Cis footprints october 2015 edition

CIS FOOTPRINTS COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

NORDHAVN CAMPUS OPEN HOUSE

SPOTLIGHT: VIKTOR BLOCH

CIS HAS GOT TALENT

The new urban setting of the Nordhavn campus offers immense opportunities, including the nearby sea. p03

It seems like it is so hard for Danish students to go abroad. One place that is just almost impossible is America. p09

I was approached by Danish TV (DR1), which was casting for a show, something like X Factor, but with classical music, and with six kids already pre-selected. p15

OCTOBER 2015 - EDITION N.9

Editor in Chief: Suzanne O’Reilly

Managing Editor: Chris Hambley

Hellerupvej 26 2900 Hellerup, Denmark

Graphic Designer: Virginia de Colombani

E: http://www.cis-edu.dk/

P: +45 39 46 33 00

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS

Dear CIS Community, Welcome to the first edition of CIS Footprints for the school year 2015/16. The variety of the articles and events in these pages represents not only the talents of CIS but also proof that we are continuing to build on our successes.

With the departure of Maibritt and Anjali, our junior editors last year, we would like to welcome our new assistant editors from Grade 8, Filippa Dinesen and Lila Shroff. In addition to helping with the editing and proofreading of articles, they have contributed two of their own pieces to this edition.

A special thanks goes out to our alumni community and to those who have contributed articles and photographs, which we hope you will enjoy.

Sincerely, Suzanne O’Reilly and Chris Hambley

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.”

Clay P. Bedford

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

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NORDHAVN CAMPUS OPEN HOUSE

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I have long believed that schools can be judged by the quality of the relationships that are developed within the walls of the school building.

Perhaps one of the most exciting things, apart from the incredible opportunities presented by a new campus with state-of-the-art facilities, is the idea that CIS will be back together in one building.

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION 2015/16 The PTA simply could not function without the generous gifts of time and talent from the CIS community.

CULTURAL ADVISORY GROUP How do we define our community culture and who needs to be involved? These questions are the reason why the Cultural Advisory Group at CIS was formed.

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AN ARTIST’S TOUCH I had worked as a lawyer for many years, but there was also this creative person in me not being used fully. It has never been a dream; it was just the way things went, and I liked it.

A MAGIC TIME The experience we all had at CIS went way beyond the merely academic discipline. The school also inspired a maturity in its population that helped foster strong, lifelong relationships SPOTLIGHT: VIKTOR BLOCH It seems like it is so hard for Danish students to go abroad.

One place that is just almost impossible is America.

DITLEV HOLM Coming back to Denmark and to CIS was a big relief because here students are allowed to be – and expected to be - much more independent.

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EMILY FALKENBERG You get so many different perspectives on life; there is an openness, respect, and a genuine interest in learning about others.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT Helle recently turned eighty years old, and CIS had the pleasure of presenting her with the CIS Community Service Award.

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CIS HAS GOT TALENT

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SOCCER CHAMPIONS

I was approached by Danish TV (DR1), which was casting for a show, something like X Factor, but with classical music, and with six kids already pre-selected.

The boys brought back a large golden trophy for the school, a medal each, and a ticket to an upcoming F.C. Copenhagen game.

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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IB CLASSES OF 93-95?

Andreas is a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut. He lived and worked on the International Space Station during September 2015. This 10-day mission was Andreas’s first spaceflight and the first ever by a Danish national.

NEW CIS MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR The new CIS Campus in Nordhavn is coming along nicely, thank you very much. In early September, the CIS school board hosted an Open House jointly with the Ejendomsfonden Copenhagen International School (ECIS), the building foundation that is overseeing the project. I think that it is safe to say that many that were in attendance came away with a positive impression of the building and the possibilities for CIS in the future. It will certainly be an upgrade to the school’s present facilities, offering the future CIS community a venue that is consistent with our aspirations. In our original business plan that was developed before the first blueprint (if such things still exist) was printed, we stated that we planned to “build a campus that Copenhagen deserved.” We feel strongly that goal has been or will be met.

