E C O L I N T M AG A Z I N E • N ° 2 2
BEATING THE ODDS: HOW ONE ALUMNUS OVERCAME TRAGEDY HUMANS OF ECOLINT THE ECOLINT SPIRIT OF SCHOLARSHIPS
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CONTENTS
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A word from the DG
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Education inclusive : célébration d’une décennie de succès
March for Our Lives – Ecolint shows solidarity
5 Connections
A second life for our used bicycles
In Brief
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Sport Plus Programme: raising athletes to the next level
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Breaking with convention: quand la flexibilité est de mise à l’Ecolint
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Beating the odds: how one alumnus overcame tragedy
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Les dess(e)ins de paix d'Hani Abbas
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The Smiths: one hundred and twenty years aggregate at Ecolint
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The returnees
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Humans of Ecolint
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Doctor’s orders
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The Ecolint spirit of scholarships
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The Halcyon days of Walker and Tate
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The Back Board
CONTACTS EMAIL & TELEPHONE Foundation
administration@ecolint.ch
+41 (0)22 787 24 00
Admissions
admissions@ecolint.ch
+41 (0)22 787 26 30
Alumni Office
alumni@ecolint.ch
+41 (0)22 787 25 55
La Grande Boissière
reception.lgb@ecolint.ch
+41 (0)22 787 24 00
La Châtaigneraie
reception.cha@ecolint.ch
+41 (0)22 960 91 11
Campus des Nations
reception.nat@ecolint.ch
+41 (0)22 770 47 00
WEB Foundation: www.ecolint.ch Alumni: alumni.ecolint.ch Institute: www.ecolint-institute.ch
Ecolint Camps: www.ecolint-camps.ch Centre des arts: www.ecolint-arts.ch
MAKE A GIFT Ecolint is a not-for-profit Foundation. Our Development Associate Brian Wahlen is available to discuss ways of providing additional support via a regular or once-off donation. Taxpayers from various jurisdictions, including the US, the UK and Switzerland, can benefit from tax deductions (see page 18). Visit:www.ecolint.ch/support Contact: brian.wahlen@ecolint.ch +41 (0)22 787 26 19 IMPRESSUM Editor-in-Chief: Michael Kewley (Director of Marketing & Stakeholder Relations) Managing Editor: Thaïs Ruegg (Alumni Community Manager) Editorial Team: Catherine Mérigay (Communications Manager), Francis Poncioni (Graphic Designer), Alejandro Rodriguez-Giovo (Foundation Archivist) Printed by PCL Presses Centrales S.A. / Production 14,000 copies International School of Geneva, 62, route de Chêne, CH-1208 Geneva Echo is published twice a year by the Marketing & Stakeholder Relations Department, International School of Geneva and is also available on the school and alumni websites. For more information about echo or to submit information for publication, or if you would like additional copies, please contact the Managing Editor (thais.ruegg@ecolint.ch). The Marketing & Stakeholder Relations Department has made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this edition is accurate and complete. However, despite our sincere desire to avoid errors they might occur. © Copyright International School of Geneva, May 2018. echo.magazine@ecolint.ch
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ON THE COVER: Alumnus Chris Hutchison N°22 | spr ing / pr int emps 2018
A WORD FROM THE DG for students who come from difficult realities and backgrounds not represented at Ecolint today, who show exceptional promise and potential, who have demonstrated qualities that would enrich the school and who would be unable to attend without a full scholarship. We have already identified donors to support this initiative and we will be inviting others to participate soon. We plan to bring this initiative to life starting with a limited number of scholarships for students where we have some enrolment capacity. For the 2018-19 school year, this will be for speakers of French, starting in years eleven or twelve at the La Grande Boissière campus.
Dear members of the Ecolint community, As I continue on the first year of my journey as Director General, it is clear to me that one of the most celebrated aspects of being a member of this community is its diversity. Since its inception, Ecolint has made diversity, in all the ways that can be conceived, one of its key strengths. We have had students from just about every country in the world attend the school, and today the staggering range of our nationalities and languages remains a hallmark. With our commitment to inclusion, our conception of diversity goes far beyond nationality. In this issue of Echo we hear the stories of two alumni, Beti Rucamuvyuma from Burundi and Vicky Stereva from Bulgaria, who represent an aspect of diversity from our past that is less present today, namely, socioeconomic diversity. They would no doubt agree with the many alumni who have reached out to me to let me know the extent to which an Ecolint scholarship transformed the trajectory of their lives. Comments have not just come from recipients of scholarships, but also from Ecolint alumni who let me know of the enormous benefits of having, for example, war refugees among their classmates and how enriching it was to have these perspectives, whether it was understanding the nature of civil conflict or a different understanding of what it means to be alive. What is most powerful in all of the stories I have heard is how much these scholarship
students contributed to the educational experience for everyone at Ecolint. To have this kind of diversity in the school is as much an educational initiative as it is a moral imperative. And it aligns well with our charter, which is: “... based on the principles of equality and solidarity among all peoples and of the equal value of all human beings without any distinction of nationality, race, sex, language or religion.”
With this project we hope to revive the inclusive spirit that animated our school in 1929, when Ecolint’s earliest scholarship project was launched, also with the support of donors. Those original 15 scholarship students obviously benefited from the noble and visionary educational experience Ecolint had to offer, but they also enriched the school immeasurably, with positive repercussions that are still felt 89 years later. I am very hopeful that many members of our community will be able to support this initiative to sow seeds of solidarity, the benefits of which we will reap for decades to come. David Hawley Director General
I am pleased to announce that we intend to relaunch a scholarship programme
BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER The International School of Geneva is a not-for-profit foundation and our day-to-day costs are covered by tuition fees. The school relies on financial support from our community and partners to help achieve development projects.
Get in touch to discuss how you can help! Different ways of giving | Support for specific projects | Donor recognition opportunities | Legacies With your support, we can make a difference for current and future generations of Ecolint students. Contact Brian Wahlen, Development Associate, at brian.wahlen@ecolint.ch or +41 (0)22 787 26 19 Visit us at www.ecolint.ch/support
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NEWS AND EDUCATION INCLUSIVE : CÉLÉBRATION D’UNE DÉCENNIE DE SUCCÈS En juin prochain, nous fêterons le tout premier diplôme de l’IB décerné à un élève ayant suivi la totalité du Programme de soutien approfondi à l’Ecolint. Grâce à la vision et au soutien indéfectible de la SASA Setton Foundation, active dans l’aide aux projets éducatifs, les élèves présentant des besoins particuliers en matière d’apprentissage bénéficient d’un programme extrêmement ciblé et personnalisé. Chaque enfant, quelles que soient ses compétences d’apprentissage, a droit au meilleur enseignement possible. Cette notion prend tout son sens à l’Ecolint grâce au principe d’admission non-sélective et à la création, il y a dix ans, du Programme de soutien approfondi (en anglais Extended Support Programme ou «ESP»). Initié tout d’abord à La Grande Boissière par Teresa Nunn, enseignante spécialisée
MARCH FOR OUR LIVES – ECOLINT SHOWS SOLIDARITY Inspired by the mass march in Washington, DC and parallel demonstrations across the United States and beyond, and keen to show solidarity with students of a similar age around the world, La Châtaigneraie students Emeline Moorhead and Sofìa Mareque organized a March For Our Lives rally on Saturday 24th March. With less than a week to plan and communicate the event, the two courageous young women assembled a crowd of over 100 students, parents, teachers and alumni from across Ecolint and beyond. Armed with colourful placards bearing slogans such as “No more silence, end gun violence!” and “What do you want to be IF you grow up?”, the peaceful protest took place at the Place des Nations, in front of the United Nations headquarters, to demand changes
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à l’Ecolint, le programme s’est étoffé et complété d’année en année. Il franchira une étape importante en septembre prochain avec l’inauguration de l’unité accueillant les élèves de secondaire à La Châtaigneraie. En une décennie, l’ESP est ainsi passé d’une petite structure permettant d’accueillir une poignée d’enfants dans une fourchette d’âge restreinte à une véritable «école dans l’école» avec septante-cinq élèves de 3 à 18 ans sur les trois campus. La SASA Setton Foundation soutient également la Conférence annuelle «SEN» (Special Educational Needs). Cet événement, qui fêtera également ses dix ans l’année prochaine, rassemble des professionnels de l’éducation spécialisée, des enseignants et des parents pour une journée de présentation et d’ateliers donnés par des spécialistes de renommée internationale. Dans quelques mois sera organisée la célébration de ces dix ans de collaboration fructueuse, avec notamment une exposition de travaux d’élèves de l’ESP, la participation de notre premier diplômé et diverses interventions.
to legislation on guns and an end to the needless slaughter of innocent students in their schools. “We are aware that this isn’t an international problem and could be considered only an American issue.
