AIS Global Exchange 2021

GLOBAL EXCHANGE The magazine of Atlanta International School

2020 - 2021 1

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | Summer 2021

Dear AIS Community, This year we have lived through an extraordinary time for our school, our country, and our world.

One thing these times have reinforced for me is the absolute importance of the Atlanta International School community - our parents, faculty, staff, alumni, supporters and of course, most importantly, our students.

So this year’s issue of Global Exchange highlights the many in our community that make up the whole; of what it means to be part of Atlanta International School.

I’ve been in awe of the ways in which our community has kept moving forward through the challenges of learning in an uncertain environment. I have been inspired by the displays of resilience and the ability to adapt. These are lessons we will all take with us as a hopefully more normal academic year begins.

Through these times our students have continued to achieve tremendous success, from our best ever International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program results, a record-breaking Athletics season, to the daily achievements of our Primary School learners.

A significant AIS milestone was our Grade 5's Virtual Journey Abroad, that showcased creativity and imagination within their language tracks.

Some of the highlights in this issue; the new and departing Trustees, who do so much for our school. The special AIS story of our Secondary School Office Admins who are retiring after an amazing 20+ years. And we welcome our Equity and Inclusion team, now with three full-time members of staff.

These individuals are part of the story that is AIS - which starts with new families joining us and extends to our graduates, alumni parents, and former employees now spread around the world. These global connections began here, and they cross time and geography.

So as you enjoy this Global Exchange, we invite you to keep sharing the AIS story of connections and courage, as we work together for a brighter future and more peaceful world.

All my best,

Kevin Glass, Head of School 3

AIS BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020 - 2021

CONTENTS 3 Message from the Head of School 5 Board News

AROUND AIS 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

The World of the ELC Let Abroad Come to You! AIS MUN Milestone Pandemic, Pets & Hidden Gems…

My AIS STEAM Journey Ready, Set, Go! How Cool is That?

Exit Stage Left Grade 12 Art Exhibition

COMMUNITY 25 A Parent Community for All 26 Our Equity and Inclusion Team

CLASS OF 2021 32 All Change in College Admissions 33 Application Dos and Don’ts

GIVING 34 Philanthropy at AIS 35 Voyage to Greece

ALUMNI 39 TIME to Reflect 40 From Strength to Strength 41 Alumni Events & News CONTRIBUTORS Athena Ayers Reilly Campbell Claudia Canovas ’24 Dee Dee Dennis Peluchi Flores Kevin Glass Travis Harper ’19 Negasi Haskins ’16 Kelsey Hicks-Bunns Marcellus Holt Michelle Jones Rebecca King

Aristia Kinis Pierrette Maillet Marsha Maxwell Jane Panzer Gary Paterson Nina Riggio ’13 Jessica Rutledge ’21 Layne Stabler Tyler Sant Liz Warner ’08 Rob Warren

ON THE COVER Celebrating the Class of 2021. Brothers, Chad and Spencer Bryant, share a moment of joy with teacher Roya Curtis and the AIS community.

EDITORIAL Alice Cappelletti, Editor Emily Hands, Editor-In-Chief Natalia Montoya, Art Director

Scott Britton, Chair Chiara Visconti-Pervanas ’95, Vice-Chair Shelley Giberson, Treasurer Josh Moffitt, Secretary

EX OFFICIO Kevin Glass, Ex Officio Trustee Olga Plaut, Trustee Emerita, Founder Roy Plaut, Chair Emeritus, Founder Monique Seefried, Chair Emerita Deb Sudbury, Chair Emerita

MEMBERS Beth Kytle Chandler ’98 Heidi Deringer Carrie Doyle Jeremy Faa Humberto Garcia-Sjögrim Aaron Hackett Sandra MacQuillan Matthew Mazzawi Fasil Muche ’93 Susannah Parker Doug Shipman Farah Spainhour Bahnson Stanley Frank Thomas Benny Varzi Joyce Yamaato

BOARD NEWS We are so grateful to our Board of Trustees for the work they do for the school. This year we welcomed a new Chair of the Board of Trustees, Scott Britton.

Raised in New Jersey, Scott graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He began his career with Merck where he has held senior positions and is currently the sales leader for the Southeast US. Scott is a previous President of the Parent Organization's Harambee Culture Club and has led discussions at AIS about Jazz, Diversity and Leadership. Scott is a hip-hop aficionado and lifelong fan of the NY Giants, Knicks and Yankees.

He joined the AIS Board in 2012 and has served on and chaired several committees. He was named the incoming Board Chair in May 2020. Scott and his wife Tracey's son, Harris, attends AIS and is about to enter his senior year, their daughter, Clarke, is a 2018 alumn and their niece Leah Bracey graduated in 2013.

THANK YOU TO TWO BOARD MEMBERS WHOSE TERMS COME TO AN END THIS YEAR Benny Varzi was born in Tehran, Iran, moved to New York in 1975 and Atlanta in 1978. Benny started his career in financial services and is now the senior partner and portfolio manager of The Varzi Group of Merrill Lynch Bank of America.

Benny and his wife Roxanne have two daughters who graduated from AIS, Leila ’13 and Sofia ’18.

Benny has been a member of the AIS Board for over 10 years.

Frank Thomas has lived in Atlanta since the early ’90s when he met his wife to-be, Leslie. Frank has been a key part of Novartis Pharmaceuticals IT for nearly 20 years. In his current role as Head of Network Services/Global IT Director, Frank delivers critical IT services to locations in 37 countries.

Frank and Leslies' daughter Grace is a rising Grade 11 student at AIS, and their niece Sarah graduated from AIS in 2015.

They have been active AIS contributors in both the PO and Harambee. Frank joined the AIS Board in 2012 and has chaired the Board IT Committee for many years.

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WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST TRUSTEES Barbara Quiroga has many years of experience in finance, including 13 in Treasury. She is currently the Managing Director and Assistant Treasurer at Delta Air Lines Inc. Barbara is actively involved in the Latin American community. At Delta she serves as Board advisor for LAHEN (Latin American Hispanic Employee Network), and is also on the Board of the Instituto de Mexico.

Barbara returns to the AIS Board of Trustees having served a previous term which ended in 2019. She currently serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Finance Committees.

Barbara has a degree in Economics from the Institute of Technology and Superior Studies of Monterrey and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago. Barbara and her husband Pablo have two children at AIS, Isabella ’25 and Santiago ’22.

Linda Pak Bruner was born and raised in Atlanta by Korean immigrant parents. She received a BA from Southern Methodist University with a double major in Psychology and Religious Studies and has an MS in Community Counseling from Georgia State and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. She is a co-founder of Mindset Psychology, LLC where she offers counseling to teenagers and adults.

Linda is married to Andrew Bruner. They have three children who all started AIS in 4K in the Spanish track. Their oldest son Park graduated in 2020 while Wesley and Maisie are rising Grade 11 and Grade 9 students.

Linda has been an active member of the PO and has served on several panels, interviewing teacher and senior leadership candidates.

Rick van Nostrand is a Partner for Cornerstone Investment Partners where he is responsible for research and portfolio management. Prior to Cornerstone, Rick was a voting member of the investment committee at EARNEST Partners and served on the Fundamental Value product at Invesco Capital Management.

Rick and his wife Darlene have two daughters at AIS, Genevieve ’32 and Vivienne ’22.

Rick earned an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Engineering from Southern Methodist University.

Stacy Shailendra began her career in Atlanta as a real estate broker in 2005. She moved from Los Angeles, California, where she graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in television production. Modern Luxury Interiors magazine named Stacy as a “Real Estate Visionary” in its 2020 issue.

Stacy serves on the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Conservancy and the Peachtree Heights West Civic Association.

She resides in Buckhead with her husband, Sachin Shailendra, and their two year old twins. Passionate about the arts, Stacy established an annual scholarship for gifted students in financial need through the Atlanta Ballet.

