Island School Alumni Magazine Winter 2019, Issue 3
ARTIST Martin Lever (85F) talks about painting Hong Kong’s street life from different perspectives VOCAL COACH TO THE STARS David Combes (82N) his work on the Bohemian Rhapsody film PHOTOGRAPHER Col Sims (85F) a new life through the lens
Editor Vicky Hill Design and Art Director Ryan Yau Reporter Clare Leung Publisher Island School Sha Tin Wai Pok Hong Estate Area 5A, Sha Tin, New Territories, Tel: (+852) 2524 7135 Editorial and Alumni enquiries Tel: (+852) 2524 7135 Alumni@online.island.edu.hk Advertising enquiries Tel: (+852) 2524 7135 Alumni@online.island.edu.hk Copyright 2019 Second Pagoda is published twice a year and is emailed to all those that have registered via the Alumni Association’s website The numbers and letter following an Islanders’ name is the year they turned 16 followed by their House initial.
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Letter from the Alumni Association President
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Introducing... Community Imaginings
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Events Creative Breakfasts, Leadership Awards, Winter Walks and Zoo Drinks
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Inspired by the Streets Artist, Martin Lever (85F) talks about painting Hong Kong’s street life from different perspectives
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High and Loud Vocal Coach, David Combes (82N) on turning actor Rami Malek into Freddie Mercury for the film Bohemian Rhapsody
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Classroom to Careers ‘Through the Eye of the Lens’ an Elements photography course that teaches students to see the message behind the image
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My Best Shot Col Sim (85F) talks about starting a second career as a photographer
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In Brief Groundbreaking at the new Borrett Road campus. Andy Wong (92N) CEO of Cathay Pacific Catering Services, hosted Hospitality students on a research trip. Tom Nauta (03F) visited Island School with ‘Poetry In Action’ an Australian touring theatre company. The group performed ‘Words that Changed the World’ for Year 9 students. Jessica White (15R) has won the 2019 Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence to attend the University of Arts London, studying a BA Hons in Fashion Styling and Production.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER Alumni Association President Jonathan Hui (96R)
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his issue highlights just a few creatives within our community of Islanders. All those featured echo a similar message, studying and practicing within the Arts has benefited them in their careers and other areas of their life. They also talk about the need to master their craft, have passion for what one does and that hard work is often mistaken for natural talent. This Arts themed issue is a joy to look through because of all the images and visuals used. The artists’ passion and dedication is evident in the samples of their work. I attended the Borrett Road groundbreaking ceremony in the autumn. While standing on the now flattened site I remembered all the things I did at school that were part of a creatively rich curriculum. It will be exciting to see what Arts will look like at the new campus and the community that builds up around it!
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INTRODUCING...
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ommunity Imaginings is becoming a significant Island School project. Started by two senior students Hannah and Ida in October 2018, it celebrates community partnerships and offers those that don’t have them creative opportunities. Since moving to Sha Tin the school has formed strong, positive relationships with those around it. Local councillors have helped to facilitate visits and afternoon teas with the elderly and language sessions have been developed with neighbouring schools and groups. However Ida and Hannah felt that these weren’t as well-known as they should be. So they decided to use their editing and planning skills to create a publication that celebrates the schools new partnerships. Collaborating with Ng Yuk Secondary School in Tai Wai, they started to produce a magazine that features students’ creative works. This grew into Ida and Hannah hosting workshops that offer the NYSS students opportunities to create through the Arts and Technology.
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As their idea developed they pitched their plans to the school’s John Ying Wah Gibson Memorial Fund and were awarded a grant worth $21,000. To date they have hosted Blackout poetry, Mexican food cooking, Easter egg decorating workshops and a friendly basketball competition. The Mexican food cooking session was particularly successful. NYSS, does not have kitchen facilities and Food Technology is not part of their school curriculum. For many of them, it was their first time cooking and some students told Ida and Hannah that they recreated the meal for their families at home. At the basketball competition they saw students overcoming language barriers and differences to come together and support and cheer for one another. Ida and Hannah realized that Island School could and should become a hub for creativity in the community if they extended their project further by planning a ‘Creative Open Day’!
