The Bridge AISB Alumni Magazine, Success Issue

The Bridge The AISB Alumni Community Magazine ISSUE #3 | The Success Issue | 2022

A Madagascar Experience

Success: You Found Everything!

An Unexpected Journey to Success

Mihoby Rebaharison

Charles Newman

Philip Oldroyd

Your Bridge to the World and Beyond…

“We empower learners to build their futures and contribute to a better world.”

AISB Mission

THE BRIDGE ISSUE #3 | 2022

EDITOR - IN - CHIEF Reka Sari rsari@aisb.hu

PUBLISHER American International School of Budapest

ABOUT This SUCCESS issue is focusing on what success means to our alumni community, and chronicles their colorful journeys in pursuit of success -- however, we/they define the word.

BLAZER UPDATES e really appreciate your continued contributions to W future editions. Please email your updates with a photo to alumnioffice@aisb.hu

STORY CONTRIBUTIONS e would love to hear your story.

W Please write to alumnioffice@aisb.hu

PUBLICATION The Bridge is an annual alumni magazine. Digital copies will be downloaded here at the time of publishing: https://www.aisb.hu/en/our-community/alumni/

PRINT EDITIONS For print copies, please email us at alumnioffice@aisb.hu We are happy to ship additional copies to you at no charge.

ADVERTISING We do not currently accept paid advertising. We are glad, however, to promote relevant items if they are mentioned within articles.

GRAPHIC DESIGN Abel Blanco ablanco@aisb.hu

PHOTOGRAPHY Abel Blanco ablanco@aisb.hu Adnan Fathy afathy@aisb.hu

Contents WELCOME From Director Brett Penny and Editor-in-Chief Reka Sari

WHAT YOU ALL THINK Blazer feedback, in numbers

ALUMNI IN THE SPOTLIGHT Conversation with AISB Alumni Association member, Nehmi Klaassen (‘95)

DID YOU KNOW? Fun facts from AISB history

A MADAGASCAR EXPERIENCE Challenges that made one alumna the changemaker she is today, by Mihoby Rebaharison (‘97)

LET'S GO GREEN Sharing our high school environmental activism strategies, by Pia Gardner

MAXIME LEIGH-WOOD MEMORIAL FOOTBALL MATCH

By Doug Rudnicki

SUCCESS: YOU FOUND EVERYTHING! How the New York Times Spelling Puzzle helped me think about success, by Charles Newman

CLASS OF 2021 The AISB Alumni Association welcomes our Class of 2021

BLAZING THE WATER Interview with Olympic swimmer Hubert Kos (‘22)

BLAZERS BACK AT AISB Alumni in a new role at their alma mater - Welcome to the other side!

THE DREAM JOB: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY TO SUCCESS When a career takes an unforeseen twist: an interview with Philip Oldroyd (‘07)

WE ASKED, YOU ANSWERED Remembering your first day on campus...

IN MEMORIAM COUNSELOR'S CORNER: FAILURE TO SUCCEED?

By Erin Hawken, Director of University Counseling & Pauline Davidson, High School Counselor

4 6 8 12 14 21 24 30 34 38 42 46 50 52 53

This year, along with our new Mission, we are launching new AISB Values, the Whys that help put our Mission into action. Our values guide school culture and are standards against which to measure our efforts. Heartfelt appreciation goes to our wider community for all their contributions to making these what they are. We hope you agree they are healthy foundations upon which AISB can build and flourish.

OUR VALUES We pursue EXCELLENCE in all that we do.

We promote WELL-BEING so people flourish.

We design learning that challenges each individual to GROW. We commit to INCLUSION so that everyone belongs.

We develop GLOBAL CITIZENS to make a positive impact together.

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Welcome From the Director

A

s we reflect on the past year, we have so much to be grateful for during these uncertain times.

In my first year here as Director of AISB, I experienced our AISB Blazer community growing from strength to strength as we all learned to fine-tune our mastery of optimism, adaptability, and endurance.

We continually celebrate small successes as we join together to keep our school community safe and support wider communities in their well-being.

Our Alumni have been holding each other strong and we have seen heartwarming, supportive connections made on our social media channels as everyone has been dealing with their changing realities.

Here at the AISB campus, this year has seen a return to more normal operations, with our students benefiting from in-person learning, inspiring music and drama performances, and a return to the sports fields and courts as we revived our athletics program.

In June, we celebrated with the class of 2021 as they demonstrated to the community their resilience in graduating from high school under the most difficult of circumstances. This group excelled academically and contributed so much to our community during their time at AISB. These moments demonstrate the school adapting, striving for excellence, and succeeding. In this issue of The Bridge, you will note the theme of success. When I talk about success with new families to the school, I often reference our alumni as the best example we can provide. As you will notice in the school’s new mission and values, our definition of a successful education extends to our community, contributing to a better world and making a positive impact together. From my contact with our alumni so far, I see evidence of them going on from AISB to achieve this purpose.

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I look forward to connecting with more of our alumni in the year ahead and collecting your stories to share with our community. All the best to you, wherever you are in the world. Stay safe and enjoy this issue of The Bridge.

Brett Penny

Editor’s letter

W

elcome to the third edition of THE BRIDGE, the AISB alumni magazine. I hope all of you are safe and well.

endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To give of one's self; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived This is to have succeeded.

Reka Sari

As we prepare for a post-pandemic world, this is a perfect time to reconnect with us. At the time of writing, we are organizing alumni reunions in London, Amsterdam, New York, Washington DC., and Budapest. We hope to see you in person in 2022.

In this issue, we focus on success and what that means to our Blazers and our AISB community.

Have you ever stopped to wonder how you define success? Professional accomplishments can be the answer for many people, but that leaves out other vital areas of life, such as family and relationships.

When I first started thinking about the meaning of success, I asked my 12-year-old son what the word means to him. He said you’re successful when you feel proud of yourself. I then realized that I now have a different view of success: for me it means doing something that makes me and my loved ones happy.

I think success is unique for all of us, and there is no right way to be successful. I am pretty confident that those who genuinely love what they do always rise to the top.

This morning I came across a Ralph Waldo Emerson poem that perfectly describes my feelings.

What Is Success?

To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the approbation of honest critics and

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WHAT YOU ALL THINK (IN NUMBERS) We are always interested in what AISB graduates think about their experiences at school.

Recently, we asked you to rate the school across a spectrum.

The survey gauged your level of satisfaction with your experience and how it influenced your continued education, careers, and lives.

Respondents were enrolled at AISB from 1982 to 2019, and because AISB’s enrollment has grown dramatically, the alumni body is much greater at the younger end.

The results are clear, you have deeply value your time on campus!

Your pride for AISB makes us proud, too.

THANK YOU.

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THE CURRICULUM

80% 89% 80% 80%

You left school feeling prepared socially and emotionally to pursue your goals.

The cultural diversity of the school community enriched your experience.

You effectively developed your skills in more than one language.

You were prepared in school for the use of technology for the next stage of your education or workplace.

90%

School activities offered outside of your classes matched your interests.

90%

Your classes challenged you to learn and improve.

91%

Your learning needs were adequately supported by the school.

School activities offered outside of your classes matched your interests.

85%

Your classes challenged you to learn and improve.

WELL-BEING

93%

Your learning needs were adequately supported by the school.

90%

79%

The school had a supportive environment for students’ well-being.

You felt safe at school.

86%

You felt well supported and prepared for the transition to the next stage of your education or workplace.

74% Number of Students Number of Faculty 1000 800 600 400 200 0

1980

1990

2000

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2020

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ALUMNI IN THE SPOTLIGHT Interview with Nehmi Klaassen ('95) Nehmi is an AISB alumnus from the class of '95. She now lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands with her two boys and husband. She is a passionate PR, branding and communications professional whose focus is working with purpose-driven organizations.

How do you define success and where do you see it in others?

If you had asked me this question when I was in high school, I would have told you I define success as a very specific goal to achieve (e.g. university degree, job, house, etc). At least that's what I thought "successful people" achieved. But as I get older, success for me is being happy with the choices I've made, feeling balanced in the life I'm leading, and having a heart and mind that is always open to continuous learning and growing as a person.

Where do you live now and how many countries have you lived in?

I live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with my Dutch husband Ivo, and our two children, Joa (10) and Tanyu (4). I have lived in Amsterdam now for 13 years, and it’s the longest I have lived anywhere. In total, I have lived in 6… no wait, 7 different countries and 9 different cities, including Amsterdam. I have honestly lost count.

