AISHK Lion Rock 2019 Term 3 Volume 32

Rock

THE LION

AUSTRALIAN iNTERNATIONAL sCHOOL hONG kONG tERM 3 2019 | vOLUME 32

artistic swimmer Sharman Tam | Year 11

flourishing Take a deep dive into sport and physical activity at AISHK.

aishk

Re-live the Term’s events with our recap videos!

Community Spotlight

Meet two new AISHK Families!

BOOK Week @ aishk Students celebrate the magic of reading

BridgeClimb Sydney, New South Wales

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THE LION

www.aishk.edu.hk

THE LION

Rock

Rock Volume32|September2019 @ais_hk

Produced by the Development Office. Feedback and submissions to: development@aishk.edu.hk

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIRMAN

Professor Richard Petty AISFL Board Chairman

On behalf of your Board of Governors, welcome to the Term 3 edition of The Lion Rock.

This issue explores how AISHK embraces the importance of sport and physical activity. From the student reflections, staff profiles and visual journey of how AISHK takes part in a year of sport, it is clear to see that ours is a truly Australian and international school. From the PDHPE curriculum to representative sport tournaments around Asia, our students connect, strive and flourish in sport, both within and beyond the school walls.

The following pages serve as a walk down memory lane of what was, again, a very active term. Term 3 saw the inaugural parent community event, “A Summer Soiree” take place in our Auditorium, bringing together over 150 parents and staff. In another first, a Father’s Day Breakfast was held on the school field and it was a great success. The wide range of activities which followed were a wonderful opportunity for students to proudly show parents their classroom or enjoy some friendly competition in the gymnasiums. Thank you to the AISHK Parent Association and staff and all parents who attended and worked to make such events possible and memorable.

The final week of Term 3 saw the Valedictory Dinner and Assembly take place; both poignant and memorable events of our Year 12 students’ school life. As the Class of 2019 embarks on their upcoming final exam schedule, on behalf of the Board, I wish them every success.

Congratulations to all on a very energetic Term 3. I look forward to sharing an equally productive final term of 2019 with you all.

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Mr. Mark Hemphill Head of School

As Australians, sport plays an important role in our lives and is a key feature of our national identity. As a country we make national heroes of our sporting greats and we all enjoy celebrating sporting events, such as the Melbourne Cup and the AFL and NRL grand finals.

Likewise, Hong Kong, thanks in part to its British heritage, is renowned as a sporting nation. Horse racing is a national pastime and Rugby Sevens is widely recognised as one of the premier sporting events of the year.

Being an Australian school and given our Hong Kong location; it is easy to see why sport is such an important part of our school culture.

However, school sport in Hong Kong is very different to school sport in Australia.

Rather than competing on Saturdays against other schools; in Hong Kong we are involved in a variety of local and international competitions. In our local competition (ISSFHK) we compete against other international schools within Hong Kong in mid-week fixtures across a variety of sports organised into seasons across the year. For our international competitions, we compete against other international schools outside Hong Kong, across China, South East Asia and the Middle East. Our students play in a variety of weekend tournaments in ACAMIS, SDRC and the annual AISA competition, whilst also competing in a number of invitational school tournaments. It is these international opportunities for our students which truly differentiate our sporting experiences from those of schools in Australia.

It is often these sporting experiences which are the highlight of our students’ time at AISHK and create lifelong memories of fun times playing sport with their mates. As an Australian - who doesn’t like to brag about representing their school internationally?!

I hope that you enjoy reading all about Sport at AISHK in this edition of The Lion Rock. I also hope that as families you take the time while you are living in Hong Kong to enjoy the many sporting opportunities which are available to yourself and your children.

With all that Hong Kong has to offer, there is no better place in the world to keep fit and healthy, to enjoy the outdoors and to appreciate a world class sporting event.

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CONTENTS Look out for the following icon to watch exclusive video recaps!