IN THE NEWS

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty Images

FIRST LADY MAKES DEBUT IN AIS ALUM DESIGN AIS alum Sarah Leff ’05 co-founded Jonathan Cohen, the company behind the outfit Dr. Jill Biden wore when the First Family arrived in Washington DC this January. The dress made headlines around the world.

ATLANTA’S RISING CREATIVE CLASS Layla Felder ’22 was featured in Atlanta Magazine in a piece about the city’s rising creative class gaining recognition on the national scene.

Credit: Steve Schaefer

GRADUATING DURING A PANDEMIC The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Metro front page featured two of our 2021 seniors, Rodrigo Villagomez and George Song, who described celebrating graduation during a pandemic year.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY Head of School Kevin Glass’ article advocating housing affordability in our community appeared in the Buckhead Reporter and was shared widely by the IB community.

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THE SMALL BUT MIGHTY WORLD OF THE ELC There is nowhere quite like the Early Learning Center (ELC). A colorful, creative space where our youngest IB students not only benefit from totally immersive language programs, but where no two days are the same - yet every day is fun and familiar.

Galette de Rois Children in the ELC learn about culture, history and traditions alongside their target languages.

Galette de Rois is just one example. If you find the fêve hidden inside the delicious cake you become King or Queen for the day! It’s a French festival that’s been around since the Middle Ages and is still popular today.

Little Red Barn A little donkey, cow, horse, goat, sheep, rooster, and rabbit were all welcome visitors in May. The children visited the Little Red Barn petting zoo in their pod groups and, although the animals were on the campus, it still felt like a field trip away!

Sensory Walk Children and guest artist Abby Schomaker completed a sensory walk inside the ELC - a beautifully crafted compilation of the pieces they created whilst exploring art through their senses.

Black History Month February saw 3K and 4K children celebrate the work and contributions of Black Scientists as part of their Black History Month activities. The doors of each ELC classroom became a visual celebration of their chosen scientist - and the children took ‘tours of the doors’ to learn more.

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

StEaM

RoUND UP

DA VINCI IN-A-BOX

STEAM INTERNSHIPS

This year’s Da Vinci in-a-Box STEAM Symposium allowed us to extend the benefits of our Goizueta Fellowship beyond AIS. Over 50 educators from China, Atlanta and other US cities were sent boxes containing materials for online professional development workshops with our three Da Vinci Fellows; Corinne Takara, Celeste Moreno and Rob Ives. Activities included Making Cardboard Come to Life, Light Play, Algae String Making and others that combined science, engineering, design, sustainability and the arts.

This summer, about 70 rising juniors and seniors will participate in STEAM internships in over 25 businesses and institutions across Atlanta, providing invaluable real-world work experience.

We are very grateful to all our parents and community members who continue to support our internship program.

MATH KANGAROO Math Kangaroo is an international math competition with over 6 million participants including 31,000 nationally and over 600 from Georgia. We are so proud to have 7 students ranked in the top 20 Nationally and one top 3 State Level Winner from our Primary School, as well as a National Level Winner and 2 State Level winners from Secondary School.

DR. PELUCHI FLORES WINS REGIONAL TEACHER AWARD Director of STEAM and Interdisciplinary Learning, Dr. Flores was honored with the Regional Teacher Award for the 46th Georgia Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (GJSHS). The award pays tribute to her and AIS’ contribution to advancing student participation in research. Also at the Symposium, high school students presented the results of their original scientific, engineering, or mathematics research. Two AIS students, Yannie Tan ’19 and Asanshay Gupta ’23, participated through Dr. Flores’ mentorship.

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CAN’T GO ABROAD? LET ABROAD COME TO YOU!

For many families, language learning is one of the jewels in the crown of an AIS education.

As they progress through the Primary Years Program, students are surrounded by language and culture in a truly unique environment.

It is a voyage of learning that culminates in a trip abroad, during which they discover firsthand how much they have learned and how empowering that knowledge can be. It is also an

important right of passage, one that gives them confidence to expand all that learning into Middle and High School.

This year it was not possible to physically travel, but our language teachers were determined that their students would not miss out. The result was some extraordinarily creative experiences starting with virtual reality flights to their chosen destinations. Please enjoy some highlights from the 2021 Grade 5 Trips ‘Abroad!’

COSTA RICA Grade 5 students from our Spanish program enjoyed their virtual trip to Costa Rica, meeting exotic animals, rock climbing, bungee jumping and cooking up some delicious pico de gallo.

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

CHINA For students in the Grade 5 Chinese program it was Tai Chi, boba tea, kites in the park, Chinese cuisine and calligraphy - all featured as part of their virtual trip to China.

FRANCE Grade 5 French program students had a bon voyage to France when they made traditional Provence soap, played pétanque, caught up with dear friends (Madame Dangla from 3K days) and enjoyed some delicious moules!

GERMANY Breakfast with a bear, bratwurst sausage in the park and building a wall to graffiti - just some of the activities Grade 5 German program students enjoyed on their virtual trip abroad.

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AN AIS MILESTONE Claudia Canovas, Grade 9, reflects on our first ever bilingual conference

Claudia is the marketing and publicity coordinator for AIS’ Model United Nations (AISMUN). Here she reflects on an exciting new beginning for our school, interviewing teachers, student leaders and delegates for a range of perspectives on the conference.

AIS reached a milestone this May. The MUN team, which has been part of AIS for 16 years, organized its first conference and first bilingual conference, which this year were both for middle schoolers. The conferences were conducted in Spanish and English and were organized by students.

In 2019, AISMUN travelled to Panama to attend PANAMUN, an international conference held in both Spanish and English. We wanted to bring this concept to our school and this year was our first session, composed only of AIS Middle School students. In future years, we plan to open to other Atlanta and Georgia schools and have dreams of including more languages.

Why do you think that it’s important to have a bilingual MUN conference?

Yanaelle Cornez, Coordinator of MUN at AIS: I chose to get involved with MUN because I believe in what this activity can teach everybody, and I really believe in cooperation.

I believe in diplomacy and in bringing cultures together. The fact that this is a bilingual conference is fantastic. Álvaro Canovas, Coordinator of MUN in Spanish at AIS: Although MUN originated in American universities, and it’s a very Anglo-Saxon activity, I find it very interesting that all the abilities used, like debate and discussion, can also be performed in other languages.

I think that HISPAMUN is a fantastic opportunity to use Spanish outside of class, in a different style, using different vocabulary and tones.

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

What did you learn organizing this conference?

Vivienne van Nostrand, MSMUN Secretary General and Grade 11 student: A big thing that this conference has really taught me is patience, as well as collaboration skills, working with the other secretariats and people from all the different teams to make sure that we all achieve our goal.

Kathryn Foglesong, HISPAMUN Chair and Grade 10 student: I have learnt a lot about how to be a chair and how to organize a conference, or an event in general. I have also learnt strategies that I can use to make the delegates want to participate and grow their MUN skills.

Why do you do MUN? Gianmarco Di Pelino, MSMUN Delegate and Grade 7 student: I do MUN because I enjoy debating with my peers, and I also learnt a lot about researching, which is also something I’ve always wanted to know more about.

My favorite part was when we started arguing more between different delegations, instead of agreeing, because it makes the conference more interesting.

Amelie Grakoui, HISPAMUN Delegate and Grade 8 student: I do MUN because it is fun and interesting. I attended an MUN summer camp, and I thought it was really fun, so I wanted to try it in Spanish as well. My favorite part was the crisis, because it involved the country I represented and I had the opportunity to talk and debate more.

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PA N D E M I C , PETS & HIDDEN GEMS...

A CO N V E R S AT I O N W I T H M I C H E L L E J O N E S & G A RY PAT E R S O N It wasn’t the year anyone expected. When Michelle Jones, the Middle School Principal, and Gary Paterson, the Upper School Principal, took on the joint role as Interim Heads of Secondary School in Summer 2020, neither of them could have predicted just how much they would learn.

