Globetrotter Spring / Summer 2013

SUMMER 2013

Globetrotter

-北京

上海 What a Year for Music at AIS!

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Taking the Stand

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Adventures in SHANGHAI and BEIJING

Middle School Science Highlights

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By Alan Preis, Patrick Hurworth, Dennis Panzer and Jie Wu, Secondary Faculty

Behind the Scenes at 11 Alive

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Eagle Athletics Report

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Focus on Digital Citizenship

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IN THIS ISSUE

SAVE THE DATE

for the

ANNUAL BACK-TO -SCHOOL

PICNIC

FRIDAY, AUG. 23!

In late March and early April, 18 eighth – and ninth-grade students, accompanied by chaperones Jie Wu, Alan Preis, Dennis Panzer, and Patrick Hurworth, traveled to China.

The first part of the trip was spent visiting Shanghai and spending time with host students at Shanghai High School. Students spent two weekends with host families and were able to fully immerse with the local language and culture. During the week, each morning began with Tai Chi exercises, followed by activities and classes at the school. Students attended a number of classes with their host students and also participated in lessons on Chinese culture, calligraphy, art, and cooking. Afternoon events included a science festival at the school and trips to the Bund and Shanghai Museum. In the evenings, students attended study hall, followed by “lights out” at 9:45 pm. On our final evening in Shanghai, students were treated to a farewell party with dinner, music, singing and dancing. Shanghai High School and the host families treated us regally while we were there. We shall return the hospitality this fall.

After our stay in Shanghai, we traveled by high-speed rail to Beijing. The train had a number of amenities including a dining car, and many of us were struck with the smoothness of the train as we traveled north steadily at 300 km/hr, making the journey in five hours.

On arrival in Beijing, we were met by the tour guides who would accompany us for the next six days. They took us by coach to the Grand Hotel, located right next to the Olympic venue. For an enormous city, Beijing seemed dignified and graceful, its architecture an eclectic blend of the new, the old, and the ancient.

UPPER School

Adventures in Shanghai and Beijing cont.

We visited the Olympic Stadium (“Bird’s Nest”) and the Water Cube, which were both spectacular examples of innovative architecture and modern design. Day trips to the Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square provided rich glimpses into Chinese culture and history. Our shopping trips took us to a silk factory, a pearl factory, and a precious stone factory. Students learned the art of price haggling in street markets. We also met with a Kung Fu master in the park, who gave students an extensive lesson in that martial art. It was enjoyed by all and by the older Chinese people in the park who circled to watch. We went to an acrobatic show and a Kung Fu show. On a visit to a vocational school, which was really first rate, we had a cooking demonstration by a famous Beijing chef. Some of our adventurers tried eating scorpion, jellyfish and snake.Yum it was!

The journey finally came to an end with a trip to the airport for the long flight home. All in all, the trip gave us a glimpse into the myriad changes that China has undergone during the past several decades.

Our visit to China was a great experience that will remain in our memories forever. We were welcomed wherever we went by the Chinese people. We all look forward to the visit of our Shanghai High School host students to Atlanta in October.

WHAT A YEAR FOR MUSIC at AIS!

By Stefanie Tessler, Greg Hucks and Dina Rosas, Secondary Faculty The AIS Music Department saw many individual student achievements during the 2012-13 school year. Georgia All-State selected five AIS students to participate in Honors Ensembles: vocalist Michel Vazirani in Middle School All-State Chorus; violinist Keanu Mitanga and cellist Myrtil Mitanga in grades 11 and 12 All-State Orchestra; cellist Laurent Boudard in grades 9 and 10 All-State Orchestra; and violist Lizzy Sandlin in grades 11 and 12 Statewide Honors Orchestra. Students also made strong impressions in both local and national performances. Junior violinist Keanu Mitanga performed the Saint-Saens Violin Concerto with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for their Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Concert. Senior cellist Myrtil Mitanga won the Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, performing an outstanding rendition of Bloch’s “Schelomo.” Grade-six pianist Yannie Tan was named “Grand Winner” of the 2013 National Young Musicians Showcase and performed at Carnegie Hall for the winner’s recital.

This past April, eleven DP music students took their talents up to New York City for an arts-intensive field trip. Over the course of five days, these students attended performances of Jazz at Lincoln Center directed by Wynton Marsalis, the Tony-winning musical ONCE, and the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall featuring soprano Renee Fleming. AIS students attended daily workshops with composers and music ensemble musicians.

These students also had the unique opportunity to visit New York’s famed Avatar Studios to witness a film score recording session. Participants in the field trip will draw on these experiences as stimuli as they fulfill requirements for the DP Music curriculum.

We have accomplished so much in the music department over the course of this year, and we are looking forward to continued growth in both curricular and co-curricular offerings. The department has also expanded in size, marking a record number of participants in band, orchestra, and chorus this school year. The afterschool music program has also seen significant growth, attracting AIS students with its highly-trained staff of musicians from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. If you have any questions or would like more information on the AIS music program, please contact Stefanie Tessler at stessler@aischool.org.

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UPPER School

Extending a Helping Hand to SYRIAN REFUGEES

By Tammy VuPham, Grade 11

CAS Group Supports

DENIM DAY USA

By Veronica Plaut McDaniel, Secondary Faculty

On a half-day in late April, the CAS group AIS Against Human Trafficking turned its attention from its usual mission of raising awareness of human trafficking to support the intiative of National Denim Day. In the morning, the group passed out denim bands with writing on them (that they had made themselves in school and at home) to all advisories. The theme of the day was “There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape.” Earlier in the year, the group lobbied at the Georgia Capitol for a special lobby day in February. For more information, please visit www.denimdayusa.org.

THANK YOU from the Dresden Seven!

Courtesy of Christiane Box, Secondary Faculty Dear AIS Community: We would like to thank you so much for the amazing time we had at AIS. The last two months were filled with great experiences we will never forget. Thanks a lot especially to our host families and exchange brothers/sisters who took such good care of us and made the last eight weeks so unique.

We also want to say thanks to the school and the teachers who made this exchange possible. It was such a great time for all of us!

We’re so thankful and we will miss y’all ;) ! – The Seven Germans from Dresden

“And as conditions worsen in this camp, thousands more will die-- not because of war, but because of disease,” said the reporter. Scenes of Syrian children in a Lebanese refugee camp terrified me. How could any person survive this? Lack of food, water, and some normalcy of life left these children physically tired and mentally broken.

