex MEE Manuel & Qi MILLOT Barbara MOROSS David, Linda & Andrea MUDD Marcio & Cristina NASCIMENTO Joseph & Siun O’SULLIVAN
Jean-Marc & Catherine BABUT Indrajit & Caroline BANERJEE Eric & Shelia BAUMERT Christian & Ying BELLISSEN Christophe & Virginie BELORGEOT Philippe & Catherine BIREMON Michel & Debbie BLOCH Hervé & Angela BONIFACE Charlotte BORDE Azzedine & Sara BOUBGUIRA Hubert, Marie-Hélène & Hadrien CATANESE Stéphane & Laurence CHALON Nicolai & Rosa CHAPIRO-BERNAL Bruno, Françoise & Estelle CHAPPERT Olivier, Diane & Eléanore CIZERON Jean-François & Laurence CLERVOY Emmanuel & Karen COEYTAUX Adrienne COVINGTON Karl & Avivah COX Philippe & Amy CRIST Olivier & Caroline DE PERCIN Stéphane & Anne-Brigitte DE SAINT HILAIRE Alain DE SERRES & Marie-Claude MICHAUD Christian & Anja DELANNES Gilles & Jenny DU CREST Vincent, Marie-Laure & Camille EDERY Miguel & Sonia ENESCO Michel & Nathalie ERARD William & Laurence FABRE Alexandre & Amélie FEVRE Laurent, Laurence & Josephine FISCHER
Participation Rates 100% 100%
72%
75%
50%
56%
52%
25%
0% Family
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Faculty/Staff
C O M PA S S M AG A Z I N E
Board
Senior Class
Claire OZORIO & Jessica DENORUS Olivier & Catherine PATURET Eric & Carolyn PENOT Gilles & Li Sze PIZIGO Stéphan POUSSE & Hélène SALAUN Thierry PUJOL & Margaret MALLON-PUJOL Bertrand & Catherine RAME Hugues & Judith RIALAN Marc & Carine ROBERT-VASSY Alain & Vanina ROBIC Fabrice & Valérie ROUSSEAU Thomas & Bénédicte SILIER Roger & Ruth SURRIDGE David & Deborah TANCREDI Monika TECSY & Zsofia ERDOS Antoine & Nathalie TIRARD Claude & Austin URRACA, Ellen HAMPTON Marc & Valérie VALDERRAMA Thierry & Nella VALORIS François-Xavier & Veronica VELAZQUEZ Benjamin & Kathrine VIDET Pascal & Claudine VINET Richard & Christine WASHINGTON Mike & Janice WHITACRE Cedric & Susie WOINDRICH Christophe WOOLDRIDGE & Pascale MARIN-LAFLECHE Maxime & Edwige YAO Yuk-Qun & Lei ZHONG 8 anonymous donors
1
2
0 Source of Funds
1
0
-
2
0
1
1
Misc. 205 €
Fundraising Gala 35 005 €
Annual Fund 59 943 €
Inspired by the Class of 2007, who initiated the American Section’s Global Citizen Scholarship, and eager to create additional opportunities for Section students to get involved in service initiatives, our most recent graduates dedicated their class gift to the establishment of the Community Service Fund. This fund will grant monetary awards to Upper School students wishing to instigate or participate in community service endeavors in our own backyard. Applications will be accepted in early spring; interested students can already begin thinking about potential projects. Thank you to the Class of 2011 and their parents for their generosity which will benefit not only future American Section students but needy groups outside the Section as well.