What has doing this job during gave us the opportunity to a pandemic taught you that you engage with families faceto-face during the early didn’t expect? days of returning to school Michelle: It’s all about in person. I learned just how community, which I now know valuable those moments are. includes the family pets! When the daily contact we took for granted stopped, getting to know the things that really matter in our students’ lives was more important than ever.

Are there any other I’ve learned about listening ‘pandemic positives’ you will to understand - to students, faculty, and families. So greeting continue to draw on? them by name, knowing what M: Yes! This year has made they care and are thinking the IB concept of building about. For me that was resilience a living reality for transformative in keeping our teachers and students. The community together. pandemic required them Gary: I agree on the importance to show real grit to push of community - that is ultimately through, finding creative ways to play, learn and what it’s all about.

We’ve also really learned how to connect.

And we’ve all re-learned find and celebrate our ‘hidden that conversation is vital - to gems’ - those students who understand but also for our may sometimes go under the health and wellbeing. radar. We didn’t want to see that exacerbated in a COVID G: That’s right - sometimes teaching environment. those more informal The other thing we definitely conversations with weren’t prepared for was Counsellors and Advisors how invested people are in highlighted student needs the workings of carline! But and achievements that we even though checking School might not otherwise have Pass added time in line, it also known about.

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

You work so closely together what do you most admire about each other?

G: Michelle has so many qualities! But I think number one is her ability to get things done.

She can take an idea, move it to process, design a system and before you know it will be up and running at ‘warp speed!’ All while remaining so positive.

M: Gary has a real sense of calm in the midst of the roughest of seas. His cool demeanor and ability to read and diffuse difficult situations is really appreciated. He is also very humble and doesn’t get defensive. And he has a great sense of humour!

Erin Robinson starts as the new Head of Secondary School this summer. If you left a sticky note on her desk, what would it say?

M: Mine would be a Nelson Mandela quote, "I never lose, I either win or learn."

G: I’d say what I said to our 2021 graduates: take care of the people, who take care of the people, who take care of the students.

Wise words indeed! What were the highlights, things that kept you smiling this year?

G: For me every little milestone on our way to bringing us back together made me happy. So as different grades began to return to campus, when the students were able to play outside again, seeing pre-pandemic activities return, like graduation celebrations or snow cone trucks on campus!

And not forgetting us totally ‘going for it’ with our Halloween costumes - that made a lot of people smile!

M: I loved our Middle School themed months of Kindness and Caring, the Pod room door decorating competition also showed real creativity. I’m also really proud of the new Secondary Schedule we’ve developed, a culmination of years of work and learning.

I appreciated my family so much during this year and all those supportive conversations with colleagues on the really hard days. But really, the thing that kept me smiling was the hope of us all being back together.

And now we are. Thank you Gary and Michelle for your incredible year of service to AIS.

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MY AIS STEAM JOURNEY

by Jessica Rutledge ’21

The STEAM program at AIS helped me develop my passion for design and engineering. It also gave me the opportunity to grow as a student and a leader, and led to me being offered the Stamps President's scholarship at Georgia Tech, as well as acceptances into Cal Tech, UGA, and MIT - where I’ll be going to college.

I participated in the First Lego League Robotics Team in Middle School, joined the First Robotics Team as a freshman and became Design Captain my junior year. Through robotics I learned to design, 3D model using SolidWorks, and build complex robotic mechanisms while developing leadership and organizational skills.

STEAM competitions are a great way to build on the many programs on offer at AIS. In Grade 10, I entered the InVenture Competition with two of my friends. We learned about entrepreneurship and the importance of

sustainability in design and went on to win 3rd place in the state and 3rd place in the US Nationals Invention Convention. Additionally, I founded the math tutoring program through participation in the CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) group and Girls in STEM, helping teach younger students about science and robotics.

I found great satisfaction helping others in subjects that I am passionate about.

The STEAM program at AIS also offers internship opportunities, starting the summer after Grade 10. Experiencing different job opportunities and roles expanded my insight into what I would do as an engineer and whether it was the correct career path for me.

As an “AIS Lifer” starting in the German track, I will miss my time in this incredible international community, the teachers who have mentored me, and the lifelong friendships I have made.

INVE$TING IN OUR FUTURE The AIS Investment Club has been exploring a range of industries and how they relate to the global economy and personal finance through a virtual guest speaker series, which began in October with AIS alum Harrison Weiner ’06. As Senior Customer Success Manager for Aptio, a software as a service company, Harrison shared his experiences in the technology industry since leaving AIS, how he developed expertise and how Aptio serves Fortune 100 companies.

In November Paige (Brownlow) Rinderer ’09, shared her experiences from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) by giving students an insight into its role in preserving and promoting public confidence in the US financial system. They discussed possible career routes and how the organization monitors and addresses risks.

In January, Alex Akhavan ’06, an associate in the entertainment and digital Media Practice Group at Sheppard Mullin joined the group to talk about being an entertainment lawyer, including negotiating contracts for Hollywood producers and production companies.

Spring 2021 marks the fourth full year for the AIS Investment Club. As founding members, Anish Reddy ’21 and Spencer Bryant ’21, have just graduated, Vivienne van Nostrand ’22 will be taking over as the incoming club leader. The Investment Club competes in the Georgia Stock Market Game and has won 1st place in Georgia twice, and four times in the District 5 Atlanta Congressional League. All of which generated a lot of interest!

A Great Case for Mock Trial During Mock Trial Competitions our students respond to fictional legal cases, creating compelling arguments complete with opening statements, crossexaminations, closing arguments, and more.

Preparation is key - but so is the ability to think on your feet! It’s a unique opportunity to gain an understanding of the legal system while developing questioning, critical thinking, and oral advocacy skills.

This year, for the first time, our Legal Eagles competed in both Empire Atlanta and New York competitions. The students were well prepared as they participated with schools

from across the globe, including rounds versus teams from China and Canada, scoring an impressive 9th place out of 32 competing teams.

In February, the eight attorneys and 10 witnesses who headed to the GA State Mock Trial Sweet Sixteen were collapsed into one ultimate team that advanced to the Elite Eight in the state of Georgia. The Season finished on a high with our gold team finishing second out of 99 teams in the state. In closing, congratulations to all our AIS Legal Eagles on an amazing year.

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READY, SET, G !

by Reilly Campbell and Dee Dee Denis

AIS Athletics welcomes all levels from the ELC, through Primary School, Middle School, and finally with our Junior Varsity and Varsity athletes in the Upper School. Just like the rest of AIS, we’re an intentionally inclusive community. Our students bring a wealth of diversity in experience of sports from the US and around the world - making our programs proudly a little different to other schools.

With close to 70% participation from all students, AIS Athletics is committed to offering opportunities for all in our primary program and middle school teams.

And once in Upper School, students can still participate, regardless of level, as a student-athlete, in AIS Sports Broadcasting, as team managers, or helping with events!

AIS Athletics welcomes all Eagles!

SOARING TO THE NEXT LEVEL This year AIS graduated a determined group of students, including over 50 student-athletes. Among them are these three amazing seniors off to participate at collegiate level!

• Ansley Yamaato ’21, Volleyball at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio • Caleb Duval ’21, Swimming at Miami University, Ohio • Ethan Long ’21, Men’s Soccer at Oberlin College and Conservatory, Ohio This list does not yet include others attempting a spot on their respective schools’ rosters next year. We are rooting for the entire class of 2021. Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle!

EAGLES CHAMPIONS In 2020 - 2021, we had an amazing number of 'podium finishes.' The list of accomplishments is long and probably deserves its own publication.

Congratulations to every AIS student-athlete who represented our school - you are all champions! Champions are made in the daily commitment to teammates, coaches, practice and your sport.

