Crossroads May 2015, volume 23

23 MAY 2015 MIC(P) 147/08/2014

pg 14

WALK FOR WATER

pg 35 pg 45

A Singapore American School community service publication

DR. TONY WAGNER

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EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS

THE INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE OF

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By Kyle Aldous Director of Communications

Michael Jordan. Oprah Winfrey. Mark Zuckerberg.

We celebrate individuals: superstar athletes, celebrity movie stars, and genius entrepreneurs. We marvel at the remarkable individual talents they possess and often, believe them to be capable of anything.

But in our fascination with excellence, we often lose sight of something more important: team.

Excellence is a team sport. Singular achievements are the result of united teams.

Michael Jordan did not win six NBA Championships by himself. Even his royal airness could not have won those games alone. He needed Pippen, Rodman, and other teammates to facilitate and make possible the excellence he achieved. But the concept of team extends beyond the players on the court. Jordan had coaches, trainers, friends, and family that each provided something unique to help him become one of the greatest individuals that basketball has ever seen.

administrators eager to lift and support one another.

Each day is filled with teachers staying late to thoughtfully prepare for the next day, students serving their peers, and parents sacrificing countless hours to help elevate the learning environment. Excellence abounds at SAS because of each and every one of you.

As we close out the year and say good-bye to our seniors, departing faculty, and families that have come to the end of their time in Singapore, I’m reminded of a quote from 10-time NCAA champion basketball coach, John Wooden:

I coached one team. If you were allowed to become a member of our team, you became a full member - 100 percent.

There were no second-class citizens - 75 or 50 percent members - on any team I ever coached.

Individual excellence is the result of teamwork.

At Singapore American School, excellence is everywhere.

It’s in our students, faculty, administrators, and parents.

In my short time here I have witnessed athletic records broken, perfect test scores, homemade satellites, Ivy League acceptances, incredible acts of service, and a level of effort and grit uncommon to this generation.

What makes this excellence possible? You! Each of you brings gifts, skills, and your desire to serve to the SAS team. We are a team of diverse talents all dedicated to the ideal of extraordinary care. SAS is brimming with teachers, parents, students, and

As you move on to pursue new possibilities and adventures, never forget that you will always be an Eagle.

There are no 50 percent members on this team.

As you achieve excellence in new areas of life, remember the extraordinary care that helped you get you there. You have a team around the world that is both ready to help and that can benefit from your help.

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EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS

From the superintendent

From the superintendent

Five Minutes

The learning environment

Advancement

Elementary SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL

BOOSTER club & PTA

Community

CAMPUS SCENE

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From the Superintendent

CREATING EXCEPTIONAL THINKERS:

REINVENTION, INNOVATION, AND FAILURE

By Dr. Chip Kimball Superintendent

Reinventing existing successful schools is hard work, possibly the hardest work in all of education.

At Singapore American School, we have courageously taken on the reinvention challenge, and have taken it on seriously. Recently, education reformer and innovation thought leader Dr. Tony Wagner of Harvard University visited SAS and noted that we are more committed to this process than any existing school he has seen. He commented, “I don’t remember ever having been to a school as old and established as this that is taking the ideas of educational research and development and innovation so seriously, so thoughtfully, and in such courageous and committed ways.”

Dr. Wagner’s comments reaffirm for me the direction that SAS is taking, the importance of what we are doing for kids, and the courage that our faculty and staff show to do this work well.

And why take this work on? As Dr. Wagner testified, “The knowledge economy is in decline – knowledge is collected, collated, and spread by computers…we are now in an innovation era. What is important is what you can do with what you know.”

What is becoming increasingly clear as we look ahead is that in order for students to be competitive in our ever-changing world, they need to be creative, innovative, flexible in their thinking, and they will need to mobilize their skills effectively.

At SAS we have three strategic anchors that help us accomplish our

ambitious vision – a deep culture of excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities. The skills required for our students to become the exceptional thinkers of our vision are readily found in this third anchor – a culture of possibilities.

There are a lot of things happening at SAS today creating an environment where students can be innovative and bring new possibilities to life. Our high school Catalyst project is an example.

While it was an elective course this year, soon it will be a graduation requirement for all students, where they choose a high impact project relevant to their course of study and interests, and go deep in that area of study providing an understanding of work in the innovation economy.

These projects create distinctions for our students that will serve them well in the future, including their applications to college.

We see innovation and deep learning emerging across the school in thoughtful and challenging ways.

Examples include the middle school water project, the high school robotics team, and the elementary school “sail car” project. These projects are a really good start for us, but increasingly we will be building more opportunities every day for students to explore how to be innovative with their ideas.

Design thinking, for example, which has been popularized by Stanford University and corporately through innovation and design firm IDEO, is a methodology that has been used to capture innovative thinking and create a process for complicated

problem solving. Using design thinking, or a version of the thinking and problem-solving protocol, can be productive for kids not only in what they produce, but how they learn to think. Design thinking is one methodology we are considering as we think about a culture of possibilities in our school.

Students and adults, as well as schools and companies, will only stay relevant and innovative if they are willing to successfully fail. What this means at SAS is that we must create experiences where students can take an idea and try it out, knowing that a student’s greatest learning will come when an idea doesn’t work out as a student had originally planned. Dr. Wagner calls these failures “iterations.” Too often, students today are so afraid of failure, they don’t try, missing the greatest opportunity for the kind of learning that will serve them the best in the future.

This doesn’t mean that we are interested in students experiencing high stakes failure on an important exam like the SAT or a competition.

But rather small iterative failures create learning such that students are very successful when it comes to those high stakes opportunities.

“Successful failure” is about learning by courageously trying things that are hard and complicated, and figuring out how to do better the next time. It requires a growth mindset that believes in learning that is iterative, and learning that is significantly enhanced through well-designed experiences. Each small failure is a learning opportunity where students are gaining

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knowledge and experience so that when they are faced with high stakes opportunities, they succeed and succeed in a big way. They become increasingly comfortable in the uncomfortable. By doing this, our students become creative problem solvers and that is the competitive advantage that will enable them to thrive.

In classrooms and schools where a culture of possibilities is real, we see classrooms that are flexible and personalized so that learners understand where they are in their learning journey and can continue to explore not only their passions and interests, but also develop the skills they need to be successful now and in the future. Classrooms that have perfected a culture of all three anchors – excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities – are not only flexible and personalized but they are interesting and fun for teachers, kids, as well as families.

At SAS we are on an exciting journey to create a school where learning is personalized and challenging, students are developing tremendous thinking skills, and they have fun doing it. We are reinventing ourselves through our commitment to our strategic anchors of excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities so that SAS is a world leader in education, and as a result, our students become world leaders across the globe.

Doing this kind of work requires deep commitment and great people. At SAS, we have both. We have one of the most remarkable teams I have ever encountered.

From the Superintendent

We have talented faculty, hard working support staff, generous and committed parents, and outstanding administrators who are all working towards making our vision a reality.

It is a privilege to work each day with such talented professionals.

At SAS we are on a journey of discovery and reinvention as we develop an ethos for our students and our families that will ensure that we remain a world leader in education, cultivating exceptional thinkers, prepared for the future.

I don’t remember ever having been to a school as old and established as this that is taking the ideas of educational research and development and innovation so seriously, so thoughtfully, and in such courageous and committed ways.

Dr. Tony Wagner

Read more about Dr. Tony Wagner and his visit to Singapore American School on page

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06

MINUTES

WITH KYLE ALDOUS

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Do you remember why you first moved to Singapore and why you went to SAS? My dad works for ExxonMobil and he was transferred for work. We chose SAS because there were other families in the company who recommended the school.

We didn’t even look at any other options.

How was your experience as a student at SAS? We moved the summer before my senior year of high school and I was devastated. It’s hard leaving behind all of your friends and everything you worked for.

I remember meeting with my counselor, Mr. Mark Swarstad, and he said that my PE credits from back home wouldn’t transfer over.

He recommended Dance 1 as a great way to get involved and

Five minutes

Kyle Aldous is the new director of communications at SAS. Mr. Aldous just moved from Utah to Singapore a month ago, but is no stranger to Singapore. Mr. Aldous is an alumni of Singapore American School and spent his senior year at SAS in 2002. In his free time he enjoys breakdancing and reading. Read the interview below to learn more about Mr. Aldous and his time as a student in SAS!

meet some girls. I jumped in and never looked back. It was the best decision I made. I helped start a breakdance club while at SAS and have been breakdancing for 13 years now.

Thoughts on Singapore so far?

It’s even better than I remember.

I loved it when I was here the first time. The country is just as beautiful, high tech, and clean as I remember. I am really excited to be back. I just love it here.

What will your new role here at SAS be?

There is an unbelievable communications team here. My role will be to work with them to continue to build our brand and communicate our messages both internally and to the public.

In your opinion, what’s the most important purpose of the SAS Communications Department?

This school is brimming with excellence. Everywhere I turn I hear another story about a student or teacher working on an inspiring project. We are storytellers. Our goal is to collect and share these amazing stories.

How do you see SAS differently now as staff rather than as a student?

As a student, everything just happens. Your teachers are there, the school’s clean, the buses show up. I now see that the only way the amazing experience happens for students is that dedicated people make it happen. I remember as a student thinking, “Oh yeah I’m going on interim!

Oh yeah we’re gonna have a

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The learning environment

ANNOUNCEMENT

dance show.” Those things only happen because there are teachers and administrators that spend very long days giving everything they have to make those experiences possible. I have sat in a number of meetings where the constant refrain is, “How does this directly benefit our students?” It is inspiring to see dedicated leaders in the school sacrifice so much for the benefit of the students.

Do you have an interesting story about attending SAS? On my first day at school, Mr. Jim Baker locked me out of class because I was late. He let me in eventually and was a fantastic teacher, and I was never late again. Ms. Ursula Pong actually gave me my first opportunity to teach. I started breakdancing, and then she allowed me to come in second semester and teach breakdancing to some of the younger dancers. I continued training in the states while I was at university and soon began teaching at several studios in the area.

By Sandy Bala and Clara Fong Sandy Bala is a sophomore at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Sandy enjoys writing, photography, and visiting new places with the hopes of joining the active journalism field in the future.

Clara Fong is a sophomore at Singapore American School and is currently involved in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. She is outgoing, athletic, and also likes to work alongside with others.

Chief Advancement Officer Sarah Morris has been selected as the new chief advancement officer after an extensive worldwide search process. Ms. Morris has dedicated her fundraising career to advancing education; with more than 15 years of university advancement work, she has worked at three best-in-class institutions and on two major comprehensive campaigns, including one at Rush University Medical Center, a major academic medical center in Chicago, and one currently underway at Northwestern University.

Ms. Morris is currently the director of major gifts at Northwestern University, where she personally manages a portfolio of approximately 65 donors and prospective donors with an emphasis on gifts of $100K to $1M. She oversees a regional team charged with raising gifts at that level, and provides strategic direction and leadership for the university’s advancements efforts in the Chicago area.

Before her work at Northwestern, Ms. Morris was director of corporate and foundation relations for Rush University Medical Center. She began her work with universities at her alma mater, the University of Michigan.

The search process was conducted by Carney, Sandoe & Associates. Finalist candidates were invited to Singapore American School, where they spent two days meeting with students, parents, faculty, administrators, board members, and donors. Activities ranged from interviews to social gatherings to a pitch to faculty about why advancement is important.

Ms. Morris replaces Michael Kingan, who has relocated back to the United States. Ms. Morris plans to meet with some of the SAS US Foundation Board members before her move to Singapore.

Her husband and two elementary-aged children will join her in Singapore.

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The learning environment

SAS REMEMBERS AND PAYS TRIBUTE TO LEE KUAN YEW

By Kristina Doss and Vanessa Spier Communications Specialist and Director of Strategic Communications

With great sadness, Singapore American School Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball informed the SAS community on March 23 that Singapore lost its founding father, Lee Kuan Yew. Former Prime Minister Lee was hospitalized in early February with severe pneumonia and had been in intensive care for several weeks prior to passing away.

Kimball described in an email letter to the SAS community what Lee meant to Singapore and ultimately the school.

SAS opened its doors in 1956 at a time when Singapore was an

under-developed colonial outpost with no natural resources and some fear by American companies of political instability. However, Lee – Singapore’s first prime minister – oversaw Singapore’s separation from Malaysia in 1965 and its subsequent transformation into a first-world Asian Tiger.

“As Singapore grew, so did our school, and both have come a long way in the last 50 to 60 years,” Kimball said.

Kimball, who also noted that Mr. Lee spoke at SAS’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2006, encouraged the SAS community

to share with their children Singapore’s impressive history, the accomplishments, and leadership that former Prime Minister Lee was so dedicated to providing to Singapore, and all that this country does to serve as a lighthouse example for the world.

Teachers heard the call, turning the loss of Mr. Lee during spring break into a learning experience for SAS students once they returned to school. On the next page, is a sample of what teachers did with their respective classes:

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The learning environment

Ms. Heidi L'Heureux’s prekindergarten students returned from spring break eager to share information about Lee Kuan Yew. “They had a big parade for him,” one student said. “My mom cried,” another student said. “She wanted to thank him because he made her country.” Eventually, a student mentioned that Lee Kuan Yew liked to plant trees and asked if the class could plant one, too. As a result, Ms. Heidi’s class planted a tree in memory of Mr. Lee. The class didn’t stop there. They also drew pictures, wrote letters to Mr. Lee, and vowed to be good leaders just like him.

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The learning environment

Ms. Lauren Bokaer’s first grade class discussed the passing of Lee Kuan Yew and watched videos about him. Afterwards, they talked about what they liked about Singapore, and the ways in which Mr. Lee had provided many of those things. The children made a PicCollage to thank him for his work. You can see it on the student blog at http://firstgradegazette.blogspot.sg/

Elementary School

Chinese Teacher Ms. Shuna Sun and her kindergarten to grade two students learned about and honored Lee Kuan Yew in a number of ways. The class held a discussion about Mr. Lee, watched a power point presentation, learned new vocabulary related to him, and put together puzzles featuring Mr. Lee.

Nicole Van Gasse, a grade four teacher at SAS, showed her class videos about the life of Lee Kuan Yew: Lee Kuan Yew: The Boy Who Became Prime Minister https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ely7PGs2rU4 Lee Kuan Yew: The Man Who Defined Singapore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFVDnmjHhAw Once the students watched the videos, each of them wrote five things that Mr. Lee did to positively impact our lives in Singapore. Below, some of the students share their thoughts on the founder of the lion city:

I learned how Lee Kuan Yew wanted Singapore to be a green country so he had people plant trees everywhere.

He helped to encourage people from different countries to be together and not to fight.

Lee Kuan Yew started a campaign to encourage families to only have two children. Then when the population went down, he started a baby bonus.

Lee Kuan Yew was really important to Singapore. He helped to make the Changi Airport and to helped to improve education for kids in Singapore.

Lee Kuan Yew created the Singapore Armed Forces and helped to make sure that everyone knew English.

- Alba

- Flynn

- Jakob

- Rahul

- Sarina

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The learning environment

Ms. Kate Bucknall, a grade seven reading and language arts teacher, showed her homebase class a video about Lee Kuan Yew and followed that up with a discussion about his leadership.

Below are a couple reflections by students in Ms. Bucknall’s class:

I learned that Lee Kuan Yew was the founding father of independent Singapore.

- Thea C.S., Grade 7

Lee Kuan Yew didn't treat Singapore like a country. He treated like it was his baby, his most prized possession. He was the leader that never gave up.

He was one of the only people to put his heart, his soul, and his determination into this country.

I can't thank him enough for all the work he has done. His tenacity has led this country to greatness, and all of us will forever be in his debt.

- Maya L., Grade 7

Terri McComb, a grade 6C math teacher, and Middle School PE/Health Teacher James Goode asked their homebase students what they knew about Lee Kuan Yew and his contributions to the country. The group discussion was followed by a moment of silence out of respect for his passing and the loss Singaporeans experienced.

Craig Derksen, a grade 7C social studies teacher, showed his classes a 50-minute News Channel Asia documentary on the life of Lee Kuan Yew, and discussed his contribution to the creation and development of Singapore (a discussion also held by by 7A and 7B students too). Mr. Derksen also had volunteers create on a bulletin board a collage of photos, quotes, headlines, and tributes to Lee Kuan Yew from newspapers he had collected over the break.

Lee Kuan Yew took up a pivotal role in shaping Singapore as we know it today. By being the one who converted it from a barren swampland into a teeming sanctuary for economic development and trade, he has improved the lives of not only Singaporeans, but people from all around the world.

Without him, my life would be much different, and I don't dare imagine where I would be now. We will never find another leader like him on this small planet.

- Raghav N., Grade 7

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The learning environment

High School

Jose Luis Mejia, a high school Spanish teacher at SAS, led a discussion with his two AP Spanish Language and Culture classes as well as his Spanish 5 students about Lee Kuan Yew and his legacy.

Discussion topics included development, progress, peace, security, freedom, culture, education, and how Mr. Lee’s work made possible all that we enjoy in this country.

This semester, Rick Bisset and Michael Harvey’s Freshmen World History classes have been preparing for a culminating presentation where students compare 16th century Venice to modern-day Singapore.

As part of the discussion, each student in his AP classes looked into the Hispanic American history to find a leader of Lee’s caliber. The students compared pros and cons, legacy, and mistakes made. For instance, Natalie Carroll compared Mr. Lee with Jose de San Martin, who declared the independence of Argentina, Chile and Peru, and Jean Molina compared Singapore´s founding father with Luis Muñoz Marin, "Father of Modern Puerto Rico" and the first democratically elected governor of the island.

We noticed that, “The students were quite articulate in answering and understanding how an island citystate with no natural resources and no manufacturing industries was able to build a first world city in just 50 years,” Mr. Bisset said.

“One big conclusion of all the conversations was that, somehow, we are in debt with Lee because, without his dedication to this country, Singapore could stay as a nice port and a big kampong and, therefore, most probably, none of us will be here,” Mr. Mejia said.

Their studies and discussions became even more informed and relevant since Lee Kuan Yew passed away.

Michael Harvey noted, “The students were able to articulate that the transformation revolved around Lew Kuan Yew's vision of pragmatism coupled with Confucian values.”

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The learning environment

RENEWAL OF THE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM SUMMER 2015

By William Scarborough, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Business Singapore American School is very proud of its performing arts program, and most SAS families have enjoyed a performance, concert, presentation, or celebration held in one of our four performance spaces. However, these venues - the SAS Auditorium, Elementary Theater, Drama Theater, and Studio Theater - are now 19 years old and in need of renovation and upgrading. Having finished the cycle of renewal for the school’s gymnasiums in recent summers, the facilities office, in accordance with the school’s 10-year asset management plan, now turns its attention to the renewal of our performing arts spaces.

The first and biggest of these renovations will take place this summer, when the auditorium will undergo major upgrades. Originally built as a combined theater, lecture hall, and community area, the auditorium will get a complete makeover that will transform it into a state-of-the-art performance space.

