Aiglon Magazine | Issue 17 (Winter/Spring 2022)

AIGL ON THE MAGAZINE

ISSUE 17 WINTER/SPRING 2022 School On the career path: how our community is there every step of the way Mountain Ten years to save the planet: how Aiglonians are taking action Ideas Big tent revival: adventures after Aiglon People Fail better: overcoming adversity the Aiglonian way SWITZERLAND

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AIGLONOLOGY

WINTER/SPRING 2022

Contents SWITZERLAND

Aiglonology 05 View from the mountain 06 Around the mountain 08 Together 11 Gallerist 12 Here’s looking at you 13 News 14 My House 15 Diary

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Cherry Chen says Le Cerf’s location may be behind her House’s tight bonds

Meet the Aiglonians who have prospered after a rocky start

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Why a lifelong love of adventure is a feature of an Aiglon education

On the journey to university and beyond, the Aiglon community is there

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The vital role the business community has in our efforts to save the planet

Freestyle skier Edouard Corin-Mick’s love of the sport’s challenge

Cerfie heaven 39 Class notes 44 Recreation 46 Personal best 48 Meet the student

Because it’s there The Aiglon Magazine is published twice a year, in the winter and summer, and is sent free to Aiglonians. It is available to other readers on subscription. The opinions expressed in The Aiglon Magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of Aiglon College.

Moral compass

A preparation for life

Editor: Valerie Scullion Managing Editor: Seth Barker YBM Editor: Mira Katbamna YBM Managing Editor: Steve McGrath YBM Designer: Kate Monument Produced for Aiglon College by YBM www.ybm.co.uk

www.aiglon.ch

One bottle at a time

Feeling free and easy

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EDITOR’S LETTER

W E LC O M E TO I S S U E 1 7 Our balanced education is the cornerstone of Aiglon life – and it’s great to be back.

Valerie Scullion Director of Admissions and Marketing

Photography by Joe McGorty, illustration by James Olstein

Send your comments to communications@aiglon.ch

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As I write this, I can see students streaming down from Exeter and Alpina going to the first Faith Group sessions of the year – their excitement at being back on campus is palpable. We began the term with full enrolment, on the back of the Class of 2021 achieving our highest IB average to date, an endorsement of the value of the balanced education that we have to offer.

Sharing stories of childhood is a feature in this issue, including, on page 48, that of Otis von Bismarck-Schonhausen, who is just one of 17 students who are children of our alumni. His story, like those of all our alumni families, embodies the Aiglon tradition, passing down the connections and relationships that are established here – and endure.

And in response to recent news, I would like to add my own best wishes to Executive Director Richard McDonald, who will step down in December. The dedication and commitment he has shown to Aiglon over his 18 years’ service is remarkable. Through the years, Richard has continued to uphold the values upon which the school was founded, and has been instrumental in making Aiglon known around the world as a leader in holistic education. Thank you Richard, and best of luck on your new adventures.

I hope you enjoy this issue and we look forward to hearing from you at communications@aiglon.ch.

AIGLONOLOGY

Letters

Stories to share? Feedback?

Suggestions? We love to hear your thoughts. Get in touch and join the Aiglon conversation.

In memory of Chris

ON THE COVER Freestyle-skier Edouard Corin-Mick (Belvedere Year 12), who appears in our Personal Best feature on p46 discussing his love of the challenge.

I was profoundly saddened to read the tribute to Chris Gallagher (Issue 16).

I was just 15 when my brothers – Norman and Charles – and I joined Aiglon from South Africa in September 1961, along with compatriot Nicky Jaff. Chris had already been at Aiglon for six years and Nicky succeeded Chris as Head Boy. Chris departed for tertiary in the US and I to university in the UK, and although we haven’t seen each other since, Chris remained in my memory as a robust and seemingly indestructible teenager.

He was in my pantheon of heroes. A wunderkind on the slopes with his dazzling Head White Star skis and an inspiring all-rounder athlete.

I recall with gratitude Chris’s cheerful friendship, providing his ‘no worries’ and competent guidance to our daily boarding routines and schooling in those happy times.

Robert Priebatsch (Clairmont/Alpina, 1964)

A classy read I’ve kept meaning to let you know how very good I think the last issue of The Aiglon Magazine is. It looks pretty and it covers such a wide range of people and ideas – and the inclusion of local colour and features is very classy indeed.

None of this happens without a great deal of thought, care and chivvying, so thank you and your whole team, including students.

Name supplied

Our special correspondent “And the award for most dedicated correspondent to The Aiglon Magazine goes to... Terence O’Hara.” We are honoured to have such a loyal reader: Terence has written to the magazine to share memories and feedback almost every issue over many years.

This time, congratulating the team for “an extraordinary edition”, he says that the tribute to the late Taylor Dinerman sparked memories.

“I still have a green leather writing pad on my desk, a gift from Taylor’s Lausanne parents. They were probably aware that their mercurial offspring may have given us testing times in Belvedere.”

While on Chris Gallagher, he notes that “no open-topped sports car could be left unattended: the driver’s seat would be instantly occupied

by Chris for expert appraisal”.

Our sincere thanks, Terence, and we look forward to your next letter!

If, like Terence, you’re inspired to write to us, you can do so at our usual address: communications@aiglon.ch

Join the conversation! www.aiglonlife.ch email: communications@aiglon.ch write to: Aiglon Magazine, Aiglon College, Avenue Centrale 61, 1885 Chesières, Switzerland Facebook: www.facebook.com/aiglon Twitter: @aigloncollege Instagram: @aiglonswitzerland

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V I E W F R O M T H E M O U N TA I N

G O O D BY E TO O L D H E L LO S The conventions of greetings have been rewritten, says Richard McDonald.

Photography Joe McGorty

ISRUPTION IS THE NEW BUZZWORD for enlightened entrepreneurship (we used to call it “doing-things-differently-because-theworld-has-changed”), and we have certainly had to say hello to disruption thanks to the Covid pandemic. The only problem is, we aren’t too sure how to say hello any more.

I grew up in a country where a handshake was a transactional formality; physical contact in a greeting was saved for family members, actors and musicians.

Now I live in a country where you shake hands with friends, casual acquaintances, associates – just about everybody – every day. Living in a diverse cultural community can mean encountering a very wide spectrum of salutations, and part of the intrigue of experiencing different countries with different greetings is learning to reciprocate in a culturally appropriate way.

The pandemic triggered a crisis: physical distancing became a state decree, and physical contact an overnight taboo. The conventions of greeting predicated on touching, kissing, hugging and holding blew out of our hands like sheets of paper on a windy day. Those with a hard-wired habit of making contact were left playing a game of rock-paper-scissors when meeting people. The quest for “safe” strategies became a free-for-all of fist-bumps, elbow bumps, foot bumps – even Baloo-like back bumps.

Having trained extensively in karate in my youth, I was confronted with a troubling inner impulse: if somebody came at me with their fist or elbow, I was trained to deliver an immobilising blow and make my escape. This did not seem very compatible with the precept of friendly greeting. I looked through my intercultural toolbag and realised that much of the world found the answer centuries ago in the form of the Indian namaste or the Thai wai greeting.

Interesting explanations follow when I am approached with a lunging fist or elbow and I step back and bow gently with hands pressed together in front of my chest. After clarification, most seem mildly relieved that I did not fell them and flee.

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Warm greetings

Executive Director Mr Richard McDonald.

There are interesting and ambiguous sub-texts to physical greetings. A hand, a fist, an elbow or a foot thrust out is assertive, potentially threatening; hands pressed together are peaceful and prayerful, potentially submissive; a bow is respectful, deferential; eye contact may be engaging or intrusive; hand-shaking and facial contact are bonding and trustful, or invasive.

A complication to the dilemma is the human need for touch. Scientific research has demonstrated clear links between physical contact, the release of oxytocin in the body and the activation of centres in the brain associated with pleasure, reward, lowered blood pressure and diminished stress. Indeed, it is such a natural human impulse to touch in order to build bonds and connections that touch starvation is a recognised state contributing to human depression and anxiety. Eye contact, too, is a powerful interactive trigger. Our direction of gaze is a strong indicator of interest, intimacy and social control. When we look each other in the eyes, we connect. In short, the human greeting is a deeply affective social ritual.

Today we inhabit a world where routine greetings that we took pretty much for granted have become a complex intersection of cultures, habits, priorities, fears and fantasies. Unlearning and relearning are notoriously hard. Will I stick with my new habitual namaste greeting? I rather hope so, and not just to avert Covid, colds and cholera. Will clumsy and inelegant fist and elbow bumps survive? I hope not: I would hate to disrupt a friendship if impulse one day got the better of me.