Club International 3 654 €
Section Partners - 250€ - 499€ François ABELANET & Lisa BARLOW Jacques BEHR & Véronique ELY Dominique & Pascale BERNAL Xavier & Céline BOULAT Christophe & Fanny BRUGUIER Pierre & Carol CAMBEFORT Gérard & Marguerite CATILLON Pascal & Louise CLEMENT Frank & Lorna COLARUSSO Xavier & Lynne COSTET William & Catherine FAHBER Axel & Betsy FARHI Ron & Martine GEROW Laurent & Sophie GILHODES Christophe & Murielle GOUELO Jonathan & Natacha HALL Christophe, Irène & Matthieu HEURTEVENT Pierre HEYDACKER & Bobbi LYNCH Rajiv & Marie-Noëlle ISWARIAH Pierre & Chrystèle JACQMARCQ Michail KOROBITSYN & Anya ASTAPOVA Marc & Vera LAPORTE Goran & Elisabeth LAZOVIC Philippe & Karen OUDIN Gérard, Karen & Illiez PLANCHE Rolf & Sandra POLUHA John & Alicia PRESTON Emmanuel & Laurence RAPIN Dan, Catherine & Anna REED Jean-Paul, Annelise & Philippe RIVAL Philippe & Frédérique ROBERT-GORSSE Luis ROTH & Jennifer DALRYMPLE Marc, Shelia & Naomi SADOFF George & Reyneke SCHENCK Nicolas & Chrystèle SIMON Tom & Emmanuelle VAN DEN BUSSCHE 5 anonymous donors
Senior class gift
Evolution Total Funds Raised
98,807€
100 000 € 81,901€
85,636€
85,462€
80 000 € 63,167€
60 000 €
53,478€
50,063€
36,316€
40 000 € 22,956€
20 000 €
0€
9,444€
2001-2
2002-3
2003-4
2004-5
2005-6
2006-7
2007-8
2008-9 2009-10
FA L L / W I N T E R 2 011
2010-11
13
2
0
1
0
Director’s Circle 2500€ and up
-
2
0
5-Year Consecutive Donors Philippe & Marie-Anne AYMERICH Jacques BEHR & Véronique ELY Christian & Ying BELLISSEN Roman & Naïma BEREZA Dominique & Pascale BERNAL Michel & Debbie BLOCH Charlotte BORDE Azzedine & Sara BOUBGUIRA Gérard & Marguerite CATILLON Nicolai & Rosa CHAPIRO-BERNAL Bruno & Françoise CHAPPERT Karl & Avivah COX Philippe & Amy CRIST Bertrand & Lise DE FOUCHIER Michael & Elizabeth DE VERTEUIL Jan & Ina DE WITTE Christian & Anja DELANNES Didier & Goet Hwa DOUAY Gilles & Jenny DU CREST Michel & Nathlie ERARD Axel & Betsy FARHI Laurent & Laurence FISCHER Alain & Claude FOULGOC Yves & Marie-Laure GASTELLU Ron & Martine GEROW The GHIGLIONE Family Anthony & Anne-Laure GIUSTINI The HEUDEBOURG Family Pierre HEYDACKER & Bobbi LYNCH Etienne & Laurence JACQUES Bradley & Laurence JOSLOVE Marc & Vera LAPORTE Olivier & Catherine LETEURTRE Sean & Molly LYNCH René-Philippe & Claire MANTRAND Jonathan & Françoise MARSH Marcio & Cristina NASCIMENTO Bertrand POINTEAU & Sonia LEE Bertrand & Catherine RAME Marc & Carine ROBERT-VASSY Philippe & Frédérique ROBERT-GORSSE Alain & Vanina ROBIC Jean-Michel & Barbara SALVADOR Roger & Serene SAUMURE George & Reyneke SCHENCK Nicolas & Chrystèle SIMON Derek & Maria STEELBERG David & Deborah TANCREDI Thierry & Nella VALORIS Françoise & Martine VAN DER WIELEN Pascal & Claudine VINET Robert YOUNGBLOOD & Ursula LIU
Jan & Ina DE WITTE Gaetan & Lucy GIANASSO Anthony, Anne-Laure & Tosca GIUSTINI James, Florence & Megan SHEPHARD Derek & Maria STEELBERG
ASALI Benefactors 1000€ - 2499€ Philippe & Marie-Anne AYMERICH Roman & Naïma BEREZA Yves & Marie-Laure GASTELLU Jonathan & Françoise MARSH Bertrand POINTEAU & Sonia LEE Michel & Maria SAPRANIDES Denis & Marica THIERY Olivier & Sophie TROJANI 2 anonymous donors
Community Builders 500€ - 999€ Olivier & Patricia BLANC Christophe, Chantal & Roxane BOURGES Mark & Catherine CORRIGAN Karl & Avivah COX Bertrand & Lise DE FOUCHIER Eric DESBLANCS & Tara PATEL Michael & Elizabeth DE VERTEUIL Didier & Goet Hwa DOUAY Marc & Sabrina FOURNIER Nordine HACHEMI & Kimberly MOCK Jean-Christophe & Katie MIESZALA Xavier & Alicia ROBERT François & Sara SALLEMBIEN Jean-Michel & Barbara SALVADOR Roger & Serene SAUMURE Georges & Jennifer TABARY François & Martine VAN DER WIELEN
Where donations will be spent
Student Wellness 10 000 € *
Financial Assistance 25 000 €
College Counseling 8 000 €
Information Technology 20 000 € *
GCS and CSA 4 000 € *
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Library 15 000 € Art and Theater 3 000 €
Student Activities 2 000 €
Friends of the Arts
Writer in Residence 3 000 €
1