It will become, in the words of the project proposal, “modern, sparkling, elegant, and acoustically flexible.”

Budgeted at $8.84 million, the project will be funded through registration fees paid by new parents, the annual facility fee paid by all parents, and by a generous gift from an SAS alumni family.

School performers know that the auditorium currently presents significant acoustical constraints.

External noise from helicopters and storms can be heard, and school sounds also leak through the doors. Sub-optimal interior surfaces contribute to distorted acoustics, and the sound situation varies depending on how many audience members are present. To solve these challenges as well as routine issues associated with aging, the entire tiled roof will be replaced with an acoustically designed metal roof, and soundblocking doors will be installed.

Interior surfaces will be lined with sound-absorbing materials, and new carpeting and seats will mimic the effects of audience members on sound dispersal, so that audience size will no longer affect sound quality.

The most revolutionary change will be the installation of a Constellation Acoustic System, which will allow the hall to be calibrated to different types of uses. Developed by Meyer Sound, the Constellation System uses concealed microphones and loudspeakers to change reverberation times and sound reflections depending on the needs of the performers. Pre-set configurations match the type of performance being staged, and will enable every performer, whether a solo musician, a dramatic actor, an ensemble singer, or a full-orchestra, to achieve the highest possible sound quality. Ours will be the first large commercial Constellation System installed in Singapore and in Asia. We are very grateful to a generous alumni family, whose charitable donation will entirely fund this exciting enhancement.

According to Assistant Theater Manager Paul Koebnick, performers currently find it difficult to hear each other while on stage, and have commented that “performing in the auditorium is like performing into a void.” Theater Manager Paula Silverman notes that other options for improving this situation were considered but judged less versatile, while some were not feasible because of storage space constraints. “The Constellation System gives the greatest range of options in supporting many types of presentations, can have a permanent installation in our fly system, and still allows us to use the rest of the fly bars for set pieces and screens. We are very excited about the flexibility it will give us in our production calendar!”

Besides improved performance experiences, Silverman and Koebnick anticipate valuable learning opportunities for technical theater students in the renewed auditorium.

“Students will learn new skills as they are trained to use the Constellation System, and upgrades to the video equipment will also improve their hands-on experiences. They will also use a new trench in the stage floor to lay lighting and sound cables without impeding access to the wings. Front-

of-house students, as well as audience members, will find the new acoustic doors more user-friendly.”

Other improvements to the auditorium will include a modular design to allow for more flexibility, easier maintenance, and removal of components when necessary; clearer indication of seat and row numbers; and more options for wheelchair accessibility. The decor will be updated, resulting in a clean, welcoming, elegant setting for showcasing our students’ talents.

Consistent with the school’s efforts to be environmentally responsible, more energy-efficient lighting will be used, and new materials that conform to the Singapore Green Label Scheme (SGLS) will be sourced when possible.

The auditorium renovation will be completed within a 12- week construction period, with the heavy construction activities carried out over the 2015 summer break. Elements that do not need replacement will be retained and reused. These include the main walls, steel roof trusses, catwalks, interior and stage lighting systems, rigging system, orchestra pit, projection booth and equipment, stage equipment, AV systems, and sprinkler system. Barriers will separate the construction site from school visitors, and the project will not affect SAS summer semester students in any way. As always with our facilities projects, safety, efficiency, and quality will be of utmost importance for school employees and contractors alike, and plans for managing these key outcomes will be in place.

We are excited to begin this major renovation project, and we look forward to the sparkling new auditorium that will result. Most of all, we look forward to increased learning opportunities for our students and improved performance experiences that we will all enjoy.

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The learning environment

DR. TONY WAGNER BRINGS INNOVATION KNOW HOW TO SAS

By SAS Communications Office

Dr. Tony Wagner’s one-man campaign to transform education has taken him all over the world, and April marked the first time the celebrated author brought his message to Singapore. An expert in residence at Harvard University’s new Innovation Lab, Dr. Wagner made a special appearance at Singapore American School on April 6 in which he visited classes and met with the school’s leadership team before delivering his hour-long keynote presentation "Educational Innovation At SAS" to teachers, parents, and interested members of the community. After spending the day at SAS, Dr. Wagner took to Twitter to share his thoughts about the visit.

Dr. Wagner's trip to Singapore was one of purpose and education.

He was in Singapore as one of the keynote speakers at the World Education Leadership Summit 2015 which took place on April 7-8.

The summit featured more than 2,000 delegates from more than 500 organizations representing 14 countries.

A tireless advocate for our children’s educational future, Dr. Wagner has logged too many miles to count, travelling nearly 75 percent of the time for the past 15 years to speak all over the world.

Prior to this current appointment, Dr. Wagner was the first Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard, and the founder and codirector of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education for more than a decade. According to his website, his previous work experience includes 12 years as a high school teacher, K-8 principal, university professor in Teacher Education, and founding executive director of Educators for Social Responsibility.

"I’m excited to speak at SAS,” said Wagner prior to his presentation, “because the school's leaders understand these new educational challenges and are attempting to meet them by re-imagining education for the 21st century.”

Dr. Wagner’s talk at SAS was similar to one he recently gave in New York City to staff and the parents of students at Avenues: The World School. As part of his groundbreaking Creating Innovators series, Dr. Wagner makes the point that, “the fear of failure is pervasive in our schools,” and that the fear of failure often creates a culture of compliance in the classrooms, and most of all, “fear of failure also creates risk aversion - for teachers as often as students.” The problem, he points

out, “is that innovation demands that you take risks, that you make mistakes, and that you fail. Innovation demands trial and error. There is no way of innovating without trial and error.”

The message Dr. Wagner brought to Singapore American School, he says echoes the same essence behind all of his messages.

“Knowledge has become a commodity – free, like air or water," he explains. "In the innovation era, there is no longer a competitive advantage in knowing more than the person next to you – because they will just Google it in time. The world no longer cares how much you know. What the world cares about is what you can do with what you know, which is a brand-new education challenge.”

Students will still need content knowledge he explained, “but that's the easy part. More important are skill and will – meaning motivation.

Students who are intrinsically motivated will continuously learn new skills and acquire new content knowledge throughout their lives."

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The learning environment

TERESA SIM

JOURNEY FROM SCHOOL GIRL TO SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

By Kristina Doss Communications Specialist

Teresa Sim, Singapore American School’s senior human resources manager, first moved to Singapore from Hong Kong around the tender age of five in the mid-1950s. At the time, the lion city was a rough and tumble colonial outpost, but her father - a businessman from China believed Singapore had the potential to provide a better life for his family.

education we can give to students…

That’s the reason why I’ve been here for so long!”

His priority upon arrival: to ensure his seven children received a good education.

At the time, the school didn’t know how to get work permits for support staff, according to Mrs. Sim. But she wasn’t going to let something like that prevent her from getting the job.

Mrs. Sim squeezed into a trishaw with her siblings each day to attend an English-language school. Years later, she got accepted into a university in Hawaii. Her and her father’s dream was within reach, but she decided to forgo college to support her large family. Thankfully, her passion for education was still realized – just in a different way. At 19 years old, she got a job at Singapore American School.

“I think education is very important, so working at the American school is actually quite suitable for me,” said Mrs. Sim, who is retiring from SAS in June after nearly 46 years of service.

Some things have changed over the years, she said, but one thing hasn’t.

“The first superintendent I know and the current superintendent I know have the same goal: to give the best

Mrs. Sim’s journey at SAS started like all others: with an interview. It went well and the superintendent offered her the job as a clerical assistant, but there was a catch. She needed a work permit.

“I told them, ‘I can get it myself,’” she said. “To tell you the truth, I had no clue. But I thought this is an opportunity for me to get a job.”

Mrs. Sim went home and, with the help of her father, made phone calls and figured out how to secure a work permit and her job at SAS. Thanks to Mrs. Sim’s can-do attitude and efforts, she started her job as a clerical assistant in 1969, helping high school department heads in the areas of English, foreign language, social studies, and mathematics.

Every once in awhile, her schoolgirl way would show itself. Having just graduated from school herself, Mrs. Sim was used to jumping up

and saying ‘Good morning, sir!’ every time a school leader walked by. Naturally, she did the same at SAS whenever she saw a principal or the superintendent. “It would be automatic,” Mrs. Sim said with a laugh. “I didn’t realize you just had to say hi.”

She looks back at her time in the high school, which was then located at the Kings Road campus, with fondness. In fact, Mrs. Sim – who eventually moved up to become secretary to a high school deputy principal – is a treasure trove of stories from that time period that is bound to entertain any Eagle who has the honor of hearing them from her firsthand.

From Mrs. Sim’s current glass enclosed office in the Human Resources Department, she shared a story about a British teacher at SAS named Mr. Eric Cooper. He asked her one-day if she would go outside to look for his son, but she didn’t see a boy outside. She reported her findings to Mr. Cooper, but he insisted his son was by a tree.

“I said to him, ‘I only see a monkey!”

Mrs. Sim said. “He said, ‘that gibbon is my son, Teresa! Don’t hurt his feelings!’”

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Apparently, Mr. Cooper considered the little monkey like a son, according to Mrs. Sim. He took the monkey to school each day and spent time with the little guy at lunchtime. “It stuck with me, that funny incident,” she said.

Mrs. Sim would be remiss to recall the 70s without launching into a story about fashion. Back then, miniskirts were a popular fashion staple and it was once Mrs. Sim’s job to measure the miniskirts that teachers wore to school.

“My responsibility before I went to the personnel office was to have a ruler,” Mrs. Sim said. “Teachers had to stand in front of me and I had to measure; the length from the knees up couldn’t be more than six inches.”

By 1973, the growing school needed a dedicated personnel office. Mrs. Sim was selected to be the confidential secretary to the superintendent to handle personnel, or human resources, work. As it turns out, her initial research into work permits and her willingness to figure things out would come in handy in her new role, which required her to handle employment passes and payroll for the teachers.

The learning environment

Mrs. Sim didn’t stay in that role for long. She became a personnel officer and then senior human resources manager. She now handles payroll for 735 employees at SAS. Her job in human resources is a busy one and doesn’t lend itself to the daily interactions with teachers and students that her former high school jobs did. But every once in awhile a blast from the past like Mimi Molchan, the high school athletics director who has been at the school for nearly 20 years, will swing by to say hello.

“She always comes in to say ‘Hello, girlfriend!’ and then we all high five,” Mrs. Sim said.

As her retirement date draws near, Mrs. Sim said she feels blessed for the opportunity to work at SAS. “The remarkable and positive experiences I had and with the incredible support from everyone throughout my journey here are just a few of the many things I will greatly miss when I retire at the end of this school year,” Mrs. Sim said.

“I sincerely thank you all. As I close this final chapter in this amazing journey at SAS, I look forward to a new exciting retirement which starts a new chapter for me.”

Mrs. Sim intends to visit her family around the globe, including her two children who live in England the very country where they got to pursue higher education. Mrs. Sim’s daughter went to St. George’s and is now an ophthalmologist. And Mrs. Sim’s son went to the University of Cambridge for his master’s degree and Imperial College for his undergraduate degree and PhD. “Because my father instilled in me that education was very important, I nurtured that into my children… and because I didn’t have that chance to go abroad, my ambition was to send my children abroad,” Mrs. Sim said.

“I worked very, very, hard most of my life to send my kids overseas to study.”

The SAS Foundation hosted a sold out event with 550 guests for the 2015 SAS Eagle Gala. This year’s gala, “A Future of Possibilities,” was held at the Marina Bay Sands on Saturday, April 25.

The event featured live and silent auctions, dinner, and dancing.

Featured entertainers for the evening were the High School Jazz Band which opened the program with a performance of “Uptown Funk,” the Middle School String Quartet, and our own SAS robot. Also, more than 30 middle and high school students volunteered as ushers for the evening.

Eagle Gala attendees helped our school to raise a large portion of the annual fund which is now approaching $1.3 million for the year in commitments. The SAS Annual Fund supports the people, places, and programs that make SAS an exceptional learning experience. These funds will enhance important programs such as service learning, learning support, professional development, student experiences and activities, and more.

The feature initiative of the evening was the SAS rainforest and over $300,000 was raised to support updates and enhancements to the current 1.58 acre outdoor living laboratory space.

Event co-chairs were Georgina Bach and Maria Luedeke, with a committee of 30 parents. Thank you to everyone who was involved in the planning of the gala, attended the event, and donated to the SAS Annual Fund this year! Thank you for making this a community event.

Your gifts make a difference!

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Advancement

Thank you to Marina Bay Sands for underwriting the Eagle Gala THANK YOU TO OUR AUCTION DONORS ACE Adrift AirBnB American Club Singapore Ashlee Loranne Leather Studio Baobab Photography School Base Entertainment Berry Bros. & Rudd Benares C+S Prints Victoria Camelio and Michael Fisch The China Collection by Anne Lockett Marc Clemente The Club at Marina Bay Sands Como Hotels and Resorts CUT DB Bistro Dr. Roopa Dewan Leyla Eichelberger Elements Pilates Expat Dental Facebook Fairmont Hotels Dr. Stephen Fang Feld Entertainment Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Framing Angie Cal Galicia ’21

Raef Galicia ’24 Google Vivianne Gordon-Pullar US Deputy Chief of Mission Blair Hall and Valerie Brandt Hilton Singapore Irene Hoff International Medical Clinic Ishka Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary Dr. Chip and Cheryl Kimball Devin Kimble KimRobinson Kira Spa Aliza Knox Linton Atlas and Family Mary Kuo and Allen Chu L’Espace Beanté La Pizzaiola LinkedIn Little Ones Photography The Little Gym Singapore MasterCard Marina Bay Sands Rick Mayo-Smith Nihon Harmony Resorts KK Niseko Powder Connection Niseko Sports Rentals Opus Bar and Grill Original Sin Mediterranean Restaurant Osteria Mozza

Pret-a-Portrait Pte Ltd. Praklayam Gallery Pure Group Ralph Lauren RedMart SACAC Saffron Rain Derrick Santo SATS Ltd. Singapore Repertory Theatre Singapore American School Seoul Education Silverworks by Sally Greene Sky on 57 Dr. Cynthia Sung The Syndicate Juice Co. Taksu Gallery Taylor B. Telunas Beach Resort Kate Thome Therapy Tiffany and Co. Twitter Viterbo Interior Design The Honorable Kirk Wagar Waku Ghin Rebecca Weinrauch Rear Admiral and Mrs. Charles Williams Scott A. Woodward Dr. Clarice Chia Woodworth

EAGLE GALA 2015 COMMITTEE MEMBERS Georgina Bach and Maria Luedeke Co-Chairs Debra Alexander, Carmen Benitez, Valerie Brandt, Amy Buttermore, Clarice Chia Woodworth, Ali Cuozzo, Cara D’Avanzo, Mitali Das, Toni Dudsak, Laura Entwistle, Jillian Foster, Morgan Frontczak, Kaarin Hardy, Christine Henning, Anouk Hungate, Mary Kuo, Garima Lalwani, Brittany Levinson, Joy Marino, Christine Miyasaki, Brian O’Connor, Patricia Sadayasu, Michelle Scurfield, Debra Surrency, Welly Tantono, Naomi Tran, Graca Viterbo Abreu Loureiro, Malini Wadhera, Joanna Wang, Rebecca Weinrauch, Kaori Zage

21

Advancement

PTA Wine Pull at the Eagle GALA

With the help of many generous donors and volunteers, the PTA was able to host a wine pull at the SAS Eagle Gala on Saturday, April 25. It was a huge success and fun for all. We had almost 200 bottles of wine and sold out of that wine in 40 minutes!

The PTA would like to thank our donors for supporting us and allowing us to offer this event for our Eagle Gala guests.

THANK YOU TO OUR Generous wine pull donors The Bach Family The Bernard-Fung Family The Bregman Family The Chae Family The Cofer Family The Castro-Lim Family The Duncan Family The Ford Family The Frontczak Family The George Family The Henning Family The Hoffmann Family

The Hungate Family The Jonis Family The Langois Family The Levinson Family The Loi Family The Luedeke Family The Meehan Family The Mihov Family The Miyasaki Family The Moseley Family The Raber Family The Plambeck Family

The Poyen-Zemans Family The Rodriguez Family The Scurfield Family The Stone Family The Suyama Family The Tuminez-Tolk Family The Wadher Family The Werner Family The Wilson Family The Wong Family The Yung-Cohen The Zage Family

THe SAS PTA WARMLY THANKS OUR WINE PULL Sponsors

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Elementary SCHOOL

THE RETURN OF AWESOME APE

By Laura Schuster, Elementary School PE Teacher

The Awesome Ape challenge is one of the elementary school ‘physical activity challenges by choice’ that SAS students and PE teachers look forward to each year.

This is an outgrowth of the PE climbing unit which all students K-5 participate in twice during each school year. Interested and qualifying third, fourth, and fifth grade students match their skills and mental toughness in an annual friendly competition with their peers.

This tradition has been modified and has endured for well over a decade.

It has changed over time; it originally was a vertical rope climb and is now a traverse wall climb. In PE class, students learn the physical skills and tactics of wall climbing, specifically traversing or bouldering climbing.

Those wishing to further test their skills attempt to qualify during PE by climbing as fast as they can over the 15-meter course in Gym B. All times are compared and the data is crunched until the fastest 15 girls' and boys times in for each grade third through fifth qualify for the semifinal round. The top three fastest move on to the finals.

Attended by parents, siblings, and the best turnout ever for administration, students climbed to the hushed awe of a packed audience. The anticipation and

adrenaline-producing event is age appropriate as students’ have learned and practiced skills before they are in a competitive situation.

It is uniquely individual, student versus wall. The varying factor is the body and mind connection and is what we all experienced as dramatic excitement as spectators.

The sound of relief when each student touched the finish wall was shared by all, parents probably most audibly.

As the sport of rock climbing has grown to gargantuan proportions in Singapore and around the world, we are happy to offer it to our students in multiple ways. In the PE curriculum, students learn the basics and can choose to continue climbing during after school EASA offerings. Multiple rock walls prepare our students for middle school PE and high school wall climbing opportunities. Skills on the wall early in life help fortify life skills of resiliency and ‘grit’ necessary for those inevitable ‘climbing the walls situations’ we find ourselves in. Early exposure and training can inform and enhance our evolutionary and modern survival skills. Focus, balance, strategic motor planning, and the satisfaction of a best serve primates throughout their lifespan.

There are so many tangible and metaphoric opportunities which early physical education training and opportunities enhance. The

physical body just may ‘remember’ what seems new in the moment through prior deliberate practice and experience.

What can students do next?

There are plenty of indoor and outdoor climbing opportunities to extend their PE climbing interest in Singapore. As my daughters so wisely respond to all my inquiries: “Just Google it Mom!” A search for, “rock climbing Singapore,” results in about 1,420,000 results. Check it out online and then for real.