What year did you start at AISB? How long did you attend?

I attended AISB from 1991 to 1995.

Did you have a favorite teacher? If so, why was he/she your favorite? What makes the teacher special?

My favorite teacher was Tom Wilkinson. Theatre was my favorite class, but most importantly, it was Mr. Wilkinson who made it a space where creativity could flourish. He always provided inspiration for all his students and I appreciated that he was always there to listen and provide you the support where needed.

I’ve been lucky enough to stay in touch with Tom and have been very happy to connect with him again over the years.

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You spent your high school years in Csillebérc and on the Nagykovacsi campus. What were the main differences between Csilleberc and Nagykovacsi campuses?

It’s difficult to compare the campuses because they are so different. The biggest difference that I see is that the Nagykovacsi campus is much larger, and also more modern. However, in 2004, I visited the new campus and was happy to see that even with the new bells and whistles, AISB hadn’t lost its essence; it was nice to see the student body hadn’t changed that much.

You're also a member of the AISB Alumni Association and a sitting member of the Alumni Council. What aspects of the alumni community do you find the most interesting?

In 2019 I attended the Alumni event, and what I loved is “once an AISBer, always an AISBer”. I met students who graduated long after I had, but there was still a connection and that familiar feeling of being an “AISBer”. There is a bond you share with people who attended AISB, and being part of the alumni community has allowed me to stay in touch with that community. As someone who has moved multiple times, it’s wonderful to have a community you know you can always come back to.

What did you learn at AISB that helped frame your thinking in life, whether personally or professionally?

AISB, and living abroad, taught me how to keep an open mind, be flexible, and engage with many kinds of people and cultures. It has helped me adjust to living in new places with greater ease and develop my own sense of self. I am a true believer that if given the chance and the opportunity, everyone should live abroad at least once in their life.

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What things do you miss most about AISB and Budapest generally?

I miss the Csilliberc campus the most; walking through the woods to the main building and to the theatre building, or the bufe was always pleasant. As for Budapest, I ended up moving back and living there from 2004-2007; in fact, I met my husband, Ivo, in Budapest, whilst we were both working for IBM. We still go back to visit every now and again, and I love what a great walking city it is. It’s beautiful to take in all the architecture, if you get tired you can hop on the 4-6 tram or the metro. The city offers you everything from the bohemian to the very chic. Although whenever we are there, the first thing on the agenda is always to head to the eighth district and enjoy a delicious csirke paprikás at my keresztapu’s (godfather) house.

Budapest will always be a second home for me.

You are a PR and communications professional. What areas of your work get you excited?

I love building things from the ground up. Working with a brand on their positioning and their overall PR and communications framework is what gets me excited. It allows me to engage in different activities, from working with a company on their core messaging, to relationship building with internal and external parties, it’s the process of building and executing that I love. I have been lucky enough to work in both the public and private sector, which has led me to have some amazing experiences.

As parents, we strive to offer our kids the best life we know how to offer. What are the three best traits that, in your opinion, help students succeed in their chosen field?

Authenticity - Always be your true self. People can spot a phony a mile away.

Curiosity - Keep learning about everything. Not just in your chosen field, but explore new things, it will help broaden your perspective and open doors to some unexpected opportunities and experiences.

My Godfather's place in Budapest.

Clarity - Being clear of what you want, both professionally and personally, can help you find direction. That’s not to say that your direction will always be the same, chances are, like many people, it will change. But what’s key is to be clear of what you want, and also, what you don’t want. Setting your boundaries is just as important to finding clarity and achieving your intended goals.

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Assuming Covid ends this year, where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

We’ll be right here in the Netherlands :) We just bought a house in Amstelveen (a small town on the border of Amsterdam). It’s a typical Dutch style house from the 1930s and close to the ‘Amsterdam Woods’ (Amsterdamse Bos), which is a large wooded area with plenty of biking paths, pancake house, sports clubs and a petting zoo. After moving around so much growing up, I’m happy to become more rooted… that being said, if the right opportunity (and place) came up, we’d definitely consider it!

If you had to go back and do your high school experience all over again, what would you change and why?

My hair. I really should have grown out my bangs earlier, but soon after graduation (and admittedly after Layton Andersen suggested it) I grew them out. Haven’t gone back since (Thanks Layton!).

Finally, what's your number one career tip for current students?

It’s a tip that was given to me not so long ago by my friend and AISB alum Alex Hemingway - go for the first opportunity that comes to you, it might not be perfect, but right now you’re just trying to set up those stepping stones to cross the river, you don’t need to jump it in one leap.

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HERE ARE SOME FUN FACTS THAT YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW ABOUT AISB:

First AISB location in downtown Budapest.

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» The American School of Budapest opened on the ground floor in two apartments of an American apartment building at Széchenyi rakpart 12/b, on the Pest side of the Danube with about a dozen students attended. » The first two overseas teachers were recruited in 1981. They were Charles and Suzanne Newman, who later taught at AISB three more times. » The school became known as The

» Csillebérc facilities had previously been

American International School of Budapest

used as a camp for the Young Pioneers, a

in 1987.

communist youth organization.

» The fall of communism had a profound effect on the growth of the American School and many other schools in Eastern Europe. Western businessmen came to Hungary with their families and school enrollment increased sharply. » The first group of students to graduate

» The new Elementary Section in

from AISB was the class of 1993. There were

Nagykovácsi campus was originally planned

only 23 graduates.

onto the former baseball field.

» The enrollment in 2021 is 945 students,

» AISB Blazers were originally known as the

933 more students than it had when it

Eagles, but after the Csilleberc gym burned

opened in 1973.

down the students were so taken by this

» The facility in Nagykovacsi was awarded the Niveau Award of Construction Industry

event that they adopted a new name, The Blazers, and Sparky became the mascot.

in the Public Building category. » Ms. Anette Malten has the longest teaching career at AISB. She’s been working at AISB since 1990.

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A MADAGASCAR EXPERIENCE

BY MIHOBY REBAHARISON

Mihoby (‘97) is an adventurer that honours us with her time and insights on her life. Travelling the world as a student, Mihoby has endured her challenges, and has risen to become the person she is today. Faced with the world's worst, she has kept a positive attitude, and has found a way to overcome. Here, she discusses some of these challenges, how she managed to maintain her charisma and hope, and how AISB helped give her the space to grow and succeed in life.

“In the moment of crisis the wise man builds bridges and the foolish build dams.”

- Nigerian Proverb

O

f serving as a connector between two different, at times conflicting, realities.

Of holding space for variant truths and negotiating liminal spaces with the goal of coming to an innerstanding. Of maintaining a stance, or position, that lives inside and within the truths.

Long before landing in Csillebérc to unnerve Madame Fabiny with clucking chicken sounds and “repurposing” hats from Mr. Wilkinson’s costume shop, I grew up traveling the world as a child of a diplomat. Not just any diplomat, but a Malagasy girl representing the United States of America.

I was born in Madagascar. My parents are from there and their parents are from there. When I was about two, my mother and I traveled to England.

When we came back home, she remarried an American diplomat who moved us to Levittown, Pennsylvania.

Levittown was special to me. Not in the “better” or “greater” sense of the word but in its “different from what is usual” underpinnings. It marked the first time that being a brown-skinned Malagasy girl deviated from the norm. Everything around me was designed to support a white identity. I was shifted out of the social center and relegated to

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its margins. And I’m not mad about that. Because Buenos Aires is designed to support a Buenos Airean identity and Okinawa is designed to support an Okinawan identity.

Before my awareness awakened to history, cultural relativity and the fragility of racial hegemony, I used to get mad about that. Like mad-mad!

Particularly about how societies perceive and then proceed to value difference. That somehow being “off-center” from what is considered normal is less than or beneath that which is central. And in my particular case, that somehow being white is better than brown. That being a boy is better than being a girl. And that being American is better than being African.

Almost by default, my life story has embodied this idea of building bridges.

So it will come as no surprise when I say my spirit was relieved when we moved to Senegal and Cameroon.

Contrary to other spaces I’ve lived in - to me there has always been something welcoming and inclusive about how African societies perceive and value difference.