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A R O U N D T H E M O U N TA I N

WAT E R F E AT U R E S A unique new engineering project is revolutionising the delivery of water to the villages around Aiglon.

Words Sarah Woodward Photography Joe McGorty

F YOU HAVE EVER filled up your water bottle from one of the public drinking fountains and stone troughs dotted around the Villars area before setting out on an expedition, you will know they are not only beautiful but also useful. But have you ever stopped to think how the water gets there?

Villars’ Patrick Turrian has – indeed, as Chef d’entreprise and Mayor of the Commune of Ollon there have been times when he has been unable to think of much else. And no wonder: water is a big deal. “There are 23 villages in the commune, at altitudes ranging from 390 metres to 2,000,” he says.

“The distribution system is very complex.”

The solution? The purchase of a spring in La Rippaz, and a large-scale engineering project to supply fresh water to the region. “The traditional source of water for the commune was the highaltitude Poutet source, acquired back in 1910,” Patrick explains. “But by the 1970s, the development of the region had placed water resources under pressure at peak times. And, at over 1,400 metres, the Poutet source was not always reliable in winter when the water froze.”

The initial solution was to drill deep wells down the Rhône Valley, with a system of pumps added between 1980s and 1990 to get the water to Villars and Ollon.

Then, in 2007, one of the wells became polluted, possibly from industrial chemicals.

“The water was no longer drinkable. We could not plan for the long term without pure water,” Patrick says. And peak time demand was increasing with the development of the ski stations. “Come 17.30h, everyone comes back from the pistes at the same time and wants a shower!”

So, when the opportunity arose seven years ago to purchase the spring at Rippaz in neighbouring Les Plans sur Bex, the commune acted. The result is the

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commune’s most recent engineering project – the Conduite de la Rippaz. The goal is to use gravity to pipe the water down and back up to Villars and Ollon, then store it in reservoirs, providing the additional water when it is needed.

Patrick explains that the Conduite de la Rippaz will allow the commune to generate electricity from drinking water. Roughly 19 per cent of the commune’s needs are met this way, including the private and industrial sector within the commune’s territory.

With La Rippaz at an altitude of more than 1,000 metres, the commune now has two springs of purest water high up in the mountains, ensuring that pollution is no longer a concern.

AIGLONOLOGY

Water source

Water comes from the spring at Rippaz before being lightly treated, measured and sent down the mountain to Ollon and Vilars.

Insider B U I LT

In June 2021, the Conseil Communal of Ollon announced that the construction of the Rippaz Springs system had been finalised.

COST

The initial investment was CHF37 million, which includes CHF12.5 million for the purchase of the plot.

O N TA P

The new source will be on tap by Christmas 2021, and could also supply up to 10 per cent of the commune’s electricity supply.

PIPES

USAGE

The works involved laying piping over a length of more than 12km from La Rippaz (altitude 1,080m) to the site at le Bruet (398m).

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The Commune of Ollon consumes about 600 million cubic metres of water each year – La Rippaz will supply around 10 per cent.

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TOGETHER

AMAMOS E L E S PA Ñ O L !

Weekly catch-ups in Spanish help Pablo and Mrs Lopez Sancho keep their cultural identity alive.

Words Sarah Woodward Photography Joe McGorty

NCE A WEEK, Spanish language and literature teacher Mrs Mila Lopez Sancho and Pablo Marin Gomez (La Baita, Year 7) take a short break together. Chatting in Spanish, their native language, teacher and student relax as they talk about the subjects Pablo has recently covered at school. But as they come from the same region in Spain, the conversation often turns to shared memories, says Mrs Lopez Sancho.

“It’s like we’re travelling through the Spanish countryside together. We’re both from Andalusia, so it’s easy to relate to each other’s experiences.

Our conversation is natural and organic. Lately we have been talking about food we miss, like gazpacho.

And how to make the perfect tortilla – which is not as simple as you think!”

Pablo feels similarly transported. “I have to force myself to speak English all week, so talking in Spanish is just so comfortable. I can chat easily about my classes, and I can express myself better as my vocabulary is not limited. It’s like being back home.”

But Mrs Lopez Sancho and Pablo are not just enjoying each other’s company. The timetabled lesson is part of the Aiglon Discovery Programme, a series of structured sessions designed to ensure that younger students have as many opportunities as possible to develop their mother tongue.

“If Pablo has been learning new English words in his biology lesson, for example, then we talk about the topic in Spanish,” explains Mrs Lopez Sancho.

“We delve into classics in our culture – recently we’ve been reading an extract from Don Quixote.”

All the teachers involved in the programme reflect on the same wider questions. How is identity constructed? What does it mean to be part of our

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AIGLONOLOGY

Spanish steps

Pablo Marin Gomez and Mrs Mila Lopez Sancho enjoy weekly lessons in their native tongue.

It’s like we’re travelling through the Spanish countryside together.

Our conversation is natural and organic. It’s like being back home

community? What role does creativity play in problem solving? The 67 students currently on the programme have considered these topics in their mother tongues of Italian, German, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese and, of course, French. Pablo and Mrs Lopez Sancho are joined for the lesson by up to five other students, including two from Mexico, which has led them to explore cultural and linguistic differences.

Pablo has enjoyed learning the history of the Spanish language. “It’s fun when you find out differences in the way we say things in Spain from Mexico. I’d never say qué pena to the teacher, but you can in Mexico.”

And Mrs Lopez Sancho adds: “In Spain the expression is quite disrespectful, so Pablo was shocked when the other student said it to me. But in Mexico the expression is much more polite – it means ‘I am embarrassed’. We all had a laugh about that.”

Pablo looks forward to his weekly session. “It gives me a break to reset. And afterwards, I find my brain has taken in more of the words. I love science and it’s good talking about it in Spanish. After my geography class we talked about fig trees. I like it a lot.”

Mrs Lopez Sancho feels the classes stop the children disconnecting from their mother tongue.

“Pablo is a Spanish student studying at an Englishspeaking school in the Swiss Alps. That’s a brave thing for him to do. It’s easy to forget where you are from as you try to fit in. It’s good for us both to have some time each week to be Spanish.”

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Live unforgettable experiences in a unique setting

#YourWinterTime

V i l l a r s - s u r - O l l o n • S w i t z e r l a n d • r e s e r v a t i o n @ r o y a l p . c h • w w w. r o y a l p . c h

AIGLONOLOGY

GALLERIST

Weather watch This oil pastel study by Vanessa Kouri (Le Cerf, Year 12) is part of a series on the theme of ‘Events’, drawing on works by Constable and Moneta Sleet.

Vanessa’s work was chosen

by The Aiglon Magazine’s art director for its use of Constableinspired colour and highlights.

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H E R E ’ S L O O K I N G AT YO U

DIRECT AC T I O N Sharing plotlines with Aiglon friends was the perfect preparation for a career in TV and film, says Sunday Stevens.

Words Helena Pozniak

ONG HIKES WITH CLASSMATES gave Sunday Stevens (Exeter, 1988) ample time to hone skills she never guessed she would one day need.

“Over summers at our home in Los Angeles, I’d seen all the new movies – Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back – long before they came to Europe. Expedition was the perfect opportunity to tell my friends all about them. They’d be asking, ‘Tell me again what Princess Leia said, what Luke Skywalker did.’ I realise now I was learning to become a storyteller – and storytelling is basically what films are about.”

Born into an entertainment family – her late father was a Hollywood writer, her stepfather a music video director – Sunday is now a First Assistant Director/ Producer, having worked on the likes of Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes and award-winning series such as True Blood and Homeland.

She was floored by the popularity of American security thriller Homeland, and enjoyed many happy hours scouting European locations (a season was filmed in Berlin). “We also sent writers, directors and cast to ‘spy camp’ in Washington,” says Sunday, “and they were able to get the inside track on a lot of stuff that isn’t generally known. We were exposed to a high level of research, and we were ahead of the game.”

Aiglon, she says, taught her all the qualities required of a Hollywood director, such as

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Getting set Sunday Stevens on the set of Homeland, in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco (right) and with technical adviser and former Navy Seal Mitch Hall outside Casablanca (above).

preparation, organisation and stamina. Away from home for the first time at 11, Sunday didn’t experience the homesickness her family expected. “My parents were splitting up, and my mother came over to her native Prague to be near me. I was overwhelmed but in a good way – majestic scenery, new friends and experiences. Aiglon changed me.”

She learned to love what she calls “circus style” living, switching rooms, meeting new roommates.

“You had to roll with the changes, very much like we do in film, when you might be somewhere different every day or you might be on location for months.”

Nor is she self-conscious about pitching in with her rusty French – as recently required on set in Morocco. “In an international school, you learn to communicate and I’m not afraid. I’ll attempt to speak to anybody.”