Our SAS wall climbin’ rock star participants were quite happy with their efforts and all showed admirable sportsmanship congratulating each other with great enthusiasm and relief. Students can hang their certificate of participation on their own wall at home to remind them of their well met challenge and adventure. Finalists were also treated to a Forest Adventure climbing voucher to continue their newfound interest out in Bedok. The awesome winners’ names are engraved on the Awesome Ape plaque which hangs outside the Gym B in their honor.

Thanks to all students, administration, and PE teacher assistants who made the event exciting, efficient, appropriately challenging, and exciting! CLIMB ON!

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Elementary SCHOOL

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE ELEMENTARY SCIENCE FAIR

By Tammi Fung, Grade 11 Student

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Students

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of Elementary School Not for a grade, for the love of science The classic science fair is an American tradition that gives students the opportunity to explore topics outside the classroom. These educational activities encompass a variety of skills and allow students to organize their curiosity and call it science. To fun-loving, energetic nine year olds, it may also just be an excuse to blow something up at home; however, it may just be the turning point that directs one towards a lifetime of science. It came as a surprise that the days of baking soda volcanoes are past and many of these students know without a doubt that science will prevail in their future.

Aside from the big posters and elaborate projects, we should not forget the time and effort that brought the show together. Students spent weeks putting together their ideas and converting them into jaw-dropping investigations. SAS elementary school students proved their passion on March 19-20 at the fair, but Science National Honor Society members had the chance to witness their brilliance beforehand.

Initially, it was our responsibility as high school students to advise and assist in the creation of inventive projects, but we found that there was no need for our support. Confident older kids strolled in prepared to answer simple questions and found instead, great understanding.

“Our science experiment tests what is the best temperature insulator.

We will fill each of the four jars with water heated to 40 degrees and cover their lids. Here is our constant, which will have nothing wrapped around it. We have three other jars; one will be put in this box of lightly scrunched newspaper, one will have newspaper tightly wrapped around it with rubber bands, and the last one will be wrapped with a scarf. For a 15-minute period, we will check the temperature within each jar at two-minute intervals. Then we will be able to determine which is the best temperature insulator. I predict it will be the scarf. My partner predicts it will be the lightly scrunched newspaper,” said fifth grader Nick.

We acted as their practice audience, listening to their presentations and occasionally asked questions, which they answered without hesitation.

After a quarter of an hour, we were all in awed silence – the projects were extraordinary, thorough, and very well done. The topic of conversation soon drifted to our common fascination towards science.

“My dad’s a science teacher, and he’s really smart. I think science is cool, too. Maybe I’ll be a scientist, too, someday,” said fifth grader Hunter.

The day of the fair was the one the students were most excited about. It was the day they would be assured their hard work paid off

and would share their work with their teachers, classmates, and family. When students arrived, they wore big smiles full of anticipation and excitement. While tables were being set up with mold growth experiments and germination tests, they would pull their friends over to their stations, gesture eagerly to their projects and in response, receive high fives and impressed expressions.

As the fair continued, the enthusiasm in the students’ voices during each presentation stayed consistent, and their grins and miniature bows more natural. It was clear they felt pleased with themselves and thankful they joined the fair.

“Science is asking questions and finding new answers,” said Nick.

Tammi Fung is a sophomore at Singapore American School and an intern in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. In her spare time, Tammi enjoys hobbies such as photography, singing, journal writing, and volunteering at animal shelters.

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Elementary SCHOOL

LET’S PLAY, SING, &

By Anna Criens Elementary Music Teacher During the second week of April, the elementary school music team welcomed Doug Goodkin to SAS for a wonderful professional development opportunity.

Doug Goodkin is an internationally recognized teacher of the music education approach Orff Schulwerk, having taught courses in over 40 countries worldwide. He is currently in his 40th year at The San Francisco School, teaching children between three and 14. He also teaches regularly at the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria, directs The San Francisco International Orff Certification Course, and teaches his own course on Jazz and Orff Schulwerk throughout the world.

He is the author of eight books, keeps an ongoing blog titled Confessions of a Traveling Music Teacher, and was featured on a TEDx talk, "Why Music in Schools." Doug's eclectic musical studies include jazz piano, Bulgarian bagpipe, Balinese gamelan, South Indian drumming, Ghanaian xylophone and drumming, cross-cultural body music, and more.

He taught numerous courses on Orff Schulwerk and World Music throughout the world. Doug is particularly known for connecting the principles of Orff Schulwerk to a wider world of practices and ideas - jazz, world music, poetry, school community-building, brain research, human health and culture, social justice, and more. This was his second time at SAS, having first been here in 2012.

So what is Orff Schulwerk? This question has a complicated answer and is beautifully explained in one of

Doug's books titled, "Play, Sing, & Dance."

"When asked to define jazz, Louis Armstrong once replied, "If you have to ask what it is, you'll never know." Having had to describe Orff Schulwerk to countless parents, fellow teachers, and seatmates on airplanes, I wish I could get by with such a clever retort. But the fact is that having never heard of it before, seen it or experienced it, people are naturally compelled to ask. And when I answer with one of my stock replies: "It's holistic music education," "It's a way to learn music by singing, dancing, playing special instruments, and improvising," "It's an approach to music education developed by the composer Carl Orff of Carmina Burana fame;" I see them nod their heads in feigned understanding, but know they're not one inch closer to a useful picture of what these two mysterious foreign words mean.

The simple fact is that the definition of the Schulwerk is too large to fit comfortably into one sentence - or two or ten or ten thousand. Like Louis Armstrong’s jazz, it is more easily felt than explained - which means one must observe it being taught to children and participate oneself in an Orff workshop. Yet even those experiences just allow you to peek through the window. " "Taking a two-week intensive Orff teacher training course and teaching it yourself to children of various ages gets your toe in the door. Completing the three levels of an Orff Certification Program and teaching for five years might finally gain your entrance into the room.

The breadth of the experiences

is so large and the possibilities so endless that there is never a sense of having fully arrived. Just when you think you have it, someone changes the furniture in the room or reveals a hidden closet and you have to refocus your perception."

While it is hard to put into words, it can be summed up like this: The Orff Approach is a way of teaching children music that engages their minds and bodies.

This is done through a mixture of singing, dancing, acting, and using percussion instruments, including xylophones. Music lessons in the Orff Approach are presented with an element of play helping the children learn at their own level of understanding, in a natural and comfortable environment.

Focusing on bringing the Orff Approach to life with our students, teachers were able to observe Doug teach some of their K-5 classes and reflect on the processes, skills, and concepts therein. He also suggested team members teach a class so everyone could offer feedback and observations. (He had one brave volunteer!) For the remainder of their days with him, the team enjoyed and was challenged by personalized workshops in which they learned songs, games, dances, and instrumental arrangements, presented through the Orff Approach. Elementary art and PE teachers were also able to join in for some sessions!

Other highlights of the week included Doug working with the middle school jazz band and a Friday morning performance for elementary

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DANCE! students by The Bus Band, featuring Doug and local Indonesian musician Kang Atung. That morning, musicians tackled a Ghanaian xylophone piece and a Filipino instrumental piece including angklung and percussion.

Students and faculty were a wonderful audience and many said it was an “awesome way to start the day!�

The elementary music team was left feeling energized, inspired, and ready to learn more! They thank the PTA for funding this invaluable professional development experience; it is a gift that will continue to weave itself throughout their future lessons and through the joyful music making of SAS students.

To watch Doug's TEDx talk, Learning through Music and Art: Doug Goodkin at TEDxConejoSalon, visit this link: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zKZAfDcU6BQ

Elementary SCHOOL

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Elementary SCHOOL

THE COUNSELORS’ CORNER: FAMILIES ON THE MOVE

By Sarah Farris Elementary Counselor for Grades K to 2 As our world becomes more and more global, the number of Third Culture Kids (children who were raised in a culture outside of their parents' culture for a significant part of their development years) increases by the minute. People are working abroad, and that means families are uprooted from schools, friends, and communities. Adults adjust to new situations relatively quickly. They understand that they must make the best of whatever decision is made, recognizing that they must follow the job and provide for their families.

Children may or may not adjust so easily to change. Children, especially young children, thrive on routine. It is hard to say goodbye to friends, teachers, relatives, and even pets.

Learning to adapt is part of growing up, but for young children, saying goodbye and stepping into the unknown can be scary.

is official. This will allow children to prepare for the move, and it alleviates any chance that your child may inadvertently hear about the move from a family friend, teacher, or overheard conversation between mom and dad. Children might be fearful if they think parents are keeping information from them.

It’s important to acknowledge worries and mixed feelings, share age appropriate information and stay positive. If you have a family pet, remember to share detailed information on what will happen to the pet. Pets are part of the family, and your child will worry about their furry family member. Together with your child, you can do some fun “homework.” For example, research your new country/school, look at pictures, and even see about finding a pen-pal. Make sure to capture memories.

The elementary school counseling team helps support families as they say goodbye to friends and colleagues. At the end of the 201314 school year, there were a total of 303 students (preschool to grade five) who moved from Singapore American School. Many of these families moved back to the United States, and several continued their international journey. The elementary school counseling team helped support these families through parent coffees, individual meetings, and small group discussion with students. Here are a few tips we believe will help make moving easier:

Together with your child, create a memory book of Singapore. Take pictures of favorite places (the zoo, dumplings, your condo), and record email addresses of friends and teachers. You can make your child feel part of the decision by giving jobs and choices.

Preparing To Move Many parents ask when they should tell their child about the move.

The answer is as soon as the move

Be on the lookout for changes in your child’s friendships and emotions. This is normal, so validate their feelings.

One note of caution, do not oversell your child’s new school or setting.

For example, "Oh it's so nice you're going to love it!" or “your school is beautiful and has a fantastic pool!"

Childrens’ perceptions of what they like are very different than mom and dad’s perceptions from the visits they have made. It is better to tell kids, "There will be things you really like

and things you don't, and mom and dad are going to be so interested to hear what you think!"

Leaving It is important to have a farewell event and allow your child to help in the planning. Have fun! Take time to say goodbye to friends and important people in your child’s life.

Say goodbye not just to people, but also to favorite places. You and your child may want to visit the zoo, eat a big bowl of chicken rice, or ride the roller coasters at Universal Studios one last time. A good rule of thumb to remember – If you leave well, you enter well. Take time to really enjoy everything you’ve loved about Singapore and SAS. Rushing through goodbyes could lead to denial which could lead to unresolved issues and grief. As you get closer to the move, it is important to validate emotions and feelings. Communicate your own feelings, and highlight the strengths of being a Third Culture Kid. Be realistic about your expectation for your child, and expectations for yourself.

Arriving Once you arrive to your new home, do something special to mark the occasion. How about ordering pizza or visiting a local attraction? This will give your child something to look forward to on that long plane ride. Remember to set up routines right away. These include bedtime, getting dressed, bath time, and school expectations. Involving your child as you unpack and settle will help give them a sense of control.

Give them jobs and choices. Get out and explore your new community with a family bike ride, a tour of the

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city, or joining a club or religious institution. As with the previous two steps, remember to communicate with your child. Validate and normalize any emotions and feelings.

Share your own feelings with your child. Remember, everyone adjusts at their own pace.

Key Adjustment Issues Your child may feel like making new friends is being disloyal to their old friends. This is a common fear. You can help your child understand that their old friends would want them to be happy. Provide opportunities for your child to communicate with their old friends through email and Skype.

Make sure to spend quality time with your child by setting up some special time together. Also, don’t forget to nurture your relationship with your partner. Moving isn’t easy, so check in with your partner and talk about any stressors and/or feelings.

Some adults may be leaving a career behind in Singapore, and everyone will be leaving friends. That means saying goodbye to a support system.

You may find that most of the parenting responsibility falls on one person. Talk to your partner about these changes. Remember, you are in this together!

We believe that with these ideas and lots of patience and humor, families can have a successful move. The goal of the elementary school counseling team is to support families socially and emotionally so that they can thrive, just not survive, in their new environment. If you have any questions or need support, please reach out to your child’s school counselor.

Elementary SCHOOL

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TELUNAS

Elementary SCHOOL

By Mohini Y. & Trevor C. Grade 5 Students

Mission: Teach English to the students of the Riau Island school in Indonesia Operatives: 56 grade 5 students & 11 teachers Result: ACHIEVED On March 8-9 another fantastic group of fifth grade students represented SAS with pride on our annual trip to the Riau Islands to teach the students English skills.

After six weeks of after-school meetings to create our vision of community, learning Bahasa, and creating an age-appropriate English game to teach the students, we finally met at 7:30 a.m. at Harbourfront ferry terminal on the Saturday morning to begin the adventure.

Quickly we passed through immigration to board the fast ferry to Sekupang ferry terminal. Once there, we were processed through customs and walked to our long boats. Why are they long boats?

Because not only are they long and skinny, they took us on a very long boat ride, with very small seats, and very thick life jackets to the island we were working on. It was not the most comfortable ride ever.

I glanced in front of us, catching a glimpse of what seemed to be a sea of the colors blue and yellow. As I drew near I realized that these were boys with blue and yellow uniforms.

They stood on top of a dock: it was short and held up by four wooden poles. I grinned, I couldn’t tell if that was because I was happy to see them or because I was just so relieved to get out of the boat. I slowly made my way up to the ladder that led to the dock. I waved to a group of boys standing near me. They gave a shy nod and looked away. I followed my teachers through the village: surrounding me there were small concrete houses painted a shade of washed out red or green. Girls my age stuck their heads out of the old windows.

As I walked through the village I wondered how it would feel if I had lived in this village all my life. I smiled upon the goats that wandered through the village. Looking back, I would have to say that the village had beauty in it, a hidden beauty. I made my way into the school house and sat down at a small wooden desk. I glanced around, there was a single blackboard in the front of the room. There was no fan, and out of the school’s window about 100 children of all ages stuck their head out to inspect the visitors to their school.

One of the teachers stood in the middle of the room, clasped her hands, and said, “Lets get started...”

I remember one boy I met during the Telunas trip. He had raven black hair and intense eyes. I would guess that he was about five or six. He had a passion to learn, I could already tell that for sure. When I brought out the flashcards with the alphabet scrawled on top of each one, his face went blank like he didn’t know them at all, maybe because he didn’t. “Do you want to work on something easier?” I asked him in Bahasa, and he shook his head. He was determined to get it right. I practised the alphabet with him over and over and over again, until he got it right, he knew every letter perfectly. I will never forget that boy, how I might have changed his life, and how he changed mine.

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Elementary SCHOOL

Just when we thought the second boat ride would never end, in the distance we could make out two islands with little house like things sticking out of them. I thought they were more villages but it turned out they were two really big resorts! It was probably the coolest resort I had ever seen. All the huts were supported by wooden stilts that were planted right in the water. Basically the whole resort was over the water! How cool is that? The boat pulled over right at the side of one of the docks. We got out and walked up the stairs. Before we could get a good look, we were all told to go into a big room with a lot of tables. They served us this delicious orange soda drink that had a lot of sugar and foam. I noticed there was a little shop with souvenirs in it. I was pretty glad I had brought money.

One of the teachers clapped three times for our attention and told us that before we could go play we had to listen to all the rules. Then she directed our attention to what looked like a Telunas resort staff member. She filled us in on some important information about Telunas then told us all the safety requirements and rules. We were finally put into groups and allowed to go play. I grabbed my bag and started towards my cabin. I unloaded and instantly put on my bathing suit and water shoes. We had to have water shoes for safety.

For the rest of the day all we did was play. We jumped off the docks and played at the beach until we heard the dinner bell. We rushed up to the big room with a lot of tables. On the center table were at least four big containers full of Mexican food! It was pretty tasty. Then for dessert we had banana crepes with a lot of maple syrup. DELICIOUS!

After everyone had finished dinner and dessert, we all went down to a big bonfire. There we told stories, jokes, did skits, ate s'mores, and finally sang a parody of, “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor. The parody was called, “All About That Help.” It was made for Mr. L'Heureux.

Mr. L’Heureux has been on the Telunas trip for 12 years and it would not be the same without him. Unfortunately, he is leaving after this year to be a principal in Japan.

After the bonfire we were given thirty minutes to get ready for bed. Luckily, the beds were comfortable. We were all almost instantly asleep.

We got up early the next day, ate a quick breakfast, and got ready for another exciting day in Telunas. It turned out we were going to do something besides play at the beach and docks. Half of us were going over to a ropes course and half would play at the docks. Then we would switch.

I was put in the group that would go up to the ropes course first. When everyone had finished talking we headed up to the course. The hike took about 15 minutes but it was worth it. The ropes course was pretty cool. When we were done we switched and my group went and played at the docks and the other group went to the ropes course. The docks were also awesome.

When the boats finally came it felt like we had been in Telunas ten minutes, not two days. We got onto the long boats and headed out. We finally got to the ferry terminal after what seemed like hours. We hopped on to a large ferry, that would take us back to Singapore. As I sat in the ferry I thought about this amazing trip, and the amazing opportunity that I got to be a part of. A memory I would never forget.

IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND

By Scott Oskins Grade 8 Social Studies Teacher The eighth grade has a long-standing tradition of service in our Singapore community and within the region of Southeast Asia. Currently, service learning is embedded within the home base curriculum in order to give each eighth grader a common experience as they work together to explore their strengths, interests, and passions.

All of our 318 eighth graders had a crash course in service learning during our week-long Classroom Without Walls (CWW) trip to Telunas, Indonesia. During our five days in Telunas, each side spent one full day at a local school in a neighboring island community. All three sides participated in a common construction project of building a wall to protect the property of the school. Additionally, some home base groups taught English lessons to primary school students. In the end, several students had fun playing a soccer match while others participated in a seriously competitive game of tag. During our reflections with students, it was clear that the day of service was a CWW highlight for a majority of our students. This shared experience opened the discussion on service learning to all home bases and allowed students to explore areas of interest upon our return to SAS. As the year continued, we welcomed guest speaker Geoff Morgan, founder of the non-profit organization Walls of Wisdom.

Mr. Morgan shared his personal journey of eradicating poverty through education in order to inspire students to reflect on their interests as they began work on their individual service learning projects. In past years we were fortunate to welcome former SAS parent, Jamie Amelio, founder of Caring for Cambodia and author of Graced with Orange. Eighth graders this year did not hear directly from Mrs. Amelio, instead they listened to her TEDx video entitled "Get Bothered, Stay Bothered".

Students were mentored by their home base teacher throughout the year and guided by reowned service learning program development expert Cathryn Berger Kaye’s five stages of service learning: investigation, preparation, action, reflection, and demonstration. As part of investigation, eighth graders chose a service theme of interest as they explored options in our community.

Animal Protection and care

Elders

Emergency Readiness

Environmental Action

Gardening

Healthy Lives, Healthy Choices

Hunger, Homelessness, and Poverty

Immigrants / Migrants

Literacy

Safe and Strong Communities

Social changes: Issues and Action

Special Needs and Disabilities

Throughout the year, action took place in a variety of venues: service club meetings, nursing homes, hospitals, basketball courts, orphanages, schools, and impoverished neighborhoods. In fact, eighth graders were involved in well over twenty different service organizations this year!

