Australian International School Hong Kong
Yearbook 2024
Australian International School Hong Kong
Yearbook 2024
“This is the first of 7 panels that comprise my Body of Work Hong Kong Homage. It is set in the rural coastal town of Sai Kung which played an integral role in my childhood. The anonymous fisherman works silently in the deep green water, the colourful array of buckets containing his catch for the day. He embodies those native communities that, for as long as Hong Kong has existed, have lived off the sea that surrounds them. He is part of the sea, and the sea is part of him.”
VALERIE NG, YEAR 12
Year 6 students recently showcased their creativity by creating prints inspired by Chinese culture. They learned the intricate process of printmaking by drawing on foam board, incorporating symbols they studied during their trip to Beijing. This hands-on project not only honed their artistic skills but also deepened their appreciation for Chinese cultural symbols.
Inspire personal excellence, passion and action in global citizens of tomorrow.
With a foundation of positive wellbeing we provide our students with balanced approaches to a well-rounded education and create opportunity and community.
• All-embracing school life
• Australian and international education
• Healthy, resilient, engaged students
• Safe, respectful environment
• Unlocked potential in community
• Academic excellence
Opportunity
• Intercultural understanding
• Positive sense of self
• Personal bests and creativity
We, a uniquely Australian and international educational community in Hong Kong, are guided by core values that shape our culture and actions, emphasising partnerships, student leadership and lifelong learning as the foundation of our ethos.
• Partnerships, rooted in respect
• Building community for collective success
• Internal, local and global collaboration
• Confidence, compassion and character
• Personal growth and positive exchange
• Encouragement in fellow peers
• Unwavering commitment to learning
• Culture of continuous improvement
• Full potential and academic excellence
AISHK will be bold in aspirations in developing its culture to:
• Enhance its positive, caring, purposeful and vibrant community
• Strengthen the intercultural understandings of its stakeholders
• Encourage voice from all stakeholders such as those quieter voices
• Challenge the ‘status quo’ and historical practice for a changing educational landscape
• Embrace open-mindedness
School
Primary
Secondary Academic Staff
Administration and Support Staff
Catering, Facilities, and Uniform Shop Staff
Primary
Primary Environmental Committee
Primary Student Representative Council (SRC)
Secondary Captains Message
Secondary Prefects
Secondary Student Representative Council (SRC)
Primary House Captains
Secondary House Captains
Mufti
Dear AISHK Community,
I am delighted to share my first message as Chairman in the 2024 AISHK Yearbook.
After serving as deputy chair, Treasurer, and chair of the Finance Committee, I was honoured to be elected as Chair of the Board, following the resignation of my predecessor, Professor Richard Petty. On behalf of the AISFL Board, I thank Richard for his leadership over the past five years. This year we welcomed Kym Fortescue as Deputy Chair and chair of the Governance Committee, and David Chan as Treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee. Both are dedicated colleagues committed to our school community and we appreciate their perspectives and positive impact on our school community.
The AISFL Board and the school’s executive team work closely to understand and respond to the needs of our students, teachers, and our wider community. It is with pride that we reflect on our journey over the past 29 years, and look forward to our 30th anniversary next year, and beyond, with confidence, optimism and strength. The Board and Executive will continue to focus on our strategic goals of academic excellence, wellbeing for students and staff, transformative technology, and optimising our learning environment.
This year, AISHK has had a remarkable year filled with academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and community events that showcase AISHK’s strong community spirit. Highlights include the highly successful Family Fun Day in August, organised by our dedicated Parent Association, which brought together our unique school community in a celebration of unity and spirit. Additionally, our well-attended open days and strong admissions have reinforced our position as a leading international school in Hong Kong.
A series of informal morning tea sessions were held at AISHK, providing an opportunity for me to meet and engage in discussions with various staff departments. I look forward to continuing these valuable interactions throughout the coming year.
I extend my gratitude to our dedicated staff, whose unwavering commitment and passion have been instrumental in shaping the school's journey. I also take this opportunity to thank my fellow board members for their hard work and dedication.
AISHK thrives because of the collective enthusiasm and support of our parent network. Thank you for your trust and commitment, which are the cornerstones of our continued success and growth.
I would like to acknowledge the contributions of our departing staff and wish them onward success. I thank executive team members Brendan Kean, who has served as Head of Primary since 2018 and played a pivotal role in our community. I want to thank Donna Botfield, Deputy Head of Primary, who has held this role over the past four years and made great contributions to our school. I also extend my gratitude to Margaret Bailey, whose dedication to her role as Deputy Head of Secondary has been significant over the last two years.
We close this year, and look to next with a sense of pride and excitement. AISHK has a rich history, and its beginnings are underpinned by the unique community spirit we still feel today when we walk into the school. Reaching our 30th anniversary is a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved, past and present. The board and I look forward to celebrating this occasion with the community.
In the meantime, I wish you all a safe and relaxing break. I look forward to welcoming you back to AISHK in 2025.
Sincerely,
Andrew Macintosh AISFL Board Chair
Welcome to the 2024 edition of the AISHK Yearbook. This year has been filled with vibrant activities and remarkable achievements, all beautifully captured within these pages. We hope you enjoy the journey through our memorable moments.
We welcomed over 130 new students to AISHK in Term 1, highlighting the sustained interest in our distinguished school. The annual Welcome Festival was an excellent start to the new year, uniting both returning and new families. I was honoured to participate in the eye dotting during the lion dance and lead the Bai San ceremony, celebrating the Lunar New Year with vibrant energy and cultural richness.
This year was marked by active sporting engagement and success both in Hong Kong and abroad. Starting with the Secondary Athletics Carnival, our teams proudly represented the AISHK Kangaroos in numerous local and overseas tournaments. Athletic excellence and sportsmanship were evident across all sports, thanks to our participants, staff, and supportive parents. The enthusiasm and spirit of our students and staff shone through in various PDHPE curriculum and House-based activities. From parents cheering in the stands to students in colourful costumes, and our athletes excelling on the track, field, and in the pool, the AISHK community came together in friendly and fair competition.
The new library at AISHK has significantly enriched our entire school this year, from Reception to Year 12. This key project features enhanced lighting, senior study spaces, and advanced technology to support learning and collaboration. The library offers diverse reading and study areas, fostering a collaborative environment for both students and staff. With an extensive, constantly updated book collection and innovative spaces, plus technology to foster new learning and meeting capabilities, the library has become an even more vibrant hub, testament to our commitment to providing a state-ofthe-art educational experience for all.
The creative industries, visual arts, and STEM at AISHK have flourished, with a myriad of activities celebrating and amplifying student creativity and innovation. Primary and secondary students have displayed their talents through art exhibitions and won numerous awards.
The 10th anniversary of Dragon’s Den gave the Design class of 2024 a platform to receive feedback on their product concepts in the early stages of their design process.
AISHK’s focus on future-ready skills in problem-solving and creative thinking has allowed students to pursue and excel in their creative and STEM passions.
The performing arts at AISHK have thrived this year with the introduction of performing arts assemblies and year-level productions. Our music ensembles and various productions have highlighted the incredible talent within our school. The concert “Finale” will conclude a year of vibrant and uplifting performances, showcasing the strong community engagement and dedication to learning through the performing arts.
We have bid farewell to our outstanding Year 12 cohort, who have shown remarkable resilience, maturity, and kindness. For many, this marks the end of an era, having been part of our school since early primary years. We are already witnessing the start of their exciting new journeys as young adults across the global AISHK alumni network. I congratulate them on completing their schooling and wish them all the best for the future.
To AISHK families, thank you for your ongoing collaboration, partnership, and participation in school life. We have engaged with parents to identify key areas of focus for the school's future vision, shaping our plans for continued success. Our strategy respects the past and looks to future needs, and has been communicated with the wider community. I am excited to continue this journey with you.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dear staff colleagues and families who are leaving AISHK. Your invaluable contributions and the significant roles you have played in our community have been greatly appreciated. You will be deeply missed, and we wish you all the best in your future chapters.
Finally, as we approach our 30th anniversary in 2025, we are excited about the projects and initiatives in place to ensure we continue to grow and flourish as a leading international school in Hong Kong and globally. It is a privilege to lead AISHK and be part of your child’s educational experience. I wish you all a happy, safe, and relaxing break and look forward to seeing you in 2025.
Mina Dunstan, Head of School
The 2024 school year for Primary has been dynamic and full of opportunities for our students to shine, as they pursued personal excellence both within and beyond the classroom.
Our sports and PDHPE programs saw students representing AISHK within and beyond Hong Kong. In creative arts, students flourished with on-campus exhibitions, while language and learning thrived through community-wide Chinese Week cultural celebrations. Numerous musical and drama performances showcased our students' talents, including at community events hosted by AISHK’s Founding Associations. I hope you enjoy snapshots of these curricular successes throughout this publication.
AISHK provides students with opportunities to not only learn but also apply and share their knowledge across various curricular areas, including literacy, numeracy, and specialist subjects. The Year 4 Mathematics Tournament, Year 6 Australian Stories, and studentled conferences held across Primary exemplified the joy of learning and the development of our students’ critical thinking and collaboration skills.
In 2024, AISHK students had numerous sport and PDHPE opportunities to showcase skills and enjoy a variety of events. Highlights included the Primary and Early Childhood Athletics Carnival, cross country running events, numerous tournaments around Hong Kong, and swimming carnivals at AISHK’s Aquatic Centre. These events provided students of all skill levels the chance to participate and flourish.
In October, Year 6 students and staff enjoyed a fantastic week in Beijing, marking the momentous return of this trip since the pre-pandemic era. Highlights included visits to the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. Students met their pen-pals at Shijia Primary School, exchanged gifts, and built friendships. The week featured trips to the Temple of Heaven, a cooking school, a shadow puppet show, and the Summer Palace. These transformative experiences enhanced their learning through cultural immersion. For over
twenty years, AISHK has offered students the chance to experience this unique city.
In 2024, student leaders in early childhood and upper primary showcased their skills through leadership assemblies, fostering teamwork and cooperation. AISHK prides itself on providing opportunities for students to develop future-ready skills of confidence and care. Thank you to the 2024 leaders; their reflections are in the coming pages. Best of luck to the 2025 student captains!
As I reflect on my seven years at AISHK, I want to extend my gratitude to my Primary colleagues, especially those moving on to new adventures in the future. Your dedication and passion have left a lasting impact on our students, peers, and the overall success of AISHK. I also want to thank our supportive parents and guardians for your unwavering commitment throughout this school year. The achievements of 2024 are a testament to your commitment to your child's success, and we should all take pride in what we've accomplished together.
It has been a difficult goodbye, leaving this school has been one of the most difficult decisions I have made. Both as the Head of Primary and as a parent this school, it has been such a positive experience for myself and my family. And most importantly, I am excited about AISHK’s future. The school is in capable hands, and I look forward to hearing about the continued success of our students.
Brendan Kean, Head of Primary
The 2024 school year has offered countless opportunities for secondary students to strive for personal excellence and make positive contributions to the AISHK community. While there were great outcomes achieved inside the classroom, student involvement in activities beyond it was the real highlight.
Term 1 saw the long-awaited return of Activity Week for the first time since 2019. Successful trips and camps were run in Hong Kong and internationally, with an emphasis on cultural experiences and pushing students beyond their comfort zones. Groups travelled to destinations far and near, including Fiji, France, Japan, Singapore and the Philippines. Many of the trips included meaningful service components, which continues to be a key pillar of our school’s ethos.
Our Kangaroos sporting teams continued to excel, showing great pride and passion in their various competitions both in Hong Kong and abroad. The fun and friendly spirit of interhouse sport offered a further opportunity for students to demonstrate their sporting skills and prowess. The creation of the student Sports Council allowed for greater student voice in the development and promotion of sport across the school.
Extra-curricular activities beyond sport provided additional opportunities for students to showcase their talents. In the performing arts, we saw the staging of a fantastic school play, Stranger Things, along with a spectacular endof-year concert, Finale. The ever-popular Model United Nations is another forum in which our students continue to thrive, and this year we hosted another highly successful AISMUN conference on campus. There were many examples of outstanding student leadership across the secondary school, led inspirationally by our school prefects and Student Representative Council (SRC). Their fine efforts to advocate for student voice and enhance the overall school experience were deeply valued by all. This year saw the introduction of Spirit Week in the last full week of school for Year 12 which proved to be a fun and vibrant prefectled celebration. There were numerous community service initiatives embraced by
our students, including a new partnership with the Life Commitment Charity Club, established by 2024 graduate, Hazel Yeung. This enabled groups of students to visit the homes of elderly citizens in Kowloon, bringing donations of essential goods and warm company.
In September, we bid farewell to a small but mighty Year 12 cohort via the Valedictory Dinner and Assembly, both milestone events in anyone’s AISHK journey. Though it’s always sad to say goodbye, we warmly welcome these students as the newest members of AISHK’s global alumni network. We look forward to hearing of all their successes in the coming years and in the future.
There were ongoing efforts in the field of wellbeing, aimed at ensuring that the AISHK experience is healthy, safe and happy for all. The rollout of PROSPER as our school wellbeing framework, as well as significant investment in staff professional learning in this area, exemplifies our deep commitment to supporting the wellbeing and mental health of the young people in our care.
At the end of the year, I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to my secondary colleagues, including those departing AISHK for new horizons in 2025. Your passion and dedication to your work continue to make a lasting impact on students, colleagues and the success of our school.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful AISHK parents and guardians for your unwavering support and faith in our school. AISHK has once again achieved a great deal this year, and this would not be possible without your investment in your child’s success.
Finally, to AISHK students, congratulations on all you have accomplished this year. Your positive energy, curiosity, humour and school spirit make AISHK one of the greatest schools in the world.
Peter Phillips, Head of Secondary
Top Row:
Bottom Row:
Mina Dunstan (Head of School), Peter Phillips (Head of Secondary), Margaret Bailey (Deputy Head of Secondary), Karin Bennett (Deputy Head of Secondary)
Brendan Kean (Head of Primary), Christopher Bird (Deputy Head of Primary), Donna Botfield (Deputy Head of Primary), Kevin Elliott (Business Administrator)
1st Row: 2nd Row:
3rd Row:
4th Row: 5th Row:
6th Row:
7th Row:
8th Row:
Jaime Ashton, Olivia Ashton, Greta
Champney, Joanna Chan, Maggie Cheng, Rena Chiu, Greenie Chin, Joy Chung, Kate Elliott, Julie Emery
Sarah Guinon, Indi Herbert, Tobias Hogg, Samantha Hogg, Bruce Home, Samantha Illingworth, Kate Jackson
Tessa James, Judy Kuang, Giulianna Lee, Christine Lloyd, Simone Maclay, Daniel Man, Thomas McLean Ciaran McMullan, Natalie Mierczak, Winnie Mo, Poppy Moir, Megan O'Connor, Rose Orders, Nicholas Petersen
Maddie Priebee, Laura Ren, Lauren Rosanowski, Josh Stirling, Emma Stirling, Catherine Stocks, Diana Toufeili
Kathryn Troy, Nyssa Tong, John van Gaalen, Neander Walsh, Casey Wong, Jack Wolfreys, Nick Wood
Andrew Wookey, Colin Young, Winnie Yung
1st Row: 2nd Row:
3rd Row:
4th Row: 5th Row:
6th Row:
7th Row:
8th Row:
Marc Allante, Ronald Anderson, Damian Bailey, Andrew Bennett, Pravin Bhardwaj, Sian Byrne
William Campbell, Chrissy Carini, Benjamin Chin, Nancy Chiu, Wade Cox, Jo Craig, James Cunningham
Lisa Darby, Cecilie Duchatel, Kath Ellis, David Emery, Ben Foreman, Danny Freer, Andrew Hill
Vindy Ho, Joanna Lang, Diana Lee, Vicki Livermore, Chris McCorkell, Paul McGunnigle, Andrew McLean
Stuart McRae, Thomas McTiernan, Caleb Mui, Anthony Murphy, Ian Nelson, Peter O'Connell, Phillip O'Connor
Aileen O'Donnell, Isabel Power, Hannah Pearce, Frances Phillips, Lee Pilgrim, Peter Pulsford, Emily Riordan
Peter Stapleton, Lesley Stewart, Tim Tait, Christopher Walsh, Carole White
Michael White, Mia Xu, Lulu Zhang, Julie Zhu
1st Row:
2nd Row:
3rd Row:
4th Row: 5th Row:
6th Row:
7th Row:
8th Row:
9th Row:
Niharika Amarnani, Anna Banh, Dan Barredo, Gita Bhaumik, Dwayne Brown, Taran Chadha, Karim Chakroun, Ally Chow, Rita Chow, Mike Chui
Esperanza Ciriaco, Justina Dear, Pauline Dear, Sachiko Elliott, Gabriela Frisinger, Jeremy Garcia, Darrell Goh, Mimi Goma, Annie Gong, Quincy Gonzales
Sammy Guo, Sathi Hanson, Luna Hao, Steven Heath, Vicky Hill, Billy Ho, Mona Jain, Priya Kamath, Agnes Lam, Beatrice Lam
Olivia Lam, Jason Lang, Alvar Lee, Ellen Lam Lee, Faye Lee, Che Wai Leung, Carmen Lo, Claire Lo, Daphne Lo, Iris Lu
Connie Ma, Michelle Marsh, Brigitte McNamara, Debby Ng, KK Ng, Charmaine Ngai, Emi Nito, Richard Owen, Monika O'Reilly, Rowena Pasimio
Melissa Pepper, Mahekh Pirdnani, Kerry Ruse, Jenely San Juan, Michael San Juan, Michael Schats, Natalie Seddon, Bernadette Spencer, Tess Stapleton, Annie Sun
Xavier Szeto, Kevin Tam, Catherine Chao Tan, Hannah Tan, Hill Tang, Michelle Thielke, Nicky Tinlin, Jessica Tsang, Irene Tse, Allie Tsoi
Angela Tung, Monique Weston, Rachael Whitelum, Fran Wong, Kitty Wong, Alisha Wookey, Winne Yam, Karina Ye
Jenny Yen, Eric Yeung, Doris Yip, Loida Zenarosa
Top Row: Middle Row: Bottom Row:
Tjhin Bui Fah (Cleaner), Yung Fung Yuen (Cleaner), Lam Chun Nga (Cleaner), Ngai Sau Lan (Cleaner)
Absent: Leung Chan Shing (Security Guard), Fan Kam Fai (Facilities Supervisor), Cheung Yun Wing (Technician), Lai Fu Kit (Technician), Shek Fung Hei (Security Guard)
Tao Wing Yan (Senior Facilities Officer), Lee Hon Kuk (Cleaner), Chu Yim Ha (Cleaner), Liao Cijuan (Assisting Cleaning Supervisor), Wong Sau Lin (Cleaning Supervisor), Kuan Oi Chu (Cleaner), *Debby Ng (Senior Facilities Manager, AISHK Staff) Lau Kin Tak (Security Guard), Wong Chi Wai (Security Guard),
*Not ISS Eastpoint
Cheng
Wong
When my name was announced for Head Girl, I was both excited and nervous. In my six years at AISHK, I would have never expected that I would have the privilege to meet with the Head of School and have the opportunity to make change. In a matter of minutes, I was just normal student in AISHK to a role model that younger students look up to and it scared me to think about it.
Later on in the year, I realised that this position had helped me in many ways and has opened many doorways in my life. I want to thank all of those people who gave me this opportunity to experience this. I recommend others to run for the position too because it would help them in many ways they might not see at the moment. Congratulations to the next year leaders and I hope they appreciate their positions as much as I did.
Skye Nguyen Head Girl
This year, I have had the amazing privilege of being Deputy Head Girl. I was overjoyed but nervous too, I would do well and what would others think of me? But I soon overcame those worries with the help of all my friends and the other student leaders of this school, I couldn’t have gotten over the nervousness without them.
Being Deputy Head Girl has presented me with so many wonderful opportunities that helped me learn new skills and improve old ones. I’ve had many chances to lead assemblies and help out with other things. I’m so happy that I’ve been able to experience Year Six from a leadership role, because I got to work with people I wouldn’t normally, different teachers, students, and all the other Year Six leaders. It has been such a great year, thank you to all those that helped me be my best in this position.
Matilda Kean Deputy Head Girl
This year has gone by quicker than any year before it almost seems like I had only recently been elected. As a year six and a student since reception I have experienced so many things in my time here at AISHK as I head off to Brisbane I can't help but think about my memories and experiences whether as a student or as a leader. I have been to different schools representing AISHK whether it was in Hong Kong or in Beijing I have learnt so many things and
I have seen my years as an AISHK student go by and the school change and become how we know it today. I have enjoyed my term as the Head Boy and I have enjoyed working along side my fellow leaders and my fellow students. I hope the 2025 leaders will enjoy their term as leaders as much as my fellow leaders and I did . I would like to thank everyone at AISHK for helping me become who I am now today.