Researching this crisis, I realized that these children had dreams of changing their country but no ability to do so.

Most would stay in the refugee camps until adulthood, having no access to advanced education during that time.

As a first generation VietnameseAmerican, education is important to me to achieve my dreams; I wanted the Syrian children to have that opportunity, too.

But how could I help them? I didn’t know anyone that had ties to this cause, much less any way to contact the aid workers in the camps. I decided that I could best help by contributing my services to a non-profit organization that worked with Syrian children.

I decided to raise money for Save the Children, an organization whose mission is to help these children shortterm and long-term. The organization could solve the food and hygiene problems within these camps as well as provide the children with educational resources. With a government grant, Save the Children would even contribute three dollars for every dollar I donated! I decided to help the Syrian children exponentially and began to plan a school fundraiser, hoping that this would help the children much more than just a single donation from me.

The fundraiser was difficult to coordinate at times, but it was a success! In a little over one week and with generous support from students, I was able to raise a little over $2,000!

I am so excited to see how these donations will help the Syrian children achieve their dreams.

Globetrotter Summer 2013

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UPPER School

A WORLD-CLASS CHALLENGE for AIS Students!

By Chris Stephenson, Secondary Faculty

The Young American’s Challenge was founded in the UK in 1956 by the Royal family of United Kingdom, specifically the Duke of Edinburgh.

Its aim was for youth to challenge themselves to set and achieve their personal goals through sustained effort. It is not a competition with others, but with oneself. The challenge consists of physical, service, and skills components, which are selected by the participant, and progress is monitored by a qualified individual.

The culminating activity common to all participants (and the part that requires the most work!) is the “Adventurous Journey.” It is undertaken once sufficient training for the adventure is complete. AIS has been successful in the activity with four students achieving the Bronze Award in 2010 – we are working towards the Silver Award. The Silver Award requires a commitment of six months to a skill, physical activity, and service activity for each participant. One of our group, Kesha Kanakiya, has already achieved her Bronze Level Award.

Service: One of the components required to achieve any award in the Young American’s Challenge, or Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, is Community Service. The aim of this activity is to “learn how to give useful community service to others.” The time commitment for the Bronze Award level is one hour a week for three months, while for the Silver Award, participants must serve the community for six months. A community service activity that many of the group members participate in is Aprendiendo Ingles Solido. At least one hour per week, we venture over to the Garden Hills Elementary school and tutor and help the students with their homework. The students come from a variety of backgrounds, and it is very rewarding to see the students understand what they are learning.

Skills: A wide variety of skills is required to be able to complete any Duke of Edinburgh’s/ Young American Challenge’s Award. Skills are one’s particular ability to do something well or one’s expertise. In this case, participants of the the Duke of Edinburgh’s/ Young American Challenge’s Award must develop a personal interest and learn practical skills. This activity can be reached throughout school activities as well as extra curricular involvement in which the participants will set a personal goal and measure their progress. Our groups skills vary from learning how to mountain bike to tennis and even learning how to knit! Participants keep a journal so that when looking back one can see the huge improvement made in learning these skills and reaching the goals set. It really encourages continuity to bigger goals!

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Physical Recreation: Another large component of the Duke of Edinburgh’s/Young Americans Challenge Award is the physical recreation requirement. With one of the most crucial aspects of obtaining the award being the adventurous journey, participants must ensure that they are physically capable of meeting the demands of this adventurous journey. For this particular aspect of the award, the students involved must donate at least one hour a week towards improving and participating in a sort of physical recreation. The participants in our group are highly involved in their physical activity, from training to dance, running, and even learning a new form of working out. All of these require you to completely commit to your physical activity to ensure that you improve your overall physical condition as well as being able to be prepared for the endurance requirement that come with Adventurous journey.

This component encourages students to set higher goals for themselves, push themselves to their limits, and learn to commit themselves fully to everything they are involved in.

Adventurous Journey: The final part of completing Duke of Edinburgh’s/ Young American Challenge’s Award is the Adventurous Journey. Aimed “to encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery,” this part of the Award requires constant planning, diligence, and commitment in order to plan and execute a two night camping trip.

Our Adventurous Journey was scheduled several months in advance to allow pre-departure preparation. From taking CPR classes to route planning and camp craft, every group meeting had a new skill for us to learn (including cooking skills involving campfires and stoves!)

These and many other skills we’ve learned will be implemented in our three-day, two night Adventurous Journey later this year in Cloudland Canyon State Park, GA. Conclusion: Although our commitments to the program and earning our awards will be complete soon, we hope to continue the program at AIS. We hope that there are other students who are interested in this program who wish to carry out the tradition. Next year we would like to find new members for the program, and we would all like to act as facilitators/teachers as our program grows.

Editor’s Note: Mrs. Chris Stephenson holds an instructor’s certificate from the U.K. and coordinates theYoung American’s Challenge at AIS.

MIDDLE School

Middle School SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

By Peluchi Flores, Secondary Faculty Science Students Compete in the Georgia Science Olympiad AIS Middle School students joined the Georgia Science Olympiad at Gainesville State College on February 9, 2013. There were about 24 teams participating in the event from all over Georgia. AIS participants spent two months preparing for the competition by practicing after school for their events.

AIS medalists were Julika Schmidt and Helen Audrey Williams (Keep the Heat, 4th place); Anika Parashar and Juliette Morrell (Write-it-do-it, 4th place); and Joel Brene, Amy Riecker, Anika Parashar and Juliette Morrell (Quiz Bowl, 3rd place).

AIS ribbon awardees were Kamil Ali and Christian Porter (Metric Mastery, 6th place); and Charlotte Tausche,Yannie Tan and Kamil Ali (Experimental Design, 7th place). Other team members were Matthew Mills, Noah Jernigan and James Weichert.

