THIS IS WHERE WE BEGAN

THIS IS WHERE WE BEGAN OUR JOURNEY FROM ECC TO GRADUATION

Ben in the ES

Lillian in the ECC

Eren in the ES

BEN, JOINED ISB IN 2010 CURRENTLY IN GRADE 12 What can you tell us about your experience at ISB? How do you think that being at ISB from the beginning (Preschool) all the way to Graduation has influenced your learning journey?

In all stages of my time here, I really felt the sense of community pervading through the school; this meant that at all stages, we didn't need to fear failure, and as a result could easily grow and adapt.

What memories, core learning experiences, and challenges have you encountered in each section – ECC, ES, MS, HS? ECC: What I recall most is that through everything we did, everything we learned, we were encouraged to be good members of the community through the Big 4 (Safety, Fairness, Kindness, and Respect).

ES: That we covered subjects ranging from how volcanoes work, to the water cycle, to Victorian England, which helped shape my international perspective and broaden my horizons.

MS: It was a challenge to adapt to homework; organisation and time management became a skill I had to learn.

HS: Diving in depth into those topics that I am most passionate about – history and politics – is the best part of my HS learning experience.

How did ISB prepare you for your future?

Sometimes, I take for granted the enormous range of opportunities I have at ISB. Upon reflection, I realise that being able to take anything from Computer Science to AP European History means that every avenue for my post-ISB journey is already opened up by the school.

LILLIAN, JOINED ISB IN 2010 CURRENTLY IN GRADE 12 What can you tell us about your experience at ISB? How do you think that being at ISB from the beginning (Preschool) all the way to Graduation has influenced your learning journey?

Being at ISB since preschool has allowed me to have a continuity of schooling, which is rare in the international school system. I think that there is a certain comfort in familiarity, and, certainly, I’ve benefitted from my schooling not being interrupted every few years by moving across the globe. Beyond that, I think that ISB has just been a lovely place to spend 15 years.

The campus is beautiful, the teachers committed to their work, and the students kind and generally well-behaved. In addition, the arts faculty and facilities at ISB are wonderful, which has certainly been a significant factor in the development of my love for music and theatre.

What memories, core learning experiences, and challenges have you encountered in each section – ECC, ES, MS, HS? ECC: I remember enjoying all of the extra challenges that were available in the ECC – particularly that advanced readers were allowed to choose books from the ES section of the library and, in 2nd grade, that students who had learned to write quickly were allowed to start learning cursive.

ES: In third grade, we had a unit about the Victorian Period, which included a ‘Victorian Day’, during which children came to school dressed up in period clothing, and learned about aspects of Victorian life and schooling. Every child likes the chance to dress up, but this day was also valuable as a way of teaching children to love history, and to see the similarities between the past and present.

MS: I really liked participating in the school's plays – particularly ‘We Will Rock You’, a musical; that I was part of in 9th grade. In the same year, I was also allowed to take the AP Language and Composition class (a High School course) – a challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed.

HS: In 10th grade, I was allowed to create and follow my own Independent Study course. I analysed and did creative writing exercises on British poetry from the early medieval period to the mid-20th century. I loved having the freedom of having control over my own learning.

How did ISB prepare you for your future?

At ISB, I’ve had the chance to indulge both my academic interests (e.g. through the APs I took in 9th and 10th grade) and artistic interests (e.g. through Strings, the plays, and Arts in the Atrium). This is probably the reason that I am applying to a few different subjects – both academic and artistic – at university. ISB has also had a profound impact on my social life. Being at ISB since Preschool means that I have seen a very vast array of people arrive and leave.

I have become very used to making new friendships, and to those friendships ending. I have experienced many different friendships, which has taught me that there are many kinds of relationships one can have with others. Some friendships are founded on similar interests, some on similar characters, and some just seem to grow as time passes. The best friendships have been those in which I felt comfortable.

EREN, JOINED ISB IN 2011 CURRENTLY IN GRADE 12 What can you tell us about your experience at ISB? How do you think that being at ISB from the beginning (Preschool) all the way to Graduation has influenced your learning journey?

I’ve had a very fun experience at ISB as a whole, and thanks to the wealth of opportunities and experiences offered to me, I've been engaged with both academics and extracurricular activities such as Raiders athletics and the arts. I think that being at ISB since Preschool has taught me to reflect on everything I do, which not only makes me aware of my surroundings and how those around me feel, but also on how I can improve myself and maximise my potential. Being at ISB has also allowed me to pursue challenges in many aspects, particularly with the many extensions pathways available in academics, which inspired me to push myself.

What memories, core learning experiences, and challenges have you encountered in each section – ECC, ES, MS, HS? ECC: One of my core memories in the ECC is making my first ever friend, a German-Polish boy by the name of Simon. Neither of us spoke English, and yet we became good friends only from our gestures.

ES: A memory and also a core learning experience in the ES came from my first time ever on a trip without my parents, during our 3rd grade trip to the coast. I was very nervous at first, as were many of my friends, but it turned out to be a blast, and we all had so much fun together during that half-week. One challenge which I encountered during the ES was our transition to online learning because of the Covid pandemic. It was very hard to stay concentrated and on track with my work while learning remotely, but it taught me how to adapt to sudden changes and challenges.

MS: One challenge which I had in Middle School was managing the freedom that we were given. You could choose some of your classes, and your workload was not managed as much by the teacher. This was an important milestone for me to learn to manage my workload, enjoy my free time, and manage stress. A core memory from the MS is the boot camp we did during the 8th grade Normandy field trip. Mr. Nes was leading it, and it was a very memorable and fun experience for everyone involved.

HS: One challenge I’ve encountered in HS is the IB. With a significant workload, I’ve learned to manage my time even more efficiently, and also to reach out for help and support from my teachers whenever I need it.

How did ISB prepare you for your future?

ISB has taught me to be reflective and resilient in everything I do. Even when I encountered challenges that I at first struggled to overcome, I’ve learned to continue to work and try new approaches to solve any problems I might face. Thanks to the strong academic foundation that ISB gave me, I am confident when applying to competitive universities and have these options and opportunities open to me. ISB also taught me the importance of a balance in life, as focusing solely on academics is not sustainable in the long term, and instead dividing my time between sports, school, and music has helped me enjoy my time and manage stress.