KLASSics Chronicle October 2020

The Alice Smith School

KLASSics CHRONICLE

Meet the Frontliner Our Shining Star behind the pandemic October 2020

You’re invited We’re celebrating the

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ANNIVERSARY

DIAMOND CELEBRATIONS IN 2021!

Saturday, 27th November 2021 Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur More details to come… watch out for more updates! *If you would like to help us organise the celebration events and reunions, please email klassics@alice-smith.edu.my. We need your support.

As we celebrate our 75th Anniversary, KLASSics would like to team up with our very own alumni to publish a special anniversary magazine!

KLASSics CHRONICLES ALUMNI EDITION By our alumni, for our alumni

We’re on the look out for alumni volunteers to be on our editorial team.

Are you interested in:

Photography?

Editorial or copywriting?

Creative design?

Don’t miss this opportunity to collaborate with KLASSics for this special publication!

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MESSAGE Welcome to this October 2020 edition of our KLASSics Chronicle. As I write my opening remarks, we have just commenced two weeks of a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in the state of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Federal Territories. The CMCO is also in place for Sabah in East Malaysia. The CMCO is considered necessary to break the chain of COVID-19 infection following a consistent high number of new cases.

Having students and staff back onsite for the start of the new academic year required extensive planning.

Navigating our way through the reopening process after six months of closure while continuing to deal with the impact of the pandemic on the day to day operations of the school required considerable patience, understanding and goodwill.

So after six successful weeks of learning and teaching onsite following the reopening of our wonderful campuses at Jalan Bellamy and Equine Park to students on 1 September, we have returned to distance learning until we are notified by the government that schools can reopen again. Hopefully there will not need to be a further extension.

Our experience of delivering learning remotely during the Movement Control Order and enforced school closure in Malaysia from March to July has meant we are well prepared to return to this home learning model and deliver a high quality learning experience for the students during this CMCO period. As always, the school is fully committed to ensuring that the best education possible is available to students, with our dedicated teachers providing a comprehensive programme despite the challenges that engaging virtually can bring.

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MESSAGE

We have continued with the theme of making a difference in the lives of others with our featured alumnus, Dr Vinodh Sivaneswaran. Vinodh is one of so many people working in health related and other essential services here in Malaysia and around the world during the pandemic. Many of us can take precautions and limit our movements and activities to minimise risk against infection, however many others such as Vinodh are at the front line where their service is needed and personal risk is heightened. Their dedication and professionalism are deserving of our deepest gratitude and respect.

With the pandemic now approaching a year and second and third waves of infection occurring world-wide, there is increasing concern about mental health and wellbeing. Belonging to a special community such as Alice Smith and the support and reassurance that this brings comforts, motivates and humbles me. The unwavering commitment of so many people to the health, safety, wellbeing and long term sustainability of our school community is uplifting as we continue to build our community links locally, regional and globally and offer support through a wide range of educational, charitable and learning service activities.

This year we awarded our first Foundation Tertiary Grant to a KLASS Scholar, Zhi Yan Lee. The grant will support Zhi Yan in his studies at Pembroke College, Cambridge. After initiating the Sixth Form scholarship programme in my first year as Secondary Principal, the establishment of the Foundation enabling this grant to be possible has been a highlight for me personally.

I hope you enjoy the stories from our alumni and the activities and memories shared in this edition of KLASSics Chronicle, including our first ever virtual graduation of the KLASS of 2020.

Sic Itur Ad Astra

Roger Schultz Head of School

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KLASSics KONFIDENTIAL

Never shy away and stay in your comfort zone.

Always to be outside that zone, because that’s when the most amazing changes occur.

Dr Vinodh Sivaneswaran Alumnus 2004 - 2009

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KLASSics KONFIDENTIAL Hi Vinodh! What an exceptional year it has been! How has life been for you this year?

This year, especially career wise, I think it’s been an interesting one. It’s been very tough mentally, the conversations that were spoken with families and telling them that they’re not able to visit their loved ones, was very grim. However, the number of COVID cases that we’ve managed and able to discharge them back home was extremely satisfying. It’s not everyday you get to be part of a pandemic!

As a frontliner, it must have been a difficult task keeping yourself safe while helping others.

Staying safe during this pandemic with the job that I have meant I had to scrub up and wash my hands like a mad man, whilst maintaining full PPE wear at all times of work. COVID is quite easy to catch if you are not careful, so don’t forget to always wash your hands! Please, please scrub away. Having actually caught COVID before it was properly noticed in my hospital was scary. The fact that it was so unknown to many people and there is no vaccine or definitive treatment, made it even worse.

Oh no! So sorry to hear that you contracted COVID. How did you manage through it all?

When I first caught COVID, it felt like any other flu to me. I felt extremely tired, and just wanted to sleep the whole day. I had spiked a temperature whilst on my ward round and was promptly sent home to isolate.

The process of recovery was just like any other flu.

Staying home, drinking enough fluids, eating well, and getting plenty of rest. I remember losing my sense of smell on day 4. I couldn’t smell or taste my coffee! Walking around got me short of breath, then again I do have asthma. I think the most important thing during the whole recovery period is to let your body rest, making sure you are adequately hydrated, taking paracetamol for any temperature spikes, and eating well! Unless you have an extensive range of underlying medical issues, then the recovery period should be just like any other flu.

I had friends and family ringing me everyday to see if I was fine. However actually isolating with COVID and making it through wasn’t as bad as I thought.

It definitely isn’t something to take lightly, especially if you have multiple health issues to start with.

Working with a supportive team, having good friends and family around eases the mental stress that comes along with it - running the daily risk of you catching this virus and treating patients diagnosed with it.

With everything that has been going on, how do you keep connected with your loved ones and stay grounded?

During the lockdown, I kept in touch with friends and family through WhatsApp mainly. It wasn’t hard to keep in touch, especially in today’s day and age.

It was very important for me to be in touch as my family were constantly worried but I always managed to give them daily updates. I was terrified when I first caught COVID but having people you care check-up on you from everywhere in the world was extremely comforting. When I wasn’t isolated, I went back to work normally. For me, I didn’t really feel the impact of lockdown as I saw my colleagues at the hospital everyday so that was a plus!