Here are a few words from the participants: “We all had an exciting time preparing for the Science Olympiad and then actually competing in it. In the end, all of us had investigated deeply into our competitions and learned much from it. I personally now think of myself as a glaciologist. I am excited to possibly join the Olympiad team next year!” – Charlotte Tausche, 8th grade “I think that the Science Olympiad was an interesting experience because you could choose whichever experiment you want, and be with a partner or two. One of my experiments was the Rotor Egg Drop, which is when you make a rotor and put an egg inside.You drop the rotor and see if the egg breaks. I have learned many things, such as how can the x axis turn from the y axis. I would go back to the Science Olympiad next year because it will improve my science knowledge.” – Yannie Tan, 6th grade Heat Loss Through the School’s Windows As part of the grade 8 science unit on “Green Construction”, students were tasked to estimate the amount of money wasted in a month due to heat losses of the ASD and the main building windows at AIS. Science and math classes were joined together in this interdisciplinary project for which students use their science knowledge on heat transfer and mathematical skills in estimation and calculation. Students were required to write all their assumptions, show all their calculations and explanations of their final estimates.

Grade Six Science Features “ICE CREAM DREAMS”

By Samantha Perkins, Globetrotter Associate Editor for Secondary In her “Ice Cream Dreams” lab in sixth-grade science this spring, Ms. Alexis Doyle used a tasty and interactive experiment to teach her grade-six students about the phase change from liquid to solid.

Students watched in amazement as their liquid mixtures of milk, sugar and vanilla transformed into solids when they added ice and salt!

Student observations from the experiment: Now, I understand the process of changing from liquid to solid.”– Anna-Lina Mörking “This lab helped us understand the difference between a mixture, substance and compound.” – Luisa Bartsch “I really enjoyed how we worked in groups and that we made something we could eat afterward!” – Michelle Goodall “I learned the properties of rock salt, which is a conductor of temperatures.”– Noah Jernigan “We followed the procedure and our end product turned out to be delicious!”– Sofia Eidizadeh and Julia Chen “Best of all, I was able to surprise my mom with homemade ice cream for Mother’s Day!”– Lucas Ballman “This experiment not only taught me by memorizing but also by doing.”– Audrey Nozière Mrs. Doyle also gave her sixth-grade students the option of completing an at-home experiment of their own choosing. Here are some labs the students completed for extra credit: “In my home project, I filled a two-liter bottle with potato skin, noodles, apple skin, newspaper pieces and old plant-soil. After about four weeks in direct sunlight, the soil level had dropped.This project demonstrated how natural wastes separate from non-biodegradable wastes to become soil.”– Antonia Erdmann “We separated mixtures by distilling water from a simple glass of Coca-Cola.We had to act responsibly with the given materials, like the hot plate.Through trial and error, we successfully completed our lab.”– Corinn Valeri “My experiment taught me science in a different way than most other experiments. It allowed me to have fun and take in all the information.”– Perri Dinnerman Globetrotter Summer 2013

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MIDDLE School

Taking the STAND

By Emily Preis, Grade Eight For two weeks, the eighth grade participated in a Mock Trial Unit. The goal of the unit was to encourage eighth graders to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. Justice System. In advisories, we devised small mock trial teams and were assigned two coaches from the AIS Mock Trial Competition Team. Right away, I was excited. I had developed an interest in acting and the legal system (especially after reading To Kill a Mockingbird in English class), and I expected to experience all or both in this unit.

First, we learned the basics of trial: there are two examinations, direct and cross. A lawyer performing a cross examination asks yes or no questions, while a lawyer performing a direct examination asks open-ended questions. We saw a sample case, The State of GA vs. Jayne Cook, that made the mock trial unit even more appealing. I enjoyed watching the actors take on new, transformative roles as witnesses. Even the “lawyers” behaved differently and exaggerated their professionalism. Before we knew it, we were off!

Our advisory was assigned the defense side of the case, and we read through the many witnesses’ statements. We learned the story - a woman named Danielle Capulet (Dani) shot and killed a man named Philip Newton. Dani claims that she acted in self-defense. Next, we chose our parts. I knew right away that I wanted to be a witness. I ended up playing Dani, the defendant. I was paired with a defense lawyer who worked with me to draft my direct examination. The next step was tricky. We had to sift through the witnesses’ statements with a fine-tooth comb and pick out any details we wanted to use. As the defendant, we strove to portray Dani as both kind and genuinely fearful for her life and the life of her son – the purported reason why she killed Philip Newton. However, Dani’s statement did not align with that interpretation. Finally, we composed many questions that I would answer in my direct examination, ideally from memory.

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It was time to take on my role: to make Dani Capulet someone who could hold the judge’s attention. I cannot count how many times my advisory’s coach told us to maintain the judge’s full attention, so I really wanted to make my performance memorable. I decided to take on a southern accent in my portrayal of Dani Capulet. I also decided that Dani would be both a tough and loving mother to her son. The day of the mock trial was approaching fast, and I was very nervous for my cross examination. What would they ask?Would I be able to reply?Would they make me say something terrible that would prove I did not kill Philip Newton out of self-defense? Before I knew it, it was the day of the trial. As I sat in anticipation of my direct examination, I encouraged my peers to perform just as we had practiced.

Finally, I stood up, walked across the front of the “courtroom,” and sat down in the witness chair. The first question came, “Can you please introduce yourself to the court?” I took a deep breath and began. At this point in the process, my accent and my responses came fairly naturally.

Before I knew it, the direct examination was over. Next, the prosecutor stood up. I took a deep breath. The representative for the prosecution just happened to be one of the best speakers in the grade. He started to ask me questions, but it became obvious that he was not satisfied with my replies. I was stubborn, just like I imagined Dani would be. Oh how I enjoyed being stubborn! But, I was constantly nervous. My – or should I say Dani’s – life was on the line. It was such a thrilling experience. A member of the prosecution team actually clapped when I said something particularly funny that effectively shut down the cross-examination.

In the end, my advisory won. We came together as a team and staged a full criminal case. Despite my initial nervousness, the experience was not only fun, but it taught me important reading, speaking and writing skills. The unit also broadened my views on the justice system, mock trial, and acting.

MIDDLE School

SCIENCE FAIR 2013!

By Alexis Doyle and Peluchi Flores, Secondary Faculty The 2013 Sixth Grade Science Fair was extraordinary. On June 4, 2013, eighty-four bright-eyed and excited sixth graders invaded the ASD with thoughtful science fair projects focusing on the theme, “household substances.” Investigations ranged from the elasticity of various tapes, the effect of candlelight on glo fish, the effect of tenderizers on shrimp, and the cleanliness of our food, which tested the amount of bacteria found on fruits and vegetables. The entire ASD was packed to capacity with parents, judges and students happy to deliver their top scientific reasoning and explanations to anyone who would listen. Parents and judges alike were impressed by the quality and caliber of experiments presented. Although this was the first Science Fair at Atlanta International School, it will definitely not be the last! Congratulations to all the winners!