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MIDDLE school

Student quotes The eighth grade team looks forward to sharing a few of the Google Sites that students will complete during the month of May as part of demonstration. Please be on the lookout for this communication in an upcoming eNews announcement. On behalf of all eighth grade teachers, we congratulate our students on their accomplishments this year and we wish them well in high school as they continue to enhance their skills in service learning.

Grade 8 students have been involved in the following service organizations this year: Crystal Music, Caring for Cambodia (CFC) Club, Care Corner, Roots & Shoots, Gawad Kalinga service trip, CFC service trip, Tabitha service trip, Ronald McDonald House at National University Hospital, Operation Smile, Global Issues Network, Walk for Water, Leprosy Home, Half the Sky Club, Homeland, and Care Corner basketball camp.

Outside of SAS - Willing Hearts, SPCA, ACRES, Baan San Fan orphanage, and a variety of religious organizations.

“Laughter ringing through the air — this is what Care Corner sounded like, and we achieved that laughter with the children by spending a little time with them.”

Swethaa S., grade 8, Care Corner Student Care Centre (Woodlands) “I came to Care Corner so I could have a topic for my service learning project. I left with so many new friends, and even though we were teaching them, I learned a few tricks from them!”

Brooke M., grade 8, Care Corner Student Care Centre (Woodlands) “Smiles without shoes. Pride without water. In Cambodia, everywhere I looked people were smiling, and our work only made their smiles grow.”

Stacey P., grade 8, CFC service trip “The GK trip was a fun experience and it was nice to see the children happy all the time even though they didn’t have much.

The trip taught me that helping others doesn’t only help them, but also helped me become a better person.”

Jaren A., grade 8, Gawad Kalinga service trip “The trip to Cambodia with Tabitha was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Not only did we get to make an impact on people’s lives, but we also got the opportunity to actually see the impact through our work.”

Alyssa A., grade 8, Tabitha service trip “Crystal Music taught me that it doesn’t take much to make someone’s day, and making a difference isn’t that hard. I got to play music, chat, and keep people company all at once, and it’s for a good cause.”

Kalia C., grade 8, Crystal Music - Christalite Methodist Nursing Home “RMHC gave me insight into who I should want to be as a person.

Helping such sweet and cute kids in the hospital not only taught me how to be kind, but also how to empathize. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with lots of compassion!”

Justin W., grade 8, Ronald McDonald House at National University Hospital “To know that I am part of a life-saving and life-changing club is amazing. I am so fortunate to attend a school so involved with helping others, and a club which is committed to supplying a smile.

It makes me smile.”

Amelia L., grade 8, Operation Smile “I cannot believe how much the Walk for Water has grown over the past three years. The fact that over 80 kids voluntarily joined my two friends and I in order to help change the lives of thousands of underprivileged people they will probably never meet is something truly heart warming. “ Sabrina S., grade 8, Walk for Water “I have learned many things during my time in RMHC. However, the most important thing for me was that, no matter how sick or shy someone may be, playing one game of monopoly and talking may turn the person’s world around. RMHC is an excellent place for anyone who wants to be the reason behind someone’s smile.”

Diego L. U., grade 8, Ronald McDonald House at National University Hospital

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GREEK & ROMAN DAY

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MIDDLE school

JOY IN THE CONGO

By Maria V. Grade 8 Student

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition for music is, “the science of ordering tones or sounds in succession…” But music is so much more than that. Music is an art; it is beauty and emotion that soothes hearts. Music can make someone weep or burst in joy. Music is a sensation, swirling in different colors and flavors.

Music is a part of everyone’s lives, yet not everyone has access to create it, which is the idea behind Instruments for Peace(IFP). We, the IFP Club, are a start-up service club that aims to give used or unwanted instruments to those underprivileged so that everyone can create this thing called music.

The intention for IFP started in December 2014, when Mrs. Pelletier, our middle school strings teacher, showed our class a video by 60 Minutes called, "Joy in the Congo".

It featured the Kinshasa Symphony, in the Congo, and how a man by the name of Armand Diangienda brought music to one of the poorest countries. Seventeen years later, the Kinshasa Symphony has grown to a membership of two hundred.

However, at their start they had to share instruments to rehearse and sometimes search through the dumps to repair their dismal instruments. IFP was created, and thus we decided that Kinshasa would be the first destination our instruments would be sent to. In

discussions with the orchestra conductor, they are starting a children’s orchestra which further encourages us in this endeavour.

Starting our club had its difficulties at first because there were so many items we had to learn, such as the shipping and clearing customs.

We couldn’t get donations without people knowing about the project, and shipping was going to cost money. However, through lunch meetings and work outside of school, IFP was able to acquire a few instruments and plan their first shipment.

Currently, we are ready to ship six violins and one cello as a test shipment to ensure that the instruments will arrive in the Congo safely and clear customs properly.

We are hoping to be able to do this before the end of the school year and bring IFP with us as a club to high school, but we ask for your generosity to help us achieve this goal of making music available to everyone. Please contact Sofia Pelletier or any of our members if you would like to make a donation, either financial or instrumental, or if you have ideas for shipping. Maria Veloso, Olivia Chuang, Frances Ramirez, Miriam Sim, or George Eppel can be reached for details and more information.

We are sure that Instruments for Peace will be a success!

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MIDDLE school

WALKING ACROSS ONE COUNTRY TO CHANGE ANOTHER

By Bryanna E., Sophie W., and Sabrina S. Grade 8 Students Amongst laughter, cheers, and shouts of joy, over eighty Singapore American School students walked, ran, and dragged themselves across the finish line of Walk For Water 2015.

The sun was shining, music pumping, and everyone, despite having walked more than 28 kilometers from SAS to VivoCity over the course of eight hours, was hit with a shot of adrenaline as they realized what had just been achieved.

In 2012-13, we were in sixth grade. As many know and have experienced, the water project is a huge part of the gamma experience. Throughout March and April, we learned about the very real water crisis: the world's water supply is slowly dripping away and thousands do not have access to potable water. Dutifully, we began to work together to plan a bake sale to raise money for wells in Africa. We raised around $170, and were content with our efforts…for a time.

In late April, weeks after our science classes had moved on to study crime scenes, we found ourselves still bothered by the issue of water. Why?

We didn’t exactly know, but we did know that we wanted to do something more. Our little bake sale may have made a tiny dent in this worldwide crisis and garnered us a respectable grade, but now we wanted to do something bigger and better, something that would truly make a difference in the lives of many. So we got together and began to brainstorm.

At one point, the idea of walking across the country came up, and we decided that we liked it. It certainly wasn’t a popular fundraiser idea, and our 11 and 12 year-old selves agreed that walking 28 kilometers couldn’t be that hard.

Well, we were wrong. In mid-May, our legs learned that walking 28km is no small feat! However, as three sixth graders, we had successfully put together an event by ourselves, gotten sponsors, and raised SGD $3,000.

After tallying our final amount - with lots of hugs and screams included - came the pressing issue of where our funds were to go. After much research, we decided that Tabitha Cambodia was our best option. We really liked how they operated as an organization,

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we were not anonymous donors, and wells were relatively low cost for the field - at approximately US$180 per well. With a large envelope in hand filled to the brim with cheques, cash, and coins - we went to the Tabitha offices to give our donation. Our efforts in the 2013 Walk For Water built 17 wells. We were exceptionally proud of our accomplishment.

In the 2013-14 school year, we got together and decided that we definitely wanted to do Walk For Water again. But this time, we agreed, we wanted to get more people involved. In April we presented to our fellow seventh graders, planned, raised funds, and found 25 other girls who were excited about doing the walk with us. That year, we raised over SGD $11,000 and built 54 wells in seven different Cambodian provinces. We were also featured in the Sunday Straits Times, which was an amazing experience.

When this year’s winter break came to a close, we realized the time for Walk For Water planning had rolled in once again. We wondered, how could we make the event even better than the previous year? How could we get other students involved and excited? How could we raise enough money to change hundreds of lives?

Once again, we got together and put up a game plan. Over the next few chaotic weeks we presented, planned, sent emails, put up posters, and worked out logistics. It was a lot of work, but the enthusiasm our project was greeted with made it worth the effort.

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Before we knew it, the big date had arrived. As the sun rose over the Singaporean jungle on March 14, over 100 Walk For Water participants and volunteers met at SAS. As people signed in, we handed out t-shirts - generously sponsored by Expat Dental - and energy bars. The adrenaline throughout the group was contagious. At 7:45 a.m. we shouted, “Let’s Walk,” and with that our parade of good-doers marched through the campus gates.

Everyone started off in good humor, joking, laughing, and singing as we made our way down the Green Corridor - the old railway that runs straight down the middle of Singapore. At around 9:30 a.m. we reached our first rest station and were greeted with muffins, fruit, and (thankfully) a porta-potty.

We departed soon thereafter and continued our march down the middle of the island. By that time the sun over head had begun to really beat down. During one specific part of that late morning stretch, we found the sun taking a direct hit to the left sides of our faces. By the time the next rest stop came around at 11:30 a.m., we were more than happy to plop down and rehydrate.

After a long, much needed break in the shade, we headed off again.

The sugar from the watermelon and oranges we ate had worked its magic, so we found ourselves with just enough energy to keep pushing. The group worked hard, there was no doubt about it. Every member neared the end of their comfort zone, yet there was a sort of thrill that accompanied this. By walking across the country we were

not just changing the lives of those in Cambodia, but were challenging our own physical boundaries.

Rest stop three came along around eight kilometers later. Needless to say, we greeted it as if it were a long lost friend. We stuffed our mouths with sweet, chocolaty brownies, and sat down content in the shade. As the last few walkers trickled in, we realized it was time to hit the trail again. It was 1:00 p.m., and the sun was overhead, yet we managed to keep on trekking. Continuing down the familiar lengths of the corridor, many walkers chose to hike with their friends, while others chose to walk alone. No matter who they were surrounded by, every participant found themself reflecting on what they were truly walking for.

The smell of pizza wafted through the air, announcing the fourth and final rest stop just as the clock hit three. Summoning the last reserves from our previous brownie stop, our group broke into a run toward the tables. As we chowed down to the sound of music pumping in the background, we could see the tiny path that led up towards the sidewalk and the final stretch of the walk.

We were almost there - only two kilometers lay between us and the finish line. We began to walk again, and with perfect timing, the pizza kicked in. We all found ourselves with a second wind.

And with that second wind came the race to finish first. Those at the front of the pack found themselves power walking - trying to block out the others and maintain the lead. As we came into view of the Singapore

harbor, this became a full out contest to see who could finish first. An unofficial one, of course, but one all the same. As we sped towards VivoCity, our grins got wider and wider. We were almost there.

The boardwalk clunked underneath our feet as we rounded the last corner. We could finally see the blue balloons, hear the music, and feel the overjoyed energy vibrating through the finish line air. Forgetting about the countless blisters that now plagued our aching feet, we sprinted to the finish line. Our arms were widespread, our hair flew out behind us, and our sweat trickled down our sunburned faces.

We were a mess, but we had done it. All of us had walked 28 kilometers across the island nation of Singapore. All of us had walked for water.

People say that you have to graduate college first in order to truly make a change. They say you have to have some fancy title, work at a big office, or earn a signed degree. But after these years of leading Walk For Water, all three of us know this is not at all true. We were just sixth graders who saw a problem in the world and wanted to change it. With this in mind we came up with a plan and acted upon it. It was so simple, yet the impact it has and will continue to have is incredible. Every year we’ve led the Walk For Water, hundreds of lives have been changed for the better.

The great thing is that every year we continue to lead the Walk For Water, hundreds more will improve as well. It’s an ongoing effect, and hopefully, even once we leave SAS, it will be continued. Hopefully, maybe even thirty years from now, SAS students will walk across that finish line on the brink of Sentosa and be able to say, “I walked for water. I changed the world.”

With the help of over eighty amazing participants, Walk For Water 2015 raised over SGD $28,000 - enough to purchase over 155 wells.

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High school

SCHOOL YEAR ABROAD

By Dr. Tim Stuart Executive Director of R&D and Strategic Programs

As we continue to strive to fulfill our vision of being a world leader in education, cultivating exceptional thinkers, prepared for the future, one of the high school research and development recommendations was to seek out strategic partnerships with organizations that could expand our students' educational opportunities around the world.

We are pleased to announce that we have entered into a partnership with the School Year Abroad organization, a consortium of 41 elite independent schools, including Phillips Academy Andover, Phillips Exeter, St. Paul’s School, Taft, and the American School of London.

School Year Abroad is an independent nonprofit institution that owns and operates campuses in France, Italy, Spain, and China. A partnership with School Year Abroad allows Singapore American School students to access their four language immersion campuses around the world for a year, while remaining SAS students.

Already, several SAS students have taken advantage of this opportunity and plan to spend their junior year in Italy.

Here are some videos that will give you a bit more insight into School Year Abroad and the opportunities this will offer SAS students. http://www.sya.org/s/833/start.aspx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ZADn1fjTc&feature=youtu.be

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HGH school HiGH school

GLOBAL ONLINE ACADEMY

By Janna Agustin, Grade 11 Student

Next year, a new selection of courses will available for students to take – from Arabic, to architecture, to human rights. But there’s a catch: these classes won’t be taken in a regular classroom with other SAS students. Instead, through Global Online Academy (GOA) – an innovative program new to SAS – students will be a part of online classrooms, learning with others from around the world.

In addition, the program’s strong emphasis on collaboration encourages students to work with other students. Group projects can be assigned, study sessions can be held, Socratic seminars can be conducted. And because each class is made up of only one or two students from each school, they are given the opportunity to build relationships with students outside their school.

For the past couple of years, the SAS high school curriculum has slowly inched away from what is seen as traditional and towards a more progressive, self-governed system of learning. A new standards-based grading system was put into place, the library has turned into a Center of Innovation, and classes have pushed students to be more independent.

“It’s very much a learning community,” noted Worley.

Next fall, even more changes based on the research and development team’s recommendations will be implemented, including the new online program. After researching many online options, a six-person faculty review team decided Global Online Academy was by far the best option.

Offering unique courses like Bioethics, Medical Problem Solving, and Gender Studies, GOA is a program that aims to challenge driven students in new and effective ways, and encourage both collaboration and independence – all through technology.

GOA is a consortium of 65 of the top independent schools in the world. It was started by Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington, along with 10 other schools on three different continents. Their idea was to use the world’s increasing use of technology to foster a new way of learning by designing classes in which students can work and interact with other students and teachers from all over the world. In the past two years, it has branched out to schools in India, Germany, Canada, and now Singapore.

Like normal courses, students taking GOA courses have assignments and due dates, participate in class discussions, and are taught material by teachers. And unlike the stereotypical self-paced, impersonal classes that most associate with online learning, GOA classes are just as rigorous as the face-to-face classes offered by its member schools.

Classes are structured so that every day when students log into GOA’s learning management system, there’s a lesson for them to complete. Whether through Skype call discussions, collaborative projects with their global peers, or online research, students demonstrate their understanding of the course and its material.

“It’s almost more demanding in these terms,” said Dr. Robin Worley, next year’s site director for GOA at SAS. “It will be very obvious if you’re not caught up with your work.

There are authentic assessments – it’s not just reading and checking off boxes.”

As much as collaboration is emphasized with GOA, it is also a program that is very independent. Students are in charge of planning their own work schedules – when to Skype that one student in California or when to work on a particular essay.

Like any other rigorous course, there’s a lot of personal responsibility with time, and self-discipline is needed. Worley said that “students who are self-motivated and independent learners will be the most successful.”

Next year, there will be 23 students at SAS taking 30 semester or year-long courses through GOA. One of the students, junior Apurva Ashok, described her personal interest in two courses, Medical Problem Solving and Abnormal Psychology, and the ways in which they would help her pursue her passion – medicine.

“I have been dying to take a class about medicine in general,” said Ashok. “I hope that this new style of learning will solidify my ambition to be a doctor and that this independent way of study will give me the freedom to research my own interests.”

Another student, sophomore Jean Molina, focused more on the online aspect of the classes. “Taking an online class is something I’ve never done before and I look forward to getting to know other students around the world that are really into this same topic that I love,” Molina said.

These two, along with others taking a GOA course next year, will have a period in their schedule to work independently on their assignments in the library’s Learning Lab. Worley will follow up with students and monitor their weekly progress.

Face-to-face meetings for all students will also be held once a month to discuss each student’s experience with the different courses. In addition, Worley will serve as the liaison between the online teacher, student, counselors, and parents.

Global Online Academy is a program that literally changes the landscape for learning. Through it, students are given the opportunity to experience learning in completely different ways from their traditional courses.

“I think it’s an important aspect of the future of education,” Worley said. “At some point, we will all be learning online, and I think this program will be invaluable in preparing students for what lies ahead.”

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High school

SUMMER SCHOOL MAKES A COMEBACK AT SAS

By Sheyna Cruz Grade 11 Student

What do “Artificial Intelligence for Games” by DigiPen, “Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation” by Columbia University, and “Political Science” by Stanford University all have in common?

Each one is an intensive summer course that you can take right here Singapore American School.

Students can choose from normal courses like Applied Sciences or less-conventional options such as Video Game Programming.

For two weeks in June or early July, students will have the chance to explore an academic area of interest. This could range from subjects that are offered during the school year, like geometry, to ones that are not normally available, such as Pre-Engineering. Most will be taught by high school teachers at SAS who have expressed interest.

SAS will also offer a selection of courses in partnership with select US universities. These are pre-college (i.e. high school level) courses, but they will be taught by professors from their respective universities.

According to program director Dan Skimin, Summer Semester has a unique advantage over normal semester classes. “The way we’re structuring the courses is that you’re going to take one course all day long [for two weeks] and you have the time to focus on that subject matter,” Skimin explained.

“What energizes us…is what it’s going to look like when a student only takes Applied Sciences all day long.

They’re experimenting and driving their own learning, investigating things that they’re passionate about,” Skimin said.

Better yet, coursework won’t always be limited to the classroom. “All of the courses will start the day here at SAS, but some of them will venture out for educational experiences around Singapore,” Skimin said, clarifying that, “teachers will have the flexibility to move around as they choose.”

This is not the first time that SAS has organized a summer program. Previously, the summer school program was run by high school teacher Martha Began, and it catered primarily to K-8 students.

The old summer camps were discontinued for a few years due to the construction projects going on at SAS. As Skimin put it, “Huge building equipment and little kids don’t mix.”

In September 2014, the school decided to recreate the program under a different name and direction. Like any new project, it comes with challenges, and the “biggest challenge,” Skimin noted, is “getting word out there” about this new opportunity.

It’s a dynamic process, and as more students enroll and participate in the program, Skimin and the other organizers will be making changes based on this feedback. In fact, he said, “we’re already envisioning how it’s going to evolve for 2016.”