One of the advice we’ve kept hearing during lockdown is to stay healthy and well. We found out that you have been featured in an article about your weight loss journey. That’s incredible, tell us more.

Anyone who knew me from KLASS knows I was a big kid and I never enjoyed being a big guy. Losing weight was always on my to-do list, but having the thought of doing something and actually carrying out the whole process were two different things.

One day, I decided not to over complicate things and just start to eat less of what I have been normally eating. Over time I got myself into the gym, studied about different diets and ways of approaching weight loss. I have to say, the actual exercise is such a small part of it. It’s a mental battle more than anything.

Consistency and not giving up really paid off in the long run.

Has your experience during your time at Alice Smith helped shape who you are today?

Alice Smith really made me come out of my shell.

I wasn’t as social before joining. I’ve made lifelong friends from there who I keep in touch with till this day. One trait I got from KLASS was to never shy away and stay in my comfort zone. Always to be outside that zone, because that’s when the most amazing changes occur.

Thank you so much for sharing your stories. Lastly, your best advice during this difficult times?

During these tough times, my advice is to be safe, wash your hands and keep your distance. Eventually, all of this will slowly be a thing of the past. It’s definitely not a permanent situation. Don’t get lazy during this period. When COVID blows over, you want to look like Hercules! So keep active during this period. Keep in touch with loved ones, check in on them. Some of our grandparents and parents might be stuck at home, so give them a ring and see how they are doing. As long as you all remember that this is new to everyone, it’s not everyday a pandemic starts. It’s started and it will slowly pass.

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IN LIVING COLOUR

Stories by alumni for alumni “The moment you inject information, education, and an entrepreneurial spark in a community, it gets empowered enough to inspire, build, and uplift itself.� ~ Sharad Vivek Sagar ~

Committing to creating a social impact for community and the environment Contributed by

Suzanne Mooney Former Parent Alumni 2014 - 2018

Tunku Danny Mudzaffar Alumnus 1985 - 1990

Andrew Barraclough Alumnus 2005 - 2019

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IMPACT MAKERS light to sell the towels in school, and the connections through parents of classmates, we would have found it very difficult to gain the necessary traction. In essence, The Lost Food Project is a product of Alice Smith.

Could you share with us how the journey of TLFP started, your advocacy work and how this initiative has been transformative for the community.

TLFP has a multi-prong approach to sustainability. We do this by rescuing top quality foods and non-food essentials. In essence this means we have collected over 4.5 million meals worth of food from wholesalers, manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries, before these products are sent to landfill. Redistributing these goods to the neediest makes sense on so many levels. It’s quite difficult to comprehend, a significant percentage of good quality ‘in date’ products in most countries still end up in landfill causing both economic and environmental problems.

Suzanne Mooney

Former Parent Alumni 2014 - 2018 Founder of The Lost Food Project (TLFP)

Suzanne founded The Lost Food Project (TLFP) which rescues quality, nutritious food that would otherwise end up in the landfill, and redistributes this food and other essential items to those who need it most.

Hello Suzanne. You’ve left quite a legacy here! Where did you hear about Alice Smith and how did your charitable work come about?

I arrived in KL in January 2014. As we had been living in Geneva, we considered putting our three children into the French school, but a mutual friend (a Chief Inspector of International Schools) advised us to look no further than Alice Smith. From the first day we loved the warm, engaging culture of the school.

I was asked to become a class representative, which was a great way to meet new friends. As a trailing spouse, it wasn’t easy to find employment because of visa restrictions. I have always worked (most recently as a BBC journalist and with the United Nations) so I knew I would like to continue working in some capacity, even if it was not a paid employment.

I soon came to understand the potential pool of untapped talent of wives who were not able to work. So with help from a small group of friends (all Alice Smith parents), I started two charity projects; The Lost Towel Project and The Lost Food Project. I cannot stress how important Alice Smith has been in the evolution of our NGO. Without Alison Nadarajah giving us the green

However equally as important is the need to bring about societal change. We have done this through educational programmes in schools and universities, corporate ‘lunch and learn’ days. We have also worked closely with the government, particularly on the new law brought in last year to reduce food waste. Sharing knowledge and inspiring people to be part of change is key for the success of TLFP as well as creating a sustainable planet.

Throughout this pandemic, TLFP continues serving the needy by working with delivery companies to reach out to those in need.

The last few months have been challenging for everyone in different ways. In terms of our operations we had to react very quickly as so many of our beneficiaries were hugely impacted. At times the MCO logistics became so difficult it was almost impossible to operate, both for the safety of our staff and vulnerable beneficiaries, not to mention the government’s restriction. It would have been much easier to temporarily suspend our operations, but when you hear the tragic circumstances that inevitably hit some of our charities and B40 communities, doing nothing was not an option.

How has TLFP cope with maintaining your operation while also adhering to the Movement Control Order restrictions and regulation?

We decided to continue our operations with a smaller team. We carried our deliveries following strict safety protocols. Of course similar to some of the deserted supermarket shelves we all witnessed at the beginning, many of our surplus supplies also dried up as the global food supply chain went into temporary meltdown. So we had to be very inventive and find alternative food sources, such as restaurants and hotels (who suddenly found they had little or no customers). We also worked with corporates who kindly donated money to pay for food (which is not our usual model).

A message to the alumni community, The human condition is one of resilience. If we focus on positive activities (learn a new language, try to play a new instrument, improve our cooking skills, joining TLFP’s work, etc), we can develop ourselves in new ways, rather than focusing on the isolation and fear of the unknown.

We should never stop learning in life.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in these stories are from the contributors themselves and not in any way expressed by the Alice Smith School. Some stories have been edited from its original content.

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IN LIVING COLOUR business, more so during this pandemic time?

I eventually found myself in financial services, having stints in Hwang-DBS Securities, then becoming a banker at Standard Chartered and BNP Paribas in London and Kuala Lumpur whilst taking a year off between jobs to complete my MBA. But after 15 years as a banker, I wanted to strike out on my own to use all that I learnt in banking into something that would have a social impact.