• Caleb Duval ’21, 2nd place in the state 100y Freestyle • Caleb Duval ’21, 3rd place in the state 200y Freestyle • Cara Joyce ’22, GHSA State Runner-Up and Region Champion Girls Cross Country • Cara Joyce ’22, State Champion 800M and 1600M Runs • Chad Bryant ’21, State Champion 400M Run • eSports, 3 top 25 finishes in the state for Rocket League and Smite • Middle School Boys Tennis, MAAC Champion • Middle School Boys Track, MAAC Runner-Up • Middle School Girls Soccer, MAAC Runner-Up • Middle School Girls Track, MAAC Champion • Nora Anderson ’22, State Qualifier in Varsity Girls Golf • Swim, 9 swimmers and divers qualified for State • Varsity Boys Soccer, GHSA State Runner-Up and Region Champions ranked #1 by the AJC • Varsity Boys Tennis, GHSA Elite Eight • Varsity Girls Soccer, GHSA Final Four • Varsity Track and Field, 8 area Champions qualifying for State in 14 different events

#EAGLEEYES When it rains, most birds head for shelter; the eagle is the only bird that in order to avoid the rain soars above the clouds. In a year of many clouds, every AIS Eagle studentathlete soared high above! We look forward to growing our student-athlete population next year.

Follow us on social media @aischooleagles 19

Talk about an out-of-this-world opportunity!

In May, Grade 11’s Kayley Walker got to fly on G-FORCE ONE from NASA’s historic shuttle facility at the Kennedy Space Center. In zero gravity, she experienced weightlessness as G-FORCE ONE completed 15 parabolas. Not only that - her fellow voyagers included Nicole Stott, a member of the shuttle program and former astronaut Charlie Duke who, as lunar module pilot of Apollo 16 in 1972, was the youngest person to walk on the moon, aged 36.

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

Kayley is a member of the AIS Space Program and a Hines Family Foundation (HFF) SILVA Pathway Spotlight Scholar. She told us, “The feeling of zero-G is indescribably euphoric and different. On the flight, I attempted to do a couple of flips and tricks and it was definitely harder than I thought, but all the fun was in trying. I also had the most fascinating conversations with the two astronauts.”

Head of Technology and Innovation at AIS, Dr. Marsha Maxwell, accompanied Kayley to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. She said, “It was wonderful to see the full arc of human exploration of space on display in that room with Charlie Duke there as a representative of the original Apollo program, Nicole Stott a member of the shuttle program and Kayley representing the generation that may take us to Mars and beyond.”

This summer, Kayley will continue her adventures in STEM education through the school’s collaboration with HFF, NASA, Mercer University and the Georgia Space Grant Consortium. This partnership will sponsor summer research experiences for students from AIS, along with a summer STEM camp for middle school girls at STARBASE Robins, a Department of Defense-sponsored program at Robins Air Force Base.

There students will participate in learning to model science experiments, engineering and design projects currently being studied

by NASA researchers. They will experience technologies such as weather or surveillance balloons, aerial drones and rovers, and will visit Georgia Tech’s Mechatronics Lab and Mercer’s Molecular Biology Lab. They will also engage with researchers from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Ames Research Center.

Dr. Maxwell explained, “This is exactly the type of collaboration needed to plant the seeds to increase the representation of women in technology. Opportunities like this give these young women early and meaningful exposure to STEM careers allowing them them to work with practitioners on real-world problems or like those on Mars and the Moon. How cool is that?”

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Beauty and the Beast, 2011

Little Shop of Horrors, 2018

Metamorphosis, 2008 Mulan, 2015

Dead Man Walking, 2005 The Laramie Project, 2004 AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

The Crucible, 2001 & 2016

Noises Off, 2018 Much Ado About Nothing, 2007

Urinetown, 2010

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1999 You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, 2013

Twelfth Night, 2003

EXIT STAGE LEFT WITH OVER 110 PRODUCTIONS AND SHOWCASES UNDER HIS BELT, THE 2020 -2021 ACADEMIC YEAR WAS ROB WARREN’S FINAL ACT AFTER 22 YEARS IN THE ARTS AT AIS. WE TOOK A LOOK IN THE PROP CUPBOARD WITH HIM TO REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE SHOWS AND MEMORIES. Favorite shows?

There are so many for many different reasons. Perhaps Metamorphosis which had a real pool on the stage, or Avenue Q and Spring Awakening - they were shows I'd always wanted to do. And certain shows gave the students the chance to highlight social issues important to them.

Funniest moment?

When Cogsworth (the round-faced clock) in Beauty and the Beast got stuck on the stairs! They weren’t built wide enough for the costume - he was chasing someone and just got wedged in. We laughed!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 2004

Mary Poppins, 2016 The Lion King, 2019

Any lasting advice?

Be your true self, take every opportunity to learn and network, and FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!

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Highlights from the

GRADE 12 ART EXHIBITION It’s been a year of team work for our visual artists. A lot of work has been executed alone at home, but it’s been teachers, classmates, parents, the community and a myriad of other influences that have kept creativity (not to mention art supplies!) flowing.

The results, from 3K to Grade 12, have been enormously impressive. Here we have included some highlights from the curated exhibition of our now graduated Diploma Program Visual Arts students - showcasing the culmination of two years’ of work.

Kaan Erturan

Sascha Cooney

Sophia Ashraf

Charles Ferguson

Sano Ngoga

Victoria Verba

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC! What a tough year for musicians! COVID-19 restrictions affected choirs and bands, as well as concerts and performances. But that hasn’t silenced AIS musical artists who found ways to make themselves heard - even winning awards. Next school year many activities such as band, string orchestra, and chorus, which previously happened after school, will become part of the Secondary School schedule, making them more accessible to students. Sounds great, or should that be 'great sounds'?

Quincy Jones Musicianship Award Ethan Long ’21

National Choral Award Isabella Dietrich ’21

National Choral Award Angela Sarmiento ’21

National Choral Award Rafi Pérez ’21

A PARENT COMMUNITY FOR ALL Welcome to our Parent Community!

As we begin to reconnect with each other in person, I am hopeful that the AIS Parent Organization (PO) will be a place that you can call home.

Whether this is your first or your 15th year at the school, our community is here to enhance your, and your children’s, life at AIS with a welcoming environment. Once we are together again at the start of the next school year, you will be able to experience first hand our lovely and vibrant community of cultures - immersing all of your senses in what it means to be part of AIS. There are many opportunities to build your AIS family by volunteering, connecting and engaging with the life of the school, in heart, soul and mind.

As your new PO President, I am excited for what this next year will bring, and I'm pleased to introduce your 2021 - 2022 Executive Board.

I would also like to share a heartfelt thank you to Nikolina Payne, 2020 - 2021 PO President, for guiding our organization through a remarkable time of uncertainty. The PO and school are better for her leadership and sensitivity to our community during her tenure.

In Eagle Pride!

Rebecca King, Parent Organization President

Rebecca, Kevin & Nikolina

Treasurer Lin Wang

Rebecca King

President

President Elect Jakelia Sledge

Communications Liaison Kim Palenik

Secretary Barb Rogers 25

OUR EQUITY AND INCLUSION TEAM

LEAVING A LITTLE SPARKLE WHEREVER THEY GO Now that her team is at full strength, we asked AIS Head of Equity and Inclusion (E&I) Kelsey Hicks-Bunns what her personal bumper sticker might say. She replied without hesitation, "leave a little sparkle wherever you go!" It’s something she’s tried to do all her life. We caught up with Kelsey and her team, Marcellus Holt and Athena Ayers, to hear what shines out for them.

What’s special about E&I work at Atlanta International School?

Kelsey: Everything. It ebbs and flows with who is here and you learn so much from people who are different to you. You are learning beside people who live differently and have different histories or religions.

You get to understand

international complexities in a way that you can’t from books or the internet. It’s the same for people who come to Atlanta.

You experience the civil rights story in a way that you can’t from books - it’s right here beside you.

What’s a great piece of advice someone gave you or that you’ve heard?

K: My grandmother, Carrie Lee Hicks, told me to, “always be true to who you are." Now, especially in this line of work, you’re allowed to grow and change, but the important thing is to stay true to what you believe.