But… No building, however spectacular, however innovative, however beautiful should ever be confused with a school in the same way that appearance should never be confused with a person. The essence of both is what exists “under the skin”. In a school, that means the programs, activities and, for me, most importantly, the relationships that are developed. I have long believed that schools can be judged by the quality of the relationships that are developed within the walls of the school building. These include those that exist between every permutation involving staff, students, and families.

high expectations of them and they complied. My observations at that school, equal parts magic and tragic, left me with the strongly held belief that meaningful and sustainable school improvement must focus on the student-teacher interactions/ relationships. In fact, the relationships must extend beyond those between teachers and students to include families and colleagues.

The experience also made me wonder about what would have been possible in a more conventional building with resources well beyond the piece of a scavenged blackboard and nubs of chalk, which we will certainly have in Nordhavn. Our new facility will provide us with an opportunity to create a community learning center. We will be able to become an integral part of the new Nordhavn neighborhood, learning from and with the local community. Most importantly, though, we will be able to inhabit a skeleton that will protect and nurture the beating heart of our relationships and dreams, hopefully for a long time to come.

I’m sure that we’ve all heard or read that the best schools are sometimes those under a tree with inspiring teachers and devoted students. I have witnessed that firsthand on several occasions.

On one, I stood in awe as I watched a young teacher working with a group of homeless orphans in Lusaka, Zambia, in an abandoned bus terminal. It was clear that the young woman leading the “class” cared deeply about her charges and they were enraptured by her despite the many distractions imposed by impoverished physical surroundings and chaotic conditions.

She cared about the children and they reciprocated. She had

Walter Piotkin, CIS Director

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CAMPUS “The Nordhavn Open House was a great success. More than 400 students, parents and staff came to see how our new campus is taking shape. Plans were carefully studied, ideas and impressions shared, refreshments enjoyed, and, most importantly, the Open House brought home the reality of this fantastic project: in just sixteen months this is where we’ll hang our hats!” Thomas Nielsen, CIS Director of Communications and Advancement

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NORDHAVN CAMPUS OPEN HOUSE

On Sunday, September 6th, students, parents, teachers, architects, and everyone in-between gathered for an open house to celebrate the up-and-coming CIS campus in Nordhavn.

Estimated to open in January of 2017, the building may look far from finished to a passerby, but much progress has been made.

In spite of the howling winds, an enthusiastic spirit coursed through everyone, from the eager youngsters peeking into their future classrooms, to the curious parents conversing about the upcoming transition.

Location, location, location. The new urban setting of the Nordhavn campus offers immense opportunities, including the nearby sea. CIS plans to take advantage of the water in a variety of ways both eco-friendly and educational. But perhaps one of the most exciting things, apart from the incredible opportunities presented by a new campus with state-of-the-art facilities, is the idea that CIS will be back together in one building. “It gives an opportunity for the littlest to see the older ones, and vice versa,” said Director Walter Plotkin, so “it becomes more like a family.”

The next few years at CIS may present change and challenges, but not without a rewarding campus to look forward to.

Filippa Dinesen & Lila Shroff, Footprints Assistant Editors

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ARCHITECT C.F. Møller LOCATION Nordhavn DIMENSIONS 25000 m² YEARS 2013-2016

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PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION 2015/16 The PTA simply could not function without the generous gifts of time and talent from the CIS community. Volunteers help plan and organize events, assist classroom teachers with field trips and special projects, help new families feel welcome and much more. We would like to thank those who have volunteered to date with the many activities arranged since the beginning of this school year.

PTA COMMITTEE 2015/16 Chairperson: Andrea Worobel Communications: Vice Chair, Amanda Vo Secretary: Vicki Reynolds Treasurer: Caroline Banerjee Newcomers Committee: Co-chairs, Suzanne Colclough & Kirsten Tschoffen

Parliamentarian: Liz Woodhour

“The PTA simply could not function without the generous gifts of time and talent from the CIS community.”