Emmanuel Allart Anne Ben Hamida Claire Bernier Chantal Bourges Heidi Burger Christine Charcellay Lise Coronas Renaud Da Lisa Demangeat Charlotte de Smet Jenny du Crest Christine Duroyon Felicity Falempin Anne-Laure Giustini Judith Hamery Laurel Hébert Irène Heurtevent Crystèle Jacqmarcq Etienne & Laurence Jacques Charlotte Jarquin Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione Alice Lamy Aneta Lerska The Lopez Family Molly & Sean Lynch Elena MacNaughton Frederic Manoukian Françoise Marsh Kate McCarthy Marie-Claude Michaud Michele Michel Barbara Moross Siun O’Sullivan Phil Panagrosso Yana Peshehonova Alexandre Peymirat Kathryn Ramseyer-Noel Dan & Catherine Reed Alicia Robert Janet Rubinstein Patrick & Stéphanie Sakalian-Black Serene Saumure Eliza Shah Tiffany Snel-Wark Nathalie Souchet Maria Steelberg Yana Toffin Sylvie Vedel Catherine Vienney Anne Viennot Rachel Warren
Friends of the Library
* Strategic Initiatives Fund spending Alumni Outreach 9 000 € *
1
Emmanuelle Allart Anne Ben Hamida Heidi Burger Bridget Corbani Amy Crist Mildred Delorme Alain de Serres & Marie-Claude Michaud Vanessa Dubosq Parissa Eskandari Bill Fahber Segolene Finet Isabelle Foodeei Lesley Gerrese Lucy Gianasso Bobbie Heydacker Rajiv Iswariah Charlotte Jarquin Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione Meenu Kholi Catherine Lavaux Muriel Lebbar Brian & Ilona Lockhart Molly & Sean Lynch Maryline Marilly Avril Mason Michèle Michel Katie Mieszala Barbara Moross Sylvie Nahoum Jennifer Odolant Christine Paget Sylvie Pena Jocelyne Planche Dan & Catherine Reed Alicia Robert Shelia Sadoff Serene Saumure Eliza Shah Nathalie Souchet Nathalie Tirard Denise van Veen Nathalie Souchet Sophie Trojani Grit Weisinger
Friends of the Arts
Friends of the Library
The Middle World Players perform Beauty and the Beast Above: The Annual Variety Show
The Arts. A small word with enormous impact. Under the Friends of the Arts banner, our visual and performing arts programs allow our students to express their inner voices through our Primary art classes and theater at all levels. On page six you can see samples of the extraordinary artwork produced by our youngest students, thanks to the creativity and guidance of their art teachers, Lisa Demangeat and Alice Lamy, and the help of many parent volunteers. Kate McCarthy, Judith Hamery, Kathryn Ramseyer-Noël, and Barbara Moross produce our young thespians, while Douglas Penner-Lacompte leads a Primary set-design workshop. They are assisted by many parent volunteers who sew costumes and design sets, sell tickets and ensure publicity. On behalf of the students we thank them all, as well as those members of our community who make generous monetary donations to support the Arts in our Section.
I am delighted to have been asked to head up the Friends of the Library, as books are something I have always felt passionate about. From the youngest age I have been an avid reader, always with a book close at hand. Luckily I transmitted the love of books to my four children, three of whom are in the American Section: Tom (4th grade), Ella (3rd grade), Anna (Kindergarten) and Evaelle who is one year old. The Friends of the Library enriches all our students’ lives by giving them access to a wide range of reading and research materials. Funds are raised through initiatives such as the Birthday and Movin’ On Up Books, which the children always love to receive. The Friends of the Library supports the Writer in Residence program, which this year will feature Scott Carney, author of The Red Market. Scott will meet our Upper School students this winter. Additionally we will be launching two book clubs, including one for parents and children, about which you will receive information in the near future. Please contact me if you would like to get involved. Thanks to all of you for your continuing support and here’s to a great year. Lucy Gianasso President Friends of the Library
Left: The Upper School production of The Fantastiks Below: The Primary Players present Children of Gifts
Writer in Residence Thank you to the Friends of ASALI for their continued support of our Writer in Residence program. Celebrated word-play author Jon Agee enchanted our Primary School students with his wit last March. His spoonerisms, oxymorons, palindromes and anagrams, all illustrated with extremely clever sketches, inspired the children to play with both the English language and their doodles! FA L L / W I N T E R 2 011
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G Special thanks to our Grand Patrons François Abelanet & Lisa Barlow and Gérard & Karen Planche
Be sure to reserve Friday March 30th for the 2012 edition of our Fundraising Gala, Together for their Future!
