Issuu

2019 ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

WELCOME

Welcome to our Annual Review 2019-2020. I hope you will enjoy reading how your support has made an impact so far and that you will get inspired about the new initiatives that we are launching at the College! This year was truly unparalleled, in every sense of the word, with impacts being felt across the board, including Philanthropy. It has been a great privilege to experience first-hand how for many alumni, parents and friends, the College is held in your hearts as a very special place. This was clearly reflected with the overwhelming support we received â€“ in Time, Treasure and Talent - to help us navigate the Covid-19 crisis and to achieve our objectives. Thank you for all your engagement and commitment, we are immensely grateful to all of you. I hope you will all continue to support UWC Atlantic in the years to come.

With kind regards, Andrea Diez de Sollano Director Philanthropy, Partnerships and Engagement

56 | Celebrating the Magic

THANK YOU

THANK YOU The circumstances that we have all faced have been unprecedented and challenging; everyone’s life has been touched by the Covid-19 crisis in one way or another and to varying degrees. But crisis also brings out the best in a community and I have been continually energised and inspired by the resilience and maturity of our students, the strength and commitment of our employees and the ongoing support of our global UWC community. Despite the challenges the pandemic has brought, we have also seen many achievements over the past year. In 2019, we had a very successful Autumn term as developments in the Changemaker Curriculum began to come into fruition; we piloted two curriculum units, Communication across Difference and Dialogue & Peacemaking, which blend experiential, practical and theoretical learning to explore real world concerns. Through this, our students have shown their dedication, creativity and ability to self-reflect as they grow as individuals. As always, our students have embraced their authentic responsibility through their wider UWC Atlantic commitments; they have been generous with their time and talent in developing conferences that educate and inspire, hosting weekly cafe concerts for the local community and dedicating themselves to their service activities and service focused Project Weeks in Wales. We hosted the UWC International Governance meetings in November 2019, which saw delegates from around the world come together for a productive and exciting week in driving our global, values based and progressive education forwards. It allowed us to showcase both the College and our deep connection to Wales as we re-affirm that we are not just a college ‘in’ Wales, but ‘of’ Wales. This pandemic and the #BlackLivesMatter movement have, once again, highlighted the inequalities, polarisation and intolerance in our world, as well as the environmental degradation of our planet: our vision for educational change is more crucial than ever. It has also highlighted how we can do more within our community as well. Change must start at home.

What a year it has been and remains. A huge thank you to our UWC Atlantic community for your support, understanding and collaboration. I think we can all agree, we have never experienced anything like this year.

I am immensely proud of our community and how they have risen to the many challenges the pandemic has posed, from repatriating 360+ students to 90+ countries in a 10 day period back in March 2020, to online teaching, to bringing our community safely back together in September 2020, including welcoming 40 transfer students from other UWCs, students who would not otherwise have been able to access their UWC educations. Thanks to the generosity and compassion of our Host Family network, those students who could not make it home were able to spend their time away from the College in a home environment. We cannot thank them enough for allowing our students to become part of their families. Throughout lockdown, we have been incredibly fortunate to have been able to keep the student community together through our online Town Halls. As well as keeping everyone up to date with what is happening ‘back at base’, it has been a lively and very productive forum for debate, not only about the implications of Covid-19, but also about other big issues in society. Our students have been exemplary in their resilience and with their attitude of ‘getting on with things’. One of the greatest examples of this was students working in close collaboration with a small College team to deliver the online Leavers’ Ceremony in May 2020, which has had over 21,000 views (compared to 2,000 last year).

Looking Ahead Along with the rest of the world, we are faced each day with the challenges the pandemic poses. Nevertheless, we continue to develop our exciting initiatives in educational reform and learning innovation through progress on our Changemaker Curriculum units. The modules blend classroom based and experiential learning and develop interdisciplinary skills, particularly around critical thinking and project based learning. The modules are also reimagining assessment through projects, portfolios and team work. In addition to field work to support learning, we are working with alumni experts and curriculum consultants to make the syllabi relevant to the real world in which the students will find themselves when they leave UWC Atlantic. In the continued revival of our co-curricular experience, our Atlantic Experience team, together with Second Year student instructors and the Student Life at Atlantic College Committee (SLACC), have been busy collaborating to develop a range of exciting outdoor activities and adventures. These are opportunities for students to learn more, participate more and also engage more with the founding ideals of UWC Atlantic and the underpinning ethos of Kurt Hahn. The UWC Atlantic Seafront Project has also been launched by the Seafront Task Force, led by alumnus Pelham Allen (UWCA 69). The project encompasses a range of initiatives focused on bringing more activity back to the seafront - and making it relevant for the times we live in. Thanks to a generous donation made by Willem de Vogel (UWCA 69), we have been able to undertake two critical structural surveys; one for the slipway and one for the pool/sea wall, enabling us to progress the building renovation aspects of the project. We are also developing the surrounding seafront buildings and facilities, the indoor and outdoor pools for wider use, new learning spaces and an Innovation Hub focused on theory and practical modules. We are also excited to be developing a new Coastwatch Station through the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) in one of our seafront towers. This will be a valuable search and rescue operation keeping a watchful eye over the bay and Bristol Channel and watches will be carried out by our community members alongside our students. This NCI will be the first to have a cadet programme similar to the one we have planned for our students. We are delighted to welcome our new Chair and Vice Chair of the UWC Atlantic Board, Jill Longson (UWCA 81) and Ruth Rawling (UWCA 79). We are grateful and excited for their dedication to and support of our vision for the College, especially as we move forwards with our innovative Changemaker Curriculum and developments at the seafront. Their knowledge, experience and expertise will be invaluable assets. I would like to thank all those who continue to support the College through giving your time, treasure and talent. Without your support, we would not be here and hundreds of students would miss out on this transformative educational opportunity. We continue to navigate our way through the challenges of coronavirus but with your continued and much appreciated support, we will embrace it, bounce-forward and rise to the challenge. Warmest wishes, Peter T. Howe Principal, UWC Atlantic

LOOKING AHEAD

LOOKING AHEAD A NOTE FROM THE CHAIR Jill Longson I don’t think I have ever been more proud of any community I have been involved with, than I have with UWC Atlantic over the course of these last months. The resilience, agility and teamwork shown by the whole community in the face of Covid-19 has been truly remarkable and very inspiring to both myself and fellow Board members. We are also very blessed with the enormously kind and generous support from around the UWC movement. So to everyone who has contributed in any way, a huge thank you! I would like to think we are coming through this as a consequence stronger and more united than ever before. I would like to welcome Ann Jones (UWCA 74) to the Board as the Designated Lead Governor for Safeguarding (taking over this position from Sir Adrian Webb). Ann has been a valued member of the Education Committee since August 2017 and played a key role developing the College’s Safeguarding Task Force over the last year. There are currently 12 of us on the Board, and we are a mix of alumni and non alumni. We have a strong bond and connection to UWC Atlantic and believe in the power and relevance of the UWC mission and values. We also believe in giving back and supporting an organisation we care deeply about. We are launching a search for a number of new Board members to join us. We hope they will not only be from the UWC Atlantic community, but importantly from the wider UWC movement, and non UWC alumni as well. As a Board, we are here to support the College in achieving its objectives particularly in ensuring a positive, transformational and memorable experience for each and every one of our students. Our role is to guard and ensure the delivery of the UWC mission, to safeguard the long-term viability of the College, to be responsible for strategic, financial, legal and reputational oversight and to ensure the College is fulfilling its purpose efficiently and effectively. Like all of us, we are operating in a different world than the one we lived in half a century ago. And yet it is a variation on the same, with the same inequalities, unethical behaviours, prejudices and problems. The world still needs understanding, healing and uniting. Which is why UWC exists. It is why UWC Atlantic was created nearly 60 years ago, with a simple guiding aspiration - to help shape a better world. Education can be a force for peace, equality and social justice. It must be.

Our vision As we look forward to what lies ahead for us in our new Board roles, we are excited by the many opportunities to help support the College live the UWC mission. We are determined to capitalise upon them and transform them into action. We also recognise that there will be many challenges ahead, and we will face them together. We must ensure a UWC education is as relevant as ever and we must focus our efforts well. What unites and drives us is the need to develop the values, skills and confidence in our students, so they can make a positive difference in the world, at a local, national and global level. We want UWC Atlantic to be a global leader in educational innovation and the flagship of the UWC movement in making education a force for good in the world. We want our students to have two remarkable years and leave feeling empowered and driven to become difference-makers, helping to tackle global challenges. We want the College to connect with other major educational and values-based organisations and find effective ways of collaborating. We want UWC Atlantic to be a beacon of hope both within and beyond the UWC movement. We want to influence and be part of a muchneeded, altogether stronger and more powerful wave of optimism and action across the globe. We hope, because you are excited by what we are doing at the College and supportive of the UWC movement, and its mission and values that you will want to stay connected with us. As the Autumn term is now in full-swing, albeit in a slightly different guise to previous years, new and previously trialled Changemaker Curriculum units, developed by Faculty at the College, will inspire students and teachers alike and will help place the College at the forefront of educational innovation once again. And plans are taking shape to renovate the seafront with new-wave thinking about how to build more fit-for-purpose place-based learning spaces that blend our core commitment to service, with academics, activity and adventure. Both initiatives will be inspiring for students to experience and as a Board, we will support the College in every way we can to develop them.