And so I started a Fintech company called ‘microLEAP’, a P2P (Peer-to-Peer) microfinancing platform. We provide Islamic and Conventional microfinancing, from RM1,000 to RM50,000, for small businesses that many traditional banks won’t finance. And the lenders, who we call P2P Investors, are the ‘crowd’ or the general public.

So for example, a micro entrepreneur in a rural area who needs RM10,000 to renovate her small convenience store to make more money, may be financed by up to 100 people. We provide an alternative financing tool and we are regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia. If any KLASSics readers that want to get into impact investing which provide better returns than fixed deposits, EPF or ASB, do give us a try!

Tunku Danny Mudzaffar Alumnus 1985 - 1990

Current Parent at the Alice Smith School

Hi Tunku Danny. Great to catch up with you. Could you tell us about your background?

Hi, yes. I was an Alice Smith alumni from 1985-1990, having joined the school when I was 8 years old and left when I was 13. It was only a Primary School back then in Jalan Bellamy, but I had a fantastic time which ended with me being House Captain of Scott, a School Monitor, resplendent with the fake, elastic tie that we had to wear, and Captain of the Football team. Some would say that I reached my peak at 13!

I’ll always have fond memories of Alice Smith which led my life to come full circle when my daughter, Tunku Gabriella, joined the school at the end of Reception in 2018. I made sure she was in Scott before signing any papers of course! Alice Smith, plus the extra tuition I had with Mr. Davies, our Science teacher, set me up for boarding school in England at the King’s School, Canterbury. This was followed by a degree from the University of Nottingham and finally my MBA from the Nottingham University Business School.

How wonderful to hear that you are continuing the legacy of Alice Smith in the family, and now with your daughter in school.

True, my time at Alice Smith gave me the building blocks to prepare for secondary school and university life previously.

We read recently that you started a new venture in micro financing, and interestingly at this very turbulent time. What has made you decide to set up a new

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We went live in October 2019 and COVID-19 happened just after we started out didn’t help and it forced us to be a bit more selective in who we host on our platform.

We looked at small businesses that had some sort of online presence or e-commerce angle, e.g. selling banana fritters online, as the ones that we push to host on our platform.

The Edge Malaysia Weekly on September 5th last year reported in an article that 90% of Malaysian SMEs or 94% of micro-enterprises are in the services sector with high probability that majority of these firms are engaged in traditional services that are usually low value-added, low-productivity services. How does your business help these microenterprises stay afloat during this challenging time?

There is an RM80billion funding gap for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in Malaysia. And this is more acutely felt in the micro-enterprises that microLEAP is trying to assist. Though we want to assist as many businesses as possible due to COVID-19, I also have to take care of my P2P Investors (the crowd / lenders). The last thing that I want to do is to finance a business that goes under in two months’ time. So we look at viable micro-enterprises that have sufficient cash flow to cover their financing and we are more keen on those that have pivoted online.

What advice would you give our alumni whose businesses could be in the same predicament?

COVID-19 is unprecedented. During lockdown, people were forced to not go to work and forced not to go to shops to spend money. So I think that once restrictions are lifted and borders open there will be a V-shaped recovery as all this pent-up spending comes into play.

My advice is that if you can, use digital or e-commerce as another distribution channel, hang-in there and wait for the V-shaped recovery to kick in.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in these stories are from the contributors themselves and not in any way expressed by the Alice Smith School. Some stories have been edited from its original content.

IMPACT MAKERS Pole dancing! How exciting. And on that awkward note of getting hit by a car in 2018… that accident almost took your life, it must have been harrowing.

Truthfully, I can’t remember much about that night. I was driving home on a rainy evening and my bike broke down which made me stop. Then I called my dad to pick me up but beyond that, nothing. By the time he arrived, I’d already been hit so we don’t know exactly what happened but fortunately, an ambulance was en route and people were redirecting traffic around me.

I was operated on for 13 hours just to get me stable but because of the accident.

I suffered a traumatic brain injury, and we were told that it could last indefinitely. I was fortunate enough to recover from it in time for me to join the year trip to Sumatra, but after that, I returned to hospital to get a tracheostomy because my airway had significantly shrunk. Overall, these events led to me delaying my pursuit of higher education by a year so I could fully recover. However I believe that that was the best decision for me.

Andrew Barraclough Alumnus 2005 - 2019

Hello Andrew. We usually start our chats by asking our alumni to share their Alice Smith history and you have had quite an interesting one...

I actually try to avoid this question when meeting someone new! Because when it’s inevitably asked, it’s slightly awkward and will lead up to me saying “I got hit by a car in 2018... “ but hey. I was a student at Alice Smith from Reception to my special “Year 14”. Outside of school, I’m best known for my love of motorcycles (which often gets me in trouble as lots of teachers know) and pole dancing which I started in 2016.

We last saw you during graduation. What an experience that must have been, but look at you today going back on your feet and studying to become a Software Engineer. It’s amazing to see your perseverance! What keeps you motivated?

I’m a goal-driven person, that’s what keeps me going. Before the accident, I had a lot of goals about graduating but the accident derailed that and that’s one of the best things to come from it; it taught me to be flexible in my pursuit of goals. When I first got back into the activities that I loved, I found myself struggling and then beating myself up for it because I was still holding myself to my old standards. My parents noticed this and it was only when we talked that we identified the issue and I started adjusting my goals to take into account my new circumstances with their help.

Did any experience in Alice Smith help you through this difficult experience?

The sense of community and compassion that was shown to me was the biggest thing that helped me get through that experience. There are too many examples for me to list but I would like to say a special thank you to the pastoral team for their understanding in my decision to repeat the year, Kiran Jonathan for going above and beyond what a friend should do, Raka Gunarto and Isabelle Lindsey for helping me adjust socially, and all of the teachers that checked on me throughout the year.

What advice would you give your fellow alumni who may be struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel?

The world is a wild place, and 2020 is a perfect example of that, but instead of focusing on the negatives or the things you can’t control, choose to instead focus internally and realign yourself with your goals (with these new circumstances in mind) and you will come out of this stronger but most importantly, be kind to yourself.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in these stories are from the contributors themselves and not in any way expressed by the Alice Smith School. Some stories have been edited from its original content.