There was one more question that I just had to ask: If Mr. Skimin was a student, what Summer Semester course would he want to take?

“Geometry” was his enthusiastic response. He’s a math teacher, after all.

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HGH school HiGH school

Here’s the scoop on what high school course options will be available at SAS:

Reprinted with gratitude from the Eye Online.

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High school

WHY RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

By Dr. Michael Clark High School English Teacher

A quick glance at the High School Program Planning Guide reveals that a lot of changes are in store for SAS in the coming years. One of the biggest is the launch of our advisory program, where every student will have a biweekly meeting to focus on relationships. One question lingers for some people: what are we doing all of this for?

The same can be asked of any initiative in a school; for professional learning communities, for instance, it was assuring that the curriculum we promise gets delivered consistently and fairly - along with the unstated (but perhaps most important) purpose of assuring that it’s worth delivering in the first place.

With advisory, though, there’s a simple answer that perhaps has gotten lost in the shuffle of practicalities, and that’s this: relationships matter.

As a teacher, I can start to lose sight of this idea in many ways. Often, it’s because I assume that the “relationship” in question is only the one between each student and me.

But that’s a bit selfish, when I stop to reflect. I must also remember that I have a lot to offer to kids about how they have relationships with each other, with their families, with other teachers, with the culture of the school, and with the culture of Singapore as expats and Third Culture Kids.

Just as an experienced adult who cares about them, I can provide perspective, support, and reassurance, as well as challenges, to my students. It doesn’t take any special talent or training to do that.

I can also lose sight of how relationships matter because I start to compartmentalize my thinking. That’s only natural, right? Today is A Day, which means AP Lit, and tomorrow is B Day, which means Film, and never the twain shall meet. Our days as teachers (and students) can seem like those cafeteria trays with a little valley for the mashed potatoes and a bigger one for the salisbury steak.

I think those divisions, though, are artificial; the notion of a relationship with a student happening only during class, or only during an advisory meeting, misses the point entirely.

It’s not about the hours. It’s about the connections. The peas are going to roll into the carrots, which is going to get butter on the corner of your dinner roll. That’s just life.

So the “compartment” for advisory, to my mind, is like the always-too-small gravy concavity. It’s going to allow its contents to spill over into everything else. This is actually a good thing, when it comes to relationships. Gravy being tasty, that’s what we’re going for. We want a little of that flavor in every part of the day.

Specifically, and practically, the spillover for advisory will look like ways of doing things - ways of speaking to, listening to, learning from, and working with each other that don’t necessarily get a focus in the day-to-day classes

in the high school. But don’t think that advisory is just going to be a skills “course.” It operates in real time, and responds to the individuals who are in the room. An advisory room is no longer a classroom. It’s a repurposed space where relationships are put first.

Imagine an entire school that puts relationships first. The core values would be more than just a laminated list on a classroom wall. The desired outcomes of character, cultural competence, and creativity would be more than just a page in a binder. Learning would become truly personalized. The notions of success and rigor would transform. All that teachers would want, and want their advisees to “get,” is how to be a good, healthy human being. “Extraordinary care” would be more important than prestige, than test scores, than being the “best.”

School would become a place that’s the best for you, because we know you.

So why are we focusing on relationships? Why do they matter?

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Relationships matter because they build the character of the individual and the institution.

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Relationships matter because trust and security are more powerful than fear and exhaustion when it comes to growth.

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Relationships matter because we are mirrors to each other; how others see us can help us understand how we see ourselves.

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Relationships matter because we care about our responsibility to them.

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Relationships matter because they allow us to have hard conversations.

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Relationships matter because we will always need them - how to start them, how to foster them, and how to deal with them when they go awry.

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Relationships matter because they put pressure on the weather system of our school climate.

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Relationships matter because children need to be known.

One precious resource that relationships demand, however, is time. In the high school, we will take the crucial step of devoting time to relationships. If we keep in mind why relationships matter during that time, everybody wins.

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HGH school HiGH school

MEASURING SUCCESS

Even steel cannot be hardened unless it’s hammered, and it’s no different with people.

Thomas Stanley

By Dr. Jeff Devens High School Psychologist

"I didn’t get in!" Kevin scuttled into my office tossing his school bag on the floor before slouching into the couch.

The night before he received some not-so-good news and needed to talk. "Four years of high school, five AP courses, involvement in clubs and sports, sleepless nights, and what do I have to show for it? I didn’t even get in to my first choice university."

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Successful teens believe they can make choices and take ownership of their lives, even when notso-good things happen. Unsuccessful teens believe life happens to them, is the result of happenstance or luck. Believing this, they become passive, adopt a victim mentality, and wallow in apathy.

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Successful teens keep life in perspective. They recognize that one or two not so good things happening to them is no pattern. Problems present opportunities, not necessarily turmoil. Unsuccessful teens view life in the extreme. Words like always, never, nobody, no one, all the time, and everyone permeate their thinking. They see few solutions to their problems because they don’t allow any room for this possibility.

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Successful teens understand that life isn’t fair.

Successful teens understand that bad things happen to “good people” and good things happen to “bad people,” but they strive for being fair in their interactions with others. Unsuccessful teens believe if they do “good” or act “good” that good things should come their way. When this doesn’t happen they become despondent, anxious, and withdrawn.

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Successful teens recognize that they will have problems. Successful teens don’t run head long into conflicts, but know they are an inherent part of life. In fact, successful teens often have lots of problems and heartache before they reach adulthood. They develop the tools to deal with people, seeking win-win outcomes. And, as far as it’s possible with them, they try to be at peace with others. Unsuccessful teens see problems as an indication they are doing something wrong, or that they are experiencing an injustice. They see problems as something others have caused, not something they may have contributed to. They lack the tools to deal with problems, opting instead for sulking, blaming, or avoiding. They believe if they do nothing things will change, or the problem will go away on its own.

"Kevin," I began, "if you knew ahead of time that you wouldn’t get accepted into your first choice school would you have worked so hard?" My question was left unanswered, but I knew he heard it. Emotionally, Kevin was devastated. I would be, too, if I used his metric as a marker of success. He was trying to separate his efforts and energies from the resulting outcome. What he needed was time; time to process, time to readjust priorities, time to figure out next steps.

Over the course of the next few weeks, additional rejection and acceptance letters arrived. This proved to be a fruitful time of growth; one that I hoped would help Kevin redefine what it meant to be successful.

My conversation with Kevin got me thinking. Was his perception of what it means to be successful an anomaly?

In the process of writing this article, I surveyed over 200 high school students asking them how they, their peers, and their culture, measure success.

Themselves: When asked how they define success the kids used descriptors such as: achieving high marks, improving my G.P.A., achieving beyond what I thought possible, retaining new information, being innovative, challenging myself, learning concepts, furthering my understanding of the world, application to life, drawing connections, enjoying classes, and improving beyond what I thought was capable.

Peers: When asked how their peers define success, the list was considerably shorter: getting good grades, having a high G.P.A., and getting into a “good” university.

Culture: When asked how their culture measures success, the resounding themes centered on career and currency: academic success equates to earning top grades, being accepted into a top university, landing a top job, and to top it off, earning lots of money.

Contrasting Successful and Unsuccessful Teens: Into this mix I would like to suggest a different measure to gauge what successful and unsuccessful teens “look” like, not based on performance but persistence. In my practice as a school psychologist, counselor, and educator (nearing 20 years), I have noted four key areas in teens' lives that correlate with academic, and ultimately, life success.

Robert Sternberg, professor of human development at Cornell University notes, success is measured by how well one capitalizes on strengths and compensates for or corrects weaknesses through adapting to, shaping, and selecting environments by a combination of analytical, creative, practical, and wisdom-based ethical skills and attitudes. In this light, success isn’t a single event. Rather, it’s measured incrementally by making a few correct choices repeated day after day after day.

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High school

NATIONAL SERVICE: TAKING PRIDE IN PROTECTING OUR NATION

By Sandhya Bala, Grade 10 Student Sandy Bala is a sophomore at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Sandy enjoys writing, photography, and visiting new places with the hopes of joining the active journalism field in the future.

While most of the seniors head off to college in the fall, about 20 to 25 students stay back in Singapore to do their National Service (NS). This is a dramatic increase in numbers, as just 10 years ago only three to seven students enrolled per year.

National Service not only pushes individuals to reach and overcome their limits but also teaches individuals about teamwork, core values, and how to work hard with determination - qualities that are important in the working field.

Males who are Singapore citizens, dual citizens, or permanent residents of Singapore are required to complete their National Service obligations before heading off to university. Older SAS graduates begin NS right after graduation, while those born in the later half must wait six months before starting their course. This means that 2015 graduates who were born in late 1996 will have a two year gap before college, while those born in early 1997 will have a three year gap.

This year, 25 SAS graduates will be heading off to do their National Service, eight of whom will start in the first few months after graduation.

Fariz Attamimi, a senior this year who will begin his NS work next January, shared his thoughts about his new journey ahead. “I'm excited for NS. It will be nice to take a break from academics for the next two years and to focus on finding myself as a person. I'm looking forward to making new (and hopefully life-long) friends in NS because I've heard that during NS people make strong bonds along the way.”

However with new experiences come new challenges to overcome, and for Fariz that is making new friends.

“One challenge I have to overcome is tied into what I'm looking forward to. Because I've grown up being educated in international schools most of my life, I don't have many local friends. Therefore, I think that making new, local friends and integrating into Singaporean culture will be a challenge I will have to overcome. But overall I'm excited for this new experience.”

Good luck to Fariz and other soonto-be graduates pursuing their National Service – we wish you the best of luck and cannot wait to hear all the exciting stories to be told.

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BREAKING BARRIERS WITH TEDXYOUTH@SAS

By Sunita Srivatsan, Meera Navlakha, and Danielle Wait Grades 10 and 11 Students

TED is known globally as a platform for the communication of “ideas worth spreading;” past speakers at TED events range from Larry Page, who cofounded Google, to former US President Bill Clinton. In the spirit of TED’s mission, “ideas worth spreading,” Singapore American School students will host the first ever TEDxYouth (x = independently organized) event at SAS on May 21 with speakers from the SAS student body and faculty.

Kaelan Cuozzo, an SAS senior and president of the High School Service Council, envisioned bringing TED to the school. Inspired by her service background, as well as the resources and support at SAS, Cuozzo, who is the lead organizer of the event, saw the opportunities that a TED event could bring to students.“TEDxYouth@SAS is a new form of service to me - it is providing a voice to people who would have otherwise gone unheard,” she said.

TEDxYouth@SAS was founded in March after the school received an official license from TED. The May conference, centered around the theme “Breaking Barriers,” will be Singapore American School’s first official event. The TEDxYouth@SAS activities are planned and coordinated by a team of student volunteers, known as the Breaking Barriers Executive Team, with support from individuals and organizations both within and outside of SAS. The school plans to hold one live event each year, each about a different theme.

The conference is an empowering opportunity for a diverse range of speakers to express unique perspectives.

With the theme “Breaking Barriers,” the SAS students planning the event want to enable their student peers and faculty to discuss personal insight on their own life experiences.

“We hope this event promotes a culture of innovation where people regularly and comfortably share their ideas and gain support from the SAS community and beyond,” Cuozzo stated.

Already, the amount of momentum behind this event has been amazing – over 100 students submitted applications

to be a speaker or an executive team member, according to Cuozzo. During speaker auditions in the past few weeks, members of the Breaking Barriers Executive Team and a teacher panel have heard exceptional talks on topics ranging from mental disabilities to the process behind building portable satellites.

“Personally, I have always loved watching TED talks, so it feels incredible to help plan this event in our own school community,” said Sunita Srivatsan, an SAS student who is serving as a communications and marketing director of this year’s event.

Organizing TEDxYouth@SAS has been a great challenge, but such a wonderful opportunity. Srivatsan continued, “As TEDxYouth@SAS nears, we hope to empower students to participate in an enriching experience that can help ‘break barriers’ for our school community as a whole.”

TEDxYouth@SAS: Breaking Barriers Executive Team Lead Organizer: Kaelan Cuozzo Co-Organizer (and teacher sponsor): Martha Began Executive Producer: Shivani Rao Curators: Micaela Tam & Natalie Weinrauch Designers: Nadia Kim, Bianca Antonio & Chris Zhu Event Managers: Sophia Law, Mark Schoen, Jaclyn Chan, & Kiersten Potter Event Hosts: Jeane Khang & Michael Chu Delegates Coordinators: Roopal Kondepudi, Janvi Kalra, & Alex Cuozzo Photographers & Videographers: Christopher Chan, Kelly Chung, & Chloe Shin-Gay Website Managers: Erika Angell & Jennifer Osborne Finance & Sponsorship Coordinators: Annie Kim & Keshav Jagannath Communications & Marketing Directors: Sunita Srivatsan, Meera Navlakha, & Danielle Wait Set & Technology Specialist: Karisa Poedjirahardjo

SCREAMS, BLOOD, AND SPRINTING

Photo by Sandhya Bala

Photo by Seo Young Lee

Photo by Sandhya Bala

Photo by Seo Young Lee

By Sandhya Bala, Grade 10 Student Sandy Bala is a sophomore at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Sandy enjoys writing, photography, and visiting new places with the hopes of joining the active journalism field in the future.

Screams, blood, and sprinting - three words to describe GK’s Zombie Run. On April 2, more than 250 students gathered to participate in Gawad Kalinga’s (GK) Zombie Run. This was their second Zombie Run; the first was in November 2013.

GK is a high school service club based on the Gawad Kalinga NGO in Philippines and is run by Justin Peterson, Bianca Antonio, Ken Yen, Kiana Baghaie, Jack Denzel, and Michael Chu. The club’s goal is to raise awareness about poverty in the Philippines, collect funds, and create opportunities for the SAS community to get involved with the cause. One way the club raises funds and awareness is through one of their biggest projects of the year - the Zombie Run.

What was the purpose of the Zombie Run? The goal of the Zombie Run was to raise awareness about Gawad Kalinga and our mission, as well as raise funds and create an opportunity for the entire SAS community to get involved with our cause.

Who helped out with organizing the run?

We try and give our club members many opportunities to get involved and be an active member. A committee of 30 students planned the run (six club officers and 24 club members). As a committee, we were in charge of dealing with marketing, registration, logistics, and member involvement. Another way people got involved with the Zombie Run was by being a zombie, or being a marshall.

All the zombies were either high school or middle school GK club members and all the marshalls were parents gracious enough to help us with the event. Our two club sponsors, Mr. Craig and Mr. Sturgeon, and three parents, Anna Peterson, Aura Antonio, and Mia Lorenzo, also helped within the committee. Anyone from the club could sign up for any of these volunteer positions

The general concept of the Zombie Run was quite simple - students dressed up as zombies and chased other students; however, it was much harder than it sounds. Each participant began the run with three ribbons, signifying three lives. As the race commenced, participants ran approximately 3 kilometers around the SAS campus while simultaneously dodged the 60 ribbon-stealing zombies. “Zombie zones” were scattered throughout the course where zombies were waiting to steal your lives; everywhere else was a “safe zone.” If participants finished with at least one ribbon remaining, they successfully survived the zombie run and outsmarted the zombies! However, that required crazy dodging abilities and a really good stamina.

How did you come up with the idea of Zombie Run? One of the club officers came up with the idea of hosting a Zombie Run at SAS after seeing one advertised in the Philippines.

The screams and big smiles indicated that the event was highly successful, which is why I wanted to get in contact with the club’s president, Justin Peterson, to get a behindthe-scenes scoop of the Zombie Run.

Favorite part of the whole event?

Seeing months of work finally result in a great event. It was great to see the participants having fun and just enjoying themselves

How do you think the event went this year?

It was a great success. The event itself was great, we raised over S$10,000 and had over 250 participants. One of the best parts was seeing the club members, who were a part of the committee, start taking more initiative and become more passionate for the cause.

Is there anything you would to change for next year?

We would love to have a date closer to Halloween.

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SEAMC: AN ACTION-PACKED MATH COMPETITION IN HONG KONG

By Rhea Jain, Grade 10 Student Rhea Jain is a sophomore at Singapore American School and an intern in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. She enjoys activities such as debate and Model United Nations after school, and her favorite classes are math, science, and history.

During the last weekend of February, 41 schools from across Southeast Asia gathered in Hong Kong for the Southeast Asian Mathematics Competition (SEAMC), an annual math competition for students 15 years old or younger. Each school took two teams of three people each.

After months of preparation and coaching by Sun Jay Yoo, Richard Law, and Aryaman Tammalapalli, six SAS students - Soumil Mukherjee, Annie Kim, John Hahn, Jihwan Choi, Andrew Fu, and myself - left for an action-packed weekend to Hong Kong.

The competition brought us many amazing experiences.

There was a tremendous effort to encourage interaction between students, and in the process, we all made some great friends. There were many team-building math related activities, from giant sudokus to logic puzzles. We had the opportunity to travel around Hong Kong, and even had a few hours at an amusement park, Ocean Park!

It was a great experience to meet and learn from new people, alumni, competitors, and engaging speakers.

The highlight of the trip was, of course, the math. The competition itself was multifaceted; it consisted of multiple types of team rounds, two individual rounds, and other team activities. The three-team rounds were the energizer (quick questions with one member of the team running up to turn them in), the pass-back round (a round where each team member worked individually but passed answers back to each other to come up with a final solution), and the team round (where all team members worked together simultaneously on twelve problems). While some of the team rounds, such as the energizer round, required quick thinking and mental math abilities, they all required us to not only use the math we had learned, but also apply logic and reasoning to solve abstract and different types of problems. I, along with my team members, have grown a lot and learned a lot over the course of the competition.

All of our hard work paid off at the end of the conference.

Individually, Annie won 10th place and Soumil won 4th place. Meanwhile, the SAS team 1 - composed of Soumil, Annie, and myself - took gold for the pass-back round, silver on the team round, and gold for the overall team score. This was the first time SAS had made the top three teams since 2006, and needless to say, it was an extraordinarily proud moment for all three of us. It was a memorable competition, and I hope that it inspires others in the future the way it inspired me.

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WORLD DOWN-SYNDROME AWARENESS DAY By the Visionary Club Officers

“Chromosomes should not determine the value of a life.”

Anonymous

students wrapped rubber bands around the socks to create patterns using a variety of dyes.

The Visionary Club is an SAS service club that aims to enrich the lives of the visually, hearing, and intellectually impaired through artistic endeavours. We believe that everyone has the potential and ability to live fulfilling lives, regardless of congenital conditions.

Since SAS was the kickstarter of Down Syndrome awareness events leading up to World Down Syndrome Day, the local media was enthusiastic about covering Visionary Club’s tie-dyeing event. The Straits Times and Channel News Asia were some of the media outlets that came to SAS specifically to cover our event. The crowd of SAS students, MINDS residents, and news reporters surrounded the buckets of tie dye on the atrium floor. Everybody enjoyed watching both the interactions between Visionary Club members and the Down Syndrome clients. The World Down Syndrome Day awareness event has been one of the most engaging and exciting activities that Visionary Club has brought to SAS.