I am honoured and delighted to have been appointed to the role of Chair of the UWC Atlantic Board. Myself and my fellow Board members are here to support the College over the coming years, and in particular now, during these challenging and defining times - to think positively and to seize opportunities.

As a Board, we believe we will succeed by ‘living’ at the heart of the College, by being more proactively involved, engaged and energised. We will reflect the diversity of our community. We will be a Board that embraces feedback; that reaches out to the wider community; helps raise the profile of the College and the UWC movement and drives our fundraising success, vital for an organisation like UWC Atlantic. We are looking forward to marking our 60th anniversary in a few years time and hope that you will join us in our celebrations. We will always welcome and be eternally grateful for your support. Jill Longson (UWCA 81), Chair

STUDENT PROFILE

JOSEPHINE Josephine Nyachwo is the latest Ugandan student to study at UWC Atlantic to come from the partnership that the College has with the local charity ‘Vale for Africa’. Josephine’s place at the College is also generously supported by The Moondance Foundation who awarded her a full scholarship.

Like UWC Atlantic, Vale for Africa is based in the Vale of Glamorgan. It has a long history of doing a variety of charitable projects in the Tororo district of Uganda. The partnership between UWC Atlantic and Vale for Africa was established in 2011 and since then several Ugandan students have been offered the opportunity to study at UWC Atlantic, Josephine being the latest student to benefit from the partnership. Josephine’s place at the College is also generously supported by The Moondance Foundation. Over the years, it has been an incredibly generous supporter of UWC Atlantic, giving several students every year the opportunity to study in Wales. They also support our Student Wellbeing Programme and have a permanent legacy on campus having supported the construction of our wonderful Moondance Sports Hall. Like every student, Josephine’s time at UWC Atlantic has already been transformative. Commenting on the education she receives from the College, Josephine says, “I am able to obtain the quality education from UWC Atlantic which helps me see a way of

what to be in the future due to the knowledge, friendship and assistance given to me by the kind people at the College.” The UWC Atlantic experience is about young people gaining independence as quite often it is the first time students have moved away from home. In this respect, Josephine explains, “This really does feel like a home from home, although it could not be more different from my home. The flight to the UK was my first flight alone but I did feel that God was leading me. Leaving my parents and my family was such a difficult thing to do, but this feels like it is the right thing to be doing, for me, and I am so proud to be part of UWC.” Wales could not be more different from Josephine’s home in Uganda, but the fact she considers it a home away from home speaks volumes about the work that everyone at the College, together with its partners, does to ensure that UWC Atlantic is a warm and welcoming community for everyone.

“I am able to obtain the quality education from UWC Atlantic which helps me see a way of what to be in the future due to the knowledge, friendship and assistance given to me by the kind people at the College.”

TREASURE

PHILANTHROPY, PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT TIME, TREASURE, TALENT

Facts and figures for the financial year ending 31.07.2020

£3.6m

raised in cash and pledges

“

We write to express our gratitude to you, to the coordinators and directors of the College in relation to the support they gave our son in terms of hospitality with the Host Family assigned during this isolation process due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is to be recognized that even being in difficult times worldwide and not being able to transfer our son to his native country due to the regulations applied in several airports, the College provided us with security, tranquility and therefore wellbeing with the relocation decision that they took at the right time and with our agreement.

”

Parents - March 2020

full scholarships and

(52.7% 1st year students have a scholarship in 2020 compared to 44.5% in 2019)

£476k £564.8K $1m Class Appeals and Atlantic Fund

for other projects (education, connectivity, innovation & capital)

donation for Learning Innovation

£340,788

raised from 11 Class Gifts & Atlantic Fund through the following appeals:

Covid-19 appeal raised £85k (this includes £46k from a major donor)

partial scholarships for 2020 entry

£14k

March appeal raised

This appeal also resulted in a major donation of US$1 million and one Patron level donation of CAN$40,000 (£23,000)

TIME & TALENT Improving engagement with alumni and friends of the College

Alumni and Supporter Time & Talent Contributions

935

hours contributed by volunteers with a value of over

£40k

184

Volunteer Category

Volunteer Type

# Contributors

Total Hours Volunteered

Financial Equivalent

External Event

Event Host

£1,290

Speaker

£1,000

Insights / Advice

Advisor or Expert

£2,560

Mentoring

Pilot Participant

£3,600

Movement-wide (UWC) volunteering

UWC Unlocked Speaker

£2,430

On-Campus Event

Friday Night Lecture Speaker

£2,640

Campus Volunteers

Upgrade Guest rooms/ develop Lighthouse space

£3,500

Online Engagement

Atlantic Circle InConversation Speaker

£4,500

Alumni Project Week Participant

130

£9,830

Writing Contributor

£1,120

Transport

Driver / Chaperone

£120

Year Representation

Year Rep

448

£8,960

Other

£1,180

167

935

£42,730

Number of Year Reps increased to

32%

TOTAL

Percentage of engaged Year Reps increased to

(from 15%)

UWC ATLANTIC DONOR LIST

COVID-19 CAMPAIGN

2019-2020

Host Families and Transport March 2020 - July 2020

Number of alumni and friends of the College who offered host accommodation support to UWCA students

85 19

Number of alumni and friends of the College who hosted one or more UWCA students

Number of students supported through the campaign

Total number of nights of host accommodation provided

1,901

Financial equivalent

£38,020 Our deepest thanks to The Moondance Foundation for their generous support of our Covid-19 Campaign. 14

KURT HAHN CIRCLE Benefactors £100k+

ATLANTIC CIRCLE Tower Patrons £15k+

Anonymous Donor

Anne & Paul Donovan

Enrico Bonatti

Anonymous Donor

Eyal & Marilyn Ofer Family Foundation

Ari Lahti

Khodorkovsky Foundation

Frédéric Rose & Lorie Durnan

Pestalozzi International Foundation

Fundación Prosegur

Shelby Davies

Gunhild & Michael Bostelmann

The Horizon Foundation (UK)

Hanson Family Foundation

The Marquis de Amodio, CBE, MA

Itay Neeman & Lian Garton

The Moondance Foundation

Jan Petit Joutsikoski Family

ATLANTIC CIRCLE Bradenstoke Patrons £30k+

Philip and Kathryn Kerle

Anonymous Donor

The Mountbatten Memorial Trust

Carolien & Remon Vos

The Raphael Trust

Imogen & Haakon Overli

Vale of Glamorgan Council

‘In Memory of Sarojini Viswalingam’

Vesa-Matti Vanha-Honko

Izabela and John Chaplin

Wilhelm & Marianne Mohn

Jill Longson & Colin Habgood Khazanah Nasional Martin Downey Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research Stephanie Hui

We would also like extend our heartfelt thanks to all our Patron members at the Courtyard and Portcullis levels for their generous support, as well as to regular donors to the Atlantic Fund; to the Canadian Foundation for the United World College of the Atlantic; to our US donors who give via the British Schools and Universities Foundation (BSUF) and to the Willem Alexander Scholarship Fund, for their long standing support.

The John Laing Charitable Trust

We would also like to thank all donors who give directly to their National Committee to support our much needed scholarship provision at UWC Atlantic.

The Mousetrap Settlement Trust

LEGACY PLEDGERS

The Rank Foundation

David Voas

Whitaker Charitable Trust Willem de Vogel

THE ATLANTIC CIRCLE PATRON PROGRAMME

STUDENT PROFILE

TALYA

£402,162 donated to The Atlantic Circle in 2019/2020

The Atlantic Circle is a vibrant patron’s community driven by a shared passion for UWC Atlantic and its mission. The mission of The Atlantic Circle is to bring together individuals who believe in the unique power of a transformative educational experience to make a better world, and who support the students, teachers, and programmes at UWC Atlantic. Our patrons often support experiences that extend beyond the classroom. This programme plays a key role in shaping the future of UWC Atlantic. The possibilities to amplify patrons’ support through the collective endeavours of the Atlantic Circle are truly powerful. Patrons of the Atlantic Circle fuel innovation, expand opportunity and create the transformative experiences that are hallmarks of a UWC Atlantic education. Just one example of our inspiring patrons are Konrad and Gudula Merchert-Werhahn, who have embraced the UWC Atlantic community and have generously supported the Protective Behaviours Programme, a patron project that supports the wellbeing of our students. Their gift will fund a training programme to benefit the UWC Atlantic community and to help empower young people and College employees with strategies to promote safety and resilience within its community. Generous gifts that go towards the Atlantic Circle Patron programmes can make a serious impact at the College, help shape the future and make a real difference to the daily lives of our students. Our patrons have supported scholarships, curriculum development, student projects and experience.