Alexander Dauber Head Boy
As my heart was racing at the Leadership assembly waiting to see if my name would be called, I suddenly stopped, everything around me stopped moving, did my name really just get called? I was walking on stage, I did it! I was elected to be the Deputy Head Boy for 2024. The moment felt surreal. To think that 2024 is almost at an end is incredible. At first, I was a bit nervous, surprised and excited, I had mixed emotions. It has been an amazing year, and I have really enjoyed making connections and working with Alex, Matilda and Skye. This year has taught me a lot including communication, time management, collaboration and of course leadership. It has been an honour working with many different people, especially Mr. Kean and Ms. Dunstan. It has been a privilege to serve as the Deputy Head Boy, and I hope the Primary Leaders of 2025 have as much fun as I have. This has been an incredible experience and something I will always remember. Thank You.
Renfred Lam Deputy Head Boy
Zyanna Pereira, Hilary Leung, Anya Fan, Adam Hellstrom, Natasha Chan, Clancy Evennett, Lachlan Fung, Caius Lau
Isla Kean, Mark Kanevsky, Jayden Lo, Arielle Leong, Omid Khezr Nejat, Tyrus Chung, Saskia Long, Violet Bird, Ms Jamie Ashton Siya Gunturu, Cassie Leung, Caden Li, Alexi Hon, Theo Chan, George Zeng, Megan Ng, Hannah Choi
Dauber, Isaac Jaafar, Kamson Ng, Eden Wong, Sofia
Teddy Gurry, Alvin Chen, Lachlan Underhill
Jayden Lee, Oscar Kee, Alexander Leishman, Riddhima Agarwal, Lillianna Sum Sophia Hardy, Megan Yung, Brandon Lam
Ms Winnie Yung, Maggie Phillips, Kim Eder, William Jove, Lucas Do, Lily Emery, Alexander Beauchamp, Max MacGowan-von Holstein, Lachlan Chan
Erin Chan, Alexis Yim, Zara Hodge, Torah Partridge, Emily Michael, Jacob Chow, Lachlan Ho, Charlotte Buckley
Sheanna Mutthumani Secondary Captain
The end of one chapter or the beginning of another. However we see our time at AISHK, graduating marks a pivotal moment in our lives. It is a time to celebrate our achievements while embracing the adventures ahead.
Standing here, proud of what I’ve accomplished over the past three years, I know this journey wasn’t mine alone.
Mum and Dad, today is as much yours as it is mine. You’ve always believed in me, even when I doubted myself. From late-night DIY Christmas costumes to staying up while I baked, your love and encouragement have been my foundation. Mum, somewhere along the line, I went from “stop telling me what to do” to “please tell me what to do.” Dad, thank you for being my biggest cheerleader, from standing in the heat at tennis matches to hyping up my avocado pasta. I can never fully express my gratitude to you both.
If we achieved everything without failure, what would we learn? My first piece of advice: embrace failures. They teach resilience and shape who we are. For me, tennis was everything until mid-2022. I dreamed of playing Division 1, but life had other plans. Health challenges forced me to give up that dream, and I felt lost. But setbacks redirected me. I wouldn’t be here as school captain or have found new passions without them. Tennis taught me discipline, balance, and perseverance. These are lessons that will stay with me forever.
Loss and failure shape us. They teach us to cherish every moment and to keep going when things get tough. You are not defined by a score or a setback but by how you rise again.
Though times have been tough, I wouldn’t have achieved anything without my best friends. From seating plans to shared struggles, every moment with you has been priceless. To my boys, thank you for making me laugh and keeping me grounded, even when the jokes were aimed at me and not with me. I love you all so much.
Alton, I’m so grateful to have led alongside you. Chairing meetings and last-minute blazer call-ups are memories I’ll always cherish. Aidan and Audrey, thank you for being incredible vice-captains and friends. Captaining with you three has been a dream.
Class of 2024, congratulations! Each of you is remarkable, and I’m grateful for the bonds we’ve built. From common room chaos to mid-class bathroom chats, these moments will always stay with me. As my mum says, in our age of modern technology, we can stay connected no matter where life takes us.
To our teachers, thank you for your guidance and support; it extended far beyond the syllabus. To Mr. Chin and Ms. Livermore, thank you for being my north stars. To everyone in the audience, whether we’ve spoken or not, you’ve inspired me. The little moments, smiles, nods, or simple hellos made my days brighter. You are what makes this school so special.
Enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Sometimes, we’re so focused on the future that we miss the beauty of the present. Laugh harder, celebrate small victories, and cherish the people around you. A quote I love is, “You can’t add days to your life, so add life to your days.” Savour the moments; they become memories.
Everyone has the power to achieve greatness. Believe in yourself, embrace the journey, and take that first step toward your dreams.
As my journey at AISHK comes to an end, thank you for the best three years of my life. My heart is full of love for this school and everyone in it. Although I’m sad to leave, I’m so grateful to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
Congratulations, Class of 2024, and thank you, AISHK.
Last year marked my eighth year at AISHK, the moment I realised I’d been here for half my life. Honestly, the thought of graduation fills me with some dread. But my love for the AISHK community reflects how far I’ve come.
If personal growth were literal, I’d say I’ve grown from maybe being the shortest in the grade to towering over some students. But beyond the literal, I’ve learnt that comparison is the thief of joy. Comparing yourself to who you were, though, is a gift. Reflecting on who I was in primary fills me with pride for overcoming challenges. Life isn’t a race against others but a race against yourself. Focus on running a little farther or faster than yesterday, and success will find you.
Laufey’s “Letter to My 13-Year-Old Self” reflects how perseverance, hope, and grace are key to achieving. Life’s uncertainty should excite, not scare us. Like the oppressive IB, life can feel hostile, but resilience and optimism have been my anchors. Recently, I rewatched Pirates of the Caribbean. Jack Sparrow talks about, “Every morsel of your entire being alive to the infinite mystery of it all.” That’s how I choose to see life.
When I was younger, teachers sometimes called my parents for disciplinary issues. My Year 6 teacher told my parents I meowed when asked to be quiet. Back then, it felt incriminating, but now, I see it for what it was, my “positive energy”!
Ms Bailey says I brighten any room. Positive energy might look noisy or disruptive, but it’s freeing. When someone says I’m not funny, I tell them “my target audience is myself.” Staying true to myself and being proud of who I am has been my greatest lesson. To any Year 7s feeling unsure, just keep swimming, stay true to yourself, and prove the doubters wrong.
Life should be like a card game where we forget whose turn it is because we are laughing so much. The point isn’t to win but to cherish those around us.
Sheanna, no one is more suited to your role than you. Your love for school has inspired me to be the best captain I can be. I couldn’t imagine a better person to share this journey with. And Ms Dunstan, if you want us back for another year, we’d gladly take you up on that offer.
To my mum, for all the trials I put you through, from paste on my uniform as a kid to staying up with me and making tea while I work on my IB deadlines, your compassion knows no bounds. As an only child, my mum and I have navigated life together. And I know she’d join me in thanking my grandma, who taught us both that actions speak louder than words. A warm smile, a loving gaze, a hand squeeze to say “I’m proud of you.” These small moments shape us. We are defined by the people in our lives. Everyone in the AISHK community has shaped me and I’m grateful to be defined by a group of people as wonderful as you.
The end of my AISHK journey marks the start of a new one. While none will look the same, I know we’ll all leave this school ready to take on the world. Life is not for planning but for pursuing. Live it to the fullest, even without knowing its meaning.
I look forward to the future. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I believe closing this chapter will only strengthen the bonds I’ve formed. For all the tears shed and tantrums thrown, I know I’ve tried my best and have no regrets. A new star shines above, watching over me.
My final advice: when you don’t know where to go, whether to the left where nothing’s right, or the right where nothing is left, go forward.
It was incredible to see the support for the Wattle and Eucalypt mufti day this year! With a dazzling disco theme, all students and staff were dressed up in their disco finest ready to dance! The bake sale was a tremendous success and a special thank you goes to all the parent volunteers throughout the morning. Lunchtime promised many exciting games led by the house captains. The enthusiasm for face painting in particular turned our students into a vibrant sea of smiles and colourful characters. The delicious barbeque and icy poles were enthusiastically enjoyed by all. All the funds raised are going to support The Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (Eucalypt) and One Sky for All Children (Wattle) charities. Well done to all Wattle and Eucalypt staff, students and parents!
Dressed in all the colours of the rainbow, Houses Jacaranda and Waratah hosted the first mufti day of the year, including the now famous sausage sizzle, bake sale and multiple carnival games. All in an effort to raise important funds for the Houses’ charities, Child Welfare Scheme Nepal and HOPE For Cambodian Children. Students from Reception to Year 12 joined in the festivities and games, particularly enjoying the sponge the teacher and face painting stalls.
Damian Bailey, Head of House Waratah said, “Very big thank you from Jacaranda and Waratah Houses for your mufti day support. It was a marvellous day out for all the students, from Prep to Year 12, they were thoroughly involved, showing support for each other, and generally having an outstanding time. It was a great display of the community vibe that this school espouses and is known for.”
“Thanks again to all those involved and for the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.”
I read more challenging books
I have improved my division strategies
I have improved my reading
I've learnt more about layers of the earth
I have done the assembly presentation without stuttering
I passed all the levels in the timetables challenge
I've helped my friends in tough situations
My 7 and other times tables improved a lot
I improved on my writing skills
I have improved a lot in my Chinese, English and my maths!
I'm getting better at timetables
I got better at timetables
I've gotten better at using different strategies to solve math problems
I've improved my math
I've gotten better at math
I've improved my maths by playing table master in the morning
I've improved my maths by playing table master in the morning
I can answer my times tables quickly
I got better at maths I helped lots of people when they are struggling
I improved my spelling and handwriting I improved my times tables
I improved my Chinese I improved my Chinese
I have read way more books faster and easier because I practiced
because I have improved my Chinese tests a lot
because I have improved my handwriting and my spelling
because I have improved my maths
because I comforted my friend several times on the playground when he was upset
because I have improved in maths, especially in analogue clocks and times
because I am proud of improving my swimming skills and helping others because I have improved in my fairy tales
because I have improved my 12 times table
because I have improved my reading
because I have improved my quick recall of times tables
because I have learned some Year 5 Maths (decimal point and area cubed)
because I have improved in math mix
because I have improved my geometry in Maths
because I have improved my handwriting and my reading skills
because I am amazing at my 7 times tables because I have improved my handwriting this year
because I have improved my elapsed time
because I have improved my swimming at school
because I improved my Chinese and helped many people during I.C.T
because I tried to more positive and do my best in class
because I have improved my spelling
because I played cricket for the school and I'm very proud of that
because I made my handwriting a lot better because previously I only knew one long division but Mr McMullan has taught me more strategies
because I have improved my fairytale story
writing
because I have made many friends this year
because I have improved my swimming
because I have always handed in my homework in time
because I worked faster when doing a project
because I did my homework every week
because I had improved my writing skills
because I have learnt new skills
I improved in Chinese and my Chinese handwriting is getting better
because I have improved my understanding of fairytales
because I have made lots of friends
because I have entered some swimming competitions and have done my best
because I made some new friends
because I have improved my English very much
because I have improved my frendships because I put my homework in before Friday
because I've made new friends
because I have improved in soccer because I played for the basketball competition
because I have improved a lot at soccer, and I have improved at my times tables
because I have improved in my 1 - 9 times table because I regularly go to run club
because I have improved reading books
because I help others
because I have tried hard in everything I do
because I have improved in my reading
because I have learned to do dolphin swimming
I have helped people in their time of need, such as when they fall down and twist their leg, or need help with difficult problems
because I have improved my maths
because I have improved my multiplication and division skills
because I have improved on creating stories and typing them
because I have gotten better at spelling
because I have become better at putting my art on seesaw
because my grammar has improved
because I am brave and smart
because I have made new friends
because I have helped people when they were in need.�
because I feel like I am better at multiplication
because I have gotten better in Science, especially the rock cycle
because I have learned more about long division because I was elected onto the Environmental Committee
because I know now all my timestables
because I have become better with my timestables
because I have practised my 2 times tables and become faster at answering them
because I have improved my timestables
because I have gotten better in English
because I have made more friends
*Absent: Lucas Jiang
“I don’t judge, observe and describe.”
Favourite
Amber
“A good rider can hear her horse speak to her. A great rider can hear her horse whisper.”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote / Saying Looking forward to: Beijing and graduation
Biologist or professional Equestrian aspire to be...
“You only get one chance to live so live it to the fullest, enjoy it till the very last second”
“ Life is too short to be serious all the time. So, if you can’t laugh at yourself, call me, and I’ll laugh at you. ”
Favourite Quote / Saying Beijing camp and Graduation
Favourite Year 6 Memory The richest person in the world or a designer for everything.
aspire to be... Jacob
Stella
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote Saying Beijing Camp
“Follow your heart, straight to the stars.”
Hannah
“Anything is possible if you always try your best.”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote / Saying I enjoyed Australian Stories; Looking forward to Graduation and Beijing camp
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote Saying I enjoyed the welcome barbecue and I am looking forward to Beijing camp and the year 6 party.
Caden
“Just touch grass kid :D ”
Sharing Their favourite, Quotes, memories & Aspirations!
Charice
Favourite Quote / Saying
“It’s time to take your hand and smile! Let’s be a positive and cheerful person like Mrs Toufeili!”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote Saying Beijing camp!
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Be happy every day! <3 Beijing camp, Minecraft in Chinese Classes, double Chinese, a nice homeroom teacher :)
I aspire to be...
Kpop star or Roblox editor youtuber
Justin
Lachlan C.
Benjamin
aspire to be...
Vet, basketball or badminton trainer
“Jesus died for our sins if u don't commit sins Jesus died for nothing”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote Saying Class party; the doritos were so good and the starbursts.
a game developer or youtuber maybe a chef aspire to be...
“Think twice? Buddy, I didn’t even think once”
Favourite Quote / Saying When the teacher announced year 6 would include Minecraft
Favourite Year 6 Memory
A politician, because they get to pick their own salaries I aspire to be...
“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote / Saying Class parties
aspire to be...
I don’t know what want to be, maybe a professional gamer
“People are going to judge u either way, so u might as well have fun.”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote Saying Hanging out with my friends and going overseas without my parents
Singer I aspire to be...
Favourite Quote Saying
“Don't think of life like an IKEA instruction, think of it like a Lego one.”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote / Saying Playing cricket with friends.
“Middle school was easy. It was like riding a bike. Except the bike was on fire and the ground was on fire and everything was on fire because it wasn’t easy.”
Ellen
aspire to be...
Cricket player for Aus
Favourite Year 6 Memory
When we had karaoke, and we were being so loud that Ms. Elliot emailed Mrs Toufeili to tell us to quiet down.
A billionaire aspire to be...
“Life is short, but it’s still long enough to learn how to whistle like Ms Toufeili”
Favourite Quote / Saying Every moment with my best friends
Favourite Year 6 Memory Chef or be paid to jinx
to be... Harry “Why? CUZ, WHY NOT? :)”
Favourite Quote Saying Being with friends
Trinity
Favourite Quote / Saying
“You’ll never have fun if you never try”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Class parties
I aspire to be...
Veterinarian
Favourite Year 6 Memory
“You are not winning in life if you are not happy.”
Favourite Year 6
Favourite Quote / Saying Hanging out with my best friends, going overseas without my parent
Favourite Quote / Saying lysm pookies: Dory, Annette, Yuette, Amber, and Natasha
“ITS CALLED MIDDLE SCHOOL, CAUSE EVERYTHING IN IT IS MID.”
Favourite Year 6 Memory Rich I aspire to be...
“Believe you can and you're halfway there.”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote / Saying Playing Grounders with Natasha, Yuette, Natalie, Megan and Stella during recess.
aspire to be... Gabriel
want to just sit and relax and not going to work for my life.
Dakota
Favourite Quote / Saying
“The only one to stop you from doing anything is yourself”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Favourite Quote Saying Beijing Camp/Trip
“Anything worth doing is worth doing well and anything done well can be done better”
Favourite Year 6 Memory
Getting better sleep in Chinese class than at home <3 or being the only class to have always have a class party.
“Life is short so make as many mistakes as you can.”
Favourite Quote Saying Beijing camp. Hanging out with my besties! Karaoke party at the end of every term.
Table Tennis Player I aspire to be...
An author aspire to be...
Favourite Year 6 Memory want to rule the whole solar system!
I aspire to be...
6, 2024
*Absent: Angie Ng
“supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”
ALTON QIU
“fast forward”
“Slay”
“You ever wonder who drew ‘Killroy was here’ on the whiteboard. It was me Barry”
AUSTIN CHAU
“second home <3”
“just do it”
“flashbulb memory”
“I heart AISHK”
“Accomplished”
“gg”
“live”
JAY AU-YEUNG
“I grew up :)”
“save the turtles”
“Probably
hiding in the booth :)”
“idk”
JERRY KWONG
“an amazing year of growth and learning”
“We Made It :)”
“nice”
“perfection”
ALVIN DONG
“The british one” JASMINE CRAWFORD
DANIEL ALLISON
“HEI TUNG in the area!”
HAZEL YEUNG
“optimus prime” “Transformation”
WONG
IP
“When life gives you lemons, just eat it, it's good for you”
“Memorable”
AIDAN TSOI
“just do it”
“just do it”
MCKENZIE
“I'll think about it for a while”
“Appreciate it”
KIMBERLEY NG
“act ii ”
“Human Calculator”
“special”
Year 12, 2024
Name: Austin Chau
Class: 12E Commenced: 2017
Awards and achievements: 2017-2021 Bronze Award; 2017-2018 Silver Award; 2018 Gold Award; 2018 Graduation Certificate; 2019 Merit Certificate; 2021 Merit Certificate; 2021 Outward Bound Certificate
Post-school plans: To become the King of Games.
A personal quality: Existing.
Background: I was born at a really young age.
Name: James Ellis
Class: 12E Commenced: 2023
Post-school plans: Grow a beard, also go to university. A personal quality: Pretending to listen to Ms Bailey, especially to always tuck my shirt in.
Background: Born in Melbourne then moved to Hong Kong and lived here for 17 years. I have been at this school for 2 years and now I'm finally free.
Name: Cameron Flinn
Class: 12E Commenced: 2011
Awards and achievements: 2019-2024 Silver Award; 2023-2024
Touch Rugby team; 2023-2024 Rugby team; 2023-2024 Cricket team; 2022,2024 Merit certificate; 2023
Eucalypt Vice Captain; 2024 Prefect, Eucalypt House Captain
Post-school plans: Ski bum.
A personal quality: I can grow a beard.
Background: Sometimes I stagger even myself with my genius.
Name: Chloe Loh
Class: 12E Commenced: 2023
Awards and achievements:
2019-2020, 2023-2024 Merit Certificate; 2019, 2023-2024 Silver Award; 2019-2020, 2023-2024
Bronze Award; 2019-2020 Model United Nations; 2023 IB AB Intio Subject Prize; 2023 IB Psychology Higher Level Subject Prize; 2023 Academic Distinction; 2023-2024 U20 Girls Soccer Team; 2024 U20 Girls B team Captain; 2024 Wellbeing Prefect
Post-school plans: Attend school for a whole week straight
A personal quality: Meowing Background: I comerback like a boomerang
Name: Caitlyn Man A Hing Class: 12E Commenced: 2023
Name: Sheanna Mutthumani, Class: 12E Commenced: 2021
Awards and achievements: 2021-2024 Merit Certificate; 20212022/2024 Head of School Award; 2022 AISHK Student Representative Council - Member; 2021-2024 Silver Certificate; 2022-2024 Gold Certificate; 2021-2022 AISHK Secondary Sustainability Group - Member; 2022 Hong Kong Young Geographer of the Year Competition - Upper Secondary - Nature Category Winner; 2022 Pitch to Reach Winners - Team AISHK Anchovies; 2022 ACAMIS Leadership Conference - AISHK Representative; 2022 Cocoon Foundation STEP Entrepreneurship Program - AISHK Representative; 2022 Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Subject Prize; 2023 Australian Mathematics CompetitionDistinction; 2023 ACAMIS Soccer Bauhinia Division Team; 2023 ACAMIS Soccer - All Tournament Team Award; 2023 ISSFHK Soccer Gold Division Team; 2023 Vice HouseCaptain, Eucalypt; 2023 ISSFHK Gold Division Touch Rugby Team; 2023 AISMUN XII - Photographer; 2023 CUHK Medicine Summer Clinical Attachment Programme (SCAP); 2023 ISSFHK Volleyball Team; 2023 ACAMIS Volleyball Team; 2023 ISSFHK Athletics Team; 2023 Most Valuable Player - Athletics; 2023 Award for Excellence in External Sport - Tennis; 2023 Inter-School Student Council Conference - AISHK Representative; 2023 Hong Kong 24 Hour Race - Team Leader; 2023 Hong Kong 24 Hour Race - Most Fundraised; 2024 HSC Sports, Lifestyle and Recreation Subject Prize; 2024 Prefect, School Captain; 2024 ACAMIS Basketball Gold Division Team; 2024 ACAMIS 2024 Basketball - Sportsmanship Award; 2024 ISSFHK Soccer Gold Division Team; 2024 ISSFHK Athletics Team; 2024 ACAMIS Soccer Gold Division Team; 2024 ISSFHK U20 Mixed Touch Rugby Gold DivisionChampions; 2024 ISSFHK Cricket Team; 2024 ISSFHK Gold Division Touch Rugby Team; 2024 ISSFHK Open Cricket - Silver Medalists; 2024 AISHK Kangaroos Sports Council Member;2023-2024 U20 Girls Soccer Team; 2023-2024 U20 Girls Volleyball Team; 2023-2024 U20 Mixed Touch Team; 2023-2024 U20 Athletics Team; 2024 U20 Mixed Cricket Team; 2024 AISMUN XIII - Photographer
Post-school plans: Go to university, become a physiotherapist/doctor, make bank, have a cute happy family, become a mother to D1 children and basically, as queen Dobby would say “experience the full scope of the human experience.”