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Words by Charles Newman (AISB former teacher) Mihoby was my IB English student in the mid-90's. I remember her as theatrical, smart, spirited, determined, independent, unpredictable (delightfully) and exceptionally thoughtful. Her article confirms that she's still all of these--and much, much more. Enjoy!

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Differences there seem to be valued horizontally, not vertically, if that makes sense. The fact of your difference does not make you better or less than-it just makes you different!

Perhaps the most remarkable disparity with which my differentness was received came in Budapest, Hungary. I moved to Budapest about five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Prior to that, of course, Hungary was a communist country. My Hungarian best friend told me stories about radio ads that announced coca-cola as capitalist poison and how he and his family snuck across the border to eat a piece of chocolate.

By 1990, anyone living in Budapest could attest to the influx of capitalist franchises like Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy’s, etc. By the time I graduated in 1997, there wasn’t a single block on Váci utca that didn’t house at least two of these American establishments. And in response to this sudden arrival of capitalism came a growing nationalist orientation that found its basest expression in neo-Nazism.

In this climate of Nazism, my brownness It stuck out like a and acted as a announcing my Like that

increasing neowas a liability. sore thumb megaphone foreignness. time at

Morrison’s Pub on Hungarian Independence Day. Thank god we were familiar to the bouncers since we went to Morrison’s almost every weekend. That evening, as the pub grew thick with bald heads and an increasingly unsettled energy, one of the bouncers grabbed my arm and said, “Take taxi now.” He escorted me to the door and followed me halfway down the block as two neo-Nazis followed after. Needless to say, my taxi door closed in time for me to tell the story.

Though there were times when I feared for my life, I understood the underlying sentiment behind the movement. When I spoke with Hungarians, they often lamented that before the nation opened its borders to capitalist businesses, 1500 forints could buy a nice meal with a drink, dessert and a couple hours playing pool. Yet just a few years post-communism, 1500 forints could hardly buy a McDonald’s Happy Meal. So I understood the emerging dissent towards all things foreign.

To avoid harboring resentment around how my identity was received, I had to understand the realities in which I was living. In the same breath, I didn’t want to understand others to the extent that I silenced - or marginalized - my own identity and centrality. I had to create - and perhaps take - the space to acknowledge who I was within the fabric of these greater narratives.

AISB provided a place for me to create that space.

Immersed in curricula that offered an eclectic vault of information, I built a foundation for critical thought. Teachers like Mr. Newman assigned works like Jane Eyre and its anti-colonial response, The Wide Sargasso Sea. Mr. Wilkinson brought us to Stratford-Upon-Avon, where we took workshops with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

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He introduced us to the dramaturgy of Peter Brook, who staged Macbeth à la Kabuki. Tying all our subjects together was the forever robust discussion in Theory of Knowledge. This class asked the quintessential question, “How do we know what we know?”

This vein of eclectic pedagogy carried my quest for knowledge. For my undergraduate years I went to Bard College, a couple of hours drive from New York City. After briefly pursuing film, I eventually received a multidisciplinary degree in Performing Arts and Literature that culminated in an original one-woman show entitled, “Time Tock.” I then pursued a Master’s degree at Temple University in Dance Pedagogy and Cultural Studies. I wrote about how the aesthetics of an art explicitly reflect a culture’s priorities. I finally laid academia to rest with a second Masters from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in Performance Studies. There, I explored what performance does. Instead of assessing a performance as good or bad - like a pebble thrown into a still lake - I looked at its ripples and social affectation.

Post-undergrad and after 15 years of teaching in schools and universities and working in arts admin and development, I finally created a space to plant my experiences.

In summer of 2012, I launched the Madagascar Experience. Whenever I posted images of Madagascar, friends inevitably asked me if they could come along the next time. What began as an informal gathering expanded into offering thematic tours and partnering with boutique organizations.

Even in its infancy, I knew that my role as a host was not only to ensure a feast for the senses but also to serve as a cultural translator. And I’m grateful to serve as that bridge. To lend others a

lens with which to view Madagascar that positions Malagasy values at the center of the experience.

And in so doing, reframe what we as a society consider valuable - and even luxurious.

In its most basic economic interpretation, I believe that luxury is having access to finite resources.

In cosmopolitan cities across the world, we pay a premium for artisanal products and organic food.

With the planet’s current ecological shifts, it’s clear that what we once took for granted - natural food, clean air and water - is fast becoming a commodity.

In Madagascar, we have an abundance of natural food, clean air and clear water. With over 800 endemic species, Madagascar is heralded by biologists as an Eden of sorts.

We have natural spring waters and geysers where people come with open sores all over their body, bathe there for 21 days and leave with clear skin.

Instead of malaria shots or pills, we have spirulina (algae) that prevent malaria. Instead of chemotherapy and steroids, we even have a plant-based formula developed by IMRA (Malagasy Institute of Applied Research) with a proven record of curing cancer. For just about every ailment there is, we have a natural prevention and cure for it.

So we may not have what other nations have, like 24 hours of running electricity, for example, but we have what we have. And you may fall in love with what we have if you are willing to borrow our lens to view the experience. It is in this spirit of respectfully examining difference and reframing our systems of value that I’ve established the Madagascar Experience. It is not just a tour company, but a vehicle through which we can develop bridges of innerstanding. And ultimately, cultivate a more holistic approach to how we interact with each other and our planet.

To learn more about the Madagascar Experience visit madagascarexperience.org

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AISB JUST GOT GREENER, JUMP ON BOARD! One of the hallmarks of AISB is the outstanding campus our blazers and broader community enjoy each day.

We have expanded our land and green vision with it…

This year, an opportunity arose for the school to acquire the land adjacent to our sports fields and expand some of our facilities as well. We know that the natural environment plays a prominent role in education as schools look to develop authentic learning experiences and foster environmental stewardship. Having access to this additional land will allow us to further enhance these components of our program over time.

Together with our students, parents, faculty and staff, we are looking at the best sustainable and educational uses for this exciting new acquisition at AISB. Some of the ideas which our students and community have suggested are; edible gardens, rewilding, lake, bio dome, innovative farming models and even an alumni memory garden. There’s a definite theme and we are excited to explore the possibilities further.

We would love to hear from YOU, our valued AISB Alumni community, what ideas or support you could bring for the repurposing of this farmland and how we can make the best impact on our planet with this valuable resource.

Please reach out to alumnioffice@aisb.hu.

Watch this space.

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Let’s go GREEN!

BY PIA GARDNER (High School Learning Support Teacher)

A

ction is the key word defining the Environmental Action Club, which was founded in September of 2018. This club is fueled by twenty passionate and highly motivated High School students whose common goal is to increase awareness of environmental issues through action-based initiatives, both on campus and in the neighboring community.

Now more than ever students need to feel empowered to make a difference in order to restore hope for their future.

Granting these students time to work together, a place where their voice is heard, and strategies and guidance allows them to become active stewards of their environment.

At the start of the school year, students brainstorm ways in which they would like to effect change in

the school, the community of Nagykovacsi, and the world. Most come to EAC with a plan already in mind from their 8th Grade sustainability project. My intent in leading this club is not to come up with quick solutions that they can chase down and complete. More important is for the students to feel the struggle, develop grit and perseverance, and learn to understand the importance of design thinking and effective problem-solving. We want students to leave this club as activists. Learning that activism is of course hard work: it takes time and needs to consider multiple perspectives. But the boost of confidence and excitement when students finally reach their goal is worth every bit of their hard work and frustration.

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In the fall of 2019, a few students took on the challenge of banning plastic bottles on our campus. Little did they know that this endeavor would take them on many twists and turns and ultimately take two years of dedicated work.

From the moment of its inception to the final funeral procession of the last plastic bottle on campus, there were countless hours of behind the scenes brainstorming sessions, meetings, and negotiations. Students had to learn about the impact of this change on the cafeteria business, the students, and all other stakeholders involved.

At one point they sat down with the Hungarian school nutritionist in order to understand the Hungarian school policies for nutrition so they could recommend appropriate substitute drinks lower in sugar. Students also sampled various drinks in order to provide the cafeteria with key feedback in the selling of future drinks. A parent came in to discuss the importance of design thinking and how it plays a role in making suggestions for change. All of these experiences ultimately led to the ban on plastic water bottles

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but more importantly taught the students how difficult it is to make sustainable change. Yet perseverance can and will make that change happen.