Talya’s two years at the College were supported by the Eyal & Marilyn Ofer Family Foundation. Mr Eyal Ofer, an alumnus of UWC Atlantic, has been an incredibly generous supporter of the College, providing the opportunity for numerous students from Israel to experience the UWC Atlantic education as part of the Middle East programme. Mr Eyal Ofer founded the programme at the College in 2013 with the aim of fostering leadership for peace in the Middle East. In the UWC spirit of bringing young people together - from different nations and cultures- to learn from each other and to promote peace for a sustainable future, Mr Eyal Ofer created the Middle East scholarship whereby each scholar from Israel needs to be matched by another scholarship from the surrounding countries in the Middle East. Hello, my name is Talya, and I am a recent UWC Atlantic graduate after being selected through the Israeli National Committee. I found out about UWC through an ex-student that came to my school and introduced the movement and shared her experience as a UWC student. Prior to UWC Atlantic I was an active member of my community, taking part in different NGOs, youth movements and extracurricular activities such as music, sports, and a part-time job as an English tutor. I have also travelled a lot with my family and lived in different places. These experiences allowed me to appreciate the importance of sustainability, coexistence, cultural diversity and giving back to others. I wanted to learn how to further grow and develop as a person while maintaining these aspects in my everyday life, and I believed that being a part of the greater UWC movement will allow me to achieve this. I also wanted to get out of my comfort zone and challenge preconceptions and ideas.

Despite me taking on many different and new responsibilities during my time at UWC Atlantic, it is only now – during my gap year – that I feel the full impact of my time at UWC Atlantic. I currently work at an organic date plantation in the Arava region of Israel with 11 other teenagers my age, and many other older volunteers, both local and international. Not only has UWC Atlantic matured me and taught me independence, something that my fellow volunteers are now experiencing for the first time, it also gave me the confidence to express my beliefs and ideas publicly, as controversial as they may be, allowing me to have honest discussions and develop true friendships with other people, despite age differences or linguistic barriers.

The support of patrons is integral to UWC Atlantic’s continued development and success. We value our patrons, not just as supporters of the College but as members of our close-knit community.

ALUMNI PROJECT WEEK

SUSTAINABILITY ALUMNI PROJECT WEEK Alumni Project Week came to life online this year (3rd - 6th June). Planned as an on-campus engagement activity, Covid-19 prompted a rapid move to a digital event and we were delighted that following last year’s successful inaugural Alumni Project Week, alumni Katy Marks (UWCA 97), Jack Fairweather (UWCA 97) and other alumni who participated last year, came together to reinvigorate discussions around continued alumni engagement and contributions towards re-shaping the UWC Atlantic curriculum. We explored an educational model that is founded in reciprocity, exploring and defining oneself – both one’s value and one’s vulnerability – far more explicitly in relation to the people and the world around us. More specifically, the key objectives of the Online Alumni Project Week 2020 were: Sustainability: Ethos and Environment - exploring a curriculum that nurtures reciprocal and cyclical relationships helping to value our land and environment. Our campus is so rich in potential for food growth, energy production and biodiversity research. Storytelling: To discuss imaginative ways to record, analyse, disseminate and illuminate the stories, knowledge and experiences, embedded in the College community of students and employees past and present, as well as of the UWC Atlantic campus itself.

Insight Session: Valuing Our Land / Sharing Stories The aim of this session was to explore our relationship with the land and environment around the world. Four speakers outlined their experience of integrating sustainable agriculture practices into community or school settings. This was followed by a roundtable discussion which revealed themes for further exploration throughout the Online Alumni Project Week.

Ethos Session: Our Environment and What We Can Do Together In this session a foundation was laid for exploring what could be done collaboratively. Some of the key questions addressed were: How do we make a connection to the land part of the whole College community experience and ethos? What is the mechanism through which we bring back a culture shift?

Practice Session: Sustainability and the Way Forward In this interactive practice session participants discussed the potential and possibilities for the Valley to become a manifestation of how we want to live the UWC mission. The importance of aspects such as seeing the result and witnessing the process, as well as bringing people together to celebrate, share and create, were embedded within an exploration of practices which would be fulfilling a need in a way that would be financially and operationally sustainable, and ecologically sound.

STORYTELLING The storytelling strand of the Alumni Project Week continued beyond the first week of June, with a group of current History students, under guidance received from Nick Beynon (History and Global Politics Teacher) and several alumni, working to create 6 short films which celebrate UWC Atlantic through the decades, from the 1960s until now. Through the testimonies of UWCA alumni, the aim was to hear and portray the impact the College had on generations of students, and the impact it continues to have on their lives now. Each film is a snapshot of the College at that time. And when the films are watched together, it is possible to see the ways in which the College has changed, but more importantly, how the values and ethos have very much stayed the same.

STORYTELLING

STORYTELLING A creative collaboration between alumni and students The Storytelling Video Project was an opportunity for a group of UWC Atlantic students to talk with alumni, and to use those discussions to create short documentaries. The students were split into six groups, with each making a film about a specific decade (60s / 70s / 80s / 90s / 00s / 10s), through interviews with alumni and the gathering of archive footage from that period. The aim was not to make promos about UWC Atlantic, but to make documentaries. The students were given free rein to take the interviews in whichever direction they wanted, and to focus on both the positive and the challenging experiences of being at UWC Atlantic during the different decades. Each film was intended as a snapshot of what UWC Atlantic was like in that decade. And though they would be standalone films, when watched together they would work as a kind of visual history of the College, allowing viewers to see how much has changed, but also how much has stayed the same. The students were mentored by Chloe Fairweather (UWCA 03) and Harri Grace (UWCA 99). Chloe is a documentary filmmaker who explores social issues through intimate human stories. She is just completing a feature length documentary about domestic violence in Turkey. She started out on the BBC’s production training scheme and her first film was shortlisted for a Grierson best newcomer award and a children’s BAFTA. Since then she has made documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4 filming inside social care services, schools and with the police.

Harri is an Executive Producer and Director at Grain Media, a double-Oscar winning production company in London most well known for The White Helmets, Virunga, and Learning How To Skateboard In A Warzone (If You’re A Girl). His latest series of films was made in partnership with the Nobel Peace Prize to explore the legacy of previous winners of the Prize. One of the films Lost & Found, about Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh - has just been nominated for two Emmys. Chloe and Harri acted as mentors to the student groups throughout the process. In pre-production this involved discussing how to give a short documentary a structure, as well as brainstorming interview questions. The alumni discussed how to film and record it all via video conference technology (which is a nightmare!). And then they were on hand to offer feedback to the team on the edits that they came back with. The two alumni were both genuinely so impressed and excited by what the students have achieved. Neither of them have run a documentary course online before, and weren’t sure exactly how this would turn out. But the films are powerful and beautiful snapshots of the College and hopefully other alumni will be able to recognise some of their own experiences in what has been captured.

It’s also worth pointing out that the students who made these films aren’t film students. So just on a technical level, to have filmed and edited these films together, is a huge achievement. What was the experience of mentoring the students like? Harri: “I learned how adaptable, smart and creative the students are. It’s been a while since I was there, and I genuinely wasn’t sure how the whole thing would work out. But it was great. The students were brilliant, the process was really enjoyable, and I’m so pleased with how it turned out.” Chloe: “The students really impressed me with their ideas and independent thinking so I was really looking forward to what they came up with. It was great seeing their films develop, each group had their challenges and showed a real commitment in overcoming them. I learnt some things I didn’t know about the College and as a former student I really enjoyed reflecting on the UWC Atlantic experience.”

Online Alumni Project Week

ONLINE ALUMNI PROJECT WEEK

Number of key contributing alumni

Number of other alumni participants

3 8 27 4 21

Number of contributing friends of the College

Number of participating members of staff

Number of participating students

We’d like to say a special thank you to the following UWC Atlantic alumni:

Number of sessions - Sustainability (The Valley) Number of sessions - Storytelling*

Number of participants of student-recorded video interviews - Storytelling

Katy Marks, (UWCA 97) Jack Fairweather, (UWCA 97) Alice Holden, (UWCA 99) Harri Grace, (UWCA 99) Chloe Fairweather (UWCA 03) Ulrich Eckle, (UWCA 68) JP Bimeni, (UWCA 97) Monique Post, (UWCA 01) Arne Pohlmeier, (UWCA 96) Yuill Herbert, (UWCA 97) We’d also like to wholeheartedly thank all of the involved students, staff and friends of the College for their generous support.

*Only two of the Storytelling sessions were held during the ‘official’ Online Alumni Project Week, with two subsequent sessions having taken place by mid-July 2020.