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CULTURAL ADVISORY GROUP What do you think defines school culture at CIS? Answering this question is crucial in planning the move to the new campus at Nordhavn if we hope to bring the spirit with us. CIS is known for its sense of community and it is those inherent values that have made the school such an important part of the expat experience in Copenhagen for so many years, for so many families—not to mention the increasing and vital Danish community embracing the “IB” experience.

possessions will involve careful planning and execution by the few who are tasked with this critical function. The transition of CIS’s culture will require the participation of the entire school community to ensure success. Copenhagen International School is at a critical junction in its evolution. The opportunity is there for the school community to come together and participate in creating a culture based on our traditions, ready to evolve along with the needs of tomorrow.

How do we define our community culture and who needs to be involved? These questions are the reason why the Cultural Advisory Group at CIS was formed. A team, made up of parents and staff members, has come together to develop a program involving all parts of the community in a discussion of our school culture. Parents, staff members and students alike, will all have the opportunity to participate during the first half of this school year. The focus will be on identifying the elements of CIS culture that are valued and that the community would like to see transitioned to the new facility in Nordhavn. These elements include: activities, beliefs, events, and attitudes. Transition planning, based in part on our findings, will take place in the second semester.

Take the time to get involved in whatever way possible. You can join a Cultural Advisory Group discussion session by contacting us at cag@cis.dk, or check out our Facebook page: Cultural Advisory Group, CIS. The following people comprise the Cultural Advisory Group planning committee: Alison Black Storm, Jo Burt, Steve Hisler, Thomas Nielsen, Suzanne O’Reilly, Kirsten Pelletier, Walter Plotkin, Isabella Smith, David Stewart, Jay Watkins.

Transitioning CIS from our current homes in Østerbro and Hellerup will involve much more than moving computers, books and other equipment. The logistics of moving the school’s

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AN ARTIST’S TOUCH Interview with CIS Mum Irene de Klerk Wolters www.irenedeklerkwolters.nl

Irene de Klerk Wolters arrived in Denmark in 2013 with her husband, Arjan, who was relocated from the Netherlands to Copenhagen. Irene has two boys, Pepijn and Beau, who both attend CIS. Irene, a lawyer by profession, decided to try to live off her passion as an artist and stylist. Here is her story.

me so much. Seeing the beauty around you is how I grew up.

Appreciation for nature, culture, fashion, food. I thank my parents for that. I really hope I will give this eye to my boys too. It gives me so much energy and inspiration to focus on what I see or experience as beautiful.

I worked as a lawyer for Nestlé Netherlands and made paintings in my free time. I have always loved to paint, and people around me liked my work so much that they started to ask me to make them a painting—and wanted to pay for it! At the same time, I was also asked to do the styling of friends’ houses. Although I liked working for Nestlé, I realised I really loved to paint and do styling for houses and people. I had worked as a lawyer for many years, but there was also this creative person in me not being used all the way. It has never been a dream; it was just the way things went, and I liked it. It was one of my biggest decisions to leave my job. The consequences are huge in many ways, but I’m still happy I took this big step.

This is a difficult question because, like I said, the consequences were huge in my case. I felt I had to do it. Otherwise I would never find out what it is like to work in a creative way instead of mostly rational. Don’t be afraid of change. I thought if it doesn’t work out, I could always find work as a lawyer again. I have never closed any doors but I have found many doors opened because of my decision.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS WHO FEEL THAT THEY, TOO, WOULD LIKE TO TRY AND CHANGE PROFESSIONS?

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE THE SECURITY OF A GOOD JOB TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAM?

HOW DID YOU NETWORK YOUR WAY INTO THE DANISH WORLD OF ART?

My paintings are a part of me. It’s my heart and soul. To tell you the truth, I have never put much effort in it to sell my paintings.