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FLASHLIGHT

KLASSics Virtual Alumni Get-togethers It was another milestone for KLASSics as we organised the first ever virtual alumni get-togethers in August!

We had a multitude of KLASSics alumni joining us across different time zones, as early as 6.00am in the United States to late evening at 7pm down under in Australia and of course from our own homes in Malaysia.

There were many great stories shared, from their favourite teachers to sharing memorabilia and even reminiscing the ice-cream man who was well remembered by most older alumni. A special thank you to everyone who have made time to join us. You have made this virtual event possible!

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KLASSics NEWS

Congratulations

Caroline Russell on being among the top 25 outstanding women to be selected in the Forbes 2020 Asia’s Power Businesswomen list!

Caroline Russell (KLASS of 1974), the third generation to lead Malaysia’s largest tea producer by output, Boh Plantations Sdn Bhd, has made into Forbes’ 2020 Asia’s Power Businesswomen list. Caroline currently leads Malaysia’s largest tea producer, the historic Boh Plantations Sdn Bhd. Taking the helm as Chief Executive Officer in 2003, Caroline has expanded Boh’s range of teas and international sales and was named Executive Chairman after her father retired last year.

Boh Plantations was founded by her grandfather in 1929. The list spotlights 25 outstanding female leaders in the Asia-Pacific region. The family-owned business has four plantations spread over 1,200 hectares that annually produce about 4.5 million kilogrammes of tea - about 70 percent of Malaysia’s tea output.

Excerpt taken from The Malay Mail’s article written on Tuesday, 15th September 2020.

Picture courtesy of New Straits Times • BohTeaMalaysia

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KLASSics NEWS

Talented siblings take the stage!

Badrika and Badrish Bahadur are famously known among their peers as natural performers! Their energy and passion for music and theatre is amazing!

Have you seen Sepet the Musical? The musical adaptation of Yasmin Ahmad’s beloved film Sepet was a hit as they sold out tickets for their three week production! Our very own alumna, Badrika Bahadur (KLASS 2014 - 2017) was one of the main leads in the Liver and Lung Productions of Sepet the Musical. Her performance together with the rest of the cast was incredible!

Sepet: The Musical is based on the 2005 film that follows the blossoming romance between Jason (Joshua Gui), a Chinese DVD seller with a knack for poetry, and Orked (Badrika Bahadur), a Malay schoolgirl who loves Takeshi Kaneshiro and John Woo films.

Badrish (KLASS 2014 - 2019) on the other hand, is starring in BOH Cameronian winner, Liver & Lung, brandnew musical inspired by Hanya Yanigahara’s best-selling novel, A Little Life, as an immersive musical for Malaysian audiences. He will be playing the younger Jude in Jude St Francis in Songs Inspired by A Little Life.

This amazing sibling duo is set to take Malaysia’s musical production scene by storm! Follow the Liver & Lung Productions social media pages to keep a lookout for tickets to their next performances! https://www.facebook.com/liverandlung/

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KLASSics NEWS

Lauren Purchase signs for Aston Villa Academy!

It’s been a baptism of fire for Lauren Purchase (KLASS 2013 - 2019) as she enters the world of top tier football; having successfully trialed for well-respected Birmingham City Football Club; Lauren made a last-minute pre-season decision to sign for Championship winners and newly promoted to the Women’s Super League (WSL), Aston Villa, and has now taken up a much sought after Academy position in July 2020.

Lauren, who was our Year 11 student in 2019 and a five times capped Wales squad player, has returned to the UK in the summer of 2020 to take up this Academy squad place.

A fantastic achievement!

Lauren, notwithstanding COVID disruption, managed to impress the coaching team in her successful 2019 trials such that they tracked her progress, including contributions to Wales’s successful UEFA cup qualification in Spring 2020.

Lauren said “I’m delighted, what an honour, the history and presence of ‘The Villa’ coupled with the squad playing a fast, aggressive, thoughtful and precise form of football; I’m so looking forward to playing the UK northern WSL league including opposition such as Man Utd, Man City, Everton.”

Aston Villa’s “top tier facilities” include newly invested in gyms, indoor and outdoor pitches, specialist training zones, nutritionists, all of which is available to the Academy Squad.

Lauren will join one other Welsh capped player as well as 18 other hand picked players, from the grass roots of Aston Villa and other clubs from across England and Wales.

She will undertake her A Levels at the well-respected Bishops Walsh Catholic Sixth Form, some 15 minutes from Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground where she will split her time 50-50.

Lauren went on to say; “The coaches at Villa have such tremendous vision and the skills and resources to back it up; it’s such an opportunity it would be madness not to snap it up and give it 100%; plus the chance to integrate play with Aston Villa’s first Team once a week is also so exciting, what a challenge!”

Lauren has been playing for the school U19 SEASAC Football team since she was 12 years old and has represented the school in multiple sports since she was in the primary school at Jalan Bellamy. “I would like to thank Alice Smith for providing me with some special periods of education provision to help accommodate my international fixtures for Wales and some focused coaching which has certainly helped me along the way to achieve these results.”

Congratulations and good luck Lauren! We look forward to following your progress.

(Article taken from the KLASS Blog)

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KLASS NEWS

Virtual Graduation of KLASS 2020!

“Yet through all that, you all have something better to remember 2020, because 2020 was the year you conquered!”

~

Bradley Lewis (KLASS of 2006 - 2020)

Ninety Year 13 students at Alice Smith, like so many of their peers worldwide, were unable to fulfill their dream of walking up on stage in front of their family and friends to receive their well deserved graduation certificates.

However, that did not deter our Year 13’s from feeling a sense of accomplishment for all their hard work and achievements at KLASS. Due to the pandemic, the school organised a virtual graduation ceremony.

As Bradley Lewis, Head Student said, “To the parents and the students and to the members of the incredible KLASS of 2020, we made it!”