On leaving Aiglon, Sunday discovered that her band of friends hadn’t quite got away with everything.

“We used to dodge long hikes by hitching to a friend’s incredible house in Gstaad to swim in her pool. We’d still show up on time at our destination. But on my last day Mr Sutherland smiled and said, ‘Don’t think we didn’t know what you guys were up to.’”

A less happy memory is her 10-day spell in isolation with scarlet fever, which she caught after having her appendix out. “The teachers were lovely, and friends used to come to the window to see me. Looking back, it must have been stressful for the school.”

Respect for experienced elders was one of her biggest takeaways from her schooldays. “That and the fact that everyone was equal, no matter how privileged their background – which at the time was an incredible lesson,” she says. “People tend to be starry-eyed about film and TV, but it’s not at all ‘fluffy’. A film set is not a democracy, and it’s my job to be in charge, putting all the skills I’ve gained over the years into practice.”

AIGLONOLOGY

News

The latest news from the Aiglon community and beyond.

To find out more, visit www.aiglon.ch/latest-news Richard McDonald to step down

As we go to press, it has been announced that Executive Director Mr Richard McDonald will leave at the end of the year to pursue opportunities in the sphere of education and youth engagement in urgent environmental action. On behalf of the Board of Governors, Chair Tony Jashanmal thanked Mr McDonald for his “whole-hearted commitment over many years to Aiglon’s development on multiple fronts”. Look out for a fuller tribute to Richard in upcoming issues of the magazine.

Record enrolment

Aiglon opened the academic year with 417 students – a record both in total enrolment and new students.

Class of 2021

With the school’s highest-ever IB average of 38.6, we are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of the 2021 cohort. Seventy students were entered for the IB Diploma. Two students achieved a perfect 45, and 44 per cent achieved 40 or more points, which is also a new Aiglon record. To find out more about their destinations, visit: aiglon.ch/ib2021

New honour display boards

We are delighted to unveil our new honour display boards in the Tony Jashanmal Sports Centre to commemorate previous School Guardians, John Corlette Prize winners and Merit Cup recipients.

Secondhand uniform shop open

As part of our sustainability efforts, Aiglon has opened a secondhand uniform shop, available as a ‘pop-up’ shop in the Sports Centre.

Alumni Office updates

The Alumni Office is now known as the Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement. We are delighted to welcome Caitlin Gaslawski to the team, from the Manchester Grammar School in England, as Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement Officer.

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MY HOUSE

CERFIE H E AV E N Cherry Chen (Le Cerf, Year 13) says that its location slightly off campus makes the bonds in her House even stronger.

Interview Jo Caird Photography Joe McGorty

HAT MAKES LE CERF SO SPECIAL? There’s no hierarchy. We’re more connected through the year groups, and very united – you can be friends with a girl of any age.

All we ‘Cerfies’ are very passionate about going to school and getting involved in school life.

And everybody’s very friendly. If a younger student is feeling homesick and goes to one of the older girls, we definitely put down whatever we’re doing and try to help. I’m still in touch with a lot of girls who graduated three or four years ago.

That closeness could have something to do with the fact that Le Cerf is a little further away from the school than the other Aiglon boarding houses.

When I first came to Le Cerf, in Year 9, it seemed like being a five-minute walk from campus might be a disadvantage. But I soon found that, actually, it’s a very special experience walking to school with your friends and coming home again together at the end of the day.

The House was renovated when I was in Year 11.

It used to be a hotel, and before the renovation was done you could tell: the original bar was still there – complete with pumps, but no beer obviously!

The old layout made us feel a bit like hotel guests.

The renovation is great. My favourite place is now the common room where we have House meetings every day. After we come back from school in the evenings we always sit there and talk, and it’s a great bonding experience. A lot of memories have been

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The House used to be a hotel. Before its renovation the original bar was still there, complete with pumps – but no beer obviously!

AIGLONOLOGY

Diary Our pick of key Aiglon dates between January and August 2022.

2022

Term dates The winter term starts on Monday 10 January and runs through to Friday 25 March, with the summer term running from Monday 11 April to Friday 17 June. aiglon.ch/news/term-dates/ 2022

Stepping up

Cherry finds the walk to and from school with her friends a “very special experience”, and says she’ll miss living with such a big group when she leaves.

made there. The common room is right next to the open kitchen, where I do quite a bit of cooking.

I’m from China and sometimes I miss the food from home, so the other Chinese girls here and I will cook together at the weekends and share what we’ve made with the rest of the House.

I have a single room now – most girls in Year 13 do – but sharing a room is a great experience because you get to meet really different people. We have 57 girls in the House, and you have people from all over the world. I’ve had roommates of so many nationalities – Chinese, Irish, Polish, Indian – and it’s so interesting living with a girl from a completely different background. Roommates often turn into really good friends, and it’s very special relationship.

Our House captains organise events like Christmas parties and end of year parties. My favourite part of Christmas at Le Cerf is ‘Secret Santa’ where, as well as buying a gift for someone, you have to describe the recipient and the rest of the House have to guess who it is. It’s a great way of getting to know all the other girls. I’ll miss living with such a big group of people after I leave school.

Alumni travel Look out for events happening near you, such as: a London reunion in February; US reunions in March and April; Villars reunions from 26 to 28 June; and the delayed Graduation 2020 in the summer.

2022

Meet Aiglon worldwide Check out www.aiglon.ch/meetus to find out where the Admissions team will be visiting in 2022.

M AY 2 0 2 2

Class of 2022 Graduation The Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony will be held on Saturday 28 May 2022.

For more information or to share ideas, contact communications@aiglon.ch

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AIGLONOLGY

A PERSON WHO NEVER MADE A MISTAKE NEVER TRIED ANYTHING NEW. ALBERT EINSTEIN

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M O R A L C O M PA S S

Life is rarely clear-cut. Instead, it is messy.

Unpredictable. Events defy our best intentions, and our futures rarely turn out the way we imagine they will. But while the people we are, the decisions we make and the actions we take when we are young can affect our lives, if things go wrong it’s not a reason to give up. Just ask these Aiglonians.

Photography by Alamy

Words Lucy Jolin

e have all been there. That moment when, instead of pointing due north, the needle of your moral compass starts to waver, wobble and spin. You know what you ought to do.

Somehow it just doesn’t happen.

Everyone makes bad decisions; not everyone learns from them – and that’s a shame, because really making a mess of things is an opportunity for wisdom. That mess doesn’t have to define us – as Aiglonians can attest.

Giacomo Spadacini (Delaware, 2016) knows very well the satisfaction of recognising and overcoming patterns of bad decisions. He joined Aiglon when he was 11, and was, he says, “a good student”. But at the age of 14, he “started to do a lot of naughty stuff,” he remembers. “Smoking and drinking, skipping class.”

Following his mock exams, where, he says, “I think I got the worst results in the history of Aiglon,” he was asked to leave. “It was very traumatic, but of course I had had plenty of support – and warning.

I was in tears. I had just fallen in love. My girlfriend was at Aiglon. My whole life, everyone and everything I knew, was related to Aiglon.”

He moved to New York by himself and spent two years at university, where he failed three semesters out of four. “I was repeating the same pattern as I did at Aiglon, just pushing my luck, hoping people wouldn’t notice.” He left and decided to take a year-long cooking course, purely because he liked cooking. It changed his life.

“I became more and more passionate,” he remembers. “As part of the course, I had to do an internship in a professional kitchen. It was the hardest thing I had ever done. I was just a line cook, being shouted at by everyone. So many times I thought to myself, ‘That’s it, I’m not going in tomorrow.’ But somehow, I did. And in the third week, they put me in charge of my station, in complete control of all the appetisers. It was so much pressure, so much stress. But I loved it. I’d finish at one in the morning and walk home, through the streets of New York with my headphones on, just thinking, ‘Wow, I survived.’ The satisfaction was huge.”

Giacomo is now in Spain, developing a restaurant concept that he hopes to set up in Mexico. He is also converting his old family home into a restaurant that uses traditional, locally sourced and ethically produced food and wine. “Cooking has filled the gap that I used to fill with more destructive things,” he says. “It’s completed me, so I don’t need to be anywhere near those worlds. I know that this is the path I want to take.”

Mrs Stephanie Heathfield, Senior Admissions Officer, has seen at first hand how reflection, time and experience can help students move forward. She acts as a host for those who have been suspended. These students come to live in her family home for a short period, which allows them to think about their behaviour and choices in a calm, supportive environment away from the school. “We are not there to punish or be judgmental – we are all human and we all make mistakes,” says Mrs Heathfield. “This is a moment in time. It is a situation that you can

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M O R A L C O M PA S S

move forward from, and learn from, and it is not the end of the world. Generally, the students who are taken out of school make a change. I have never had the same student come to stay with me twice.”