STUDENT PROFILE

MARLENE When applying to UWC, Marlene wrote, “All in all, I want with all my heart to dream and help, all together for a better world.” Her time at UWC Atlantic has allowed her to do that.

InConversation The Atlantic Circle - InConversation series offers all community members the chance to tune in to interesting topics and connect with fellow UWC alumni and friends of UWC Atlantic across the globe. Through this initiative we aim to bring the global UWC community closer together - enabling participants to learn from each other, share their time and talent, and continue living the UWC values.

Raised in San Lorenzo, Paraguay, Marlene has helped expand the ever-growing list of countries that have had a student at the College as she is the first Paraguayan to attend UWC Atlantic. This is not the only ‘first’ that Marlene will be achieving. If she completes her International Baccalaureate, she will be the first of her family to complete secondary education, an amazing achievement. Marlene’s UWC journey began when the Prosegur Foundation, a non-profit organisation associated with the Spanish security firm, brought a UWC alum to deliver a talk at Marlene’s school in Paraguay. This was possible because the school was part of Piecitos Colorados: a Development Cooperation programme that Prosegur Foundation carries out in six Latin American countries. As she listened to the talk, she found that the values of UWC strongly resonated with her, inspiring her to apply. Following a tough selection process through the Paraguayan National Committee, she was awarded a place at UWC Atlantic and was such an outstanding candidate that she received a full scholarship, generously provided by the Prosegur Foundation and complemented by a group of

alumni from the Classes of 85 and 86 led by Blanca Merino Juti (UWCA 86). Without that scholarship, Marlene would not have been able to take up the opportunity of a lifetime to study at UWC Atlantic. She has shone as an exemplary student during her time at the College, both in both an academic and extracurricular sense. Life at UWC Atlantic has been exciting and rewarding and she describes one of the highlights as helping with the organisation of UWC Atlantic’s famous International Show. Liaising across the College, developing relationships with fellow students and the College team, really improved her confidence in speaking English. Marlene hopes that her time at UWC Atlantic can help her achieve her dream of attending university so that she can give back to both her family and her community in Paraguay. She cites the independence that comes with following such a path as her inspiration. UWC Atlantic helps students such as Marlene to follow their dreams.

All in all, I want with all my heart to dream and help, all together for a better world.

IN THE NEWS

STUDENT RESIDENCES THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME Time has simply flown by since the planning for our two new student residences began with a feasibility study in 2016.

Following Board approval for the design in 2017, the completion of the planning process and appointment of the main contractor, Knox and Wells, in March 2019, we have now reached the point of completion! The construction of our state-of-the-art student houses will be completed in November, and finishing touches such as wall and floor decor, access systems and landscaping will mean that the residences will be ready to welcome students in early 2021. These environmentally sustainable student houses showcase the very best of what UWC Atlantic has to offer our students. Each is designed to accommodate 48 students and house parents, they feature a strong College and Welsh build heritage, with the design, look and feel based on a traditional ‘Welsh Long House’ contrasting with a modern and vibrant styled interior. Accommodation for students centres around dormitory style bedrooms, with four students to each ‘dorm’ with modern bathrooms and associated facilities. These are complimented by bright, attractive study areas and day rooms and kitchens. The development of the student residences demonstrates our aspirations for the College campus, and achieving a 10year Asset Strategy, built around innovative spatial planning and master planning design; the desire to create a world class learning environment and to enhance our environmental and sustainability credentials, creating a world leading approach, to the relationship between the build and natural environment.

We would like to offer our deepest thanks to The John Laing Charitable Trust, Geoffrey W Hall, Francisco Loredan and other generous donors (who would like to remain anonymous), who have so kindly supported this project.

MADE IN WALES -

IN THE NEWS

CREATING GLOBAL IMPACT UWC GOVERNANCE MEETINGS We were delighted that Wales was chosen as the setting for the 2019 UWC Governance meetings during the first week of November. The College was also honoured to host the UWC International Board, UWC International Council, National Committees and Heads and Board Chairs from the 18 UWC global schools and colleges for several key meetings during the week, culminating in an Evening Reception at UWC Atlantic on Friday 8th November 2019 to celebrate our past, present and future in Wales.

During the evening, guests were invited on a magical mystery tour around the castle, with 27 groups of student and staff performers showcasing the best in global music, song, dance and poetry. Returning to the Bradenstoke for a selection of the finest food and drink that Wales has to offer, there was a wonderful moment when the vast majority of guests gathered on the stage to learn to sing (in 15 minutes) the traditional Welsh song, Calon Lân...in Welsh. Coached and conducted masterfully by our Head of Music, Ed Picton-Turbervill, it was a stunning (and resonant!) example of what can be achieved working together towards a shared goal. We were then delighted to be joined by Baroness Eluned Morgan (UWCA 85) who spoke about her experience at UWC Atlantic that has shaped her as a person and guided her life and career.

It is always a privilege to share time with UWC colleagues from around the world and this week in Wales gave everyone the opportunity to come together and share aspirations and ambitions about how we can strengthen the global UWC movement. We often talk of the hopes, fears, sense of adventure and idealism, the critical minds and the enthusiasm brought to us by students from across the globe and we are also speaking about ourselves as the stewards of the movement. In an increasingly volatile world, being ‘difference makers’ still matters. Our world is as fractured and fragile as ever and demands people like us with the courage, resilience and creativity to be able to negotiate this shifting landscape, with a passion to serve society in a way that is bold, forward-looking and unrestrained. We are still needed. There is still more in us than we think. Throughout the week it was clear that we are not afraid to have differences of opinion, champion different ideas or to challenge each other, but we still all share a spirit of community. We are one UWC. We know that our strengths lie in our courage to lead through the values, ideals and aspirations in which we all believe. Those shared values define us and unite us. Those themes were expanded upon during our Evening Reception, where our theme was ‘Made in Wales - Creating Global Impact’, celebrating Welsh culture, with food, cultural activities and music, through a global lens. We take pride in being ‘of’ Wales, not just ‘in’ Wales. This is an integral part of our DNA and at the heart of what drives us to continue to forge strong links with the Welsh community.

Principal Peter T.Howe also spoke passionately about the impact the College has had as a global export (nearly 10,000 alumni having studied here since 1962!) and the role the College plays in the local and regional community. Referencing Eluned, he explained that UWC Atlantic and the Welsh Government are both at the forefront of educational reform and that through our vision and mission we aim to reclaim our position as the flagship College of the UWC movement, recognised for the radical and experimental spirit that defines our history in Wales and drives our impact on the world. It wasn’t quite the end of the week for some of our guests, many of whom were still busy with meetings on Saturday and Sunday, but we hope everyone who visited UWC Atlantic took a little piece of the magic of the place, and the people, home with them.

IN THE NEWS

LIGHTHOUSE - A BEACON FOR ENTREPRENEURS Lighthouse is an open-door Creative Ideas Lab and Learning Innovation space, established in 2019 by UWCA 19 alum, FranĂ§ois LĂŠpine-Cossette

Lighthouse incubates and accelerates inspirational student ideas and projects beyond the curriculum. Helping to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, focused on sustainable, social impact, the aim is that some, if not all of these initiatives can deliver tangible and measurable outcomes - with the potential to scale-up projects into small businesses or social enterprises that may generate future income. Fittingly located by the seafront, Lighthouse, is divided into three sections: The Idea Hub, The Window to the World, and the Lighthouse Library. Lighthouse Keepers (volunteer students) help to deliver support and training and weekly changemaker skills workshops and Lighthouse invites alumni in to work with students, share their specialist expertise and mentor and coach them to bring their ideas to life. The initiative has recently secured funding and entrepreneurial assistance from a generous donor, allowing - amongst other things - to recruit two Lighthouse Coordinator Interns to work directly with the students. Financial support will also be available to establish and deliver projects, e.g. through providing initial market research advice, financial planning, business planning, web and social media presence and impact assessment etc. Lighthouse is a beacon for students with brilliant ideas and it also shines a light on the UWC mission, guiding students through a personal and social entrepreneurial development journey as leaders and changemakers.

IN THE NEWS

TOWARDS A CRESCENDO - RENOVATING THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT The College was excited to announce the generous donation towards the renovation of the Music Department recently received from the Terwick Trust, which was established by the late Sir Edwin Nixon CBE.

Sir Edwin was ex CEO and Chairman of IBM UK and inter alia was a member of the College’s Board. He was a huge admirer of the College and a great supporter of the arts and music in particular. The Trust’s generous support will be used to refurbish the College’s Music classrooms to significantly improve the space, creating a brighter, more comfortable and functional music teaching area, one that is conducive to a stimulating learning experience for our students. The refurbished space will serve as a permanent memorial to acknowledge Sir Edwin and his close connection with the College and highlights the College’s commitment to developing its music and broader arts provision.