Somehow I feel that if it comes around it goes around. Also, having kids at an international school means you meet so many new people from everywhere. And everybody there likes to meet new people. They are open-minded and interested. At the same time, people have moved and like their new houses to be a beautiful home. So when people hear about my paintings and are interested, I invite them to my place. And that is how it works well for me. So my first clients are people I have met at CIS. Now that my house has been featured in Scandinavian magazines, I also have Danish clients!

IT’S BEEN QUOTED THAT YOU SEE THE BEAUTY IN ALL THINGS (BOLIGIVED.DK). HOW DOES AN ARTIST DISTINGUISH BETWEEN ORDINARY AND SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL?

What I see as beautiful is personal. It’s my personal taste which I have developed since I was a young girl. My eye for beauty I have learned from my mother. She showed me and taught

Photographs: Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer 7

A MAGIC TIME Peter Levine Former CIS Teacher

I was very privileged to have taught all the history classes at CIS from 1968-1972. It was an extraordinary experience as we did not have our own facility and were part of the Soborg Gymnasium. Our students intermingled with the Danish students and staff, which turned out to be a big part of the learning experience for the teachers as well. I know that it was certainly that way for me. It wasn’t until a few years later that we were able to build our own portable building next door to the Gymnasium. The classes were small and I found the students eager to learn. There was also camaraderie, almost a kinship between the students and staff. That was one of the wonderful aspects of the school at that time.

Many years later, I have found that that same degree of friendship still exists for many of the former teachers and students as well. Considering that people only came into contact with one another for a brief period, it is a credit to the school that those relationships still exist after forty years. To me, that says that the experience we all had at CIS went way beyond the merely academic discipline, and points to the fact that the school also inspired a maturity in its population that helped foster strong, life-long relationships. This was part of the magic I felt as a teacher at the International School.

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“The experience we all had at CIS went way beyond the merely academic discipline. The school also inspired a maturity in its population that helped foster strong, life-long relationships”

SPOTLIGHT: VIKTOR BLOCH

YOU HAVE A COMPANY; CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THAT? I really love Denmark and we do a lot of things well, but right now it seems like it is so hard for Danish students to go abroad. Some places are easier, but one place, that is just almost impossible, is America. I honestly didn’t think that was fair because I am Danish, and I went to the States for college, and I could only go there because of our counselor, Christina. She knew a lot about the process, and was the reason that I could go to the States and study, and Danish students just don’t have that opportunity. Very few can ever get through.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS? When you get to high school, and people want to apply to the States, they obsess about it. But you kind of have to, because it is a very long process, especially when you are only sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen going through it. In fact, most of the Danish students I know who have tried, unfortunately have failed, because it is so difficult. It is so much effort that it breaks a lot of people who have this dream of going over there for college, and maybe staying, and maybe coming back, but just experiencing that life; and they don’t get to, and we want to help them with that.

Last month, Footprints interviewed CIS alumnus Viktor Bloch (’10) who has now gone on to create a company to help students get into colleges in America. Wanting to share his knowledge about CIS, his company, and admission challenges for American colleges, he participated in an interview with our new assistant editors, Filippa Dinesen and Lila Shroff.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BEST MEMORIES AT CIS? I love the school and I had such a great time here, but when you had the chance to rewind together, and still be in this setting, it is so cozy here and you really get to know it.

HOW WILL YOUR COMPANY BE HELPING? First of all we are trying to go out to different gymnasiums and talk about the opportunity in the States, because for a long time, honestly, the reason that people haven’t gone, and there hasn’t been much interest, is because it is very expensive. It costs [around] one million kroner for four years, and those are the cheaper ones. The more expensive ones can be upwards of two million kroner. This is a lot of money, especially here where universities are free. When I was applying, we found eight that I could apply to and that would be feasible financially. Now, my friend—who I started this company with—and I sat down and used the same criteria to look through the schools, and we found thirty-two: four times as many only five years later!