A Trip to the ZOO

By James Weichert, Grade Six As a conclusion to the grade 6 biology unit about endangered species, the whole 6th grade took a trip to Zoo Atlanta. The whole purpose of the trip was to cap off what the students have already learned in science and truly understand the importance of saving and conserving not only the endangered animals but also every living thing.

During our second unit of science, ecology, the students learned about scientific terms as well as engaged in discussions about how animals survive and why it is important to help them. While learning that, the students simultaneously applied all of that knowledge into a research project about an endangered animal, which, was presented at the end of the trimester in the form of a public service announcement.

On Friday, March 15, the grade six students boarded the bus with a lot of excitement and anticipation. Energy levels were high all throughout the day.

Some interviews before entering the zoo showed that the students were excited to see different things: “I am really excited and looking forward to the zoo. And I really want to see the giant panda.” – Julia C. “I’m really excited and think it’s [the zoo] going to be a great way to end the ecology unit.” – Isabelle B. Throughout the day, the students split up by advisory and toured the zoo seeing different ecosystems. To make sure the students were able to tie what they learned in class to the zoo, they were given packets to fill out throughout the day. Most of the packet consisted of observations of animals of the student’s choosing as well as a few questions about the importance of conservation. After losing a lot of time due to the unexpected long line at the café, the groups had to cut their time spent at the remaining ecosystems short. During the last half hour of the trip, some advisories having finished their packet decided to take a ride on the carousel or go spend the money they had left over in the gift shop. Although tired, the students had very positive things to say about their great adventure at the zoo: “It was really fun and better than I expected. I liked the pandas the most because they were big and fluffy. I find that it’s really cool that we can do this to learn about the importance of saving animals.” – Anika P. “I loved the carousel the most. I loved how we could use the things we learned in science and apply them here at the zoo.” – Grant B. In the end the students loved it, and it was a very creative way to end our ecology on a positive note.

Globetrotter Summer 2013

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MIDDLE School

REDEMPTION Story

By Lanie Cox, Secondary Faculty The 2012-2013 Middle School Boy’s Tennis season began like any other as fifteen boys presented for tryouts. The tryout process revealed tremendous progress in veteran team members who had trained intensely between seasons. Will Grattan-Smith, a veteran grade-eight team member, returned with much promise as a nationally-ranked player. Fellow teammate Liam Heery also demonstrated vast improvements in his game, solidifying his spot on the team. Tryouts also provided new hopefuls with a forum to demonstrate their untapped talents. Grade-six student Vali Stelea was one such hopeful. During a tryout exercise, Vali took two games from our Line One Singles player, a feat that no other MAAC tennis player had yet accomplished.

Nine players made the team, varying in skill level from beginners with raw talent to nationally-ranked players with Olympic and professional aspirations. Equipped with talented players, the team looked forward to a smooth and successful season. But Mother Nature had other plans, raining out several tennis matches and providing unseasonably cold temperatures and high winds. By the end of the season, the team had completed just two matches, leaving a week for make-up matches.

Despite these challenging conditions, the team won their make-up matches and headed undefeated into the final game against Davis Academy. AIS took the lead in all three lines. Will completed his match with an 8-0 victory. AIS needed one more win to finish the season in first place. Liam Heery and grade-seven student Walker Morris had a tough match. Vali Stelea and grade-seven student Emil Zakarian were down 7-2. Despite making strong comebacks, both lines lost and Davis Academy ended the regular season in first place with AIS at a close second. We knew that the playoffs were our chance for redemption.

The following week, we arrived at Blackburn Tennis Center ready to

play Davis Academy for the coveted MAAC Championship Title. We were surprised to discover that Davis Academy players had arrived early to warm up. We were also shocked to see that they had decorated their reception area with balloons and cupcakes. AIS Athletic Director, Gregg Albright, said it best that, “Davis showed up ready to celebrate their championship, but AIS had other plans.”

Our final line-up featured Will, Vali, Emil, Liam and Walker. Davis changed the line-up, putting Walker and Liam up against an unfamiliar and very strong Line Two. Walker and Liam played tactfully and worked together as a team. While the match ended with a loss of 2-8, the score hardly reflected Walker and Liam’s fantastic efforts.

The rematch of Line One doubles was one of sweet redemption. Vali and Emil dominated their opponents with hard, flat shots and wicked net play. Vali scored the winning point of the match with an angled slam from the net. The ball flew past his opponent, un-returnable. The score? 8-0!

Ending his MAAC tennis career on his birthday, Will played to win, leaving the court undefeated with a victory of 8-0. We will miss our grade-eights, Will Gratten-Smith and Liam Heery. Good luck to you both! The Upper School team will be lucky to have you. To the entire Middle School Tennis Team–it was a pleasure to watch you play this season. Congratulations on your Championship win!

Middle School 2012-2013 Boys Tennis Team: William Gratten-Smith, Valentin Stalea, Emil Zakarian, Liam Heery, Walker Morris, David Shayne, Tony Sun, Sasha Tishin, Robin Li Coaches: Kathleen Bowin and Lanie Cox

AIS MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH STUDENTS ENJOYED AN EXCITING DAY on the Georgia Tech Campus for the Math Counts Competition.

From left to right: Alyssa Locke (grade 7), Erin Kim (friend of AIS), Katherine Paton-Smith (grade 7), Vincent Schroeder (grade 7) and Michener Anthony (grade 6).

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MIDDLE School

DEUTSCHER ABEND IM DEUTSCHEN KULTURZENTRUM German Honors Night at the German Cultural Center

By James Weichert, Grade 6 and Jutta Schlicker-Martinez, Secondary Faculty

On Saturday, May 11, German immersion students from sixth, seventh and eighth grades, as well as middle and high school language B German students, were privileged to join an award ceremony at the “Friends of Goethe” Center in Midtown Atlanta. These students took part in the National German Exam set up by the AATG or American Association of Teachers of German and received a score of 85% or above. Included in this ceremony were more than 10 schools from all over Georgia, including AIS. Some of the attendees included German Consul General Christoph Sander and AATG members. The evening saw many awards including, AIS’s own Matias Ferandel, who was nominated for the Governor’s Honors Program and Jordan Brown, who for his Personal Project taught himself German in seven months and scored 90% on the Level 4 Exam! A buffet followed the ceremony as well as a time for pictures and many varying discussions about the test and the German language in general.