The day will include soft toy making, storytelling, baking and drumming plus activities to promote the Community Library on the Tai Wai campus. Their completed magazine will be distributed to students at both Island School and Ng Yuk Secondary School, and made available in the Community Library for the general public. English Teacher, Ms Teri Eves, has helped the students significantly – to develop ideas, find solutions to problems, and she has run some of the workshops. Ida and Hannah say Ms Eves and this project has changed their lives. Now they can manage a budget, present concepts, talk to local councillors, and they are becoming increasingly confident in unfamiliar situations. Alumni are invited to support this project and others like it. If you have time, expertise or if you think you can provide financial support please contact: alumni@online.island.edu.hk
Opposite top: Blackout poetry workshop Opposite bottom: Mexican cooking workshop
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Events
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enior Awards At the school’s Senior Awards in May, former head boy, barrister Michael Lok, talked about the significance of the Islander network. Alumni Association Committee member, Hector Lee, presented the Alumni Award for Leadership to the outgoing head student Bakhita Fung. Summer Social In the summer in High Holborn, London, Mid 80’s Islanders and former teachers met for drinks. Talk was of the memorable Island School Zoo and the spectacular Zoo Fairs. Alliance Breakfast II Guests at the second Alliance Breakfast heard from Doctor, Kevin Lau (99W) about the importance of giving back and how even small contributions of time, expertise or money make a significant difference. Senior students Ida and Hannah, then talked about ‘Community Imaginings’ their project that offers creative opportunities to the school’s community partners. As their project develops, Island School is becoming a hub for creativity within the community.
Guests also heard how A.I. is being used by students in collaboration with the ‘A.I. Academy’ www.ai-academy.hk/. The breakfast at the American Club was made possible thanks to PTA member Jennifer Seeto. Christmas drinks The Alumni Association Executive Committee hosted their annual Christmas drinks at the Globe on the 11 December 2019. Whole School Walk supporting The Island School Trust On the 10 January 2020 the whole school is coming together for a sponsored walk, with all proceeds going to the Island School Trust. The Trust, founded after the school’s 40th anniversary, supports a number of school projects and charities including the Spirit Fund, community and student projects, plus Katja House in Nepal, Baiwan in China and the Nicola and Kenneth Bursaries. The Trust includes teachers, parents, alumni and friends of the school. You can find out more about the Island School Trust and its projects
at: island.edu.hk/isgiving. One of its longest running projects is the Nicola and Kenneth Bursaries, a fund close to the hearts of many within the Island School community. It was established in 1985 in memory of two students. For decades the Nicola and Kenneth Bursaries has been quietly changing the lives of thousands of students from low income families helping them to continue their education and achieve their goals.
Opposite top: Summer drinks in London Opposite bottom: Alliance Breakfast guests, Hannah Lee & Ida Tsui Senior Students, Belinda Greer ESF CEO, Stephen Loggie Principal and alumnus Dr Kevin Lau
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INSPIRED BY THE STREETS Artist, Martin Lever (85F) talks about painting Hong Kong’s street life from different perspectives hobby caricaturist and mum made clothes. There are a couple of artists across the family as well, I consider myself a creative sort of soul. My real passion for art wasn’t born until my late 20s. I didn’t know what I wanted to do while at school. I chose to study History at university (the A-Level subject I liked the most).
Above: Lever in his Lantau studio Opposite: Tai O Trippin
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Spending time working on a canvas started as a sort of therapy for me. My mum passed away when I was 29, and I spent most of the following year just throwing paint at a canvas. I experimented with different paint textures, looking at different subjects and developed a style from there. I then started to put my first collection together. When people bought my work at my first exhibition in Taikoo Place back in 2007, it felt surreal.
fter school Martin Lever moved to the UK for university. He subsequently worked in advertising and discovered a passion for painting in his late 20s. He held his first solo exhibition in 2015. His artwork has been exhibited in Hong Kong, the UK and the Middle East. Recently he became a founding partner of ‘Arcc Asia’ a strategic marketing agency focused on events and brand experiences.