IN THE NEWS

STUDENT PROFILE

MOHAMAD UWC Atlantic encourages its students to use their lived experiences as a force for good.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH… How one student’s journey home to Argentina demonstrated the power of the UWC movement With what became a mad rush to repatriate students towards the end of March as a result of Covid-19, this is a story that illustrates something beautiful, in this otherwise not-so-beautiful situation. One student’s journey back home to Argentina had a rocky start: her flight from London to Buenos Aires, which was the last flight to leave the UK for Argentina, was cancelled. Always keen to rise to a challenge, in a seemingly hopeless situation, the UWC community sprang into action. The effort to bring her home started with an Argentinian alumnus, rushing to Gatwick airport to support the student and help her talk to embassy officials, although no immediate solution was found there. Then, our amazing UWC Atlantic team, Claudia, Valentina, Elena and Magda stepped in to find a way to get the student home, via Paraguay - before they also shut their borders. Hero alumnus and long-time UWC Atlantic friend, Hugh Davies (UWCA 81) also joined in, kindly hosting the student until she could board a new flight the next day. On 18 March, the student landed in Paraguay after a short stopover in Chile.

From there, the next leg of her journey began. As there was no more public transport crossing the Paraguay-Argentina border, nor flights from neighbouring countries, Argentinian residents could only enter Argentina by walking across the border on foot. So, the amazing UWC Paraguay national committee made arrangements for Carolina, one of their volunteers, to drive our student from the airport to the border, with just enough time to spare before curfew. When this picture was taken, our student was crossing the border to be reunited with her family, who had driven 2000km in 3 days (including a failed trip to Buenos Aires airport) to meet her.

This happens in a multitude of different ways, whether it be chatting over lunch, aiding a classroom discussion or helping enrich service opportunities. Mohamad Kassem is one such student who was able to use his lived experience to make a huge difference to the local community through his involvement in the OASIS refugee service in Cardiff.

UWC Atlantic students can choose to do the service component of their Co-Curricular programme at the OASIS Centre and spend time practicing English with those who also want to learn the language, doing reciprocal skill sharing and generally having fun and making it an enjoyable place to be.

Mohamad, a Palestinian refugee, was living in the Palestinian refugee camp in Tyre, Lebanon. While studying at a ‘United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East’ school, he took part in the rigorous selection process that the UWC Palestinian National Committee undertakes every year and was awarded a scholarship by The Moondance Foundation. He has made a hugely positive impact in a variety of different ways, including as part of his service at the OASIS Refugee & Asylum Seeker Centre in Cardiff. The OASIS Centre aims to integrate refugees and asylum seekers, who live in Cardiff and the surrounding areas, into the local community. It also offers a place for them to socialise, pick up new skills and celebrate their cultures.

As a refugee himself, he was able to empathise with those who found themselves in a foreign land, understood their experiences and was able to share things that he found useful in order to cope and integrate in a local community. His ability to speak both Arabic and English was hugely useful when helping the Arabic-speaking refugees at the centre improve their English. Mohamad has a bright future ahead of him, having secured several scholarships at universities in the United States.

This is just one of the many moving stories we’ve been involved in during the pandemic. But it shows that working together, we are resilient and resourceful and we won’t give up until we get the right results! Individuals, colleges, national committees, College donors, alumni, volunteers and families across the world pulled together like never before, hosting, tutoring, donating air miles or buying last minute flights, providing crisis emotional support, making sure students got through airports and finally home. We made the impossible possible. And what we learned in trying to get all our students home, we built upon to get them all back again in September...

WHAT A YEAR...

CONFERENCES STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES

THE KINGS SINGERS

Detailed creative and operational proposals for student-led conferences are pitched to the Student Conference Board and four are usually selected for the forthcoming academic year. Themes are usually aligned to topical issues or are focused on a particular country or region - with students sharing their ‘lived experience’ or showcasing their own history and culture.

On Sunday 26th January, we were lucky enough to host the world-famous King’s Singers for a very special concert. presenting their new programme, Finding Harmony, to the community.

RECORDING STUDIO With support from The Mousetrap Settlement Trust, the College has been able to construct a state-of-the-art recording studio, in a previously underused space in the Arts Centre. This studio gives us the ability to record and produce music to a very high standard, and consists of a control room and a studio, with a soundproof window between them. Both rooms are filled with top-of-the-range equipment for the students to use. The project was initiated last year by our Head of Music and IT department and was completed in March, just as the students were sent home, but it is now fully operational, and open to students. The space is multifunctional, and can also be used for drum lessons and practice, and band rehearsals, as it is well soundproofed. This is an essential new facility, as music making in the 21st century is increasingly electronic, and we previously lacked appropriate facilities for this kind of music-making. Electronic music production is a core part of the new IB music curriculum (launched this year), and opens up the subject to a broader range of students. This studio also gives us the ability to record and stream performances from the Tythe Barn, the Glassroom and the Bradenstoke through the school IT network.

The concert was generously supported by The Mousetrap Settlement Trust and centred on the power of music to unite people in difficult times. We heard music from the Scottish Highlands, the Singing Revolution in the Baltic States, the Civil Rights movement in the USA and the Reformation in Europe.

Conferences are among the highlights of the year and are initiated, planned, developed, hosted and managed by student teams and attended by everyone on campus, as well as invited alumni and guests.

NEW4YOU On average, every individual in the UK spends £1,800 on average each year on clothes and more than 30% of our clothing goes to landfill. We are delighted that our New4You clothes re-selling shop, run by houseparent Marta Beleznay and her service students, along with SUSCO, the Sustainability Council, is dedicated to raising money for our Student Assistance Fund.

DECOLONIZERS

LIFE IN LOCKDOWN

Colonization is still a major issue in the world: a source of hatred, violence and conflict. Respect and mutual understanding are key to avoiding these issues. As an international College that brings people together from different nations, cultures and backgrounds the DeColonizers Conference student organisers wanted to give students a safe space to look at these issues critically while listening, understanding and evaluating diverse perspectives - whilst preserving mutual respect. Day one focused on ‘Looking Back’ followed by day two focusing on ‘Moving Forward’.

YOUNG AURORA We are very proud of our ‘Young Voices’ team, selected as one of three finalists for the 2020 UWC Young Aurora prize, along with teams from UWC Pearson ‘Precious Plastic’ and ‘Smokeless Kitchens’ from UWC East Africa. The finalist teams presented their projects to the final jury at the inaugural Aurora Forum on 18 October 2019 at UWC Dilijan in Armenia. The winning team from UWC East Africa was granted $4000 towards the further development of their project, and our Young Voices team was awarded $500.

RICE

Dechen’s’ story of her life in lockdown was picked up by the BBC in the summer. She was unable to go home and spent a lot of time with her host family in St Albans making masks for elderly neighbours, as well as selling them to raise money for Syrian refugees. She’s also been making PPE for the Bucks Search and Rescue PPE appeal, which her host family’s sister is a part of. Dechen says the experience has “made me feel more appreciative of home and more grateful for what I have.” We are so proud of all our students who worked tirelessly at home to support others.

DIVERSI-T This year’s DIVERSI-T event showcased diverse forms of creativity from different cultures within the College. Different forms of expression included: Christmas carols, a performance of contemporary dance by MOVE, Palestinian poetry by Mohamad accompanied by our Syrian pianist Ali. Cato and Greta performed a German/Dutch duet guitar, Nigerian Ayooluwa accompanied his photographic slideshow with his saxophone and Aryan recited original poetry about snow capped mountains in Kashmir.

The RICE conference sought to delve into the region of East Asia, providing insights into its prosperity and struggles. An energising Opening Ceremony gave the eager College population a teaser for the two days to come. From the lively dances of traditional and modern East Asian cultures, to the iconic East Asian songs performed by UWC Atlantic’s talented (multilingual!) choir, to the high-spirited dance performance of all the organisers, the audience climbed aboard a ride through the rich cultural celebrations of East Asia in anticipation of the two-day journey.

ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS PROGRAMME Our longstanding Associated Schools Programme (ASP) welcomed students from its partner schools in Birmingham, Caerphilly and Liverpool to our student conference series. Staying on campus, our guests - both staff and students, joined our UWC Atlantic community attending various workshops and sharing their own experiences.

In order to fully encapsulate the multifaceted nature of East Asia, the organisers decided to deviate from the typical focal point of academic workshops, and instead designed a flavourful combination of cultural, food and standard workshops.

Supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation, the ASP aims to widen educational opportunity and global experiences to a greater number of British youth by bringing together its diverse international student body with socio and ethnically diverse school students from across the UK for mutual benefit.