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There was so much to Celebrate this past April 1st! The 220 members of the American Section community that gathered at the exceptional Pavillon Henri IV on April 1, 2011 celebrated ten fabulous years of American Section fundraising galas. Guests enjoyed a spectacular view of the Paris skyline while bidding on a remarkable array of silent auction items, ranging from summer camp adventures and travel opportunities to tempting fashion, beauty and gourmet items, as well as unique sports articles and services. The evening’s highlight was an engaging live auction run by faculty members Adrienne Covington and Andrew McGovern. High bidders took home fabulous items such as a travel package, a student-crafted set of drawers, and the perennial favorite “Director for a Day”. When the final euro was counted, we had raised a recordbreaking 35,005 euros for the American Section! This success was made possible due to the participation of so many members of our community. A hearty thankyou goes to all of the parents who bid on auction items, whether their bid won or not. Kudos also to the generous American Section parents who sponsored faculty members or contributed to spectacular class baskets. A hip-hip-hurrah goes to the students of all ages who crafted auction items or assisted the night of the event. Many thanks also to the tireless members of the dynamic Gala Committee. And finally, a resounding shout of thanks to our many donors, notably Printemps Parly 2, our sponsor for the second year, Parfums Christian Dior, Villa Mandarinas, EGENCIA travel, the jeweler Bénédict and Chestnut Lake Camp. Once again the American Section showed it is a federated community, committed to giving our children the best possible education.
Total proceeds: 35,005€
Commercial Sponsors Diamond Parfums Christian Dior Printemps Parly 2 Platinum Villa Mandarinas Gold Chestnut Lake Camp Bénédict EGENCIA Silver David Yurman Camp California in Croatia ATP Europe Newwalk Design Benefactor Chanel Atelier Claire Bernier Life Coach Nathalie Tirard Pierre Hermé Paris Cityzenbooking Partner Leafine Barbecue & Co Les Astuces de Mariane Universal Louise Bieler Catering Nokia Le Relais Plaza, Hôtel Plaza Athénée Parrenin Chez Le Chien Horton Tax Service Loulou’ Friendly Diner Yoga Mala Bill Fahber Creative Consultant Sushishop Unilever Jostens
C elebrate!
Live Auction Primary Community Service students and the first graders joined efforts to completely refurbish an old library card catalogue, turning it into an original, eye-catching piece which was one of the most hotly contested at this year’s Live Auction. A big thank you to all the students who worked so hard crafting the unique item, as well as Primary teacher Beccy Haugen, assisted by External Relations Officer Margaret Jenkins-Ghiglione, who coordinated their efforts.
FA L L / W I N T E R 2 011
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AS PTO The Homeroom Parents Network
Primary School HRPs
Middle School HRPs
Upper School HRPs
Schnapper HRPs 18
C O M PA S S M AG A Z I N E
As tradition goes, all good things deserve a celebration and this year I am celebrating 20 years of being a homeroom parent. During this time I have had the privilege of accompanying my children through their school years in the American Section which has instilled in them the feeling of belonging to something that is more than just a school. Participating as a parent gets the children involved and this helps to create the strong community spirit that is so special to the American Section. Being a homeroom parent allows you to get to know the parents as well as your children’s classmates and teachers. It enables you to participate in class projects and field trips and to be a small part of the enormous efforts involved in organizing all the American Section events that bring our families together several times a year. Each class has a team of two homeroom parents whose role has become extremely simple thanks to the internet. I work almost full time and I manage to find the time to be a homeroom mother. It basically consists of the following tasks: - in the beginning of the year you provide the parents with a class list - you organize a parent welcome get-together in the beginning of the year - you request that volunteers sign up for the different American Section and Club International events – I have been doing this on-line for the last couple of years which saves an enormous amount of time - you send a reminder to the volunteers by email just before the date of the event To put it simply, you and your homeroom parent partner are there to communicate with the parents and to help the yearly events go smoothly so as to provide our children with an exceptional educational environment. I do hope this has inspired some of you to join us in this team spirit and I am certain you will find it as rewarding as I have. Lynne Costet Homeroom Parent
Spotlight on AS PTO events:
Halloween