A personal quality: I love everyone :) Background: As multicultural as you can get. 7 languages and counting. I’m pretty much the United Nations. Chinese at heart though
Name: Alton Qiu
Class: 12E Commenced: 2016
Awards and achievements: 2019,2021-2023 Silver Award; 20192024 School Swimming Gold/Silver Squad; 2019, 2023 SRC Member; 2019 Bangkok RSBC Swimming; 2022 ISSFHK Swimming; 2022-2023 HKSSF Swimming;2022 ISSFHK Cross Country; 2022 Head of School Award; 2023 ACAMIS Swimming; 2023 AISMUN Deputy Secretary General; 2023 Most Valuable player-U20 swimming; 2023 Gold Award; 2023 IB History Subject Prize; 2023 HKAYP Silver; 2022-2024 Merit Certificate; 2024 AISMUN Secretary General; 2024 Kangaroos U20 Boys Soccer ISSFHK/ACAMIS; 2024 Prefect, Head Boy
Post-school plans: Become a politician to support my growing Chinchilla family and to smuggle her into Australia via diplomatic channels.
A personal quality: Placing myself in uncomfortable positions and appearing confident. Fake it till you make it.
Background: I gave birth to a Chinchilla called Taro.
Name: Lauren Stennett
Class: 12E Commenced: 2023
Awards and achievements: 2023 ISSFHK Volleyball; 2023 ACAMIS Volleyball Gold Division; 2023 ISSFHK Athletics; 2023 Most Valuable PlayerAthletics; 2023 HSC Legal Subject Prize; 2023 HSC Biology Subject Prize; 2023 HSC English Subject Prize; 2023 Academic Distinction; 2023 Merit Certificate; 2024 Prefect, Eucalypt House Captain; 2024 ISSFHK Soccer; 2024 ACAMIS Soccer; 2024 Silver Award
Post-school plans: Overtake the current Guinness World Record holder for ‘highest number of personal items lost and/or misplaced in a single year.’
A personal quality: Lived in Hong Kong for two years and still can’t get off the minibus on my own.
Background: Vegan.
Name: Chantal Sun
Class: 12E Commenced: 2011 Awards and achievements: 2019 YES Club Member; 2019 Library monitor; 2019-2024 Silver Award (x9); 2019, 2020, 2024 Merit Certificate (x3); 2020 SEAMS Designer; 2020, 2023, 2024 Head of School Award; 2021 HKAYP Bronze; 2021 Gold Award; 2021 AISHK Nature Works Representative; 2021 Sustainability Committee Co-founder; 2021-2024 Sustainability Committee Member; 2022 Pitch To Reach Winner- AISHK Anchovies; 2022 UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific; 2022 Cocoon Entrepreneurship program; 2021, 2023 Student Representative Council; 2021-2022 AISHK Silver Swimming Team; 2022 ACAMIS Leadership conference; 2022, 2023 24 Hour Race; 2024 Prefect, Sustainability and Community Service
Post-school plans: To be able to control the volume of my voice
A personal quality: After 14 years of friendship, Audrey and I can finish each other’s…
Background: Born in Hong Kong, can’t speak Cantonese.
Name: Givanni Tsui
Class: 12E Commenced: 2022 Awards and achievements: 2023 Silver Award; 2022-2023 Sustainability Group; 2023 MUN Admin; 2023 Library Volunteer; 2023-2024 U20 Cross Country; 20232024 Crossroads volunteer; 2024 Fiji Community Service;
Post-school plans: Work hard so I can shop harder.
A personal quality: None of my assignments are done but I sure am.
Background: Taobao expert.
Name: Zoe Wan
Class: 12E Commenced: 2016 Awards and achievements: 2019,2023-2024 Orchestra; 2019, 2023-2024 String Ensemble; 2019 SEAMS designer; 2019 Vocal Ensemble; 2019-2021, 2023-2024 Silver Award; 2019-2024 Merit Certificate; 2021 Drama Subject Prize; 2021 History Subject Prize; 2021, 2023 Gold Award; 2020, 2022-2023 Head of School Award; 2022-2024 SRC member; 2023 24 Hour Race; 2023 Australian Association of Hong Kong John Leon Community Service Award; 2024 Prefect, SRC
Post-school plans: To have my own medical clinic or a farm or a café or a zoo or an aquarium or maybe all of the above.
A personal quality: I am the table that the IB stubs on. Background: I live 5 minutes away from school but I still choose to take the bus for 9 years straight.
Name: Kaelyn Allen
Class: 12H Commenced: 2020
Awards and achievements:
2021, 2022, 2023 Netball Team; 2022 Silver Awards x2; 2022, 2023, 2024
Merit Award; 2022, 2023, 2024 Head of School Award; 2023 Silver Awards x2; 2023 French Subject Award; 2023
SRC Member; 2024 Prefect, Waratah House Captain
Post-school plans: To come back to AISHK as a teacher.
A personal quality: I have a response to every question asked by a teacher.
“Contributes regularly in class discussion.” X6
Never lets a minute of silence go past.
Background: Transferred from Hogwarts, never looked back.
#inbeforevoldemort.
Name: Jacky Au Yeung
Class: 12H Commenced: 2020
Awards and achievements: 2023 Silver Award; 2023 Most Improved Player - Badminton
Post-school plans: My future ambition is to explore the field of mathematics, physics and the area of STEM.
A personal quality: Chinese language, mathematics, physics, and logical thinking skills.
Background: Transferred from Hong Kong local school to Australian International School Hong Kong.
Name: Jay Au-Yeung
Class: 12H Commenced: 2023
Awards and achievements: 2024 ISSFHK Badminton
Post-school plans: Work in the creative industry, drive an ae86 and win the lottery.
A personal quality: I have no enemies.
Background: 冇阿媽就冇我所以shoutout阿媽
Name: Adam Chan
Class: 12H Commenced: 2016
Awards and achievements: 2019-2024 Merit Certificate; 20192024 Silver Award; 2019 Football team; 2019, 2023, 2024 Rugby team; 2023-2024 Touch football team; 2021 Year 9 Commerce Subject Prize; 2021, 2024 Head of School Award; 2023 HSC Mathematics Subject Prize; 2023 HSC Physics Subject Prize; 2023 HSC Chemistry Subject Prize; 2023 HSC PDHPE Subject Prize; 2023 HSC Economics Subject Prize; 2023 Academic Distinction
Post-school plans: Study engineering and finance then become a billionaire.
A personal quality: 350lb bench press
Background: If you’re not first your’re last.
Name: Aria Hui
Class: 12H Commenced: 2022
Awards and achievements: 2022-2023 Merit Certificate; 20222023 Bronze Award
Post-school plans: I want to be a barrister after graduating from university. I would like to use my skills to solve meaningful problems and make a positive difference in people’s lives.
A personal quality: I would say it is my sense of curiosity because it motivates me to explore new things and allows me to see the world in a different way.
Background: I am passionate about figure skating and I started when I was three.
Figure skating taught me the importance of courage and persistence and ultimately shaped who I am today.
Name: Jerry Kwong
Class: 12H Commenced: 2022
Awards and achievements:
2022 Merit Certificate; 2023 Silver Award; 2023 HSC Chinese Subject Prize; 2024 Merit Certificate
Post-school plans: Be happy
A personal quality: Flexible Background: Born and raised in Hong Kong.
Name: Valerie Ng
Class: 12H Commenced: 2020
Awards and achievements:
2021 U16 ISSFHK Girls Netball; 2022 Year 10 Geography Subject Prize; 2022 Student Representative Council; 2023 HSC Visual Arts Subject Prize; 2023 AISA Tournament - U17 Mixed Touch Football; 2020-2023 Silver Award; 2020-2024 Merit Crtificate; 2020-2024 U16/U20 ISSFHK Mixed Touch Football Gold Division; 2024 U20 Girls Touch Football Captain
Post-school plans: To be able to harmonize with KN12W
A personal quality: My ability to adapt in dangerous biomes.
Background: Ethnically Chinese Malaysian.
Name: Audrey Kwok
Class: 12H Commenced: 2011 Awards and achievements: 2019-2023 Head of School Award; 2019-2023 Merit Certificate; 2019 The Reid Family Prize for Putonghua Second Language Learner; 2019 SEAMS Designer; 2019-2021 Student Representative Council Member; 2019-2024 Orchestra (Violin 1, 2); 2019-2024 String Ensemble (Violin 1, 2); 2019-2024 Model United Nations; 2019, 2022 Gold Award; 2019-2023 Silver Award; 2021 Science Subject Award; 2021-2023 AISHK Parent Association Citizenship Award; 2021 ESF Nature Works AISHK Representative; 20212024 Secondary Sustainability Group Co-Founder and Member; 2022 UNITAR Youth Ambassador (Asia-Pacific Region) and Student Representative; 2022 PitchToReach Winners- Team AISHK Anchovies; 2022 ACAMIS Leadership Conference- AISHK Representative; 2022 Cocoon Foundation STEP Entrepreneurship ProgramAISHK Representative; 2022 FAA Level 2 Award in Student First Aid (RQF); 2022 Chinese 2nd Language Subject Award; 2022-2023 Rock Band Member; 2023 Waratah Vice House Captain; 2023 Academic Distinction; 2023 HSC Chinese Continuers Subject Award; 2023 HSC Design and Technology Subject Award; 2023 AISMUN XII Deputy Secretary-General, Senior Leader; 2023 24 Hour Race Runner (1st Rendition); 2023 24 Hour Race Executive Committee Member and School Liaison (2nd Rendition); 2023 Inter-school Student Council Conference- AISHK Representative; 2024 Prefect, School Vice-Captain; 2024 AISMUN XIII Secretary-General, Senior Leader Post-school plans: To cook in more ways than one.
A personal quality: Chantal thinks we’re matching… Background: Born to dress like a pink highlighter and debate, forced to wear the school uniform and study.
Name: Madeline Stainer
Class: 12H Commenced: 2019
Awards and achievements: 2019, 2023, 2024 ISSFHK Soccer; 2019-2024 Academic - Merit
Certificate; 2020 Academic – Head of School Award; 2021 Outward Bound and HKAYP; 2022 Silver Award; 2022 Secondary Soccer Team; 2022 Sustainability Group; 2022 Beach Clean Up team; 2022 ACAMIS Leadership conference; 2023 AISA Tournament – Girls Soccer; 2023 SRC; 2023 School Magazine; 2023 HSC Business Subject Prize; 2023 HSC Modern History Subject Prize; 2023, 2024 Girls Soccer - Most Valuable Player; 2023, 2024 ACAMIS Soccer Tournament; 2024 Prefect, Wellbeing; 2024 Kangaroos U20 Girls Soccer Captain
Post-school plans: To eat every cuisine possible
A personal quality: Gorgeous, genius, and guilty of being too modest
Background: My mother is Nayeon and my father is Momo.
Name: Ivan Yue
Class: 12H Commenced: 2011
Awards and achievements: 2019-2023 Silver Award; 2019-2023 Merit Certificate; 2022-2023 Rock band; 2022 Head of School Award; 2023 12-hour race; 2023 Waratah Vice-Captain; 2023 AISMUN Media and design coordinator; 2023 Sustainability group; 20232024 Waratah House Captain; 2023 24-hour race; 2024 AISMUN Head of Administration
Post-school plans: This (0_0)/ \(0_0) <) ) ( (> / \ / \
A personal quality: “Way too many to pick from, but if I really had to pick one of my many outstanding personal qualities it would definitely be my extraordinary humility. I’m just an all-around modest guy who doesn’t like showing off, I’m sure all my friends would tell you just how humble I am.
Background: “Born in the hospital, raised at home. I like to support my local businesses, especially the hospitals near my house and martial arts gym. I’m living proof as to why women live longer than men, and that is something I am very proud of.
Be careful starting a conversation with me, I like to yap.
Name: Ivana Yue
Class: 12H Commenced: 2011 Awards and achievements: 2019 SRC; 2019-2022 Merit certificate; 2019-2023 Silver Award; 2019-2024 AISHK Module United Nations Member; 2021-2024 Vocal Ensemble Member; 2021-2024
Head Student Technician; 2022 HKAYP Bronze Award; 2022-2024 Orchestra Member; 2023 SRC; 2023 Gold Award; 2023 HSC Drama Subject Prize; 2023 HSC Music Subject Prize; 2023 HSC Visual Design Subject Prize; 2023 AISMUN Head of Administration and Technology; 20232024 Vocal Ensemble Manager; 2023-2024 AISHK film production assistant director; 2024 Orchestra Percussion Section leader; 2024 Merit Certificate
Post-school plans: A Plan? I don’t even know what I’m going to eat today
A personal quality: That rare time I hyperfocus on school work and get everything done in time. #Autism <3
Background: I was a girl born in the village doing all right, then I became a princess overnight.
Name: Daniel Allison
Class: 12J Commenced: 2020 Awards and achievements: 2019-2023 Merit Certificate; 20192023 Silver award; 2022-2024
Swim Team; 2023 Most Improved Player-Swimming; 2023 Jacaranda Vice House Captain; 2024 PrefectJacaranda House Captain
Post-school plans: Millionaire. Billionaire if I’m feeling good.
A personal quality: Can be competitive at times.
Background: Born in HK.
Name: Natalie Chan
Class: 12J Commenced: 2016
Awards and achievements: 2019-2024 Head of School Award; 2019-2024 Merit Certificate; 20182024 Girls Volleyball Team (U14, U16, U20); 2018-2019, 2022-2024 ISSFHK Volleyball Tournament; 2022, 2023
ACAMIS Volleyball Gold Division Tournament; 2023-2024
U20 Girls Volleyball Team Captain; 2019-2024 Bronze Award; 2020-2023 Silver Award; 2023 Gold Award; 2021 PDHPE Subject Prize; 2023 Jacaranda Vice House Captain; 2023-2024 U20 Girls Soccer Team; ISSFHK Soccer Tournament; 2024 ACAMIS Soccer Gold Division Tournament; 2024 U20 Mixed Touch Team; 2023-2024 ISSFHK Touch Gold Division Tournament; 2023 Most Improved Player - Touch; 2023 IB Biology Higher Level Subject Prize; 2023 IB Chemistry Higher Level Subject Prize; 2023 IB Chinese B Higher Level Subject Prize; 2024 Prefect, Jacaranda House Captain
Post-school plans: Reducing my monster intake to once a week.
A personal quality: To consume monsters like its water.
Background: Born to dip forced to come to school even when my 3 friends don’t.
Background: Zzz…
Name: Tanya Cheung Class: 12J Commenced: 2020 Awards and achievements: 2024 Silver Award
Post-school plans: Aspiring artist.
A personal quality: Professional class sleeper, master of yapping at the wrong times.
Name: Jasmine Crawford Class: 12J Commenced: 2017 Awards and achievements: 2022 Drama Subject Prize; 2023 SRC Representative; 2023 24- hour race member; 2019-2023 Vocal Ensemble member; 2021-2024 Head of School Awards; 2019-2024 Silver Awards; 2019-2024 Merit Certificates; 2024 Sustainability and Community Service Prefect; 2024 Sustainability group member
Post-school plans: To never be marked late by Mr. Mclean again.
A personal quality: Personally, I believe my most prestigious quality is waffling. Waffling is the highest art form of communication and gives the speaker unlimited avenues of exploration. Waffling never ends and is an endless road, a road that goes on and on…….only restricted by word counts…….…….…….
Background: After 7 years I still have never set foot in Australia.
Name: Alvin Dong
Class: 12J Commenced: 2021
Awards and achievements:
2021 Subject award: Music, Information software technology; 2022 Subject award: Music, Information software technology; 2023 U20 Badminton Mostvaluable-player award; 2023 ACAMIS volleyball: Bronze medal; 2023 IB Subject award: Physics, Mathematics, Music, Academic distinction; 2023 ACAMIS Technology conference; 2023 ACAMIS Swimming; 2023 ISSFHK Volleyball; 2023 HKSSF Swimming; 2023 ISSFHK Swimming; 2023 Tom Lee music prize for piano ensemble; 2024 ISSFHK Badminton; 2024 ACAMIS Basketball: Gold medal; 2024 U20 Athletics carnival age champion: Bronze medal
Post-school plans: Get ATCL piano diploma Study CSE at CUHK, or HKUST. Teach at AIS.
A personal quality: 190cm/74kg/9.9% body fat pct
Background: Alvin Dong
Name: Miles Ellis
Class: 12J Commenced: 2023
Post-school plans: I plan on going to RMIT in Melbourne
A personal quality: Being a responsible student who always tucks in his shirt and never wears headphones at school.
Background: Not much to say, I like leaving my shirt untucked and love listening to music with my headphones while at school and I’m looking forward to going back to Australia.
Name: Sofia Heath
Class: 12J Commenced: 2021 Awards and achievements: 2021-2023 Swimming; 2022-2024
Vocal ensemble; 2021-2024 Silver Award; 2021-2024 Head of School Award; 2021-2024 Merit Certificate; 2024 Prefect Wellbeing;
Post-school plans: To never get sun burnt ever again. A personal quality: I make very good brownies.
Background: No such thing as the New Zealand International School so here I am.
Name: Jeffrey Ip
Class: 12J Commenced: 2021 Awards and achievements: 2021-2023 Merit Certificate; 20212022 Head of School Award; 20212023 Bronze Award; 2022-2023 Silver Award; 2024 Prefect, Well Being Post-school plans: My goal is to become a physiotherapist or pursue a career in a related health science field, in order to contribute to global populations. I would also like to travel around the world and explore the unknown.
A personal quality: I’m hardworking and not afraid of putting extra effort to achieve my best not only in academic but also in all the different aspects. I’m also enthusiastic in contributing to the school as a school prefect and as an AISHK student, such as helping with school clubs, participating in inter-house events and AISMUN and I also like to talk with friends to help people with their mental health.
Background: I am an 18 year old Hong Kong teenager, who was born and raised in Hong Kong, But I’ve also been to many different countries like Australia, France, Singapore, Korea and Japan.
Name: Natalie Tsang
Class: 12J Commenced: 2021 Awards and achievements: 2024 ACAMIS Soccer B Tournament; 2021 Silver award; 2023 Sustainability Group; 2022 Interhouse Jacaranda Soccer; 2021 Year 9 Outward Bound & HKAYP Bronze Award; 2024 KSC Jockey Club Golf Certificate; 2023 ISSFHK Cross Country U20; 2024 ISSFHK Soccer U20; 2024 Secondary Touch; 2022 Beach Clean-up Team; 2023 Year 11 Retreat
Post-school plans: To find a goat husband and buy a rich farm; and listen to the harmonies of N(V+K)+12(W+H).
A personal quality: The best part of being small is being able to hide from your problems, but not small enough to hide from HSC.
Background: Ethnically Cantonese Armenian.
Name: Jayden Wong
Class: 12J Commenced: 2019
Awards and achievements: 2023 Math Competition Award; 2019 - 2024 Silver Awards; 2019-2024
Bronze Awards; 2024 HSC Biology
Subject Award
Post-school plans: dunno lel
A personal quality: The Kid Laroi is the best artist
Background: I have a peanut allergy and lower back pain
Name: Hazel Yeung
Class: 12J Commenced: 2018
Awards and achievements:
2018-2021 Head of School Award; 2018-2024 Merit Certificates; 20212022 French Subject Prize; 2022-2024 Silver Awards; 2023-2024 Head of School Award; 2023-2024 Student Representative Council member; 2024 Prefect, SRC
Post-school plans: Aiming to do nothing for 9 months before uni in HK.
A personal quality: Getting through IB HL Chem.
Background: Hei Tung is just a lemon. Yellow on the outside and yellow in the inside. And Sour.
Name: Veronica Yeung
Class: 12J Commenced: 2022
Awards and achievements: 2023 Design Technology Subject Award; 2023 Silver Award; 2024 Anzac Wreath Bearer
Post-school plans: Future cat lady
A personal quality: Professional yapper and napper
Background: I really like cats.