#BLACKLIVESMATTER

SUSTAINABILITY #BLACKLIVESMATTER

Together with the rest of the world, we reacted with horror to examples of racial injustice in the US and in defiance, we are holding space for both reflection and positive action. Acts of prejudice and oppression horrify and anger us all and we, as a college and movement, must stand against them. And while we are devastated for the communities who are suffering, we know that this suffering is not new. It is systemic. We and the world must stop asking ‘why’ and start asking what we can do. Our students reacted by coming together and producing a powerful film about why #blacklivesmatter and how they can, individually and collectively, commit to finding ways to be better. This was aligned with dialogue in College about how we can work together to use education as a force to unite humanity - to fulfil the UWC mission. It has also resulted in the students drafting their own Racial Equality policy and driving the debate further forward. Education can be a force for peace, equality and social justice, and the possibility for change rests with, and within, each one of us. And it must begin with a commitment to safeguarding those who feel fearful and vulnerable within our own community, to continue the conversations that we must have and to work to realise that future together.

PLASTIC FANTASTIC Second year students Jemima and Eilidh and our Lighthouse Team are embarking on a fantastic beach plastic recycling scheme to encourage more people to put more effort into cleaning up the plastic polluting the sea and beaches around the College. They are hoping to develop this into a scheme that will utilise and upcycle this plastic in a creative way. This could entail shredding the plastic and then remoulding it into new objects such as keep cups for example. They are using Precious Plastic as the inspiration for their project and we wish them lots of luck!

SEAGRASS SAVIOURS CLIMATE STRIKE In mid September 2019, just ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit, thousands of young people in Wales, joined millions around the world, by taking to the streets as part of one of the largest climate demonstrations in history. Class of 2020 graduate, Beth Irving, was invited to attend the COP 25 Climate Conference as a result.

The College welcomed Project Seagrass, who are working on creating the UK’s first restored Seagrass Meadow. Seagrasses occupy 0.1% of the seafloor, yet are responsible for 11% of the organic carbon buried in the ocean. Seagrass meadows are vital for biodiversity and for fisheries to thrive. Our students volunteered to help restore 2 hectares of seagrass meadow, preparing, seeding and tying bags.

LEAVERS’ CEREMONY

Many of you were able to join our virtual Leavers’ Ceremony event; even though we could not be together in person, there was a palpable sense of connection, knowing that we were all watching together across the globe. It is always a moment of great pride and emotion when we celebrate another UWC Atlantic class taking the next steps on their UWC Atlantic journey from student to alumni. The team did an incredible job in pulling it together - it was a unique and memorable occasion and from being separated a few months before, it brought the College community close together again. Congratulations to the Class of 2020 and we wish them every success on their onward journeys.

Dear UWC Atlantic,

Many thanks

We watched the Leavers’ celebration together and want to thank you for being so creative. It was a heartwarming and beautiful gathering. And although the whole situation has a little heartbreaking edge, we felt connected with the College community and we as parents felt honoured to be joining the ceremony.

for sharing and for welcoming us into your ceremony! It really was touching. I cried.

Thank you for arranging this and let’s hope the class of 2021 will be graduating live and physically at UWC Atlantic next year.

Good afternoon!

Mariët

A great achievement. It was very emotional. It shows a lot of work and a lot of love for the students and we were very happy to be asked to be part of the viewings. It is good to see the College on the bigger stage of Youtube and would like to see many more. Congratulations. Alumni (UWCA 75)

Brilliant graduation production.

Maaike (UWCA 16)

Thank you so much, for the possibility to participate in this memorable, alternative Leavers’ Ceremony! Very nice speeches, staff messages and student moments! The experience was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I hope that once the Class of 2021 can return, they will become great second years, as the Class of 2020 were for them. I remember our son telling us in March, after arriving home, that there were so many things they still should have had to learn from the Class of 2020 to be able to take care of the new first years later. He was not sure how they would manage it all on their own? But I know, they will. My son can’t wait to do his best!

Many congratulations to all new graduates and to all those who worked so hard to make this a special and memorable event.

Gabriella

Alumni (UWCA 70)

Dear UWC Atlantic

To Peter Howe and all the staff at UWC Atlantic

I just wanted to write and thank you for the phenomenal Leavers’ Ceremony you pulled together. It was just beautiful.

Thank you for a moving and well-crafted online leavers’ ceremony. We really enjoyed the celebration of their time with you and the heartfelt wishes from the staff and Year 1s.

I found myself sitting in a darkened corner of the beach bar crying at my phone for an hour and a half as I caught a glimpse of the memories my son will always carry with him.

Kira

What was so beautiful about your ceremony was the reminder that, for all of his ups and downs, my son is now also a UWC alumnus, and this will be something he can hold onto for his entire life, as I do. Perhaps, just as I didn’t understand the significance of this until many years later, his focus will initially be on shared friendships and rules bent (broken?) together these past three years, but I look at him and know that ‘he’s got it’, and that fills me with joy.

This looks amazing. I am feeling like I am back at U WC Atlantic. Congratulations to the Class of 2020. Alumni (UWCA 12)

Catherine 40

PROJECT WEEK

STUDENT PROJECT WEEK Every year, students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a project for a week - one of our major events in our Co-curricular calendar. This year, projects were either service related or expedition based.

Projects are proposed by students and staff and they embrace collaborative planning and teamwork. First and second years work together and learn to embrace and value each others’ knowledge, skills and experience. Project week is also filled with lots of fun and opportunities to find new friends. Here are just some of the stories of the adventures and opportunities of Project Week 2020, embracing learning outside of the classroom. The Brecon Expedition was an exciting week full of adventure and discovery. Based in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, the project was immersed in Welsh history and heritage, learning about the mining industry and its significance to Wales and Welsh communities. Students climbed and abseiled abandoned quarries, ventured through old train tunnels, walked the local towns and villages, and ended the week with a visit to Big Pit - Wales’ popular mining museum. Here, students discovered how coal and limestone was mined and transported as well as learning all about the community of Welsh coal miners.

It was a busy week on the Social Care and Tai Chi project. Following a day of training and preparation, the project hosted and entertained the regular local community Tai Chi members as well as groups of children from a Primary School and members of the local Historical Society. The students organised and delivered activities for each group from Tai Chi sessions in the Glass Room and on Barry beach, to junior classes discussing topics of fairy tales, space science, sports and World War II. The project ran an efficient lunch service for our guests and fulfilled the aim to provide a happy and healthy day at UWC Atlantic for the members of the local community. Hopping on board the Challenge Wales sailboat, students were immersed in life on high seas from the minute they set sail. From general cooking and cleaning, to rigging the mast and practising ‘man overboard’ - which thankfully wasn’t needed - the students learnt crucial skills throughout the week. Sailing from Penarth to Swansea Marina and then to Lundy Island, students explored the seas and worked together as a team. They had the opportunity to anchor at Lundy Island and explore the island’s nature, wildlife and blue seas. Spending the night at anchor, students worked to a rota and took it in turns to do night watch - ensuring the boat didn’t move throughout the night. After setting sail to Neyland in West Wales, the seas became a bit more challenging and cold, which made docking to warm showers and birthday cake for a student’s 18th birthday even sweeter! The group visited Tenby before returning to Penarth. It was a challenging week in the cold brisk winds where the students all worked together to sail the large vessel. Lots of sweat and a few tears but the students were resilient and battled the elements to have a very successful voyage.

The Plastic Everywhere project focused on the removal of plastic waste washed up on the local beaches, immersing students in the environment of the beautiful Welsh Coast on the doorstep of UWC Atlantic. The students saw first hand the damage happening to the environment with the use of ‘one use plastics’ and a ‘throw away society’. The message the project aimed to spread is that humanity can no longer turn a blind eye - people, governments and nations need to start caring or there will be nothing left. Working hard in one of the local primary schools in Llantwit Major, the students supported the school with their daily activities and learning journey in a very special week that celebrated St David’s Day. The students took part in the Welsh celebration called the Eisteddfod. They also had the opportunity to share experiences and traditions of their own countries’ history and culture. At the end of the week, students took part in a class trip to Techniquest - learning about the ozone layer and the Antarctic. Saying farewell on the final day was tough for the students but they celebrated with dance and games. Monday and Tuesday were spent under blue skies and a bright sun at Wick and Marcross Primary School. Seven students were involved in some very hard labour - digging a huge sandpit and a smaller pebble area, shifting a thousand pieces of wood for a log cabin and moving some huge tractor tyres (it was certainly a case of “many hands make light work”). For the remaining days, the students visited every class in the school to share a traditional tale and information about their countries. They presented stories from Portugal, Nigeria, Norway, Israel, Bangladesh, The Netherlands and Paraguay featuring snakes, palm trees, weeping birds, goats and princesses. It was a wonderful week enjoyed by all.

SPOTLIGHT ON TRUSTS

The staff, Trustees and supporters of Pestalozzi enjoy receiving updates about the students. Hearing how they have taken advantage of new opportunities and how they are developing themselves through their participation in a wide range of extracurricular activities as well as managing their academic studies is important to us. We hope that as Pestalozzi-UWC Atlantic alumni they will remain in contact with Pestalozzi as they progress through their academic and work careers. Pestalozzi also provides support through the Pestalozzi Development Fund, which enables alumni to set up or expand projects or activities, which benefit their own or other developing communities.