Frau Schlicker-Martinez: The German Department would like to thank all the students and parents who attended the event. AIS boasted the highest representation at the ceremony! In a speech by AATG Chapter president Dr. Robin Huff, we were reminded of the rewards that studying German can bring to our students: wide and multi-faceted employment opportunities by one of the most stable economies in Europe, connections right here at home to the strongest foreign investor in Georgia, scholarship opportunities that range from Governor’s Honors Program to PAD study trips to fully sponsored university studies. We are so proud of our 21 students who qualified for this distinction.

Photo Courtesy of Constance Heery/ German Consulate General Students left to right: Michener Anthony, Izzi Zigan, JamesWeichert, Liam Heery, Sarah Engel, Bruno Bartolek, Lily Turner, Jonathan Schlumberger, Nile Ziegler, Matias Ferandel, Jordan Brown

Grade Seven RIDES THE RAILS FOR PHYSICS

By Katie Brown, Grade Seven Ms. Doyle assigned my seventh-grade physics class to build a rollercoaster demonstrating our knowledge of Newton’s Three Laws of Motion and different physical forces. So, the seventh grade class took a field trip to Six Flags to experience the thrill of a rollercoaster ride and to get inspiration to create our own rollercoasters. We were assigned to take pictures of loops, hills and corkscrews and to ride the Mind Bender rollercoaster. That was the first time I had ever been on a roller coaster with loops, but it was the highlight of my day. When the ride ended, my friends and I recorded which forces were in play and described how the G-Force made us feel. I had fun coming up with all of the forces involved in the ride, and there were more than I had expected. Everyone had a lot of fun, and I wish we could do it again next year Other thoughts on the grade 7 field trip to Six Flags: “I enjoyed spending time with my friends and riding the rides. I also enjoyed feeling the G-Forces as I rode the rollercoaster.”– Matthew Gordon “I learned how centripetal force works on a rollercoaster loop: when you go through a loop, your momentum doesn’t let you fall when you are upside-down.”– Connor Cohen “The rollercoasters were very fun! I learned how centripetal force keeps the cars following in a curved path through the loops. It is amazing, almost like magic!”– Jazzy Fox “When I went up for a loop the first time, I barely felt any different. I didn’t feel like I was falling out the cart, or that I was being pulled down.

This is centripetal force.”– Leonie Platen “I think Six Flags was a great chance to talk to new people and make new friends. I learned a lot about the different forces and how we use them in our everyday lives.”

– Clarke Britton “I had never been to an amusement park in Georgia before, though I went to many in Europe and Massachusetts, so it was an interesting, new experience.”– Catie Schilling “I liked how we all stuck to together as a group.This trip was also a very good learning experience. It not only helped us prepare for our test that we had to take a couple days later, but it also gave us lots of different ideas for our upcoming project.”– Julia Albers “Now we are going to begin to create and build our own roller coaster. Overall, Six Flags was a very informative and joyful day for all of 7th grade!”– Sofia Varzi “Six Flags was a great opportunity for us to learn and understand physics in a fun way. I could feel the forces that we have been learning about in class, so I understand them better.”– Baptiste Viala Globetrotter Summer 2013

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PRIMARY School

Grade One Fun on CHARACTER DAY

By Sarah Taylor, PS Faculty

Grade Four CAN DO THE MATH!

By Daniela Remmers and Mary Bokuchava, Grade Four

The students in grade 1 celebrated the start of the “How We Express Ourselves” unit by dressing up as their favorite character from a classic fairy or folk tale for a Character Parade. Students were creative in choosing their costumes, and we had a tremendous variety of characters. All of grade 1 gathered together behind our Pied Piper (Serge Petitpre) and enthusiastically paraded through the 5K wing, library, secondary building and then past their parents in the SAC. All the parents gathered in the gym and the students performed “Whatever You Imagine” directed by Karen Peters. Then everyone enjoyed a lovely breakfast buffet that was put together by our grade 1 room parents. The rain did not dampen the spirits, and the festive day was enjoyed by all.

On April 2, 2013, the fourth graders took part in an exciting Math Challenge. We - that means all the fourth graders - were divided into about 12 teams. The challenge for each team was to answer as many math questions as possible. There were two pages of questions, one page was in English and one was in German, French or Spanish.

The purpose of the challenge was for the teachers to see how well the students worked together in their teams and how well they were doing in math. The teams took different approaches to the challenge: some solved all the problems together, while some divided the tasks and assigned them to individual students to work in parallel. Teachers were not allowed to help us at all.

If you got a math problem right, the team would receive a certain amount of points. The team who got the most points would receive a certificate and would be known as the winner of the Math Challenge.

Once the teams had completed in their work, the teachers would check the final draft and announced the winners.

Congratulations to the winners from our German class: Florian Mayr, Lindsey Alexander, Venya Naidu, Sascha Coony and Lennart Hahn.

Springtime Means Language Book Fairs and Book Exchange in the PS LIBRARY

By Sharon Hermann, PS Librarian This year, for the first time, the PS Library helped plan and sponsor book events for the French, Spanish and German students in the Primary School.

French students again enjoyed a wonderful French Book Fair in February.

The French fair, organized through French Media Resources, was held in the PS Library in collaboration with the PS French Department. Always a favorite event for our French families, the French fair was a success again this year with sales surpassing previous years.

In April during the week of El Día del Idioma, the PS Spanish Department, in collaboration with the PS Library, held the first ever Primary School Spanish Book Fair with SantillanaUSA. Students from 10 Globetrotter Summer 2013

4K through grade 5 attended the Spanish Book Fair. Each student had the opportunity to complete a “wish list” or order form for selections from some 150 different book titles. Books were delivered and distributed to students several weeks later in May, just in time for summer reading!

PS German students also enjoyed a book event in April – a book exchange! Students in each grade brought interesting, gently used German books from home. German families and the PS Library also donated German books to the exchange. Teachers organized all the donations by reading level and then the fun began! German students came in to “shop” for a book to take home. Bring one, take one! A lovely way to share reading resources within the community.