Name: Liam Broderick
Class: 12W Commenced: 2011
Awards and achievements: 2019-2024 Merit Certificate; 20222024 Captain of Volleyball; 2022-2024 Silver Award; 2023-2024 Head of School Award; 2024 Prefect, Wattle House Captain; 2024 ACAMIS Soccer; 2024 ISSFHK Cricket Team; 2024 Merit Certificate
Post-school plans: Escape the consumerist mentality of society by making enough money to buy a farm in eastern Europe and find peace.
A personal quality: Overthinking.
Background: Born in Hong Kong, Australian.
Name: Lucas Chen
Class: 12W Commenced: 2022
Awards and achievements: 2023 Silver Award
Post-school plans: When I finish university, I want to work and earn the big bucks and enjoy the best part of my life.
A personal quality: My best qualities I must say are my patience and being quiet. I’m very versatile if you want me to talk I’ll gladly talk. The more you meet the more friends you make along the way.
0:05-0:13 From the start Laufey
Background: I was born and raised in Hong Kong, I have an older brother and a loving family.
I would like to give a shoutout to the hospital I was born in. Absolute legends.
Name: Serena Chu
Class: 12W Commenced: 2023
Awards and achievements:
2023 SRC; 2023 Silver Award; 2023-2024 IB Economics Subject Prize; 2023-2024 Vocal Ensemble
Post-school plans: Get more sleep, beat procrastination, (it’s 1am add more later).
A personal quality: Making essays look like they weren’t written on adrenaline and the liquified remnants of my brain the night before the due date.
Background: In 2005 I was born. This had made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.
Name: Calpurnia Lang
Class: 12W Commenced: 2011 Awards and achievements: 2019 – 2024 Bronze Award; 2019 –2023 Silver Award; 2019 x2, 2024 Head of School Award; 2019 x2, 2020 x2, 2021, 2022 x2, 2023, 2024 Merit Certificate; 2019 ISSFHK Netball; 2019 Dulwich Beijing Netball Tournament; 2020 History Subject Prize; 2020, 2021, 2023 Gold Award; 2021 Touch Rugby; 2021 Year 9 Outward Bound & HKAYP; 2021 Early Morning Running Club; 2021 Year 9 Outward Bound & HKAYP; 2022 Science Subject Prize; 2022 Design and Technology Subject Price; 2023 Spirit award; 2023 IB Visual Art Subject Prize; 2023 Student Representative Council; 2024 Prefect, Sustainability and Community Service
Post-school plans: I would love to visit the 5th planet of our solar system.
A personal quality: Getting three Ferrero Rochers after crying in front of Zhang Lao Shi.
Background: German
Name: Marcus Mang Class: 12W Commenced: 2018 Awards and achievements: 2023 Merit Certificate; 2021 HKAYP Bronze Award
Post-school plans: My future ambition is to become a pioneering entrepreneur, utilizing technology to create innovative solutions that positively impact society. I aim to establish a startup focused on sustainable and socially responsible initiatives, combining my passion for business, technology, and making a meaningful difference in the world.
A personal quality: My best personal quality is adaptability. I possess the ability to quickly understand and adjust to new situations, making me versatile in tackling diverse challenges. With a keen sense of learning and a flexible mindset, I excel in navigating complexities and finding effective solutions.
Background: I was born and raised in Hong Kong. An ambitious tech enthusiast with a passion for learning.
Name: Jessica McKenzie
Class: 12W Commenced: 2011
Awards and achievements:
2019-2022 Visual Arts Subject Prize; 2020-2024 Head of School Award; 2020 Geography Subject Prize; 2020 Music Subject Prize; 2020 Science Subject Prize; 2020 Academic Colors Subject Prize; 2020 English Subject Prize; 2020-2024 Merit Certificate; 2019-2024 Bronze Certificate; 2019 Beijing Dulwich Netball; 2019-2024 Silver Certificate; 2021-2023 Gold Certificate; 2021 AISMUN Most Diplomatic Delegate; 2023-2024 Wattle House Captain; 2024 English Subject Prize; 2024 Business Subject Prize; 2022-2024 AISHK ACAMIS Volleyball; 2024 AISHK ACAMIS Soccer; 20202024 AISHK ISSFHK Volleyball; 2019 HKAYP Bronze; 2024 AISHK ISSFHK Touch
Post-school plans: Hopefully one day submit something to Managebac on time.
A personal quality: Unwanted contributions to class discussions.
Background: ‘The gap between your dreams and your reality is action’
Name: Kimberley Ng
Class: 12W Commenced: 2019
Awards and achievements: 2019 String Ensemble; 2019 Dance Troupe; 2021 HKAYP Bronze; 2022-2023 Sustainability Group; 2023 Student Representative Council; 2023 Secondary Touch; 2023 Magazine Team; 2023 Year 11 Retreat; 2023-2024
Crossroads Volunteer; 2024 Merit Certificate; 2024 Fiji Community Service Trip
Post-school plans: To be able to harmonize with VN12H.
A personal quality: Beautiful, caring, kind.
Background: Hong Kong
Name: Leighton Tang
Class: 12W Commenced: 2016
Awards and achievements: 2019-2024 Silver Award; 2019-2024
Merit Certificate; 2019 & 2023 Student Representative Council; 2019 Vocal Ensemble; 2022 Gold Award; 20222024 Head of School Award; 2022
Mathematics Subject Prize; 2023-2024 Model United Nations Group; 2023 AISMUN Media Team; 2023-2024 Prefect, Community Service; 2023 HSC Software Design and Development Subject Prize
Post-school plans: I will pursue a science career and earn a living wage to thrive in an oppressive society and eventually join the Top 1%.
A personal quality: I broke my humerus when I was young and now, I have a broken sense of humour.
Background: Prime Condition Android Sent by Cyberlife…
Bleep…Bloop
Made in Hong Kong
Ingredients: Chemical X, Galvanized Steel, Screws borrowed from Aunt, Blood, Sweat and Tears
Grade: A+++
Delivery Down Under Arriving in 2025…
Name: Robert Thomas
Class: 12W Commenced: 2017 Awards and achievements: 2021-2024 Silver Award; 2024 ISSFHK Athletics Bronze Medalist Javelin; 2024 U20 Athletics Age Champion Gold
Post-school plans: Stack dough and get proper diced.
A personal quality: Cut from 95kg twice.
Background: If you don’t want the cookie stay out the kitchen (did not stay out the kitchen).
Name: Aidan Tsoi
Class: 12W Commenced: 2017 Awards and achievements:
2019 English Subject Prize; 2019-2024 Silver Award; 2019-2024 Soccer Team; 2019-2024 Merit Certificate; 2020 Head of School Award; 2021 Gold Award; 2022 Commerce Subject Prize; 2023 Most Improved Player – Soccer; 2023 Most Improved Player – Touch Rugby; 2023-2024 Rugby Team; 2023-2024 Touch Rugby Team; 2024 Prefect, School Vice-Captain
Post-school plans: Olympic Swimmer.
A personal quality: Consistently getting the most ‘most improved’ awards.
Background: “Remember… The more you weigh the harder you are to kidnap. Stay safe… Eat cake.”
The year of the dragon has brought us energy and strength. It was fantastic to see all the students starting Term 1 with passion and drive. AISHK hosted the semi-final of the Chinese Battle of the Books in Term 1 and our enthusiastic participants went on to compete in the Chinese Battle of the Books in Term 3. Following this more than 40 passionate readers have signed-up for the next Chinese Battle of the Books in 2025.
Chinese Week in Term 2 was again a great celebration of language and culture. Students performed beautiful songs and dances and sketches during assemblies and showcased their language skills. Year 6 student-run games stalls brought lots of laughter to the campus. The dumpling eating competition, Kung Fu and shadow puppet workshops were very popular as well.
The student-led conferences in Term 3 are a valuable platform for everyone to celebrate and acknowledge the progress in student learning.
In Term 4, our Year 6 students went to Beijing. This is the first time Year 6 has been since the pandemic. It is always great to witness students using their language skills and experiencing the rich cultures in Beijing.
The Chinese story telling event is another highlight for the year. Let’s enjoy the endless energy in the year of the dragon.
n Classroom Activities
Year 1 Year 2
Beetles Printing Flowers Drawing
Year 3
Year 4
Seeds Printing Biomes Painting
Proverbial wisdom holds that variety is the spice of life, and this has never been truer for the AISHK English Department! Over the past twelve months, we have successfully navigated the new NSW English Curriculum. We have strived to diversify our teaching practices and continued to adapt to the dynamic and ever-evolving technological landscape. In a year of significant change, the English team has demonstrated remarkable adaptability and creativity while also maintaining a distinct level of subject-based enthusiasm that has come to characterise the department.
This year, the English department welcomed Mr Ron Anderson to our dedicated English team, including, Ms Margaret Bailey, Ms Sian Byrne, Miss Jo Craig, Mr Wade Cox, Mr Stuart McRae, Mr Caleb Miu, Ms Aileen O’Donnell and Mr Peter Phillips. We were particularly thrilled to have Mr. Nelson return to the team in the latter half of the year as our new English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) Coordinator after a two-year hiatus from AISHK. His return has infused our department with a renewed energy and insight.
Throughout the year, our collective focus has been on achieving expert proficiency in the new NSW curriculum while exploring innovative and reliable ways to assess student achievement, all amid the challenges posed by advancing technology. We are committed to ensuring that our students receive the highest quality education and results that offer a reliable index of truth.
Students are at the centre of our approach to teaching. In the AISHK English Department, we are committed to fostering a love of learning within an international framework, cultivating strong critical discussion skills, and nurturing a deep appreciation for the English language, all while acknowledging that many of our students are multilingual.
As an Australian international school in Hong Kong, we strive to inspire our students to engage with literature that reflects the richness of global narratives while also providing authentic insights into Australian culture and identity. In doing so, we recognise the importance of embracing diverse cultural perspectives that enhance our understanding and shape our students’ experiences.
This year, we introduced a new Year 10 unit centred on Vivian Pham’s The Coconut Children, an Australian comingof-age novel set in Cabramatta, NSW, during the 1990s. The story follows Sonny and Vince, two first-generation Vietnamese Australian teenagers, as they navigate adolescence, grapple with cultural duality, and seek love and acceptance. Students were captivated by this text and embraced the opportunity to engage with the adolescent experience while extending their critical thinking and analytical skills. The assessment for this unit required students to create their own podcasts, allowing them to express their insights creatively while honing their verbal communication skills—crucial for success in both the senior IBDP and HSC pathways. We were particularly impressed with Year 10 student Teariki Short, who personally reached out to Author, Vivian Pham and convinced her to appear on his podcast! Student initiative at its finest!
In the spirit of authentically engaging with Australian Indigenous culture, the new curriculum also propelled us to launch a new Year 9 unit focused on The Australian Dream; a feature documentary that uses the remarkable and inspirational story of AFL legend Adam Goodes as the prism through which to tell a powerful story about race, identity and belonging. This unit not only encourages students to engage with pressing social issues but also challenges them to think critically about what it means to be Australian and the courage it takes for individuals to stand up for their beliefs. This is another example of the English department’s commitment to providing a rich, relevant, and engaging curriculum that resonates with our diverse student body.
This year also marked a significant milestone for our department as Mr. Wade Cox guided our first group of EAL/D students toward their HSC exams. It has been a privilege to witness this group of tenacious young people completing the course with growth and resilience, and we wish them all the best in their final HSC results! We are particularly grateful for the invaluable support we received from the English Departments at Barker College and Kincoppal-Rose Bay in Sydney, which ensured we were well-prepared for this new EAL/D journey. Their resources, discussion points and insights greatly enhanced our approach and stand as a testament to the immense value of cross-school collaboration.
The AISHK English Department is finishing the year on a high note with the exciting news that Extension 2 English student Lauren Stennett has had her Major Work, Dust to Stars, nominated for inclusion in the NSW 2024 Young Writers Showcase. This is a remarkable achievement, especially as Lauren didn’t initially plan to take Extension 1 English at the beginning of last year. Her success serves as a wonderful reminder of the importance of knowing our students and encouraging them to explore pathways they may not have previously considered. It is worth noting that we had four students partaking in Extension 2 English in 2024 marking our largest group in recent years. Their Major Works were creative, highly original and included Short Fiction, a Podcast and Creative Non-Fiction. This diverse offering is testament to the myriad of ways that students can demonstrate their creativity and English based talents in the senior years.
As we look to the future, we are excited to further explore the many ways we can enhance our approaches to the NSW, HSC and IB Curriculums. Just as a well-seasoned dish delights the palate, it is hoped that our varied (and somewhat spicy) approaches to teaching will continue to inspire curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm among our students.
Jo Craig Head of English
In 2024, students embarked on diverse journeys in learning the Chinese language. The year witnessed significant achievements and developments in the realm of Chinese education. Language learning was emphasised as a gradual process that should be built day by day, with an understanding that there are no shortcuts in the learning journey.
Continuous learning was highlighted as an integral part of our curriculum, reinforcing the importance of perseverance and dedication in mastering the Chinese language.
Chinese Week of Cultural Activity: The Chinese Week of Cultural Activity provided students with immersive experiences of Chinese culture, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the rich heritage of Chinese civilisation.
New Chinese Books for the Reading Programme of Years 7-8: A new Chinese book was introduced as part of the reading programme for Year 7 and 8 students. This addition aimed to enhance language skills and broaden literary horizons.
Reconstruction of Programme for Years 9-10: The Chinese programme for students in Years 9 to 10 underwent reconstruction to tailor writing tasks to their varying levels. This restructuring aimed to provide more targeted support and challenge to students at different proficiency levels.
Year 11 Novel Study: Year 11 students dedicated themselves to intensive novel studies, delving deep into literary works to expand their comprehension and analytical skills. Novel study provided wider Chinese character practice. Through the study of characters, plots, and environments, students learned how to portray characters in detail and deeply understand the content by analysing the plots and environments.
Year 12 Achievements: Year 12 students excelled in their trial and mock examinations, demonstrating their dedication and preparedness for the challenges ahead. Notably, the completion of IB extension essay writing showcased exceptional accomplishments in IB coursework.
As the new Prescription in Stage 6 Chinese and Literature course commences in Term 4 for Year 12 HSC students, there is a collective hope for continued success and growth among the students. The faculty remains committed to supporting and guiding the students towards achieving their academic goals.
Joanna
Lang Head of Chinese (Years 7-12)
n Year 7 - A Opera Mask
n Year 10 - A movie
Year 12 - HSC Class
The journey of learning French encompasses both the language and culture. Some students had the opportunity to visit Paris, where they experienced the culture firsthand. Immersed in the language, they found the historical buildings discussed in class took on new significance.
To reinforce their learning, students engaged in a variety of activities, including cards, board games, videos, and interactive exercises. They also conducted surveys to practise diverse vocabulary and grammar. Additionally, some students learned the rules of “pétanque,” a popular French bowling game, and had the chance to play it as well.
I always look forward to going to French lessons because learning a new language is an insightful experience and a valuable skill. If I go to France on holiday, I will be able to understand more and more!
~ Ailsa
France was very fun. The Mona Lisa was very demure and the French culture is amazing.
~ James
As the year draws to a close, the HSIE department reflects on a remarkable journey filled with enriching experiences, academic achievements and memorable moments. Once again students studying HSIE subjects achieved outstanding HSC and IB results. This was achieved through highly engaging lessons and genuine care from teachers coupled with the commitment and hard work from our Year 12 students. Our students embarked on engaging excursions which brought their studies to life. These excursions included a Year 11 Geography excursion, investigating land use around TST and a Year 11 Business excursion to Ikea to learn about the operations and marketing of the company.
At the beginning of the year our Year 7 students showcased their creativity and knowledge at the Landforms exhibition which was visited and appreciated by a wide range of the AISHK community. Well over 100 students and staff participated in one or both of the ASX Sharemarket games this year. Healthy competition between staff and students and an increased knowledge of the financial markets made it a satisfying experience for all involved. Sam Chen was victorious in the first game and Marcus Mo was the top student in the second game. Mr Pulsford was the man to beat in both games proving to be quite an astute investor.
Fantastic results were achieved in the Australian History Competition this year with many of our students gaining a Credit, Distinction or High Distinction. Thomas Pulsford, Cynthia Lu, James Goh and Sam Chen all received High Distinctions. As we bid farewell to another year, we are proud of all that the Humanities faculty and students have accomplished together. We look forward to a bright future filled with continued growth and success in the world of humanities.
Christopher Walsh Head of HSIE (7-12)
Geography Field Trip
The Learning Enrichment team has had a rewarding year working collaboratively with teachers, students, and parents to support our diverse learners with a student-centered, strength-based approach. We have strived to provide an inclusive environment to maximise potential and provide equitable access to the curriculum for every student while prioritising their well-being and personal success. We are incredibly proud of the growth and achievements our students have made this year, and we look forward to continuing this journey of learning and exploration together!
Natalie Mierczak (Primary Learning Support Coordinator)
Thanks to our dedicated team and a vibrant, collaborative atmosphere, we are pushing the boundaries of support and inclusion for all our learners. This year, in addition to our targeted literacy intervention programs, we are excited to announce that we have also provided
- Increased Numeracy Support sessions; Prep – Year 6
- Math Enrichment opportunities; Years 3 & 4
- Parallel teaching opportunities
- Targeted Check in & Out programme (CICO)
- Re ading Tutor Club & Word Attack Extension programmes with secondary school students and staff volunteers (who all underwent training)
- Targeted social skills groups
Sarah Guinon (Primary EAL Teacher)
The EAL programme at our school advocates for and supports our amazing multilingual learners. We are committed to embracing diversity and providing assistance to these students.
We offer a variety of programmes, including one-on-one journal conferencing, parallel teaching groups, and a morning reading group that features books celebrating students from diverse backgrounds.
Cecilie Duchatel, Head of Learning Support
• The Primary LEC teacher team and in-house Occupational Therapist, Cameron Dalling, presented a Speedy Professional Development workshop in Term 2 to teachers providing evidence based and research informed practices in the topics of Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia and Dysregulation. In rotation teachers wrote Action Plan Takeaway Cards on each topic.
• Th e EAL team welcomed Susan Stewart, who conducted an excellent workshop for parents and teachers on how to support multilingual learners at home.
Our Secondary team has had a wonderful and rewarding 2024 supporting our students. Throughout the year, we have focused on fostering resilience and self-advocacy among our students. We believe that every student has the potential to thrive, and our approach has been centered on creating an environment where they feel empowered to take charge of their learning journey.
In addition to discrete support in the classroom and collaborating with teachers, the Secondary Learning Enrichment team has supported students with:
- 1:1 Organizational Support
- Homework Help sessions
- Targeted EAL support and EAL classes
- Provision of test and exam adjustments.
- Counselling as needed.
Cecilie Duchatel, Head of Learning Support
The Year 8 EAL students have recently explored poetic techniques such as Haikus, Free Verse, and lyric poems, enhancing their creativity and self-expression. Writing Haikus has taught them to convey emotions succinctly, while Free Verse allows for unrestricted creativity. Lyric poems emphasise personal feelings and musicality in language.
Additionally, they have begun reading The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, a story that might resonate with their experiences around youth and identity. To further develop their writing skills, they practice crafting petal paragraphs, which help them to articulate ideas clearly and support arguments effectively in both poetry and prose.
The Year 7 EAL students have been immersing themselves in the Harry Potter series, analysing the literary and cinematic techniques that bring the story to life. They have explored elements such as character development, symbolism, and narrative structure, enhancing their critical thinking skills.
Additionally, they have begun reading Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, which introduces them to themes of resilience and cultural identity. To strengthen their writing abilities, the students continue to practice petal paragraphs, allowing them to structure their thoughts clearly and support their analyses effectively in both literature and film discussions.
The Secondary LEC team led by our school psychologist Bernadette Spencer led an engaging discussion about
Neurodiversity at a recent Secondary Faculty meeting resulting in rich discussion and new understandings about our neurodiverse learners.
LEC Parent Group
Finally, we are thrilled to have set up a LEC Parent Group this year with Rachel Whitelum and Helena Iveson as parent representatives. Each term the group meets with a particular focus in mind, the last session focusing on inclusive practices at AISHK which brought forth rich discussion.
“Mathematics has beauty and romance. It’s not a boring place to be, the mathematical world. It’s an extraordinary place; it’s worth spending time there.”
~ Marcus du Sautoy, Oxford Fellow & Author
This quote sums up our vision at AISHK, where we seek to introduce students to the mathematical world and help them to explore and enjoy such an extraordinary place. Whilst we attempt to enable students to achieve the best possible results, it is also important for all students to build a positive connection to Mathematics.
Here are some highlights from 2024:
Year 7: Our budding mathematicians undertook the Potato Olympics, a fun and engaging way to learn about data collection and analysis using everyone’s favourite vegetable!
Year 8: Students explored the fascinating world of circles, mastering the concept of circumference and discovering its real-world applications.
Year 9: The focus shifted to the heights and angles of trigonometry, where students learned to navigate the complexities of triangles and their properties.
Year 10: Our students delved into functions and graphs, developing a deeper understanding of mathematical relationships and how to represent them visually.
Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition in Term 4. Your dedication and enthusiasm for mathematics are truly inspiring!