Another group in our club has connected with a key environmentalist/educator, Mr. Laszlo Peregovits in the village of Nagykovacsi. We also contacted the mayor, who helped arrange where to plant 20 trees in a key village location. She even visited us while we were planting and thanked us for our hard work. The club has also made arrangements for future invasive species removal in the forests surrounding Nagykovacsi and for trash removal.

This year students are interested in reviewing the school-wide recycling program to see if it is efficient and to find more ways to change people’s campus behavior, which will ultimately increase the amount of materials recycled.

Other students will be looking at the new land and how the environmental club might make

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suggestions about its use. A third group is looking at developing lessons for our advisory in order to influence long-term habits, such as bringing water bottles to school and decreasing the food waste during lunch.

Our club is always looking for new and exciting ways to engage and act on sustainability issues and climate justice.

We love to have the perspective and talents of those outside of the classroom help guide us in our plans. If you have a talent or suggestion that would help us in this field, please let us know. We would love to have you Zoom in and provide us with your valuable insight and support.

Please get in touch at pgardner@aisb.hu

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Maxime Leigh-Wood Memorial Football Match

BY DOUG RUDNICKI (English Teacher 2000-)

A

t the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, in Budapest, it was the story of Jesus asking Mary and Martha to carry the burden of removing their brother’s, Lazarus’s, bandages that Father Michael chose to recount. Such an inspiring angle on the Biblical Lazarus story nobly aimed to offer some semblance of perspective, some fragment of wisdom to the tragic passing of Maxime Leigh-Wood. The hard work involved in mourning the loss of a loved one is not a solitary undertaking, especially the loss of a child. And that is just what the next day’s First Annual Maxime Leigh-Wood Alumni Football Match became: an act of a community carrying the burden of loss together.

So on a sunny Friday afternoon, nestled on the well-worn AISB track-pitch, overflowing onto the gentle hill and bleachers overlooking it, more than 800 students, faculty and staff, 130 alumni, and over 50 former AISB footballers, men and women from across the globe, stood in unity, worked hard together in remembrance of Maxime’s wonderful life.

Before the game, a mix of emotions touched every human sense: from impassioned, reflective, and even humorous speeches to powerful, prolonged embraces in a 70-player-long ceremonial pregame handshake.

And as Maxime’s favourite Bruce Springstein’s song faded, both MLW embroidered teams, the white #17 Alumni on one side and the red #10 Varsity team on the other, the enthusiastic crowd erupted into cheers, chants and songs. Maxime’s game had begun.

During the game, a mix of football’s essence touched every human sense: from Spanish tiki-taka finesse to VAR protests, from goal-saving slide tackles to shirt-removing top-corner finishes. The community on the pitch was as diverse as the spectating community off of it: from Alumni who reside in Hungary to those who drove and even flew in just for the match; former varsity girls whose faces decorate both our school’s Wall of Champions and Wall of Sportsmanship; to three brothers who span three separate generations now playing on the same field; and even an alumnus who won this field’s very first football championship back in 2000, a year before Maxime was even born.

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After the game, a community BBQ was enjoyed, whilst reliving spirited embellishments of the legendary play that was just had, reconnecting with old friends, and making new ones.

Maxime’s last words to his teammates, on this very field, after a devastating CEESA loss to Moscow that would rob Maxime of his first AISB football championship, was not the much-expected rant about unfulfilled glory, but rather a simple, heartfelt, tearyeyed “thank you” to his teammates and coaches, to his much beloved community.

Of course, the entire Alumni-Match experience did little to lighten the burden of loss, but for those who played, spectated (in person or on live stream), and cheered, you offered some semblance of perspective, some fragment of wisdom to the unimaginable, incomprehensible tragedy that is the death of someone so young. Thank you.

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The current AISB varsity team in red welcomes the alumni in white.

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Coach Rudnicki’s pregame strategy talk, wellversed in the alumni’s individual weaknesses and strengths.

Every varsity player wears Maxime’s middle school jersey number, 10. Every alumni wears Maxime’s high school football jersey, 17.

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Emil Hajizada’s profound opening speech.

First half penalty protest request of VAR

Coach Murray’s alumni team tactical guidance.

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Sharing of the championship trophy.

Post game, post BBQ awards ceremony. The match’s final result was 2-2.

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SUCCESS: YOU FOUND EVERYTHING!

BY CHARLES NEWMAN (former English Teacher)

E

ach morning I become a genius. It’s always the same journey, for me and all who navigate the rivers of the New York Times Spelling Puzzle. First I have no points: I’m a puzzle zero. My first word makes me a “beginner”, after which I’m off to “good start” and “moving up”.

Soon I’m “good”, “solid”, and “nice”, which feels a little condescending. Then I am “great”, which feels better, and “amazing”, which feels better than great but less than amazing. At last I am pronounced a genius: I have scored enough points to be classified as a word Einstein, for that day and that day only. Occasionally I am unsatisfied with mere genius. On those days I push on, find more words, get lucky, and am crowned Queen Bee, which means I’ve found every word in the New York Times Spelling Puzzle. There is no indication that this level even exists until the Queen Bee suddenly and delightfully appears on the screen, brightening the day and, if you wish, giving you (temporary!) bragging rights.

Of course I am a zero again the next morning, back to the bottom of a new word mountain. You don’t don’t get long to enjoy the view from the top.

Success is fleeting.

This daily journey makes me think about the nature of success, for the puzzle is a nice (great? amazing?) slice of life, or at least the way life ought to be: work hard, persist, and be rewarded.

Enjoy the journey, not so much because you’re summiting whatever mountain you happen to be climbing but because the climbing, as long as it’s not too hard, is satisfying.

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Humans love to challenge themselves: every game ever invented presents challenges to overcome. No challenge, no fun. Too much challenge: no fun.

In the puzzle, success is both measurable and attainable, but in life success is a lot harder to define. And of course this particular spelling puzzle depends on your English skills too. If you’re new to such challenges—or if your brain just doesn’t seem to work this way—”nice” might be absolutely amazing. And if you’re skillful, “amazing” might be merely nice. Both achievements indicate genuine success, depending on your skills and expectations. Good questions to ask yourself: where are you starting from? How much time will you devote to your pursuit? What are you trying to achieve? Are your goals achievable? If you begin to study Hungarian at age 30, for example, you’re probably not going to become bilingual. You’re not choosing an appropriate target.

But success is far more complex than achieving measurable results. Did I want my IB English students to earn good, great, amazing, genius, Queen Bee IB scores?

Of course! Did we work hard to understand every assessment and how best to master it? Of course. Did the IB results measure our students’ learning and our teaching? Is that and that alone what it means to be a successful IB student?

Partly, only partly. How do we measure success in a Theory of Knowledge class, for example? By the scores on two assessments which amount to 1 1/2 of 45 points? Of course not. TOK success, I would argue, is better measured by developing the ability to challenge previously unexamined life assumptions, i.e., by becoming less certain about knowledge, not more. And how do we know that’s happening?

Lots of ways, but here’s one: in an effective classroom there are invariably Eureka moments, which literally means “I have found it.” Such moments are typically accompanied by widening, luminous, smiling eyes.

We’re not going to measure that eye brightness by counting the lumens, but any teacher will tell you what beautiful indicators of understanding they can be. This is terribly unscientific, I know, but it’s also real and important and powerful. And such success breeds success, as the old saying goes.

One thing I’ve come to believe, and maybe even know: success is never entirely a matter of external recognition: this grade, this test score, this college, this job, this promotion, this amount of money, this whatever. Instead, it’s a dance between what we wish for and how the world evaluates us. My father was a classic American success story: forced to drop out of school at 14, he eventually became president of a company with 1200 employees. He was never particularly interested in success, he said; he was, however, extremely interested in doing his work well. And if you did your work well, my dad said, you would stand out; you would be outstanding. He taught me something else too: that though you can never guarantee success, you can go to sleep deserving it.

This has proved excellent life advice, some of the best I’ve ever received.

Back in the simpler and completely quantifiable world of puzzle success, I’ll be happy to become a genius again tomorrow, at least for the day. Then I’ll go on to more important things.

FOLLOW LIKE SHARE Aisb Connect facebook.com/aisbudapest Alumni Group facebook.com/groups/ aisbudapest.alumni.group linkedin.com/school/american-internationalschool-of-budapest

aisbalumniassociation

twitter.com/aisbudapest

youtube.com/c/americaninternationalschoolofbudapestaisb

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What Better Than Social Connection?