2 5 7

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AISHKTV

Messages from The Board Chairman and Head of School Coming Up in Term 4 AISHK In Action Updates from the school and its community

13

AISHK: Flourishing in Sport A deep dive into sport and phyiscal activity at AISHK

23

Q&A Around AISHK Students share their favourite sport activities

25

Community Spotlight We get to know two families who recently joined the AISHK community

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION LIMITED A NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION Board Members Professor Richard Petty Board Chairman and Governor

Mr Tom Corkhill Immediate Past Chairman and Founding Governor

Dr Dan Hooley School Supervisor, Past Chairman and Governor

Dr Joseph Lee SBS, JP Development Committee Chair and Governor

Mr Andrew Macintosh Finance Committee Chair and Governor

Mr Adrian Jenkins Facilities Committee Chair and Governor

Mr Ken Gordon

Governance Committee Chair and Governor Subscriber and Ex-Officio Governor Rep. Australian Consulate General - Hong Kong

Mr Charles Ng Governor Subscriber and Ex-Officio Governor Rep. Federation of Australian Alumni Associations

Ms Helen Lee

Governor Subscriber and Ex-Officio Governor Rep. Australian Chinese Association of Hong Kong

Mr Gautam Dev Governor

Mr David Chan Governor

Ms Kym Fortescue Governor Mrs Tracy Gliddon Governor

Mrs Veronica Monaci

Governor Subscriber and Ex-Officio Governor Rep. AISHK Parent Association

School Leadership Team Mr Mark Hemphill Head of School Mr David Christmas Business Administrator

Mr Brendan Kean Head of Primary

Mr Cameron Reed

Dean of Studies (Primary)

Ms Cathryn Moore

Head of Early Childhood

Mr Howard West Head of Secondary

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Upcoming Events Term 4 @AISHK yEAR 6 bEIJING cAMP 13-18 oCTOBER

tEDXYOUTH@AISHK 25 oCTOBER

acamis volleyball 24-26 october

interhouse touch 28 oct - 1 nov

AISA GAMES MALAYSIA

primary visual arts exhibition

13-16 nOVEMBER

18-20 november

jingle and mingle carols night

SPEECH DAY | YEAR 3-11

LAST DAY OF TERM 4

10 december

11 DECEMber

5 december

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AISHK in

2019 Book Week

Reading is my Super Power!

AISHK has had a colourful and exciting page-turner of a Book Week! With a range of activities from Reception to Year 12 including quizzes and reading challenges, all the action built up towards the much-anticipated Book Week costume parade! The morning rain was no match for the determination of our students and staff who transformed themselves into characters from their favourite books.

A special thank you to parents who generously donated Lego to the Library for us to use during this week; Early Childhood certainly put it to good use in their learning.

It was great to see so many students from Reception all the way through to Year 12 in costume.

Rumour has it that parents will be invited to get dressed up next year!

A great week was had by all and we were reminded of the importance and power of reading.

AISHKTV

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Action AISHK Celebrates Father’s Day! Despite a rainy start to the day, some 400 dads and children arrived at 7:30am on Friday 30 August for our first ever Father’s Day breakfast on the school field. The early, hearty meal was not only delicious but great fuel for the many activities that followed!

All Primary classes provided fantastic Father’s Day fun in homerooms, ranging from board games and construction challenges, to chocolate-making and crafts. In the 4th and 6th Floor Gyms, Dads enjoyed an array of activities including shooting hoops and sack races alongside their children. The festivities finished with the Year 3-6 Assembly, hosted by Year 5 who arranged a special Father’s Day song and video for all to enjoy.

Thank you to all who ensured this year’s event was a memorable one. Celebrations at AISHK involve the dedication and creativity of teachers and staff, and benefit greatly from the volunteer commitment and support of the Parent Association. From the staff supervisors and volunteer parent chefs to the students and Dads who enthusiastically enjoyed the morning, your contributions are appreciated.

Please enjoy a special message from AISHK students along with a video of our celebrations.

AISHKTV

AISHKTV

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Summer Soiree On Saturday 10 August, over 150 attendees joined our Summer Soiree at AISHK.