Here’s to another year of mathematical adventures and achievements at AISHK!
Year 9 - Trigonometry
Year 12 - Standard Maths Surveyors
Year 9 - Four Cube Houses Images
Primary students visited the school’s laboratories throughout the year participating in lessons and activities that started to build skills and excitement about studying science. These were great opportunities for them to become familiar with the laboratories and more advanced experiments.
This year, we carried on our traditions of experimental investigations, seeking to shed light on a variety of research questions. Senior HSC & IB students of Biology, Chemistry and Physics carried out experiments for their depth studies and internal assessments. Year 10 students designed and performed experiments to investigate various questions of interest. Year 8 students carried out experiments and presented their findings at the annual Science Fair. Students in Years 7 to 12 performed many experiments related to their topics of study throughout the year. All this experimentation would not have been possible without the able support provided by Laboratory Technician, Ms Jenny Yen.
Thank you to the Parent Association for their support in purchasing the lockable trolleys. They have been very helpful when storing experiments that took place over long periods of time.
This year over 100 students visited Science Support, held on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school. Students can obtain help with specific problems, receive instruction about an important scientific concept, complete experimental investigations, complete homework, or simply study in a quiet place. Attendance at Science Support is voluntary and is offered as a special service to students to assist them with their science learning.
The theme for Australian National Science Week was Species Survival. The week saw students in Years 7 to 10 carry out experiments in DNA analysis, natural selection, and a method for ascertaining whale health: Whale Snot Analysis! Science Week Assembly and the Showing of Time Bites
On Friday 30th August we concluded Science Week 2024. As is tradition, the week ended with the showing of the Science Week Film. This year we proudly presented Time Bites, which was supported by the Personal Development, Health & Physical Education (PDHPE) Department and the Learning Enrichment Centre (LEC). It tells the story of the last small group of survivors of a zombie apocalypse, and how they work together to defeat the final threat to humanity. Time Bites, directed by Performing Arts Technician, Mr. San Juan and myself include some scenes that younger viewers might find scary, parental guidance is recommended.
At the Science Week assembly, Year 11 student Vegas Puels was Master of Ceremonies. Head of Learning Support, Ms Duchatel started the assembly by speaking about the work of Teaching Assistants. We then welcomed Ms Chan from Paws United, the animal charity we supported this year with donations from t-shirt sales. Ms Chan talked about her work rescuing cats and dogs. Our Year 10 band played “End of Beginning” with guest singer, Teacher Assistant, Mr Garcia. Admirably, the band were able to perform despite already being infected by the zombie virus (as per their movie characters).
Head of Science, Dr. Hill and a group of Year 10 students drew attention to the worryingly large number of endangered species. He urged the audience to consider what they can do to preserve the diversity of species on our planet. Just as he finished speaking the stage was invaded by zombies whom Dr. Hill managed to evade before announcing the screening of our film, Time Bites. Link to You Tube, https://youtu.be/YIMgKk44poQ
University Visits
Visits to local university campuses help our students to broaden their knowledge and learn more about university life. This year, senior physics students visited City University of Hong Kong (CUHK) on 1 August. Students were accompanied by Mr Foreman and Mr Pulsford to see the Low Carbon Energy Education Centre, an innovative facility located at City University’s campus. This centre is the first of its kind in Hong Kong, dedicated to showcasing the crucial role of low carbon energy in combating climate change within the local context.
Senior chemistry students visited Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on 23 August to learn more about advanced instruments used for chemical analysis. With teachers Mr White and Mr Pulsford students observed and learnt more about analytical instruments used to reveal the chemical structure of compounds or to measure amounts of substances in samples. This included spectroscopic and chromatographic instruments.
These excursions offered our students valuable opportunities to connect classroom chemistry and physics lessons with real-world applications, deepening their understanding of how technology can contribute to scientific knowledge and drive sustainable solutions for the future.
Science Teachers, Peter Pulsford, Benjamin Foreman Head of Science, Andrew Hill
Year 9 - Dissection
Year 11 - IB and HSC Chemistry
Visual Arts in Year 7 & 8 covers many of the fundamental concepts of art practical work and theory. Students are introduced to a wide range of new materials including graphite, pastels, acrylic paint, lino print and sculptural mediums. This gives students an opportunity to understanding principles of composition, basic drawing technique as well as sculptural form to provide a strong foundation within the subject for future years.
Students were introduced to the Elements of Art and explored a variety of activities to understand fundamental concepts and the techniques artists use to create and analyse artworks. Students then use this new understanding to create Cubist Collages that draw upon the Elements of Art as inspiration. In the second half of the semester, students learn how some artists use text along with signs and symbols to communicate with audiences. They research the works of Jenny Holzer, Robert Indiana and Shepard Fairey then developed their own paintings which incorporated collage, text, stencil and texture.
Students were introduced to Still Life art, beginning with the Dutch Still Life artists of the 17th century, through to contemporary times. We discussed how objects and arrangements gave insights into the differing cultural contexts over the course of history. Students then had the opportunity to create their own Still Life artworks by arranging, drawing and then carving their design onto a lino block, then transferring onto paper using black block ink. We then shifted our focus to the broad creative field of Architecture and students drew inspiration from a range of architects to design and construct their own scale model buildings using cardboard, glue and paint.
Visual Arts in Years 9 & 10 is a deep dive into more niche artists, topics and exploring foundational skills in new ways. In Year 9, students explore illustrative techniques through the lens of comic book design, street art as well as cultural influences on art. In Year 10 students refine some of these techniques in new ways looking at Realism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and understanding the transformation that took in place in the art world in the 20th century.
Visual Art students began the term exploring comic book illustrations and understanding the entire process from sketching, inking fine detail, digital and traditional colouring and post production techniques to create their own unique cover designs. Unit 2 investigated sculptural work and how artists communicate feelings, moods and meaning through their work, their sculptures were subsequently painted with a faux metallic patina to merge classical and contemporary aesthetics. Students moved onto studying cultural signs and symbols and how artists in Australia and internationally represent cultural identity in their work through the lens of journeys, mapmaking and printmaking techniques like etching and monoprint. Finally, they delved into street art and examined the work of Banksy, Vhills, Space Invader and other unique interpretations of the genre. The unit investigated how many street artists have used stencils and unique materials to explore concepts related to consumerism, pop culture or a wide range of social issues.
Year 10 students began the term investigating the contrasting art styles of Abstract Expressionism and Photorealism and learnt about the art processes behind each. They then replicated photographs using the grid technique of producing a life-like portrait of their chosen subject. Term 2 saw students experiencing watercolour and tonal painting techniques and the surrealist works of Dali, Magritte and Francis Bacon. In Term 3 Visual Art students were introduced to Postmodern art and how devices such as pastiche, irony and satire can be utilised to express oneself through their art. Finally, in Term 4, students went on a Photography excursion through central to learn about different compositional techniques and capturing Hong Kong through the lens of an SLR camera. Photos taken were then enhanced in Adobe Lightroom and exhibited in a virtual gallery space.
This year, our Year 11 HSC Visual Arts class completed two major bodies of work. The first project revolved around the theme of "Identity", allowing students to express themselves through painting, drawing, and printmaking. For their second project, titled "The Object”, students had the freedom to choose any materials to represent an object that symbolises world issues, fostering critical thinking and personal expression. In art theory, students experienced a comprehensive overview of art history, spanning from prehistoric times to postmodernism. They learned to apply key concepts from the HSC syllabus to analyse various artworks, building confidence in their analytical skills. To enhance their learning experience, students participated in several excursions, including a life drawing class and visits to M+ and the Palace Museum. These outings provided invaluable opportunities to study artworks in person, reinforcing their practical and theoretical knowledge.
Year 11 IB Visual art students examined the three core practical pillars of the Visual Arts IB curriculum. First investigating traditional illustrative media such as drawing, painting and charcoal, in addition to studying the historical academic principles of Still Life painting. They then developed their sculptural practice by first designing maquette studies which then evolved into fully fledged sculptures made with in clay, foam, wire and a variety of other sculptural media. Finally, the students investigated digital, collage and time-based media artwork to gain a familiarity with a wide range of materials and processes so that they could begin their independent explorations into their final year exhibitions and artworks.
This year, the Year 11 Visual Design class explored how visual elements communicate powerful messages to specific audiences. Through the analysis of existing design products, they honed their critical thinking skills and applied their insights to redesign a book cover or movie poster using photomontage techniques, showcasing their newfound understanding of effective visual communication. The class embraced the design thinking process, learning to cater their projects to distinct target markets. This culminated in a vibrant t-shirt design project, where students celebrated diverse subcultures, blending creativity with purpose.
The Year 12 HSC class of 2024 comprised of 2 students – Valerie Ng and Lauren Stennett. Over the course of the year the students completed a Body of Work using a medium of their choice to explore issues of personal significance. Students begin this process by brainstorming ideas and seeking out artists of inspiration before conducting experimentations and then developing their concepts. Documentation of all steps are recorded in the Visual Arts Process Journal and the completed works are sent to the NESA Visual Arts marking centre in Sydney for final evaluation.
Art work details:
For her Body of Work, “Hong Kong Homage”, Valerie chose to celebrate the city, its people and her ever evolving relationship to a place that has provided the backdrop to her life.
The collection of work comprises of 7 soft pastel drawings on cardboard, read from left to right, inviting audiences on a visual journey through Hong Kong. The series is broken into four main panels; a fisherman in his dingy, a triptych of a family gathering in a townhouse, a disjointed diptych of the neon-lit urban centre in the evening and finally, a culminating image of a traditional steamed fish dinner, bringing the narrative full circle.
Through the contrasting imagery, the collection intends to capture a city full of intricacies and dualities; rural and urban, natural and man-made, land and sea, glittering yet gritty.
The vibrant colour application adds vitality to the visuals; while at other times the soft, hazy blending gave a dusty, nostalgic feel. The sandpapered edges of each work promotes a weathered look, adding to a raw presentation that references the passing of time and the decay of memory.
Art work details:
Lauren’s Body of Work “Matriarch” consists of two oil pastel drawings and one large acrylic painting that pays tribute to her grandmother, Joan. Central to the work is the one-meter large portrait painting of her grandma, her warm smile and kind eyes welcoming the viewer into her space, much like she would invite guests into her home. Feelings of home are also evoked in the two pastel Still Life drawings that highlight her grandmother’s distinct aesthetic taste with the ornate glassware and antique lampshade.
Lauren’s work utilises bold colours to highlight her love for and connection to her grandmother, while the tactile textural qualities of the objects reflect vivid memories that tap into her nostalgia for trips back to Australia to visit her grandma.
Through her work, Lauren reflects on the deep bond she has with her grandmother, one that has endured through both distance and time.
The IB Visual Arts students focus on three core areas to complete during the diploma programme. The Comparative Study, which is a comprehensive analysis of three chosen artworks from varying cultural and artistic backgrounds. The development of their Personal Portfolio of experiments and conceptual practices. And finally, the Exhibition which is a summation of the work they have completed for over the course of two years.
Explored the idea of confinement and constriction through the lens of fashion. Looking at the influences of textiles and clothing on society and its relationship to conformity with a modern perspective. Her work included macrame, sculpture, photography, textiles and painting.
This exhibition delves into themes of isolation, and of man’s relationship with machines as well as confronting the possibilities of a dystopian future. The world and story she created revolves around an unnamed “Traveller”, serving as a guide for the audience to follow through a post-apocalyptic landscape. Her work included illustrative media, painting and sculpture.
Her exhibition considered how time is distorted and manipulated through memories and how nostalgia shapes our recollection of the past. Her works contemplated how we acquire, process and project memories that frame our personal narratives. Her work included mixed media textiles, multimedia work, painting and sculpture.
Her exhibition, titled ‘White noise turned red’, explores the sexualization and exploitation of women in art. Her work investigated the problematic media portrayals of the female body and objectification of women throughout art history. Works included cardboard sculpture, pastel, photography and textiles. Calpurnia Lang
Each year the senior IB students are free to choose their thematic approaches to their IB Exhibition as well as the mediums they wish to work with throughout the Diploma programme. The students have put in a tremendous amount of hard work and effort into the last two years to curate an incredible show which is culmination of their artistic experimentation and expression. Students must produce at least eight artworks, and our senior show this year included two-dimensional forms such as painting, drawing and printmaking, as well as a strong focus on textiles, sculptural forms, assemblage, photography and digital media.
The exhibition explores human connection and interconnectivity. Inspired by the isolation of the pandemic where art became a form of catharsis, the exhibition uses abstract media and unconventional materials to express these ideas more intuitively. Media includes installation art, animation photography, ink and ceramic sculpture.
In 2024, Creative Industries offered a variety of extracurricular activities, workshops, and excursions.
In Year 7 & 8 Mandatory Technology, students delve into various design mediums to boost their problem-solving skills and critical thinking. They are introduced to new materials, techniques, and resources tailored to project briefs, fostering the ability to scrutinize design problems and empathize with their intended audience. Our focus is on nurturing key designer mindsets like creativity, open-mindedness, risk-taking, collaboration, and reflection.
The focus of Year 7 Product Design is to enhance students' practical skills and boost their creative confidence. The task involved creating an acoustic speaker for a mobile phone, requiring students to follow an iterative design process and test the sound quality of their speakers during the development phase. Students gained hands-on experience in using tools, equipment, and machinery with safety and precision. Additionally, the course facilitated the expansion of students' design vocabulary through product reviews and analysis, along with the improvement of their design communication and sketching abilities.
Food Technology in Year 7 begins with students learning basic cutting skills, how to read and follow a recipe, measuring correctly, and understanding the function and nutrition of ingredients. Students investigated food influences and trends, including future foods and sustainable eating. Students were assessed on their ability to work safely in a kitchen and to produce recipes to a high standard. Food presentation and styling was demonstrated in the Food Photography project, which was combined with their understanding of nutrition to make creative magazine cover designs.
Year 8 students met a range of design briefs this year which aimed to build skills across a number of design contexts. Students began their course with a Classroom Redesign, by creating a 3D model on Tinkercad of a classroom interior. For Systems Design, students learned to create recipe flowcharts that catered for the needs of a diverse target market. For Product Design, students used Adobe Illustrator to design a metal casting mould and the laser cutter to cut it. They then hand poured molten pewter to mould which was then polished to a high standard. The Digital Technologies brief required students to engineer a flat packable product which would then be controlled by an Arduino: a small computer with various sensors. Students enjoyed using combined technologies to realise their designs.
In Years 9 & 10 Elective Technology, students get the opportunity to explore their own interests in design, focusing on problem-solving and experimental prototyping. The design briefs are quite open, allowing students to develop projects around needs, environments, or target markets they find intriguing.
This year, students learned and utilised a range of new skills: 3D modelling, electronics, CAD/CAM, and traditional workshop skills. For their first brief, students used their Adobe Illustrator, laser cutting and soldering skills to design and manufacture an “Infinity Mirror”; a complex lighting device that required high levels of accuracy and problem solving. This required active prototyping and an iterative design approach. The second brief saw students collaborating in teams to conceptualise, create and market a tabletop game. Students were given autonomy to choose which technologies and materials were needed for their product. Finally, the students conducted market research to understand taste preferences before making and packaging sustainable cookies, whilst also demonstrating safe cooking and food handling practices.
In Year 10 Product Design, the focus is on collaborative, multidisciplinary design. Initially, students pinpointed a specific location within the school in Term 1 to create a prototype for a site-specific planter. The core project, spanning Terms 2 and 3, involved a "rebranding" challenge for a national airline of their choice, leading to various practical tasks. Some students honed their 3D modelling skills using Fusion 360 to revamp and engineer business class seats, whilst others explored user interface design for the airline's app with Adobe XD. Additionally, a group delved into Food Technology to craft a balanced and enticing airline breakfast menu. Term 4 showcased the "Sustainability Studio," where students targeted waste materials to transform into eco-friendly products.
Year 11 Design aims to develop students’ personal design processes and creative approaches to design. The first project brief focussed on community design and urban planning. Students identified a location in their local area to “redevelop” into a community skatepark. Students were able to respond to the brief by building an architectural scale model or design a virtual model using 3D modelling software.
The second design brief required students to undertake an iterative design process and user-centred design. Students were matched with a “client” to design eyewear for. Through the use of Design Thinking and primary research, students had to design and develop an eyewear prototype that met their client’s specifications, including ergonomics and aesthetics. This brief also provided students with the opportunity to experiment with different materials and techniques. Students then used Fusion 360 to 3D model and render a case for their eyewear design.
In Year 12 HSC, students embark on a comprehensive Major Design Project spanning various design fields, including 2D and 3D design. This year, students delved into realms like architecture, graphic design, industrial design, app design, and beyond, demonstrating exceptional creativity and problem-solving prowess.
Daniel Allison, who has always enjoyed experimenting with materials, noticed a significant gap in AISHK's offerings: the absence of industrial metalworking facilities. Inspired by this observation, he designed and built a portable forge to enable students to melt aluminium, recycle drink cans, and repurpose them into new products.
Jay Au-Yeung, an avid badminton enthusiast and collector of high-quality racquets, conceived a flat-packable badminton racquet holder for his project. This innovative design can be produced by players at home using a standard 3D printer and PVC pipe. It is designed for easy assembly and disassembly, allowing it to conveniently accompany the player wherever they go.
Austin Chau, a fan of tabletop games and a talented illustrator, undertook a project to develop a new turn-based combat card game. Drawing insights from traditional card games like Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokémon, Austin emphasized the game's playability and player accessibility. He conducted multiple test plays to ensure the rules and gameplay were well-balanced.
Miles Ellis, intrigued by property development, drew inspiration from compact Hong Kong apartments to create a modular furniture piece. This versatile design is not only flat-packable but also serves multiple functions. Combining traditional furniture crafting methods with modern engineering techniques, Miles devised mechanisms enabling the furniture to transform as needed.
Audrey Kwok, who finds joy in cooking and baking, sought to spread her passion to others. Her journey commenced with a simple question: "What hurdles do beginners face in the kitchen?" Delving into research and experimentation, Audrey found the significance of accessible, user-friendly recipes. To address this, she developed an app guiding users through recipes progressively, from easy to more challenging, fostering confidence in the kitchen along the way.
Valerie Ng, passionate about both architecture and Hong Kong, set out to rejuvenate a neglected housing estate for her project. Her vision was to create communal areas for families spanning different generations. Valerie engaged in thorough ethnographic research to pinpoint the desires and needs of stakeholders, focusing on sustainable solutions that are prepared for the future.
Jayden Wong, a music enthusiast, stumbled upon his design revelation by chance; one day, he experienced a profound connection between music and furniture. For his project, he set out to create a "sound dome" - a unique furniture piece where users could immerse themselves in sound. The primary goal was to provide users with a feeling of well-being.
Ivana Yue encapsulated the essence of Hong Kong by developing a cake mix kit for novice bakers to prepare pineapple buns at home. This kit was designed to introduce people of all backgrounds to this iconic Hong Kong pastry. Featuring clear instructions in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, along with a strong and consistent branding, the cake mix kit is versatile for sale in diverse geographical areas.
Ivan Yue, known as a “hardcore Airsoft player,” utilised his knowledge to create an improved Airsoft gun sling that enhances efficiency and ergonomics for the player. Employing an iterative design approach, Ivan developed a gun sling that seamlessly transitions between a 1-point and 2-point mount. His design also featured a consistent branding strategy, influenced by his love for graphic design.
The Year 12 IB class of 2024 showcased their exceptional skills through a range of engineering projects focused on supporting women’s health, childhood education, sustainable fashion, travel fashion, and cosplay fashion. The students involved were Kaelyn Allen, Tanya Cheung, Jasmine Grace Crawford, Calpurnia Lang, Givanni Tsui, and Veronica Yeung.
Kaelyn’s project focused on addressing the needs of young students with ADHD by developing a thoughtfully designed fidget toy. Her work emphasised improving focus in the classroom through tactile engagement, offering a practical tool to aid concentration. By promoting sensory stimulation, Kaelyn’s fidget toy aimed to enhance learning experiences for students who benefit from alternative strategies for attention. Her project showcased a strong commitment to inclusive education, helping those who often struggle in traditional classroom environments.
Tanya's project revolved around creating a customizable and cost-effective cosplay suit. Her innovative approach allowed for flexibility in design while keeping costs manageable, making cosplay more accessible to enthusiasts on a budget. Tanya's design focused on providing a balance between creativity and affordability, allowing cosplayers to personalise their outfits without breaking the bank. Her project was aimed at making cosplay more inclusive, encouraging greater participation in a growing and vibrant subculture of self-expression.
Givanni's project focused on upcycling old denim into trendy, repurposed items such as jeans and tote bags. This project highlighted her commitment to sustainability by offering a creative and practical solution to reducing textile waste in the fashion industry. Givanni’s idea of transforming unwanted denim into stylish, new pieces not only promoted eco-friendly practices but also tapped into the growing demand for sustainable fashion. Her project encouraged consumers to think differently about how they dispose of and reuse clothing.