When you’ve been in Hong Kong for 40 years, I guess the city’s imagery becomes part of your DNA. When I did the collections ‘Street’ and ‘Street II’ I thought about the characters that have meant something to me over the years, for example, the chestnut guy. The fact that we see less and less of these street heroes in Hong Kong now makes me want to capture not just the characters, but the time and place that is slowly disappearing.
I think I inherited the artistic gene from my parents. My mum and dad were both artistic in different ways - dad was a
A knife and chopsticks are my painting tools. When I paint I first apply a pumice
gel with a knife and then I etch the illustration with a chopstick. Once it is dried hard, I start to build up layers and paint on top of that. This is the technique I used for my 2016 ‘Above Below’ collection. I wanted to be less rigid and a bit more expressive. In Hong Kong we spend much of our lives in high rises looking out but how often do we look down at the streets. This new perspective has been inspiration for much of my work. When you are in front of the easel, nobody tells you what to do, which is a nice balance to the day job. I’m largely self-taught and don’t have a particular artist that I look to (maybe I am subconsciously affected by Gustav Klimt at a certain level). I’m more inspired by personalities - people who are happy to break the rules, rather than physical artists.
I strongly believe that creativity is everything in life. It opens people’s minds and helps them to think in different ways. I guarantee you any leader across any category of industry is a creative individual whether it is Arts related or not. The benefits of studying creative subjects are priceless. As an employer in the creative industry, I can see how studying Arts helps the younger generation. Employers don’t really care what grades you get, but they want rounded people who ask questions. We need people who know how to break the rules and solve problems rather than stick with formulas. http://www.artbymartinlever.com/
“When you’ve been in Hong Kong for 40 years, I guess the city’s imagery becomes part of your DNA.” If I stayed where I was in the UK, I probably would have become a very different person. I paint because I enjoy it and I try to create beautiful things that have an aesthetic value. If somebody finds anything I do attractive or beautiful and they want to hang it on their wall, I am very honoured. Nothing great comes easy, there is no reward without effort. Unless you are prepared to put in the time, pain, blood, sweat and tears. Hard work is the best friend for success, whatever and whenever that is. 10
Above: Chestnut Man Opposite top: Fish Man Opposite bottom: Duck Man
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HIGH AND LOUD Singer and Vocal Coach, David Combes (82N) on turning Oscar winning Actor Rami Malek into Freddie Mercury for the Bohemian Rhapsody film and the impact of his supportive teachers.
Above: Combes at the Cargo Club, London
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ould American actor, Rami Malek, sing the part of Freddie Mercury? That was the big question alumnus David Combes, had to consider alongside the music director and the producer of the Bohemian Rhapsody film. A professional singer and vocal coach, with over twenty years’ experience, David was called in to do “lots of lessons” with Malek. David worked with the actor over many months, during his breaks from filming ‘Mr Robot’ to get him ready for a screen test. Malek not only needed to sing the much love Queen songs he needed to sound like the dramatic, fearless icon. Three powerful songs later at Abbey Road Studios and the film’s director, funding and cast were put in place. David explains the process he used to give Malek - back his voice.
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“Rami had been told, growing up, that he didn’t have a very nice voice or that he couldn’t sing. I wanted him to develop a relationship with his voice – we started by making primal sounds across all voice registers using everyday vocalisations that naturally happen at higher and lower pitches.” David asked Malek to pretend he was an Italian waiter in a busy restaurant calling to a chef, “For an actor the process is great because they can play characters and they know how to project, so Rami and I practiced making the high and loud sounds before the singing started.” Developing a relationship with ones’ voice is common in the course of David’s coaching with actors, professional singers, aspiring singers and novices. The impact of the ‘you can’t sing’ comment is lasting. “I spend a lot of my time working with students who are carrying tension in their voices from them hearing that they can’t sing or are not good enough.” “To be a good singer you have to love singing and you have to practice. Growing up I didn’t have lessons day in, day out but I was always singing.” “Great singers aren’t born, it is thousands of hours of work you are seeing when you see a good singer perform on stage.”