Recently, Visionary Club hosted an awareness event in recognition of World Down Syndrome Day. Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder which results in three copies of the 21 chromosome instead of two.

This extra chromosome causes individuals with Down Syndrome to experience slow mental development, growth delays, and distinctive facial features. Despite these struggles, such individuals long for specialized attention to help pursue their ambitions and cultivate their unique abilities. As recognition for the struggles faced by individuals with Down Syndrome increases, more people are advocating for their social integration. The 21 of March (to symbolize the three copies of the 21 chromosome) has been designated as World Down Syndrome Day, an internationally observed occasion to raise awareness for people who are marginalized because of their chromosomal abnormalities.

To kick off celebrations for World Down Syndrome Day, we as the Visionary Club encouraged Singapore American School students to sport brightly-colored socks, the trademark of down syndrome awareness, to school on March 20. Along with our partner, Movement for the Intellectually Disabled (MINDS), we worked to raise awareness for Down Syndrome, hosting a tiedyeing activity to fundraise and allow students to actively participate in World Down Syndrome Day. We also invited some of the residents from MINDS with Down Syndrome to participate in our tie-dyeing event and tour SAS. When the lunch bell rang, MINDS residents and SAS students gathered in the atrium to tie-dye socks and get to know each other better. After carefully retrieving the socks from a steaming bucket of hot water and soda ash,

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EXCERPTS FROM THE EYE The Eye is the student-produced online newspaper of Singapore American School. Launched in 2010, the mission of The Eye is to provide informative and entertaining coverage of relevant events, trends, and topics at SAS, in Singapore, and worldwide to the members of the high school community. Below are three examples of articles that recently graced the online publication. For these stories and more, visit http://saseye.com/

His Final Farewell: Lee Kuan Yew Posted on April 1, 2015 by Gabriel Goh in News “Even from my sickbed, even if you are going to lower me into the grave and I feel that something is going wrong, I will get up,” Lee Kuan Yew stated in a famous speech from 1988. Many of us here at SAS were not even born when he firmly promised those words, but his dedication and resilience still resonates within the foundations of the Singapore we live in today. Although most of us are foreigners living in this country, we have made Singapore our home, and without Lee Kuan Yew’s indomitable will to create this nation, none of us would be here today. http://saseye.com/2015/04/01/his-final-farewell-lee-kuan-yew/

An interview with Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye, spoken word poets

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Sheyna Cruz in Arts & Entertainment Back in March, SAS hosted two talented guest speakers, Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye. In addition to delivering TED talks (view some of Sarah’s and Phil’s work) and performing all over the world, they coordinate Project V.O.I.C.E. which aims to empower people through the art form of spoken word poetry. The Eye interviewed Sarah and Phil to find out what it’s like to be professional poets, how their high school experiences shaped them, and why so many people think they’re siblings. http://saseye.com/2015/04/16/an-interview-with-sarah-kay-and-phil-kaye-spokenword-poets/

Transgender is turning mainstream, though acceptance is slow in Singapore Posted on April 14, 2015 by Sophia Coulter in News

Celebrities, Navy SEALs, television news reporters, and models are now bringing more attention to the transgender community in the West. Here in Singapore, the transgender population isn’t making the headlines that it is in the West, but steps are being taken to increase acceptance. http://saseye.com/2015/04/14/transgender-is-turning-mainstream-thoughacceptance-is-slow-in-singapore/

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THE AP ART SHOW ZEN AND PAPER

By Barbara Harvey High School Visual Arts Teacher

For those who are not familiar with this once a year spectacular, our incredible AP art students display a portion of their portfolios in the Riady Performing Arts Center. Our opening night event was a tremendous success and gave our artists an opportunity to showcase their works.

Each artist had a QR code linked to a statement or video that gave insight into the creation process and the artist behind the piece.

There were 72 AP Art students and the show featured over 500 unique pieces of art.

AP Art students created and submitted

1,272 Two Dimensional Works

380 Three Dimensional Works

1,652 Total Works of Art

8

in just over months

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DRAMA REHAB: REVENGE OF THE TYPECAST ACTORS

By Tom Schulz High School Theater Teacher

Featuring twenty of the theater program’s rising stars, Drama Rehab – written by D. Tupper McKnight – is the place actors go to shed their stock character images, and learn how to land the roles they’ve always wanted to play. Or do they? Will the actors break out of their stereotypes, or will they resort to murder first?

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SAS PERFORMERS SHARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM EURYDICE

By Kelly Chung, Grade 11 Student Kelly Chung, a junior at Singapore American School, is in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program.

She’s been at SAS for six years and is interested in photography, journalism, economics, and various social studies.

A tragic love story of Orpheus and Eurydice turned into a beautiful craft on stage at IASAS Cultural Convention 2015. This year, Singapore American School’s IASAS dance and theater team came together to perform Eurydice, which is based on the famous Greek mythology of Orpheus saving his beloved wife, Eurydice, from the underworld after an unfortunate death. With its own unique interpretation and taste, the dance and ​drama team incorporated original dances and script to depict the love, agony, and joy of this piece. After months of practice, the actors and dancers delivered an awe striking performance that brought laughter and tears to the crowd. SAS’s dance and drama departments have always received endless compliments regarding its performances but without a doubt, the standing ovation from a full house proved that Eurydice was one of the greatest pieces SAS has ever performed. Below, the performers of Eurydice share their inspirations, experiences, and highlights from the show.

What was most exciting about being part of Eurydice?

I think my favorite part about working on Eurydice was the opportunity to collaborate with the IASAS Drama Team. A joint piece has never been done before at IASAS, so it was a really exciting thing to be a part of.

Also, I just think we all learned a lot from each other through working together.

Catie Lee (12 - dancer) Although a difficult question, I'd have to say the best thing about being a part of 'Eurydice' was

having the opportunity to be part of such a dedicated, passionate, and talented ensemble. It was amazing to see each and every one of us push ourselves in so many new ways.

More than anything, it was beyond fulfilling to see each of us come out of this entire process as much stronger performers, creators, and collaborators.

Fiona Galey (12 - actress) How was Eurydice different from any other theatrical performances you’ve been part of at SAS? This year's IASAS drama play is different than any other production that I've done as it is a dance and drama combined piece. What I liked is the way these two art forms complemented each other and worked in a sort of symbiosis, thus, creating a piece that was both emotionally evocative and visually stunning.

Sid Iyer Sequeira (12 - actor) What was preparation for the play like?

The preparation for Eurydice was easily very different than any other play I've ever been in. Since it was drama and dance coming together to create the production, the entire process was somewhat of an experiment. It was definitely difficult at times since both dance and drama have very different rehearsal processes - dancers are used to choreographing their own pieces and being in almost complete control, whereas actors are usually given a script and work off of that to tell their story. It was a worthwhile challenge though, figuring out how to work together. It was very important to all of us that the dance and drama

complemented each other, rather than competed. Beyond that, we didn't have an original script, so for the actors at least, it was challenging but invigorating to devise the piece.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning and getting inspiration from the dancers, to become a stronger performer.

For example, the dancers really showed me that your physicality and body language on stage can be just as crucial as speech to tell a good story. It was wonderful seeing both the dance and drama learn from each other, so that by the end we had all learned to truly respect each others' art forms, and found how to successfully merge them together.

Fiona Galey (12 - actress) Did you have a personal goal you wanted to reach performing Eurydice?

My personal goals weren't a priority in this piece as I wanted to see the company's success rather than my personal success. A definite challenge was finding the balance between how much dance and how much drama was incorporated in the piece.

Sid Iyer Sequeira (12 - actor) What was the core to the dance choreography?

The choreography is completely original, and we create it all ourselves over the course of two to three months. This year, our inspiration came from the storyline of the Greek myth, "Orpheus and Eurydice," but unlike the drama students, we had no outline or "backbone" for our work that came from another production.

We would alter and create our choreography based on both the mood of a scene and the plot of the

myth. Each practice (which occurred every Monday through Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) our coach, Ms. Van der Linden, would assign us a scene to choreograph and we would break off into groups, choreograph, then come together and share. After coming up with this choreography we were able to apply time, use of space, energy, retrograde, and other choreographic devices to make our piece not only more interesting but also aesthetically pleasing.

Danielle Wait (11 - dancer) The core of our choreography really came from the story itself. The actors were primarily responsible for creating the story, we fit dance sections where we thought they were appropriate, and choreographed whatever events or emotions needed to be portrayed for the scene.

Catie Lee (12 - dancer) Was there a specific part in the play you felt very emotionally connected to as you danced?

I felt emotionally connected to the symphony piece, mostly because the actors had set up the scene perfectly so that it would make complete sense, but also because it required us to channel our emotions in order to convey the mood that the piece required. Half way through the piece, we were meant to switch our energy and emotion from "happy to sad" (I know... descriptive...) in order to portray the fact that all of Orpheus' music became sad when Eurydice died. Because of this necessary exhibition of emotion, we all had to search deep for an idea that would connect us to the piece personally, in order for our emotion to be strong.

Danielle Wait (11 - dancer) To me, the most emotional part of the show was the Dance of Breath and Wind, which was in long black dresses to "Work Song" by Hozier.

It's meant to highlight Orpheus's love and dedication to Eurydice, as well as the tragedy of their circumstance.

I think the choreography and music was exactly what we all wanted, and it just always felt really cathartic to perform.

Catie Lee (12 - dancer)

What will you remember the most from the play?

I will definitely remember the standing ovation at the end because although we were proud of the piece I don't think any of us really thought that we would get such an outstanding reaction! I'll also remember how at the beginning of the whole process a lot of us were pretty stressed out and there was some tension between the cast because none of us were all that eager to combine dance and drama but by the end during our group huddle before the final show, I think every single one of us was smiling with so much pride.

Hannah Horowitz (11 - actress) [I will remember] the successful combination of dance and drama. At first, I think it's safe to say we were all to some extent against having a combined piece because we were afraid one would overpower the other, but thanks to our directors we really managed to portray the two pretty fairly, and both of the groups learned so much from one another. I think we complemented each other very well.

Amelia Rasekhy (11 - actress) For the seniors...this is your last big drama performance at SAS as a high schooler. How do you feel now that it's all been done?

It's honestly so bittersweet. I couldn't be happier to have done Eurydice as my last theater performance in high school, it's something that I will never forget. Theater has played a massive role in making me who I am today, it has forced me to not only get myself out there, but to work with others in a creative environment and think critically. I am so fortunate and glad to have have grown as a person through the well-developed theater program at SAS. Fiona Galey (12 - actress) It's a strange feeling. I think it's just started to hit me - the end of my high school acting career. Having an important chapter in your life like this be closed is a heart wrenching thing. But I am also happy to step away from this theater program as I know it will be in good hands.

People wonder if after their time they

would've left a mark, a legacy on the world. I believe that my co-star, Justin Smith and I, have done exactly that. I am so happy and content.

Sid Iyer Sequiera (12 - actor) Many say that Eurydice is probably one of the best performances SAS has ever done. What do you think made it so successful?

The combination of dance, drama, and music made the piece really stand out but since not everything was happening at the same time, the story wasn’t too confusing to understand. The originality and contrast of a lot of the monologues and dialogue also made the piece really good I think!

Hannah Horowitz (11) They always say that the performance that the audience sees is just the tip of the iceberg, and it's probably the most accurate saying out there.

Nobody sees what goes underneath/​ backstage. We rehearsed for the show every school day from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and most Saturdays ranging from four to 10 hours. It wasn't just the amount of time we spent on it, though.

Mr. Schulz always says that he prefers to use the German word "probe," meaning "experiment," rather than "rehearsal" because rehearsing means falling into habit by repetition. We as a cast managed to change countless things about the show every rehearsal through experimentation, and I truly believe that is why our show became the success that it is. We were not afraid to take risks. We spent all our time and energy into taking risks to make the tip of the iceberg perfectly sculpted.

Amelia Rasekhy (11)

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AMIS HONOR BAND & ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL

By Stephen J. Bonnette Performing Arts Department Chair

The Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) held their annual high school Honor Band & Orchestra Festival on March 19 -21, and selected Singapore American School to host this epic event.

Although this was the 40th Annual AMIS International Honor Band & Orchestra Festival, it was the first time that the strings and band met at the same venue.

Two hundred of the finest high school instrumentalists in the world - including 25 SAS students – prepared a thrilling program with a culminating concert on March 21 in the SAS Riady Auditorium. The students who performed underwent a rigorous audition process prior to being selected as delegates at the prestigious ensemble.

SAS Delegates: Jayhyun Jenny Chang Sarah Choi Justin Choi Hanna Chuang Marissa Coombs Lizzy Ferrell Ji Sue Hahn Ashley Hyun Sae Jin Jang Jae Yong Ju Seo Yeon Kim Maddie Kingan Dana Lim Vincent Liu Ben Mendel Yoon Namgoong Yong Seok Sam Oh Zoe Ong Isaac Ooi Sean Park Ashley Shin Chloe Shin-Gay Aleksi Solorio Jina Sung Rory Vine

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TRACK AND FIELD2015

Records were broken as Singapore American School hosted the 2015 IASAS Track and Field meet. Senior Gracie Georgi enjoyed a winning weekend as she broke school and IASAS records in several events. Georgi broke the 800 meter and 1500 meter IASAS records, along with a school record in the 3000 meter. She also combined with Andrea Horn, Chloe Ferguson, and Zoe Bonnette to break the school record in the 1600 meter relay. Our boys' team secured a third place spot while the girls' team ended at the top of the standings in first place.

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ACSIS ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

By Paul Welsh Assistant Ultimate Coach

The Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools (ACSIS) Ultimate Championship Tournament took place on April 27 at Singapore American School.

The championship saw nine coed teams from six different international schools playing for the top seat in ultimate at the high school level in the country.

This third annual contest was the toughest tournament yet with the Eagles' margins of victory or defeat all coming down to only one or two points. After two tight wins over ICS and Dover, the Eagles lost to Waseda in a very close final match that came down to the last point in the final minutes of the game. All the Eagles played well and advanced their seeding from third over the season to second in the league. Stellar performances came from captain Noah Thomas, Josh, Nick, and all the girls who had few subs throughout the tournament. Well done, Eagles!

Ultimate continues to be one of the world's fastest growing team sports, attracting players that combine aspects of soccer, basketball, and hockey with the finesse of a flying disk to produce a fast, action filled game.

Thanks for a great year go to coach Simon Gustafson and assistant coach Peggy Yang.

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SOMETHING LEARNED ALONG THE WAY

By Mark Swarstad Girls Varsity Softball Coach

Photo by Anna Peterson

2015 IASAS Softball in Jakarta will be memorable for the helpfulness and friendliness of the JIS community, the 39 degree weather and 90 percent humidity that our teams played through, and for the tenacity and determination that our varsity girls showed through each game.

We were not consistent in playing great ball – in any game. In fact, we could very easily have lost our first three games – we certainly gave it a try! That first game against International School of Kuala Lumpur had us leading but then letting the Panthers catch up until the regular game ended tied. We started the extra inning with a runner on second and had three outs to score as often as we could.

We did push one runner across, but then allowed KL to do the same in their half of the inning. One more inning brought out better hitting and we scored four times – including a bases loaded triple by senior Allie Barrett and shut down KL for the victory.

In the afternoon we led International School Bangkok going into the final inning and allowed them to pull within two runs. They loaded the bases and we faced their best hitter who had already come up with a crush to right field that got her a triple. Rather than give her the chance to beat us with a hit, we gave her an intentional walk, forcing in a run that left us with a one run lead, two outs, and bases loaded. Senior pitcher Abby Sardjono stayed calm and pitched strikes to the next batter who hit into an out to give us the second ‘hold your breath’ win of the day.

The next morning brought us against Taipei American School, a team we beat handily at Exchange. This time the Tigers were tougher – and errors by our defense helped their cause. The regular seven innings finished with us tied, and it was back to extra innings. We scored twice in our half of the inning and shut down TAS for our third win.

Against Jakarta Intercultural School in the afternoon we put together a better game and won 9-0 – enjoying the change, which created better sleep.

Saturday morning brought International School Manila and the Eagles to the field – both teams with 4-0 records.

At Exchange, ISM destroyed us in our first game but then

we lost by just a run in the second. We knew that they had the best team at IASAS with good skills and great team spirit. On Saturday morning we surprised all but ourselves by putting together a strong game and winning 10-8. That took both of us into the final in the late afternoon, with us wondering if we could beat them two in a row.

With the after-rain air a little cooler, we eventually played a strong six innings in that final game of the 2015 softball season. However, in the first inning we gave up five runs as Manila hit where we weren’t, and two errors kept their inning going. Our own hitting just didn’t happen, and Manila chose to walk slugger Tess Nelligan intentionally each time she came to bat. We did push across three runs in the final inning but came up short, 6-3. The ISM Bearcats looked good each game and gold medals were theirs to take home.

What stands out in this tournament was not our play in the games, as much as it was our no-quit attitude – our determination – our tenacity. Yes, we created bad situations for ourselves, but we overcame them, kept our cool, and finished strong. This was a strength that we really didn’t see or know that we had – until it counted. In the words of senior MVP Tess Nelligan, “We left the field with no regrets.”

Three Eagles made All IASAS – Tess, Tiffany Yu, and Abby Sardjono. Coaches Kevin Piers and Mark Swarstad give their thanks to our team, their parents for supporting us in Jakarta, and our two senior captains for their help in building the Eagles – Maddie Hurst (winner of The Eagle Way award) and Abby Sardjono.

ARTSY/EXPERIMENTAL THE EAGLE WAY

GABRIELLE BANCROFT

MONUMENTS -ARCHITECTURE

TALYA THOMAS

DANA LIM

PEOPLE

INTERIM SEMESTER PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS

NATURE-LANDSCAPE

BIANCA ANTONIO

NINA HANZ

2nd

3rd

2nd

3rd

2nd

3rd

2nd

3rd

2nd

4th

FRANCES VAN VUUREN

JEANE KHANG

ARIEL SO

4th

CAMERON ELMS

TANVI DUTTA GUPTA

EMILY FISCHER

4th

JOSHUA GRAVES

TANVI DUTTA GUPTA

NINA HANZ

BIANCA ANTONIO

KAHO MONICA MATSUBARA

LUCY KIM

ABBO NATHAN

4th

3rd

JEANE KHANG

4th

MORIAH STUART

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BOOSTER club

GIVING TIME, HEARTS, AND TALENTS TO SUPPORT OUR EAGLES

By Lan Fisher Booster Club President Ask a friend how he or she is doing and the most likely response will be: “Busy! So busy! Crazy busy!” It is no wonder so much has been written about today’s culture of being busy.