The event was a buzzing hive of good company, with many friends dancing to great music enjoying the relaxed, chilled vibe. Our Auditorium is evidently very versatile as it was transformed into one of the best parties in town!

A special thank you to our student performers, band for the night, The Poolcleaners and DJ Red for providing our entertainment for the evening and many a dance session.

To all who came along for a great night – your support of our events is much appreciated and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

AISHKTV

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Interhouse Volleyball Term 3 saw our third Inter House Competition of the year take place – Volleyball. Once again, our House patrons Mr Will Campbell (Jacaranda), Mr Damien Bailey (Waratah), Mr Arjuna Stoevelaar (Eucalypt) and Mr Drew Skellern (Wattle) encouraged as many students as possible to participate and earn points for their House.

Each House played off against each other in the rounds to decide the finalists in Year 7/8 boys and girls, and Year 9 to 12 boys and girls. These round games took place at lunchtime during the week. Finals were held during Friday Activities time. Once again, thanks to Mr Lee Pilgrim and Mr Tim Tait who officiated all games.

AISHKTV

The results were as follows: 7/8 Girls – Waratah (30) defeated Wattle (28) 7/8 Boys – Waratah (33) defeated Eucalypt (18) 9-12 Girls – Jacaranda (28) defeated Wattle (20) 9-12 Boys – Jacaranda (24) defeated Eucalypt (18) After a number of House events including Soccer, Athletics, Basketball and Volleyball, the House placings are currently as follows: First

Second

Third

Fourth

Eucalypt - 44

Jacaranda - 37

Waratah - 30

Wattle - 29

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This term, the Early Childhood Musical took us on an exciting, underwater adventure with Stella The Starfish splashing onto the stage!

AISHKTV

A biennial event, the Early Childhood musical is a stunning showcase of our Preparatory, Year 1 and Year 2 performance skills. This year was certainly no exception with all students, staff and parents working very hard to create a memorable musical.

From the Clownfish Family and Water Dancers to the narrators and lead roles, the musical provided an array of opportunities for students to shine and express themselves in their own way.

Our Early Childhood students performed for 1,200 people over 5 different sessions, with their confidence growing from each performance to the next.

The story of Stella the Starfish reinforces the message and theme of being helpful to each other. When Stella is found by two children, she is lost and alone, looking for her family.

Through the powers of the magic shell and the advice of the colourful sea creatures, she is finally able to find her family.

Click here for more photos, event program and full production team list.

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JACARANDA MUFTI DAY The Typhoon didn’t dampen the spirits of mighty Jaca!

On 31 July to 1 August, Jacaranda held a successful and entertaining mufti day. With the theme of the day being Beach Party, there were countless activities held over two days to raise money for the HOPE for Cambodian Children charity. Primary students enjoyed a disco, face painting, swimming pool party, recess bake sale and the lunch time sausage sizzle.

AISHKTV

Secondary students celebrated Jaca Mufti Day through their lunchtime BBQ and recess bake sale. In addition, students from different houses had the chance to purchase a coloured bandana of their house to further support fundraising.

In total, approximately HK$36,500 was raised for Hope for Cambodian Children, a charitable foundation that cares for abandoned children and assists those from the poorest areas of the community. This money will go directly towards sponsoring a number of students to attend University, refurbish classrooms and fix up the amenities .

Thank you to everyone who supported Jacaranda Mufti day!

Mrs Joanne Reed and Mr Will Campbell | Jacaranda House Patrons

eucalypt mufti day On 28 August, Euclaypt house banded together to bring us the most successful Euca Mufti Day to date.

AISHK was turned into a “Jungle Safari” as monkeys, lions, and safari guides enjoyed delicious baked goods and some tasty sausage sandwiches.

As always, all proceeds went to our house charity, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, we are proud to announce that this year we raised just over $30,000, a fantastic effort!

AISHKTV Thank you to all students and staff who pitched in on the day to help out, especially our Year 6 and Year 12 House Captains. A special thank you to our Euca parents who donated some amazing baked goods and snacks, as well as the parents who helped with cooking the BBQ. Cooking and preparing 700 sausage sandwiches in under an hour is not easy, and your time is very much appreciated!