The virtual graduation took place on 30th June 2020 at 4pm via zoom which was viewed by the graduating students, their families, and the KLASS community. We had our very own alumna YAM Tengku Zatashah Sultan Sharaffudin Idris Shah (KLASS of 1978 - 1983) join us, delivering a very inspiring commencement speech to the graduates. She inspired them with her higher education journey and shared with them that they should “ ...always listen to your heart, do what you are passionate about. Do what you love and love what you do.”

Teachers and faculty members also shared their well wishes to the students who they have seen grow and achieve so much through the years. The event was made more special as the community had the opportunity to hear an amazing virtual performance by the graduates themselves! It was a very eventful and meaningful experience as we got together as a whole community to celebrate the achievements of our graduates and wish them all the best in their next steps.

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KLASS NEWS

Congratulations to our Head Students!

We are delighted to announce KLASS’s new Head Student Team. Congratulations to Anette, James, Noah and Soraya, who have been elected by the students and staff of Alice Smith to become the Head Students for the academic year 2020 - 2021.

Anette Heinonen Years at KLASS: Course after graduation:

5 years Biological Sciences

“I look forward to helping shine light to the importance of every step that leads to the anticipated outcome of both the individual and the community.”

James Chong Years at KLASS: Course after graduation:

14 years Business and Computing

“I hope to promote a safe environment for people to explore their passions and collaborate with each other to pursue innovation.”

Noah Shine Years at KLASS: Course after graduation:

14 years BA (Hons) Primary Education with Qualified Teaching Status

“I want to encourage people to not just go through life, but to grow through it.”

Soraya Farid Years at KLASS: Course after graduation:

14 years Economics and Politics

“I hope to support and give equal importance to every student to help imbue a sense of belonging and highlight the true meaning of school pride.”

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NOSTALGIA

Recollection of KLASS and Me At Alice Smith, staff are one of the important pillars of our school community.

Our staff go the extra mile to enhance and enrich the lives and learning of our students. Each staff demonstrates a strong commitment to the wellbeing of our students and shows support towards the development of the school.

How do you keep yourself inspired with teaching throughout these years?

The inspiration for me has always been about how rewarding it feels to know that you’ve helped someone else to grow, whether that be through the classroom, on the football pitch or in emotional intelligence. I want to help enrich the lives of other people. In essence, that is what drew me to Alice Smith, the idea of the enrichment I would gain, the understanding and experiences through the exposure to so many different nationalities, cultures and religions.

Russell Moore

Former staff and parent KLASS 2009 - 2020 It’s sad not to see your friendly face around campus this term! Take us down memory lane, your first step in Malaysia and your next destination from here.

I first arrived in August 2009 with my wife and 4 suitcases. Previously I taught for 7 years in my home city of Nottingham in the UK. The plan was to spend 2 years in Malaysia, 2 years somewhere else then go back to the UK to start a family, and 11 years later... we’re leaving with 2 children, 50 boxes and 10 suitcases, I guess our plans were flexible! I have so many wonderful memories of my time at KLASS. The Alice Smith community has been amazing, both as a teacher/football coach and in the last 3 years as a parent when my eldest son started at Primary Campus in Jalan Bellamy. Though for me the 2 areas that have been the standout and are the most memorable were the annual MAD show and coaching Football. Eventually when visas are being issued again, I’ll be heading off to teach in Chicago, USA, but for the short term I’ll be heading back to the UK.

Can you share with us your classroom moments in these last few months? The current pandemic certainly presented an unprecedented experience both in teaching and learning for our students.

It’s been tough for everyone not being together these last few months, and I feel sad especially for those who are graduating or leaving KLASS that have been robbed of all those last moments and goodbyes. However, I have been amazed by the resilience of our student body in dealing with all this change, and I have seen some truly outstanding creative and imaginative tasks being completed throughout all key stages!

What would the students be surprised to find out about you?

It certainly wouldn’t be that I love Lego. I talk about it all the time!

I haven’t told many student’s that according to our family tree, on one side my roots supposedly go back to Norwegian royalty in the Viking times prior to moving to Ireland and then England. I like to think it’s true! Haha!

You’ve won the lottery! Maybe not today, but if you did what would you do?!

Buy or start a football club for sure! I’d love to be a chairman if I had the money! I’d have to be the owner and manager though! I’d also probably buy a huge house and fill it with Lego!

Ever wondered how it’d be teaching another colleague’s class? Tell us who and share with us why!

Wow this is tough. There are many, but if I had to pick one, I’d choose a History class with Mr Rob Kimura-Davies. I’ve always enjoyed listening to him, and enjoy history too, so I think it would be fun and enjoyable!

I almost studied archaeology before deciding upon Design.

If you would like to stay in touch with Mr Moore, reach out to the KLASSics team! Email us at klassics@alice-smith.edu.my

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ENGAGE

#KLASSICSTHROWBACKTHURSDAY Check out this old but gold photos that carry significant memories of your time at the Alice Smith School. Watch out for more old but gold photos on our Facebook page every other Thursday under our #KLASSicsThrowbackThursdays.

Teachers participating in Sports Day in the 1960s

Sports in the 1970s From (L-R): Siew Chin, Carole Comerford and Katie Deerhorne

Alice Smith School, Prep 3, 1973 (Photo courtesy of Gary Walker) From (L-R): Annudin Noordin, Gary Walker, Christine Taylor, Leslie, Johnny Chang, Steven Brady and Mrs. Yong

Sports Day in the 1990s From (L-R): Natasha Brown, Simone Jayde, Jacob Williams and Peter

While they wait for you kiddos! (1990) From (L-R): Former parents: Sue Fairclough, Sue Bennett and Sara Mabey

Canteen Day 1998 - 1999 From (L-R): Sarah Sokol, Bei Jeen and Ciara Sharpe

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ENGAGE

Christmas Carols at St Mary’s Church in the 1980s From (L-R): Oisin Tubridy, Mrs Patricia Lee and Mary Mulqueen

The lovely staff and former parents all dolled up for the school’s Deepavali celebrations in the 2000s

1990s Prom!