But the love for singing is maybe innate, David was singing in the pushchair before he could speak. In his first year at Island School he shared the lead role in the whole school production of ‘Oliver’. A show with a big cast and lots of sets performed over four nights.
“Rehearsals where disciplined but fun and I learnt a lot.”
Later his teachers made sure he could study A Level Music. “They helped me to achieve my grade 8 singing exam and use it as part of my academic studies. When I joined Almost from day one at Island School David school I was ahead in terms of singing but knew he had come to the right place. “My two behind in terms of music lessons and my understanding of the technical and music teachers John Barham and Christine theoretical knowledge of music. But they Murray were hugely supportive - the whole [my teachers] put a pathway in place for experience of school was positive.” me, and extended me.” “My music teachers helped me to see that pursuing a career as a singer was possible.” “Island School was a really important place for me to have gone to.” Barham produced three huge musicals while David was at school: ‘Oliver’ ‘The Card’ Like many alumni David agrees that school introduced him to things he didn’t know and ‘Half a Sixpence’. he was interested in – such as playing the Below: With colleagues in The Control Room at Abbey Road Studio, London
“The whole experience of school was positive.”
piano. “Even though I was late to learning instruments, I was shown that if I applied myself I could do it!” After 14 years in Hong Kong David graduated from Island School and studied at Bath University before moving to London where he started auditioning as a professional singer. As his career progressed he was invited to become a singing teacher at a rock and pop college in London. He now spends half his time as a professional singer and half his time as a vocal coach. He gives his students the same advice he had when starting out. “All my students have got social media profiles. But I tell them they need to be out there doing it! They need to be at open mic nights and playing in hotel lounges and singing at weddings. Human interaction and getting to know people is key.” “Musicians are tribal and they like to work with people they already know, or are recommended by people they trust. Having a good CV is important but you are more likely to get booked if someone on the team says, ‘yes, I’ve heard of him/her and they are great’, those personal recommendations count for so much.”
His code of professionalism has lead to invitations to join the backing vocal team for Robbie Williams’ No.1 album ‘Swings Both Ways’ and Bradley Walsh’s record breaking debut album ‘Chasing Dreams’. But maybe some of his most creative work is with the Steve Sidwell SFX Choir. A choir that use their voices to create sound effects. With the festive season upon us David is on tour with ‘Now That’s What I Call Christmas’. A choir going to all the UK’s major cities singing Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ and other seasonal favorites. This will be followed by a mini tour with the Halle Orchestra, which former Island School teacher Christine Murray use to play with. The big news is that David is about to start work on another film. A huge musical coming out next year. A non-disclosure clause means he can’t tell us the name yet - we follow with interest. Could more Oscar glory await? http://www.davidcombes.com/
“Social media is important but it can only ever be your shop window.” The ultimate professional David encourages a set of gigging rules, “Hone your craft; take every job seriously regardless of how much they are paying you; never turn up late – be early and talk to people before you get started; arrive warmed up and ready to work.”
Above: At the London Palladium Opposite: Coaching at Abbey Road Studio, London
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CLASSROOM TO CAREERS Wildlife photographer, Teacher of Geography & History and Head of Da Vinci House, Ross Burrough talks about his Elements course ‘Through the Eye of the Lens’ which teaches students to see and appreciate the world differently.
Above: Ross Burrough
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spent 9 years living in Botswana, taking photos of wild animals before I started a teaching career. I saw some incredible stuff which sparked a passion for photography. ‘Elements’ courses* are all about teachers sharing their passions with the students, infusing them with the skills and knowledge which they might not be able to learn from a textbook.