Jasmine's project addressed the challenge of rising airline luggage fees by designing a multifunctional garment that converts between a dress and a skirt-and-top combination. Her innovative design aimed to help travellers pack lighter for short weekend trips in hot weather, reducing the need for excess luggage while maintaining style and versatility. By focusing on a dual-purpose garment, Jasmine offered a practical and fashionable solution to meet the demands of modern travel, combining convenience with aesthetic appeal.
Calpurnia's project focused on developing a menstrual care applicator designed specifically for individuals with muscular disabilities. Her thoughtful and empathetic approach aimed to improve accessibility, comfort, and independence for people who may struggle with traditional applicators. By prioritising ease of use and ergonomic design, Calpurnia's product sought to address an important yet often overlooked need in women's health. Her innovation highlighted the importance of inclusive design in improving daily life for those with physical challenges.
Veronica's project centred around designing a menstrual relief pillow with heated elements, aimed at providing comfort and alleviating pain for people who menstruate, particularly in the pelvic area and lower back. Her innovative product offered a practical and accessible solution for managing menstrual discomfort, targeting an issue that affects millions worldwide. By integrating heating technology, Veronica's pillow provided a non-invasive way to ease pain, demonstrating her thoughtful approach to women's health and well-being.
IST in Years 9 & 10 offers students the opportunity to experiment with a variety of project work which covers both technical knowledge and the impact of ICT technology on society. In addition to designing and creating an interactive video game, students will explore robotics and build and program their own robot. They will learn the principles of coding and experiment with different coding languages throughout Years 9 & 10. They also examine the social and ethical issues surrounding big data by analysing existing data sets and working in small groups to gather, analyse and display their own data. In many of the projects, students will work with commercial-grade software that is often used in media and information technology industries.
Software Design & Development in Years 11 and 12 allows students to learn principles of coding and apply them to create custom software. Different programming paradigms will be explored, allowing students to experience a variety of concepts and techniques and choose the coding language they think is most appropriate for their task. In addition to exploring coding techniques and algorithm design, students will learn about project management strategies for software development as well as the social, ethical and legal issues related to software design.
Austin's project took a unique twist by creating a 2D turn-based fighting game set within the confines of a school environment. Drawing inspiration from anime, Austin's game allowed players to take on the role of student fighters engaging in strategic turn-based combat. Each character possessed their own set of skills and abilities, adding depth and complexity to the gameplay. With a nostalgic school setting and exciting combat mechanics, Austin's project brought a fresh perspective to the world of turn-based fighting games.
Ivan 's project focused on solving a real world problem that has haunted mankind for hundreds of years: falling back asleep immediately after you turn off your alarm clock. In 2024, people are more likely to use their phone as an alarm clock, but the fundamental problem remains. Ivan's solution was to create an alarm clock app with an alarm that can't be turned off until you've solved a series of randomly generated math problems. So not only will the user avoid being late to school or work, but they will also start their day off with a bit of mental exercise!
Lucas also entered into the realm of game development with his project, crafting a 2D tower defense game using the power of Python and PyGame. Tower defense games have long been a favourite among players, and Lucas aimed to bring his unique sense of humour to the genre. In his game, players must strategically place defensive towers to fend off waves of incoming enemies set on infiltrating their territory. Lucas designed a challenging yet rewarding gaming experience that kept players on the edge of their seats.
Leighton created an immersive 3D escape room game using the C# programming language and Unity, a professional games development platform. Escape room games are known for their intricate puzzles and captivating narratives, providing players with an engaging and challenging experience. Leighton's project challenged players to find a series of cleverly hidden buttons and switches to help them unlock the room and escape. Oh, and the floor is made of lava that kills you, so maybe watch out for that.
Marcus worked to develop an app that assists individuals in diagnosing illnesses and exploring treatments rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. Marcus's project sought to bridge the gap between modern technology and ancient healing practices, providing users with a holistic approach to healthcare. Through the app, users can input symptoms and receive tailored recommendations based on traditional Chinese medicine principles. Marcus's project not only showcased his technical prowess but also his dedication to promoting wellness through innovative solutions.
From celebrating the achievements of the class of 2023, to preparing the graduates of 2024, we have enjoyed working with students to assist them with their post school plans.
The Careers Team have attended a variety of workshops from universities from Hong Kong and overseas. These included:
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
• University of Hong Kong (HKU)
• Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
• Monash University
• Australian National University (ANU)
A highlight of the year was a presentation from the University of Sydney’s Law School. This workshop and information session gave students an insight into what it is like to be an undergraduate and learn from some of the country’s great legal minds.
‘The USyd talk was informational and made me feel less nervous about my ATAR as it really emphasised the different pathways into the degree. It was also great to learn about the in-depth structure of the double degree course i.e. how much time we would spend on each component of our degree.’ ~ Lauren 12E.
‘I thought that the Sydney University law talk was a great opportunity to learn more about potential career paths. It provided us with information from school representatives. It was very detailed in outlining the paths we could potentially take into university and what university life is like.’ ~ Aidan 12W
During the summer holidays, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) held a three-day workshop in Guangzhou. It was very interesting to learn that many of their staff members work in the industry that they teach and therefore have contemporary knowledge of the modern workplace.
In May, we were privileged to co-host, with Yew Chung International School, an event for careers counsellors across Hong Kong. The ‘round table discussion’ enabled counsellors to connect with the admissions staff from all Hong Kong universities, to learn more about changes to application procedures, new courses and scholarship opportunities. It was also wonderful to showcase the AISHK campus and catch up with peers from other schools.
Maxine Tsang 11E and Valerie Dy 10J have been instrumental in establishing a group that assists students who would like to study in the medical field. Whether it be becoming a doctor or working in ‘allied health’, this group meets every fortnight to gain insights to the various aspects of applying to university and studying medicine. From UCAT question banks to personal statements, and from ‘shadowing’ opportunities to online webinars/procedures this group aims to make applying to health care courses less daunting.
The end of 2024 will see Paul McGunnigle step down from the careers role. The AISHK community would like to thank Paul for his dedication and energetic work in careers and I look forward to working with him in other capacities.
As in all years we are excited to hear of what and where the graduates from 2024 will be studying in 2025.
Wishing all families, both those who are leaving AISHK and those who will be returning, a safe and happy holiday season and look forward to 2025 being a year of health and happiness for all.
Anthony Murphy
Secondary Teacher, Careers Advisor
Paul McGunnigle Secondary Teacher, Careers Advisor, CAS & Community Service Coordinator
The Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) department at our school has undergone a renewed focus in 2024, placing a greater emphasis on fundamental movement skills, team sports activities, and the development of holistic wellness skills for our students.
Our curriculum is guided by the five key propositions that underpin the PDHPE syllabus:
•Focus on educative purpose: Ensuring all activities have strong learning intentions.
•Value movement: Helping students make physical activity an integral part of their daily lives.
•Taking a strengths-based approach: Giving students choice and voice in their learning.
•Developing health literacy: Empowering students to make informed decisions about their health, safety, wellbeing, and physical activity levels.
•Include a critical inquiry approach: Allowing students to explore real-world concepts and issues.
This year, we have placed a greater emphasis on developing students’ fundamental movement skills, such as throwing, catching, kicking, and locomotor skills. By focusing on these foundational abilities, we aim to equip our students with the necessary building blocks to excel in a wide range of team sports and physical activities.
In addition to the renewed focus on fundamentals, we have also expanded our team sports offerings, providing our students with more opportunities to develop their skills, strategies, and teamwork capabilities. Our students have enjoyed participating in a variety of team games, including basketball, soccer, netball, and touch football, among others.
Alongside our practical lessons, our theory units have also undergone a transformation, with a strong emphasis on developing skills that keep our students healthy, safe, connected, and informed. We have designed learning experiences that empower our students to make informed decisions about their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, equipping them with the knowledge and strategies to lead fulfilling and balanced lives.
The dynamic nature of the PDHPE curriculum requires us to regularly review and update our teaching units to ensure they remain contemporary, learner-centered, and future-focused. To this end, we are excited to introduce a new senior syllabus in 2025, which will provide our senior students with even greater flexibility and choice in pursuing their interests within the realm of PDHPE.
Furthermore, we are eagerly anticipating the implementation of a revised K-10 PDHPE syllabus in 2027, which will align our curriculum with the latest educational developments and equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to lead safe, active, and healthy lifestyles.
Our dedicated PDHPE staff, including Mr. Lee Pilgrim, Mr. Tim Tait, and Mr. James Cunningham, have demonstrated their commitment to delivering high-quality learning experiences for our students. Their adaptability, enthusiasm, and expertise have been instrumental in the successful implementation of our renewed focus on fundamentals, team sports, and holistic wellness. We aim to build on the knowledge and skills being established in primary school by our innovative and dedicated primary staff, Mr. Andrew Wookey and Mr. John Van Gaalen.
Additionally, we are grateful for the support and guidance of our new PDHPE Assistant, Mrs. Monique Weston, whose organisational skills and attention to detail have streamlined our departmental operations.
As we look to the future, we are excited about the constant renewal of the PDHPE curriculum and the opportunities it presents for our students to develop the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes to lead safe, active, and healthy lifestyles.
Kathleen Ellis Head of PDHPE
2024 was again a busy and productive time for Early Childhood students.
The PDHPE programme for Prep to Year 2 students, during practical sessions, is to develop and refine fundamental movement skills such as running, throwing, catching and jumping. Students enjoyed practicing and developing skills during individual tasks, small group games and different movement challenges.
During Health lessons students have focused on developing an awareness of their own individual identity and learning to understand and manage their emotions. In addition, students have been developing practical and problem-solving skills aimed at empowering and enabling students to make positive choices and develop lifelong habits as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Some of the highlights throughout the year were the Swimming and Athletics Gala days where students showcased their learning and skills. They had the chance to demonstrate their personal best, represent their Houses and cheer on their friends.
Another highlight was the return to swimming lessons for the Reception students who had an absolute blast developing water confidence and aquatic movement skills during Term 3.
Thank you to all the students for their teamwork, persistence and willingness to take on coaching advice and feedback and for giving lots of new things a try throughout the year.
A huge thank you also to Mr. Eric Yeung as well as Mrs. Monique Weston for their outstanding contributions in making the students’ experiences positive both during swimming sessions, and the Perceptual Motor Programme throughout the year.
2025 will be an exciting year of change, development and growth for students to look forward to.
On a personal note, as I finish up my time here at AISHK I did want to sincerely thank all members of the school community for their generous support and welcoming nature that has made my time here so enjoyable.
Andrew Wookey Primary PDHPE Teacher
Primary PDHPE classes spent considerable time during Term 1 preparing for the Interhouse Cross-Country and Athletics Carnivals. Lessons involved “unpacking” and refining the locomotor and manipulative skills that form the basis of the various disciplines of track and field.
The Cross-Country Carnival, held at the Pak Shek Kok Waterfront Promenade, challenged students to “pace” themselves and complete the 2km distance without walking. A cool morning assisted the students as they strove to meet this success criteria. The fastest runners were chosen to represent the school at the HKPSSA Cross Country Championships, where our team finished a commendable 2nd place.
Kowloon Tsai Sports Ground was the venue for the Interhouse Athletics Carnival early in Term 2, our first since the preCOVID era. A celebration of movement and community, students were encouraged to participate in many different events. As a result, entry lists for some events encompassed entire grade levels. The day was a wonderful culmination of the work done in Years 3-6 with some great performances.
Next, classes applied themselves to mastering various invasions, striking and fielding, and net and wall games. Through adapted gameplay, learners delved into the tactical and technical skills of sports like soccer, basketball, netball, badminton, volleyball, cricket, and tee ball, employing strategic thinking to creatively navigate challenges encountered during play.
Later in the year, students were involved in developing water confidence and proficiency in their aquatic skills. Lessons focused on both building safety and survival skills and refining the competitive strokes. Year level Swim Galas provided a platform for our young athletes to display their expanding skill sets and demonstrate their progress.
Health classes “unpacked” the various interrelated components of identity, inclusion, respect and safety. Students also practiced strategies to promote health, support others, manage relationships, build confidence and resilience.
Classes should be congratulated for the energy and enthusiasm they have brought to Primary PDHPE in 2024. It has been great to be surrounded by students enjoying learning and understanding the skills and attitudes required to lead healthy, safe and active lives. Well done to all!
John Van Gaalen Primary PDHPE Teacher
The AISHK Athletics Carnival took place on February 29th at Kowloon Tsai Park, marking an exciting and auspicious day for all participants.
Over 1,085 students participated in more than 66 competitive events, with students actively involved in engaging House events like tug-o-war and vortex throwing. The atmosphere was filled with enthusiasm as athletes showcased their talents.
Throughout the day, an impressive 18 records were broken: 7 in track events and 11 in field events.
Notably, Isla McGraw set a new U16 girls’ high jump record, surpassing the previous mark by 22 cm. Luka Youl also made headlines by breaking the U16 boys’ 1500m record by 17 seconds. Additionally, Cai McGunnigle excelled by setting 3 new records, adding to his achievements from 2023.
Medals were awarded for the age championships, with the following athletes receiving recognition:
U14 Boys
• Bronze: Tyson Barr
• Silver: Patrick Harvey
• Gold: Sasha Malakunas
U14 Girls
• Bronze: Cece Gurry
• Silver: Auburn McGraw
• Gold: Lillian Pilgrim
U16 Boys
• Bronze: Lachlan McKinnis
• Silver: William Heath
• Gold: Cai McGunnigle
U16 Girls
• Bronze: Gabi Chau
• Silver: Isla McGraw
• Gold: Sasha Pizzala
U20 Boys
• Bronze: Alvin Dong
• Silver: Harry Toller
• Gold: Rob Thomas
U20 Girls
• Bronze: Natalia Ezekiel
• Silver: Scarlett Ezekiel
• Gold: Lindsay Tang
The success of the carnival would not have been possible without the hard work of the PE staff: Ms. Ellis, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Pilgrim, Ms. Weston, Mr. Van Gaalen, and Mr. Wookey. Special thanks to the House patrons - Ms. Xu, Mr. Foreman, Mr. Mui, and Mr. Bailey - for their coordination and support. Appreciation is also extended to all secondary staff who contributed to the event.
The final standings for the overall House points were:
• 4th Place: Eucalypt - 385 points
• 2nd Place: Wattle - 434 points
• 3rd Place: Waratah - 398 points
• 1st Place: Jacaranda - 597 points
Congratulations to Jacaranda for their remarkable achievement! The AISHK Athletics Carnival was a memorable event, celebrating the spirit of competition and teamwork among students.
Kathleen Ellis Head of PDHPE
The 2024 Interhouse Sports competition was a thrilling showcase of talent and teamwork, featuring touch football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and an exciting athletics carnival.
Throughout the events, Jacaranda emerged as the dominant House, consistently performing well across all sports. Their impressive teamwork and skills set a high standard, leading them to victory in soccer and basketball.
Eucalypt, Waratah, and Wattle demonstrated great sportsmanship and determination, contributing to a spirited atmosphere throughout the competition. The athletics carnival was a particular highlight, showcasing individual talents and House pride.
At the time of writing, Jacaranda is leading the House competition with one event, touch football, to go.
Reflecting on the incredible 2023-2024 sports year, the AISHK community can take immense pride in our achievements and growth. Throughout the year, we had:
•76 competitive sports teams from U12 up to U20
•Nearly 400 fixtures and events
•9 international events either hosted or attended
We have seen the steady growth of sport, with students not only enjoying the physical benefits but also the positive effects on our overall wellbeing. Sport gives us an identity outside of our family names. Wherever we go, we are known as The Roo’s or The Kangaroos or AISHK. That’s pretty cool.
Sport gives us the sense of belonging and being part of a team, there is simply nothing greater.
Sport gives us the sense that we are part of something bigger. It takes a lot of individuals to come together to create a team. It takes two teams to create a game. It takes many teams to create a league or tournament. And everyone in that league or tournament, wanting to be the best, this creates health competition.
When we talk about belonging, identity, who you are and what you stand for, we are talking about culture. Our sporting culture at the school is ever evolving. Some things that stood out to me over the last year include:
•Mates are bringing other mates along to have a go and get involved.
•We are starting to refer to ourselves as the Roo’s or Kangaroos.
•We are always out there to give it our best shot and in the majority of instances, to win.
•We respect our opposition and referees, play fair, and create friendships on and off the field.
These last two statements often don’t get put together. Do we play sport to win or to make friends? What if we did both? Some fun facts for you:
•AISHK Kangaroos won 8 championships or tournaments last year.
•AISHK Kangaroos also won 8 sportsmanship awards last year from the events that acknowledge it.
•At 2 of those events, we won both the sportsmanship and the championship. That is special.
When we talk about the evolution of our sporting culture, this direction that our student athletes have taken us is truly inspiring and something we should all be extremely proud of.
To our new Sports Council, all our managers and coaches, and our administration, thank you for the incredible amount of time you have given to the AISHK Kangaroo’s programmes. Finally, to all our athletes, congratulations on a fantastic year.
Tim Tait
Director of Sports and Activities
After attending various mini meets to qualify for the finals, the ISSFHK Athletics Championships were held at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground on the 17th, 18th and 25th of April. A team of 60 AISHK athletes represented the school with grit and determination. The seniors competed in hot and humid conditions whilst the junior event was completed over 2 days due to rain. There were some outstanding individual results with placings in their respective events:
U12 - Cece Gurry - 1st Long Jump
U12 - William Foyn - 1st 800m
• William Foyn - 1st 1500m
• William Foyn - 2nd 400m
U14 - Auburn McGraw - 1st High Jump
U16 - Isla McCraw - 1st High Jump
U20 - David Dang - 3rd Shot Putt
U20 - Robert Thomas - 3rd Javelin
U20 - Scarlett Ezekiel - 1st 1500m
• Scarlett Ezekiel - 2nd 3000m
• Scarlett Ezekiel - 3rd 800m
The AISHK athletes showcased exceptional talent and sportsmanship, making their school proud with their remarkable achievements at the ISSFHK Athletics Championships.
The 2024 badminton season marked a significant step forward in the rebuilding of our programme. The under 14’s, 16’s, and 20’s boys’ badminton teams competed in the highly competitive ISSFHK tournament. Despite facing intense competition and not securing as many victories as anticipated, the teams demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship throughout the event. Their respect for opponents and commitment to fair play truly embodied the spirit of the game.
For our girls’ teams, the season presented some challenges, as we were unable to complete competitive fixtures due to participation numbers. Nonetheless, Coach Patrick Ko has observed notable improvements in their skills and attitudes. We are excited to see their continued growth and success in the upcoming season.
Our under 12’s boys team successfully secured a few friendly matches, which provided valuable opportunities for the players to test their skills and gain essential court experience.
Congratulations to all our teams for their hard work and perseverance during a season marked by cancellations and challenges. Your dedication has not gone unnoticed, and we look forward to an even more successful season ahead!
A special thank you to Coach Patrick Ko for his unwavering support and guidance throughout the season.
The Kangaroos’ four basketball teams garnered some excellent results during the ISSFHK 2023-24 sports year.
• The U12 Boys team played well throughout the season.
• The U14 boys had many excellent matches and finished the season in 4th place.
• The U16 Girls showed grit and hustle throughout the season, the growth in player development was exceptional.
• The U16 Boys had a strong season, only losing 1 game on their way to the championship, which they subsequently won.
This year’s ACAMIS tournament took place in a frosty Xiamen in January. The girls team displayed growth and development over the tournament, taking home the bronze medal and sportsmanship award, while the boys team won the tournament. Aiden Sun, Charlie Bourne and Justin Yu, Michelle Lin and Lillian Pilgrim were named all-tournament team members. winners.
In May, the SDRC tournament was held in Shekou, where the boys finished 3rd place whilst the girls received the silver medal. Congratulations to Henry Zhang, Kyra Zhang and Lillian Pilgrim on making the all-tournament team.
As a part of the ASIA Games contingent held in Vietnam both our boys’ and girls’ teams finished in 3rd place.
Thank you to coaches, Mr Garcia, Mr McLean, Mr Wookey and Mr Pilgrim for coaching teams this past year.
In its second year since being introduced to ISSFHK, AISHK proudly fielded teams in both the U14 and U20 categories. The U14 team, filled with youthful enthusiasm, made a strong showing, reaching the semi-finals and ultimately finishing in 4th place. This was a great experience for many cricketers, for some this was the first competitive cricket they had played.
The U20 team also had a fantastic tournament, achieving impressive scores and securing big wins. After winning all but one of their round robin games, they were poised to enter the playoff rounds in a strong position. Unfortunately, weather conditions interrupted the day’s play. Since all teams had faced each other, the ISSFHK were able to rank all teams with our U20 Kangaroos returning home with the silver medal.
A special thank you goes to our dedicated cricket coaches, Mr. Chris Walsh and Mr. Bennett, for their guidance and support throughout the season.
The 2024 season has been a remarkable year for the AISHK netball programme as we focused on rebuilding and solidifying the teams across all age groups. Competing in both the ISSFHK domestic competition and the AISA Games internationally, our under 20s finished strongly at the end of 2023 with a silver medal, while the under 16 and under 14 teams showcased their talent, also earning silver medals in their respective divisions. The under 12 team brought home a well-deserved bronze.