WHAT IS DIFFERENT OR SPECIAL ABOUT THE CIS COMMUNITY COMPARED TO OTHER PLACES? I think there is a sort of self-selection; a lot of the kids here really want to be here often, or have the fortune of traveling a lot, and that international spirit gives it an edge. It was a really cool experience to meet people from other cultures, and to have so many different backgrounds in classes; when you are talking together, you get so many different perspectives. I feel like that international aspect for me is what made it so great here, and I think what allowed me to go internationally afterwards.

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“I really love Denmark and we do a lot of things well, but right now it seems like it is so hard for Danish students to go abroad. One place that is just almost impossible is America.”

WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR THIS COMPANY COME FROM? Pretty much the great experience I had in the States and [that] I learned so much. I wanted to study more after finishing high school, but the problem was I had no clue what I wanted to study, and so my counselor told me that in the States you have up to two years to actually decide what your bachelor’s going to be in. So that gave me the opportunity to reach a higher education and still not have decided what I wanted to study beforehand. In Denmark you have to say ‘oh I want to study law,’ and all of a sudden you have five years ahead of you where you study these classes that you are told to study, and same with medicine, and biology, and whatnot.

ARE THERE ANY THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO THE CURRENT CIS STUDENTS? Honestly, have a great time. I remember being done here, and the same thing happened when I was at Yale, but you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone, and it’s such a cliché, but there are so many great things you get into the rhythm [of], into the routine and the habit of, and you forget to appreciate it. I remember I was walking outside, and I looked up to the second floor, first classrooms, out here by the windows [the chemistry lab], and I remember going to school thinking ‘Oh great, I’m going up there today,’ but then other times I really loved it.

Afterwards, I realized how much fun we really had. It was tough work, but you really learn a lot when you take advantage of all the clever people here, and all the international perspectives, and really just the great teachers who are all so passionate about being here. So I would say appreciate it.

WHAT DID YOU END UP STUDYING? AND WHERE? I studied psychology, at Yale.

APPLYING FROM THE IB PROGRAM OFTEN MAKES IT EASIER TO GO SOMEWHERE INTERNATIONAL, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS THAT AREN’T DOING THE IB PROGRAM? That is a big problem that lots have encountered, because right now the conversion from Danish grades to American grades is quite off. The average grade in America right now is a B, and that translates to a 10 in Denmark, which is very high grade. The average in Denmark is a 7, and that translates to a C. So the average student gets straight C’s, and even if you are doing better than average, it doesn’t sound great applying to college saying ‘I got straight B’s!’ But we are trying to talk to the ministry of education about this, because we have done some statistics and found the more accurate conversion that we can use. We have the letter ready and all we need is a signature from the minister of education, because if we write it and we say ‘oh this is how it actually works,’ and it is just signed ‘Viktor’, why would they listen? But if it is signed by the Ministry of Education, they’ll say, ‘You know what, this is actually correct, this is how it translates.’

To learn more about Studér i USA visit: Website – www.studeriusa.com Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/studeriusa Email – Vbj@studeriusa.com

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DITLEV HOLM

Ditlev attended a Danish public school until grade six. At age eleven, he moved to England with his family and attended an IB school outside London for four years. He came back to Denmark in 2012, joining tenth grade at CIS. He hopes to study international business at CBS in September.

“Moving to England was a huge challenge, both in terms of the language but also the culture. In England we had to be driven everywhere, there were security issues, we were very limited in what we could do. It was almost like sheep herding.

Coming back to Denmark and to CIS was a big relief because here students are allowed to be – and expected to be - much more independent. Also, the public transport system is safe and reliable. The freedom means that you can grow as an individual and that is very important to me. At the same time, CIS has all the necessary resources to help and support students who struggle, so the school has found a really good balance.

“Coming back to Denmark and to CIS was a big relief because here students are allowed to be – and expected to be - much more independent.”

I play a lot of badminton at a high level* and both the school and individual teachers have been very flexible, allowing me to organize my time a little differently from most other students.