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‘Through the Eye of the Lens’ is an 18-weekskills-based photography
course. Instead of having fixed topics, students have the flexibility to decide what they want to learn in the latter part of the course. We spend the first four to five weeks learning how to use the camera manually (no automatic functions are allowed in class), we then do a couple of standard set shots outside the classroom, such as a trip to the Che Kung Temple. From this point on, students work in groups to put together a list of places they want to go to. They pitch their ideas to each other and vote for the most wanted places. So the course is very much designed by them, which gives them a sense of ownership in their learning. Apart from learning how to use the camera, we also spend a lot of time talking about creativity as well as other ‘Deep Learning’ skills such as citizenship and collaboration. We aim
to get them [the students] to understand their development in these core skills, which will be useful to them as they go into university and the real world. But this is only the starting point. As a photography course, we highlight the importance of creativity by doing different exercises. For example, students are given half of a black and white portrait and complete it by drawing the missing half. This helps them to understand light and shadow and some of the key elements when taking pictures. On one of our previous trips, I challenged the class to make an alphabet collage without using any pictures of letters. Opposite top: Black Faced Impala, by Burrough Opposite bottom: Gazzelle, by Burrough
They had to make letters out of natural objects, developing composition skills. I want students to grasp the rules, and then learn how to break them. Anyone can take a picture but what turns a casual snapshot into an art form is the message behind it. It’s the deeper story that you are trying to get across with an image. This, is the key message we are trying to bring in throughout the course. We often look at images that have changed the world. One signature example is the ‘Death of Alan Kurdi’ a little Syrian boy who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea as his family tried to reach the Greek Islands during the European refugee crisis in 2015. We want students to understand that visual forms, particularly photography, have the power and ability to change the world. Nowadays, we spend so much of our lives walking around with our heads down, looking at the screen, that we can’t see what’s around us. Our ultimate goal, is to get students to reconnect with the world around them, be more aware of their sur-
roundings, and see and appreciate the world differently. Apart from artistic training, the course also trains students to become better communicators, with group or pair work, peer evaluations and gallery-walks. We provide students with a platform where they can exchange ideas freely and support each other. In the portrait session, we even go a bit further by taking them to the market and asking them to take photos of strangers. It is no surprise that the majority [of people] say no, but what we want the students to learn is how you deal with the rejection. Do you let it affect you or can you get back up and try a different approach? For instance, can students start a conversation to develop a relationship before photographing someone? When they do that repeatedly, it gives them not only the confidence as a photographer, but the ability to be able to speak to strangers in their daily lives. To provide students with hands-on experience, we collaborate with other Elements courses such as Island Dance and Island
Art, taking photos of their performances and exhibitions. We also invite professional photographers to share with the students their experience of being a full-time photographer, and to equip them with the skills and knowledge that can take them to the next level. Notes* Elements is unique to Island School, students in Years 9, 10 and 11 can choose from over 50 courses which have been developed by teachers. They include courses such as Musica Viva, Film 101, Law and Leadership Matters. Elements are not examined.
Opposite top: By Fabian Tan, Island School Student Opposite bottom: By Isabel Wagner, Island School Student
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MY BEST SHOT Col Sim (85F) tells us about his new career as a photographer and being part of a tight knit group of Islanders.
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ell us about your school days? I was at Island School from 1980 – 1985. We were all passionate about our House – it was good-will competitiveness. We were a tight community of students and a real international mix. I was part of the Mansfield Road gang, most of whom were Islanders. Most evenings we would go to the playing field and play football and spend too much time socializing in Wan Chai. It was a really happy time. I had to leave HK quite suddenly to move back to the UK which was a culture shock but I focused on my memories and old friends. What did you do post Island School? I studied electronics and computing at university and ended up working in sales for the telecom industry, then Sky and later the Office of National Statistics. Did you stay connected to other Islanders? In 2000 I and a couple of other Islanders organized a reunion in the UK. We held it in a marquee in a field. Lots of people came, from all over the country, it was great! What bought you back to Hong Kong? In 2007 I came back to HK for a holiday. At the Rugby Sevens I reconnected with some Islanders, among that group was Linda.