Steeped in our AISB ethos is an enduring sense of Community and Connection. It is in this spirit that we have heralded the reboot of the AISB Alumni program. It begins, middle and ends with you!

Our AISB Values start with Community...

We believe in the importance of community as a meaningful social connection tool to keep the positive spirit of AISB alive and thriving past graduation.

Social Connection is more than just a group of connecting apps; it defines a fundamental psychological need of humans in the wellness tapestry of our lives. We are purposefully hardwired for connection and our digital world makes this an (at times overwhelming) breeze.

Healthy Communities form the backbone of a healthy society and the cornerstone of our evolution as ultra-social beings. We believe that a pillar of everyone’s happiness and fulfillment is a connection to a healthy community. We are helping to build that for you and keep the community alive here at AISB. We need your help to drive this growth with us... however you can! Here are some ways you can be part of our AISB Alumni Community growth: •

Volunteer to be your class rep

•

Organise an event near you

•

Come to our annual reunion at AISB in May

•

Help connect us with other alums

•

Tell us what you would like from your Alumni Program

alumnioffice@aisb.hu WE ARE HERE FOR YOU

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CLASS 2021 Congratulations class of 2021!

Dear Class of 2021, It was a privilege to be here with you for the final year of your journey. You were an inspiration to all your underclassmen, not only in the way you faced up to the challenges thrown at you by the pandemic, but also in the way you continued to find ways to lead your peers, fulfill your academic and community responsibilities, connect with one another and stay focused and positive.

Congratulations on achieving some of our best ever academic results. While we were not able to celebrate you in all the traditional ways, I am so glad we could salute you in the Senior Walk and Graduation Ceremony on the Field.

I wish you all the best of luck in what you decide to do next.

And remember: AISB will always be a home for you, so please come back and visit!

Mr. Maclure

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UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES TO DATE AISB Class of 2021 NETHERLANDS

AUSTRALIA

University of Amsterdam Breda University of Applied Sciences Erasmus University Rotterdam Hanze University of Applied Sciences Tilburg University University of Groningen VU Amsterdam

University of Melbourne

CANADA University of Toronto University of Toronto Mississauga University of Toronto Scarborough University of Waterloo York University

HONG KONG, CHINA City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Polytechnic University

NETHERLANDS Eindhoven University of Technology Maastricht University University of Amsterdam University of Groningen University of Twente Utrecht University Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

ITALY École Hoteliere de Lausanne Istituto Marangoni Fashion and Design School

SPAIN Universitat Ramon Llull ESADE Business School Barcelona

UNITED KINGDOM Abertay University Arts University Bournemouth BIMM Institute Birmingham City University Brunel University London City, University of London Durham University Falmouth University Goldsmiths, University of London Imperial College London Keele University King's College London Leeds Beckett University Leeds Conservatoire Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts London Metropolitan University London South Bank University Manchester Metropolitan University Newcastle University Nottingham Trent University Oxford Brookes University Queen Mary University of London Ravensbourne University London

Rose Bruford College Royal Holloway, University of London St Mary's University, Twickenham University College London University for the Creative Arts University of Aberdeen University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Lincoln University of Manchester University of Reading University of Southampton University of St Andrews University of Surrey University of Sussex University of Warwick University of Westminster University of York Heriot-Watt University

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA American Musical and Dramatic Academy Boston University Brandeis University Brown University California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State University, Long Beach Case Western Reserve University Colgate University College of Wooster Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University, Fort Collins Cornell University

Drexel University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Emory University Georgia Institute of Technology James Madison University Lafayette College Lake Forest College Loyola University Chicago Massachusetts College of Art and Design Northwestern University Pace University Purdue University Reed College San Diego State University Stony Brook University Union College University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Cruz University of Central Florida University of Colorado Boulder University of Denver University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Miami University of Rochester University of Tampa University of Vermont University of Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Tech Washington & Jefferson College Whitman College

BLAZING THE WATER

Interview with Olympic swimmer Hubert Kos (‘22) Why Swimming, and how did it start for you?

When I was three, my mother decided I needed to learn to swim, and I think this is a universal truth: people should learn to swim when they are young. Through learning, the sport stuck with me and when I was six, I developed the need and want for swimming. My mother asked me if this was the sport I wanted to do and I said yes! I think it started from that point on; that’s when I really started to focus on it more than anything else.

So would you then owe your career start to your mother?

I think so, yeah. Through her wanting me to swim, I got into the pool and into that environment, and it stuck with me, so I guess so.

What other sports do you enjoy doing?

I love football; I love playing football a lot. Especially with my friends here in school. Out of all the ball sports I have done for many years, such as tennis and Ping-Pong, football is the one I like the most to play with my friends. My grandfather was a Ping-Pong player, and dad was a rugby player, so I had sports in my life from a young age.

And why do you enjoy sports?

I think sports bring out the human in me. They help me balance my life, and I need to move and exercise in order to feel alive. And when I play football with my friends, it's also a socializing time, because I don’t get much of that in my spare time, really.

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So it’s not just physical exercise, it’s also a mental exercise.

Yes, I think so.

Out of your recent achievements, what are you most proud of?

I think finally winning a medal on a world stage in a grown-up competition, at the European Championships in Kazan. I feel I’m on the curve of global swimming, and if I can keep this work up for the next two years, I’ll be well on my way to winning a medal in Paris.

And how was that experience, going to the Olympic Games?

It was difficult. I wasn’t ready for what I was going to experience because everyone told me how different the Olympics are, and of course it is the race of races. It’s the global stage and I think millions of people watching that competition just gives that extra feeling to it. When I went out in the 200 medley, I got scared seeing all these big athletes there -- the world’s best were there. I started really fast; in the first 100 I swam at a record pace, but then I slowed down in the last 100 and missed the semi-finals by half of a second. So I think I’ve learned a lot from that experience and have been able to put that into my races this season to win a medal in the European championship.

Do you consider yourself a professional athlete?

I mean…at this stage I think I have to consider myself a professional athlete because I was at the Olympics. So, yeah, I think I am a professional swimmer, but I still need to take that step to make a name in the sport, which I can do if I continue this work.

When referencing the other athletes, you saw them as different from you, so it is interesting to hear how you see yourself in comparison to the other athletes.

I think I saw myself as smaller because they have achieved so much more: they’ve had more time and I’m still in the 18 group. I’m still learning and still going through the path they have already gone through. So now I’m at the stage where I’m feeling like a part of them, like I’m one of them.

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Do you consider yourself a successful swimmer?

I do. My junior year age group of 16, 17 and 18 years old kind of got removed from my life due to Covid, so I wasn’t able to compete and get medals in that age group. But the fact that without that experience I could still win a medal against the biggest swimmers in Europe shows growth. I’ve made it to a higher level than I did last year.

And how would you define that success besides the medals?

I think by the growth and by the fact I was able to break a barrier. In May when I was swimming in the European Championships here in Budapest, I got into the final with the best time in the 300 individual medley. But I still wasn’t mentally prepared for a situation like the final in the European championship and so I came fifth. Taking that experience and the experience at the Olympics, I formed a better perspective on these races and how I should race against these people. And I think I accomplished that in the competition last weekend, so I’m really happy about that.

I was wondering then how do you stay motivated when you have these fears as you enter a new competition?

The motivation is still there. It’s more the fear of not doing what you set out to do and not doing your best.

It’s such a new environment that your body doesn’t know how to handle that situation. It’s more about nerves than actual fear, but it will help me to have this experience under my belt. I don’t think that any other race, other than the Olympics in three years, can get a reaction even close to that.

That’s interesting because I consider you the same as the athletes you mentioned you felt different from. So these other athletes also must have felt similarly.

Yeah, the difference is because of Covid. There was no race that could prepare me for the Olympics; the only race that I had was the national championships and the junior European Youth Olympic Games back in 2019, which wasn’t the same. I really started learning to swim at the Olympics, and I think that’s an interesting thing to keep in mind, not something many people can say.

What would you say is your greatest strength as a swimmer?

Well, it is probably the butterfly and how I can get away from the other people, in the beginning especially. Even if we consider the whole world stage, I’m one of the best butterfly swimmers at the beginning of the 200 medley. When I saw my junior world record, I started faster than Phelps did when he won the Olympics, so I think that first 100 is really special for me. It’s still just working on the stamina for the breaststroke and freestyle at the end. That’s where people with experience and years of championships and Olympics have that I don’t have yet, but of course, now I’m starting to gain these experiences. I think next year in the world championships I'll be at a way better point than I was at the Olympics.