Athena: The motto 'find a way or make one.' This is how I live.

I don’t really wait for anyone or anything to make the good things happen.

Marcellus: Maya Angelou’s words are so important, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Who inspires you?

K: The women who came before me in my family - my mother, grandmother and great grandmother. For what they did and for what they gave up.

They were givers. Now when people say, “Kelsey you’re such a giver," I love that!

A: My 5 year old daughter.

Raising her is like having another view of life and I learn to embrace the world and experiences with new eyes.

Possibly kinder and more inquisitive eyes.

LGBTQ+ Pride Month 2021

United Nations Day 2020

Black History Month 2021

Chinese New Year 2021

M: My mother was a demonstration of strength for me growing up as a child. My passion and work ethic stems from her as I think about how she raised three children by herself and maintained a loving home.

What do you consider success in your very complex area of work?

K: I don’t want to minimize any piece - but success is when our community really feels like a community. And when people are kind, because that is ultimately so healing.

M: Success in E&I work is recognizing that the work is internal and ongoing. When students feel that they are treated equitably, their ability to think critically is enhanced, retention rates improve and an organization performs better as a unit.

One thing that might surprise us about you?

K: Not many people know that I started off in biochemical engineering. I’d done bio ethics as an elective and that led me into studying the belief systems that fuel people’s lives, which led on to this work.

A: Something I have done, that is pretty cool, is hang gliding from a mountain in Rio. M: I come from a musical background and played the euphonium in college!

Any books the E&I team would recommend?

All: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. Any title by Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, or James Baldwin. They speak so creatively and honestly about America. Most characters are Black American, but it is really about the human experience.

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How long have you worked at AIS? Layne: I joined AIS as faculty in 1996 and was a Middle School Art Teacher for three years before I started my current role. The art studios were in the basement then - where IT is today.

We had one computer, shared between a group of us - and no one knew how to use it, it just sat there!

AFTER 3 YEARS WE HAD 312 EMAILS NOW I COULD GET THAT MANY IN A DAY! Jane: I joined as Middle School Admin in 1998 and I had, and could use, my own computer!

What’s your first memory of the school?

J: We came from Denmark via Berlin, my husband Dennis worked for Delta, and a flight attendant told him about this new international school. He knew it would appeal to me, so put it last on the list of schools we visited - and he was right! The other schools had amazing buildings and established facilities, but I knew straight away that AIS was the one for us.

L: I’d moved from Texas and was looking at schools. Everyone kept saying - go and see this new place! The Head of School was Alex Horsley and his enthusiasm was just infectious. Then I sat next to Olga Plaut at a dinner party and the rest, as they say, is history!

What’s changed the most?

Beloved Upper and Middle School Admins, Layne Stabler and Jane Panzer are retiring after 20+ years - and both were already AIS parents when they started! Jane’s two girls started in 1993 at the Long Island Drive campus and the eldest of Layne’s three children joined in 1986 when there were only 57 children in the school and it was based in a wooden building at the back of Sardis Church on Powers Ferry Rd.

L: The size! When we moved from Long Island Drive we thought this campus was enormous.

Of course there was no theatre, no ASD - but it felt huge and what we now call the 'old gym' was incredible!

J: Yes, the move was great, we loved all the extra space - but you wouldn't believe the resistance there was! Some people just didn’t want the school to grow beyond 500. There are 300 students in Middle School alone now. There were less than half that when I joined, we had about 36 in a year group L: The other change was the surrounding neighborhood. When the school moved to Garden Hills it really made the community. The area became so much more international and everyone started to know each other. In fact we even sold our house to someone arriving from Uzbekistan - Kevin Glass!

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

What has stayed the same?

What are you most proud of?

J: The things that first appealed to us haven’t changed - the languages, the IB and the international community. That spirit is still the same, there are just more personalities!

Both: The Plays!

I DON’T THINK I’D HAVE STAYED IN ATLANTA NEARLY SO LONG IF IT WASN’T FOR THE SCHOOL. L: Yes, the community has always been a huge part of the appeal. I was an active volunteer right from the start we all were. Back at Long Island Drive, the Parent Organization used to meet all the time - but never when our favorite TV shows were on!

J: Yes, those are the things we’ll always remember - we went every night, they were just so good and they still are.

L: I remember Guys and Dolls, it was directed by Sherri Sutton and she had this young intern, Rob Warren! Now she’s back at AIS again, it’s almost like it’s gone full circle.

So what’s next?

Any funny memories?

L: So many! We both met our closest friends through the school, including each other.

Some of the most fun was volunteering, the camaraderie was incredible.

L: I’ll definitely be keeping in touch but will be enjoying my seven grandchildren, all that Atlanta has to offer, and doing more Pilates - Jane and I already go three times a week.

J: Well, we’re already alumni parents. What are people who J: We used to celebrate Santa Lucia and the children dressed used to work here called? I’m up with lighted candles on their going to administer the Study Research Travel Grant for our heads. A photo of me lighting candles on top of my daughters AIS teachers, and intend to do a lot more travelling myself, flowing headdress was including visits to my daughters published and we got furious letters about health and safety and little grandson in New York and California. and how irresponsible it was!

WHEN YOU’VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH SOMETHING FOR OVER 23 YEARS YOU DON’T JUST SWITCH OFF - IT BECOMES A PART OF YOUR LIFE. 29

To my wonderful Class of 2021, Just when you thought you had finished with me, here I am again! It is a good reminder that those people with whom we share a significant time or portion of our lives (as we do at school) have an impact on us, long after they are no longer present. After we forget faces and names, people we encounter influence our thoughts and our actions, even without us being aware of it.

Know that you all have had that impact on me, and I will always remember our time together.

These past two years have been influential for us all. Not only have we wrestled with and overcome the challenges of the Diploma Program, but also life in general and COVID in particular. Many of you, as you were leaving, said thank you to me for all of my support. But I also have to say thank you to you too, for all of YOUR support!

It has been a very difficult time for us all during COVID of course, many of us have had to endure personal losses and challenges. I am so appreciative of your support when I was in need. You have shown me and the school through your actions and involvement in different activities how compassionate and caring you all are. Your strength, resilience and empathy for others will be vital as you navigate the world outside of AIS. I am proud to have seen your achievements and to have been on this journey with you. You are truly the leaders of the future and I cannot wait to see how you change your world for the better. I have no doubt that it will be amazing. All my best wishes for the best and brightest future, and don’t forget to visit!