We are all looking forward to an even bigger and better Euca Mufti Day in 2020.

Go Euca!

Mr Matthew Price and Mr Arjuna Stoevelaar | Eucalypt House Patrons

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AISHK: flourishing in sport

AISHK sees sport and physical activity as a key facet in daily school life and in fostering an environment where all students strive for their personal best. An avenue to build rapport and develop lasting friendships, sport also demonstrates to students the importance of developing life skills such as teamwork and leadership.

While AISHK is proud to celebrate sporting excellence which so many of our students achieve, all students at AISHK are encouraged to “give it a go� regardless of their skill level. No athlete can achieve great things without team mates, without competition, without opposition and without their peers supporting them.

AISHK thanks all students, parents and staff for their contributions to sport.

Now, more than ever, sport needs to be an important part of our lives. As our daily interactions with technology increase and our diet and lifestyles change, people are becoming more inactive than ever before.

Our physical health is suffering. Adults, teenagers and even children are glued to their devices. The social interaction that is a trait of human beings is disappearing and being replaced by screens. The physiology and anatomy of the human body is changing because of this.

Sport makes us lift our heads and communicate and socialise. What a great thing! Here at AISHK, we are fortunate that sport is a significant aspect of our school’s culture. Read on to discover how sport and physical activity are championed at AISHK and how our students benefit from this.

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Personal Development, Health and Physical Education is a mandatory subject from Reception to Year 10, with a new syllabus being rolled out across all stages of learning in 2020.

This new syllabus takes into account the diverse needs of all students in both movement and health. PDHPE aims develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes important for students to take positive action to protect and enhance their own and others’ health, safety and wellbeing in varied and changing contexts. Physical education is fundamental to the acquisition of movement skills and concepts to enable students to participate in a range of physical activities – confidently, competently and creatively (NSW PDHPE Syllabus, 2018).

The PDHPE staff work closely with our Sports and Activities Department to enhance our students experience in organised sport and recreational pursuits. In addition, we integrate into the wellbeing structure being developed at the school to ensure the important aims of our syllabus are met and enhanced.

It is the goal of equipping our students with important and essential life skills such as resilience, valuing movement, concern and respect of self and others, advocacy and aspiration that enables us to search for exciting and contemporary ways to teach our life-linked subject.

Sport is an important part of the culture of Australian International School Hong Kong. Our aim as a sport department is to ensure every single student has access to a broad but balanced sports program that aligns with our school values.

Traditionally, we have been very successful in a range of sporting codes including Netball, Soccer, Rugby, Touch Rugby, Swimming, Volleyball and Basketball, all of which we compete in at International tournaments and events.

Our extensive international calendar is what allows AISHK to stand out from other schools in Hong Kong, with 13 scheduled sports trips for the 20192020 sports season, which will cater to students from our primary school, up to our Year 12.

AISHK offers over 80 varied Extra Curricular Activities (ECAs) related to sports, performing and creative arts, STEM, academics, community activities and more. Coordinated by both AISHK staff and external vendors, all our ECAs are provided to encourage a sense of enjoyment and achievement, promote teamwork and build friendships.

As we roll into the 2019-2020 season, the AISHK Kangaroos Sport program will continue to be developed, ensuring that all our students have the chance to develop their skills whether they are just connecting with a sport, striving to improve, or at the top of their game and flourishing.

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meet the dream TIM TAIT | DIRECTOR OF SPORT AND ACTIVITIES Duration at AISHK: 6 months Past Roles: Schools - Rangitikei College, Tauranga Boys’ College, Discovery Bay International School.