How has swimming changed you?

It changed me as a human being because I’ve learned how to manage my time, and of course this comes in part due to the school. I’m in my final year of the IB and am starting to thank all my years of swimming for how I’ve been able to manage my time. Now these qualities come to the foreground, especially in academics, because I’m able to somehow still accomplish what I want in school. Of course, these past two months have been difficult, but I think I can persevere and get through. Time management is the key phrase here!

Has AISB been a factor in your time management acquisition and your ability to balance both your academic and athletic life?

I’m sure! The confidence the teachers have given me that I can succeed somehow, with the swimming on the side and the many lessons on time management. The way they helped me is by showing me how I can do better. I definitely have a lot to thank from the school.

Do you have a life philosophy that you follow and guide you?

I always want to do my personal best. I think knowing your goals and having them clearly ahead of you helps a person achieve their best and even better than their best. My goal in school is to do the IB and swimming as well. I think I’m doing well and keeping up with the work and hope I can make that dream come true at the end of the school year.

What was the greatest moment of satisfaction for you?

The one I can remember back to is when we had goal setting in Health and Wellness in 6th or 7th grade.

I remember that the national record for the individual 400 medley was 4:30 and I think a year before I actually achieved that goal. I set out to beat that time, which was a big deal for me at that point in my life. I had 12 seconds worse that year, and many people were not sure if I could do it, but I was determined. And I ended up swimming at 4:29 for the race, which made me very happy.

What are your future plans for swimming?

My ultimate plan is to win the Olympics. I think that’s most of any athlete’s goals in life. And I set that goal early in my career so I’m working very hard to maybe do that in France in 2024 or even L.A in 2028, working really hard to achieve that goal. A shorter-term goal is to compete and possibly get a medal in the world championships next year in May when we have IB exams, which will be very interesting. I hope that I can achieve that!

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago?

I would just say, do the best you can every single day and every single training. Don’t skip training. Work harder than everybody else. I think I’ve always had this quality in me that I work harder than everyone around me. If there is someone around me working harder, then I just do everything I can to catch up to them. It doesn’t happen straight away, it takes time, but as time goes on I put more work in. I’m going to swim faster, and I’m going to achieve those goals in the end.

How do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years hopefully, I will have won an Olympics, and I think once I do that, I won't see myself swimming for much longer. That is one of my ultimate goals in swimming, and if I do that, I will really be happy with my whole career, and looking back at it will be amazing.

What advice do you have for fellow Blazers?

I think, especially for those doing the IB, it’s really hard and there’s a lot of work, and not a lot of time to do anything else. But try to exercise. Try to move around because it helps with everything. It gives you an extra boost, and with just a little bit of exercise, you can do a lot of things!

BLAZERS BACK AT AISB Welcome back, Blazers! We are lucky to have you and your unique experience back on campus.

Adnan Fathy

A

fter finishing university I went back home to Egypt to spend time with family and friends, enjoy the sun and ocean, and relaxing. Then at the end of summer, I began applying for jobs. Not knowing exactly what I was looking for, I started with UN organizations and places I was familiar with and was offered a job at AISB. How lucky for me, right? During a pandemic I could go back to a country I was familiar with, work in a place I was familiar with, with people I admired and who helped create the person I am today. Naturally, I didn't hesitate. Now I am the Advancement and Marketing Assistant at AISB, and I've been having a great time. Not only is my work fulfilling, but I am growing every day, professionally and personally. I mainly work on AISB's social media platforms, assisting the admissions team when they need it, and (once travel is available again) helping to organize alumni reunions. It's not often someone with my work experience can say that they truly enjoy their job and work environment, and for that, I am thankful every day.

Bogi Dajka

I

graduated from AISB in 2020. I went to school here for 11 years and barely remember what it was like to be somewhere else. I was 8 years old when I came and didn’t speak English, so of course a few times I thought I had made a mistake coming. But then I quickly realized I hadn’t. I’ve always loved this school, both the teachers and the students, and now I even miss those things and classes I thought I'd be glad to get rid of. This first year after graduation, I substituted in the elementary school whenever my university schedule allowed me. I've always loved working with kids but substituting made me realize how much I love it and how easily I could imagine this being what I do.

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I

graduated from AISB in 2019, and after saying my goodbyes at the graduation ceremony, I didn’t expect to return to campus anytime soon.

Especially during a pandemic. Despite this, I’ve found myself back on our campus and once again a member of the community, albeit in the Elementary rather than High School. The rooms which I recognized from summer camp now became my everyday as I jumped from working with a Multiage class one day to the Kindergarten the next. Whether it was helping out with art projects, going for a walk in the forest, playing one of the endless variations of tag, singing along to a new song in music class, or labeling and colouring a map of Balaton in Hungarian Culture, working at AISB has been a real adventure. It has been a true pleasure getting to know both the Elementary School teachers and the students and learning about the intricacies of running such an amazing school. It has been especially fascinating to watch and experience the immense love and effort that goes into ensuring that every student receives the same education, and experience, despite the difficulties presented by the pandemic. I am eternally grateful to be able to call myself a Blazer and continue working as a part of this wonderful community.

Nóra Nikoletta Néz

Robert Connell

A

fter graduating from AISB in 2015 and then completing five years of higher education in Scotland, I have now returned to AISB as an Assistant Teacher in Grade 4. During this experience I have become exposed to the challenging responsibilities I had previously taken for granted as a student: the need to balance authority and leadership with kindness and patience; the benefit of taking time to plan, yet exercising flexibility to best suit the learning of the student. While coming back to AISB was not something I could have imagined a year ago when I was completing my master’s in climate change management, I am endlessly grateful for the children I have the good fortune to teach - and learn from. They have made me a stronger communicator, a better listener, a more competent decision-maker, and perhaps most importantly, a more compassionate, curious, and happy human being.

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I

Lara Erdély

graduated from AISB in 2017 after 12 years at the school.

I have since completed my HBSC in psychology at the University of Toronto. I started working at AISB as a 4th grade assistant teacher in November 2020 and have really enjoyed being back. I have learned a lot about how to teach concepts in multiple ways to the whole class or individual students, as not every method works for every student. I important it is to have routines the children can rely on. This experience has taught me that things will work out in the end, even when they don't go according to plan. The experiences I have gained from the many amazing teachers here have helped me realize what I want to do in the future. Therefore, I am going to continue my studies and obtain a teaching degree to become an elementary school teacher. Returning to AISB has been an opportunity I will forever cherish.

I

Sandra Árnadóttir

graduated in the class of 2020. I started AISB in 2016 and this was my very first international school. As a student here I loved everything about this school: the community, the spirit, the campus, and of course the faculty.

During my senior year I was fortunate enough to use my free block as an assistant in first and fourth grade. When the opportunity came to work at AISB after I graduated, I knew I had to take it. Working in a place that shaped me into the person I am today is truly amazing, and knowing I am helping our students to become Global Citizens is extremely rewarding. So much so that I will be starting my BA in International Primary Education next year. Being a Blazer is something I wear as a badge of honor: everyone should be able to experience being a part of our wonderful community at some point in their lives.

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David Ji

I

graduated in the class of 2020, and looking back, I find it amazing that I’ve been in this school for twelve years. For me, AISB has been a place for change, for growth. As I passed from grade to grade, I was always guaranteed to see new faces around me, be it my new teachers, or my new classmates.

However, if there’s anything that didn’t change throughout my life at AISB, it was (with no exception) the kindness, dedication, and patience that all my teachers had. While as a student I had always appreciated teachers, it was inevitable that I would never understand what it’s like behind the curtains, in the heads of my teachers.

That is, until I started working here: anxiety, fear, panic.

Those three words fail to describe how the start to my first day of teaching felt. The sense of familiarity from being a former student mixed with the foreign experience of being a teacher hit me all at once. I felt completely and utterly lost.