March for Our Lives Rally at Place des Nations
However, we feel very strongly that we should be standing up for students’ and
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children’s rights everywhere, no matter where they’re being infringed,” says Sofìa, whose cousin attends school in Maryland, where another school shooting claimed the lives of students just days before the march took place. “We want to stand as young people advocating for the safety of other students just like ourselves. This is a cause we feel very passionate about. School should be a place of learning where one feels safe, and we’re lucky enough to have this,” adds Emeline, her classmate and co-organizer, whose father John Moorhead (LGB ‘82) is also an Ecolint alumnus. The rally drew the attention of both local and international media, and demonstrated once again the importance of our mission and the expectation contained therein that Ecolint students will “take an active part in making the world a better place”.
ND VIEWS 6 DEGREES OF ECHO SEPARATION
IN BRIEF...
In putting this issue together, we noticed a number of unintended connections we wanted to highlight:
Alumni worldwide, mark your calendars: the 2019 World Reunion will take place June 21-23, 2019.
The piano lessons taken by Denis CAPOLINO (p.15) are given by Anna SMITH (p.10). Finn MAHLER (p.16) founded the Swiss Olympic Medical Centre that works closely with the SPORTS PLUS PROGRAMME (p.6) at Campus des Nations. George WALKER (p.19) is the one who figured out a way for Beti (p.18) to attend Ecolint.
MENUHIN COMPETITION
BETI
GEORGE WALKER YEHUDI MENUHIN
This year’s Kermesse dates are the following: - LGB: 26 May; - La Châtaigneraie: 16 June; - Campus des Nations: 16 June.
DENIS CAPOLINO THE SPORTS PLUS PROGRAMME
The Consultative General Assembly of the Governing Board will take place on 15 May, 2018 at the La Châtaigneraie campus.
ANNA SMITH
BARRY SMITH FINN MAHLER
At time of publishing, Ecolint is co-hosting the Menuhin Competition, which is the leading international competition for young violinists. It was founded by Yehudi Menuhin, regarded by many as one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. This is the same Yehudi Menhuin who showed up in Barry SMITH’s parents’ evening (p.10), to enquire about his grandson’s progress in maths.
A SECOND LIFE FOR OUR USED BICYCLES On a cold November morning at La Châtaigneraie, a 12-metre-long shipping container, kindly donated by the shipping company MSC, was loaded onto a truck to be transported by Impala Terminals first to Lausanne, then to Antwerp and onto its final destination, Cape Town in South Africa. Inside: 477 bicycles, both adult- and child-sized, donated by the Ecolint community and Velafrica to the Bicycle Empowerment Network (BEN), an NGO based in South Africa. Training young people as bike mechanics, BEN gives old bicycles a second life, selling them at extremely low cost or donating them to children and youth in Cape Town’s underprivileged neighbourhoods. For many children, particularly those living in rural communities, owning a bicycle can make the difference in enabling them to
The Alumni Association will hold its AGM the morning of the LGB Kermesse, on 26 May 2018. All alumni are welcome to attend. More info at alumni@ecolint.ch
Switzerland-based organisation Velafrica, which not only collects and renovates old bicycles for re-use in Africa, but also works with Swiss social institutions to provide work integration placement to people with disabilities and the unemployed.
477 bicycles shipped to South Africa
go to school, thus helping them and their community to build a brighter future for themselves. To ensure that the container was put to full use, Ecolint and BEN partnered with the
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In February 2018, Ecolint received the happy news that the container had arrived in Cape Town, been cleared through customs and been unpacked by BEN staff. Thanks to the efforts of Ecolint students, parents and staff, to the dedication of institutions such as Velafrica and BEN, and to the logistical support of MSC, Impala Terminals and Trafigura, 477 South African children and youngsters received a shiny, newly-renovated bicycle to facilitate their daily trips to school and work. All in all, this initiative served not only as evidence that humanitarianism and sustainability go hand in hand, but also as a prime example of recycling – for as a bicycle’s life seemingly ended in Switzerland, it began anew in South Africa.
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SPORTS PLUS PROGRAMME: RAISING ATHLETES TO THE NEXT LEVEL THE SPORTS PLUS PROGRAMME STARTED IN SEPTEMBER 2017 AT CAMPUS DES NATIONS WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING ELITE ATHLETES, IN BOTH THEIR SPORT AND THEIR ACADEMIC WORK. IN THIS FIRST TRIAL YEAR, NINE ATHLETES WERE TAKEN ON TO IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS A SPORTS PROGRAMME COULD OFFER. HENRY LAWTON, A CURRENT STUDENT IN THE PROGRAMME, GIVES US AN INSIDER’S LOOK.
The team of nine athletes that make up the Sports Plus Programme includes three basketball players (Limbu Mwangala, Harrison Larwood, Liam Tissot), a cyclist (Henry Lawton), a skier (Osamu Okuma), a rock climber (Christopher Breckenridge), a football player (Amy Wouters), a track athlete (Héloïse Hughes) and a synchronised swimmer (Danielle Blumer). Setting concrete goals The aim is to support athletes in both their short- and long-term athletic goals. This is achieved through the collaboration between the athletes’ personal trainers, the school’s coach, Kamel Boudjellaba, doctors, nutritionists and a physiotherapist from the La Tour Sports Medicine Department, which is affiliated with Swiss Olympic Sports. Antoine Laffay, Sports Director at Ecolint, and founder of the project, is at the centre of these elements, coordinating each athlete’s development. Swimmer Danielle explains, “It’s been a good start in helping me achieve my long-term goals, because it has made my short-term goals much easier to target.” Basketball player Harrison adds: “the programme has helped me a lot as I am already close to the goal I set in September: increasing my endurance. I can now sustain the same effort for the majority of a basketball game.” All the athletes have different goals, play different sports and compete at different
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levels. But Antoine Laffay has ensured that everyone has the means to succeed via the development of personalised training programmes which are discussed and agreed upon by all involved. Henry explains how this works: “It’s efficient: regularly, my cycling and school coaches discuss where I am going, what my next goals are and how they can best prepare me for them, increasing the feeling of organisation and coordination, and therefore removing a great deal of stress”. Ensuring recovery The programme also needs to ensure that an athlete’s health is not put in danger. Training programmes and small injuries are discussed with the physiotherapist and the sports doctor. This medical support also allows athletes quick access to medical professionals when needed. Osamu recently suffered a serious knee injury while racing. “I am very grateful to the program because it has allowed me to respond rapidly to my injury,” he says. “With solid communication and medical structures in place, I was able to see a renowned surgeon immediately. I have swiftly transitioned to a rehabilitation programme with regular physiotherapy appointments.” Supporting academics The sports programme also supports academic development. When athletes miss school owing to a competition or training,
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they have to catch up with missed work. They also meet with Antoine once a month to discuss any academic issues. Tutoring sessions are organised when necessary, which relieves stress for the athletes as they know they have the support from their teachers and fellow students. All athletes in the Sports Plus Programme have been improving physically and this in turn is leading to stronger results. Limbu, who plays basketball, explains: “I can definitely feel the benefits of the structured training, especially during the last few minutes of a game when everyone is tired and I still have that little bit of energy left.” Henry adds: “The programme helped me work towards my main goal for the velodrome season: to win the general classification at the international velodrome race, the 4 Jours de Genève. This year, my preparation gave me much more confidence and enabled me to lead the race.” After a very successful start to this project, which continues to develop, the programme looks set to become a permanent fixture at Campus des Nations. We look forward to supporting elite athletes in helping them achieve their goals, both academically and athletically. For more information, contact antoine.laffay@ecolint.ch.
BREAKING WITH CONVENTION: QUAND LA FLEXIBILITÉ EST DE MISE À L’ECOLINT AS THE OLDEST INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN THE WORLD AND A PIONEER IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, ECOLINT TAKES PRIDE IN ITS DEDICATION TO FOSTERING PEDAGOGICAL INNOVATION. TANIA GENTET GANOSE REPORTS ON TWO INITIATIVES THAT EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURES THAT BREAK WITH CONVENTIONAL CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENTS.
le moment où les enfants découvrent le monde de la responsabilité, ils peuvent s’approprier leur propre apprentissage, devenant plus autonomes et travaillant deux fois plus dur.