With kids’ activities, yoga classes, tennis lessons, social engagements, volunteering for non-profits, and of course, the lure of travel and what expat living has to offer, people have a lot of priorities competing for their time. And that's why it is especially meaningful, as another school year comes to a close, to recognize our high school parent volunteers and the incredible contributions they make to Booster Club and our high school community. Our volunteers are the foundation of our organization and the success of our mission would not be possible without their hard work, commitment, and dedication.

National Volunteer Month is celebrated in April. It is a special time set aside to recognize and thank volunteers for their work throughout the year, an opportunity to reflect on how much involvement impacts not only our school community but also the volunteers themselves. No doubt corporate contributions and individual donations are a vital source of fundraising, but volunteer hours can go much deeper than just mailing in a check. When people volunteer, they are able to experience first-hand why and for whom the organization exists and this understanding often reinforces the meaningfulness of the volunteer experience.

While most volunteers donate their time and talent for various reasons, very few do it for praise and recognition. Our volunteers give their valuable time because they all share a common goal: to support our children and enhance their learning experience. Offering their skills, abilities, support, compassion, and humor, they give their time generously with no expectation of reward. Yet, when they volunteer, they immediately realize they do get paid - in friendships, appreciation, fun, fulfillment, and a number of other unexpected rewards.

One of the greatest aspects of volunteerism is that there are so many different ways to do it without having to commit on a regular basis.

Volunteering can be very flexible, depending on your interests, time, and skills. When asked what she gained from volunteering, parent and Honor Recognition Chair, Tammy Charter, emphasized, “Information.

Information. Information. Working with the women from Booster helps you stay in touch with what is going on in the school, both academically and socially. It’s all a great learning experience and it can be fun along the way, even when you make mistakes!” High school and middle school parent Mary Kate Wallace got involved as Booster Uniform Chair to be informed, meet other high school parents, and to utilize her talents to help the Booster Club and students.

Her advice to all high school parents,

“Get involved! It is a great way to meet people, to know what's going on at school and to feel connected to the school and your kids.”

The end of the school year is always a good time to reflect and appreciate the accomplishments of our parent volunteers. It’s also a good time to reflect on how we can become more involved in our school communities and to realize that it’s all about our children - their social well being, academics, and opportunities.

Again, thank you to the SAS parent community for your generous support!

We are truly grateful for all your hard work and commitment.

To departing SAS families, we wish you a heartfelt goodbye and wish you all the best on your next adventure.

To returning families, we will see you in August and look forward to another successful school year.

Have a blessed, safe, and happy summer!

With thanks and appreciation, Booster Executive Board Lan Fisher, President Kay Schot, Vice-President Chris Ferguson, Secretary Heide Angell, Treasurer Garima Lalwani, Parliamentarian

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BOOSTER club

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PTA

LOOKING AHEAD

By Becky Moseley PTA President I am writing my last article as PTA president. I am viewing this as an opportunity for reflection, but also as an opportunity to look forward to change. I have 10 years of Singapore American School memories, as well as 15 years as a parent volunteer before I came to Singapore. There is a lot to reflect on. At the same time, SAS is changing at a rapid pace and the PTA will change with it. I will still be here one more year, watching from the front row.

When my oldest daughter began school, I was excited about volunteering in her classroom. I had two other little ones and had become a stay at home mom. I had grown up with a mother who was active in my schools and volunteered throughout my community, so it seemed like such a natural thing to do. Over the years I have done just about every parent volunteer job possible.

I have sewn costumes for plays, chaperoned field trips, and baked cookies When you have five children the opportunities to volunteer are always there.

Ten years ago, I arrived in Singapore with no idea what I would do at SAS. I had been doing this parent volunteer thing for a long time already. I thought I might need a break, but I am a joiner. I signed

up for PTA sales and room parent for my youngest. I started meeting other SAS parents and became even more involved. I had become part of a wonderful, caring community. I was thrilled when I was asked to join the PTA Board and chair the Book Fair. I loved the Book Fair so much, I chaired it for three years.

Since I joined the PTA Board, SAS has changed tremendously. First, the school had almost doubled in size.

This translates into a very diverse student body with varying needs.

This also means a very different parent group from which to attract volunteers. There are more families with two working parents. There are more families who are not on expat packages that include tuition. There are families from more countries with more home languages than ever before. With so many changes to our community, the PTA has to evolve.

We also have to respond to advances in technology. A paper directory no longer makes sense. When everyone uses email, backpack mail becomes a waste of paper. The PTA can’t always react to the changes as quickly as we would like, but we try.

Recently, a group from the PTA joined with representatives of the administration, school board, teachers, Booster Club, and other

parent volunteers for a Parent Summit. Our goal was to define what constituted parent engagement and how to increase it. We all felt that parent involvement is crucial to the success of our school and especially our students. We acknowledged that parent engagement takes forms other than volunteering, but we also wanted to see parents stepping up to fill ever-changing roles. We have so many talented parents who could contribute in new ways, such as mentoring and offering internships, as well as the old-fashioned cookie baking. With increases in parent involvement, the SAS community will be strong and supportive of the school, the students, and each other.

Next year, I will be on campus in another role. I will be the mother of a graduating senior. He is my youngest, so I will finally be moving on from my job as parent volunteer.

I will still be with the PTA, helping where I am needed and watching all the changes from my front row seat.

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STAFF APPRECIATION DAY The SAS PTA hosted Staff Appreciation Day on April 28. Staff Appreciation Day is a day for the PTA and our many students and parents to say thank you to all of the hardworking and caring teachers and staff at SAS who give so much to help our children and our community every day.

The PTA would also like to thank the many students who helped create cherished keepsakes of thanks for their teachers, to parents who sent in special notes of thanks as well as food and drink. And a special thank you goes to Jodi Jonis, PTA Hospitality Chair, and our division and grade level PTA representatives who worked so hard to make the day special for our SAS staff.

PTA

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Community

CARING FOR CAMBODIA’S EXCITING YEAR: FROM SAS VOLUNTEERS TO FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

By Sarah Farris Elementary Counselor for Grades K to 2 and CFC Volunteer

Caring for Cambodia (CFC) was started in 2003 by former SAS parent, Jamie Amelio. CFC has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception, and it would not have been possible without the grassroots efforts of the SAS teachers, students, and wider community. As CFC moves into its 12th year, it continues to be a wonderful reflection of the SAS community. This past year has been an incredibly exciting year for CFC, and is proof that the core values and beliefs of the SAS community can grow into something that affects change on a worldwide scale.

Caring for Cambodia (CFC) has educated over 8,500 students since its start, with the goal of increasing retention, and providing a life changing world-class education.

CFC has taken responsibility for eight government schools in the Siem Reap area since 2003. Statistics indicate that schools involved in the CFC program increase enrollment over a five-year period by an average of 70 percent. SAS teachers travel to Siem Reap each year to train teachers on the ground, providing professional development and current best practices. The SAS teachers, representing the elementary school to high school, give up their holidays to assist in Siem Reap.

This November, the elementary school team, led by Sarah Farris and Jenny Redlin, travelled to Siem Reap with a team of 22 teachers.

Professional development focused on problem-solving in the math curriculum. Elementary School Deputy Principal Marc L’Heureux and High School Principal Darin Fahrney led the administrative training.

Anne Wenstrom and Selvie Sundari continued their fantastic work with the PE teachers. In addition to SAS teachers, a team from Taipei American School (TAS) joined the trip. We look forward to another wonderful trip next Thanksgiving! In addition to the fantastic work by SAS teachers, the CFC service clubs in the high school, led by Lauren Murphy and Kate Brundage, continue to affect change through volunteer efforts and raising awareness about CFC and Cambodia. Thank you to all of the volunteers who dedicate their time and give up their holidays each year. You are keeping the orange spirit alive!

In March, CFC announced that Vanessa Moore would take over the role of Singapore country manager.

Vanessa, an SAS parent with three children in the elementary school, will be responsible for coordinating and developing all volunteer operations and programs in Singapore. It is exciting to have a Singapore country manager with deep roots in the

SAS community. She will be able to work with students, teachers, administrators, and parents to keep the CFC spirit alive and growing.

Please help us congratulate and welcome Vanessa to her new role!

In March, CFC welcomed First Lady Michelle Obama to Bakong High School. It was an incredible honor!

The students who met with the First Lady are part of GirlsMatter, CFC’s gender equity program. This program developed as a result of the hard work of CFC's team members in Siem Reap and volunteers around the globe. CFC believes that all girls around the globe can make a difference.

What started out with one SAS parent in 2003 has grown into a respected organization, recognized by both the United States and Cambodia. The Cambodian Minister of Education, Hang Chang Naron, declared that, “Caring for Cambodia is the model for all schools in Cambodia.” Not only is SAS known as a world leader in the field of education, it is known for nurturing and inspiring students, teachers, and parents to be world leaders in making our world a better place.

Are you interested in volunteering?

Check out the CFC website (http:// caringforcambodia.org) to see how you can be part of CFC family.

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Community

A YOUNG LEADER’S PERSPECTIVE: BEING A PROGRAM AIDE AT GIRL SCOUT CAMP

By Sarah Helmueller Grade 10 Student

Overnight camp is not just for the young girls, it’s for the older girls also, especially for me. Counseling at camp can be even more enriching than participating as a camper. My job as a counselor is to help the girls have the best time they can have.

I look after the girls, plan activities, teach songs and games, and basically help them have fun. It’s like being a babysitter, but you become more like the girls’ best friend.

To become a Program Aide (PA), I had to go through a training session and develop basic skills I need to have as a leader. This includes setting a good example, having a plan, and knowing how to discipline and control. Being in my fourth year as a PA, I look forward to another year of long nights filled with flashlight wars, never-ending hours of shoelaces, and sunburns. Fun, right?

Despite that all these are true, none of them really matter in the bigger scheme of things.

Girl Scout camp is the yearly event I anticipate most. As a Senior Girl Scout, badges are more of a side activity while service to the Girl Scout community is more significant.

Surprisingly, I feel like I learn more from the girls than what they learn from me. I have learned so much about myself and gained confidence while giving back to the organization that gave me so much.

were gathered in a circle in the grass playing a game, giggling, and rolling around. The older Cadettes were already leading and I saw the smaller Brownies learning camp traditions that I learned at their age. It was really special to see. The most heartwarming part was the fact that I was part of this experience. I had helped these girls and was a part of their Girl Scout journey.

Camp isn’t just about the arts and crafts, or who gets top bunk, it’s about the friendships you form and the inspiration you gain. I’ve been able to create strong bonds with my friends through Girl Scout camp, but it’s also amazing to see the younger girls connect. At one point during camp this year, Julia (my fellow PA) and I were up in the cabin getting ready for the next activity, already exhausted, and it was only 10:00 a.m. The girls were downstairs; we figured they wouldn’t die for at least five minutes alone. When we looked out the window all the girls

One of the main reasons I continued with Girl Scouts was because I always wanted to be like the older counselors. They always seemed so refined and confident. Now I’m one of them, at age 16, and I love being able to reciprocate what was given to me. Camp is not just about the three-day weekend away from home, it lasts much longer, continuing as a uniting tradition. That’s the main idea of camp, it is an opportunity to grow as a Girl Scout through learning experiences, working with great leaders, and strengthening friendships.

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A SATURDAY AT THE PARK

By Eliot Sperling SAS Senior

Community

Although the Singapore American Football League (SAFL) normally runs from August to November, the players, coaches, parents, and supporters work endlessly throughout the year to promote American football in Singapore and to support the Singapore community through many different avenues.

Recently, the SAFL Falcons (the high school travel team) went on an outing with children from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance of Singapore (CPAS). The outing was organized by longtime coach and devoted member of the SAFL, Coach Jamie Matisin, and SACAC football coordinator, Jason Batt.

For the past seven years, Coach Matisin has organized fun outings for the CPAS children who rarely have an opportunity to go beyond the bounds of their schools and homes.

Senior captain and quarterback, Nick Holl said, “For these kids, going to the park with their parents is a special day. But going to the park with their classmates, parents, teachers, and a

group of football players is a once in a blue moon occasion.”

On March 14, the Falcons met at the Singapore American School where they boarded a bus with some trepidation and headed for CPAS. After arriving at CPAS, the Falcons were introduced to Mr. Ben Ng and Ms. Kai Ling who explained that for many of these children, it would be their first time getting to do something like this. Mr. Ng and Ms. Ling explained the different disabilities each child has and proper ways to interact with each child depending on his or her disability. Each Falcons player was assigned one child who would become his buddy for the day. After getting to know each other the group and headed for the “BIG YELLOW BUS!“ as the children excitedly called it.

The group headed for Punggol Point where the children would have the opportunity to go pony riding and bike riding. “Sitting on the bus next to my buddy, Clement, I was able to see that all the kids were engulfed

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with joy and sheer happiness,” stated sophomore lineman, Joe Brick. After arriving at the park the children and players were split into two groups, the first group going to ride the ponies and the second group going to ride bicycles. The two groups then alternated activities.

It was evident at this point that the children had relaxed and accepted the players as friends, shown by frequent hand holding and smiles directed at the players. Some of the children's mothers and teachers who had tagged along began easing up on their vigilant contact with the children, allowing the players to carry the children, help them pedal their bikes, and hold the reins of the ponies for them.

“Watching the children's eyes light up as they touched and rode the ponies was very moving. The children allowed me to leave my normal life behind and live in the moment,” said sophomore running back, William Dibiagio. The children and players were given carrots to feed the ponies, which proved a

Community

crowd favorite for all. Everyone was disappointed when the carrot supply ran out.

Finally, the players took the children to the local playground before heading to lunch. At the playground the children unleashed the last bits of energy they had, running furiously about the playground, which proved to be tiring, even for the players!

Lunch was a valuable learning experience for the players, as they were all able to see just how much work and effort the childrens’ parents and teachers must put in just to have some children take a bite or two of food, let alone a whole meal.

After lunch the group loaded back on the bus and began their journey back to the CPAS school. As the bus pulled up to the school, everyone’s emotions were subdued since it was time to say goodbye. The players said their final goodbyes to the CPAS children, parents, and teachers, with everyone giving one last hug and high five. It was a rewarding day for the Falcons players.

Senior captain and linebacker, Eliot Sperling said, “As American football players representing the SAFL and SACAC, we hold ourselves to a high standard. SAFL football is about more than just playing the game; it’s an avenue for developing youth into men of honor and integrity. We have a responsibility to be active in our community.” The Singapore American Football League (SAFL) teaches athletes that supporting and giving back to the community is equally, if not more, important than the game itself. Being role models in the Singapore community is and always has been a vital part of the SAFL program.

The SAFL program is open to students in grades two through twelve. Those looking for more information about the SAFL and its football programs may contact the Director of SAFL and SACAC Football, Jason Batt (jason@sacac. com) or visit the SAFL website (football.sacac.com).

CAMPUS SCENE

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CAMPUS SCENE

NOTABLE MENTIONS

By Kristina Doss Communications Specialist

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SAS DOMINATES NATIONAL HISTORY DAY CONTEST IN JAKARTA

Singapore American School middle students dominated a National History Day (NHD) contest in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Each of the 23 students who presented their NHD research either individually or as part of small teams placed at the competition, which took place in March. Also impressive: the majority of them – 17, to be exact – were awarded the top two spots in the categories they competed in, earning them an invitation to NHD finals near Washington D.C. in mid-June.

“It's an honor to have won a spot at nationals,” said Maddy Z., who is an eighth grade student at SAS. “None of us have ever had to work so hard or think on a completely new level about a project, and it really paid off in the end.”

NHD is a highly regarded non-profit academic program designed to promote the study of history. Each year, more than half a million sixth through 12th grade students from around the world participate in the program and compete for a chance to present their research at finals. Only about 3,000 of the top students earn a chance to attend the weeklong event at the University of Maryland, College Park.

This year, students were tasked with selecting research topics

that dealt with the NHD theme: Leadership and Legacy in History.

Maddy and her teammates Thani G. and Sophia D. created an exhibit on Rose Valland, who tracked art that the Nazis looted from Jews in France during World War II. Eventually, Valland worked with the Monuments Men and French Army to recover the art from castles, bunkers, and even salt mines, according to Maddy. The project won first place in the junior group exhibits category in Jakarta.

Another group of students crafted an exhibit about Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved 669 children – most of whom were Jewish – from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia on the brink of World War II. The exhibit

by Mehek J., Callie E., Jada L., and Madeleine P., won second place in the junior group exhibits category.

Exhibits weren’t the only platform SAS students used to present their historical research. Some chose to write a paper, perform, or produce a documentary. For a complete list of SAS students, their NHD projects, and how they placed at the contest in Jakarta, see below.

"It’s tough to beat an SAS project,” said Matthew Elms,

a grade eight social studies teacher and sponsor of the SAS Middle School NHD Club.

Elms attributed the students’ strong performance at the recent contest, which took place at British School Jakarta (BSJ), to their work ethic. SAS students who competed at BSJ had been working on their NHD projects since the beginning of the school year. The students “worked very long hours, sometimes until nine or ten at night to get their project finished,” he said.

The students’ passion for their projects also played a role, Elms said, which explains why the students called their research for the contest, “NHD projects versus NHD homework.”

To be sure, it helps if students are handy with craft and construction tools too, especially for those competing in the exhibit category. But Elms is quick to point out that the students’ focus was on their research and less on matching paint to a 1945 train station in London, for instance.

The students’ work isn’t over now that the contest in Jakarta is finished. Students must improve their respective projects prior to traveling to the University of Maryland, College Park for the finals.

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CAMPUS SCENE

Junior Group Exhibits: First Place Title: Rose Valland: Recovering Stolen Culture in France Students: Thani G., Maddy Z., Sophia D.

One group of students already started, recently speaking on the phone with one of the children Sir Nicholas Winton saved. The child, Hugo Marom, eventually grew up to become an Israeli pilot and saved children from the genocide in Biafra.

“We learned so much from speaking with (Hugo Marom),” said Mehek, who is part of the group that created the Winton exhibit. “He was inspired by Sir Nicholas Winton's actions to save the 30,000 children from Biafra.

He was also very passionate about how brave the parents were to let their children go away to an unknown country with a not very well known man in 1939. In fact, he is so enthusiastic about the topic that he wants to build a statue for these parents.”

The students’ phone call with Marom reflects the ultimate goal of the NHD experience.

It’s not about how well students do in contests, but what they learn while trying to get there.

They gain a deep knowledge of history by tracking down primary sources, negotiating international calls, interviewing people, grappling with language barriers, and researching. The students also develop tenacity and perseverance along the way.

“It's about getting out of the textbooks and Internet and into the world to see that

history is much more complex than anything we can see in a textbook,” said Elms.

Maddy agrees. “I know each one of us are still learning and making connections everyday to the topic that we will implement before Washington,” she said. “It's been an amazing experience.”

The photos included in this article were taken at Singapore American School's middle school library, where students showcased their NHD projects to administrators, teachers, and family members before traveling to Jakarta for the competition.

Second Place Title: “Save One Life, Save the World”: Sir Nicholas Winton’s Legacy of Leadership Students: Mehek J., Callie E., Jada L., Madeleine P.