PRIMARY School

Fourth Grade Goes “BEHIND THE SCENES” AT 11 ALIVE

By Victoria Verba, Grade 4 On April 19, 2013, the fourth grade classes visited the WXIA TV studios (otherwise known as “11 Alive”) on a tour with AIS parent Debbie Bryant.

AIS THIRD GRADER RAISES $1200 for Wounded Warrior Project

By Michael Koziol, PS Parent Three years ago, after learning about the devastating earthquake in Haiti, AIS student Lily Koziol wanted to do something to help. The then – 5K Spanish student decided to organize a Kids’ Art Sale and Bake Sale and have the proceeds benefit victims of the earthquake. The only rule was that all art and baked goods needed to be made by kids. “At first I learned about the earthquake in Haiti and wanted to raise money and wanted to have an art sale,” said Lily. “My parents said we should also sell baked goods… and I said yes.” The first event was a great success – raising more than $600. Her second event was to benefit victims of the Somali famine in 2011 and raised more than $850 for the Red Cross Somalia Emergency Fund.

As well as being mom to Spencer and Chad, Mrs. Bryant also works for WXIA-TV. She showed us several rooms. First, we visited the Control Room.

It looked fantastic! I’ve never seen anything like it before, with so many buttons, keys and switches.

Next, we visited Master Control. It’s amazing that these days only three people need to work in Master Control, thanks to the help of technology.

Then, we visited the Edit Suites. All of the men and women seemed to be working so hard. Lastly, we visited the Green Screen room. The visual effects that you could do were unbelievable. We also got to meet 11-Alive meteorologist, Chesley McNeil.

This whole experience was incredibly interesting, and I really enjoyed it all.

This year on May 11, Lily hosted the third Kids’ Art Sale Bake Sale event to support the Wounded Warrior Project. The Wounded Warrior project was founded in 2002 to help members of the United States military injured during their service. The WWP works to raise awareness for the needs of wounded warriors, to enlist the public’s support for the severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. Lily was inspired to help WWP after seeing a USO contingent welcoming troops home at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. Lily felt strongly about the organization because, “It is important to support the Wounded Warrior Project because it helps soldiers who get hurt to get back to real life,” she says.

Lily’s event featured original artwork, crafts, and baked goods contributed by many other kids. Most of the contributions came from other AIS grade-three students. Through art and baked good purchases and online donations, the Art Sale Bake Sale raised more than $1,200.

For more information on the Wounded Warrior Project, please visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

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PRIMARY School

FRENCH AUTHOR VISITS Sponsored Through the PS Library

By Pascale Viala, Library Faculty This school year, the French Department and the Primary School Library were particularly active in organizing author visits for our young French track patrons.

With the help of the French Consulate of Atlanta, fifth grade French students had a chance to meet virtually in February with Yaël Hassan, a French author of children’s books, and second, third and fourth grade French students met Antoine Guillopé, a French authorillustrator, in person when he visited the AIS campus in May. To prepare for fifth grade French classes for the Yaël Hassan Skype visit, Mrs. Viala read to them Hassan’s first book, Un Grand Père Tombé Du Ciel or “A Grandfather Fallen From The Sky”, which won the Prize of the Youth Novel in 1996. Hassan grew up without a grandfather and, inspired by this experience, she writes with a lot of imagination, emotion and humor about the relationship between a young girl and her grandfather who appears suddenly in her life.

After preparing interesting and very mature questions, students had the opportunity to exchange with the author via Skype at the library.

Everybody was excited and happy about the visit. Afterward, Hassan wrote the students to compliment them about their curiosity, the quality of their questions and the way they express themselves.

The students invited her to AIS next year, an offer Hassan may consider. Stay tuned!

The second French author’s visit was more hands-on and creative.

Being both author and illustrator, Antoine Guillopé shared with students his passion for writing stories for the little kids and for drawing. His favorite characters are animals living in the forest under the snow, which reminds him of La Savoie region of France where he was born. After answering all the questions that the students had prepared, Guillopé ran illustration sessions where the kids were able to draw a wolf, a Japanese girl or a Japanese boy having different expressions. Everyone, from the students to the teachers, had a blast and came back home with their drawings autographed by Guillopé.

Reaching for the Stars at SPACE CAMP

By Mary McCarney, Globetrotter Associate Editor for Primary 3-2-1-lift off! That was how it felt when the big day finally arrived for grade 4. As the two luxury buses transported us away from AIS, we knew that our three-day expedition to Space Camp was being launched at last. We were about to boldly go where we had never gone before.

71 students and nine teachers made the journey to Huntsville, Alabama for this year’s exciting field trip. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by our camp counselors and led to our dorms – Habitat Complex II. The students quickly unloaded their suitcases, sleeping bags, pillows, towels and even cuddly toys, before embarking on an action-packed schedule of activities. Within minutes of arrival, they could be seen making parachutes, rock climbing on Mars and riding simulators such as G-Force and Space Shot.

Meals were served in the Trainee Crew Galley, and the food was surprisingly good. Some students even asked for second helpings!

During our stay, we were also treated to two Imax movies, about the International Space Station and the Hubble telescope. The 3-D glasses made these even more fun. The students also got up close to the original Space Shuttle “Enterprise” as they learned all about the history of space exploration.

By the end of the second day, everyone was tired but happy, and a great night’s sleep was had by all.

The students were busy again the next morning, completing their workbook (Trainee Mission Manual) assignments and launching the rockets they had made the night before.

All too soon, it was time to depart. As we waved goodbye to our counselors and hit the road back to Atlanta, everyone agreed that Space Camp is simply out of this world!

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PRIMARY School

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES – 5K Leading the Way

By Jill Huntley, PS Faculty Thursday, April 25 was a special day in 5K. With their families in tow, the students arrived eager to show their special work and lead the conversation during the conferences. The students were very excited to have the opportunity to lead the discussion, and enthusiastically shared their portfolios.

The Annual MLK Peace Poem Contest: AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY

By Heather Rea, Grade 5 Atlanta International School is an annual participant in the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Poem Contest. This contest ends with a national ceremony where kids from all around the country come together and meet here in Atlanta, Georgia. I, Heather Rea, am pleased to have been chosen as one of three finalists from AIS this year. I’m not exactly sure how I came up with my idea for my poem. I just kept thinking that it should all rhyme. But then, as I thought real hard, I realized: why can’t it be different from the others? Can’t it be something related to, but not exactly specifying, peace?