Roles - Health, Physical Education, Outdoor Education, Head of EOTC, Head of PE & Sport Alternate Dream Job: To play for the All Blacks Sporting ‘Claim to Fame’: Rugby - South Island Secondary Schools; Paddle Boarded 100km around Lantau Island

AGNES LAM | SPORTS AND ACTIVITES ADMINISTRATION OFFICER Duration at AISHK: 11 years Past Roles: Sports and Activites Administration Officer Favourite Sport: Tennis

ERIC YEUNG | AQUATICS AND SWIMMING PROGRAM MANAGER Duration at AISHK: 8 years Past Roles: Swimming Coach and ECA Coordinator Alternate Dream Job: Pilot Sporting ‘Claim to Fame’: Hong Kong Regional Squad Swimming Team Gold Medal in World University Swimming Games

LEE PILGRIM | SECONDARY PDHPE TEACHER, HEAD OF YEAR Duration at AISHK: 13 years Past Roles: Secondary PDHPE Teacher, Head of Year Alternate Dream Job: AFL recruiter Favourite Sport: Basketball

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Sporting ‘Claim to Fame’: Representing Tasmania in School Athletics

team...

KATHLEEN ELLIS | HEAD OF PDHPE, RECEPTION - YEAR 12 Duration at AISHK: 8 months

Past Roles: Curriculum Coordinator at a school in Central Australia; Acting Deputy Principal and Head of House with focus in welfare and wellbeing in NSW North Coast Alternate Dream Job: A food writer for a travel magazine.

Favourite Sport: Netball!

Sporting ‘Claim to Fame’: Representing NSW in both Indoor and Outdoor forms of Netball. Helping my children discover the joy of playing a team sport.

JO SPENCER | SPECIALIST TEACHER, PDHPE Duration at AISHK: 9 months Past Roles: PE Teacher, PE Coordinator Alternate Dream Job: Travel Blogger Favourite Sport: Softball (to play), AFL (to watch) Sporting ‘Claim to Fame’: Representing Victoria in Calisthenics at the age of 10

NATHAN BOON | PE TEACHER’S ASSISTANT Duration at AISHK: 10 years Past Roles: Plumber Favourite Sport: Motocross Sporting ‘Claim to Fame’: Winning my first junior squash tournament

ANDREW WOOKEY | PREP - YEAR 2 PDHPE TEACHER RUGBY UNION AND TOUCH FOOTBALL MANAGER Duration at AISHK: 9 months Past Roles: HPE Teacher/Head of HPE, Year 7-8 Coordinator Alternate Dream Job: Blindside flanker for the Wallabies Sporting ‘Claim to Fame’: Undefeated Season U6 Mosman Dinosaurs Soccer Team

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International Tournaments ACAMIS (Association of China and Mongolia International Schools) Sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Netball, Rugby, Touch, Swimming, Soccer

Sprin

SDRC (Southern Delta Region Conference) Sports: Basketball, Volleyball , Soccer, Touch

23 - 25 B

AISA (Australian International Schools Association) Sports: Touch, Soccer, Netball, Basketball, Swimming

AISA Games

SDRC Volleyball

13 - 16 November 2018 Sharjah, UAE

14 - 16 March 2019 Shenzhen/Shekou

hong kong Tournaments HKSSF

Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation Sports: Swimming, Rugby (HKSRU) When: All year

ISSFHK

International Schools Sports Federation Hong Kong Sports: Basketball, Soccer, Touch, Volleyball, Netball, Swimming, Athletics, Cross Country, Badminton, Golf When: All year

HKPSSA

Hong Kong Primary School Sports Association Sports: Basketball, Soccer, Touch Rugby, Tag Rugby, Netball, Cross Country, Badminton, Golf, AFL, Cricket, Aquathon When: All year

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S

ACAMIS Netball

ACAMIS Volleyball

18 - 19 October 2018 Shanghai

ACAMIS Rugby 7s

ng Cup

5 May 2019 Beijing

24 - 26 October 2018 Shanghai

24 - 26 October 2018 Hong Kong

ACAMIS Soccer 7 - 9 March 2019 Suzhou

SDRC Soccer

ACAMIS Swimming 13 - 14 March 2019 Suzhou

17 - 19 October 2018 Shenzhen

ACAMIS Touch

7 - 8 November 2018 Hong Kong

SDRC Touch

28 - 30 November 2018 Guangzhou

AISHKTV

SDRC Basketball 16 - 18 May 2019 Hong Kong

AISHK AROUND the world

2018-2019 sport

As an Australian international school in Hong Kong, AISHK enjoys connections with international and Asia-wide sporting associations and platforms, through which our students proudly represent their school.