Halloween is traditionally celebrated in the United States on the 31st of October. Children in the US generally participate in many different activities, including trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing harmless pranks and telling scary stories. In the American Section we continue this tradition and celebrate Halloween with parties for our Primary and Middle School children from all campuses. These fun-filled events wrap up the busy first part of the year, and give children an occasion to enjoy a party with their friends from the other classes and grade levels. At the Schnapper Primary campus, Halloween brings together all the children enrolled in l’Ecole Schnapper (including French and Spanish children) for a fantastic afternoon of magic shows, games, contests and costumes. Organized largely by parent volunteers, this event is much anticipated by children and staff, and is great fun for all. Primary children at the Lycée campus have a big Halloween celebration in the Agora. With the help of volunteer parents, children change into costumes for a fantastic after-school party where every American Section grade organizes a game or Halloween challenge for the children. It is super fun and makes a wonderful end to the first part of the school year. All Middle School (both Lycée and Roby campus) students are invited to celebrate Halloween with a dance party organized by parents and faculty at the Roby campus. From M&M’s to Mario, from devils to angels, students in every costume imaginable enjoy this excellent evening event. As with every event organized in the American Section it would not be possible without the fantastic support of our parent volunteers and tremendously dedicated faculty. We are extremely grateful for all your efforts. Siun O’Sullivan AS PTO President
FA L L / W I N T E R 2 011
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Global Citizen Scholarship
Student Voice Ghana
is a country in dire need of better infrastructure, education and locally run businesses. However, Ghana is blessed with numerous raw talents. During the summer of 2011, we went to Ghana to try and make a difference. We wanted to spend our summer doing community service and immediately got psyched by the idea of going to Ghana, where we wanted to work with an orphanage. Seb had worked with orphanages in India and David had already been a volunteer in Ghana. The support of the American Section legitimized our project and helped us get into a “we can do it” dynamic. When we learned that we had been awarded the Global Citizen Scholarship, we immediately got into “fundraising frenzy”: finding every possible way to collect money for our project. We contacted our towns and obtained grants (500€) and worked at garage sales. Our biggest achievement, however, was our Facebook fundraising page (750€). Before, Facebook had been the perfect platform to share Lady Gaga’s outlandish clips. But we turned it into a powerful tool to share our project with friends and family. The Ghana group page grew to 270 members and became our largest source of financing. As we prepared our trip, we learned that determination and contagious enthusiasm are the best vectors for any successful enterprise. We also realized that our greatest asset was not the money we had collected but the incredible support we had mobilized. When we arrived in Accra, the capital of Ghana, we were greeted by the African heat and by pure excitement. Neither of us could believe that we had made it and that we were finally standing on Ghanaian soil. Our project was initially centered on providing school supplies, but we soon realized that the children had more urgent needs. We discovered that the orphans had no place to play other than in the street; they needed an adequate facility to shelter them from rain or wind, a shelter that could be both a play area and a classroom. We seized this opportunity and immediately talked to Cephas, the director of the New Life Orphanage, about the construction of a possible shelter for the children. We then contacted talented carpenters for the woodwork, and negotiated a price for the roof. Even though we had never bargained for building material before, our brief insight into local customs and our enthusiasm made up for our lack of experience in construction management. We spent the following month helping the carpenters which gave us considerable respect for their craftsmanship. Since we were there for the children, we spent mornings on construction and afternoons with the children. We taught, played or simply spent time with them. We also created 20
C O M PA S S M AG A Z I N E
portfolios for each of the 42 orphans, documenting their hobbies, their desired professions, and their dreams. This had never been done, and the children were extremely happy to be taken aside and interviewed. These documents can now be shown to Social Welfare, sponsors and future volunteers. Today, when we look at pictures of the completed shelter and at the portfolios, we are both still amazed and proud of what we have done. It’s not about the size of the shelter nor the money we have spent. It’s about the small difference we have made and the small hope we have given to the children. As we look back on our Ghanaian adventure, we both agree that we achieved our goals. Our greatest fear was to leave the country without making a difference. Truth is, we are immensely proud of our shelter, but the biggest difference we made was the summation of all the conversations, the games, the hugs, the kisses and the smiles we had with the children. It was not about making a difference; it was about making a difference with a personal gesture and a sustainable impact. The children of the orphanage will surely see more of us! We would like to thank the American Section and the Friends of ASALI for their incredible support, advice, and for helping us get to “we can do it!” Take a look at our Facebook Page: Envoyez Seb & David au Ghana!