When I first heard that I was one of the top eight poets for the MLK contest I thought it was amazing. I kept telling myself it was an honor to just be selected in the top eight. I was determined not to be disappointed if I wasn’t chosen as a finalist. As it turned out, the final results were delayed, increasing the suspense. At last I got the message that my poem had been selected and that I would be attending the ceremony at the MLK Center on May 9th.

On that day, the three top finalists (Sophie Cavalcanti, Reagan Mahoney, and I) met each other at the MLK Center in downtown Atlanta. The ceremony was completely riveting. We had a special visitor this time; Elder Bernice King (daughter of Martin Luther King) gave a speech. I was listening intently to every word, as it was her side of the story with which we are all familiar. They played videos, revealing our taped poems to the entire crowd of people. Later on, we unveiled our plaques in the garden, with our poems inscribed on them. For me, this was a dazzling way to get involved in school activities!

Congratulations also to the AIS semifinalists: Angela Sarmiento Emily Husken Uni Valdivieso Wooldridge Mina Loudermilk

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SPORTS

EAGLE ATHLETICS Report

By Gregg Albright, Athletics Director Despite the unseasonably cool temperatures this spring, the Eagles played to win on the field, court, track, and course. The magnificent middle school saw several victories including three MAAC League Championships for Boy’s Tennis, Girl’s Soccer, and Girl’s Track; a second-place finish for the Boy’s Golf Team; a third-place finish for the Boy’s Track Team and Girl’s Tennis Team; and an undefeated season for the Girl’s B Soccer Team.

Both the JV and Varsity Soccer Teams saw outstanding seasons. The JV Boy’s Soccer Team posted a 7-2 record, dominating some of the area’s most competitive schools. The Varsity Boy’s Soccer Team advanced to the State Tournament again this year, making it to the Sweet Sixteen with a record of 16-3 and a number three ranking in the state. The Girl’s Varsity Soccer Team persevered despite suffering numerous injuries, only missing State playoffs by an overtime loss in their last match.

Varsity Girl’s Tennis achieved their personal best in the GHSA competition, missing State by the slimmest of margins and setting their sights on next year’s state playoffs. The young Track and Field Team improved throughout the season and will contend for State in many events next year. The Golf and Frisbee Teams will only improve next year when incoming grade-nines bring their talents into the fold.

As we finish the spring season, we bid farewell to a fantastic group of Senior Athletes. Their dedication, service and leadership will be sorely missed by teammates, coaches and fans. We wish these seniors the best as they move on to new adventures and for some, new teams at the collegiate level.

The athletics department would also like to extend its sincere gratitude to the AIS Sports Boosters, parents, coaches and staff. Thank you for all of your hard work behind the scenes as you support our student athletes. Have a great summer, and don’t forget to stay active and have fun!

EAGLE SPORTS BOOSTERS DONATE $9,000 to Support Athletics Programs at AIS

By Gordana Goudie, AIS parent Through concession sales and admissions fees from AIS home games, Eagle Sports Boosters have raised funds to provide supplementary support for the AIS athletics department. So far this year, the group has donated over $9,000 to meet the needs of sports programs at the school.

All secondary school athletes will benefit from the new fitness room to which the Eagle Sports Boosters have contributed two indoor cycling bikes. The group has also helped subsidize the installation of the new flooring in the fitness room. Our soccer players now have a Mule Trainer and a Silhouette wall to enhance their training sessions. Varsity track teams will acquire three PowerMax sleds to boost their workouts, and their coaches will be able to record and track their progress thanks to the iPad purchase made possible by the Boosters. Similarly, our golf teams will also benefit from their iPad, funded by the Boosters, which their coaches will use for data recording and training. And since timing is everything when it comes to swimming, our swim teams now have two brand new clocks to keep track of swimmers’ times.

Throughout the school year, concessions volunteers are hard at work in the blue shed or in the indoor concession stand to sell food, drinks and snacks at our home games. The result of this parent community effort is additional revenue for the athletics department that directly supports our athletes.

“We are very appreciative of parent support. Without the time, effort and dedication of our concessions volunteers, we would not be able to raise the additional funds our athletes need,” explained AIS Eagle Sports Booster Co-Chair and Treasurer, Carrie Doyle.

Although concession sales and admissions have traditionally been the main sources of revenue generated by the Eagle Sports Boosters, the group also plans to raise funds for athletics through sales of spiritwear, which has recently been made available to the community. “By selling these new items to our community, we aim to increase spirit building at AIS as well as bring in additional income to help us grow the spiritwear revenue stream,” said Shannon Dawson, AIS Eagle Sports Booster Co-Chair, Marketing and Events.

And while on the subject of growth, Kim Valeri, AIS Eagle Sports Booster Co-Chair, Strategy and Planning, had this to add, ”We are delighted to be able to contribute to the athletics department this year, and we hope to be able to give more to our athletes each year. For this to happen, we need to grow the Booster group and seek participation from parents not only in concessions but also on our leadership team. We are currently looking to fill many new roles in our group and welcome any interested parents who want to support athletics.”

For more information on AIS Eagle Sports Boosters and available volunteer roles, please visit the Eagle Booster webpage on the AIS portal or under “athletics” on the AIS website.

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CURRICULUM/DEVELOPMENT

A FOCUS ON DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP at AIS

By Alan Preis, Instructional Technology Coordinator and Annalee Higginbottom, PYP/MYP ICT Specialist Digital Citizenship is an approach for developing responsible technology use among students, helping them to understand that technology use is not just about consuming media but also about making a positive contribution to the virtual world. This year, digital citizenship has been a significant focus area in the pastoral work that we have done with students at AIS. We believe in a team-based approach involving technology staff, counselors, librarians, teachers, and school administrators. Students across the school have been exposed, in age-appropriate ways, to the themes of personal responsibility, digital footprints, privacy, and digital identities.

Our Digital Citizenship program is based on the curriculum developed by Commonsense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org) in collaboration with Harvard University’s Project Zero GoodPlay Project. This year was also heavily influenced by Project 3C, which brought increased access to a range of technologies across the school, including MacBook Pro laptop carts in Lower and Upper Primary School and student laptops in grades 6 and 7. We also began the year with a newly-revised Responsible Use Policy that was drafted with input from students and teachers, as well as policies and guidelines for laptop use in Primary and Secondary school.