And students are, of course, supported by trained professionals: Aiglon has a fully staffed health centre, a spiritual and service leader, and a wellbeing co-ordinator, with Deputy Head Mr Chris Chalcraft having overall responsibility for student health and wellbeing. “We are a community and we are a school,” he says. “We have 420 families here and each student may have different rules at home. We must therefore have a single set of rules, standards and guiding principles that everyone must follow.” People make mistakes, and that’s fine – it’s expected. “But we have to be able to say that someone has overstepped the line, and that it is not acceptable.”

Alfonso de Orleans Bourbon (Delaware, 1986) was another who struggled during his days at Aiglon, and his challenges only made sense once he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) soon after he left. It was the 80s and apparently nobody knew what to do with him. “I didn’t drink, smoke or steal,” he says.

“I was just myself.”

What that meant in practice was that Alfonso aced subjects he loved with barely an effort – but ignored everything else. “When the first Apple Mac came to Aiglon, I taught myself how to programme it,” he remembers. “I would get up at six in the morning, sneak into the computer room and programme for two hours before meditation.”

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“But I credit the two Aiglon teachers who inspired me,” he says. “Mr Hyde, who gave me a love of physics, which laid the foundation for everything I did, and Mr Maxwell, who was the most patient guy.

He understood that something was different about me, but that I wanted to learn.”

Once diagnosed, Alfonso’s tendency to focus only on his passions made sense. He studied law alongside finance at university, just because it interested him.

Working for a Wall Street firm in Monte Carlo, he saw his first Grand Prix and was hooked. He became a successful professional racer, taking on the 24-hour Le Mans course and the Paris-Dakar rally. One day he woke up and decided he was bored of just racing, and wanted to take it further. So he started his own team, went back to university to study engineering, and now runs his own highly successful car engineering business. “Life has been very good to me,” he says.

“I have been able to do exactly what I wanted to do.”

And looking back, Alfonso also says he learned from all his experiences – good and bad. “I now know that my ADHD is like a superpower. I think fast. I talk fast and I am 15 steps ahead of most people. Perhaps if I had been diagnosed and put into a class where all the kids had ADHD, I wouldn’t be like I am now, with a good life.”

Mr Chalcraft says it can often take years, rather than weeks or months, for students to learn from the past, and Giacomo agrees. “I was very young and very stuck in my own decisions,” he says. “I thought whatever I did was right.” His main learning has been focused on learning to be honest about his emotions. “Telling someone to seek help isn’t very realistic. The last thing you want to do is ask for help, because you think you will be judged. But I’ve learned not to be afraid of what might happen if you are honest. It’s OK to feel bad.

It’s OK to not be happy all the time. I ended up living in a different world from everyone else because I was not honest with them. I hid my emotions.”

Breaking the code of behaviour carries a sliding scale of sanctions. But the opportunity to learn is built into the process. “We look at the severity of the incident, how honest and truthful the student has been, how remorseful they are and whether they have reflected,” says Mr Chalcraft. “That is really important to us. Have they owned up to what they have got wrong? Can they see it from the school’s point of view? And what are they going to do to change? Our environment is one where it’s OK to make mistakes because it’s what you do with them that counts. We want to see those mistakes become a source of growth and development, not a pattern.”

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TRY AGAIN. FAIL AGAIN. FAIL BETTER. SAMUEL BECKETT

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Connecting with friends. Conquering your fears.

Climbing that mountain. Whether you just want to sleep under the stars one more time or long for the road less travelled, it is hard to leave Aiglon without an appetite for adventure.

Words Clare Thorp Illustrations Sarah McMenemy

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The first day we were in this tropical rainforest surrounded by monkeys, the next day we were hiking across a harsh landscape where molten lava had come out REZA LARIZADEH 22

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ADVENTURERS

ome people celebrate their birthday with a meal, a party or even a holiday. Not if you are Reza Larizadeh (Alpina, 2006) – he hopes to mark his birthday in January by climbing the highest peak outside Asia, the 7,000m Mount Aconcagua in South America.

Reza finds it hard to say no to a challenge, whether it’s driving nearly 5,000km through 13 countries in six days, or working his way around – and up – some of the highest mountains in the world. “If you point out a cliff and say let’s go jump off it, I’m up for the adventure,” he says.

Like many Aiglonians, Reza traces his adventurous spirit back to his time at school. “Aiglon teaches you that it’s OK to be outside your comfort zone,” he says.

“I skydived for the first time in Aiglon and I have a fear of heights.” Whether it’s Via Ferrata, kayaking, cross-country skiing, scaling mountains or camping out under the stars, going on ex is a core part of the Aiglon experience – and it’s something that leaves a lasting impression on students.

It is why, in 2017, when a friend suggested a group trip to climb Kilimanjaro, he and Waleed Albinali (Delaware, 2006) needed no convincing. “The beauty of Kilimanjaro was just something else,” says Reza.

“Every day the landscape was completely different.

On the first day we were in this tropical rainforest surrounded by monkeys. The next day we were hiking across a harsh landscape where molten lava has come out the mountain.” Two years later, the group climbed the 5,642m-high Mount Elbrus in Russia.

“You’re there with your friends and you have one goal – to get to the top of the mountain,” says Reza.

“That sense of camaraderie, of having a shared purpose, is such a beautiful thing.” Next up is Argentina’s Aconcagua, and Reza wants them to carry on and complete the Seven Summits – the highest peaks of the seven continents.

Another alumna, Maiga Winzenried (Clairmont, 2009), also has the adventure bug, driven by her Aiglon experience. Last year, while living in Bangkok, she organised a dinner with a group of local Aiglon alumni and much of it was spent reminiscing about the expeditions they had been on. By the end of the evening – despite having never met before – the group had arranged to go on their own adventure.

“It was kind of a joke at the beginning, then everyone just agreed. We all missed the expeditions.”

Two months later, in December 2020, they spent a weekend together in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in Thailand. “We started off with a bike ride through the park and along the beach, then we went on a boat trip, swam in the river and had a barbecue. The next day we went on a hike. It was beautiful.”

The pandemic may have many plans on hold but, for some, time spent living under restrictions only fuelled a thirst for adventure. For Marc Chu (Delaware, 2020) and his classmates, much of graduation year didn’t go as expected – but he was determined not to leave Aiglon without making a few final memories. “There’s the thought at the back of your mind: ‘Am I just going to let this summer go by without doing anything?’”

He recalled an Aiglon teacher, Mr David Fairweather, telling students about a bike ride he’d been on across Europe, and thought it sounded fun. So, he convinced a classmate, Slava Gudzenko, to go on a similar trip with him. While Slava was an experienced cyclist, Marc was a relative novice.

He bought a cheap bike from the local cycle shop and the pair set off from Aiglon – first to Geneva, then through the South of France, Monaco, Corsica, Sardinia and mainland Italy, finishing in Milan, mixing cycling with taking the train. “On the days we biked, we did about 150km a day,” says Marc.

On one occasion he left Slava at a café so he could get an hour’s head start on his friend – only to find him by his side less than 90 minutes later.

It was the times he pushed himself that proved the most satisfying, though – like missing the train and having to set up camp for the night underneath a castle in Corsica, or a difficult day in Ardèche, dealing with heatstroke and altitude sickness while trying to get his bike up a steep mountain. “The days that went by easily, the days where I took the train to the destinations, are blurry in my memory,” he says.

“Whereas days where I had to cycle and overcome

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ADVENTURES

There’s the thought at the back of your mind: ‘Am I just going to let this summer go by without doing anything?’

MARC CHU

significant challenges, physical or emotional, are the days that I remember most clearly. In a way, that was the entire point of the trip: to get out of our comfort zone and do something that is memorable.”

Almost 70 years before Marc and Slava biked across Europe, another Aiglonian was pedalling his way across the continent. Denny Lane (Les Evêques, 1957) was just 14 when he decided that instead of flying back to the UK for the Christmas holidays, he would cycle with a classmate, Mark Schmidt. “I actually asked my mother the year before if I could do it and she said, ‘No, don’t be ridiculous, wait another year’, with the assumption being that I’d forget about it. But I didn’t forget about it.”

The pair spent five nights on the road, covering around 160km each day and staying in Pontalier, Avalon, Auxerre and Paris before taking the ferry from Le Havre to Southampton. “The most notable thing was that we got stopped twice by the police,” he says. “We stopped at a café for a hot chocolate, and if you’ve been riding a bicycle for 100 miles, sitting on a racing saddle, walking in a straight line is not something you do terribly well. We came out of the café and two policemen accused us of being drunk. They let us go. We both thought it was hilarious. Twenty minutes later we were stopped by two motorcycle policemen because we didn’t have red lights on the rear of our bicycles.”