Classes modulables A l’Ecole primaire de La Châtaigneraie, c’est la classe modulable qui est en cours d’essai sous l’impulsion de l’enseignante Carole Ly. Ainsi, à la place d’avoir tous les yeux tournés vers le tableau, les élèves peuvent choisir leur place à l’un des nombreux postes de travail répartis dans la pièce. Ceux-ci sont aussi nombreux qu’ils sont variés : une table basse avec des coussins tout autour posés sur un tapis bien moelleux ; une ligne de sièges-ballons nichés sous une série de bureaux triangulaires ; un ensemble de fauteuils dépareillés, aussi commodes les uns que les autres ; les bureaux d’école traditionnels avec leur ensemble de chaises ou tabourets ; et même un canapé dissimulé dans un coin de la pièce pour ceux qui cherchent un espace tranquille. Et le choix ne s’arrête pas là, car les élèves doivent également choisir avec qui travailler en fonction des tâches à accomplir durant la journée. Ainsi, en réfléchissant à leurs propres forces et faiblesses et en en assumant la responsabilité, les élèves s’associent naturellement en équipes complémentaires. Pour Carole, le rôle de l’enseignant doit être celui d’un facilitateur ou d’un coach plutôt que d’un policier. Dès
The learning pod At Campus des Nations Primary School, a further step has been taken in giving students greater self-direction with the Learning Pod – a research initiative led by Technology for Learning Coordinator Jennifer Fenton and fellow Primary staff. Over a period of five weeks, a group of 28 students in years 3 to 6, guided by five teachers (or ‘mentors’), co-created their curriculum in such a way that it aligned with the conceptual understandings that their year level would be doing and connected with each individual’s passion. Through self-directed learning and self-assessment, students would plan their week, breaking down their plan for the day based on learning goals in maths and literacy that they set for themselves under the guidance of their mentors. This enabled the children to know what they needed to learn next in order to move forward in their learning curve while improving their time management skills, their organisational choices and other soft skills. While the Learning Pod was carried out on a trial basis for a short period, it nonetheless yielded a vast amount of data that can now be examined further in order to see what structures worked and establish which elements of the Pod can be incorporated into regular teaching. Both Jennifer Armstrong and Christelle Lonez, School Principals at La Châtaigneraie Primary and Campus des Nations Primary respectively, have strongly supported these
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flexible learning initiatives. “With changes in the IB Primary Years Programme coming up that lean towards giving students greater ownership over what they’re learning, the Learning Pod has enabled us to pilot a different way of learning where children focus on developing the skills and tools to find the information that they need, and evaluating it, rather than simply acquiring content,” explained Christelle Lonez. «Nous savons que l’environnement est le troisième enseignant aux côtés de l’élève et de l’enseignant,» renchérit Jennifer Armstrong. «Un environnement intelligemment construit contribue à l’apprentissage ; dans ce cas particulier, il favorise l’esprit d’initiative et le sentiment d’autodétermination des élèves en rendant visible leur apprentissage et en favorisant le développement des compétences essentielles à la démocratie – celles du service à et de la responsabilité envers les individus et les groupes».
At Ecolint, education is about empowering students to become great human beings, and knowing who you are and making the right choices is central to that. With teachers such as Carole Ly and Jennifer Fenton who nurture self-esteem, motivation for learning and responsibility by valuing the diverse learning needs and methods of each student, Ecolint is helping shape students who are stronger, better equipped and more mindful to deal with the challenges of the future.
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BEATING THE ODDS: HOW ONE ALUMNUS OVERCAME TRAGEDY CHRIS HUTCHISON GRADUATED FROM LA CHÂTAIGNERAIE IN 2009. HE PASSED HIS IB WITH SUCCESS, AND WAS READY FOR UNIVERSITY IN SEPTEMBER. A TYPICAL ECOLINT GRADUATE, INTERESTED IN A THOUSAND DIFFERENT THINGS, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SUMMER IN GENEVA BEFORE HEADING OFF. THEN A SPLIT-SECOND DECISION CHANGED THE COURSE OF HIS LIFE. THAIS RUEGG CAUGHT UP WITH THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR.
Chris often refers to it as his own “butterfly effect” moment: he simply leaned against a stopped train at the Nyon train station. The next thing he knew, he was waking up to doctors in a hospital telling him he had lost both his legs in a train accident. The train had pulled away suddenly, pulling him underneath it, sectioning off his legs and leaving him blind in one eye. Quite some news for a 17 year-old. Thoughts on recovery Today, nine years after the accident, Chris has two prosthetic legs, and walks on his own with the help of crutches. His journey towards healing is an inspiring one, and it is filled with philosophical insight. “Life is beautiful,” Chris says. “And life is also suffering. I strive towards appreciating every moment; even when it’s a not a pleasant moment, I try to derive joy from it. When you are suffering in a way that others can clearly see, it becomes a conduit for deeper discussion. People start telling me their stories all the time.” Chris often talks about the “lizard brain,” and how he used the tough, single-minded, “need-my-next-fix” mechanisms that can so often be employed negatively by human beings, to overcome his situation. “I was dealing with extremely heavy phantom pains, and being given very strong opiates,” he explains. “But I knew I needed to be at Saint Andrews in less than a year (they had deferred my entrance by a year). I needed a clear mind and a healed body.” Chris put his drive to work: he stopped the pain medicine, from one day to the next, experiencing screaming pain and symptoms close to those of a heroin withdrawal, coming out stronger than ever, and learning to walk again in record time. “That drive had always been there. But the accident gave me a positive channel for it, and I’ve been able to put that same energy into creating my own business.”
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Visiting his alma mater Chris visited La Châtaigneraie at the end of January to share his story with a class of young students who dream of starting their own companies someday. “Always make sure you are talking to people who know more than you do,” Chris encouraged. Jil Robinson, Chris Hutchison, Beatrice Hoesli, and Ian Smith at La Chât “It’s always important to rely on the knowledge of specialists. There’s Out of the ashes no use in re-inventing the wheel.” In 2013, Chris and his father founded Prosfit, a company that provides below-knee 3D The students sat in attentive silence, taking printed prosthetic sockets. “The idea for in the words of the young entrepreneur who Prosfit started with a mind-map scrawled on had walked the same halls, interacted with A3 paper,” explains Chris, “after a physically the same teachers, and faced the same uncomfortable plane ride back from South challenges as they do daily. Chris spoke America, during which my legs were in with humour and transparency about being constant pain owing to ill-fitting sockets.” a double-amputee. He passed around his Chris and his father worked relentlessly out prosthesis, explaining to the students the kind of their apartment for a year, doing research, of difference a good socket-fitting makes, and getting prototype software, putting together how 3D printing has made the process so a clinical investigation, and proactively making much easier. Students lined up to thank him at connections. the end of his talk, saying they’d been inspired, and asking if they could stay in touch to ask for The project found investors in the emerging advice for their own business ideas. community of entrepreneurs in Bulgaria, where the family resettled after the As Chris left the campus, heading towards accident, and Prosfit was officially launched. his next meeting, this time with Swiss “I still can’t believe no one else had the television, he confided with a smile: “You idea before us. If you have an idea, and know the funny thing is, the IB is probably it’s a good one, there’s no telling how far it the hardest thing these students will ever do. can go. If you work at it hard enough, and It’s certainly been the hardest thing I’ve ever connect with the right people, it could really done; setting up my company was easy in become something viable,” says Chris with comparison!” a gleam in his eye.
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LES DESS(E)INS DE PAIX D’HANI ABBAS C’EST UN PROFESSEUR PEU ORDINAIRE QUI DONNE DES COURS AUX ÉLÈVES DE L’ECOLINT. EN MAI 2014, IL REÇOIT DES MAINS DE KOFI ANNAN LE PRIX INTERNATIONAL DU DESSIN DE PRESSE. CATHERINE MÉRIGAY PART À LA RENCONTRE DE CE SYRIEN EN EXIL À GENÈVE.
En 2014, Hani Abbas reçoit le prix international du dessin de presse des mains de Kofi Annan et en présence du maire de Genève, Guillaume Barazzone (photo: cartooningforpeace.org)
Sur son dessin le plus connu, un soldat rompt les rangs pour respirer une fleur symbolisant la révolution syrienne… Voilà le «crime» qui a valu à Hani Abbas d’être menacé par le régime de Damas et contraint à l’exil en 2012. Depuis Genève, le dessinateur continue à dénoncer les souffrances du peuple syrien. Armé de son seul crayon. Votre famille a vécu l’exil sur trois générations : votre père a fui la Palestine et vous avez dû quitter la Syrie avec votre épouse et votre fils Madj. Comment abordez-vous avec lui ce lourd héritage ? Mon père avait quatre ans lorsqu’il a fui la Palestine avec sa famille. Mon fils avait le même âge lorsque nous avons quitté la Syrie. La même scène s’est répétée… j’ai incarné la version 2012 de mon grand-père portant mon père dans ses bras. Malheureusement, mon fils se souvient encore de la guerre et de ces images cruelles. J’espère que le temps soignera ses souvenirs et le fera oublier. Nous discutons de nos origines et de nos racines, de cette identité que la guerre a essayé de nous voler. Nous espérons pouvoir un jour retourner dans notre patrie. Vous enseignez le dessin de presse aux élèves de l’Ecolint. Comment réagissentils quand vous les sensibilisez à ce que vous avez vécu ?