CHIEF
David Pointeau & Sébastien Jarquin Terminales DATE OF BIRTH: 2007 FAVORITE FOOD: Rice with chicken FAVORITE COLOR: Blue FAVORITE CELEBRITY: “captain of a ship” HOBBIES: playing ball DESIRED PROFESSION: Policeman DREAM: be a soldier and protect people HEALTH STATUS: He looked very sick when he was first brought into the home as a result of malnourishment. He is currently on a balanced diet and is gradually becoming healthier. REASON OF ADMISSION: He was brought into the home by the Department of Social Welfare. Social Welfare is currently conducting an investigation about his unknown background.
Global Citizen Scholarship
India.
Usually, when confronted with the imperative that everyone has the pleasure of encountering upon returning from vacation to ‘’tell me all about it’’, we’re both loquacious enough to ramble on, anecdote after juicy anecdote. Not this year. Not that we don’t have anything to say – quite the contrary, we have too much to say. From July 4th to July 25th we went to Ahmedabad, India, to serve as volunteers at the NGO Manav Sadhna. There were some minor unfortunate incidents; for starters, no one was there to pick us up at the airport. And then of course, Nadège half-overdosed on Nurofen, but that was alright, we got to see an Indian ER at 11pm. These incidents though are completely overshadowed by the myriad of incredible moments that made up our trip. Every morning, we woke up alongside three other volunteers with whom we shared our house (the NGO provided housing). It sounds pompous to call them volunteers now, the term “friend” would be much more appropriate. On a typical day, we would teach at the Community Center for two hours before returning to the headquarters for the daily, compulsory, multi-faith prayer. Within three days, we were imbued with the Gandhian way of thought, mumbling along as best as we could to the words of the various prayers. The work day resumed with visiting pre-schools in the slums, where we experienced first-hand the poverty and lack of resources that the teachers there have to deal with. Lunch was provided by Manav Sadhna; they feed 400 impoverished kids every day, as the NGO works to promote the hygiene and health of over 4000 women and children through 38 different projects, as well as specializing in education. We contributed to one of these projects after lunch by teaching the older children English or organizing art classes for the younger ones. In the evenings, totally worn out, we would collapse on our mattresses and regret the day that was over as much as we were impatient for the next one to come. As you have probably discerned, we learned more than we taught. We’re not surprised. There is no way two 17-year-old girls could bring a fraction of what the Indian culture has to offer. Being in contact with the kids’ radiating smiles, trying to teach them their alphabet, washing their hair during a Lice Campaign, cutting out puppets with them and taking their portraits are instants that we will never forget. They have taught us love above all, and laughter above love. In India, we filled our “happiness tanks,” bathed in the most hospitable environment, cleared our minds, and realized that we could keep them clear. Perhaps it isn’t possible to love the whole world like Gandhi advised, but start by loving your friends, and you know what they say - that will spread. In India, we sweated and saw lions, made life-long friends and ate five birthday cakes. Yet, when asked to “tell me all about it,” all we can say is: “… amazing.” And then we go on to the heat, the food, and the voracious mosquitoes, as though that’s what our adventure was all about. Que nenni, this was an adventure that words just fail to describe, and however wrong we are in thinking that we will never be capable of doing our trip justice, we try, we try, we try. Thank you to the American Section and Friends of ASALI for giving us this unforgettable opportunity. Maji (Marie Eichwald) & Asha (Nadège Legroux) Terminales FA L L / W I N T E R 2 011
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F
V
Terry Hershey’s love for India
goes back a quarter of a century when, as she says, she was younger and less sedentary. She spent a few years touring the subcontinent as a travel guide and fell in love with the country and the people. Twenty five years later, inspired by the Section’s India exchange program, she returned, spending a sabbatical year in India and Nepal working in schools and for an NGO and traveling as far and wide as time would permit. Terry has generously shared some excerpts from her journal with the Compass. Dehradun, September 2010 I was warmly welcomed at the front gate, a string of delicate tawny orange petals was placed around my neck and a red colored tikka pressed gently between my eyes. Surrounded by total strangers in a foreign land, I looked upon it all with a feeling of immense joy. My heart opened wide and embraced the 26 children who would shortly become a new and exciting part of my life. The living conditions are spartan. Water and electricity are unpredictable. It’s uncomfortably hot or cold most of the time. The barking bands of stay dogs and pre-dawn prayer chanting make many a fitful night’s sleep! Not to mention the mosquitoes and flies. The food is simple as well: rice, noodles, chapatis, chickpeas and lentils. I don’t really mind being a veggie, but where are the vegetables? Dehrandun is situated at the foothills of the Himalayas. I am living in the Foundation House of an organization called Pestalozzi (www.PSTO.com) which receives 10-12 year old children straight from their villages and prepares them for entrance into private English medium schools. The children in the Pestalozzi program all live below India’s poverty line. Many had never seen a toilet, taken a shower or used any food utensil before arriving here. The kids come from rural farming areas or poor mountain villages throughout India and Nepal. Some are from a Tibetan