When he left Aiglon at 17, Denny repeated the same trip home to England, this time on a Vespa scooter.

With a long and distinguished military career that has taken him all over the world, Denny’s life has not been short on adrenaline – but even as a teenager, taking on challenges felt like par for the course.

“That’s what John Corlette expected us to do,” says Denny. “On Sundays at Aiglon we would go skiing in our dark blue suits ready to go to church that evening, so all we had to do was ski back down to the chapel

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– though Mr Corlette finally put an end to that because he didn’t think that suits worn with ski boots was appropriate for church.”

Kim Hay (Exeter, 1996) agrees that her time at Aiglon ‘normalised’ physical and mental challenges. “It was just part of your life and I think that stays part of your life,” she says. “Cradled by the alpine landscape you can’t ignore that spirit of adventure and what might be around the corner or over that ridge.”

In December 2019 she completed the Half Marathon des Sables in Peru, running 120km across four days. She took on the challenge after a remark by one of her children that adventure sport was “something daddies did, and not mummies”.

Needless to say, she wanted to prove them wrong.

“It may be more my stubbornness rather than my thirst for sporting adventure, but it turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done. Knowing that my body and mind accomplished something like this means I know I can achieve anything I want – and that’s the same feeling I had when I climbed the Dents du Midi in 1996.”

As she ran across vast swathes of sand in Peru, she sometimes found herself alone and far away from any of her fellow runners. “I remember sitting down on top of a dune for 15 minutes – which you shouldn’t really do when you’re in an ultra-marathon because it’s really hard to get up again – but I just wanted to take it all in. It was just this vast expanse of nothing, and you feel very small and humble.”

You can’t run an ultra-marathon every week, but Kim has found a way to incorporate outdoor adventure into her everyday life – by making it part of her career. She looks after communications for The Western Front Way, a 1,000km walking route along the line of the Western Front from the First World War, as well as for the first ultra-marathon in the Falkland Islands. “I tend to choose clients that keep me outdoors!” she says.

Even when a love of adventure isn’t an official job requirement, alumni have reaped the benefits of Aiglon expeditions in their careers. “It teaches you a lot about team building and pushing your limits,” says Maiga, who works as a client relationship manager for an insurance broker. “That’s helped me a lot in my work.”

Reza says the resilience and courage those expeditions instilled translates “into business, into your relationships, into pretty much all aspects of your life”, even if he wasn’t always so enthusiastic about expeditions at the time. “Mr Wright, who was head of expeditions when I was there, would always tell us that when we leave, we’ll miss expeditions the most, even if we weren’t the biggest fan of them while we were there – and nothing could be more true.”

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George Sofis MD (Alpina, 1991) Medical Staff President at Stafford Hospital

Deepak Madnani (Belvedere, 1992) Serial founder and entrepreneur coach

Niall Elliott (Belvedere, 1990) Chief Medical Officer for the British Olympic Association / Team GB

Muhammad Babangida (Belvedere, 1990) Current parent, Executive Director of El-Amin International Schools and CEO of Profile Group Ltd

Facial plastic surgeon at Madnani Facial Plastics, New York. Clinical Assistant Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Nicholas Longcroft (Alpina, 1993) Studied at UCL – Master’s in Computational Finance, previously a portfolio manager at MAN CLG

A PREPARATION FOR LIFE

Dilip Madnani MD, FACS (Belvedere, 1992)

The journey to university and beyond is different for everyone, but one thing is for sure: the Aiglon community will be with you every step of the way.

Words Lucy Jolin

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P R E PA R AT I O N F O R L I F E

Barbara Wyatt (Exeter, 1974) CFO at Larsen Commercial-Industrial Realtors

etting into the university you have always dreamed about takes hard work, outstanding educators, the unstinting support and advice of college counsellors… and the help of the whole Aiglon community. And in fact, for the Class of 2021, that help – mostly delivered online – has been invaluable.

James Burgunder, for instance, is a Yale alumnus, father of two Aiglon graduates and Yale interviewer.

On an entirely voluntary basis, he runs practice interviews with students from Aiglon and other schools who hope to enter Yale and other American liberal arts colleges.

The interview, he points out, is an exceptional experience, in the sense that it is the only part of the application that allows the university to get a ‘live’ insight into how the student performs in terms of thinking, talking and expressing themselves, all of which are critical skills in a dynamic liberal arts college environment.

Questions might seem simple, he points out, but how you answer them reveals a lot about your values, so careful preparation and practice is crucial. “Two questions are key.

First, ‘Why are you interested in Yale?’ The answer should indicate that you have an interest in Yale, you know something about Yale and its values, and that there’s an alignment between your values and Yale’s. The second key question is, ‘How did you come to Aiglon?’ The answer should indicate an ability to think about your own life story and an ability to extract meaning from it.”

But, James adds, the interview is not the be-all and end-all. Practise for it, he says, but remember that what matters most is everything else you have done up to that point. “Aiglon offers a vast range of opportunities, encompassing environmental, sport, intellectual and cultural domains. Learn how to get the most out of your current experiences and that will help you get the most out of your future experiences.”

According to Mrs Patience Fanella-Koch, Director of University Advising, “One of the positives of the pandemic was that we could access our alumni in a way we’d never been able to before, as everyone was home. As a way of tapping into help and advice, it’s been incredible.”

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Cecilia Peck Voll (Clairmont, 1975) Film producer, director and actor

Leslie H Benoliel (Exeter, 1975) President and CEO of Entrepreneur Works

Sarah Luke née Mullen (Clairmont, 1975) President of Luke Communications Group

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Vaud’s local bank

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P R E PA R AT I O N F O R L I F E

And, says Mrs Fanella-Koch, having someone students can relate to is hugely important. “For example, I’ve just had an alumnus returning to campus to see us who attends Babson College in the United States,” she says. “He reached out to say he would love to present and talk about Babson. So I put the word out and I now have around 20 students lined up. They’re going to have lunch together and listen to him report back on his experience at university.”

In fact, alumni support can take many forms. The pandemic saw Aiglon offer virtual alumni panels with experienced professionals, talking about what they studied at university, their careers, how they had changed jobs and the advice they would give to young people today. “Topics included STEM, business, economics, and visual and performing arts, and we recorded them so they can be replayed for all students. We’ve also had younger alumni discussing the transition from Aiglon to university, a panel to talk about interviewing, and alumni speaking about studying in the United States, England and Canada. Then there’s all the internship opportunities that have been offered – it’s been incredible.

“We also have friends of the school – board members, governors, Richard McDonald and his colleagues – to prepare students for the interviews for Oxford and Cambridge. They are very resourceful in reaching out to people they know in the field to help our students in preparation for those interviews, which can be incredibly subject-specific.”

Naturally, all this doesn’t happen without a great deal of effort from the University Advising team – as well as alumni themselves, of course. “Over the past few years, Aiglon’s alumni office has been building the database and improving it. We’re now able to connect current students with alumni for internship opportunities and that’s been a powerful resource,” says Mrs Fanella-Koch.

“Or they might be able to offer a Zoom conversation, and sometimes during that they’ll say, ‘Why not come shadow me for a week in the summer?’ Or: ‘I have a friend who lives in your country, let me connect you.’” These are invaluable connections, with the potential to kickstart a career – or a lifelong passion.

David Fudge (Alpina, 1974) recently attended one of Aiglon’s university advice webinars for parents – his daughter is currently applying – and was impressed. “I’m lucky that my daughter has a great handle on the process! But it was a great way for me to stay involved and informed and to check in with the advising team and hear their point of view. It seems to me that university application is far more challenging and competitive for this generation than it was for mine. It’s much more involved and complicated than I ever imagined.”

But while David is eager to understand the process to best support his daughter, he’s also confident that Aiglon has enabled her to choose the school that is right for her. “I feel that the University Advising team are very on top of things, and very connected. Every parent is different, but I feel that my job is to have open and honest discussions with my daughter about what her hopes and dreams are and what’s important to her – and then to back off. It’s her journey, after all.”

Parent James Burgunder runs practice interviews with students who hope to enter Yale and other US liberal arts colleges

Cami Fateh (Clairmont, 2020) is now in her second year of study at Georgetown University, Washington, majoring in English, and remembers well how supportive the whole Aiglon community was during her time on the mountain. “The University Advising team was so supportive, and we also had a ‘Big Sisters’ scheme in the House where older girls helped guide the younger ones through the application process. It was so nice to have a familiar Aiglon face do that for me.”