Par la grande qualité de son enseignement, cette école façonne les hommes et les femmes de demain. De nombreuses décisions seront entre leurs mains. C’est pourquoi il est extrêmement important pour moi de leur parler de paix, de justice et de liberté d’expression.
Parfois, je leur raconte des histoires édifiantes sur des gens que je connais ou je leur parle de mon parcours. Nous évoquons ceux qui s’opposent à la guerre à travers l’art, la musique, la peinture, le chant et la poésie. Ces récits restent ancrés dans les mémoires; ils sont de véritables leçons et motivent à s’engager. Lorsque je parle aux élèves, j’observe leurs réactions et leur manière de s’impliquer dans le récit. Je leur demande ensuite de dessiner ce qu’ils ont ressenti et ils l’expriment magnifiquement. Parvenez-vous à transmettre l’espoir au peuple syrien à travers la publication de vos dessins? J’ai beaucoup d’amis en Syrie et beaucoup d’abonnés sur ma page Facebook. Nous partageons notre espoir. L’année dernière, j’ai organisé des expositions de mes travaux, notamment à Alep, sous les bombardements. Mes dessins ont été publiés dans un magazine distribué dans les zones libres de Syrie. Nous échangeons des messages tous les jours et j’essaie d’aider autant que possible. Quels sont vos projets futurs? J’ai publié mon premier livre il y a un mois. Il rassemble des textes et des dessins sur la révolution, la liberté et l’asile politique. Je vais monter des expositions et proposer des séances de dédicaces dans plusieurs villes les mois prochains. J’espère que beaucoup liront mon témoignage sur la Syrie et mon message de liberté, de justice et de paix.
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Hani Abbas teaches the art of cartooning to students at LGB. Exiled from Syria since 2012, for drawing a cartoon of a soldier breaking ranks to smell a flower representing the Syrian revolution, Hani continues to denounce the suffering in Syria from his home in Geneva. Hani shares his stories with students, and often brings up those which oppose war through art, music, painting and poetry. These stories stay with students, and move them to work towards peace in a variety of different ways. Hani has just released his first book, and will soon be exhibiting his works in several European cities.
Publié en 2012 sur Facebook, ce dessin provoque la colère du régime de Damas et contraint son auteur à l’exil.
Retrouvez Hani Abbas sur Facebook ou sur le site de la fondation Dessins pour la paix: www.cartooningforpeace.org
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THE SMITHS: ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY AGGREGATE YEARS AT ECOLINT WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES ABOUT ECOLINT DYNASTIES, THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAVE HAD MULTIPLE GENERATIONS INVOLVED WITH THE SCHOOL. THE SMITHS GIVE US A HISTORY OF THEIR TIME AND FAVOURITE MEMORIES AT ECOLINT.
The parents: Barry and Diana In April 1970, newlyweds Diana and Barry Smith arrived in Geneva, from Sheffield, in the UK. Barry had been offered a job as Mathematics teacher at the International School of Geneva. The couple was looking forward to new adventures in their lives: learning to ski, improving their French, travelling and making new friends from all over the world.
Barry and Diana after retirement
Barry soon settled down into his teaching at LGB, while Diana accepted a post at the Lycée des Nations in Bellevue in September 1970. Over the next few years, they had two daughters, Anna and Lucy, whom they sent to Ecolint. The girls spent most of their primary years in what was then the ‘French side’, moving over to the English section for secondary school. While Barry continued teaching Maths at LGB, becoming Head of the Mathematics Department, Diana moved from Bellevue to Rue Schaub, as the Lycée Des Nations and La Châtaigneraie became part of the International School of Geneva. Rue Schaub and Bellevue closed in 1979, putting an end to the Lycée des Nations, and sending Diana to La Gradelle, which many students and teachers from the 70s will remember
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as a collection of large wooden cabins: an ideal environment for young, adventurous primary students! Les Marronniers opened in September 1985, welcoming the classes from La Gradelle into its walls: it was a shiny new state-of-the-art school where students were able to develop their knowledge and creativity to the maximum. After 30 happy years of teaching primary students, in 1997 Diana was given the opportunity to go down to Monaco for a few weeks, as acting Principal of its International School. The weeks soon turned into months and the months into two years! “Finally, I felt it was time to return to Geneva,” explains Diana, “where Ecolint was opening a small annexe to La Châtaigneraie: the Mies Campus.” The former car showroom did not seem as if it would be an ideal school building, but over the next six years, Diana and the team created a bijou school, greatly loved by staff, students and parents. In 2005, Diana became Principal of the Primary School at La Châtaigneraie where she spent the next four years, followed by a final year as Principal at the Campus des Nations. “While all our schools are dedicated to providing a stimulating and enriching education to our international students, each campus has its very own distinctive feel which makes them unique learning environments where lasting memories are made.” The eldest daughter: Anna Anna’s earliest LGB memories are in Grade 1 in Miss Hansen’s class in the La Gradelle wooden cabins, playing in the sandbox and
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going to the library where Miss Fletcher would read the children stories with her lilting Scottish voice. Cups of milk were distributed at break and the children played endlessly with the ducklings and chicks in Mrs Lagnado’s classroom. Anna did all her primary school on “the French side,” transitioning to “the English side” for secondary school and graduating in 1990. “Being a staff child was interesting,” she says. “Many of the adults my parents socialised with were also my teachers. It was like getting a ‘behind-the-scenes’ sneak peek. It could be awkward at times, but that didn’t happen very often!” Anna came back to LGB in 2002, to work in the Campus Services, looking after the school lunches, school buses, maintenance, cleaning and security. “It’s quite an intense job but the team gets to see so many different people and no two days are alike. The mix of nationalities and cultures at Ecolint is amazing – I noticed this as a student, and still now as part of the staff. The way children can get along, no matter where they come from, is nothing short of inspiring!” Retired teachers often pop in to see Anna. “It’s always fun to catch up with them; some of them I’ve literally known all my life!” Anna and her sister regularly talk about them with their parents. Anna teaches piano in the afternoons and has done so for over 25 years now. She has two daughters, 17 and 12 years old. Diana Smith’s class
The younger daughter: Lucy Lucy’s earliest LGB memories are also in grade 1, in Nicole Pitteloud’s class in the Primary School which is now the Middle School. “I had the privilege to spend my 16 years of schooling at LGB with other staff children, like Ian Wise, Kenny Kerswell, Robert Douglas, Fernanda Guerrero and Claire Billington,” explains Lucy. “It made life easier, since one of the few hard things about going to Ecolint is that friends and students come and go nearly every year. Being in a class with so many staff children brought me a certain stability, which I really appreciated.” Just like her sister, Lucy went up through the school partly on the French side and then on the English side. “The Ecolint spirit stays for life! I’ve encountered many former students from school throughout my professional life in various multinationals, and you immediately notice that once an ‘Ecolinter’ always an ‘Ecolinter’; it really is a true community, and I am very attached to this part of my life even though I wasn’t the most scholarly of students. The school grounds in the 80s were amazing, students were very privileged to have such a beautiful campus, with the Greek Theatre, football field, the woods and the vast space which students had access to.” Lucy is currently a member of the Ecolint Alumni Association and works full time at the World Economic Forum in the European Government relationship team. She plays polo and has two sons aged 5 and 2 years old. They are her proudest achievements.
mathematical knowledge. Since retiring, he has worked as a supply teacher for the department and tutored many students through their IB Higher Level Maths. “They say Music and Mathematics go hand in hand,” Barry The Smiths, early 80s says. “As a musician and mathematician, my most treasured memory has to be a certain parents’ evening when the late, great Yehudi Menuhin arrived unexpectedly to discuss his grandson’s progress in Mathematics. A moment I will never, ever forget!” Diana finds it hard to retire and shake off her love of children and education. Since withdrawing from professional life she has helped to open schools in India and Africa. She still visits India regularly to train young teachers and help resource the schools. The Ecolint spirit and ethos continues to be part of the Smiths’ lives and Diana is still able to share these strengths and ideals with children and teachers, especially in Southern India.
alumni? After a combined 120 years – and counting! – of memories, the Smiths would say it’s a mix of the annual Kermesses (a time for families to get together and taste delights from around the world, and reconnect with old friends); of dramatic and artistic productions of a very high standard; of graduation ceremonies with famous personalities to celebrate the end of an era for students. It’s ski weeks and classes vertes, Arts Week, and fundraising events for different charities. It’s Escalade, science fairs, mathematics competitions around Europe. But most of all, it’s the lifelong friendships they have made, that continue even though many friends have moved away from Geneva.
