June 2009
The Newsletter of Atlanta International School
Globetrotter
News Nouvelles Noticias Nachrichten
In This Issue
AIS Takes Center Stage
1
Shuler Hensley Awards
4
Headmaster’s
Farewell
5
Spring Benefit
8
Alumni Corner
AIS won four Shuler Hensley Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre at the Tony Awards-style ceremony held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on April 14. In addition to receiving the coveted Best Overall Performance Award for its upper school production of “Into the Woods,” AIS also won the awards for Direction, Costume Design and Supporting Actor. Grade 10 student, Arsalan Akhavan, who played Cinderella’s prince, was the proud recipient of the Best Supporting Actor Award. Rob Warren, head of the AIS theatre department and director of the musical, received the award for Direction and Sherry Weeks, secondary school theatre teacher, received the award for Costume Design. Of the 12 nominated high school musicals, Atlanta International School’s production of “Into the Woods” won the most awards. “I have always thought that our theatre productions were simply superb and had been for many, many years. It is wonderful that our talented students and teachers have received the recognition they justly deserve,” said Headmaster, Robert Brindley. Fifteen high schools from the Greater Atlanta area participated in this inaugural year of the Shuler Hensley Awards, which aim to honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level. The program is an initiative of the ARTSBRIDGE education program of the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Atlanta International School (AIS) offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) to all its students from four-year-old kindergarten through grade 12. By delivering a rigorous academic program combined with world-class standards in language acquisition within an openminded, intercultural environment, AIS prepares its students to succeed in a globally connected world. For more information, please contact us at 404.841.3840 or visit us online at www.aischool.org.
A Night to Remember: “Into The Woods” Cast Members Reflect on the Shuler Hensley Awards Sherry Weeks, Middle School Theatre Teacher Winner of Best Costume Design Award To be nominated for 11 categories out of 15 was incredible in itself, but to be the recipients of four Shuler Hensley Awards goes way beyond our expectations! Who would have thought that this could have happened when Rob Warren, director of “Into the Woods,” Greg Hucks, musical director, and I agreed to take part in the Awards for Excellence Program way back in November, three days before our first performance? continued on page 2 Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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AIS Takes Center Stage continued The nomination announcement was followed by a rollercoaster two weeks when we realized that the cast had to perform on the evening of the awards ceremony. We had no music to rehearse, spring break was upon us, and the seniors were away visiting colleges, which made any rehearsal schedule a nightmare! We managed to get the full cast of 22 together for the first time, for two hours, the Monday afternoon before the awards ceremony performance—when the school was shut down due to a power outage! On the day of the ceremony, the cast met at the Cobb Energy Centre at 7.15 a.m. for a full day of technical rehearsal with the three other schools nominated for Best Overall Production, Holy Innocents Episcopal School, Alpharetta High School and Pebblebrook High School. Everyone was very patient while cameras were set up for WSB-TV, sound checks done, lighting created before the professional orchestra practiced and worked with each school. Our students were able to be part of and experience a professional theatre at work with incredible technical staff, producers and director. The Shuler Hensley Awards Ceremony was an unforgettable evening for everyone involved. The support from the AIS community was wonderful. Approximately 200 AIS community members were there to support and encourage the ensemble. On behalf of Rob Warren and the students, I would like to thank you all for your amazing support. It was a truly memorable and magnificent evening. Arsalan Akhavan, Grade 10 Winner of Best Supporting Actor Award Played the Prince in “Into the Woods” Last October, when I spoke to Sharon Story, a friend’s mother who happened to also be a judge from the Shuler Hensley Awards, I had very little knowledge as to what to expect. We didn’t know until about 20 minutes before our final performance of “Into the Woods” that Mr. Warren had taken up Sharon Story’s offer to submit AIS for the awards and that three judges from the Shuler Hensley Awards would be attending that night, ready to assess the production! We were all very excited for the succeeding months but once we found out that the prestigious Cobb County magnet performing arts school, Pebblebrook, was also participating, our confidence dropped somewhat—especially after seeing pictures of their production of “Footloose.” But we all managed to keep our enthusiasm up and make the most of the experience. About three weeks later, a large group of the cast and crew went to the Cobb Energy Centre for the announcement of the nominees in each category. Not expecting to get any of the big-shot ones, we were happy to be there in support of the other schools. Little did we know we’d be leaving the building with 11 red envelopes including one for Best Overall Production! The days leading up to the celebration were among the best I’ve ever had. It was definitely a challenge to relearn and choreograph a number we hadn’t practiced since November, but we pulled through. As the night of the celebration slowly got closer, we found ourselves the subjects of encouraging pep talks that reminded us we had a slim chance of winning the Best Overall Production Award. However, we all made a promise to ourselves as an ensemble to make the most of the event and take the opportunity to show the other schools what AIS Theatre is all about. It was