Your Head of Year,

Megan Forrest

THE CL ASS OF 2021 Country of Citizenship; Country of Heritage

Garrett Anderson

Salinne Freer Passburg

Sano Lambert Ngoga

Emilio Aponte Archila

Hermella Getachew

Connor Dobbs Nottingham

United States of America, United Kingdom, Italy Colombia

Sophia Ashraf

United States of America, China, Pakistan

Benjamin William Azzi Australia

Isabelle-Jade Basson South Africa

Kate Frances Baucom

United States of America, Germany

Doruk Beduk Turkey

Joshua David Bell

United States of America, Australia, Greece

Katherine Stokes Bender United States of America

Philip Hope Black

United States of America, Bulgaria

Justin Jim Blasig Germany

Mary Elizabeth Bokuchava United States of America, Georgia

Alexander Fritz Bombeck

United Kingdom, Sweden

United States of America, Ethiopia

Nicolas Gonzalez Bondolowski Spain

Octave Guyard

United States of America, France

Evan Habib Hammam Lebanon

Caroline Elise Hawkins United States of America

Ryan Shunke He Canada, China

Aidan Erich Heery

United States of America, Germany

Jason Huang

United States of America, China

Charlotte Greeley Huck United States of America

Sydney Quinn Huitt United States of America

Julie Belle Israelite

United States of America, France, Italy

Amnah Javed

United States of America, Uganda, Rwanda United States of America

Daniel Sebastian Öman

United States of America, Sweden, Colombia

Alexander Grayson Padilla United States of America, Guatemala

Dylan Palenik

United States of America

Kelsi Jai Patel

United States of America, India

Julia Marie Paton-Smith United States of America, United Kingdom

Rafael Carlos Ricardo Perez United States of America, Spain

Roberto Thomas Ponte United States of America, Italy

Camille Olivia Poulard

United States of America, France

Dhiren Ray Rajagopal United States of America, India

Anish Reddy

United States of America, India

Maxwell Maldon Richardson

United States of America, United Kingdom

United States of America, United Kingdom, Pakistan

France, United States of America

Xinle Jiang

United States of America

Rachel S. Richardson Joseph

Jessica Royce Rutledge

United States of America

Sara Kamal Khan

Angela Sarmiento

Rachelle Clara Abou Chad Russell Bryant

Spencer Russell Bryant Sophie Charlotte Burk

United States of America, Swiss, German

Ethan Nam Carrier

United States of America, France, Vietnam

Isabella Marie Cediel

United States of America, Colombia

Isabella Sue Christman United States of America

Billye Nicole Cleveland United States of America

Finn Dyson Cogan

United States of America, Mexico

Garland Quentin Collier United States of America

Sascha Marie Cooney

United States of America, Germany

Isabella Luna Dietrich

China

United States of America

United States of America, Pakistan

United States of America,

Nora Marianne Robbiani-Paulete Switzerland, United States of America, Cuba United States of America

United States of America, Colombia

Benjamin Moritz Koslowski

Matteo Schaffner

Katrin Abigail Lawrence

Nina Schekin

Nicholas George Leopold

Ren Rock Schiffer

Germany

United States of America, Italy

United States of America, Canada

United States of America, France, Russia

United States of America

Mukund Sharan Loiwal United States of America

Ethan Charles Long

United States of America

George Danchen Song United States of America, China

United States of America

Philip Hempel Sparsø

Spain

Naya Elena Valdivieso-Wooldridge

Mario López Álvarez

Sweden, Denmark

Sofia Elisabeth Macauley

United States of America, United Kingdom, Panama

United States of America, Colombia

Annah Noor Aisha Malik

Victoria Verba

United States of America, Russia

United States of America, Costa Rica, Germany

United States of America, France, United Kingdom, Algeria, Pakistan

United States of America

United States of America, Japan

Jade Nicole Walker

United States of America

Amelie Jeanne Wasserfuhr

Rodrigo Villagómez

Ava Marguerite Douglass

Takuma Andrew Matsuki

United States of America, México

Caleb Alexander Duval

Carter Michael Mazzawi

United States of America, Dominican Republic

Isabela Veronica Meza Galarraga

United States of America, Germany

United States of America

Sarah Eidizadeh

United States of America, Iran, Venezuela

Kaan McMurrain Erturan United States of America, Turkey,

Alexander Bruno Faa

United States of America, Australia, Canada

Charles Hill Ferguson United States of America

Leo Daniel Fleury

United States of America, France, Spain

Bruna Simi Fort

United States of America, Brazil, Italy

Léa Elizabeth Fournier

United States of America, Canada

Argentina, Ecuador

Grace Elizabeth Millington United Kingdom

Neve Isabella Mills United Kingdom

Adem Wijewickrema

United States of America, Egypt, Sri Lanka

Ikwo Jannett Wilson

United States of America, Nigeria, Jamaica

Charles Oliver Morris

Ruby Olivia Wright

Nāi’la-Mareen Morris

Iris Yahi

Elena Mota

Ansley Mitsuno Yamaato

Madeline Francis Murnane

Zhifan Zhang

United States of America

United States of America

Germany, United States of America, Germany

Turkey, France

Germany, Portugal, United States of America

United States of America

United States of America

China

31

IT’S ALL CHANGE IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS & THE PERFECT TIME TO BE AN IB STUDENT

by Tyler Sant, Head of College Counseling The fall of 2019 saw our college counselors and the Class of 2021 working on timelines - when to take the SAT and ACT, planning visits to college campuses, inviting college reps to visit us great plans, all of which had been scrapped by April 2020.

Our focus quickly switched to adapting to virtual learning and finishing the school year.

Summer brought more uncertainty as colleges and universities projected declining enrollments and budget losses, offering no assurance of whether they would accept any students back to campus in the fall.

By August, some good news finally began arriving. With testing centres closing, colleges recognized that the Class of 2021 would struggle to complete the SAT or ACT. Thus began the biggest and most unplanned pilot of test-optional college admissions.

Making standardized tests optional was a welcome disruption to the admission world.

But could large, state universities with less holistic admission processes, really adopt such a massive change with such little time to prepare?

It turns out they could. Furthermore, colleges discovered what many pioneering test-optional institutions had learned before: you can admit a highly qualified freshman cohort without requiring the SAT or ACT. AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

Even the most selective colleges, like the Ivy League, saw significant increases to the diversity of their applicant pools this year. Some smaller liberal arts colleges more than doubled their applications. Many of these same colleges have committed to being test optional once again next year and some have gone further, extending their test-optional policy indefinitely or removing test scores entirely.

Students at AIS are uniquely positioned to navigate this new landscape. When a college reviews an application without an ACT or SAT score, the other components of the application are necessarily magnified. The alreadyimportant high school transcript carries even more weight and few high school programs are as widely respected for their college-like level of rigor as the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Creativity, Activity, Service involvement, Extended Essays, and Personal Projects allow students to demonstrate areas of interest and passion, ways of independent thought, and the wide-ranging impacts they’ve made on their community. As colleges search for intellectually curious, collaborative, creative young people, the IB underscores the exact types of skills an admission counselor is seeking.

Peruse any college admission website, in the US or around the world, and you’ll find that universities are seeking exactly the types of thinkers that Atlanta International School molds.

In an increasingly dynamic college application landscape, it is indeed an excellent time to be an AIS student.

COLLEGE APPLICATION DOs & DON’Ts DO: Visit campuses and take

DO: Plan ahead for a realistic

DON’T:

DON’T: Obsess over SAT or ACT

time exploring away from the formal tour. See what people are up to and make conversation with students or faculty around campus.

Make a snap judgment about a campus strictly based on a really great (or really bad) tour guide.

DO: Keep an open-mind and

explore a wide range of colleges and universities.

DON’T:

Allow yourself to be overly swayed by rankings, online forums, or others’ opinions.

DO:

Have open conversations early in the process with your family regarding financing a college education.

DON’T: Wait until you’ve

received admission decisions to discuss what your family is able or willing to pay for college.

DO: Ask yourself why college is important to you and what you hope to gain from that experience.

DON’T:

Simply accept that college is what you’re supposed to do next. If you need some time away, consider a gap year.

timeline for standardized testing; space out test dates and research to see which colleges you’re interested in do not require scores. scores or take either exam more than three times.

DO:

Take time to reflect on who you feel you are and what you hope to get out of your college experience.

DON’T:

Allow others to take over your search or feel afraid to speak up for yourself - this is your journey.

DO: Prioritize your mental health and focus on the present.

DON’T: Become so absorbed by

what’s next that you allow the college search or applications to consume you.

DO:

Invest in your relationship with your college counselor; we can best support and advocate for students we know well.

DON’T: Go it alone or be afraid to ask questions or seek our help.

33

Philanthropy at AIS

by Aristia Kinis, Head of Advancement Philanthropy is a strategic process of giving. In the AIS context this means ensuring and supporting a balanced budget and operating needs, while also fueling the dreams of the school we aspire to be. AIS Advancement colleagues are building relationships that have philanthropy as one component and these dreams as another. These are fulfilled by our Eagles Fund and by big school investment campaign projects like 'Think Forward.'

The Eagles Fund is often invisible in the day-to-day life of the school, but it’s working great magic in our community. This kind of magic works in two ways. First, 10% of our school’s annual operating revenue comes from donations and private funding. All of our needs are not met through tuition fees. Think of it as one out of every ten desks or one out of every ten educator salaries. That annual operational budget gap is filled by the Eagles Fund, through the generosity of our donors. So it’s important because without it, we wouldn’t be whole.