So what makes Ecolint so special for the teachers, students and thousands of
And then comes retirement Barry retired in 2004 from LGB, but he has never lost his love of sharing his vast
Quiz featured in 1996 LGB yearbook
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THE RETURNEES CONTINUING OUR SERIES ON FORMER ECOLINT STUDENTS WHO HAVE RETURNED TO TEACH AT THE SCHOOL, IN THIS EDITION, WE MEET REBECCA TYRRELL (LA CHAT ‘84) AND BIJAN MOGHBEL (LGB ‘03).
Rebecca TYRRELL (La Chât ‘84) > Head of Support Services > Primary School, La Châtaigneraie When did you start teaching at Ecolint, and on which campus? I joined La Châtaigneraie in 2012 to coordinate Learning Support and then the Support Services in 2013 when the Extended Support Programme (ESP) began. When were you a student and at which campus? My first fond memories are as a student in 1972-3 at the Lycée des Nations, Bellevue. I later joined La Chât in 1977 (along with my sister Luci and some years afterwards Carina). Thanks to inspirational teachers, it was a period that sowed the seeds for lifelong learning in us all (with gratitude also to Mr Lee whose advice on the eve of the IB I thankfully heeded!). Not so long ago, I marvelled at the fascinating journeys others in our class of ‘84 had undertaken at our 30 year (!?!) reunion. There was reminiscing around enjoyable field weeks, ski days, our brass rubbing trip with Mr Schumann, the bike club, Students’ United Nations and the unforgettable A Man for All Seasons directed by Mr Heery. Miss Cooper, our grade 12 tutor and English teacher painted such a beautiful portrayal of Meg, Sir Thomas More’s daughter (that I was so thrilled to play in 1983) and, amongst others, opened the door to Keats and his “budding morrow in midnight”.
What did you do after leaving Ecolint? For several years I taught as a mainstream class teacher and went on to fulfil a range of varied but linked roles whilst undertaking an MSc and later an MA in the fields of speech, language and literacy. I worked as a teacher in a dyslexia unit, a speech and language therapist, an Advisory teacher for Specific Learning Difficulties (working towards our Local Authority becoming one of the early ones to achieve “dyslexia friendly” accreditation by the BDA) and then a Teacher Leader for Every Child a Reader (an ambitious UK governmentfunded, early intervention project that targeted the 30,000 students leaving primary each year with poor literacy skills). I also kept cycling! What or who inspired you to be a teacher? A long-standing interest in literacy and finding effective ways of supporting in those with difficulties was an early driver. It was an issue of some prominence in the 1990s with the UN’s decade of initiatives to eradicate illiteracy by 2000. Are you ever, as a teacher, reminded of your former life at school? There was a reassuring link with the past until recently when Mr Wingate the last teacher who taught me (history, which I went on to study!) retired. However, current staff, once students during my “era”, are ever present (such as Linda Hull (now Flesher) from Bellevue, now in La Chât and Amanda Waxman (now Weber) part of the class of ‘84, now in Pregny LS!).
Rebecca Tyrrell in 1983
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What are the main differences about Ecolint compared to when you were at school? What remains the same?
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There was a real sense of belonging and community then, which is no less today – remarkable considering how the school has grown. The technological revolution is an obvious development (I remember the FIRST school computer) and the bilingual programme has contributed an invaluable dimension to the curriculum helping amongst many things to break down the potential “bubble” mentality. What are the best things about your role? One of the best things about my role is seeing students become more autonomous in their learning and hearing later about how well settled they are in secondary. At the heart of this is being part of such dedicated teams of colleagues (the Learning Support team, ESP, the teaching teams and Student Support Group) who, working closely with parents, are so committed to supporting our diverse student population towards achieving their potential. With the opening of a new ESP in the Secondary School in September, one cannot but reflect upon how ESP in the Primary School these last 5 years has contributed to shifting mindsets and practices towards still greater inclusion. If inclusive societies do indeed begin in schools, how privileged to be, in some small way, part of a community working to make this a reality.
Bijan MOGHBEL (LGB ‘03) > Art Teacher > Middle School, La Grande Boissière When did you start teaching at Ecolint, and on which campus? I started teaching at LGB as a replacement teacher in 2013. The following year I joined the Middle School’s Extended Support Programme team and this year I was hired as an Art Teacher in the Middle School. When were you a student and at which campus? If my memory serves me right, I arrived in second grade at LGB in 1992, from l’Ecole du Pré-du-Camp, in Plan-les-Ouates. I started in the French Section and then moved to the English side. I graduated in 2003. I am one of those products of Ecolint who speaks franglais with no particular accent or with a mix of different ones. My mother taught in Les Marronniers for 27 years and I even used to live in La Grande Villa. My fiancée also went to LGB! It’s no wonder that I find myself here once again, even though I promised myself never to return after doing the IB. What did you do after leaving Ecolint? After graduating from Ecolint, I moved to Scotland and attended University in Dundee, where I got a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. I then undertook a Master’s degree in Forensic Arts, a relatively new and upcoming field marrying Anthropology, Anatomy, Forensic Sciences and the Arts. Forensic Artists aid in the identification or location of victims of crime, missing persons or human remains through the application of evidence-based scientific research and arts. I specialised in Cranio-facial Forensic Reconstruction – the process of reconstructing the face of an individual from skeletal remains. What or who inspired you to be a teacher? How/why did you come back to Ecolint? I never set out to become a teacher. My first encounter with teaching happened in my final year of the Bachelor’s degree, during which I volunteered to teach foundation year students Mould-Making and Casting courses in the sculpture department. Upon my arrival back in Geneva, and having thoroughly enjoyed the experience of teaching, I started
working as a replacement teacher in the Swiss public system. This is what really sparked my interest to pursue a career in teaching. Coming back to Ecolint was never something I had envisaged until that point. Other than my mother, who also taught at Ecolint, my Year 5 teacher, Mr. Barakat, was a big influence for me and still impacts my approach to teaching today. Are you ever, as a teacher, reminded of your former life at school? Always! I think this is why I am able to relate so well to the students here at LGB. I really try hard to think back to my days at school and put myself in the shoes of the students. What are the main differences about Ecolint compared to when you were at school? What has stayed the same? A lot has changed since I was a student. The campus has changed quite a bit.
The cafeteria used to be in what is now the Pavillon des Langues. I think the new cafeteria was completed the year before I graduated. The food is a lot better now than it was before… trust me! The synthetic football pitch used to be an uneven, waterlogged field; the legend even says that it was once a lake. The Centre des arts didn’t exist and the Art department consisted of wooden “temporary” structures that were probably there for 20 years before I even set foot there. On a whole, the campus wasn’t as fenced off as it is now. Probably the biggest change has been the advancement in technology: touch screens, interactive smartboards, computers in every classes, iPads, swiping badges… Yet, I think that the spirit of Ecolint has remained the same. What are the best things about being a teacher? I find teaching immensely rewarding. You get to watch students grow and you see them gain new insights and interests. You see them develop as individuals and you get to make an impact on their lives, however big or small. As teachers, we have the privilege and the duty to transmit our passion and our knowledge. Being a teacher also means that you learn from students. You have to be creative enough to adapt the way you teach each individual, as we all learn differently. I really enjoy working with children and I always look forward to going to work, every day is different and you always learn something new.
Bijan in 6th grade, in 1996
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HUMANS OF ECOLINT IN THIS ISSUE, WE MEET SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT ONLY KEY TO THE SMOOTH-RUNNING OF OUR CAMPUSES, BUT ALSO FIGURE AS PILLARS IN OUR RICH AND DIVERSE ECOLINT COMMUNITY.
Manuel ARIAS
Bruno CHABALET
Odile SERRANO
Responsable du Service Technique, La Châtaigneraie Années à l’Ecolint : 34 ans
Employé d’Entretien, La Châtaigneraie Années à l’Ecolint : 30 ans
Responsable Novae, Ecole primaire, La Châtaigneraie Années à l’Ecolint : 23 ans
Responsable technique sur le campus de La Châtaigneraie, je gère une équipe d’une trentaine de personnes. Je m’occupe de coordonner le personnel technique et l’équipe de nettoyage pour les tâches quotidiennes, mais aussi lors d’événements comme des spectacles ou la Kermesse. Ma passion : les promenades en montagne, ici mais aussi en Espagne où je retourne chaque année. J’aime l’aventure et la découverte – partir dans une direction sans savoir où l’on va, partir vers l’inconnu. Le moment qui m’a le plus touché à l’Ecolint s’est produit quand mon chien Xestal (prononcé Chéstal) est décédé. J’ai reçu un message de condoléances très émouvant du Directeur général George Walker, et Beatrice Hoesli, qui s’occupait de la création du Yearbook, a consacré toute une page de dédicace à Xestal. J’habite dans la tour de La Châtaigneraie depuis 34 ans, l’Ecolint c’est ma vie.