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AISHK 2019 SPORTS AWARDS On Thursday 29 August, AISHK held its annual Sports Awards for the 2018-2019 sports season. Each year we gather to celebrate and acknowledge the efforts, performances, and achievements of our finest athletes throughout the secondary school and the top end of our primary school.

AISHK welcomed parents, Mrs Veronica Monaci, President of the Parent Association, the School Executive Committee, Managers, Coaches, staff and students to this year’s Sports Awards ceremony.

Sportsmanship Awards

Primary Years Middle Years Senior Years

Girls Charlotte Christmas Tiare Short Ocean Hartnett

Sports Girl and Sports Boy Awards Boys Albert Wang Cooper Wnek Ethan Briscoe

Primary Years Middle Years Senior Years

Sports Girl Alice Harbottle India Knowling Prue Steadson

Sports Boy Charlie Ware Cheuk Yiu Lam Temana Short

Whilst excellence was celebrated, the day was not only about the awardee students sitting on the stage, it was also about all other students in the auditorium; team members, supporters and spectators. The audience throroughly enjoyed watching our mini-documentary, viewable below, and asked themselves - what is my sporting story?

AISHKTV

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sport beyond school...

Being part of a school which values sport and physical activity creates a culture which provides confidence, resilience and self-belief. This, in turn, encourages our students and staff to pursue their passions and develop their skills beyond the school walls.

ASIAN YOUTH NETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | JAPAN As Head Coach for the Hong Kong U21s Netball Team, I have experienced firsthand the benefits our students enjoy from being part of a school community which values sport. A recent example was on 29 June - 7 July, when three AISHK secondary students took part in the 11th Asian Youth Netball Championships in Kashima, Japan. Representing Hong Kong, the 12 member team all faced fierce competition, and to their credit, worked seamlessly together as a group.

It was a long and challenging week with some nail-biting games down at the business end of the competition. While the victory eventually went to Malaysia, our three students appreciated the opportunity, the students treasured this global experience and the camaraderie gained from taking part.

Veronica Arnold | Personal Assistant, AISHK Primary | HKNA U21s Head Coach “The 10 days we spent in Japan participating in the Asian Youth Netball Championships together as a team was such a unique and rewarding experience. All the teams we played against had various playing styles as well as skill levels and I think being exposed to that really has taught me so much. Even though the netball was the main reason we travelled to Japan, I think all the friendships I made was the most rewarding aspect. We are such a good group of girls that when put all together, we have a great deal of fun. I am hoping I can be a part of the next tour.”

Prue Steadson | Year 11 “Travelling to Japan, representing Hong Kong for a national U21 team was an experience that I had always hoped I would achieve, ever since starting netball in Hong Kong. Representing my country was a feeling like no other, and I am so proud to be a part of a team with such amazing girls and a supportive management team. Although we weren’t able to secure a place in the top 3, the opportunities that we got from the experience were unforgettable. The team was comprised of the best group of girls from all areas of Hong Kong, both local and international, providing a platform for new friendships to be forged. I am super excited to be a part of the 2020 U21 Hong Kong team, and can’t wait to play with the girls again.”

Pamela Murphy | Year 12 “Overall I feel through this trip I gained a lot of insight and perspective about my game. I got to play with fantastic teammates and against international competition, which I can be nothing but grateful for. The opportunity was fantastic and I will never forget it; the experience was completely invaluable not just for my on court skills, but also for the friendships and memories I made.”

Alice Lunt | Year 11

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sport beyond sc max walker, year 11 | rugby What led you to become so passionate about rugby - have you always loved it?

I started playing rugby when I was nine. I got into it through my older brother - he was always encouraged to play by his friends and I would often watch them train in the afternoon for the school team. After a while, I finally built up enough courage to join the school team. Later on, I Joined my first club, the Sai Kung Stingrays, and that’s where I really fell in love with the sport.