Second, by giving to the Eagles Fund at any level, we increase our community participation rate. This is a key metric that foundations and corporations look for when allocating grants. The higher the rate, the greater our ability to unlock external and transformative gifts, such as the generous $2.25 million STEAM grant from the Goizueta Foundation, to fund innovations and special programmatic offerings.

Another way that everyone can contribute at no cost to themselves is the State of Georgia GOAL Financial Aid Tax Credit Program. This has helped AIS provide over $3,000,000 for need-based financial aid and takes just minutes to apply for online.

So a heartfelt thank you to all those who support the school through philanthropy. Your contributions are critical to the mission of the school and deeply appreciated.

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

VOYAGE TO GREECE Thank you to our sponsors and supporters who made our Greek-themed Spring Benefit a tremendous success.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, our Stand and Pledge raised over $100,000 for need-based financial aid. This support, during a challenging year, allows AIS to fulfill its mission and core values as an intentionally inclusive and intercultural community. We are grateful for your commitment and participation.

FAMILY SPONSORS Platinum Level Humberto Garcia-Sjogrim and Lucienne Ide Shelley Giberson and Ron Carmichael The McCoy Family The Moffitt Family Brent and Laura Sobol Deb Sudbury and Bernd Schüttler Gold Level Carrie and Tim Doyle Keisha Escoffery and Martin Emmett Luke and Brooke Fleming Paula and Michael Page Michael and Dawnitra Quigley

Spring Benefit Social

Silver Level Robert and Melissa Braddy Neerja and Abhishek Breja Beth ’98 and Zeb Chandler Heidi Deringer and Greg Foglesong Mark and Cecily Elgart Peter Hayes and Susan Roberts Family The Kottke Family Marianna and Ashley Lee Larry and Amanda Quinn Aaron and Barb Rogers Muna Saadi and Fasil Muche ’93 Thomas Stoupis and Antigoni Themistokleous Joyce and Brent Yamaato Bronze Level Rahul and Anita Basole Matt and Maitena Brill Chris and Nat Cabrera Tina Clark and Maria Voutos Jeremy and Lorilee Faa Valentin Lemoine ’98 and Family Mazzawi Dental Intown Tony and Annes Oh The Ozer Family Susannah and Chris Parker Roy Plaut and Olga Gomez Plaut Melina Pectasides and Costas Arvanitis The Saetie-Master Family Bijal Shah and Doug Shipman Chee Tan Frank and Leslie Thomas The Zinkus Family

Performance by Calvin Oh ’23

CORPORATE SPONSORS Silver Level Regions Bronze Level Patty Webb Renasant Bank Reseco SG Contracting Smith and Howard Friends of AIS BCI BSN Sports Club SciKidz Dennis Dean, catering company Ebenezer Building Management Emory Sports Medicine Center Fischbowl Productions Fragomen Metz Culinary Management Northern Trust One Stop Productions Post Meridium Spirit Co.

2021 SPRING BENEFIT COMMITTEE Myrna Antar Thompson Keisha Escoffery DeAnna Perotta Steinke Jenny Karaboiki Marianna Lee Irene Soteres Thomas Stoupis Patty Webb

Spring Benefit Live Auction

35

Auction Donors AIS Parents AIS Staff AIS Students Alice + Olivia AmazingCo Andrew Carney Photography Angela Sun Consulting & SAT Anis Cafe & Bistro Arnette’s Chop Shop Atlanta Kick Barking Hound Village Nathaniel Ben-Haiem Beth Bristow Tutorial Services Blo Dry Bar Buckhead Blo Dry Bar Ponce Bronca Buffalo Wild Wings Cabi Calm Strips Reilly Campbell Camp Cody Carithers Flowers Chandra Holland Fine Art Portraits Cindy and Steve Chen Kelley Chiappetta Tina Clark and Maria Voutos Jeff and Wendy Clark Club SciKidz Cocoa Beach Towers Compost Now Teresa Cornella Courtnay and Rowe Music Academy Cultured South Fermentation Co. Dad’s Garage Darrah Photo Deborah Grooms Photography Dennis Dean, a catering company Dermatology Affiliates Joel and Valerie Deroy Ellenwood Equestrian Center Keisha Escoffrey and Martin Emmett FitVine California Wine

FlyTopPilot Greg Foglesong and Heidi Deringer Sharon Foster Jean-Yves Franco Fresh Harvest Kevin and Stefani Glass Henry Gonzalez Gotta Have It Catering Jeffrey and Jenny Grossman Kelsey Hicks-Bunns Highlands Aerial Park Historic Oakland Foundation Jewels by Julie Kefi Kendra Scott King of Pops LEAN with Amanda Nighbert Lessons In Your Home Let’s Roam Life Moves Manual Therapies Marietta Lush Plant Company LUXE Painted Portraits, LLC Mama Bath + Body Marlow’s Tavern Mathnasium of Buckhead McDonald’s Medical Creations Integrative Medicine Mercedes-Benz USA Merrell Thompson Photography Metz Culinary Management Arnaud and Dawn Michel Rachel and DJ Mitchell Miyagi Wash Helen Muñoz NASCAR Hall of fame Natalie Carroll Design Dana Neacsu Nina Ferentinos Photography Nothing Bundt Cake Omni Hotel at the Battery Atlanta Oodazu Yesim Ozbarlas

Cameron and David Paredes Perrine’s Wine Shop Alain Poiraud Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Post Meridiem Spirits Co. Puppy Haven Ravela, LLC Ready Set Fun Krista Reilly Revana Estate Vineyard Mojy Shahab Julie Simon Bahnson and Judith Stanley Starbucks at The Peach Layne Stabler Andrew and DeAnna Steinke John Stoj & Dr. Kimberley Haluski Stone Summit Atlanta StretchLab Buckhead Summer Language Camp TADA - The Atlanta Dance Academy The Gathering Spot The High Museum of Art The Little Tart Bakeshop The Peachtree Gym Third Eye Tribe Thao Tran Lyle Tick and Cecile Urrea Tiffany & Co. Total Row Fitness Total Wine & More Tucker Brewing Co. Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft U.S. National Whitewater Center Unscrambled by Erin Verbatim Financial Tim and Patty Webb Whimsi Co Events Anne Williams Word of Mouth Restaurants World of Coca-Cola Zoo Atlanta

This Year's Benjamin Schüttler ’08 Memorial Awards An example of the amazing generosity of donors through AIS Giving is illustrated by the Benjamin Schüttler ’08 Memorial Award. Benjamin (Benji) is an alumnus from the AIS Class of 2008 who died tragically at age 27. While he lived a short life, it was a life of meaning.

The Benjamin Schüttler Memorial Endowed Fund was generously established in Benji’s honor by his family and friends. An endowed fund is set up in a way that it will provide funding for students for years to come.

This year, proceeds from the Fund have been awarded to the following students who will honor Benji’s memory through taking part in educational enrichment opportunities: Sarah Eidizadeh ’21 will participate in Georgia Tech’s First Year Fall Abroad program in Metz, France; Naomi Hackett ’25 will organize and host a

Sarah Eidizadeh ’21

free basketball camp for girls at the Horizons program this summer; and Martin Lopez Alvarez ’25 will learn how to use the programs in Creative Cloud to prepare for a career in advertising.

The Award recipients truly embody the compassion, curiosity, and courage that are the hallmarks of how Benji lived his life. About exploring the world, one of the recipients said, “I began to form the picture of what sort of person I wanted to be in life: someone who was interculturally competent, and courageous enough to pursue learning in unfamiliar settings.”

Endowments such as the Benjamin Schüttler Memorial Fund have the power to transform lives. Thanks to AIS donors, this fund and others will continue to nurture courageous leaders who shape their world for the better.

Naomi Hackett ’25

Martin Lopez Alvarez ’25 37

Run to reach AIS alum Liz Warner ’08 set herself an incredible challenge before she reached 30 last summer - 30 Marathons in 30 Countries.