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En tant que technicien de maintenance à La Châtaigneraie, je m’occupe de la préparation d’événements, de l’entretien du campus, de la rénovation (en été) et des livraisons de matériel. Pour moi, le contact avec les élèves est important, voilà pourquoi je fais également de la surveillance à midi. Difficile de ne pas adorer les sports d’hiver dans la région ! Personnellement, j’adore le ski alpin que je pratique aussi souvent que possible. J’aimerais bien pouvoir visiter l’Autriche pour y skier car c’est vraiment l’endroit idéal pour ce sport. En été, je me suis récemment mis au wakeboard.
Le jour qui m’a le plus marqué à l’Ecolint c’est lorsqu’il y a eu la tempête de grêle en juin 2013. Arbres couchés, toits et vitres endommagés, de la boue partout, on aurait cru à l’Apocalypse ! On a dû fermer l’école le temps d’une journée pour sécuriser les toits et certaines réparations sont toujours en cours aujourd’hui. Après 30 ans passés ici, ça m’a fait mal au cœur de voir une telle destruction. Heureusement qu’on a pu remettre les choses en ordre avec l’équipe!
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J’arrive au campus à 5h30 pour commencer ma journée à 6h: mise en place du petit déjeuner, préparation des desserts et des salades, démontage et remontage des différents services. Je m’assure que chaque repas (récréation, midi et goûter) se déroule bien. Avant la construction de la nouvelle école primaire, j’étais basée dans l’ancienne cantine, mais j’aime bien le contact avec les plus petits ; ça a été un plaisir de pouvoir travailler à leurs côtés quotidiennement. Ce que j’apprécie tout particulièrement c’est de recevoir la visite des enfants ESP en cuisine, de les voir prendre confiance au fil du temps et de montrer l’exemple aux autres. J’aime beaucoup la marche en campagne, surtout dans la région où je peux profiter de faire la cueillette des champignons. Mon pêché mignon : les morilles ! Mon plus beau souvenir de l’Ecolint c’est la fête d’anniversaire des 60 ans de Maurice Pralon (dont beaucoup d’anciens se souviendront sûrement). On avait placardé des affiches sur tout le campus – toute l’école l’avait fêté.
Giuseppe BENEVENTO Responsable du Service Technique, Campus des Nations (site de Saconnex) Années à l’Ecolint : 13 Ce sont mes derniers mois à l’Ecolint car je pars à la retraite fin juin. Je travaille au Campus des Nations (bâtiment de Saconnex) depuis qu’il est sorti de terre en 2005. J’y ai supervisé l’installation électrique alors que j’étais employé par une entreprise d’électricité, et j’ai finalement été embauché. Je démarre ma journée à 7h et je gère le trafic dès 7h45. Après le briefing quotidien avec mon équipe, les interventions et les rendez-vous se succèdent jusqu’à 17h. Les temps morts sont rares ! Originaire du sud de l’Italie, j’étais venu trois semaines en vacances après mes études en électronique et je ne suis plus jamais reparti ! J’ai eu la chance de travailler, entre autres, pour le CERN avant d’entrer à l’Ecolint. Durant mon temps libre, je fais du vélo et je suis batteur dans un groupe de rock. Je vais évidemment poursuivre ces activités à ma retraite. J’aimerais aussi suivre des cours de massage et de cuisine française – je ne sais faire que des plats italiens ! J’ai eu beaucoup de plaisir à travailler ici, avec une équipe très soudée. Je me souviendrai avec émotion de la belle fête que l’école a organisée pour mes 60 ans.
Momar N’DOYE Coordinateur du service de la poste Années à l’Ecolint: 19 Je suis responsable du courrier pour les trois campus, et aussi responsable logistique des Camps Ecolint. Je passe le matin à la poste pour chercher le courrier de la Fondation. J’arrive ensuite à LGB où je trie le courrier, vérifie les commandes de stock et les colis déposés. Je distribue le courrier et récupère celui qui part dans les autres campus et à l’externe. Puis je prends la route pour le Campus des Nations, Pregny et enfin La Châtaigneraie, avant de déposer à la Poste le courrier externe rassemblé au cours de la journée. Deux passions m’animent: le sport et les voyages. Je suis président du Club UGS Basketball, dans lequel j'entraîne l’équipe féminine U-15, et je suis membre du comité directeur de l’Association cantonale genevoise de basketball, où je suis responsable du mouvement senior. En plus de mon activité sportive, j’organise des voyages dans mon village au Sénégal, et je collecte du matériel informatique pour les écoles là-bas. Ce que j’apprécie particulièrement à l’Ecolint, c’est la vision de l’internationalisme qu’ont eu ses fondateurs. A chaque “Graduation”, je suis inspiré par ce que je vois: plus de cent nationalités représentées, qui arrivent à s’entendre et travailler ensemble. Chacun doit tout mettre en oeuvre pour que cet héritage et ces valeurs continuent.
Denis CAPOLINO
Tony LENNARD
Responsable du Service Technique, La Grande Boissière Années à l’Ecolint: 14
Aide-concierge, La Grande Boissière Années à l’Ecolint: 15
Je gère une équipe de 6 techniciens. Dès 7h, je prépare le travail de l’équipe selon les demandes de travaux. Je suis responsable des clés et de la logistique des diverses manifestations, la plus grande étant la Kermesse. Je fais le lien avec les entreprises externes et gère la maintenance des bâtiments. J’ai énormément de plaisir à travailler à l’Ecolint, dans un cadre exceptionnel, entouré de mes supérieurs qui m’accordent une réelle confiance.
J’aime bricoler et je passe beaucoup de mon temps libre à faire toutes sortes de travaux dans ma maison. J’ai été pendant une dizaine d’années entraîneur de foot et depuis quatre ans, je prends des cours de piano. La musique me procure une sensation d'apaisement et de bien être. Un jour marquant à l’Ecolint? Le jour de l’alerte à la bombe. Un matin de 2016, Anna de la réception me dit, paniquée, qu’elle vient de recevoir un appel lui signalant la présence d’une bombe dans l’une des toilettes de l’école. La police est arrivée, nous avons évacué les bâtiments et les démineurs ont ratissé toutes les toilettes. J’ai dû faire le lien entre la police, les démineurs, l’administration de l’école, les élèves et professeurs. C’est un jour dont je me souviendrai longtemps.
My day starts early at LGB with opening the campus. I'm responsible for the recycling, I look after the lockers in the Secondary School, the lost-andfound, and I cater to any day-today needs that come up. When I'm not at school, I'm either out boating on the lake, finishing up a bricolage project at home, or preparing for our next exhibition of Aboriginal art. I’m a graphic designer by profession, and worked many years in Australia's Northern Territory with Aboriginal people promoting indigenous art and working towards greater striving of their culture and tribal homelands. When I followed my Swiss wife back to Switzerland, both of us wanted to continue promoting Aboriginal art here. We've organised several exhibitions locally and an important part of presenting these amazing artworks is the documentation of the stories as told by the artists themselves. This is known as “the dreamtime.” I look forward to exhibiting next year at the Centre des arts and to share my passion for Aboriginal art with the Ecolint community, with the aim of complementing the multi-cultural side of the school, where parents, students, and teachers from different backgrounds are figuring out how to live harmoniously in one place and one country.
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Muharem JASHARI Responsable du Service Technique, Campus des Nations (site de Pregny) Années à l’Ecolint : 12 Ma journée commence à 6h. Je m’assure que le campus est impeccable pour l’arrivée des élèves dès 7h45. Je gère la circulation et aide les enfants à rejoindre leur classe depuis le parking. J’enchaîne ensuite les rendezvous, les interventions, les réparations… les petits enfants cassent beaucoup ! A 14h45, je retourne sur le parking pour les départs et je termine ma journée vers 16h. Je n’ai jamais le temps de m’ennuyer ! J’adore mon travail, l’environnement et l’ambiance de cette école. Avant, j’étais enseignant de biochimie au Kosovo, où j’ai exercé pendant 4 ans. Je suis venu à Genève en 1992, à cause de la guerre. J’ai travaillé 12 ans dans une boulangerie, mais j’ai dû arrêter car j’étais allergique à la farine !
En dehors, je fais beaucoup de sport : course, fitness, football, ping-pong. Régulièrement, je cours avec mes collègues du Service technique. Je n’ai pas de souvenir marquant : chaque jour est un plaisir ! Par contre, je vis chaque changement de directeur comme un petit bouleversement : Lisa Belfry, Becci Lee, Nicholas Tate, Vicky Tuck… Mais on arrive toujours à s’adapter !