From L-R: Lena Fricker, Sara Khan, Ms Muttiah, Syamila Bakar, Mr. Wike, Lee Ann Chew and Ms Early

Girl Squad! The softball team in 2019

KLASS 60th Anniversary week activities with Steve Caulfield, Martin Bignell, Alex Yoong, Caroline Bignell, Jane Chong and John Smurthwaite

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THIS IS NOT THE END

THIS IS NOT THE END

Bidding Farewell to our Leaving Families virtually Another one of our KLASSics events went virtual! Our termly Farewell Appreciation Evening was held virtually in end June. A number of leaving parents and students joined this virtual event and the evening turned out to be a very memorable one. Many leaving students shared their most cherished moments in school and thanked the teachers for all they do for them. Clad in their school sports colours, many students brought along some school memorabilia to share with us. It was lovely to hear how much these students and families enjoyed their time at the Alice Smith School. Bon Voyage and stay connected!

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CONNECT

KLASSics REUNITE!

An Alice Smith reunion during lockdown, attended by our former teachers from Australia, UK, China, Singapore and Belgium! (Picture courtesy of Gill Morgan, former staff, 2000 - 2008)

A birthday celebration and mini KLASS reunion of KLASS of 2016!

From (L-R): Maria Lake, Jade Husson, Hyeinn Cecilia Roh, Nina Hay and Lena Fricker

Meeting up of our former teachers in the UK From left: Kate Fuller and Dean Evans

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#GIVINGNEWS

Lore Declercq and NUV HOP made a difference!

By Lore Declercq (KLASS 2008 - 2011) Back in 2019, alumna Lore Declercq was given an opportunity to work with the Northern Uganda Village Health Outreach Project (NUV-HOP). In support of NUV-HOP, the Alice Smith School contributed ¤200 to help improve the local health care by providing medication and educating the local communities in and around Gulu. Recently, KLASSics reconnected with Lore to find out the development of the outreach programme and the impact they had made.

After having spent an entire year organising fundraisers together with my fellow NUV HOP participants, I boarded a plane to Entebbe, Uganda early August 2019. After an 8 hour flight and a 10 hour drive to Gulu, I finally arrived at my host family who had been waiting eagerly to welcome me into their home. Mama Susan hugged me just as tightly as my mum back home did saying goodbye at the airport. She lifted my 20kg suitcase onto her head and carried it inside. Although past 10pm, a delicious 5 dish meal was waiting for me and I had my first dinner with the other family members. I couldn’t have imagined a warmer welcome.

The next four weeks were filled with outreaches and health talks in small, remote villages around Gulu.

Upon arrival by bus, the first patients were often waiting outside already. During the outreaches, patients received a free consultation with a local doctor and if necessary a lab test and the adequate medication. As a result of the organised efforts of not only the Belgian team but also the Ugandan team and the team from Manchester, we managed to help up to 1200 patients a day this year. It is the organisation and medication of these outreaches for which the bulk of the money raised was used.

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#GIVINGNEWS What I found most shocking is that as the end of the outreach approaches, simply because the sun sets and there is not enough light to continue, the medication stock grew smaller and smaller. At a certain point, we have to decide who we give for example the remaining pain killers to and who gets left behind in order to make sure our resources are best put to use during these final hours. As the end draws nearer, we have often had to deny the basic care of pain reduction to children above the age of 12 for example, simply because we didn’t have enough supplies. It is very hard to predict how many people will show up at each outreach but we try our best to make sure the doctors see everyone who showed up and try to allocate the medication correctly. However, what really hit me is that every extra euro raised could have been that one extra pain killer for that child who is denied the pill because we have to give it to the younger kid next in line. With this in mind, I grew more passionate about the fundraising aspect of the project for next year. What is considered the least fun part turned into the part I was really committed to: raising absolutely as much money as possible so that we could give everyone the necessary medication next year, even at the end of the day. I managed to raise quite a bit more for 2020 but unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the project couldn’t go through. The money raised will be put to use in summer 2021.

Another aspect of the programme is the health talks. When no outreach was planned, we would go to small villages for interactive health related games and quizzes. Topics range from how to prevent, recognise and treat common diseases such as hepatitis B, malaria, peptic ulcers, to mental health and sexual education. The audience was often very enthusiastic. At the end of each health talk, there’s an opportunity to share ideas concerning other topics that we could focus on next year and which topics they feel they already have enough knowledge about and could be left out.

These four weeks have been an experience I will forever cherish. Personally, because of the bond made with my host family and the realisation that to eat the same food and sleep in the same bed as this country’s own population is an opportunity. I won’t likely to come across this again anytime soon.

Professionally, because it is the first hands-on experience I’ve had since the day I started medschool.

The memory of how appreciated I was by the patients and the feeling of reward after an outreach are what will get me through the rest of my journey. Although incredibly grateful for having been a part of NUV HOP, I definitely acknowledge the weaknesses of the project as well. Without denying that there are literally lives saved during an outreach, it is also true that we are merely treating symptoms without tackling its cause. A lot more efforts and funds need to go to prevention of these common diseases such as the provision of malaria nets to all citizens or the organisation of vaccination schemes for hepatitis B for example. As a small organisation, this possesses great challenge without the help of the Ugandan government but hopefully somebody up in the higher rankings is picking up the message we hope to be sending.

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#GIVINGNEWS

Foundation Tertiary Study Grant The dream of a Malaysian student to pursue Chemical Engineering tertiary studies in the elite Pembroke College, University of Cambridge is now possible! Zhi Yan Lee, an Alice Smith scholar is the first proud recipient of the Alice Smith School Foundation Tertiary Study Grant.

“It was our great hope that our Foundation would be able to help fund the university fees for our scholars going on to be offered places at prestigious universities. We are delighted to be in this position in under two years. Zhi Yan is such a well deserving candidate to be the first recipient of the grant. We hope there are many more to follow him. This will only be possible because of the generosity of donors who contribute to the Foundation. Thank you to our donors for making this happen!” shared Tun Zaki, Chair of the Foundation and Marama Schnitker, Chair of the Council of Governors.

Feeling thrilled and surprised, Zhi Yan said “My next important journey in life wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the generous donations that have helped me to pursue my dreams. I’m truly humbled to be the first recipient of the Alice Smith School Foundation Tertiary Study Grant! I’m really grateful for the giving.”