Cami says that having a mock interview run by Mrs Fanella-Koch helped her perform much better. “I was really nervous before my first university interview, which happened to be my Georgetown interview. Mrs Fanella-Koch was very honest and candid about how I portrayed myself and gave me some very constructive criticism. For example, she pointed out that I definitely shouldn’t interrupt the interviewer!”

Now, Cami is paying that support forward, taking part in panels for Aiglon students who are interested in Georgetown or simply want to know more about what it’s like to be an undergraduate. “I think it’s quite comforting to have that advice from me rather than a random stranger, and it was important for me to do it as it can be hard to navigate applying to the US from an international school.”

So far, she has advised students on everything from how much work she has to do to how she has managed the transition to university life. “My advice would be to work hard, dedicate everything you have to the process – but still have a social life!” she says. “My main asset was that I was super passionate about my subject, and application readers can sense if you’ve got that passion. Schools are really good at getting a feel for people who are the right fit for them, so don’t stress out too much.”

The journey to university has plenty of twists and turns along the way, but whatever happens, the Aiglon support network will have your back. “You might not end up where you think you’re going to end up,” says David Fudge. “But that won’t be the wrong place. It will be the place that is right for you. Above all, remember that this isn’t the end of the journey – it’s just the beginning.”

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ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME We have just 10 years to save the planet.

As Aiglon’s students play their part, our alumni business community says that real change will need to include corporations, too.

Words Kat Brown Photography Joe McGorty

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GREEN BUSINESS

he serene beauty of the Alps and glaciers that surround Aiglon are a constant reminder of the power of nature.

They seem as impenetrable as they do eternal. But now, they are under threat. The UN’s latest climate change report, released in August, pulled no punches: we have 10 years to halt the damage being done to the planet. And some changes, such as rises in sea level, will take centuries (if not millennia) to reverse.

Across the globe, ordinary citizens are making their voices heard, including Aiglon alumni – but for real change, business must also play its part. “You hear about a glacier melting and you cry a little bit,” says Evan Price (Delaware, 1975), “because for anyone who’s ever been to Aiglon, those peaks are almost sacrosanct. But I firmly believe that environmentalism needs to be at the heart of modern commerce.”

Business cannot bury its head in the sand when it comes to climate change, he says. “Whether you’re into this or not as a profession, you can’t avoid it,” he says. “A lot of aspects of how we live are going to change radically over the years – this is a long, long story. Like any huge crisis situation, businesses need to respond if they are going to survive themselves.”

After a career in forestry that took him around the world, Evan moved into tech. In 2013, he became CEO of CO2 Solutions, a Canadian firm that reduces pollution from fossil fuel power stations by making ‘industrial lungs’ that enable businesses to reduce and recycle their own carbon.

“With greenhouse gases and how they’re affecting climate, there can’t be a higher purpose, because this is really the biggest challenge we as humans have ever faced.”

Evan is clear that he is a businessman rather than an activist, but he nonetheless believes that while meaningful change is gathering pace at government, community and individual

Digging deep Tina Chen (Year 9), member of the Clairmont Gardening Club (see over)

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levels, big corporations are where the fight will be lost or won.

But not all corporate citizens are playing their part, he believes.

“I’ve met several large companies who publicly, at least, are saying all the right things. But as I started to scratch a little bit more, I saw how few of them are really putting their money where their mouth is. That was shattering.” This has to change, he says, and fast.

Emilie Tierchant (Clairmont, 2006) works for the construction firm VINCI as Environmental Sustainability Reporting Advisor, and emphasises that being authentic is crucial. She also points out that you can integrate sustainability into plenty of career fields without having a specifically environmental role or qualification. “In procurement, for example, companies are searching for people who will look along the supply chain and try to procure materials sustainably,” she explains. “It’s possible in design as well because, once again, companies have to design the most environmentally friendly infrastructure or buildings.

There’s a lot of opportunities to integrate the environment into different jobs.”

Emilie is currently part of a 30-strong environmental team at the heart of a major British government investment: the HS2 is the UK’s flagship railway upgrade, and the subject of a rare hybrid parliamentary bill which allowed work to progress more quickly – provided that an environmental statement was adhered to. “Ensuring that we’re environmentally compliant is critical, otherwise we lose the right to build,” she explains.

“A lot of the job is getting the information out there and making the people who are actually going to build the project aware of where they’re going to have impact.”

Emilie first qualified in optical engineering in her native France but switched fields to environmental management for her Master’s degree, influenced in part by a childhood spent partly living on a boat. “Having that experience where you have to manage your energy, water and waste, and you’re living very close to nature, meant I was focused on keeping as much of it as possible in a good state,” she says.

Working with construction teams to ensure that they work in an environmentally conscious fashion and keep up to date means that she can effect real change on a large scale. “In a lot of cases, when they’re used to working a certain way, people won’t have the same sensitivity to things such as traffic levels, for example,” she says.

“Some things are common, like water run-off, but some are newer to the construction team, so that’s where we have the most impact.”

While not every business has a full environmental team on hand to keep them on track, making it easy for people to switch from unsustainable to sustainable products is a key factor in whether we will achieve net zero carbon emissions. The use of plastic bottles is

Evan Price (Delaware, 1975) CO2 Solutions

Emilie Tierchant (Clairmont, 2006) VINCI

Marc van Zuylen van Nijevelt (Belvedere, 2015) Aquablu

Alexander Jovy (Delaware, 1989) MyTree

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GREEN BUSINESS

Green Aiglon Clairmont Gardening Club

Students work throughout the term to grow and take care of various plants, from herbs to bulbs, on the Clairmont terrace.

Recycling

A longstanding tradition. With French teacher Mr Dargoud, a team of students visit each campus building to gain a perspective on how much waste is produced before taking the school minibus to the local dechetterie (recycling centre).

Round Square

Aiglon is a founding member of Round Square, an international organisation made up of member schools focusing on key ideals of service and leadership, including sustainable development.

Secondhand uniform

For the first time, Aiglon is now selling second-hand uniforms to any students or families who might want to opt for a more sustainable (or price-friendly) alternative to new clothes.

Have a story to tell?

We know many in our community are involved in sustainable projects – people like Charlotte de Brabandt (Exeter, 2005) who established the De Brabandt Foundation to help reduce the negative impacts of tourism and harness the opportunities for local livelihoods and conservation. Its work with stakeholders such as hospitality and community groups to create systemic change is ongoing and you can find out more at debrabandt.com. And if you’ve got a similar story, contact us at communications@aiglon.ch

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one example that seems low impact on an individual level but has a devastating global effect. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, at least eight million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans every year, making up 80 per cent of all marine debris.

“We’re seeing a big shift in consumer awareness, but now they also need to have the solution at hand,” says Marc van Zuylen van Nijevelt (Belvedere, 2015), co-founder of Aquablu, which builds smart purifiers that transform tap water into purified mineral water. “If you are in a petrol station or you’re at the supermarket, and you can only buy plastic water bottles, you don’t have the option.”

Aquablu sells its products to homes, businesses, offices and retail locations and has partnered with an NGO to distribute products to communities in need, ensuring a constant supply of clean drinking water without the need to buy it in shops. “After I left Aiglon, I was shocked at how many people still didn’t have access to clean drinking water, and also how many people in the western world still rely on plastic bottles,” says Marc.

He and Marnix Stokvis, his co-founder and CEO, are keen surfers, and working towards eliminating plastic waste is a key purpose for Aquablu – as is encouraging other businesses to embrace positive change. “What we really want to do is have a future where people can enjoy water without taxing the planet’s resources in the process,” he says. “We’re not going to provide a solution by ourselves, so I hope companies are really seeing the need to shift.”

But how easy is it to make that change? When the Covid-19 pandemic affected funding for his new carbon banking app, MyTree, Alexander Jovy (Delaware, 1989) decided to target potential investors by applying for the British television show

Dragons’ Den, in which entrepreneurs pitch their product at four big names in business.

With a background in television, he knew that win or lose, it would be excellent publicity. “I know they want to make good TV so they can be quite harsh,” he says of his episode, which aired in July. “Even though the dragons didn’t invest, they have more than four million viewers. We had about 17,000 downloads afterwards and a lot of companies came to us just for carbon credits.”

MyTree works on a consumer and business level to allow global users to calculate their carbon footprint and offset it by buying trees, which are sold through the app and planted in the UK. Since January 2021, they have planted three parks.

“I’ve been a fan of nature pursuits since my Aiglon days, and gardening and trees have been my passion,” explains Alexander, who was inspired to create the app after hearing increased talk around carbon offsetting. He decided to create a tool with a banking mindset – consumers can put excess offset credits into a carbon pool to sell to businesses, and he is keen to hear from alumni whose own companies might be interested in offsetting, and Aiglon students looking for internships.