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DOCTOR’S ORDERS WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES ON ALUMNI IN CAREER AREAS WITH THREE ALUMNI WHO HAVE BECOME DOCTORS. DEBORAH LEHMANN SPENT 17 YEARS RESEARCHING PNEUMONIA IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, FINN MAHLER CO-FOUNDED THE SPORTS MEDICINE DEPARTMENT AT HOPITAL DE LA TOUR, AND SHELAGH MACLEOD BECAME A GENERAL SURGEON AFTER A CAREER IN THE ARMY.
Deborah LEHMANN I attended Ecolint from 1958 to 1965. My interest in science and health was highly influenced by Reginald Unitt who taught Biology and Eric Anthony who taught Chemistry. Without them I would not have ended up in medicine. After graduating from Ecolint, I first completed a Diploma in Harpsichord at the Conservatoire de Genève and won a Swiss national harpsichord competition. I then studied medicine at the University of London. I had several hospital appointments, completed part I of the Membership of Royal College of Physicians exam but, still uncertain of my career path, returned to Geneva where I was awarded the “Prix Virtuosité avec Distinction” for harpsichord. I then trained in general practice in London and went to Nepal, where I spent 3 years working in tuberculosis control. After completing
a Masters in Community Health in Developing Countries in London, I spent 17 years in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) highlands as an epidemiologist at the PNG Institute of Medical Research, managing the Pneumonia Research Programme. In 1998 I moved to the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Western Australia, where I have conducted research on pneumonia and otitis media (middle ear infections) in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children while continuing research in PNG. I am committed to training the next generation of Papua New Guinean, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers. In 2012 I was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medical research.
My advice to young aspiring doctors at Ecolint? There are many different opportunities for doctors around the world. While many think only of the clinical work in hospitals or in general practice, there are many other exciting opportunities: international health, working for non-governmental organizations, relief work, research. Seeking to prevent disease (in the very broadest sense) can, for some, be more satisfying than treating illness. One can even choose a combination of the two. The greatest influence Ecolint had on me was learning that colour and creed do not matter. I believe we were totally unaware of any racism or prejudice. We came from all over the world and we learnt about different cultures. This has been carried through to my whole life and influenced my desire to improve the lives of less privileged people than ourselves.
Rylee Francis inspects Deborah Lehmann’s ear
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Finn MAHLER
Shelagh MACLEOD
I attended Ecolint from 1965 to 1977, arriving in 2nd grade and graduating in year 13 with the IB Diploma. I followed in the footsteps of my brother Per Bo – also a medical doctor – who graduated in 1975 and as of today has an office next to mine in the Swiss Olympic Medical Centre at Hôpital de la Tour, Geneva.
I started in Grade 1 at the Lycée des Nations, and graduated in the summer of 1982. I completed my entire 13 years of schooling at the Bellevue school and subsequently the La Châtaigneraie campus.
My interest and passion for health were cultivated at home, the skills to practice in the field were nurtured at Ecolint. Having remarkable and devoted medical doctors as parents undeniably influenced my professional cursus. Medicine is of course about science, diagnosis and treatment, but ever more importantly it is about getting a message across to your patient. What to say, when to say it and how to say it remains the absolute cornerstone of all medical practitioners. Ecolint was all about that – learning to get a message across with simplicity, confidence and a touch of humour when appropriate! After Ecolint, I studied Medicine at the University of Geneva and then went on to specialise in Sports Medicine, completing a postgraduate degree in London. Sports has always been a guiding thread throughout my life, given the incredible environnement I was exposed to at Ecolint – outdoor PE in the snow and rain before the gymnasium was built, being part of a triumphant ski team (7 national team members) and exhilarating football games against the teachers during lunch breaks! Having been educated in a stimulating international environment inspired me to travel the world to seek further education, ending up in Australia in 1991. Back in Geneva, I co-founded the Sports Medicine Department at Hôpital de La Tour with my brother. In 2013, we had the great honour to become a Swiss Olympic Medical Centre, where I am currently the medical director. My paramount advice to aspiring medical doctors is to draw inspiration from the unique humanistic environment that Ecolint exposes you to. There is no greater satisfaction and privilege in life than helping people, especially when it comes to health – a fundamental right of every human being without distinction of race, religion, economic or social condition.
At school I enjoyed science, particularly Chemistry, but also enjoyed the Humanities. I was interested in human rights and politics, participating in the Students’ United Nations and fundraising for disabled children. On graduation from La Châtaigneraie, I went to the UK and studied politics at Exeter University. I then did some research work in weapons and technological development and their role in terrorism, which led me to join the British Army in 1986. I did my training at Sandhurst and then become a Royal Corps of Signals Officer. With the Signals I deployed to various countries, including working with the United Nations Protection Force in former Yugoslavia, which made me discover Médecins Sans Frontières. I also met a GP from London whose skills were used to help children in the jungle of Borneo. All these combined to inspire me to consider medicine as a career at a time when I was getting increasingly frustrated with the power politics of the international scene and felt I wanted to make more of a difference at grassroots level. I wrote to most of the British medical schools with my CV, asking if I would be considered as a mature student to study medicine. Most rejected me, but some encouraged me to apply and offered me interviews, recognising the value of my IB Chemistry and Maths qualifications. I left the Army and studied Medicine at Southampton University from 1995-2000. I then proceeded to undertake my surgical training and took up a consultant surgeon post in 2011. I am now a general surgeon with a specialist interest in colorectal surgery and general surgery of childhood. My advice to students who dream of becoming doctors is to be persistent and not to let obstacles become insurmountable. Medicine is a rewarding career. It takes hard work and dedication, especially once qualified, but it is worth it as you can make an incredible difference. If you are keen to do medicine, remember there are a huge range of ways doctors can specialise: hospitals, general practice, public health, etc. Get exposure to these to see what you are interested in. My time at Ecolint enabled me to develop an enquiring mind and an appreciation for accurate, up-to-date information. Being part of the international community helped me not only with my work as a doctor, but also with the UN Peacekeeping Force. Understanding the importance of equality and diversity in the world has helped me to be vocal, albeit on a local level, for the rights of patients, refugees and asylum seekers.
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THE ECOLINT SPIRIT OF SCHOLARSHIPS THE NOTION OF SCHOLARSHIPS – ENABLING STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO BENEFIT FROM AN EXPENSIVE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION IN GENEVA, REGARDLESS OF THEIR PARENTS’ INCOME – HAS DEEP ROOTS IN ECOLINT. ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ-GIOVO AND THAIS RUEGG UNEARTH THE STORIES OF TWO SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS: VICKY STEREVA AND BETI RUCAMUVYUMA.
Already in 1929 – the same year that our school moved into its La Grande Boissière campus – an American philanthropist, Mrs. N. L. Forstall from Chicago, offered to finance no fewer than fifteen scholarships to the tune of Fr. 1,000 each (obviously a vastly greater sum back then than it is today), renewable for at least four years. Sadly, the Wall Street stock market crash that same year wiped out much of the Forstall fortune, endangering the scholarship project. Typically, it was the unfailingly resourceful Arthur Sweetser (one of Ecolint’s founders) who scrambled to the rescue and obtained from the Rockefeller family (who played a generous role in sustaining our school during the early, fragile years of its existence) a donation that covered the shortfall in funding.
Vicky Stereva
Applications for these scholarships, intended for 12-14 year olds, were assessed not merely on academic merit
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but also personal character (which remains a crucial criterion in our school). The first batch of scholarships in 1929 was awarded to candidates from the United States, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Albania, Romania, Russia and Bulgaria. Vicky Stereva The latter nationality was represented by the 12 year-old Victoria (better known as Vicky) Stereva, who remained in the school as a boarder (indeed, all the scholarship beneficiaries were boarders) until her graduation in 1936. To Vicky we owe the most vivid and evocative component of Ecolint’s historical archives, known as the “Collection Stereva.” Such was her loyalty, love and gratitude towards her alma mater that over the years she gleaned and preserved every conceivable document and photograph connected with the school that she could get her hands on. Eventually Vicky donated her invaluable collection to the school. Even more generously, she set up in her will the Fondation Stereva, which not only funded the salary of a part-time Archivist for Ecolint but also the professional classification of all the school’s historical documents – a vast, painstaking enterprise. In addition, Vicky’s legacy financed the purpose-made installations of the present archives office and the archives’ presentation room (which appropriately has been named after her). Beti Rucamuvyuma Ecolint’s history has been graced with other moments of successful scholarships, where students in need were met with a great deal of generosity from the Ecolint community. One case that stands out in Ecolint’s collective memory is that of Beti Rucamuvyuma, a young refugee from Burundi in the mid-1990s, who had to flee the atrocities
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Beti Rucamuvyuma
there during his last year of school. He was presented to Ecolint via a group of missionary nuns from Belgium and the Geneva authorities, who couldn’t accommodate him in the Swiss school system. “It was immediately apparent that he was an exceptional person: calm, thoughtful, hard-working, mature, and he had an intelligence that made him stand out from the crowd,” remembers Luc Hamzavi, History teacher and Guidance counsellor at LGB. The Director General at the time, George Walker, worked to waive his fees and allow him to follow the 2-year bilingual IB programme at LGB on a full scholarship. Beti made the Honour Roll the year of his graduation, having greatly impressed both his fellowstudents and his teachers. George Walker writes: “I shall never forget the standing ovation that his peers gave Beti in the Greek Theatre when he graduated. It was one of the most memorable events of my period as DG.” Beti went on to receive a full scholarship to Ivy-League Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, and now lives in Australia with his wife and daughter.