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Two years later I moved back to HK and Linda and I were married. How did your career in photography start? I found I was becoming an unofficial photographer at events, including alumni events. I started taking my camera everywhere with me: hikes on Lantau, parties, matches – and a passion developed. Four and a half years ago I did a really good photography course and that changed the way I see the world. After the course I found myself reading about photography and watching YouTube videos – I was practicing all the time. The year I turned 50 I thought if I don’t pursue my passion now then when? I was and still am driven by photography so I gave up the day job. So you found your passion? It all comes down to passion and practice. After my photography course my eyes became like the lens of a camera. I see the potential in everything. I look at silhouettes, light and dark and everything that might be in frame. I have an idea of the sort of image I want before I set up shots.
What is your specialty? I looked at the market and decided there was enough people taking portrait and studio shots so I focused on events. Event photography is much more enjoyable. It is fast moving and challenging. There are lots of things you can’t control such as outdoor lighting or crowds. But maybe I am happiest on a summers evening somewhere with no pollution so you can see the stars - doing long exposure shots, practicing night photography. How did you build a business? I maybe spend about 25 percent of my time marketing myself but much of my work is word of mouth. Now I shoot for HK Living Magazine, AIA at St James’s Place and lots of private events. I offer photography tutorials as well. But to make the business work you need self-control and focus. https://colsimphotography.com/
Previous page top: Pui O beach, Lantau, Hong Kong Previous page bottom: Sunset Lovers, Kent, England Opposite: Taxis at Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2
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IN BRIEF
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ndy Wong (92N) CEO of Cathay Pacific Catering Services, hosted Hospitality students on a research trip. The Year 12 IB Career Programme students were walked through Cathay’s mass catering daily operations. The students went on to design their own healthy children’s meals and sustainable business class meals for their airline meals project.” Tom Nauta (03F) visited Island School with ‘Poetry In Action’ an Australian touring theatre company, in the autumn. The group performed ‘Words that Changed the World’ for Year 9 students. Tom recalls is school days, “Maths and P.E. were my strongest subjects at school whilst English and Drama weren’t even a blip on my radar. Poetry was a bore and the thought of getting up in front of an audience terrified me. But being cast in a school production of Bugsy Malone set me on my journey. I came to realise that acting is such a powerful way of telling stories, and that words, put in a
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specific order, can effect change in the way an audience may think and in so doing can change the world.” Jessica White (15R) has won the 2019 Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence to attend the University of the Arts London, studying a BA Hons in Fashion Styling and Production. This is the first time this scholarship has been awarded to an arts student.
Ground Breaking Government officials, ESF senior management and members of the Island School community came together at the Borrett Road campus for a groundbreaking ceremony, on the 23 October, celebrating the next important stage of the redevelopment project. Mr Kevin Yeung Yun Hung, JP, Secretary for Education and Mr Abraham Shek, Chairman of ESF Board where among the guests. Mr Yeung said, “ESF is one of our close counterparts in the development of a vibrant international school sector. I am delighted to join the groundbreaking ceremony of the Island School’s redevelopment, which marks a key milestone in this project jointly funded by the Government and ESF. May I wish you smooth sailing of this innovative and community-friendly project and I look forward to seeing the new campus in 2022.” Belinda Greer, CEO of ESF said, “This is a
momentous day for ESF and for Hong Kong. Today we are not just breaking ground on what will be one of the finest schools in Hong Kong. When completed, the new Island School will be up there amongst the best schools in the world.” “When we open the doors of the new school in a few short years, the students will have access to incredible facilities, world class teachers and purpose built spaces that have been designed to deliver a 21st Century education.”
Above: Stephen Loggie Principal, Daanyal Ebrahim Head Student, Belinda Greer CEO ESF, Natasha Mather Head Student
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Second Pagoda aims to create no expenditure or profit. We do however, want to support the various endeavours of The Island School Trust. One of the projects they sponsor includes the Nicola and Kenneth Bursaries founded in 1985. The bursary awardees (students from low income families) are committed to educational success but limited by financial difficulties. Students can choose to spend the money as they wish.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Typically they use the money to pay for exam fees, exercise books, tutoring sessions, extracurricular activities and sometimes transport or food. Purchase an advert in this magazine and your money will be donated to The Island School Trust – a rate card is available on request from, alumni@online.island.edu.hk
www.island.edu.hk
Supporting the Island School Trust