Zhi Yan, together with his brother Zhi Wei Lee who is now in his third year of studying Mathematics at the renowned University of Oxford, have created history in the Alice Smith School as two siblings receiving Sixth Form scholarships and then going on to be admitted into Oxbridge.Thank you to the generosity of our donors, who have made our scholar’s dream came true.

Scan here for his story

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#GIVINGNEWS

When Will My Next Meal Be? Ever wonder when will your next meal be? Food is a basic human necessity, yet some are deprived of it. With the impact of COVID-19 still strongly felt in all walks of lives, during these unsettling times the livelihood of many people are affected, especially the B40 group. The B40 community comprises of Malaysian citizens in the bottom 40% household income range, also known as the B40 group.

No one should go hungry!

“It was tough for us, we didn’t have electricity and we owed nearly RM14k in back rent. My late husband and child had no food. If we get RM20 today then all of it went to food. Life is tough.”

- Kokilavathy, single mother and Kechara client “I’m blind since birth, anything I do I will need the help from other people. I’m jobless now and it’s hard but there are people who helped, and one of them is Kechara. They helped us by providing food provision.”

- Jamila, handicapped single mother of 4 and Kechara client

Did You Know...

+71 Million

people are pushed into

Extreme Poverty in 2020

50% Half of all people living in

poverty are under 18

Southern Asia is expected to see the largest increases in extreme poverty, with an additional 32 million people living below the international poverty line as a result of the pandemic.

1 out of 5 children live in extreme poverty, and the negative effects of poverty and deprivation in the early years have ramifications that can last a lifetime.

Source: UN Sustainable Development Goal 1 - No Poverty

Hunger knows no barrier Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) has come a long way since it was registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in 2008. The NGO was established by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche who was determined to ensure that no one would go hungry as he did in his youth.

As Kechara Soup Kitchen is growing in Malaysia, they don’t just plan to feed the homeless but also plan to curb homelessness even before it happens In 2012, KSK expanded to set up the Kechara Food Bank.

After more than a decade, KSK has grown into a well-known food distribution network that also offers various types of assistance – from feeding the less privileged to setting up mobile clinics and food banks, upskilling and training single mothers for job placements and providing shelter for the elderly. They distribute food to the poor, regardless of skin colour and creed, hence KSK’s tagline - hunger knows no barrier.

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Our alumni Tengku Zatashah and Julian Lim volunteered at Kechara

#GIVINGNEWS

Build Kindness with the Alice Smith School Foundation and Kechara Food Bank To support those in need and encourage giving among the community through its Foundation, the Alice Smith School donated RM 20,000 to Kechara Soup Kitchen in support of the Kechara Food Bank Programme. On 5th November 2020, the school’s Foundation will continue supporting KSK by launching the Build Kindness campaign, which aims to raise awareness and support the Kechara Food Bank.

YAM Tengku Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, board member of the Foundation and active volunteer of Kechara, was present to hand over the donation. She said “This is our way of giving back to the community in need especially during this difficult pandemic era. The RM 20,000 donation will help support 100 families with the RM 200 food pack that will help to sustain the family for a month.”

Kechara Soup Kitchen Operations Director Justin Cheah said, “Passion without financial sustainability is an issue with NGOs. We aspire to grow our current setup to a more established food bank with a more efficient system and infrastructure to better serve our clients in need. The more lives we are able to touch, the more fulfilling our mission will be.”

Tengku Zatashah added “Being an educational institution, we are also very keen to support the Kechara Empowerment Programme to help develop the skill sets and entrepreneurship of the single mothers, to help them build a sustainable livelihood.” She expressed her gratefulness for this collaboration and looked forward to the Foundation and Kechara working together for the betterment of the community.

Kechara President Henry Ooi, expressed his gratitude and welcomed parents, students and staff of the school to become Kechara volunteers.

Help our mission to eradicate poverty and stop hunger Every year about one third of the food produced, which is equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes or equivalent value of 1 trillion dollars is wasted. Poverty continues to be on the rise, much so in the aftermath of the pandemic. It is important that in the sustainability work done by the Foundation, we continue to advocate our values in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. There still more work to be done if we are to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 1 of No Poverty and Goal 2 Zero Hunger. Help us in our mission to enrich and elevate the lives of the disadvantaged in our community.

Stay tuned to our Giving website at http://www.alice-smith.edu.my/contribute for future updates on this project.

The spirit of generosity, giving and unity must continue to bind us together like never before.

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#GIVINGNEWS

The Remarkable Green Report Human life depends on the Earth as much as the ocean for our sustenance and livelihoods. Plant life provides 80 percent of the human diet, and we rely on agriculture as an important economic resources.

Forests cover 30 percent of the Earth’s surface, provide vital habitats for millions of species, and important sources for clean air and water, as well as being crucial for combating climate change.* Source: UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 - Life On Earth

Setting the scene green Our year long green project - the #BeRemarkable Sustainability Campaign launched late last year focused on developing Remarkable Ideas and Remarkable People to support the four pillars of the school’s sustainability journey - our School as a role model, curriculum content, student actions and community collaboration. The campaign was structured based on three main channels, Learn Sustainability, Talk Sustainability and Do Sustainability.

Making green our priority Since its launch on 2nd November 2019 at the Eco-Community Day, the campaign has made significant headways throughout the school’s learning structure and enhancing the quality of our environment.

A holistic structure was developed involving the Council of Governors, senior management, sustainable partners, parents, students, alumni and external stakeholders to enable effective execution, tracking and monitoring at all levels. Four sustainability focused clubs are established with Secondary Eco-Prefects appointed. Eco-committee composed of parents and alumni volunteers were recruited. This holistic structure enables effective execution of the school’s sustainability initiatives at all levels.

Environmental stewardship is one of the Council of Governors’ priorities for this academic year. Dedicated communication platforms were developed for continuous engagement. Funds were raised to support the sustainability initiatives and the Foundation’s community area of funding with The Green Thumb Project.

It provides an opportunity for our community to make an impact in the environment by contributing towards three great sustainability programmes from November 2019 to October 2020 in support of the Foundation’s annual giving.