Why do you enjoy rugby?

When I first started playing, the enjoyment really came from the contact. I was quite a chubby kid back then and I was larger than most of the others, so making tackles and running the ball in was what made the sport so enjoyable. These days, the enjoyment comes from winning. The level I play at now is much higher than before.

Being able to play for my country internationally and go on tours with people who I have been playing with for years makes winning feel like the best thing in the world.

What are some of your best achievements in rugby?

I have been lucky enough to be selected to join tours and play for the Hong Kong Rugby Union in recent years. I have played in the Asia Rugby Championship for both 7s and 15s and champions in both. Recently, I played for the Hong Kong School Sports Federation and went undefeated. My greatest achievement so far is being a key player in the only A grade team to win the championship for our school in 2017.

Looking to the future, what are your rugby aspirations?

As of now I have torn my ACL in training and I need surgery, so the goal is to get healthy and back to 100% recovery. I hope to be able to play some more rugby before I graduate. As for the more distant future, I’m still deciding whether I will continue playing rugby and proceed to the next level of professional status.

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chool...

Q&A When did you first become interested in equestrian?

I started riding when I was four as my mum had a horse in Hong Kong and I used to watch her ride all the time and loved playing with the ponies.

Why do you enjoy equestrian?

I enjoy equestrian as it can be a team sport as well as an individual sport. No day is ever the same when you ride, so you need to think about what you do and the relationship you have with your pony. This relationship is the most important part of riding.

What is the name of your favourite horse and why?

My favourite pony is my new competition ride called Jigsaw, as he is very talented. I am learning so much from him and he has taken me from preliminary to novice level in dressage in our six month partnership, which has been amazing.

What are some of your best achievements in your sport?

Competition season runs from September to July every year. During last season in my very last event I was the youngest dressage rider in the Novice class, achieving 2nd place against much older people and very experienced adult riders. For my jumping, I only had one pole down all season in both 60cm and 80cm classes.

What are your future goals in equestrian?

I would like to improve my riding every season and hopefully, one day, either compete for Australia or Hong Kong in the Olympics or on an elite squad. I would love to have a team of elite horses in my own stables.

sarah broderick year 6 equestrian

Why should other students try equestrian?

Other students should try equestrian as it is really fun and you learn so much about yourself and your pony.

Every day you learn something new. All your rides may not be perfect, but you will learn from them and your mistakes. The bond you have with your pony is like your best friend, with trust and companionship. I call Jigsaw’s name and he knows it’s me and he comes running to greet me.

I have made such a great friendship group at riding as well and we all help and support each other in our riding.

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Q&A AROUND AISHK A. Sasha, Year 4

C. Violet, Year 4

Swimming is fun and I enjoy being in the water.

A

B. Will, Year 12

Volleyball because I enjoy the volleyball anime Haikyuu!!

I like soccer because it is fu can learn lots of things like

C

B F

H G I

F. Connor, Year 11

Swimming because it’s good excercise and lets me eat a lot.

G. Tiare, Year 8

Basketball, because I made a lot of friends with other people and also outside of school.

H. Lochie, Prep

I like swimming because I can cool off in summer.

What Whatisisyour yourfavourite favourite sports activity?

Sports/ECA? 23

J.

I e

I. Joshua, Year 10

My favourite sport basketball because fast-paced, team s game.

un and you e foot skills.

M. Sasha, Year 3

AFL because you can run far and bounce the ball, also my favourite team is in the AFL.

N. Hayden, Year 10

I enjoy badminton because it is fun and easy to pick up and also because I get to play with my friends.

D. Bridie, Year 5

I enjoy netball because it’s a team sport.

D

E. Ashley, Year 3

Swimming because it’s just fun!

L. Katiya, Year 6

Swimming because it is fun and feels good!

L

E M

J K

N

. Priya, Year 7

like netball because I enjoy it!

0

t is e it is a sports

K. Royce, Year 6

My favourite sport is basketball as I have been playing since I was young.