THE HALCYON DAYS OF WALKER AND TATE
PART ONE: GEORGE WALKER ALTHOUGH GRASS-ROOTS INITIATIVES ARE NO DOUBT THE HALLMARK OF ECOLINT, THE SCHOOL ALSO OWES MUCH TO THOSE WHO, WHILE THEY WERE AT THE HELM OF OUR INSTITUTION, PLAYED AN INSPIRATIONAL ROLE AND FOSTERED A PRODUCTIVE, CONSULTATIVE INTELLECTUAL CLIMATE THAT BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN THEIR COLLEAGUES. ALEJANDRO RODRÍGUEZ-GIOVO DELVES INTO THE STORIES OF FORMER DIRECTORS GENERAL GEORGE WALKER AND NICK TATE.
Those with classical leanings sometimes equate former Directors General George Walker and Nick Tate with the Roman emperors Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, who nurtured – in the words of the great historian Edward Gibbon – “the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous.” Walker and Tate had a similarly benign influence – albeit on Ecolint’s more modest scale – during the late XXth and early XXIst Centuries. Their respective educational visions, subtly different yet complementary, and equally rich, coherent and stimulating, call to mind another historical analogy: it could be said that Walker was animated by the idealism and passion of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, while Tate espoused the reasonableness and wisdom of Edmund Burke. Even more important than their outstanding intellect, expertise and lucidity, however, were the kindness, compassion and integrity that they brought in equal measure to their demanding role. Walker, a scientist with two degrees from Exeter College, Oxford, Honorary Fellow of the University of York and later Professor of Education at the University of Bath, was appointed Ecolint’s Director General in 1991. Rapidly he established a harmonious and productive working relationship with staff that led to the drafting and signing of the Convention collective de travail (CCT), unique among Switzerland’s private schools. In the purely educational field, he took the bull by the horns and integrated the bureaucratically cumbersome and inescapably divisive English and French Language Programmes, thereby restoring Ecolint’s original, actively and intrinsically bilingual vocation.
Walker also took a long, hard look at Ecolint’s flagship extra-curricular activity, the Students’ United Nations, founded in 1953 by Robert J. Leach. Over the years we had generously shared the organization of SUN with other schools, but its quality had declined. Walker decided to re-launch it in 1993, under the name of “Students’ League of Nations”, and secured its reinstatement within the UN’s Geneva headquarters (from which SUN had been excluded in 1974), where it has since flourished.
that Ecolint had a moral duty to raise its voice against war and injustice, even if some feathers were ruffled. He shared her fervent vision of the school’s heritage and mission, healthily coupled with sincere considerateness towards all those around him and receptiveness to alternative viewpoints. His tall, spare figure striding purposefully from one venue to another, but always pausing to engage students and colleagues with a kind word or an erudite comment, soon became a welcome sight. Professional successes or personal woes were unfailingly acknowledged by Walker with thoughtful, hand-written congratulations or condolences. More unexpected, perhaps, was Walker’s distinction as a classical pianist. In a notably successful partnership with Ecolint’s legendary music teacher and Hungarian virtuoso György Kukorelly, he performed in concerts in the Conservatoire de Genève and even recorded a dazzling CD of Mozart, Schubert and Ravel sonatas.
George Walker
Walker also revived the politically engagé leadership style of his predecessor MarieThérèse Maurette, who directed the school for two decades (1929-1949), and to whom he devoted a captivating and much-admired biography. Repeatedly he criticized in public the bombing of Baghdad by coalition forces during the First Persian Gulf War, which had endangered students in Baghdad International School, an educational partner of Ecolint. Like Maurette, Walker believed
Published works by George Walker include: - To Educate the Nations, John Catt Educational Ltd, 2002 - To Educate the Nations 2, Peridott Press, 2004 - Marie-Thérèse Maurette, Pioneer of International Education, Ecolint, 2009 - Glimpses of Utopia, John Catt Educational Ltd, 2013 N ° 22 | s pr i ng / pr i nt em ps 2018
When Walker left Ecolint to become Director General of the International Baccalaureate in 1999, it was not only mélomanes who regretted his departure – with good reason, as it happened. A difficult four-year interval lay in store for Ecolint, before it flourished once again under the leadership of Nicholas Tate, to whom Part Two of this article will be dedicated in the next issue of Echo.
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THE BACK BOARD
The Scenic Route
You may have missed…
The varied paths some of our teachers followed prior to joining Ecolint.
Edwin VAN GEFFEN Year 5 Classroom Teacher Campus des Nations
Stephanie RATHIER Biology Teacher, La Grande Boissière
Alex DALE
TOK and Language Teacher & Learning Support, La Châtaigneraie
What did you do for a living before coming to teach here? At age 6 I started practicing ballroom and Latin dancing at a local dance school in the Netherlands. I learned many different styles of dance such as Tango, Waltz, Cha Cha Cha, Samba, etc. At the age of 12, I entered my first dance competition, representing the province of Brabant. I enjoyed this so much that I continued competing until I won the Dutch National Championship in The Hague at an amateur level. At that time I was 20 years old and my passion for dancing has never stopped.
I worked in wildlife conservation for several years, with special interests in animal behaviour and wolf biology. After some field work in the French Alps, analysing wolves' diets and reproductive rates, I became Head of the conservation, scientific and pedagogical branches of a wolf conservation park. The part I enjoyed most, aside from the eerily musical wolf howls and the glorious nature snapshots, was conceiving and presenting pedagogical materials for varied audiences. Children came away from spotting wolves with stars in their eyes. Teaching was always going to be a part of my career.
I've had quite a chequered career; to be honest, the last thing I wanted to do after school was teach! I reckoned it was far more inspiring to work as a zookeeper in Berlin; a sort of token foreigner and general dogsbody for an Italian trading company in Shanghai; and a translator and conference interpreter. But once I got over the initial excitement, I found it quite a lonely job. I was lucky in that I got a Geneva-based job as a staff writer/editor for the ICRC, which is what I ended up doing for most of my professional life.
How, if at all, do you bring your former career into the classroom? The most important attitudes I teach students is to show respect and appreciation for each other. In dancing, this leads to fully enjoying yourself while dancing alone or with a partner. You quickly learn that anyone can dance if they want to. In the classroom, it translates into appreciating the creativity in my students’ work, because I know that there are many ways in which students can express themselves. Gaining this kind of confidence is important for them, and helps shape what their generation will be like.
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In a very real sense, bringing a range of specialist interests into the classroom cultivates the creative freedom we so value as teachers. My previous experience provides me with better ways to help students understand science as a process and enterprise in the real world, whether it’s in the lab, in academic circles or in the field, and not just as textbook matter. I hope it also lends substance to my contribution to the hidden curriculum by telling stories of passion in work, personal growth and transferable skills, as well as lifelong learning.
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Obviously, it helps to have lived in different places and to have seen things done in different ways. More specifically, from interpreting, there is a sense of history and awe - some of our instructors had learnt their trade at the Nuremberg Trials and had incredible stories to tell; from the Red Cross, it’s awareness of the state of the world; as for transferable skills from the zoo, I’ll let you draw your own conclusions! Much as I enjoy teaching, I don’t regret coming to it late - being older and having done other stuff helps you keep things in perspective.
Life at the internat
Mary Bachofen-Echt (LGB '57) sent in pictures and stories to the Alumni Office about her years at the LGB internat in the late 1950s. Read the highlights. > alumni.ecolint.ch/ internatlife
Eco-farming worldwide
Shahnaz Radjy (LGB ‘01) and her husband left the comfort of their NYC lives to travel the world and learn about eco-farming. > alumni.ecolint.ch/ ecofarming
Marmite World Tour The annual alumni Escalade Dinners took place all over the world last December. Did you catch the photos?
> alumni.ecolint.ch/ marmite2017
Our weekly
#throwbackthursdays Every Thursday, the Alumni Office publishes a Facebook #TBT post, evoking memories from all three campuses. Are you following our official Facebook page? > www.facebook.com/ ecolintalumni
Change of address ? Get in touch ! Email: alumni@ecolint.ch Telephone:
+41 (0)22 787 25 55
Web: alumni.ecolint.ch (Alumni can update their own details on the website.)