You have been remarkable!

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#GIVINGNEWS With the contribution made by our supportive donors, a total of RM81,900 was raised from the following programmes and in support of the following SDGs: The Give Life, Adopt-a-Tree programme: 100% of the plants are fully adopted at the Primary Campus, Jalan Bellamy and 75% at the Secondary Campus, Equine Park. Our generous community has adopted 373 plants on campus as of February 2020. Approximately 744 matured trees are needed just to offset 1 year’s worth of impact*. Clearly, we have more work to do. If you are interested to further help support this campaign, we still have 25% of plants that are waiting to be adopted at the Secondary Campus.

Special appreciation goes to the Free Tree Society, for providing us with the advice and guidance as well as becoming our first contributor to the Give Life programme.

Source: https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/planting-trees-offsets-carbon

Clean Energy-Solar Panel programme: Funds raised goes to supporting the clean energy initiative with the installation of solar panels in school. The 210 units of solar panels on the rooftop of our Indoor Sport Hall at the Secondary Campus produce an average solar energy production of 7,000 kwh per month. The projected average electrical usage is equivalent to a savings of up to RM3,000 of consumption per month.

Investing in clean power, expanding our green infrastructure provides a clean and more efficient energy consumption on campus.

Learn Sustainability Library: Funds are raised to build a Sustainability Book Corner at the Primary Campus and towards the purchase of books, eBooks and eAudio-books for the Secondary Campus library. This project will help educate and enrich our community, to encourage their own sustainable journey at home and in turn contribute towards achieving sustainability goals for the environment.

Follow us on our next journey The next phase of our sustainability drive is to focus on impactful projects that are in place with external partners: •

•

Inter-school Community Project with SMK Seri Kembangan - A community project with a nearby local government secondary school to share resources and best practises on sustainability.

Recycling Projects - in partnership with Kloth Cares (fabric recycling) and ERTH (e-waste recycling) to create awareness on fabric recycling and electronic waste disposal. Ongoing recycling drive is held.

Collected 700.4kg fabric waste and 350kg electronic waste.

How can you help? We would like to encourage contributions to adopt the remaining green lives on campus and support us on our journey of environmental stewardship. This meaningful campaign wouldn’t have been possible to launch without the support of our Remarkable Partners:

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KLASSBOARD

Congratulations!

Michelle Campbell ♥ Grant Pengilly Alumna 1998 - 2001 31st August 2019

Niall Walsh ♥ Hazel Barnard Alumnus 1998 - 2008 25th December 2019

Engagements Niall Hanrahan ♥ Iman Denney-Brown Alumna 1995 - 2008

26th March 2020

David McMorrine ♥ Christina Brandtore Alumnus 1998 - 2001

28th June 2020

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Eva Bacquet ♥ Ollie Elliott Alumna 1991 - 1997 19th September 2020

KLASSBOARD

Weddings

Pat O’Neill ♥ Yasmin Idriss Alumna 1982 - 1985

Ed Gethin ♥ Fiona Reuter Alumna 1989 - 1992

6th June 2020

5th September 2020

John Moran ♥ Alumna Lexi1999 Davey - 2010

Eliza Moncrieff ♥ Louis Middleton Alumnus 2009 - 2014

12th September 2020

19th September 2020

Congratulations!

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KLASSBOARD

Births

Zaki Suhaimi and Ivanna Salehudin Alumnus 1986 - 1994

Chris Thistlewaite and Sophie Miranda Alumnus 1999 - 2003

Welcomed their daughter Zalia Izabella Suhaimi on 10th February 2020

Welcomed their son Frederick Ernest Thistlethwaite on 10th February 2020

Alex Holmes and Moira Rogers

Marissa and Ryan Boden Alumnus 1995- 2004

Welcomed their daughter Philippa Anne Victoria Holmes on 3rd March 2020

Welcomed their daughter Francesca (Frankie) Andrea Boden Rocchiccioli on 5th May 2020

Izza Kader and Izrul Zakaria

Mark Fatialofa and Florence Davy Alumna 1999 - 2002

Welcomed their son Awbi Muarrifi Izrul on 19th June 2020

Welcomed their son Suniula Davy Alan Fatialofa on 23rd August 2020

Alumnus 1980 - 1983

Alumna 2001 -2004

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KLASSified

KLASSICS BUDDY PROGRAMME Are you interested in mentoring or being mentored?

We are excited to share that we have launched a new project, the KLASSics Buddy Programme.

The KLASSics Buddy is an alumni mentoring programme that is designed to create mentorship opportunities for our current Sixth Form students and our young alumni.

The mentor-mentee relationship will have a profound influence on the students’ personal growth, academic achievement, career development as well as life values.

A mentor is a guide, friend and resource who shares their education and professional experiences to help pave the way for our students and alumni to achieve their educational and career aspirations. If you would like to be apart of the programme please contact us at klassics@alice-smith.edu.my.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

BY ALUMNI We have had a number of alumni come back to school to share their journey of higher education, employment, career and paths not taken. These sessions are facilitated by our Higher Education team. If you would like to contribute to the programme, please email highered@alice-smith.edu.my.

HELP US FIND OUR GOLDEN ALUMNI We would like to seek your help in finding those missing alumni from our records! KLASSics is actively in search for alumni who have attended the Alice Smith School from the late 1940s up to early 1980s. If you know of friends, family members, colleagues or neighbours who have attended Alice Smith during your time, we’d very much like to hear from them and find out what they’ve been up to since leaving the school.

Please encourage them to get in touch with us through our email at klassics@alice-smith.edu.my.

Thank you to those who have reached out to us, do keep us updated!

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Primary Campus No. 2 Jalan Bellamy, 50460 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Tel +603 2148 3674 Fax +603 2148 3418

Secondary Campus No. 3 Jalan Equine, Taman Equine, 43300 Seri Kembangan Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Tel +603 9543 3688 Fax +603 9543 3788

www.alice-smith.edu.my

www.alice-smith.edu.my/klassics/stay-connected

klassics@alice-smith.edu.my

KLASSics The Alice Smith Alumni Association

www.linkedin.com/in/alice-smith-school/