But that all changed when I met my co-workers, now colleagues, and again saw the same kindness, dedication, and patience I experienced as a student. But now as a teacher, I could truly see how much time, thought, and effort each and every one of the teachers I worked with put into their craft. I was also able to see the tremendous amount of strain that this work sometimes puts on my colleagues. When I ask them how: “how do you do this?”, every time, without fail, no matter which teacher I ask, I always get the response somewhere along the lines of: “It’s stamina. Once you do it long enough, you get used to it, and it’s always worth it to see your students grow”. Although I’ve only seen a mere fraction of what my colleagues have experienced, I still feel qualified to say I can relate. It really is gratifying to see the students that you work with make connections, grow, and mature right in front of your eyes.

Having been a student for twelve years at AISB, it is truly an amazing opportunity to work at AISB, and I would like to say thank you to everyone who gave me guidance and support, be it as a teacher, or as a fellow co-worker. Thank you. Once a Blazer, always a Blazer!

Leon O'Brien

M

y name is Leon and I attended AISB for 12 years starting in 2006, after which my family and I moved to Beijing, China, where I graduated in 2021. Growing up in AISB as a teacher kid meant that coming back felt very familiar to me, and I had many friends among faculty and staff. That said, calling teachers by their first name and seeing them as a colleague, rather than a superior, is something I still have to get used to.

As I am currently taking a gap year, AISB is serving as a form of medium to see if education is a career path I would like to pursue; any concrete plans for university and further on are nonexistent currently. This school is part of the reason I am the way I am, and I could not be more excited to finally work together with the people I've considered my mentors for so long.

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THE DREAM JOB: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY TO SUCCESS

Interview with Philip Oldroyd ('07) Philip Oldroyd works as an automotive professional in Fremont, California.

For more than six years, he has been working for Tesla, where he’s gained experience from production control to quality engineering. In this interview, Philip speaks honestly about his high school years and his success at Tesla.

When did you start at AISB? I started going to AISB in the spring of 2002. This would be the second semester of 7th grade. I went on from there to graduate from high school in 2007.

What was your favorite subject in High School?

I was surrounded by many great teachers who could grab my attention in high school. With that being said, my favorite class was Social Studies/History. This was due mostly to my favorite teacher during high school, Mr. Mackaill. I really looked forward to his classes because I knew they were going to be engaging.

History can be hard to like - it can be taught as a dry subject. But in this specific class we would have great discussions that lasted an hour. Every student was called on to participate: Mr. Mackaill made sure no one was just a "fly on the wall". In a school as diverse as AISB, this was a great learning tool for me. After class he always made time for everyone. He would engage in conversations, occasionally giving solid advice from his infinite wisdom. He inspired me to pursue a degree in Social Sciences after high school..

In close second place for me was Psychology with Mr. Tschumperlin. That was just a fun class! It was a shame it was only a semester elective class, but it also got me interested in Social Sciences.

What is your best memory from AISB? There's a couple I could think of: It's a cliché but hanging out with my friends was the best part of high school for me. AISB is a relatively small school. This gave me the opportunity to talk to everyone and get to know people from different cultural backgrounds. These interactions would turn into friendships. My peers were very easygoing and have rubbed off on me ever since. At lunch, we'd chill together. Some days we would jam out in the practice rooms or get into something else. No matter what we did we accepted each other. It is the simple things you truly appreciate when you get older.

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JV/Varsity Basketball tournaments - I used to play center position and I just loved hooping. Mr. Schrader (my high school varsity coach from 10-11 grade) was an awesome mentor and competitor. He'd push all of us to do better and to step up in situations you were not comfortable. We had to step up since we played teams from Munich, Bucharest, Moscow, etc. I never had a chance to play internationally before, and the competition was awesome. It was a humbling experience which was a once in a lifetime thing. My only regret was not playing my senior year.

Lastly - any event hosted in the theater by Mr. Tschumperlin! It would be like a TV game show. From the senior auction when I got my hair cut for charity (I used to love my long hair, but it was for the best haha), to competitions where each high school class competed in ridiculous events, be it tug of war to blindfold eating competitions... we did all sorts of funny things. We'd just make fools of ourselves and Tschumperlin would roast us and have everyone laughing. If I remember correctly, he used to record these events just to torture us. Good times.

How has the education you received at AISB affected your life?

I'll be honest. I was a bad student. I wouldn't study for exams and quizzes and would mostly be disinterested in class throughout 9th-11th Grade. I even came close to failing some classes. I never understood how important high school was for my future, and it took me till 12th Grade to realize I needed to do better; otherwise my options for universities would be limited. Even though I learned a lot at AISB, my commitment to my studies was purely up to me. My senior year really put things into perspective. I put in more effort that year and significantly improved my GPA. That last year was a major wake-up call for me and I pushed myself to pursue further education. I did not have an opportunity to learn abroad so the English language degree from Eötvös Lóránd University was a great transition for me. Even though I was not the ideal student, I managed to successfully get my degree in Social Sciences.

You graduated from Eötvös Lóránd University majoring in Social Sciences. How did you get into cars?

Yes, that is correct, I went to ELTE in 2007 straight after graduating from AISB, and it was a big academic leap from high school to university. This also led me to focus on new branches of interest, specifically, led me to pursue a BA degree in Social Sciences, where I'd learn different aspects of social politics. Even though I was more interested in Sociology and interview techniques, classes on Social Economics and Manufacturing introduced me to manufacturing theories. I never thought this would interest me, but it did. I got a lot more into economics too and suddenly saw a shift in my expertise. I had a good idea about what we would cover in the next three years, but I wasn't aware of how much I'd learn!

No matter how much you research your dream school or your dream profession, you will be exposed to classes and internships that might change your plans.

This is something I learned in college and nobody should be worried about that. Plans change and that's not a problem! Tesla was a brand-new company in 2010 and I only heard about it because the factory is in a city called Fremont, only 20 minutes away from where I lived. By 2015 Tesla started producing the Model X and was hiring a lot of people. I saw an opportunity to get into a company that was making waves, and I haven't looked back since. I originally applied for HR positions but ended up in engineering (go figure).

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I read on the internet that the chances of getting a job at Tesla is just 0.5 percent. How did you get hired at Tesla? Why Tesla?

That's true. Tesla has become one of the biggest hotspots for engineering and technical experts in the world. Tesla does internship programs too but positions get filled in a matter of days. There are millions of people wanting to work for Tesla, but there are only so many positions to fill. This is not to discourage anyone from applying for a position at Tesla! There's always a possibility, even if it seems improbable.

You could say I was fortunate to be hired. As I mentioned previously, it was a lot easier to get hired six years ago. Tesla was still growing and establishing itself. Since my hiring in 2015, multiple models have been produced and multiple gigafactories have opened all over the world. I was preoccupied with work, so I never realized how quickly the company was growing. I had the privilege to be in multiple positions and get the inside scoop on production processes. This company rewards those who put in a lot of hard work. Even though they were still up and coming when I got hired, I’ve come to understand how to become a valued part of a world-class organization in the last six years. This company asks for a lot, but it is the most rewarding job I ever had. This is a special place to work, and it takes a lot to succeed here. Elon Musk calls it "production hell" for a reason: it takes 100% focus to deliver.

Tell me about your work at Tesla.

I am currently working in the Quality Engineering department, in the Bodyin-White branch (body/chassis) for both Model Y and Model 3. My team works on improving quality on the frame of these two models, whether it be adhesive, dimensional, parts, or assistance in process improvements. We audit vehicles and conduct in-depth analysis. In simple terms, we "wear a lot of hats". I work on things that are of a sensitive nature and can't get into too much detail, unfortunately.

Previously I worked in production control, then General Assembly on the inspection team, and on the collision repair team as well. It would take ten pages to describe all the work I got to do, but I don't want to bore you with all that.

What were some of the biggest challenges for you and how did you overcome them?

Good question. I have a simple rule for myself. If I feel challenged by work or life in general, I turn it into motivation. As they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That has made me a better person, and I accept challenges with open arms. This might be easier said than done and might be a skill set you cannot learn in high school or college. Once you have real-life experiences, like receiving a lower grade than expected or not getting into your dream school, you start to doubt your progress... will you give up or pick yourself up? You can be your own best friend or your own worst enemy, but you must have the fortitude to get back on your feet.

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What do you like most about your job?

Knowing I'm working on things that people would not believe. I'm trusted to do difficult things that no one else does in the factory, while being guided by an amazing team. The work culture here is dynamic and empowering. We all sacrifice a lot to make Tesla the company it is today, and everyone in this building is dedicated to making this company thrive. We are all working against a lot of administrations and corporations that don't want to see Tesla succeed. I love the challenge!