Junior Individual Exhibits: First Place Title: Red Dress to Resurrection: The Legacy of Loung Ung Student: Nicole W. Junior Individual Papers: First Place Title: Small Yet Mighty: The Leadership and Legacy of Lim Bo Seng and Elizabeth Choy Student: Bryanna E.

Junior Group Performance: First Place Title: Anna Coleman Ladd: The Face of Compassion Students: Cristina E., Maria E., Ben K.

Junior Group Documentaries: First Place Title: Steve Jobs: Leading a Revolution in Leadership, Devices, and Design Students: Diego L. U., Nakul S., Samyukth I. S. Second Place Title: Finding Voices: The Legacy of Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation Students: Claire S., Katya A. Third Place Title: Dorothea Lange: Legacy though the Lens Students: Vivian C., Evelyn Z., Emily P. Fourth Place Title: The British Bulldog: Winston Churchill Students: Alexander D., Sven K., Oliver Z.

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CAMPUS SCENE

2

2015 SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS

Priyanka Aiyer, a ninth grader at SAS, won a gold medal for her poetry submission at the 2015 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Priyanka has been invited to join an awards ceremony that will be held at Carnegie Hall in New York City, N.Y., in June.

A number of other SAS students received nods from the prestigious program as well, earning gold keys, silver keys, or honorable mentions. See below for a list of SAS students who submitted work and how they fared in the 2015 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is a recognition program for creative teens in grades seven to 12. More than 300,000 works of art and writing were submitted for adjudication at the regional level in the awards’ 28 categories, which include poetry, painting, architecture, short story, fashion design, and more.

Since the program’s founding in 1923, the awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, including renowned alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their fields, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Philip Pearlstein, Sylvia Plath, and Stephen King.

GRADE 9 STUDENTS Priyanka Aiyer - gold medal (going to award ceremony in New York in June) Jamie Dehouck - gold key Nandini Jayaram - silver key and honorable mention GRADE 8 STUDENTS Olivia P. - gold key (went on to be judged at national level) Nicole W. - gold key (went on to be judged at national level), one silver key, and two honorable mentions Marium A. - silver key Megan C. - silver key and honorable mention Amelia L. - silver key and honorable mention Yu Young L. - silver key Anya R. - silver key Ariel T. - silver key Sabrina S. - honorable mention Stacey P. – participated in the competition

3

STUDENT RECOGNIZED FOR HIGH SAT RESULTS; TEST TAKEN IN 8TH GRADE

Priyanka Aiyer, who is currently in ninth grade at SAS, took her official SAT while still in eighth grade. She scored 760 in Writing (99th percentile), 730 in Critical Reading (97th percentile), and 630 in Math (81st percentile). Based on her above-grade-level SAT results, Priyanka qualified for the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Talent Search, and was recognized at the 2015 CTY Awards Ceremony at the University of Hong Kong on May 10.

4

SAS MENTIONED ON CNN STUDENT NEWS

A CNN Student News anchor mentioned Singapore American School during Roll Call. The television news program, which is produced by journalists at CNN, is designed for middle and high school classes. Many students around the world watch CNN Student News, including many grade five classes at SAS. In order to get mentioned during Roll Call, students must make one request every day on the Transcript and Roll Call page of CNN Student News’s website with the school’s name, mascot, and location. To check out the video where the news anchor mentions Singapore American School, visit: http://cnn. it/1zuXcQo

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CAMPUS SCENE

6

FIFTH ANNUAL POETRY OUT LOUD COMPETITION

The SAS English Department and PTA announced the winners of the Fifth Annual Poetry Out Loud competition, which was held in the drama theater on April 31. The contest was judged by Director of Curriculum Treena Casey, High School Deputy Principal Lauren Mehrbach, and Deborah Emmanuel, a local poet and performer. The PTA generously donated the prizes.

Second Prize (a $200 Kinokuniya voucher) went to Kathy Enright (Class of 2018), who recited "An Autumn Sunset" by Edith Wharton and "Monet Refuses the Operation" by Lisel Mueller.

First Prize (an iPad mini) went to Priyanka Aiyer (Class of 2018), who recited "The Applicant" by Sylvia Plath and "American Smooth" by Rita Dove.

Honorable Mention went to Ryu Morita (Class of 2018) and Jane Gardner (Class of 2015).

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Third Prize (a $100 Kinokuniya voucher) went to Seo Young Lee (Class of 2017), who recited "Baudelaire" by Delmore Schwartz and "The Conversation" by Ai.

SAS STUDENTS FEATURED ON CHANNEL NEWSASIA

SAS students were featured on Channel NewsAsia, both in an online article and on television news, in March for their efforts to raise money for Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) on World Down Syndrome Day. You can read the article and watch the video here: http://bit.ly/1EMvxcE

KINDERGARTENER WINS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Congratulations to our very talented and very young chess player, SAS Kindergarten student Sohum L.! He recently won the sixth National Kindergarten Chess Championship. He also ranked second in the Intchess Under-8 Tournament and is currently training with the Singapore Junior Chess Team. He will compete at the end of May in the Asian Schools Championship.

ROBOTICS TEAM HEADING TO WORLD COMPETITION

Singapore American School's Robotic Science class (taught by Meredith White and Bart Millar) brought two MATE (underwater) robots to the regional competition in Hong Kong April 17-20. There, One Degree North (Red), comprised of Janvi Kalra, Lucas Chiu, and Jayendra Minakshisundar finished fourth of 30 teams. This qualified them for an unprecedented third year in a row for the world competition, to be held in June in St. Johns, Newfoundland.

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CAMPUS SCENE

SAS DEBATE TEAM WINS AT IASAS CULTURAL CONVENTION

The speech and debate portion of the IASAS Cultural Convention was held in March at International School Manila (ISM). The team has been preparing and practicing since last August. It all paid off as the SAS Debate Team bested 11 elite teams from other IASAS schools to bring home the gold medal in parliamentary debate.

Over the three days of the tournament, team members Rohan Singh, Shiv Subrahmanian, and Varun Bindra debated seven times, with only one hour to prepare for each debate topic. The final round was against the host and hometown favorites, ISM. The topic was whether or not boycotting sweatshop labor was a successful business and humanitarian strategy. Singapore American School, coached by Devin Kay and Rick Bisset, won the round in a split decision, 3-2, to take the gold. The team will be moving on to the MOE-ACJC Intercollegiate National Championships held in June. The team has made the quarter-finals the last two years running.

10

SAS DEBATE TEAM MAKES THE GRAND-FINALS

The 10th grade debate team made up of Janvi Kalra, Sunita Srivatsan, Rhea Jain, Hope Tanudisastro, and Vanessa Smiley made the Div II Grand-Finals of the Singapore Secondary School Debate Championships (SSDC).

The SSDCs are the national debate tournament in Singapore held from February until April. The team proved strongest in the impromptu rounds in which motions are released only one hour before the match. SAS lost in a 5-2 decision against Anglo-Chinese School (International) to finish in second place. This is the second time in five years that SAS has made it to the grand-finals in debate.

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MATHCOUNTS NATIONAL COMPETITION Congratulations to Rohan J., a grade eight student at SAS, who earned one of four spots on this year's international US Department of State MathCounts team. He will be traveling to Boston, Mass., May 7-10 to compete at the MathCounts National Competition.

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MIXED MARTIAL ARTS TEEN CHAMPION Kinaree A., a grade six student at SAS, recently traveled to Abu Dhabi and won the world title in Mixed Martial Arts in the teen category. Kinaree is still 11 years of age, but was fighting against 13 and 14 year olds.

THE EYE SELECTED AS A FINALIST IN ONLINE PACEMAKER COMPETITION

The National Scholastic Press Association on March 12 announced that The Eye, an online Singapore American School student publication, is a finalist in the Online Pacemaker competition.

The competition, which recognizes the top student-directed online news publications in 2015, had 172 entries.

Only 30 finalists were selected.

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14

EIGHTH GRADER SENDS MANUSCRIPT TO PUBLISHER

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Anna B., an eighth grader at SAS, wrote a book and sent a summary and three sample chapters to a publisher who requested the material.

The book, called Broken, is about a girl named Ash. The character is “a cocky, angry, arrogant, teenage science experiment gone wrong, who lives in a dystopian future where a war with angels from hell has ended the world as we know it,” Anna said. “She is at the top of the food chain until the notorious Shade breaks into the Ministry of Secrets and kills the minister and the charismatic, evil mind controller named Kyle is appointed. Suddenly, Ash is thrown into a quest to bring the Shade to justice, which turns out to be a fight not only for her life, but her mind as well.”

Anna says her inspiration for the book came from the all of the good books she has read that have sparked her imagination over the years, including well-known series such as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Warriors. Despite having sent her book material to a publisher, Anna - who is grateful for the opportunity - says her work isn’t over yet. She still plans on looking for ways to improve the book. “I plan to make revisions and edits in the future for my independent writing project in reading and language arts (RLA) class,” she said.

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SECOND GRADE WALK-A-THON

16 MEKONG RIVER SWIM

On April 26, eight SAS teachers and one student braved the current and water quality of the mighty Mekong River just outside of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and swam the nearly 800 meters from one side to the other. They were participating in the 19th Annual Mekong River Swim.

SAS Deputy Superintendent Robert Landau organized the trip (his fourth) to help raise awareness about the danger of drowning in Cambodia. A UNICEF study in 2012 revealed that drowning claims the lives of nearly 2,000 children in Cambodia each year making it the leading cause of death for post infancy youths in the country. The proceeds from the event go to a water safety NGO in Battembang. Mr. Landau, who ran a foundation school in Phnom Penh said, “of our 50 Cambodian students,

SAS second graders on April 17 participated in the Ninth Annual Second Grade Walk-a-Thon.

Together with families, friends, students from Seng Kang Primary School, and members of Food From the Heart, our students walked and ran to raise money. With each lap students raised funds to feed Singaporeans in need.

Second graders' combined efforts were more than 4,143 laps around the high school track, proving that we are never too young to become service superheroes! Watch a brief video of the walk-a-thon here: http://bit.ly/1PjYEa9

only three could swim when they started at our school. Today, all 50 compete in swimming competitions against other schools in Phnom Penh.”

All nine SAS participants finished the race.

Seventh grade student Elena S.J. won the junior female category with a blazing time of 9:36. In fact, Elena’s time was the fourth fast out of all the swimmers! The other SAS swimmers were: Simon Bright, High School Chemistry Teacher Rory Brown, Elementary School (K-2) PE Teacher Russell Cooke, Executive Director of Human Resources Peter Cuthbert, Middle School PE/Health Teacher Jemma Hooykaas, Grade 5 Teacher Robert Landau, SAS Deputy Superintendent Andrew Tewsley, High School Mathematics Teacher Monica San Jose, Grade 7A Science Teacher

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17 18 19

GAWAD KALINGA ZOMBIE RUN 2015

Singapore American School students, teachers, and their families participated in Zombie Run 2015, helping the SAS high school service club Gawad Kalinga (GK) raise $10,000! The funds will be donated to the SAS GK Bayanihan Village in the Philippines, sponsoring students to go to the club’s recently built school and towards building a visitor center.

3RD SEASON IASAS SPORTS RESULTS:

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL

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JV ACADEMIC QUIZ TOURNAMENT

Singapore American School hosted over 40 students, ten teams from five schools, here on March 14 for a JV quiz tournament. It was a great day of quiz as students used their knowledge of academic subjects in areas like science, literature, history, geography, art, and music to answer questions as fast as they can.

All four SAS teams were complimented for the great sportsmanship and quiz play. After nine preliminary rounds and two playoff rounds, the finals had SAS-1 versus SAS2. And what a final round it was! Quiz matches do not get closer than this. Each question had the teams tied or with just a one question difference. With one question to go in the match the teams were tied! But SAS-1 pulled out the victory.

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SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY

The SAS Chapter of the Spanish Honor Society recently inducted 24 new members in a bilingual ceremony held in the high school library on April 15. The guest speaker for this year's ceremony was His Excellency Jairo Hernández Milian, Ambassador of Costa Rica to Singapore. The newest inductees join another 30 members who remain active this year in the Capítulo Picasso.

The purpose of the society is to recognize high achievement in Spanish by students attending secondary schools and to promote continuity of interest in Hispanic studies. Those selected must demonstrate positive contribution and active participation in Spanish classes, as well as have a good academic record for three consecutive semesters in all other courses. Character, leadership, seriousness of purpose, cooperation, honesty, service, and commitment are other criteria considered for selection into the society. The selection committee is made up of the group of high school Spanish teachers.

Samuel Day-Weiss Rabia Husain Rhea Jain Philip Jung Lauren Kang Seo Yeon Kim Anuradha Lal Natasha Lau Alexia Leclercq

Caton Lee Seo Young Lee Yue (Angela) Ma Aditi Mahesh Alexis Mountcastle Kirupa Sargunaraja Caitlin Stefano Tomuhisa Sun Vincent Tantra

Myra Torcheux Morgan Venn Danielle Wait Sabrina Weigerstorfer Madison Werner Vicky Zeng

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FRENCH HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTS 12 NEW MEMBERS

The French Honor Society (FHS) welcomed 12 new members into their ranks during a bilingual ceremony, (French/ English), on April 14. In order to be selected for membership into the French Honor Society students must have: • • • • •

completed at least three semesters of high school language study (or the equivalent); earned the grade of A for three consecutive semesters in French; earned the grade of B or above for three consecutive semesters in all other courses; have made positive contributions in French classes and/or French club; and have demonstrated a real love for and appreciation of the French language and French speaking cultures.

FHS was honored to have Ms. Alexandrine Maviet-Sonet as this year's guest speaker at the ceremony. Ms. MavietSonet is the project manager for culture, science, and education at the French Embassy here in Singapore. During her speech she congratulated the new members of FHS on their hard work and dedication to learning the French language. She also spoke to them about the importance of the French language in the world, a language that is spoken on all continents, why young people should continue to pursue studying the French language, and she informed the students of the many opportunities open to anyone who would like to study in France.

The following students were inducted into FHS on April 14:

* not pictured

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THESPIAN HONOR SOCIETY

The International Thespian Honor Society includes students who do work in all different aspects of theater, including stage crew, make up, tech, costumes, actors, playwrights, directors, choreographers, dancers, and singers. If a student put in hard work in order to make a production possible, then there is a space for them within the society. Unlike many academic honor societies, there is no credit given for class work; to be a thespian one must be actively engaged in the co-curricular after school program.

Below is a list of students who were recently inducted into the Thespian Honor Society. Many of these newly inducted thespians will appear in the school’s fall production of The Laramie Project.

Ainsley Stanczak Avantika Raikar Brady Baca Brysson Torfin Carson Reeves Celine Fan

Cindy Qin Ed Calla Elena Brown Erin Wind Evan Harber Freddie Shanel

Gabby Leow Hayden Reeves Jaelen Coney Jahvon Coney Juan Granados Louis Gordon

Mark Schoen Mika Martin Putri Tia Abdi Sam Mosely

Officers for next year are: Zelda Kimble, Hannah Horowitz, Amelia Rasekhy, Mika Martin, and Bryce Yoder. Membership in the Thespian Club is open to all interested members. Induction into the Honor Society is based on a point system for work on after school productions.

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NATIONAL ART HONOR SOCIETY

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14TH ANNUAL CHINESE ARTICULATION WORKSHOP

2015 NATIONAL CHINESE LANGUAGE CONFERENCE

Susan Zhang, the director of Chinese learning at SAS, and High School Chinese Teacher Sally Lean presented at the 2015 National Chinese Language Conference in Atlanta, Ga., April 16-18. More than 1,200 people attended the conference. Approximately 50 participants were present at Dr. Zhang and Miss Lean’s presentation and several of them expressed appreciation for the information and experiences they shared about the school’s proficiency-based Chinese program and differentiated instruction to make the program successful for all students. Some conference participants also expressed their desire to follow the school’s model.

Seven SAS educators presented at the 14th Articulation Workshop for Chinese Teaching and Learning at Hong Kong International School from April 24-25. Shuna Sun, Jenny Tang, Dongmei Liu, Holly Xi, Julie Zhang, Lily Fan, and Dr. Susan Zhang gave presentations regarding best practices in Chinese teaching and learning. Topics ranged from differentiated instruction strategies to using authentic materials to reinforce and encourage students to build their real-life communication skills to gain high levels of language proficiency. Ms. Tang’s presentation, for example, helped audience members discover the power of picture books in student learning and how to inspire students to love reading.

SAS will host the 15th Articulation Workshop in April 2016. “Our teacher presenters are confident that when we open our classrooms to welcome our colleagues from other international schools, that our students will demonstrate their amazing language skills,” said Dr. Susan Zhang, director of Chinese Learning at SAS.

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TEACHER PUBLISHED ON ALL THINGS PLC WEBSITE An email written by Joshua Curnett, a high school English teacher and member of a professional learning community (PLC) at SAS, was adapted and published on March 18 as a blog post on the All Things PLC website. In the blog post titled, “One Teacher Leader’s PLC Journey,” Curnett walks readers through his journey from a PLC critic to a PLC advocate and leader.

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DESIGN THINKING EXPERT AT SAS Ewan McIntosh from the NoTosh Design Thinking School in late April worked with SAS teachers and administration to develop innovative structures, construct a common design thinking language, and facilitate the design and building of spaces that promote learning. You can learn more about Mr. McIntosh here: http://notosh.com/who-weare/ewan-mcintosh/

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SAS

What do you love LALEH L. 9TH GRADE

I love the art facilities because at my old school we didn't have these opportunities. And also the relationships with the teachers we have.

RICHARD B. 4TH GRADE

Recess and math class!

ANIIKA D. 1ST GRADE

MAEGAN G. 10TH GRADE

I love music and Ms. Ganske, and the teachers because I learn a lot of things from them.

I like the campus because it's really big and it has lots of facilities.

JOSEPH A. 7TH GRADE

KELLY M. 6TH GRADE

Laptops and the technologies we have.

And our school food is really good food, it’s better than the public schools in the US.

I like the sports activities and the coaches are very nice, and the facilities.

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VOICE

most about SAS? MIA S. 6TH GRADE

TRISTAN S. 8TH GRADE

EMMA C. PRE-K

You can make a lot of friends and have more opportunities.

It is accepting. The first time I came here I didn't know anyone but I soon made really solid friendships.

My favorite thing is making art - drawing, painting, and making stuff.

JASMINE L. 11TH GRADE

JAY J. 8TH GRADE

CAROLINE R. 7TH GRADE

Free period, because I can relax for an hour and a half and not stress out about anything.

How everyone is so diverse so it's easy to be loved and accepted.

The teachers are really nice and supportive.

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

40 WOODLANDS STREET 41 SINGAPORE 738547 PHONE: (65) 6363 3403 WEB: WWW.SAS.EDU.SG QUESTIONS? EMAIL US AT COMMUNICATIONS@SAS.EDU.SG CPE Registration Number: 196400340R Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)