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Community Spotlight

The Marder Family: Felipe, Jordan, Alane and Marcelo Please tell us a bit about your family and what brought you to Hong Kong. Our family have been living and working in Asia for the past 24 years. We have lived in Indonesia, Holland, China and now in Hong Kong. We are a Brazilian/German family, with 3 of us located in Hong Kong, as Jordan’s older brother Felipe is at UNYP in Prague, Czech Republic for his second year of college.

We decided to come to Hong Kong because we needed a change after living 15 years in China. As we knew Hong Kong, a city we had visited over many years for weekends, for shopping and for health care... a place we love for the gorgeous skyline and the evening lights - we decided it was the right move.

Was there anything that particularly surprised you about Hong Kong when you arrived? Yes, after living here for 10 months we found out that this city has so much more to offer; amazing, secret places... including beaches, small restaurants, the differences in each neighbourhood and the amazing history.

What do you think is a unique aspect of AISHK, and what drew you to this school? We believe that it is the welcome we received from the people at AISHK, before we even started at school. As Jordan would say when I ask him:

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“Mum, the unique aspect is that it is very easy to make friends and you can be yourself with them.

Not trying to be someone you are not. I just love this school.’’

We feel the same way as he does, about all the people I have met to date. For us, being an expatriate family for so long, friends are very important as they become the family we choose in a place we will call home for a few years.

Tell us a bit about your neighbourhood in Hong Kong.

What do you like to do as a family during weekends? Our neighbourhood (Kowloon City) is a mix of Hong Kong and Thai culture. We have so many Thai shops and restaurants around us.

We are very fortunate to have a big park just a few steps from our home, so on the weekends we walk and do sport there. We also like to explore other areas and get to know more of the secrets and beauty of this town.

Are there any friendly tips you would share with families new to Hong Kong? I think Hong Kong is a very easy and friendly town to go around, but if you need anything or are in a difficult situation, just ask for help. Our feeling is that the AISHK community is always open to support you and you will feel at home. We did!

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

Join us as we get to know two families who have joined the diverse AISHK community.

Please tell us a bit about your family and what brought you to Hong Kong. We are a Dutch family with a strong connection to Asia – since 2004, we (Miriam and Bas) have lived and worked in Vietnam, Australia, China, Singapore (twice) and now Hong Kong.

Olivia, 6 years old, was born in Singapore and Laura, 4 years old, was born in Shanghai. We relocated from Singapore to Hong Kong in mid-August 2019 because of Bas’ career.

Was there anything that particularly surprised you about Hong Kong when you arrived? We are used to (and enjoy) the energetic hustle-and-bustle that is part of Hong Kong. What’s new to us is the amazing outdoors that Hong Kong has to offer – one of the reasons that we chose to live in Clear Water Bay. We very much look forward to exploring our new outdoor environment together… bring on some gorgeous autumn weather!

What factors drew to you to choose AISHK as a school for Olivia? Are there any aspects you see as unique to AISHK? Olivia attended the Australian International School in Singapore, so AISHK was a very natural choice for us. The school’s values and culture closely align with ours and the emphasis on sports, arts and music education is great.

The de Graaff Family: Bas, Olivia, Miriam and Laura

Plus, the strong and welcoming community has made sure that continuing her AIS journey at AISHK has been like coming home for Olivia (and us). Laura cannot wait to join her big sister at AISHK in January 2020!

Tell us a bit about your neighbourhood in Hong Kong - have you discovered any weekend hobbies yet? We’ve been busy making new friends in and around our new home at Mount Pavilia, which has a great village feel. Over the coming weeks and months, we look forward to discovering the hiking trails around Sai Kung, the Clear Water Bay beaches (kite flying anyone?) and perhaps even joining a friendly family-oriented sports club.

Are there any friendly tips you would share with families?

As we are new to Hong Kong ourselves, we cannot really provide any specific tips about living here. However, something that has always helped us to fully enjoy our international adventures is to ‘go with the flow’; keep an open mind and embrace the change in your life.

With that mindset, you will have an unforgettable time!

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