SPOTLIGHT ON TRUSTS PESTALOZZI INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

Pestalozzi was founded on the ethos of a Swiss educational reformer, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827). The Pestalozzi International Foundation was founded on the ethos of a Swiss educational reformer, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827). He believed that everyone deserved an education regardless of their social status advocating a holistic approach to educating the Head, Heart and Hands. The charity was established more than 60 years ago, welcoming European children from Displaced Persons’ camps in Germany and several British children. Through the decades the charity evolved with students coming from areas of conflict and developing countries. For the last 20 years until 2019 the young people lived for two years at the Pestalozzi International Village and studied the IB Diploma and later A-Levels at local colleges and schools, adding significantly to the vibrancy and diversity of their student bodies. In September 2019, the scholarship programme evolved into the new, innovative offering working in partnership with the UWC movement, funding scholars to attend UWC Atlantic. Dedicated to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, Pestalozzi works with young people from underserved communities in Belize, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe as well as Tibetans in exile in India and Nepal; our mission is to empower globally conscious individuals by supporting their further education in a multi-cultural, multifaith environment.

Mags Alexander, Student Scholarship, Alumni Liaison and Development Fund Manager

Those selected are passionate about using their education to make a difference in society and have the potential to become leaders, using the acquired skills and knowledge to positively impact the lives of many others. The Pestalozzi-UWC Scholarship delivers quality education for high achieving, low income students who would struggle to complete their schooling without support. Pestalozzi alumni become well-rounded global citizens, equipped to reap the benefits of tertiary education or to return to their home countries to take on either paid or voluntary work. From the College they have followed many career paths including healthcare, environmental conservation, medical research, international development, information technology, engineering and education. Some alumni have established their own NGOs, including a school in Nepal. ‘Mags Alexander from Pestalozzi International Foundation says:‘ “It is inspiring and humbling to see the growth and development of driven young people from very modest backgrounds. All they required was the opportunity and belief in their potential. Our mission and vision are aligned with UWC Atlantic. We were keen for the scholars to be educated in a multi-cultural and multifaith community and believed that UWC Atlantic would provide an excellent environment for their personal growth as well as a holistic academic provision.

Meeting the students in person at the College reinforced to us the importance of a rigorous selection process and also the value of providing such educational opportunities. We are delighted with the progress of the scholarship recipients. It hasn’t been an easy first year for the students, who had to leave the College and their friends, earlier than expected, due to the coronavirus pandemic. We have been impressed by the support they have received from the UWC Atlantic team, which has enabled them to continue their learning online and the updates we regularly receive from the College. The world is in unusual and challenging times with COVID 19 having a huge impact and making the continuation of education challenging. It has also changed the experiences that students have had in their schools and colleges. As a charity, one of the challenges we face, and will continue to face, is raising the funds required to ensure the continuation of the scholarship programme and the Pestalozzi Development Fund. The team continues to seek out new opportunities to enable the charity’s work to continue into the future.

Building personal relationships and getting to know the students has always been a very important aspect of our work. Being UK based we were keen to continue having students in the UK enabling staff to meet and interact with students and college staff, hence the decision to place scholarship recipients at UWC Atlantic. The first five Pestalozzi-UWC scholarships students commenced their studies in 2019 and a further five will join them in 2020. We have also committed to supporting a further five young people for 2021 entry. The Pestalozzi-UWC Atlantic scholars meet specific criteria to be eligible for the scholarship. Staff have been fortunate enough to have been invited to observe selections in Uganda, Belize and Nepal offering them the opportunity to meet the UWC committee members and the prospective candidates. We have been impressed by the rigour of the process and the enthusiasm of the UWC alumni and volunteers who give their time to select students. Pestalozzi receives no government funding and relies on donations from individuals and trusts to fund its work.

With the second intake of five students arriving this year, the Pestalozzi community at UWC Atlantic will grow and we are looking forward to visiting all of the students when circumstances allow. 2021 will bring with it the graduation of our first group of scholars, which we are very much looking forward to attending. Pestalozzi hope that the young people it sponsors will continue to take advantage of future opportunities to expand their knowledge, develop their skills and feel empowered to make positive changes in their own communities and the wider world.” 45

STUDENT PROFILE

ALI Everything about UWC Atlantic is unique. The peaceful calm environment, the kind and supportive staff, and most importantly the extremely international ‘full of love’ students. On the morning of 23rd May 2016, I was walking down Alamara Street heading to my school to sit my ninth-grade French exam. It was a really warm Mediterranean morning, the fragrance of Syrian jasmine fused with the smell of the freshly baked bread. It all felt nostalgic for some reason. Being fluent in French, the few minutes required for me to submit my answers went quickly, and yet also seemed to be the slowest minutes of my entire life. Gazing at the cyan sky through the window and feeling the cool breeze of late spring I thought ‘what a peaceful morning’. Just a few minutes after that on the morning of the 23rd of May 2016, my school was targeted by ISIS in one of a series of explosions that hit my town. My school was targeted just for being an elite school. I lost some of my dear friends and many others were injured. The sky was not blue anymore and the street did not smell of jasmine. Out of the will to access better and safer education and to share what the suffering of Syrian students is like with everyone else, I decided to look for opportunities to study abroad. When I came across the UWC movement and read more about the mission and the values, I honestly could not sleep for the following three days. Six months later I was the only Syrian from my school to be accepted by UWC and was offered a full scholarship by the Horizon Foundation (UK) to attend UWC Atlantic for the next two years. I am forever grateful. Many people might find the next couple of sentences hard to understand, if they have not been through the UWC experience. However honestly, UWC is one of these very rare experiences through which it is very hard to keep track of what has changed in you. I genuinely believe that it is easier to keep a note of your personal characteristics that have not been altered (if there are any).

Everything about UWC Atlantic is unique. The peaceful calm environment, the kind and supportive staff, and most importantly the extremely international ‘full of love’ students. Living and studying in a castle is wonderful, but it’s the very last thing people mention about why they chose UWC or why they enjoyed being here. Every moment I spent at UWC Atlantic was nonpareil. International activities through which we celebrated our diversity and especially the ‘Flag Ceremonies’ (dances that included colourful flags and national costumes) are absolutely my most treasured memories. My first flag ceremony on the first UWC Day is by far the most remarkable thing I cherish about my time at UWC Atlantic. On the 23rd of May 2020 and exactly four years after the explosions hit my town, I graduated from UWC Atlantic. You might think that it is a coincidence or that I messed with the dates. Well, I do not believe in coincidences and it only takes you to Google ‘Syria explosions 23rd May 2016’ to check. I can easily fill a couple of pages reflecting upon only one day of my entire two years at UWC Atlantic or what I now prefer to call “My UWC story”. However, unlike other stories, this one never ends, just like the mission that never dies. After UWC, I decided to continue to learn more about the world and its diversity and devote my life to making a change. I was the only student to be awarded a 100% excellence scholarship to study International Business at Regent’s University London, hoping to become a social entrepreneur and to participate in rebuilding my country. Also after choosing to support vulnerable Syrian youth and share what I learned in UWC with my community as my life mission, I have recently founded my own NGO in Syria located in a very small street called Alamara Street, where the sky is blue and where it smells like Syrian jasmine and fresh bread again.

LOOKING TO THE PAST

David B. Sutcliffe

THE YEAR WE LOOKED TO THE PAST...

Colin Jenkins

It was with great sadness, and even greater admiration and gratitude, that we said goodbye to three heroes of the UWC movement in the last year. David B. Sutcliffe

, who passed away on 11 November 2019, was one of UWCâ€™s truly great men: he worked with Kurt Hahn at Gordonstoun and became a founding member at UWC Atlantic.

John Lawrenson

Under the leadership of Desmond Hoare, the Collegeâ€™s inspirational first Headmaster, the College was actively developing sea-rescue services: David first led the Canoe Lifeguard Unit, initially separate from, but working with, the Beach Lifeguards before the two merged into the Surf Lifesaving Unit. He quickly became a very proficient surf canoeist and this determination continued when he took over from Hoare the Inshore Lifeboat Station. He soon became a housemaster and then Director of a new curriculum which was to become the International Baccalaureate. In 1969, as Desmond Hoare moved from being Headmaster to Provost (a post he held until 1973 before retiring to Ireland) David succeeded him not only in charge of the Rescue Boats but also as Headmaster of the College. David also went on to become the founding Head of UWC Adriatic and the cofounder of UWC Mostar.

Colin Jenkins passed away on 15 November 2019. His

influence on the UWC movement and the people that form this community extended far and wide. From houseparent at UWC Atlantic to Principal, and founding Head of UWC Costa Rica, UWC SEA and UWC Dilijan, he brought his far-reaching experience of UWC, alongside his energy and commitment to every corner of the world of UWC. Everyone who had the privilege of knowing him came to love him. A noble life lived to the fullest. His memorial service was held in the Bradenstoke Hall and the wake in the Library of the College.