Everyone has been totally understanding and supportive, so I feel very well prepared for university: I have learned how to administer a great deal of freedom, how to study independently, how to catch up on my work if I have fallen behind. And because of the great mix of nationalities and cultures at CIS, I have learned to think globally and to look at issues from multiple sides. I think that will be a great asset in my career as well.” *Ditlev plays for the Danish U19 national team

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EMILY FALKENBERG

Emily is Danish and joined Copenhagen International School (CIS) in sixth grade. She graduated in June with a perfect score of forty-five points, a result that only one in a thousand IB Diploma graduates achieves world-wide. Emily will be moving to the UK in October to study bio-medicine and play volleyball at Durham University.

“CIS has been an ideal school for me. I’m a bit of an overachiever and my hard work, combined with the support and flexibility of the school administration and teachers, allowed me to fulfill my potential. For instance, I missed a few topics of the mathematics course and my teacher gladly offered the individual attention needed for me to catch up. We worked together for two intense days before the final exams! As such, I can honestly say that CIS is a school that meets the needs of all its students, whether they are struggling academically or whether they excel and need to be challenged through additional work. I have never been pushed to learn. I have been motivated.

“You get so many different perspectives on life; there is an openness, respect, and a genuine interest in learning about others.”

I come from a Danish school, and, in terms of the social life at school, I don’t think a Danish high school student will be able to understand the amount of opportunities that a school like CIS offers. Compared to some of the local Danish schools, where everybody looks the same and comes from the same neighborhood, CIS, with its students from all over the world, is a school that encourages you to be who you are. You fit in by being yourself. You get so many different perspectives on life; there is an openness, respect, and a genuine interest in learning about others.

joined the CIS volleyball team back in grade eight, and it has had a huge impact on me. In school I’m much more individualistic but I loved those volleyball trips and the training leading up to them. You are really in it together; you really feel that you are part of something; I love being a member of a team, the sense of belonging, having a common goal, all of us working hard to achieve it – and having fun doing it. I have learned so much from it. I went from being pretty shy at the beginning, to taking on a leadership role, becoming captain of our team.

And then there are all the things you can do after school, especially the sports, and the charity trips: Traveling to Peru and working at the Mama Cocha orphanage one year, and then to Thailand to work with Burmese refugees the next. Not to mention the many sports trips with the volleyball, basketball and soccer teams, competing against other schools across Northern Europe. At CIS, all of these components – education, sport and the social life – are all part of the same package. It’s education. It’s tools for your toolbox.

CIS really motivates you to be the best you can be, in every aspect, individually and with your team, and for that I am grateful.”

I chose Durham University because they have a good bio-medical program – and also because they have a great volleyball team. I

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

DONATING CLOTHING

HELLE HOLST

VILDE VENNER

The CIS community comes together donating clothing for Syrian refugees.

Thanks to the committee of mums who organized the collection and who will continue asking for further donations throughout the school year.

Helle Holst, Directors’ Secretary 19942007. Helle recently turned eighty years old, and CIS had the pleasure of presenting her with the CIS Community Service Award.

Olivia Sublett is a 2nd grader in Ms. Tracey Coogan’s class. She recently appeared in the DR TV (Danish public television) Ramasjang program, Vilde Venner. She started the process back in April when she sent in a short video with her best friend, Moses, and her skinny pigs, Berthe and Whitey. She was then asked to audition with a casting agent and she got the job two months later!

The filming took place over May and June and the episodes finally aired in October. You can view the show on DR’s Vilde Venner website.

The award recognizes members of our CIS community, as they retire or leave to pursue other adventures, who have made extraordinary contributions to the community. Moreover, they have done so without expectation of reward or payment.

Congratulations and thank you, Helle!

You can see Olivia in episodes 5 & 6 of the program Vilde Venner. You can follow this link: http://goo.gl/B6dmFM

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TEAM PERU HOLIDAY CARDS

1982 GRADUATE RETURN VISIT

Mieke Fæste (Gr.12) and Claudia GesmarLarsen (Gr.11) are working tirelessly to create the CIS Holiday card which goes on sale soon. One card can take as long as ten hours to create and all proceeds go to the Team Peru school charity.