Students in Upper Primary were introduced to the AIS Responsible Use Policy and discussed its relevance to their own lives. Across the Primary School, students were introduced to the idea of protecting personal information online via discussions about usernames and passwords.

In Middle School, we incorporated Digital Citizenship into start-of-year activities that included information on proper use of laptops and the school network. During our Making Good Decisions program, counselors led students in all Middle School grades in exploring issues related to cyberbullying, developing a positive digital footprint and being good custodians of their digital lives. Peer Leaders also facilitated advisory sessions on gender stereotypes in the media and copyright protection and online privacy.

Later in the year, we were joined by AIS Alum Alex Avendano, who spoke with all Secondary School students about the importance of a positive digital footprint as well as sharing some of the pitfalls of sharing too much in online environments.

Throughout the year, we also ran a series of four Digital Citizenship workshops with parents. Sessions covered a variety of topics, including cyberbullying and online relationships, digital etiquette, social networking, online gaming, academic honesty, and online research and learning. Parents participated in a wide variety of activities intended to get everyone to engage and discuss. We have published the content of these four sessions on the AIS Technology and Learning page at www.aischool.org/techlearning.

As we look towards next year, we look to increasing the number of opportunities for parents to learn more about the AIS approach to technology, providing more practical, hands- on sessions for families and continuing the discussion on the role technology plays in the lives of our students.

TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP Cap Increase

By Betsy Irby, Development Staff Since 2008, the Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship program has provided AIS with over $1.1 million in financial aid funding. These funds compose a significant portion of the AIS financial aid budget, supporting students who dually qualify under the state guidelines and the school’s need-based qualifications. In 2013, the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill increasing the Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship cap to $58 million and encouraging S-Corporations and LLC partners to donate a $10,000 per year. As a result of these legislative changes, the AIS community has benefited from a significant increase in financial aid funding. This year alone, the AIS community has donated over $500,000 through the tax credit program.As the school year ends, the development team would like to extend our sincere thanks to volunteers Trace Hawkins (AIS alumnus) and Jeff Clark who have worked tirelessly to help our community better understand the immense impact of this program. Their contributions of time and effort are integral to the school’s success with the program.

Annual Fund Parent Participation Reaches

ALL-TIME HIGH!

By Kathryn Banks, Annual Fund Manager What a year for the Annual Fund! The 2012-13 Annual Fund raised more than $800,000-exceeding the school’s overall goal. As a part of the operating budget, the Annual Fund makes up the difference between what tuition covers and the actual day-to-day cost of running the school. Thank you for showing that you support the mission and goals of the school.Your charitable donations make AIS a great school!

Special thanks to our parent and alumni volunteers who worked tirelessly promoting the Annual Fund this year.

A few highlights from 2012 – 2013: · Each grade had more than 55% participation; four grades topped 80% participation and six grades reached over 70%. · The Alumni Annual Fund garnered more than 100 gifts in 2012-13. · Faculty, staff and Board of Trustees reached 100% participation.

Stay tuned for an exciting fall with the AIS Annual Fund! We need your help to reach 100% participation in 100 days this fall.

2012 - 2013 1984 Club Leadership Linda Bruner Susie Cogan Shefali Patel 2012 - 2013 Annual Fund Parent Chairs Wendi McAfee Teri Proctor Annual Fund Parent Division Chairs Primary School Alex Curtis Secondary School Constance and George Heery Globetrotter Summer 2013

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Mission

To meet the challenges and opportunities of our interdependent, fast-changing world as responsible citizens, young people require flexible intellectual competence, self-discipline, and a global outlook. To achieve these goals, they need rigorous academic preparation and a passion to become the best they can be. To thrive in and contribute to this world, they must have a solid sense of self and respect for others—as individuals, as members of a group, as citizens of their nations, and as members of the global community. Extraordinary individuals will be called upon to shape the 21st century. The mission of Atlanta International School (AIS) is to develop such individuals.

To fulfill this mission, AIS commits itself to the following goals: • to sustain and grow the exemplary level of teaching and learning that has earned it a worldwide reputation for excellent standards in international and multilingual education within the framework of the International Baccalaureate; • to develop each child fully by helping each one to live our core values: the joy of learning and purposeful effort as well as mutual respect and understanding in a diverse setting; • to maintain an optimal size and composition of faculty and students to maximize the opportunities for learning and shared understanding that are necessary for a healthy community; • to help shape and improve local and global communities through the committed participation of its multilingual students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff.

AIS Policy Atlanta International School practices a full non-discriminatory 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.

Globetrotter Globetrotter is the newsletter of Atlanta International School and is published biannually for the AIS community. Editorial ideas and requests for copies should be sent to: Courtney Fowler Globetrotter Editor Atlanta International School 2890 North Fulton Drive • Atlanta, GA 30305 404.841.3840 • globetrotter@aischool.org Submissions may be edited for length or content prior to publishing.

Visit us on the web at www.aischool.org

Spring Benefit 2013: PASSPORT TO THAILAND

By Maggie Dozier, Development Events and Alumni Relations Coordinator Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and beyond! Did you enjoy your journey to the magical land of Thailand? On Saturday, April 20, Atlanta International School transported almost 500 guests to the stunning and majestic Thailand. Whether they felt the rush of a street car or the coastal breeze on their cheek, our guests experienced it all. The annual black-tie gala, organized by the Development Office and our inaugural Spring Benefit Council, offered a silent auction, seated dinner, live auction and dancing. Our third Stand & Pledge took financial aid to a new high when the AIS community donated close to $150,000 in financial aid dollars in less than five minutes.

We also took our Live Auction to new heights with a professional auctioneer who not only entertained guests, but sold every single live auction item above retail value!

This year’s Spring Benefit raised over $300,000 for Atlanta International School- a new record!

This event would not have been possible without the leadership of our dedicated Spring Benefit Council. Myrna Antar, Scott Britton, Linda Bruner, Lorraine Charman, Lan Chiem, Marcelle DeCuir, Vickie Gore, Roane Loudermilk, Tracie Slosberg and Yupha Vatcharapijarn donated their time, creativity and resources to make this the best Spring Benefit to date. We want to thank all of our parent volunteers for all that they do to make this annual event such a success. The money raised at this event directly benefits your children and the AIS community, and we thank you for your continued generosity.

Save the date for April 26, 2014. Where in the world will the Spring Benefit Council take us next?!