These enterprising Aiglonians emphasise action above all.

“Stop talking, start doing,” advises Marc van Zuylen van Nijevelt. “You have to be persistent, because the idea is not worth a lot when it’s just a concept.”

Whatever you do, make sure you go with purpose over passion, says Evan Price, especially when it comes to the bottom line. “Making money is not a purpose, it’s an end result.

Go for the purpose and great things will happen as you aim for that target.” When that target is the security of our planet, it doesn’t get much greater than that.

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AGES 16-17

Summer School

SWITZERLAND

AGES 8-12

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN! WWW.AIGLON.CH/SUMMER

39 Class notes 44 Recreation

46 Personal best 48 Meet the student

COMMUNITY

Class notes

Share your news via alumni@aiglon.ch and stay in touch with the Aiglon community at aiglonlife.ch Back to baroque Nearly 40 years since leaving Aiglon, a quick update: I am married, have two lovely teenager daughters (19 and 17) and living just outside of Montreal, Canada.

I sit on the board of directors (as VP Marketing) of a very lovely baroque music ensemble – Infusion Baroque – and we’re thrilled that they’re finally able to perform live again, after virtual concerts due to the pandemic. I am also marketing manager of a growing commercial real estate firm initiated by my talented brother.

Alexandra Massa (Clairmont, 1982)

Illustrations by James Olstein

Family comforts My family and I had the opportunity to travel to Aiglon this summer from our home in Singapore, where we have been living for the past nine years; to be able to share the feelings of nostalgia with my family was unique and surreal! Pointing out mountain peaks I once climbed, and seeing my eldest stand on the very stage where I performed shows and skits more than 20 years ago, gave me a deep appreciation for just how special Aiglon is. Up in the cosy town of Villars, breathing in the freshness of unspoilt altitude gave us all a sense of comfort, peace and, of course, as a past student, a familiar smirk that I hope, like Aiglon, will last for many decades to come.

Casheen van Halder, née Siersma (Exeter, 2000)

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Hollywood advice My name is Evgeny Koptev, professionally known as Jeff Kenny. I was born in a small town in Russia where I started performing as a ballroom dancer and competed for 12 years internationally. After Aiglon, I went on to study film and acting in college in the United States, completed an acting for film program in Prague and took producing classes in Italy before I finally moved to Los Angeles. The most recent film I starred in is a viral bestseller comedy directed by an Emmy Award-nominated producer, called Manifest Destiny Down: Spacetime.

After many busy, stressful years I finally had a chance to visit Aiglon and I am open to communication with students, alumni, parents and possible partners for future projects.

I also would love to give back to anyone at Aiglon, so if anyone has a question please feel free to reach out, as I would be happy to share my personal advice on where to begin and how to succeed in Hollywood.

Evgeny Koptev (Belvedere, 2011)

Feeling kinda blue in Cambridge I’m at Cambridge University and part-way through completing my PhD in Renaissance Literature with an emphasis on digital analysis (for anyone who’s ever wondered if you can graph how many times the word ‘wench’ gets used in a Shakespeare play, yes you can).

I have been enjoying playing rugby for the university, in which I was recently awarded my blue in our varsity victory over The Other Place (10-5). I’m also enjoying the large Aiglon alumni community in London.

Liz Stevenson (Clairmont, 2008)

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Viva Las Vegas!

We are happy to share with the Aiglon community that we have recently celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary! As our wedding plans coincided with Covid, we ‘eloped’ to Las Vegas in the summer of 2020.

We are now looking forward to celebrating with our friends and families soon. Big thank you to Aiglon for not only helping us find each other, but also our closest friends to this day!

Maxim Fadeev (Belvedere, 2015) and Lisa Maria Paun (Clairmont, 2015)

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N E X T G E N E R AT I O N

Name: Alejandra Utera House: Le Cerf Year of leaving: 2016

The Aiglonian spirit Despite being at Aiglon a decade apart, Ram Elangovan (Class of 2018) and I got connected via a LinkedIn message, proving the Aiglonian spirit really does exist! This led to a coffee in Vancouver, Canada that felt like a reunion of old friends. It was great to reminisce on expeditions and our unique experiences at Aiglon, but also share current experiences, having both moved to Canada for very different reasons. I’ve learnt that there’s something special about Aiglon and its people – and I hope this message encourages every single person out there to lean into their Aiglon alumni network, regardless of when you were at Aiglon. It certainly inspired me!

Lettie Mzwinila (Le Cerf, 2008)

Globetrotting After leaving Aiglon I worked and travelled around the world for a year, from working on an Australian sheep farm to running a marathon in Pyongyang. After that, I moved to the Netherlands and became fluent in Dutch by integrating myself into a Dutch fraternity. I am now in the last year of my Economics bachelor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, minoring in Maritime Logistics and soon majoring in Financial Economics.

Johannes Vorfeld (Delaware, 2018)

What’s hot: I’m passionate about international affairs, policy and the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. I’ve just started a combined JD and MA in International Law with a focus on human rights and immigration at American University, Washington DC. It’s challenging, as I’ve combined the legal track with the Master’s track, but I think it’s very important to have a legal background in the advocacy and policy field. This was supposed to happen last year but, because of the pandemic, I decided to defer a year. That turned out to be a great decision, because I spent that year working with organisations including UNHCR and Human Rights Watch. I worked on issues involving detained asylum seekers in the US, and connected refugee families in the Washington area to social services and other forms of support during the pandemic. Those experiences have made me even more determined to follow this path.

What’s next: I’m making sure that I stay in touch with the reason I’m doing this dual degree programme, and have recently been accepted into the International Refugee Assistant Project.

My first article for them, on climate change and the challenges it poses under the Refugee Convention, will be published shortly.

I’m also planning next summer’s internships – it’s never too early to think about those! The dream is to work for an international NGO, using my law degree. In many cases, the law is not ideal: there are so many injustices.

What’s Aiglon: Meditation is one of the main things I carry with me from my time at Aiglon.

For me, it’s not so much about sitting still and breathing, it’s about staying connected to the things I am currently interested in and making sure I take time for myself. I find it very rewarding, when I’m on the bus or walking to class, to listen to something that will stimulate my mind and taking 10 minutes to reflect on it, and think about how it fits with my ideas – or how it challenges them.

Exploring Canada After Aiglon, I joined McGill University’s Class of 2022 in Montreal. Here, I had the opportunity to explore Canada, ranging from the scenic Banff all the way to Nova Scotia.

Through online learning, I was able to take one semester back in Pakistan, where I had a one-month meditation retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas, immersing myself in local cultural traditions. I am majoring in Economics and minoring in Educational Psychology, and feel excited for the next phase of my life!

Fatima Afroze (Exeter, 2018)

Film industry network

The delights of retirement The greatest delight of my newly retired life in Arizona is that I do what I want, when I want – except of course, that I give my priorities to my bride of 38 years first.

I love to volunteer, a desire for doing good work that was instilled in me at Aiglon. I remain on an advisory board for the Salvation Army and am currently chair of this organization. I also now have a quite elaborate fishing kayak and every couple weeks am off exploring my favorite lake. There are numerous trails as well, and though I no longer need to camp or bivouac Aiglon-style, we are still able to take hikes to new scenic areas.

Reading for pleasure again, listening to music more studiously, exploring ethnic cooking and doing domestic projects that have been long delayed... these delightful endeavors fill the rest of my time. And the great realisation is that I’m only just getting started!

Bill Alkema (Delaware, 1974)

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These days I’m heading a production company, AlMaha Films, that is working to be part of establishing the film industry in Saudi. We have recently wrapped post production on our second feature film and are looking to release it very soon. I have also launched a streetwear fashion label called Galag Collection. Since the last Aiglon reunion I attended, I have had the pleasure of collaborating and working with multiple Aiglon alumni on film projects, and managed to build a mini film community with them. Connecting with different generations of Aiglonians within the film industry has been an amazing experience which I hope to continue to have. Currently we are developing a show for Netflix and working on our third feature film – we aim to get it into production soon. I hope to be able to meet more Aiglon alumni and collaborate with them.

Sultan Al Saud (Belvedere, 2006)

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Tributes A gem of an idea After 30 years in California I have now moved back to Switzerland – and I love it! My passion for gems and crystals has taken me from a long career as a gemologist and jewellery designer in Hollywood and Beverly Hills to become a crystal healer, a trained shamanic practitioner and a channeler.

I am currently writing a book about the heartfelt messages I receive from my spirit helper team. I work as a shamanic energy healer and help my worldwide clients create a placement of crystals in their homes that will balance energies and improve their lives.