Our players have consistently demonstrated their commitment to the game, approaching each match with enthusiasm and a positive mindset, regardless of the outcome. This sportsmanship truly embodies the spirit of netball at AISHK.
Our ECA programme continues to thrive, with a robust participation rate, especially among our younger athletes. This strong foundation is essential for the future of our programme and reflects our commitment to nurturing talent.
Additionally, many of our players have taken part in regional programs organised by Netball Hong Kong China, furthering their development and opening pathways to potential national representation. We are proud to see our students embrace these opportunities.
Looking ahead, we will continue to seek out competitive opportunities for our teams to hone their skills and grow as players.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated coaching staff: Mrs. Alysha Wookey, Mrs. Olivia Ashton, Mrs. Kate Jackson, Ms. Kate Elliott, and Ms. Sophie Blackburn. Their unwavering support and expertise have been vital to our success this year.
As we look to the future, we remain excited about the growth and potential of our netball program. The achievements of our athletes this year are just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead.
This school year was a whirlwind of soccer, with an impressive total of 16 different teams proudly representing the AISHK Kangaroos in various domestic and international competitions, including the ISSFHK, SDRC, AISA Games, and ACAMIS.
The ISSFHK season kicked off in September 2023, featuring our U/14 boys’ and girls’ teams. Both the Boys and Girls Division 1 teams showcased their skills and determination, successfully making it to the playoffs. The boys team dug deep and narrowly missed a medal, finishing 4th place. A special congratulations goes to the girls, who capped off a fantastic season off and brought home the bronze medal!
The U14 teams then went on to compete in the SDRC Soccer Championships which was hosted by AISHK. The first two days were hosted out at the HKFA Training Centre in warm conditions. The third day included all the finals matches and were played on the AISHK pitch. It was a great atmosphere and guests were able to enjoy a BBQ and quality football. Both our girls’ and boys’ teams were outstanding on and off the pitch, being voted winners of the Sportsmanship Awards.
In Season 2, our U16 teams took to the pitch for a short and intense season. Both the boys and girls’ teams demonstrated remarkable talent and teamwork, and although we did not make the finals rounds, it was a great opportunity to prepare for the upcoming AISA Games in Vietnam.
At the AISA Games, our athletes continued to shine. The girls’ team displayed tremendous growth throughout the competition, ultimately finishing with a well-deserved bronze medal. The boys’ team claimed the championship title in what was a very tough competition where all 6 teams were in with a chance to win!
In March, AISHK hosted the Gold Division Soccer tournament here in Hong Kong. Despite the weather we were able to complete all games including the finals on the AISHK pitch. The ACAMIS event concluded on a high note, with the girls securing the bronze medal and the boys taking home the championship trophy along with the Spirit of ACAMIS Award voted for by the other teams.
The sports year finished with our U12 teams getting into their season from April onwards. With two boys’ teams and a girl’s team, it was a great experience for all our young athletes. Our Boys A and Girls team made the finals once again which was a great achievement considering the number of teams involved.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the coaches who dedicated their time and effort to our teams throughout the year. Your commitment has played a vital role in our success, and we are incredibly grateful!
The Kangaroos Swimming Team had a successful season in 2023, marked by significant achievements, growth in team spirit, and an increase in participation. This report outlines the team’s performance, key events, and future goals.
There was total 60 Kangaroos swimming representative under U12/U14/U16/U18 age division.
We participated several local swim meets, included invitational mini-meet at Harrow International school, Shrewsbury International school, and Kellett school. In addition, we participated the HKSSF Primary Kowloon West and Secondary Division 2 swimming meet against different local schools in Hong Kong.
Apart from that, we also participated the ISSFHK Championships against different international schools in Hong Kong. Finally, we also engaged in some overseas swimming competitions, including the AISA Sport tournament in Vietnam and the ACAMIS Senior Swimming Meet in Beijing.
Our Primary school Kangaroos swim team won: Overall Boys A Grade 2nd runner-up, Overall Boys B Grade Merit, and Overall Girl A Grade 1st runner-up.
Chasen Leung, Jasper Morgan-Cheng, Tiffany Chan, and Skye Nguyen were selected to represent Kowloon West region to engage in the Hong Kong Primary School HKSSF swim meet in 2024.
The Secondary School Kangaroos swim team won the Overall Champions.
Overall Boys Champions
Nathan Loui, Lachlan Chiu, Will Walsh, Gavin Ha, Hamlyn Chou and Andrew Allison.
Overall Girls Champions
Phoebe Rial, Lindsay Tang, Hannah Walsh, Kyra Tsang, Summer Hartnett and Germaine Chan.
Most swimmers achieved a personal best time, and all connected with many different athletes from other Australian international schools over the tournament.
The Kangaroos swim team training was led by coach Ashley Ooi and myself. We emphasised technique and mental readiness and coach Ashley’s motivational approach significantly boosted team morale.
For the 2024 season, we aim to increase participation in swim meets, build our youth Kangaroos swimming team, focus on individual skill development, and strengthen team unity through bonding activities.
The 2023 swim season was a success, showcasing the hard work and determination of our swimmers. Thanks to parents, staff and everyone at school for their unwavering support!
Eric Yeung
Aquatic and Swim Program Manager
The 23/24 Touch Football season was an exciting one! It was not only exciting in terms of growth and development, but the teams enjoyed some scoreboard success as well.
The season began in hot and humid conditions in Vietnam at the AISA games. The U17 Mixed team played an exciting brand of open and fast-paced touch football which was made all the more impressive by the gruelling conditions they had to play in. They demonstrated determination in defense as well as speed and accuracy in attack. The team should be congratulated for a fantastic result bringing home the silver medal.
A few weeks later the school attended the HK Winter Schools Championship, sending 4 teams to Kings Park for a fastpaced and action-packed day of touch football. All AISHK teams finished in the top 5 in their respective divisions.
•U14 Boys 3rd place,
•U14 Girls 3rd place,
•U20 Boys 2nd place and
•U20’s Girls 5th place.
These results secured AISHK a 3rd place finish in the competition.
In Guangzhou, the U14 SDRC teams led by Mrs Millington and Mr Wolfreys showed just how bright of a future touch football has at AISHK. The girls team played the final day of the competition with no subs, but they won the gold and overall champions. The boys played some fantastic touch football in an exciting extra time grand final and finished with a silver medal but most pleasingly and most importantly both teams walked away with the Sportsmanship Awards. Testimony to their conduct as players and as competitors.
In 2024 all eyes turned to our domestic ISSFHK season where the school was excited to field several teams across all age groups and divisions. For the first time, we entered two U20’s Mixed teams as well as two U14 boys teams.
Our U14 Boys Green Development team consisted predominantly of Year 6 students and are to be commended for the determination and skill they displayed on their way to a 4th place finish in their pool this season. This will set them up well for the next few seasons they will spend in this age group. The U14 Boys Gold team continued to demonstrate the open play style, speed, and teamwork that served them so well at SDRC but were unlucky to go down to a very slick Harrow School. They took home a silver medal.
The U14 girls team showed they are a force to be reconned with. Their season finished with a stunning 3 try win and a gold medal against ICHK. But maybe the greatest success of the U14 girls team was that 21 players took to the field at different stages of the season.
In the U20’s Mixed division, the U20’s Green team showcased some tremendous depth regularly pushing hard for good results against other much larger schools whilst giving game time and opportunity to a lot of newer touch football players. The U20’s Gold team set the standard for our touch programme this season, finishing the domestic season undefeated and deserving gold division champions. The team was able to demonstrate a pleasing growth in their ability to play a number of different game styles but were bested in the ISSFHK ‘Super’ final by a very ICHK.
Whilst our teams enjoyed a great deal of success on the pitch this season the thing the school can be most proud of is the number of athletes turning-up to play touch football, learning new skills, trying something new and becoming part of a team.
A huge thank you to all of the staff involved in touch football this season, Mr Phil O’Connor, Mrs Rose Millington, Mr Jack Wolfreys, Mr Michael Schats, Mr Wade Cox and Mr James Cunningham without whose presence, persistence and passion the 23/24 season would have looked very different.
The U12 girls team consisted of new and semi-experienced players, which meant games were a huge learning experience. Maree Tsoi led the team through the season with high energy and motivation.
This year the U14 boys and girls travelled to SDRC in Guangzhou. These were our first teams at this level after a fiveyear hiatus.
The boys team had several players new to volleyball in the squad and packed in a lot of learning across the tournament. Hamlyn Chou and Jacky Zhao were rewarded for their efforts with all-tournament team selection, and the team took home the Sportsmanship Award.
The girls team also fielded a new squad who worked hard across the three days and collectively demonstrated great improvements individually and as a team. Congratulations to Lillian Pilgrim and Hannah Li for their efforts, earning them all-tournament team selection, and the team were given the Sportsmanship Award.
The U16 boys finished 4th in the ISSFHK league after an up and down season. They won plenty of sets across the season, displayed some great athleticism and played some fantastic points.
The U16 girls had a season of great growth. They worked hard to improve their skill levels, teamwork, and ability to execute in matches. The team saved their best volleyball for the ISSFHK finals, clinching bronze against Renaissance College!
The U20 Boys had a mixed season, and their domestic results did not really reflect the improvement they made on the court. At ACAMIS the boys dug deep, and a bronze medal on day 3 of the tournament. All-tournament team selections went to David Dang and Nick Sandy and the team collected the Spirit of ACAMIS Award.
A high point for the U20 girls team domestic season was a good win against ISF. At ACAMIS, a strong showing on the first two days resulted in the girls winning 3 of their round matches. Their improvement across the tournament was evident for all to see and they finished a credible 4th. All-Tournament team selection went to Vegas Puels and they also collected the Spirit of ACAMIS Award.
Thank you to Mrs. Stirling, Mrs. Lee, Mr. Hogg and Mr. Van Gaalen.
Whilst 2023 finished with a glorious array of musicians performing for our annual Jingle Mingle celebrations, both in the auditorium, as well as on our celebrated field stage, our school has also been blessed with a multitude of performances during 2024. With the wonderful addition of our Primary Performing Arts Assemblies, showcase concerts and recitals throughout the year, as well as a variety of secondary events both in and out of school, we can honestly say that it has been a magnificent year.
The lighting in our auditorium has also been upgraded to be more user friendly for students to learn to operate, whilst also giving the facility for remote operation and a greater range of colours and lighting effects that will enhance our shows and concerts. We now have a dedicated student tech team that manages many of our auditorium events.
We have been fortunate to host a variety of visiting professional musicians to lead workshops with our students this year. We welcomed world class cultural instrumentalists, including renowned Astrophysicist and Musician, Eduardo Striani who led the Handpan workshop. Our students in both the Primary and Secondary school got to experience the fun and community spirit of drum circles, with some authentic African drumming as part of their curriculum. One of the highlights of the year was a workshop on Indigenous culture and a performance of the Didgeridoo by William Barton and the Chinese Sheng by Loo Sze Wang that featured world premieres of original compositions.
This was closely followed by a workshop and performance by an award-winning fusion band led by Rickard Malmsten and his band from Sweden.
Our school assemblies across both Primary and Secondary school have been full of amazing student performances that cross an incredible array of styles and instrumentations. Students in primary have also been lucky enough to hear some of our instrumental teachers lead demonstrations on their instruments. This has led to many students taking up instrumental lessons at AISHK.
Our instrumental programme continues to give valuable one to one instruction to our students with over 150 students now enrolled in the programme. Many of our instrumental teachers also lead or assist with the leadership of our ensembles in the ECA programme.
Over 50 students entered the prestigious Hong Kong Speech and Music festival this year, again competing across a wide variety of different age and ability levels with some 30+ students gaining first or second place prizes. A testament to the talent at AISHK.
The stage play production of Stranger Things was greeted with great applaud at the end of Term 2, as our AISHK actors took us through different worlds whilst showing their telekinetic powers to stop strange supernatural powers from taking over the planet.
Also, at the end of Term 2, over 50 students performed in front of Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr John Lee and the invited guests at the AustCham 36th Anniversary Dinner and Community Awards at the Conrad hotel. They presented a range of music to entertain the guests which ranged from James Bond to Stevie Wonder with various bands as well as our Vocal Ensemble.
Our ever-popular primary recitals have taken place throughout Semester 2 with students from each year group having their own recital. These have been immensely rewarding and over 100 students have presented their work on an incredible variety of instruments representing the gamut of musical styles.
We are looking forward to our “Finale” concert in November which will feature, among other things, our very own performance of the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony in C minor as our finale concert item.
Once again, we thank all our students and staff in the performing arts team for their hard work and dedication to the craft over 2024.
Peter Stapleton Head of Performing Arts
Primary students have further showcased their creativity through year group productions with Year 6Underdog, Year 5 - Retro, Year 4 - Spooky, Year 3 - Rockin; finally Years 1 and 2 Splendid. Our primary musical theatre ECA also brought excerpts of The Wizard of Oz to life with great enthusiasm.
Jingle Mingle
2024 has been a huge year for the AISHK Library. The Library was renovated during the school holidays, so the team of library staff spent January preparing the space for students. The renovated Library is a modern, light and bright space that the community can enjoy. Throughout the year we continued to improve and refine things, adding new bookcases for the impressive collection of Primary books, study pods for Secondary students, and new chairs. Our Library is busier than ever!
We are a hub of activity, with dedicated and committed staff and students meeting every morning, before registration. There are Chinese oral practice sessions and (EAL) English as an Additional Language classes for Secondary students. In addition, there is a Reading Club, where Secondary teachers and students read with Primary students.
We hosted the Inter-Schools Secondary Battle of the Books final for the first time. We hosted the Careers Counsellors conference for staff and academic institutions in Hong Kong to discuss aspects of the pathways being developed for students after graduation. And finally, we hosted the Support Australia Group (SAG) which comprises key associations and organisations in Hong Kong with and Australian connection, including the Australian Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Consulate. It was lovely to see a variety of people making use of the Library.
In Term 3 we were delighted to welcome back Study Skills Specialist, Dr Prue Salter. Dr Salter has been a frequent visitor to AISHK over the years and it was great to see her back in action, working with Secondary students on how to get the most out of their study time. She ran workshops with students from Years 7-12 and some parents’ sessions. We will be continuing with Dr Salter’s excellent study routines as part of our Secondary Library teaching and learning programme.
This year, the Bookaburra Reading Challenge has once again inspired students to expand their literary horizons and explore a wider variety of books. Launched at the beginning of the 2024 school year, the challenge encouraged participants to read across different genres, including mystery, fantasy, non-fiction, and poetry.
Students from Prep to Year 6 eagerly accepted the challenge, tracking their reading progress and sharing their thoughts on each book. This initiative not only promotes a love for reading but it also introduces many to authors and stories they might not have picked up otherwise.
The Bookaburra Reading Challenge has proven to be a fantastic way to foster a sense of community and encourage lifelong reading habits. We are proud of our students for their enthusiasm and dedication, and we look forward to another year of exploration and discovery through the magic of books!
From November 2023 to February 2024, the school Library underwent a significant renovation to transform it into a more inviting and functional space for students and faculty. This project was driven by the need to modernize the Library’s facilities and enhance the overall learning environment.
The renovation began with a comprehensive assessment of the existing space. Feedback from students and teachers highlighted the need for more comfortable seating light and space. The planning committee, consisting of teachers, students, and library staff, worked diligently to develop a design that addressed these concerns while maintaining the library’s core mission as a hub for learning and creativity.
One of the most notable changes was the addition of flexible seating arrangements. Cozy nooks with bean bags, adjustable tables, and quiet study areas were introduced, allowing students to choose their preferred study environment. Enhanced lighting, including natural light through new windows and modern LED fixtures, greatly improved the ambience, making the library a more pleasant place to read and study.
The renovation concluded in February with the reopening that showcased the new features and invited students and faculty to explore their revitalised library. The project has not only modernised the space, but it has also fostered a renewed sense of community and it has encouraged students to engage with different resources. The renovated library is now better supporting the school’s educational mission.
The annual Primary School Battle of the Books competition culminated in a thrilling final at Hong Kong Academy this year, showcasing the remarkable talents and dedication of our student participants. Teams from various schools gathered to demonstrate their knowledge of a diverse selection of books. The atmosphere was electric, filled with anticipation as students, teachers, and parents cheered on their favourite teams.
Participants spent months preparing, reading a wide range of books, and honing their quiz skills. The competition featured multiple rounds of challenging questions that tested the students’ comprehension, recall, and teamwork. Each team member displayed impressive camaraderie and sportsmanship, making the event even more exciting.
Congratulations to our team members: Skye Ngyuen, Lauren Gee, Olivia Michael, Matilda Kean, Elizabeth Barsha, Stella Zhu, Divina Lee, Alexander Dauber, Oscar Kee, Kevin Gu, Natasha Chan and Caden Ng
Many thanks to our coaches: Ms Priebee and Mrs Brown
In Term 3 everyone truly embraced this year’s Book Week theme: “Reading is Magic.” This enchanting theme highlighted the incredible power of stories to transport us to different worlds and inspire our imaginations. To kick-off our primary school celebrations, Year 5 students hosted a spectacular “It’s a Kinda Magic” party that set the tone for an exciting week.
On Tuesday, the festivities began with a delightful Teddy Bears’ Picnic. Students brought their favourite soft toy to school, to enjoy a day filled with laughter, stories, and a few gummy bears. We also inaugurated Bookaburra’s Free Little Library, a treasure trove where students can borrow and share books. This initiative promotes a love for reading and encourages everyone to discover new stories.
Wednesday brought the excitement of the Picture Book World Cup. Students voted for their favorite picture books, creating an interactive experience full of discussions and debates. It was heartwarming to see students passionately championing their beloved stories, reinforcing the idea that every tale has its unique charm. This event highlighted our students’ enthusiasm for literature and the magic that comes from sharing these experiences.
Thursday featured the Spotlight Reading Party, when students were encouraged to bring a spotlight or glow in the dark accessories. The library was transformed into a cozy reading nook, complete with fairy lights and comfy seating.
Finally, we concluded the week with the much-anticipated Character Parade on Friday. Students dressed as their favourite characters, showcasing their creativity and love for literature. From wizards to whimsical animals, the parade was a vibrant display of imagination. Parents and staff cheered on the participants, celebrating the stories that have captured our hearts. This event perfectly encapsulated the theme, as we witnessed the transformation of students into the characters they adore.
This year, we proudly continued the Bookaburra Bulletin, our primary school’s beloved library newspaper. Launched to encourage a love for reading and writing, the Bookaburra Bulletin has become a vital part of our school community.
Throughout the year, students from Years 4-6 eagerly wrote articles, book reviews, and creative pieces, showcasing their talent and passion for writing. Each edition featured highlights from the library, including new book arrivals, upcoming events, and recommendations tailored to different interests.
We even expanded the content to include recipe pages and teacher and student interviews.
Thanks to our dedicated team of editors and writers, the Bookaburra Bulletin continues to thrive, making it a treasured resource in our school. We look forward to another year of creativity and connection through the joy of reading and writing! A special thanks to the teachers involved; Mrs Chin, Mr Young, Ms Rachael, Mrs Tong and Mrs Brown.
By the Bookaburra Bulletin team
The Secondary Battle of the Books team had a terrific run this year, making the finals after an impressive win in the heats. There was some hard-fought competition, but AISHK demonstrated composure and determination to take the win at the qualifiers! This led to lots of excitement from the team as they enjoyed the victory and processed their achievement of reaching the finals.
Their timing was excellent because it meant that we could offer to host the finals in our brand-new library. After lots of practices and team organisation the big day arrived.
The team were outstanding ambassadors for the school, they competed valiantly but, in the end, Shatin College were named winners.
The books on next year’s reading list are in the library now, waiting to be loaned out in January 2025. And we look forward to welcoming Year 6 and Year 7 students to join the battle...
Based on the Australian Book Week theme, ‘Reading is Magic’, students had a whole lot of fun with enchanting activities.
Students guessed the book from the picture clues, identified the book that belonged to the quote, matched the teachers to their favourite books, and they discovered some fantastic new titles change including to involving witches and wizards. The most fun of all was seeing some incredible magic tricks being carried out by our amazing students.
In homerooms each morning students were challenged to “Guess the Mystery Reader” or “Guess the Song” with each answer relating to something magical. Our finale involved a Magic Escape Room competition, where teams of students, dressed in their Book Week costumes, came to the library to solve magical clues that enabled them to escape. Luckily, all teams escaped in the end...eventually! The winning team got lift passes for the entire following week. It was a popular prize.
This year, each House was awarded points for winning competitions and games. Congratulations to Jacaranda, who became the first House to win the Book Week Battle Cup.
The Voice, a magazine written and produced by secondary students, is now in its second year and it has gone from strength to strength!
The magazine is under the leadership of Year 8 students, Natasha Au, Jane Kiang and Ebbe Helstrom ably assisted by a team of creative and committed contributors.
The new editors took the reins from the Year 12 student leaders when they started preparing for their final assessments and exams.