community located so deep in the jungle in the south that tigers roam the camps freely! The Foundation kids have a total immersion education. They learn social skills, proper behavior, etiquette, and cleanliness, as well as Hindi, math, science, written English and spoken English. (I teach the latter.) It’s fascinating how only a handful of dedicated educators and private donors can affect so many lives: the children, their families and eventually their villages! Nepal, February 2010 We left early in the morning and drove an hour out to a poorly provided government school in an extremely poor area, where the Pestalozzi entrance tests were to be conducted. More students showed up than expected. Word travels fast. Close to fifty kids were packed into a small, bare concrete room, lined with benches and long, narrow tables. Only eight Nepalese children are chosen from three testing centers so the competition is tough, and there are so many deserving kids. The tests consist of math, a lengthy IQ test, a visual memory retention test, English text comprehension, a written paragraph, a creative drawing, verbal mental questioning, and an oral interview. 22
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Pokera, Nepal, March 2011 I am here is to help the Chhetri Sisters’ NGO, “The Empowerment of Nepali Woman,” where I am a “doctor” of English once again! I gave my first lesson today and it was amazing. The women are between 16 and 22 and have been “saved” from desperate, broken lives and given the opportunity to start new lives as female trekking guides. The organization also houses twenty young girls who have been bought back from the “tea houses” in west Nepal where they were sold by their parents. They also are given a formal education and a new “family”. There’s so much to do here. Everyone wants to learn English. I’m getting to know ALL the locals - they are so warm and friendly and it is lots of fun just sitting around on roadside stools, sipping tea and chatting. I’ll probably venture out on a trek with one of the senior women guides later on in my stay. Jarkart, mid-April 2011 As one adventure leads to another, I soon found myself in the heart of the Himalayans. The afternoon I arrived, as the sun faded, the temperature shifted from hot to cold and just as rapidly, my health fell off a cliff! My insides felt like an imploding volcano and altitude sickness followed. My head was pounding with no respite and my breathing became short and irregular. I had a moment of regret that civilization was so very far away. But as karma might have it, the school where I would be teaching was called The Medical School which prepares students in the art of traditional Tibetan medicine. I expected a Tibetan master of medicine living in a monastery to look monk-like, but he showed up at the door looking like a police inspector who had just stepped out of an Asian crime thriller, or maybe Jackie Chan! He gave a single examination which consisted in closing his eyes and holding my wrists firmly for an undeterminable time. He gave me four tiny packages of ground herbs to take at meal times and one tiny round lump wrapped in red paper, to grind and swallow at 4 a.m. in the dark and silence! The next morning I was at 95% and let out a deep sigh of relief. Wow, this guy really knew his stuff. I think I might ask him for a full check-up. Maybe that would consist in holding my ankles as well! The weather is quite unsettling. The temperature starts off freezing and slowly rises to summer temperatures by noon. Blustering winds then blow in thick, dark clouds that mask the sun in mid-afternoon and the temperature descends at vertiginous speed. As irony has it, I had taken great pains to avoid the winter cold this year and was now freezing in the Himalayans in mid-April! Nonetheless, the joy and human warmth are worth every shiver! And the unmitigated pleasure I feel day in and out has no price. The ages of the children I teach vary from 7 to 12 with as many different English levels, but they are all alert and eager learners. Having them read aloud proved immensely painstaking as they learn to spell out words before pronouncing them. I don’t know whether it was a harder task for them to hammer out the letters one by one in attempt to hit the right pronunciation or for me to maintain an attentive ear, an encouraging smile and unwavering patience! Now I’m back. I’m the same me, but a better me with more passion and more compassion! I want to put a lot of what I learned into practice by encouraging students to reach out and give back in any way possible, be it to the community or to the world; to be a contributor in one of the three Ts (Talent, Treasure or Time). Terry Hershey Global Awareness Coordinator
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Coming Attraction: Carrefour des Etudes et des Métiers
Meet the new President, Irène Heurtevent
This coming January 6, 2012, for the fouth consecutive year, APELI (our Lycée-wide Parent’s Association) will organize a repeat performance of this highly successful event. Last year, over 1000 Upper School students benefited from the advice, experiences and wisdom of 150 alumni and parents. Given our uniquely diverse student population (13 national sections, all multi-lingual, multi-national and multi-cultural) figuring out “where to go” post-bac is often a complicated matter as their choice set is very (too?) vast. At the CEM, Lycée alumni will provide first-hand testimonials of their post-bac educational courses, be they in France, Europe, North America or some other part of the world. Parent speakers representing a wide range of professions and industries will describe their profession and impart useful advice/insights to help guide our students as they enter the “real world.” APELI is grateful to all the American Section parents who volunteered their time and energy to last year’s CEM and counts on our community for an even higher participation in this year’s edition.