I hope to entice the Aiglon alumni community to work with crystals – these are such a wonderful source of wellness and joy! See you soon, I hope – I look forward to hearing from you. Blessings and good wishes to all.

Sandra Muller (Exeter, 1978)

Gwen Tabel (former Staff) I’m very sad indeed to report the death of Gwen Tabel – ‘Miss Tabel’ as many will remember her – peacefully at her home in Winchester, England. She was 83 and had inoperable liver cancer, which was diagnosed just earlier this year. As a dedicated teacher and Head of the Special English School at Aiglon, I’m sure she’ll be fondly remembered by many whom she started on the road to learning English. She and I shared many experiences at Aiglon, and many memories afterwards as we kept in touch. I will miss her. The photo is from a few years ago on the balcony of our friend Joyce Lowe’s flat in Bournemouth.

Tribute by Patrick Roberts

Make your connections count As an Aiglon graduate, I have always understood the value of powerful networks. Whether it’s staying in touch with classmates, brainstorming or exchanging ideas with peopIe, I have learned so much from the networks that I have participated in or formed.

Coupled with my passion for entrepreneurship, this concept is the reason I founded EKOS.ai, a next-gen professional networking platform that will enable professionals and businesses to meet, exchange insight and activate the connections that are most relevant to them.

Crossing paths with people who share interests, goals and ambitions makes life more interesting and opportunities to grow more prevalent. I am excited to invite all Aiglonian alumni to join me on the platform to reconnect, share insights and extend our community for the benefit of us all.

Melis Dural (Le Cerf, 2005)

Michael Halse (1964) Dad (full name Michael Frederick Halse) was a pupil at Aiglon in the 1950 and 60s.

He was born on 15 October 1943 and died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on 26 August 2021 after a long battle with Parkinson’s. He spent many years serving as a Metropolitan Police officer in London, and was married to Monica for 56 years. They have five children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandson – and another on the way.

Tribute by Michaela Halse

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THEN AND NOW

R E C R E AT I O N Where Aiglonians demonstrate that while Aiglon may have changed over the decades... it hasn’t changed quite as much as you might think.

Photography Joe McGorty

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Big tent revival A spirit of adventure? Check. Camping stove? Check. A love of the outdoors?

Check. The fine details may have changed, but the campcraft skills an Aiglon expedition instills in our students never changes. Here, left, current students James Cerboneschi (La Baita, Year 7) and Oliver Von Peterffy (La Baita, Year 8) recreate this classic camp stove scene from our archives, proving that checking to make sure your stove is lit and your food is cooking safely is still a regular feature of our expedition programme. And if you recognise the boy in our original photo, please do let us know!

Do you have an image of your time at Aiglon you would like us to recreate?

Email your suggestions to communications@aiglon.ch Issue 17

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PERSONAL BEST

FEELING FREE A N D E A SY When Edouard Corin-Mick turned to freeride and freestyle skiing, his world was turned upside down.

Words Jo Caird Photography Joe McGorty

douard Corin-Mick (Belvedere, Year 12) can’t remember a time before skiing. He was just two years old when he first took to the slopes and the sport has been hugely important to him ever since. “Skiing,” he says simply, “is my life.”

Unsurprisingly, Aiglon’s alpine location was a big draw for Edouard when it came to choosing a school.

“Skiing was already a really big part of my life so I wanted to go somewhere where I had easy access to the slopes,” he says.

Edouard, who skis three times a week during the winter term at Aiglon, credits his father with this early start. “He loved it so much that he wanted to pass it on to me and my brother,” says Edouard.

Having developed his skills on weekends at the family chalet in Chamonix, 10-year-old Edouard joined a freeriding club. “That was one of the reasons I started taking skiing seriously,” he says. “You’re free to do whatever you want. You see a mountain – and you go.”

Which is why, when Edouard was offered the chance to join Aiglon’s freestyle skiing programme two years ago, he leapt at the chance. He’s been building his repertoire of skills, jumps and rotations, both on and off-piste, ever since. “That’s when I improved the most because I was putting time into progressing my tricks,” he says. The hard work has paid dividends in terms of freeriding, too. “It’s definitely improved my confidence.

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Freestyle skier Edouard says that it’s the landscape, and his love of challenge, that drives him.

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Freeriding was one of the reasons I started taking skiing seriously.

You’re free to do whatever you want.

You see a mountain – and you go

If I know I can do something well in a snow park, then I’ll go and try it in the mountains.”

There is a lively competition scene associated with both freeride and freestyle skiing but, while Edouard is interested in the challenges competition offers, it’s not his primary focus. “I’m not really competitive as a person,” he says. “I just like to see what experience I can get from it.”

Indeed, it’s the landscape – and his love of challenge – that really drives him. “Whenever I see something I can jump, I like to set myself the goal of jumping it, or doing a trick on it,” he explains. “And I tell myself I have to do it today. Or else I know I’ll never do it.”

There are no guarantees to success, of course, but Edouard tries not to let failure bother him – even when it results in the occasional concussion or broken bone.

“I’ve started learning how to accept it. I don’t really think about the consequences too much. I just know I’m going to be able to recover, get back on my skis and go and do it again.” The sense of achievement, when he does succeed in mastering a new trick or skill, makes it all worth it. “It makes me feel really happy because I know I’ll be able to go on to bigger challenges.”

But progression isn’t just about personal achievement. Last year Edouard was thrilled to complete the first stage of the BASI ski instruction certification and he’s looking forward to continuing the course this winter. “It’s great that I’m able to teach other people how to do my favourite hobby.”

His next big challenge? “Before Ieaving school, I want to be able to learn how to double backflip.

Right now I can backflip. It’s terrifying, but to progress I just have to go for it.”

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MEET THE STUDENT

FA M I LY A F FA I R How one student’s Aiglon connections stretch back across the generations.

Words Jo Caird Photography Joe McGorty

tis von Bismarck-Schonhausen (Alpina, Year 10), may have only joined Aiglon in 2020, but he says he immediately felt at home – and that makes sense. After all, the school is a key part of his life story.

“My parents met here when they were students,” he says. “My uncle was here and I have godparents and other family friends who are Aiglon alumni. I had heard so many stories when I was younger that I knew I wanted to come here. Everyone went to Aiglon and they’re all still friends. I wanted that kind of connection with people.”

Those connections have given him a strange sense of nostalgia when it comes to the school. His House, Alpina, feels particularly familiar: “My dad stayed here and it really feels like my home. I sleep here, I eat here, I study here. It’s one of my favourite places.”

That said, he is struck by some of the changes since his parents’ day. “When they were here things seemed to be slightly different – for instance, now there’s detention if you get in trouble; in the old days, you would have to run across the campus!”

Otis was also amazed by the range of activities on offer when he started at the school. “There are so many things you can take part in,” he says. He attends Astronomy Club and has thrown himself into Round Square Committee where, among other things, students work together to pursue environmental goals in the school.

Tennis has been a particular favourite, says Otis.

“My whole family plays tennis and I’ve played it all my life. They have a great tennis club here and I have lessons there once a week, which I really enjoy.”

Inter-house competitions have been keeping him on his toes, but he is looking forward to getting back to competing in tennis matches against other schools.

Skiing is another favourite pastime. Before coming to Aiglon, Otis skied just two weeks a year, on vacation.

Now, however, he is on the slopes three times a week,

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Otis on the balcony of Alpina with his parents Gregor von Bismarck (Alpina, 1982) and Samantha E. Della Schiava (Exeter/ Chantecler, 1986).

during twice-weekly PE sessions and at weekends – and he has seen a huge improvement after just one winter. “My House is two minutes away from the ski lift. I leave my skis and boots at the lift and walk home.

It’s such a nice atmosphere that you have afterwards.”

But it’s not just the co-curricular activities that make Aiglon a special place to be, he says. Otis likes nothing more than hanging out at Alpina, getting together with friends in the shared kitchen, preparing a slap-up cooked breakfast or a nourishing mid-morning snack.

He feels he has improved academically, as a result of the structure the House offers too. “In my old school, homework was difficult for me. But here, I’m ‘in house’ – everyone’s doing homework, so I do homework.”

Alpina has given him so much that Otis is keen to give back. “I might try to go for House Captain.

I’m not sure I’ll get that; if not, then prefect maybe,” he says modestly. “I just know I want to do something for the House.”

Open enrollment Start of the academic year

February 2022 Contact us → bachelor@ehl.ch

REDEFINING HOSPITALITY LEADERSHIP

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At EHL we redefine hospitality leadership as a smart mix of autonomous thinking, respect, empathy and caring for others. We believe that soft skills paired with great know-how is what defines the most inspiring people.

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→ ehl.edu