How do you feel about AISB now that you've been away?

It's bittersweet - I didn't push my limits. And then on the other side of the spectrum, I had the privilege to be in a safe school with a worldclass staff. I know a lot of other alumni have great success stories and found fame and fortune. They prepared better than I did and made the best of their education. We were all put into a position to succeed and that is a rewarding system. I'll always be grateful to AISB.

What advice would you give your high school self?

Stop slacking off and get to work! - I should have studied hard, broadened my horizons. I did not pursue engineering because I did not give myself a chance. This is for any current students reading this: If you are in a situation where you think that your dream job is out of your grasp, you are not giving yourself enough credit. It sounds corny but DREAM BIG. You can get into positions you never thought you'd find yourself in. As I mentioned before, my university degree is a lot different from what I do professionally. This never stopped me from trying. Education always translates into how much effort you are willing to put into your careers.

I have a great drive now, and I wish I had gone through high school the same way. It would have made a huge difference for me.

Where do you see yourself heading in the future?

I'm still very much into manufacturing and can see myself retiring at Tesla. We'll have to wait and see! On the other hand, I'd like to see myself in Aerospace in the next five years. It's always been a dream of mine when I was young, and it's slowly turning into a possibility. I might not become a rocket scientist, but I want to be part of that process. It's becoming a popular topic in the general public, and the demand is there. If I get into aerospace, I'll make sure to give you an update. And if I can get to that point, I can safely say any of you can do the same!

Words by Tim Tschumperlin (former AISB teacher) I had the pleasure to work with so many great students when I was at AISB from 1999-2006. From the forest at Csillebérc to the campus at Nagykovácsi, there were students who stood out as being unique and true ambassadors of international education.

One of those students was the Tall Boy from Budakeszi, Mr. Philip Oldroyd. I had the pleasure of teaching Philip's sister Rebeka before I met Philip, so I was prepared to have another creative student in my class. Philip enrolled in my Intro to Psychology class where we learned everything from Pavlov to Freud and Hypnosis to Schizophrenia.

Philip was one of those students who was very interested in the topics discussed and saw the connection between the subject and life outside the classroom. Philip had a great sense of humor accompanied by a suspicious and contagious smile! What I enjoyed about Philip was his positive attitude, intuition and the fact that he never hesitated to ask questions. Having students like Philip made teaching fun and I could not imagine doing anything else. I look forward to running into Philip one day soon and sharing some of our AISB memories!

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WE ASKED, YOU ANSWERED What do you remember about your first day at AISB?

Adnan Fathy `16 Being amazed at how big the campus was! Glad we had all those wonderful facilities.

Leonie Leliveld '98 Making new friends.

Ruth Davidovitch Sorek, Alumni parent Feeling safe and happy.

Anonymous Started in 1994, sophomore year. Sat next to Alice (who was also new that year) in Physics. Our friendship started immediately...and Physics class never had a dull moment after that first day!

Roni Moshavi `16 I remember being excited for my first day at a new school. Everyone was really nice, and I remember being in Mr. Calsbeek's homeroom. He had Barni and Marcell show me around the school. They were my first day "buddies".

Jozsef Camilo V-Karo `99 My first day was in August 1993. I was in seventh grade and I remember feeling very lost. I do remember Ms. Nelson DeLamarter and Mr. Lewis guiding us through Csilleberc and the many little buildings. I remember the original Blazer Dome when it was not called the Blazer Dome.

I remember it as the gym. But on April Fools’ Day 1994 it burnt down. We were not in school, some work was being done, they hit a gas pipe, and the gym went up in flames. I remember the assembly when we changed the school team name from Eagles to Blazers. The gym was then renamed the Blazer Dome. page # 54

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Balazs Juszt `01 That was still up at Csillebérc and as we drove through that roundabout, it was very impressive in the middle of that wilderness. Then I remember meeting Alessandro Sparta, who took me around on my first day as the Oldtimer he was.

Sid Moorthy `08 Interestingly, my first day at AISB was exactly 19 years ago today! I remember everything, but mostly how nice Ms. Rekawek and Mr. Rudnicki were to me. Really helped me get past the shyness.

Alessandro Sparta '01 I remember attending Pre-Kindergarten on Kakukk utca where I met Victor. It was amazing being there with lots of great people and great vibes, even though I was scared at first. But the amount of love, as well as the environment, was just grand. I am grateful to have started my journey here.

Anonymous I remember that we only had 12 students. That was years before this magnificent building was constructed. But I had 6 wonderful years there and taught math, science, art and even basket weaving. Great times and great students. My husband was the principal and also taught Social Studies and English. Most every Friday we did excursions and saw all the sights in Budapest.

Andrew Higgins We enjoyed every day there, from the place, the teachers, the culture and environment, the sports and the after-school activities and events. A real community. I served as Chairman of the Board for two years, and before that as Treasurer, so was part of the history as we brought AISB onto a single campus and built the new Lower School. I am even named on the plaque in Reception! GO Blazers!

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IN MEMORIAM Maxime Leigh-Wood (‘19):

BY MARTIN MURRAY (High School PE Teacher 2012-) Maxime embodied what it means to be a ‘decent human’. He also did a great job of being a student-athlete.

As a school, we (AISB) seek to pursue excellence in all that we do, not solely academics. Maxime was a good student, achieving a decent I.B score. However, he was a lot more than that. He was a respectful, honest student, a solid, dependable friend, a caring, and an inclusive classmate, with a huge smile for everybody.

As a student-athlete, Maxime represented the school in both football and volleyball, with various degrees of success, but always with a positive attitude. He was a coachable athlete, whose passion for football only increased after leaving AISB. As coaches, our main goal is to have our student-athletes continue playing football (or any sport) years after they graduate. Maxime took this to the next level, first by joining a football academy in Spain, where he trained and played year-round. He then went on to represent his university team (Loughborough - a famous sports college in England), and was looking to join a semi-professional football team this fall.

It speaks to the person he was, that Maxime left such a big impression on so many of his teachers, classmates, and peers at AISB (across multiple grade levels). This was highlighted further by the number of alumni that returned to AISB for his Memorial Football Match on August 27th, 2021. Many flew in from across Europe, others rescheduled their travel plans in order to attend and show their love and respect for Maxime, and his family.

It was an honour to be a small part of the team that arranged the first annual ‘Maxime Leigh Wood Memorial Cup’. With over 50 football alumni returning to play against the current varsity boys soccer team, and 800+ students and staff in attendance, Maxime was remembered in the most fitting way we could imagine.

“GRIEF IS LIKE A PARADE” BY MICHELE MELEEN Grief is like a parade whizzing by in waves of noise.

Some moments I laugh, in others I cry, at times I see nothing at all.

I'm waiting for my child to pass waving from a float up high.

That moment never comes and the parade end passes by.

I'm left standing alone not knowing where to go.

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COUNSELORS' CORNER

Failure to Succeed?

BY ERIN HAWKEN (Director of University Counseling) & PAULINE DAVIDSON (High School Counselor)

F

ailure, we will all experience it at some point. Yet most of the stress and anxiety we see today is caused by a fear of failure. Many of us see failure as something that defines us, both our identity and our success. In life we have been taught as children to avoid failure. We get anxious about that final exam and use negative self-talk to reinforce this fear: “What if I fail it?

Maybe I can’t do it? I suck at this subject.” We feel this way because we have been taught that failure is bad and the feeling of failure is negative. But failure is actually a natural part of life, helping us to grow and find true success. ​​ Failure causes us to pause and reflect. One of AISB values is that “We design learning challenges that help us grow” and this in itself asks us to push ourselves and learn how to overcome obstacles. Allowing us time to get to know ourselves and learn from our mistakes is a key part of our learning journey. It is when we sit in that discomfort there is something to be learned.

Some of the most successful people in the world have failed numerous times before finding success. You can read failure to success stories of JK Rowling, Bill Gates, Michel Jordan, Walt Disney, and Oprah Winfrey. It is rare that successful people made it without a few bumps along the way. In fact, it can be argued that a prerequisite for success is some obstacles along the way.

This is what helps build resilience, strength, and courage. It's important to remember learning does not happen when things are easy. It happens when things are a struggle and you have to find your way through those struggles.

Once you do find success you may find you appreciate it more because of all that you have learned along the way.

“There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.”

Brene Brown

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