A huge thank you to David Karoll who spoke to our IB2 and art students about “following one´s passion”. David is currently working for Marvel Animation and has previously worked for Dream Works - a very interesting life story as his works includes animation for Shrek, Simsons, and the Prince of Egypt among others. https://davidkaroll.carbonmade.com/

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CIS HAS GOT TALENT Al-Fadl Salem Grade 7

Before starting at CIS this summer, I was a student at Sankt Annæ Gymnasium, where part of the schoolwork (for preteenage boys) is to sing in the Danish Royal Boys’ Choir. I was a soloist at the Boys’ Choir and was selected to sing solo at several operas at the Danish Royal Opera, including The Magic Flute by Mozart, Tosca by Puccini and Macbeth by Verdi. With the choir, I also toured for three weeks in New Zealand earlier this year.

I actually left the Boys’ Choir to have more time to focus on football, which is my great passion. Also, I chose CIS because everyone I know who has been a student here has just loved the school, never finding it boring. Just the opposite, in fact.

A few weeks back, I was approached by Danish TV (DR1), which was casting for a show, something like X Factor, but with classical music, and with six kids already pre-selected. In total, we are two singers, a boy (me) and a girl; a boy playing piano, one playing the violin, a drummer, and the last one is a ballet dancer. The program is called ‘Vidunderbørn’ (‘Wonder Kids’).

“A few weeks back, I was approached by Danish TV (DR1), which was casting for a show, something like X Factor, but with classical music, and with six kids already pre-selected.”

There will be five live shows on Saturday night and, just like X Factor, the viewers will vote which participants will be in or out. The first program is on 7 November and the finals will be on 12 December.

So with school, homework, singing, and football, I am pretty busy. Too busy. Fortunately, it is just for a few weeks. I’m hopeful it is worth it.

My coach in the program is a Danish singer, Caroline Henderson, and we are both determined to go all the way—to win. The kid who wins gets 50,000 Dkk, so I hope you’ll vote…for me!

What do my friends think about it?

How do I balance school life, football and singing?

Well, my best friends, my CIS class, and my football teammates, are all extremely supportive, and have promised to vote for me; some will even come to see the live shows, but, actually, we do not talk much about it. I got some advice on how to manage my Facebook account, and what to say to strangers approaching me. But I also got the advice to remember who are my friends today—before the show—and to remember also to keep them as my friends after the show.

The DR1 casting director promised me that I would only miss out on school a few hours every Friday afternoon, and that I would be able to continue my football practice (at least fifteen hours a week), but now that I have signed the contract and we have started, I find out it takes a lot more: On top of the Saturday night live shows and the Friday afternoon rehearsal, I also need to rehearse new songs, go for choreography lessons, and have the TV crew do a weekly spot on the work Caroline and I are doing.

On top of that, I just heard that Caroline and I will be doing a one-hour classical music radio programme where we have our favorite music played.

For more information, go to the following DR1 website: http://www.dr.dk/nyheder/kultur/medier/her-er-de-kom-helttaet-paa-drs-seks-vidunderboern 15

SOCCER CHAMPIONS Coach Adam Brooks

“The boys brought back a large golden trophy for the school, a medal each, and a ticket to an upcoming F.C. Copenhagen game.”

On Sunday the 27th of September, the U10 CIS soccer team was privileged to play in the BK Skjold 100-year cup. Seven boys were taken to the tournament where they played four games against some of Denmark’s best junior clubs.

The sun was shining and the boys were ready to play. We played some amazing soccer throughout the entire tournament and were sitting in second place coming into our last game against a very tough team. This didn’t deter our team at all; they stayed enthusiastic and played their hearts out.

We dominated the final game from the first minute and ended up winning big with a final result of 7-2. This meant that our team was now placed first and we won the event. The boys brought back a large golden trophy for the school, a medal each, and a ticket to an upcoming F.C. Copenhagen game. It was an amazing day and a real credit to our young athletes who showed great skill, enthusiasm, and that CIS sporting spirit. Thanks to the parents for their support and Rob Reynolds for organising it.