John Lawrenson

passed away on 1 October 2019. John and his wife Nicky arrived at UWC Atlantic College in 1978 and he was instrumental in shaping the movement that we know today, often in subtle, behind-the-scenes ways. He went on to wear just about every hat on offer in the UWC movement, as teacher and houseparent at UWC Atlantic, being part of the founding team at Li Po Chun UWC, Rektor at UWC Red Cross Nordic, Chair of the College Heads Committee and as a member of the UWC International Board. He also contributed to the early work that eventually led to the founding of UWC Changshu China. All three men shaped and inspired the UWC movement in a number of significant ways. It is safe to say that we would not be where we are today without their determination, grit and love for UWC. Thank you for all that you did.

THE YEAR WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE...

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

SEAFRONT DEVELOPMENT

THE NEEDS OF OUR TIME HAVE CHANGED. Over the last six decades, UWC Atlantic has derived great strength and inspiration from our proximity to the sea. It has been much more than a thrilling backdrop to College life. It exists at the core of our being, an elemental driver of our educational and community service programmes, and one of the defining features of the UWC Atlantic experience. Being emblematic of the ideals of Kurt Hahn, it has acted as a catalyst for the personal development of generations of UWC Atlantic students. But we must continue to look forward and to evolve our approaches and aspirations so that they remain relevant to today’s complex and rapidly-changing world. Kurt Hahn’s vision and focus on the importance of training ‘for’ and ‘through’ the sea and Sir Desmond Hoare’s commitment to ‘rescue services’ to the ‘saving of life’ and to satisfy ‘the instinct for adventure’ that he instilled in students in the early 60s, remain at the heart of our educational approach and our Seafront Development Strategy. We will explore new ways of place-based scientific and sea-based learning and activity that reconnect our students to both land as well as the sea.

BUILDING FOR SUCCESS DEVELOPING THE INFRASTRUCTURE

We are focusing on developing the seafront to bring it back to life, at the heart of the College. The newly developed infrastructure including the development of the outdoor and indoor pools, the slipway and seawall, the boathouse and boatyard, the seatowers and the Seachange Centre for Learning Innovation - which will act as the perfect launching point for some of our pivotal Chanegmaker activities to take place. Plans are taking shape to renovate our beautiful seafront with more modern, fit-for-purpose, place-based learning spaces that integrate our core commitment to service, with academics, activity and adventure. This will transform the seafront into an exciting and vibrant space creating a green, open learning environment that offers new life-changing experiences for the students of the 21st century.

A HUB OF ACTIVITY AND LEARNING

Our hope is that this work, what we can discover and learn and what we will invent, will contribute to the rescue of others from the devastating effects of climate change and ocean pollution threatening our natural ecosystem, the health, homes, peace and security of millions of people desperate to escape their situation, and the global economy.

The mission of UWC Atlantic focuses on delivering an outstanding, values-based education, complemented by instilling in our students the concept of them being changemakers. We strive to continue to fulfil the original vision of Kurt Hahn and the other founders of UWC Atlantic - albeit in innovative new ways that can better reflect the needs of our time.

Our ambitions could not be bigger. They have evolved from the great work and support of the UWC Atlantic Seafront Development Task Force, led by Pelham Allen (UWCA 69) and championed by Willem de Vogel (UWCA 69) among many others.

Our challenge is to ensure that - through our distinctive identity and approach to education - we lead the way into the future. We need to continually refine and improve our model so that we can have the impact we seek in the world.

WAYS OF LIFE

WAYS OF LIFE We will also be re-engaging with the sea through our Ways of Life programme. To take our co-curricular experience to a whole new level, our team of skilled and experienced outdoor and activity specialists, together with Second Year student instructors, have been busy collaborating to develop a range of exciting outdoor activities and adventures. These are opportunities for students to learn more, participate more and also engage more with the mission and values of UWC and the underpinning ethos of Kurt Hahn.

LIFESAVING We are building on the College’s history of rescue and Kurt Hahn’s idea that “The passion of rescue reveals the highest dynamic of the human soul”. The lifesaving programme will focus on traditional water based life saving skills as well as learning to use risk and group management in practice by supervising the swimming pools for others to be able to use the facilities. In addition, during the warmer months and calmer days they will act as supervisors to the seafront allowing for safer sea swimming, enjoyment and activities on the beach. It is the aspiration of the group to compete alongside other local clubs in lifesaving and also form a community lifesaving group where skills can be taught to children, adults and others who wish to learn valuable lifesaving skills. Members of this group would also be offered the chance to work with the RNLI during the summer period to patrol local beaches on their official volunteer scheme.

KURT HAHN CORE We are ‘re-hahnessing’ Hahn - building more outdoor activities centred on the core values of personal challenge and holistic experiential learning. We want to ensure that the seafront is front and centre in the personal development of students, developing skills which will prepare them to face the range of complex issues we, as a global community, face today.

PADDLESPORTS Re-energising activities off a safer slipway, kayaking on the local rivers and surfing at the beach, the Paddlesports programme will give students the opportunity to develop their physical capabilities, enjoy everything that the College seafront has to offer, work collaboratively and explore locations along the beautiful Welsh coastline.

NATIONAL COAST WATCH We are in the process of establishing an National Coastwatch Institution monitoring station, working as part of the national network, providing opportunities for students and volunteers from the local community to contribute to the safe use of coastal waters by both recreational and commercial craft. St Donats Bay NCI will be one of the first of its kind as it will be the only operating station with an acting ‘Cadet’ scheme. Our students will watch side by side with members of our community to provide essential watches of the Bristol Channel. Whilst the station will aim to be operating from the Sea Towers in the short term, we need to develop and improve further space. All Cadets will receive full training and provide additional services to those passing the College via the coast path by providing information about the station and the College, interacting with the local community and building on key water safety messages. Students will take shifts on watch and will be offered the opportunity to join as full crew during the summer months as a volunteer to keep the station open.

CHANGEMAKER EDUCATION

In early September we welcomed back our first and second year students and took our first steps into an exciting new academic year. As we move forward to reclaim our position as the flagship College of the UWC movement, recognised for the radical and experimental spirit that defines our history and drives our impact on the world, the development of the UWC Changemaker Education is a key strand of achieving our vision. It’s a bold and innovative step forward. It will become a signature programme for the College. In returning to the spirit and core principles of Kurt Hahn, we will evolve our ‘transformative education’ and prepare our students for the complexity and volatility of a changing world. We see this as a potentially rich area for engagement. This real world model of learning will require mentors, experts, internships, incubation opportunities as well as financial donors. The full implementation of the Changemaker Curriculum will require a step change in educational design, methodology and culture. While this project is the development of a new curriculum, its long term effects on timetable planning, assessment, course delivery, teacher training and development and organisational culture, will be far reaching. It will require new models of educational leadership and new planning tools. For this reason, we are building cultural change into our methodology. We are also connecting to the networks and developing the strategic partnerships we need to support us to make a significant contribution to ecosystem change in education. The time is right for this, for example in Wales the planning for a new Curriculum for Wales is currently underway and will be launched in 2021. The key aims of the UWC Atlantic Changemaker Curriculum project are: 1. To develop, deliver and evaluate a range of UWC Atlantic Changemaker Curriculum Courses based on learning methodologies that enable a more personalised, individually mediated and socially impactful approach to learning 2. To build a pilot curriculum model comprising a series of units contributing to a full educational programme to present as an alternative to the IB Organisation 3. To establish a typology of Changemaker skills for UWC graduates and embed these within the curriculum with the support of the Lighthouse 4. To clearly establish this new chapter of UWC Atlantic on the best of that has gone before by extending and deepening our connection with the principles of Kurt Hahn 5. To collaborate with the UWCIO and other UWCs so that we learn from and feed into the development of a UWC Curriculum 6. To connect and collaborate with like-minded partners to add value to learning innovation by weaving positive change within the educational ecosystem Our new modules will be open to all students (as Co-curricular options) to enhance their education using a multidisciplinary approach that transcends the traditional IB subject groups. 54

CELEBRATING THE MAGIC

“

The Magic of the College is found in diverse classrooms, in the dayrooms, late at night, debating matters of global significance. It is found in the Dining Hall, at the seafront, in the gardens, in the valley and in the woodlands. It is found, when we find our commonalities, despite our differences. It is found when we all come together, with our flags and our colours and our identities, and celebrate our vision for the world - one of peace, and a sustainable future Ayooluwa Kolawole and Kafura Waimiri STUDENT COUNCIL CHAIRS 2020

”

Philanthropy, Partnerships and Engagement UWC Atlantic St Donatâ€™s Castle St Donatâ€™s CF61 1WF Wales UK philanthropy@uwcatlantic.org Patron: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II United World College of the Atlantic Ltd. Registered in England No. 673076. Charity No. 525761