Liz logged nearly every step of the way on her Instagram (@runtoreach).

Now with over $50,000 raised and 1 dream completed, she reflected, “What I feel is this: overwhelmingly lucky to have had the opportunity to travel the world to run marathons in some far-reaching, remarkable countries — all while raising awareness & funds for some of the world’s most impactful women empowerment organizations."

Liz's Adventure in Numbers

Marathons Completed: 30 Fastest Marathon Time: 3:30 hr Slowest Marathon Time: 8:14 hr Best Snack Handed out During Marathon: Tortillas with peanut butter (Guatemala) Worst Snack: Communal bag of sugar (Madagascar) Different Places Slept: 64 Warmest Memory: A Saharawi wedding in the refugee camps in Western Sahara Darkest Memory: Being stranded for 21 hours in the Ulaanbaatar airport in Mongolia Amount Raised for Partner Women-centered Organizations: $51,700

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | 2020 - 2021

TIME to Reflect PHOTO JOURNALIST NINA RIGGIO ’13 TALKS TIME MAGAZINE AND TRAVEL

by Negasi Haskins ’16 Alum Nina Riggio’s high school experience at AIS inspired her to pursue her career in photojournalism. Here she found her passions align through both the art expertise she absorbed from the famed Erika Hibbert and as she explored science, economics and geography with Anthony Gillett.

These influences helped Nina to choose her path, first to study anthropology at Colorado College, then after graduating, to pursue her passion for visual storytelling. In unconventional style, Nina bought an old bus and with the help of a carpenter friend, added solar panels (watch out Elon!), adapted it for living and hit the road with her cameras.

Living this way wasn’t easy but Nina says that those cooling breezes out West still hold a special place in her memory.

Her travels took her to Reno, Nevada, where as a contracted archaeologist, Nina saw firsthand the impact of a housing crisis at the site of a mining project. Nina’s observations of the inadequacy in living conditions led her to capture some 5,000 images. Of these, 10 were chosen by TIME magazine, depicting the day to day life of a family also living out of an old school bus. This task entailed long nights and constant contact with her editor.

As well as the prestigious TIME feature, Nina has had work published in The Washington Post and other major news outlets, including most recently the San Francisco Chronicle, where she is doing a Summer Fellowship.

39

FROM stRenGth TO stReNgth TRAVIS HARPER ’19 TALKS ABOUT HIS AIS TO HARVARD JOURNEY

by Negasi Haskins ’16

Travis Harper has had quite the track record so far in his academic journey. While at AIS, he was a strong personality in the theatre program before transitioning to the award winning AIS Mock Trial team where he became lead attorney.

He said that the attorneys who came before him (Emil Zakarian ’18, Max Semrau ’18, and Celine Guenther ’18) were key pillars in his experience, and that they have maintained team traditions post graduation.

After AIS, Travis was accepted and made the decision to attend Harvard College.

He is now a rising junior pursuing African American Studies. This summer, he is stationed in New York working for a law firm that specializes in gun control activism, while also conducting research with one of his professors.

During his sophomore year, he was chosen to co-captain the Harvard Mock Trial A-team. Under his leadership, they placed 6th in their region for the national collegiate mock trial competition. With that solid performance under his belt, Travis is looking forward to captaining the team next year back in the courts. COVID-19 vs. Harvard Mock Trial, now that was a case!

While at Harvard, Travis has entertained the idea of getting a PhD. A step towards that has been his acceptance into the prestigious Mellon Mays Fellowship. This fellowship is funded for students of color to explore a part of our intricate world that needs to be brought to the public’s attention; by way of research and in-depth analytics of those affected and their experiences. Over the next few years with his cohort, he will undergo training in all things academic while continuing to fine-tune his research in preparation for his thesis.

It’s no overstatement that Travis is very involved on campus: a member of the Black Student Association, Mock Trial attorney and captain, and a Mellon Mays Fellow.

He says that eventually he would like to take a break from his many obligations to focus on maintaining the strong network that he has developed, and to ensure that his next steps are guided well.

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | Summer 2021

ALUMNI EVENTS

BREAKING NEWS!

by Pierrette Maillet

AN AIS FIRST, INTRODUCING THE ALUMNI BOARD A courageous group of alumni took office on July 1st as the newly created representative body for AIS alumni committed to the following mission: “The AIS Alumni Board advances the interests and promotes the welfare of Atlanta International School and its students and builds positive long-term relationships among AIS alumni, the school, and the wider community.”

The inaugural AIS Alumni Board comprises thirteen alumni from a wide range of graduating classes, diverse backgrounds and professions, and cities all over the world, including in the US, Canada, France, and Spain. They represent graduation years from 1992 to the present day.

Together they will advance the mission of AIS through cultivating the alumni voice.

The board members and their positions will be announced later in the year so look out for that news.

CATCHING UP By pivoting our AIS alumni events to an online format this year, we had the opportunity to include alums from all over the globe in many of our events.

Via Zoom, alums from the Class of 2000 celebrated their 20th reunion in August 2020. We brought together alums for virtual networking in Washington DC in September and alumni in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in October.

Class of 2000

20th reunion

In December, our Virtual Holiday Hangout, which usually takes place in person in Atlanta, drew attendees from many regions.

This spring we hosted some new events to connect alums working in specific industries such as finance and law.

Next year we hope to see alums in person again, but we’ll also be keeping up our virtual events to make sure those across the world can continue to connect with old and new AIS friends.

Did you graduate in the Class of 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, or 2016? If so, it’s your reunion year! Mark your calendar for a fall AIS Homecoming from September 10 - 12, 2021.

The Class of 2005 didn’t want to miss out, so they will be joining as well. We hope to see you there!

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HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR SCHOOL?

FIND OUT BY TAKING OUR AIS QUIZ 1. What year was the school founded?

2. Which two teachers had been here since the beginning?

WHAT ARE THESE ANNUAL AIS EVENTS CALLED?

3. The Plauts led the founding of AIS, what are their first names?

4. Name a previous Head of School:

What is the name of this cow?

5.

Who is this?

6.

Where does this AIS bronze eagle live?

13.

7.

UNRAVEL THE AIS ACRONYMS BELOW!

14.

8. LPAC 9. MUN 10. AISAHT 11. PO 15.

12. CAS

1.1985 2. Joyce O’Brien and Stella Salazar 3. Roy and Olga 4. Alex Horsley or David B. Hawley or Robert Brindley 5. Hi-5 6. Swoop 7. Outside the SAC 8. Lademacher Performing Arts Center 9. Model United Nations 10. Atlanta International School Against Human Trafficking 11. Parent Organization 12. Creativity Activity Service 13. La Feria 14. German Christmas Market or Weihnachtsmarkt 15. Worldfest

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE | Summer 2021

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OUR MISSION To develop courageous leaders who shape their world for the better.

OUR CORE VALUES The joy of learning and purposeful effort.

Mutual respect and understanding in an intentionally inclusive and intercultural community.

OUR APPROACH To lead as individuals and as members of their communities, future-ready young people must learn to thrive in ambiguity and uncertainty, pairing deep self-knowledge and empathy with the skills to think analytically and constructively.

We believe it is essential to develop the capacity to consider one’s decisions and actions within an ethical framework grounded in a spirited sense of hope in human potential.

We create a safe, stimulating educational environment, promoting the wonder and curiosity that motivates a student to learn in and beyond the classroom and throughout life. We believe that achievement derives from sustained, purposeful effort and by learning to think critically, debate confidently, question assumptions and push our limits. We believe language and culture shape and inform identity. We delight in difference, opening ourselves to authentic and meaningful interactions with various cultures both in school and in life. We commit ourselves to grow and change individually and together, to ensure every learner’s identity, language, and values are respected.

AIS NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT Atlanta International School practices a full nondiscriminatory policy in all school-administered programs and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender preference in all of its admissions, educational and employment policies, programs, and practices.

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