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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IB CLASSES OF 1993/94/95?

AKI PALIKARAS Aki attended the University of Kent at Canterbury, earning a Foundation Diploma in Theology (1997/98), and then a Bachelor´s Degree in British and American Literature (1998-2001). Later, he attended Copenhagen Business College (2009-12), earning a Bachelor´s Degree in Leadership (Organizational Leadership), and The Department of Education (DPU) for a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development / Adult Learning.

Aki has had quite an amazing journey when it comes to his employment background. He started at a young age working for the family business, Balkan Stores, in the heart of Copenhagen. Balkan Stores became such a success that the family sold it after ten years, with it becoming Northern Europe’s biggest supplier of Greek wine. Then, in 1997, Aki became People Manager at the Old City Pub in Canterbury, England, one of Canterbury’s oldest working public houses and family restaurants, with space for approximately 250 – 300 guests.

In 2004, Alki took the position as English Teacher at Copenhagen International School. From there, he went on to be a Sales Manager, Coach & Recruitment Consultant, Project Manager, HR Learning and Development Consultant, and today is Head of Global TALENT Organisation (HR) (Attraction, Development, Retention) at TRUSTPILOT in Copenhagen.

GITTE JUUL SØRENSEN – ARCHITECT Gitte attended the University of Bath (BArch in architecture) in 1999. In 2003-04, Gitte attended the University College London. After working for a number of prestigious architectural companies in London between 2001 and 2011, Gitte returned to Denmark in 2011 and today works for EFFEKT, a Danish architectural office based in Copenhagen, operating within the fields of modern architecture and visionary urban planning and research.

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ANDREAS MOGENSEN - ASTRONAUT Andreas attended Imperial College London (M.Eng., Aeronautical Engineering) in 1995. Between 2003-2007, Andreas attended The University of Texas at Austin (PhD, Aerospace Engineering).

Andreas is a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut. He lived and worked on the International Space Station during September 2015. This 10-day mission was Andreas’s first spaceflight and the first ever by a Danish national.

STEFAN FRANDSEN - SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER / SCRUM MASTER AT ESPN Stefan attended Cardiff University (BA, Journalism, Film & Broadcasting) from 1995-1998. Starting out as a product manager with Smart Online, Inc., he is now Senior Project Manager with ESPN. Inc. ESPN, “The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities,” according to its website.

Stefan has held the following positions: Business Analyst / Project Manager – Smart Online; Information Architect, Acsys Interactive Sr. Business Analyst Specialist (2009-11) and Systems Analysis Manager at CIGNA (2011-13)

ANDERS STENBÄCK – NORDIC DIGITAL DIRECTOR Anders attended the Helsinki University of Technology (TKK), a leading technical university in Finland. He has had quite the career, which included the title of Vice President, Digital Partnerships, for Sanoma, a strong European group operating in diverse fields of consumer media and learning in some twenty countries.

In 2012, Anders Developed Sanoma’s corporate-wide partnerships with Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Nokia, as well as with numerous startups, helping local brand advertisers with digital advertising strategies, especially in mobile and Big Data. He was also a member of the Future Media Team.

Today, Anders is the Nordic Digital Director, SVP, Business Area Private for If P&C Insurance. Anders also sits on the board of five successful startups, the latest a Norwegian company called CXense that was listed on the Norwegian stock exchange in July.

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Harbirk’s Bustrafik ApS / Laurentsvej 18-20 / DK-2880 Bagsvaerd / Copenhagen, Denmark / Tel: +45 44443266 / www.harbirk.dk

Harbirk’s Bustrafik ApS is a family owned bus company with more than 45 years of experience inpassenger transport service. We provide all types of, service with modern Mercedes-Benz buses, VIP -buses and minivans, limousines and coaches.We service both companies, public and private institutions and individuals and are characterized by our high quality and customer service. Please contact us or visit our website where you can read more about our company, values, services etc. info@harbirk.dk