The editorial team and the contributors meet every Monday at lunchtime to take their initial ideas to the finished product. They produce informative and fun magazines every term. Students are the target audience but everyone can enjoy the magazine.
Contributors: Natasha Au, Vienna Choi, Rose Shum, Ebba Hellstrom, Jaxon Ng, Anabel Dearing, Nate Wong, Cody Barr and Alyssa Lam
As we reflect on the past year, we are pleased to share the highlights in the development efforts at AISHK. Our community's dedication and support have been instrumental in driving these initiatives forward.
In Term 2, we were delighted to welcome Victoria Hill as our new Communications Manager. Vicky brings a wealth of experience from the education sector, including a long tenure at ESF Island School. Her expertise has already made a significant impact on our communications strategy, and we are excited to announce the upcoming launch of a newly overhauled website in 2025. Stay tuned for more news on this significant update, which will enhance our online presence and user experience.
Reflecting on the vibrant social events calendar of 2024, we continued to build community engagement and connection. The Parent Association played a crucial role in organising a full schedule of functions, including the Welcome Festival to start off the year, Mother’s and Father’s Day events, and yearend festivities. We hope you enjoy viewing further details through their report in this publication.
It has been another year full of meaningful and productive partnerships with AISHK’s founding associations:
• Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong
• Australian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong (AustCham)
• Australian Chinese Association of Hong Kong (ACAHK)
• Australian Association of Hong Kong (AAHK)
• Federation of Australian Alumni Associations of Hong Kong (FAAA)
Australian Consul-General, Mr Gareth Williams placing a wreath during the Anzac Day Event
To view a recording of our Anzac Day event, scan the QR code.
Their collaboration has facilitated many unique opportunities for our students, including engagements with high-profile individuals and attendance at special events. As we near our 30th anniversary, we are working closely with our founding associations, earliest leaders, and alumni to capture and share the remarkable story of AISHK’s beginnings and growth.
In April, our school community gathered for a ceremony in the auditorium. Thank you to all students, staff, parents, and special guests, including:
• Australian Consul-General, Mr. Gareth Williams
• New Zealand Consul-General, Mr. Peter Lund
• Australian International School Foundation Vice Chair, Mr. Andrew Macintosh
• Chief Executive of The Australian Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Stefanie Evennett
• President of the Australian Chinese Association of HK, Dr. John Wong
• Ms. Isabella Lai (Australian Association of Hong Kong)
• Mr. Michael Schats (Federation of Australian Alumni Association)
• President of the AISHK Parent Association, Mrs. Alex Harrington
• Ms. Jeannie Leung (AISHK Alumni)
• Mr. David Christmas (AISHK Staff)
This year, we have also been working diligently to establish a robust structure for giving at AISHK to launch in 2025, as our school continues to flourish and grow. These efforts aim to create opportunities for philanthropy that will benefit our students and extend our unique educational offerings to those who do not have the same access.
The excitement is building as we approach AISHK’s 30th Birthday in 2025! We have a series of special events planned throughout the year, starting from the very first week back to school.
The Development Office continues to showcase AISHK on the global stage through various media channels, including our school news, social platforms, and The Lion Rock Magazine. I would like to acknowledge the hard work, energy, and creativity of our Development Office colleagues, Quincy Gonzales and Vicky Hill, whose contributions are invaluable to sharing the unique story of our school.
The generosity of AISHK families, through event attendance, volunteerism, donations, sponsorships, and your presence, is an underpinning factor of our school’s success. Your support enables us to share our stories and celebrate our achievements.
We hope the community enjoys the Jingle Mingle, and we wish all a joyful and fulfilling holiday season. We look forward to seeing you in 2025!
To stay connected with AISHK, visit our website and follow our official social media platforms by scanning the QR code.
Brigitte McNamara Director of Development & Community Relations
Q Gonzales | Digital and Visual Communications Coordinator
Victoria Hill | Communications Manager
2024 was a remarkable year for AISHK alumni relations, marked by several memorable reunions and events. Our alumni community came together in various locations, rekindling old friendships and forging new connections.
On Saturday, 3 February 2024, we hosted an alumni reunion in Causeway Bay, welcoming alumni from as early as 2003. The evening was filled with joy and nostalgia, as attendees reconnected and celebrated the unique bonds formed at AISHK.
In May, we held two well-attended reunions in Sydney and Melbourne. On Friday, 10 May, and Saturday, 11 May, around 100 alumni gathered at each event. Pamela Murphy (Class of 2019) and Jack McCorkell (Class of 2017) delivered heartfelt speeches, sharing their journeys and experiences since leaving AISHK.
We were honoured to have several former AISHK leaders and key community members join us, including:
• Christine Neilsen, Principal (1996-2003)
• Margaret Merrell, Assistant Principal Primary (1995-2003)
• Jean Zhai, Former Head of Chinese (1995-2008)
• Sue McMillan, Head of School (2003-2006)
• Dr. Jocelyn Chey, Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau (1992-1995)
• Howard West, Former Head of Secondary and Immediate Past Head of School
AISFL Board representatives and current AISHK staff members also attended, including:
• Kym Fortescue, AISFL Board Vice Chair
• Mina Dunstan, Head of School
• Peter Phillips, Head of Secondary
• Brigitte McNamara, Director of Development and Community Relations
View our video recaps to relive the wonderful event!
As we approach AISHK’s 30th Anniversary in 2025, we are excited to continue engaging with our alumni community. We encourage all alumni to stay connected and look forward to sharing more updates:
• Sat, 8 February: HK Anniversary Alumni Reunion
• Thu, 29 May: Melbourne Reunion
• Fri, 30 May: Sydney Reunion
• Sat, 31 May: Brisbane Reunion
Stay Connected!
To stay updated on alumni events and initiatives, please keep an eye on our AISHK Alumni Facebook page.
Thank you for your continued support of AISHK. We look forward to seeing you all again at our 30th Birthday celebrations!
2024 marked an exciting and busy year for the AISHK Parent Association (PA). The PA worked tirelessly to support new parents to the school, connect class parents, promote closer engagement across the school community and deliver an exciting and diverse range of social events. Parents donated over 200 hours just in event support alone – a wonderful testament to the passion and commitment that is the AISHK community.
I have been enormously grateful for the support of an excellent PA Executive and General Committee team, each giving tireless amounts of time and energy in service of the school community. My heartfelt thanks to:
2024 PA Executive Vice Presidents
• Marnie Shaw – Events
• Julie Marchese – Secretary
• Mary-Beth Lorenzo – Treasurer
• Nafisa Qureshi – Community –Class Representatives
• Steven Do – Community – New Parents
General committee
• Kwai Lee
• Lourdes Chui
• Rob Daniel
• Emily Tang
• Jenny Wong
• Jacinta Fernandes
• Alanna Miles
• Tin Nguyen
I would also like to make special mention of all the enthusiastic class representative parent volunteers:
Rina Shepherd, Raymond Patton, Simone Buchanan, Minal Malpani, Zevon Ng, Marianne Leishman, Steven Do, Anson Chan, Carly Makin, Bianca Tung, Sippy Agarwal, Rachael Buckley, Anu Hogde, Vivian Wong, Anastasia Stack, Helena Iveson, Lindsay Robertson, Patrick Sullivan, Amelie Yong, Paul Buckland, Nafisa Qureshi, Grace Lu, Alisa Milburn, Caroline Cave, Regina Lourenco, Rachael Whitelum, Deepa Kothari, Heidi Ng, Rebecca Busby, Kwai Lee, Maya Kelett, Suzanne Lattey, and Martha Raupp
From Reception to Year 12, every day you made sure parents were supported from the simple daily uniform required, to the more complex matters like senior exam timetables and connections to teachers and school leaders. Thank you!
As AISHK PA President, I have been honoured to attend many presentations, awards and school events this past year, and can attest to the robust joy I have encountered throughout the school, from the selfless dedication of the parent community, maturity and ambassadorship on display in AISHK students, the commitment of the school’s teaching staff, and of course the enthusiasm displayed by all students as they embrace the many opportunities offered at AISHK. The cultural and emotional foundation at AISHK is strong but it requires the ongoing engagement of the whole school community to continue to nurture and grow.
Since 1996, AISHK has grown to be a leading educational institute maintaining excellent accreditation and recognition under both the Hong Kong Education Bureau and the Australian frameworks stipulated by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and the International Baccalaureate. Throughout this journey, the AISHK Parent Association have supported the school with passion and enthusiasm to ensure community and wellbeing is not just a classroom message, but something deeply embedded in the culture of AISHK. We have come a long way growing to a school of 1150 students in 2024, and through the AISHK PA and the school community, we have developed a strong foundation to move forward in celebration of the school’s 30th Anniversary in 2025.
The AISHK Parent Association was established to provide the networks and events to ensure our community is connected and engaged through fun and engaging activities. Through these activities, the AISHK PA is able to raise funds to support unique and exemplary school projects. We are pleased to announce that the PA will be supporting an “Artist in Residence” programme for 2025.
This programme will give every student at AISHK the opportunity to engage with renowned visiting artist Francesco Lietti. Students will contribute to a major mural which will take pride of place on campus to celebrate the 30th Anniversary.
Thank you to every parent, teacher, and staff member who made 2024 the successful year it was. To our amazing sponsors and supporters, the AISHK community is in honour of your generosity. We are excited to go forward into 2025, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of AISHK. As the departing year 12 class of 2024 noted, time does indeed fly by in the yellow and green.
Wishing everyone whether returning in 2025, or leaving this year, fond memories of the AISHK spirit, and prosperity, health and happiness.
Alexandra Harrington President, AISHK Parent Association
The Welcome BBQ, in Term 1, is a celebration to mark the start of the new school year and the Lunar New Year. For new parents, and families new to Hong Kong, this event is a wonderful opportunity to see the Australian spirit in harmony with the culture and excitement of Hong Kong.
A special thanks to all the volunteers and our event sponsors Oreana Private Wealth for making the event so enjoyable.
In May, the AISHK PA hosted a Celebrating Mothers event with a dinner at the Hong Kong Cricket Club. Special thanks must go to our incredible sponsors who donated over $30,000 in prizes.
In June the PA held an event for Father’s Day to align with the Hong Kong day of celebration. It was a wonderful event, hosted by Rob Daniel, Steven Do and Tin Nguyen. Congratulations to Tim Warwick for winning the Golden Pig BBQ Pack!
Thank you to our amazing sponsors and prize donors including:
On August 31, AISHK held the Family Fun Day. A major picnic event, the FFD offered amusements for kids, student led activities, food and drink, including the famous Australian gelato Messina.
We round out the year’s activities with a fun and relaxed picnic to celebrate Christmas and farewell those leaving AISHK. Families will have the opportunity to have a photo in Santa’s Grotto – a keepsake for years to come.
For just a taste you can see the highlights from our Family Fun Day by scanning the QR code.
Margaret Merrell Award
Ethan Chan, 6A
Year 7
English
Mathematics
Science
Geography
History
Chinese Background
The Reid Family Prize for Putonghua
French
Music
Visual Arts
Mandatory Technology
PDHPE
Thomas Pulsford
Hayden Luke
Hayden Luke
Hayden Luke
Thomas Pulsford
Adrian Koo
Ethan Chui
Serena Ng
Adrian Koo
Audrey Cheng
Isabella Djokovic
Sasha Malakunas
Year 9
English
Mathematics
Science
Geography
History
Chinese Background
Chinese 2nd Language
French
Music
Drama
Visual Arts
Design & Technology
PDHPE
Year 8
English
Mathematics
Science
Geography
History
Chinese Background
Chinese 2nd Language
French
Music
Visual Arts
Mandatory Technology
PDHPE
Valerie Dy
Aiden Sun
Summer Hartnett
James Goh
James Goh
Dora Hao
Aiden Sun
Ailsa Kant
Samuel Chen
Samantha Mackinlay
James Goh
Summer Hartnett
Bridie Benfield
Information & Software Technology
Commerce
Physical Activity & Sports Studies
HSC English
HSC Mathematics
HSC Chinese & Literature
HSC Chinese Continuers
HSC Music
HSC Drama
HSC PDHPE
HSC V isual Arts
HSC Design & Technology
HSC Software Design & Development
HSC Economics
HSC Business Studies
HSC Legal Studies
HSC Modern History
HSC Biology
HSC Chemistry
HSC Physics
HSC V isual Design
HSC Sports, Lifestyle & Recreation
Silvia Lee
Ernest Lin
Tya Tadaffee
Ernest Lin
Audrey Chan
Cloris Shi
Kyra Tsang
Marcus Mo
Emily Chang
Kyra Tsang
Audrey Chan
Sienna Foyn
Year 10
English
Mathematics
Science
Geography
The David Shales Prize for History
Chinese Background
Chinese 2nd Language
French
Music
Drama
Visual Arts
Design & Technology
PDHPE
Samuel Chen
K risty Ng
Bridie Benfield
Information & Software Technology
Commerce
Physical Activity & Sports Studies
Year 11
Lauren Stennett
Adam Chan
Jerry Kwong
Audrey Kwok
Ivana Yue
Ivana Yue
Adam Chan
Valerie Ng
Audrey Kwok
Leighton Tang
Adam Chan
Madeline Stainer
Lauren Stennett
Madeline Stainer
Lauren Stennett
Adam Chan
Adam Chan
Ivana Yue
Sheanna Mutthumani
IB English
IB Mathematics
IB Chinese Language B
IB Chinese Ab Initio
IB French Language B
IB Economics
IB Business Management
IB Psychology
IB History
IB Biology
IB Chemistry
IB Physics
IB Design Technology
IB V isual Arts
IB Music
Note: Academic Awards are for 2023 as the current year awards were not available at the time of print.
Ava Ki
Lachlan Chui
Maxine Tsang
Potter Leung
Liana Martin
Matthew Yung
Lachlan Wu
Billie Home
Lachlan Chui
Jessica Phillips
Liana Martin
Maxine Tsang
Lindsay Tang
Potter Leung
Ashley Yeung
Sarah Broderick
Jessica McKenzie
Alvin Dong
Natalie Chan
Chloe Loh
Kaelyn Allen
Serena Chu
Jessica McKenzie
Chloe Loh
Alton Qiu
Natalie Chan
Natalie Chan
Alvin Dong
Veronica Yeung
Calpurnia Lang
Alvin Dong
Year 12
HSC English
HSC Mathematics Calculus
HSC Mathematics Non-Calculus
HSC Chinese Continuers
HSC Chinese & Literature
HSC Economics
HSC Business Studies
HSC Legal Studies
HSC Geography
HSC Modern History
HSC Chemistry
HSC Physics
HSC Biology
HSC Design & Technology
HSC PDHPE
HSC V isual Arts
Toby Dear
Ronnie Low
Hamish Merrilees
V ictoria Tsui
Alicia Chan
Adam Kanevsky
Tiffany Chan Wan Hei
Charlie Walsh
Jayden Botfield
Toby Dear
Tiffany Chan Wan Hei
Ronnie Low
Tiffany Chan Wan Hei
Hamish Merrilees
Thomas Busby
Coco Carey
HSC Software Design & Development
HSC Ronnie Low
IB Alison Or
Ronnie Low
IB English Elke Chaplin
IB Mathematics Monalika Sood
IB Chinese Language B
Preston Young
IB Chinese Ab Initio Miu Tanaka
IB French Language B
Joanne Helly
IB French Ab Initio Monalika Sood
IB Histroy Elke Chaplin
IB Economics Monalika Sood
IB Business Management Alison Or
IB Music Andrew Chu
IB V isual Arts
Tommy Xu
IB Design & Technology Annsley Lo
IB Biology
IB Chemistry
IB Physics
Logan Murphy
Daniel Huang
Jeannie Leung
IB Psychology Elke Chaplin
Athletics: J acaranda
Basketball: Wattle
Soccer: Jacaranda
Touch: Wattle
Volleyball: Eucalypt
Overall Winning House: Wattle
Dux - HSC
Ronnie Low
Dux - IB Monalika Sood
The Philip Day Memorial prize for commitment to excellence
Best All-Round Year 12 Student
Australian Association of HK Joan Leong for community service
The Head of School Prize for the School Captains
The Head of School Prize for the School Vice Captains
The Joel Dunn Sports Person of the Season
Junior Years
Middle Years
Sports Gril
Skye Nguyen
Lillian Pilgrim
Senior Years Phoebe Rial
School Citizenship Camlyn Tippett
Jeannie Leung
Thomas Busby
Zoe Wan
Jeannie Leung
Thomas Busby
Elke Chaplin
Toby Dear
Sports Boy
William Foyn
Kester Van Gaalen
Charlie Bourne
Note: Academic Awards are for 2023 as the current year awards were not available at the time of print.
Year 7 J ed Custance
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
Year 12
Kyra Tsang
Bridie Benfield
Ava Ki
Audrey Kwok
Miu Tanaka
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
HSC
Year 11
IB
Adrian Koo
Ernest Lin
James Goh
Lachlan Chhui
Adam Chan
Alvin Dong
Simone Lo
Bridie Benfield
Maxine Tsang
Lauren Stennett
Chloe Loh
Summer Hartnett
Porter Leung
Audrey Kwok
Note: Academic Awards are for 2023 as the current year awards were not available at the time of print.
AISHK Athletics
Most Valuable Player Most Improved
Athletics U12 Girls Cece Gurry
U12 Boys William Foyn
U14 Girls Auburn McGraw
U16 Girls Isla McGraw
U20 Boys David Dang
U20 Girls Scarlett Ezekiel
AISHK Badminton
Most Valuable Player
Most Improved
Badminton U12 BoysJesse Hua Jayden Lee
U14 Girls Ashley Chan Maria Mang
U14 Boys Lukas Tsang Kai Cochran
U16 Boys Michael Liu Tyler Tang
U20 Boys Potter Leung Alvin Dong
AISHK Basketball
Most Valuable Player
Most Improved
Basketball U12 Boys Jasper To Felix Tjhung
U14 Boys Lukas Tsang Archer Bourne
U16 Girls Lillian Pilgrim Yvette Lee
U16 Boys Cai McGunnigle
U20 Boys Justin Yu
AISHK Cricket
Most Valuable Player Most Improved
Cricket U14 Mixed Sasha Malakunas Finn Sullivan
U20 Mixed Will Walsh Toby Murphy
AISHK Netball
Most Valuable Player
Most Improved
Netball U12 Girls Olivia Michael Candice Yu
U14 Girls Ashley Liu Lillian Pilgrim
U16 Girls Lucas Woodyard Lilly Del Pino
U20 Girls Phoebe RialAmber O’Connor
AISHK Soccer
Most Valuable Player
Most Improved
Soccer U12 Girls Katelyn Hu Trinity Hurley
U12 Boys Eddie O’Connor Misha Tuzovic
U14 Girls Jil Eder
Alexandra Daniel
U14 Boys William Foyn Jacky Zhao
U16 Girls Sienna Foyn Yvette Lee
U16 Boys Cai McGunnigle Dylan Voyles
U20 Girls Madeline StainerPhoebe Rial
U20 Boys Errick Lui Alton Qiu
AISHK Swimming
Most Valuable Player Most Improved
Swimming U12 Girls Skye Nguyen Hannah Lee
U12 Boys Chasen Leung Jasper Morgan-Cheng
U14 Girls Chantelle Leung Iris Zhang
U14 Boys Gavin Ha Andrew Allison
U16 Girls Germaine Chan Tamsyn Allen
U16 Boys Will Walsh Jason Ng
U20 Girls Phoebe RialLindsay Tang
U20 Boys Nathan Loui Lachlan Chui
AISHK Touch
Most Valuable Player Most Improved
Touch U14 Girls Lillian Pilgrim Sophie Busby
U14 Boys Tyson Barr Senan Byrne
U20 Girls Valerie Ng Sienna Woodyard
U20 Boys Justin Cheung Robert Thomas
AISHK Volleyball
Most Valuable Player Most Improved
Volleyball U12 Girls Maree Tsoi Lilianna Su
U14 Girls Lillian Pilgrim Tamsyn Allen
U14 Boys Hamlyn Chou Jacky Zhao
U16 Girls Vegas Puels Valerie Dy
U16 Boys Lucas Woodyard Sylvester So
U20 Girls Lauren Stennett Natalie Chan
U20 Boys Liam BroderickNathan Loui
Sports Award Winners
Skye Nguyen
William Foyn
Lillian Pilgrim
Kester van Gaalen
Phoebe Rial
Charlie Bourne
Junior Years Girl
Junior Years Boy
Middle Years Girl
Middle Years Boy
Senior Years Girl
Senior Years Boy
Recognition for Representing Hong Kong or Competing at a National Level in Chosen Sport (2023/24)
Sport
Name
Equestrian Sarah Broderick Cricket Will Walsh
Tennis Alexis Chung
Ten Pin BowlingEthan Leung
Touch Justin Cheung
Netball Lucas Woodyard
Hockey
Netball
Note: Academic Awards are for 2023 as the current year awards were not available at the time of print.
Kyra Tsang
Ashley Liu