Discovering more about new Club International President Irène Heurtevent is a tricky proposition: Irène is so modest and generous that when you ask about all the work she does for Club International, she’ll respond by telling you about the many amazing women she’s met through it, women who’ve survived sometimes repeated international moves and who give their time and energy with grace and joy. She could be talking about herself, but she’s much too self-effacing to see it that way. Irène herself has moved a number of times, and her family’s association with the Lycée International goes back to 1999. This was the year that the Heurtevent family arrived here from a sojourn in Madrid and the year two of their four children started at the LI. Five years later they left again for the United States, but returned again to the LI in 2007. Irène says the LI seemed very complex to her at first, and adds that even after 11 years she’s still discovering things she didn’t know about the school because “there’s always so much going on.” The family quickly understood they couldn’t live without the American Section – in Irène’s words, the Section was the oxygen in their lives that helped the children to adjust to school here. Despite being French, the children had never attended school in France before. Irène felt so strongly about all that the American Section offered her family that, from the very beginning, she wanted to give back. Initially she was a homeroom parent, and then she began to help at the craft workshops that Club International organizes to make items to sell at the Holiday Sale. She was put at ease immediately and loved the feeling that she was helping not only the American Section but the school as a whole. “Being part of Club International really brought home the richness of our multicultural school,” she says. Four years later she was asked to become the President. “It’s an honor to lead such a prestigious group of parents, and particularly to do it with the colors of the American Section,” she says. “I’m discovering more than ever the commitment of all the educational and administrative team, right through to the principal of the school. Our children are so lucky to be here and have this support system of staff who are always thinking about what’s best for them.” And we’re certainly very lucky to have you, Irène, thank you – it’s people like you who help to make the life of the pupils and parents at the LI more rounded and, let’s face it, more fun!
Sonia Lee American Section Trustee and APELI Representative
Tiffany Snel-Wark American Section Representative to Club International
APELI’s Mission: - To continually work on improving the school environment and conditions for students. - To protect and enhance the international spirit of the school. - To preserve the uniqueness of international education and the OIB. APELI is unique and specific to the Lycée International. It is not associated to any national parents association. 100% of its membership fees is reinvested back in the Lycée to finance the numerous APELI events/actions. For more info: www.apeli.org
Irène Heurtevent among parent volunteers at the Lycée en Fête
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c e re m o ny “I realized that we don’t need to be so concerned about the future because we are prepared, we will figure it out. Not because we learned Shakespeare’s “To Be or Not To Be” speech or its standard analysis by heart, but because the American Section taught us to go out of our comfort zone, to experiment, to be creative, and even, God forbid, to fail! The most valuable lesson I learned here and what makes the Section so different from any other school in France, is that you need to DARE... ...Let’s keep doing it, let’s keep DARING to try new things, to question accepted ideas, to go out of our comfort zone, to succeed: I DARE US, Class of 2011. I DARE us to take this learning and do great things with it. As we move on to our next chapter, we should continue to take the opportunity to challenge ourselves, to learn how to be greater and more useful. I DARE us to formulate beliefs and convictions about what’s right and wrong in this complex world; I DARE us to go out and fight for those beliefs; I DARE us to go out and change the world.” Alexy Abélanet Student Speaker, Class of 2011
“Imagine each of us as a color, all the colors possible. One could call this a mess, a blur, a painting without value because of its uncoordinated colors. Or call this magic, beauty. There is harmony despite the abundance of colors. We form a unique tableau, merged together but somehow still different. This painting has character, strength and passion. It’s just a fantastic mess. Each spray of color is a dream. Every blotch of ink is a will. There’s chaos but our unity, our experience at the Lycée, our pride of being the American Section Class of 2011, makes us the most valuable work of art one could ever want.” Claire Weil Student Speaker, Class of 2011