an absolute honor and privilege to be given the opportunity to work with such professionals in such a nice, new theatre and to be part of a group of such talented students from other schools. And what made the night so fantastic was that throughout the night, I kept in mind why we were all there: to celebrate the hard work that goes behind a production and goes so unrecognized. The awards really could have gone to anyone that night, and the fact that we were even nominated was phenomenal enough. But one thing I will never forget is that the award I won, and all the other awards we won that night--which didn’t just go to me or the cast of “Into the Woods,” but to the whole ensemble at AIS and the Shuler Hensley Awards and all those who helped us get such an honor. We could not have been more humbled to receive the recognition that we did, and I know that that night meant so much to our theatre program. I am also very excited about our amazing theatre program and how it will grow now that the Atlanta community knows about us and the things we can do at AIS! Lara Khoury, Grade 9 Best Supporting Actress Nominee Played Little Red Riding Hood in “Into the Woods” When I was nominated for best supporting actress, I was ecstatic and so honored. To me, getting the nomination was already my prize, so no matter what happened, I was still speechless and dumbfounded that I got the chance to reach my dreams. It was an unbelievable feeling that cannot be explained. There was a lot of competition, but we remained strong. Regardless of what happened, we were always enthusiastic to be able to participate in such an event. We left the Cobb Energy Center exultantly, proudly and jubilantly, with four awards. I enjoyed tremendously being Little Red Riding Hood and especially working with the cast and crew. It felt as though there was no distinction of who was in which grade when the cast and crew worked together, and that is how we became closer and worked as one. The whole cast and crew continued on page 3
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worked together and contributed to the success of “Into the Woods.” We couldn’t have reached this far without Mr. Warren and Mrs. Weeks. So, I would like to thank them both for supporting us and for guiding us as well as for having faith in us. Roz Santos, Grade 11 Played Rapunzel in “Into the Woods” To me, the Shuler Hensley Awards Ceremony didn’t ever mean a competition; it meant a celebration of a show that we, as an ensemble, worked months to create and perfect. And that is the mindset I think most of the cast had. We didn’t actually expect to win much seeing as the theatre business is very competitive and centered on creating stars. AIS theatre students understand that AIS theatre is not about showing off a single star but about displaying the entire constellation. The Shuler Hensley Awards made each one of us feel like a star. Rob Warren tells us time and time again that “no one will ever know how hard you work down here except yourselves,” so when we won the Best Overall Production, I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that the fulfillment didn’t come from the fact that we won over the other schools, but rather it came from knowing that all that hard work that we put into our shows was recognized, and that someone out there could feel our passion from just watching our show. The awards were an experience of a lifetime, and I couldn’t have been more excited and honored to be there. It was an event I will never forget and that made me feel extremely proud to be an AIS theatre student. Bennett Brownlow, Grade 9 Played Jack in “Into the Woods” Everything about the Shuler-Hensley awards was incredible, from the night that the judges watched our performance, to the night of the awards ceremony. I vividly remember the night of the first performance when Mr. Warren said that we were being watched and judged to take part in the awards. However, I had no idea of the magnitude of the awards. When I arrived at the Cobb Energy Center on that Tuesday at 7:15 a.m. I got out of the car and was amazed by all the other schools’ performances and the size of the other ensembles, especially Pebblebrook High School. The run-through really gave me perspective into the actual size of the venue. I was amazed that our performance was nominated to perform on such a big and elaborate stage. The actual performance was amazing, and what was even more amazing were the awards. The first award that AIS won was Arsalan’s, and he definitely deserved it. Our final award of Overall Production was the biggest award for the ensemble and considering our competition, it was flabbergasting! Laetitia Butler, Grade 9 Played Lucinda in “Into the Woods” Being invited to perform at the Shuler Hensley Awards was such a magnificent privilege. First of all, we were so elated when we found out that we had won eleven nominations. We came into the awards ceremony not expecting much out of it since we saw all the other theater-specialized high schools perform. They dance, act and sing every day, and we only rehearsed for “Into the Woods” for a few hours a week. Being invited to such a fantastic event was so eye opening to the professional world of theater. While we were backstage, we saw the men pulling down from the dozens of curtain ropes, people with headsets controlling the microphones and the award presenters waiting for their turns to go on. When it was time for our school to perform, I felt like it was my responsibility to show Atlanta what we were made of. Even though we weren’t a performing arts school and we didn’t dance and sing every day, we had the most interesting group of people. From this experience, I think our cast has grown even closer from rehearsing for this event to spending the whole day with each other in a dressing room. Truly, we were so humbled by all the awards that we won, especially the Overall Production Award, which really congratulates everybody that had something to do with “Into the Woods.” I feel that the Shuler Hensley Awards is a fabulous way of celebrating every student’s and school’s hard work.
Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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Headmaster’s Farewell Message By Robert Brindley, Headmaster The first few lines of a Dr. Seuss poem begin, “How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon,” best describe my thoughts that led to our decision to leave Atlanta and Atlanta International School, our home for eight years. We have met wonderful people, with whom we would hope to cross paths some time in the near future on the Silk Road. There is so much more to be understood. To prepare myself for the transition, I have started reading about the culture of Central Asia to gain some insights into that part of the world. The wonder, as I had hoped, has begun. Over two thousand years ago, the locals built a series of underground canals to collect water from the base of the Himalayas to irrigate fields perhaps a hundred miles away; they were called Karezes. This irrigation system, built by hand, is made up of a series of vertical shafts that connect to the underground canals. These shafts, which are sometimes 150 feet deep, are maintained by individual families who descend them in order to keep the water flowing and the channels clear of debris and fallen rocks. Evaporation of the water is minimal, the supply is thus plentiful, and the crops, watered in a desert landscape, are abundant. We have much to learn about the way to do things. So as the afternoon approaches, any notion of a siesta will be postponed, because I do not ever want to have to say, “My goodness how the time has flown. How did it get so late so soon?” As I leave, I cannot help but reflect on these past eight years. There have been many proud moments of student achievement; weeks that have flown by and timeless moments of reflection; delight when listening to concerts; much laughter coupled with occasional sadness; enjoyment of our theatre productions; total absorption when watching athletics; complete vigilance during carpool. We are an amazing community with many challenges and numerous surprises. I wish all of you every happiness and success; and, Kevin, in his new role, good fortune—and time that slows to meet the afternoon.
Grade 5 German Students Meet German Chancellor in Berlin By Arndt Hafele, Primary School Teacher It was the first time we had the opportunity to visit the Bundeskanzleramt, residence and office of the German chancellor, on our annual fifth grade journey abroad to Berlin. The question, of course, was asked early on: “Will we see Angela Merkel, the chancellor?” Our guide did not give us much hope as chances of seeing her in person are usually very small. However, since Frau Merkel welcomed the Japanese Prime Minister that day, the guide knew she was “at home.” At the end of our tour, we headed along a corridor that led straight to the main entrance of the Bundeskanzleramt, and there she was—standing at the door, waving good-bye to her visitor. She then turned round and walked straight towards us. We needed to be very quiet but started to wave at her. All of a sudden Angela Merkel just came straight to our group, asked us where we were from and posed for a picture. We were very excited and enjoyed our unforgettable moment with Frau Merkel, the German chancellor.
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2009 Spring Benefit: Passport to Africa Annual Fundraiser Nets Over $220,000 By Jay Denslow, Special Events Manager The 2009 Spring Benefit: Passport to Africa on April 4, chaired by Elizabeth Dobbs, was once again a sold-out event. The Benefit was held at AIS, and featured a new layout with estate seating throughout the new gym. The gym was beautifully and completely transformed by the décor chair, Tracy Britton, and her committee. Guests were also treated to a new community style food experience with deliciously authentic fare prepared by Sodexo and chaired by Shefali Patel. The entire night was a magical affair kicked off by speeches from Headmaster, Robert Brindley, and AIS alumna, Tini Bennett, and culminated in a performance by Theresa Hightower and her band. Thanks to our sponsorship team, chaired by Jennifer Pendergast and Eleanor Ratchford, a new sponsorship group, Friends of AIS, was formed. Twelve new sponsors participated as a result of the introduction of this new level of support. Strong performances continued from our silent auction, chaired by Linda Bruner, LynnAnne Huck and Christina Whitney, which showcased a beautifully designed Student Art display set up by Betsy Carpenter and Cynthia Normark. Two new elements to the silent auction were also added this year. Thanks to the leadership of Laurie Marion and Stefan Terwindt, we hosted our first online auction for the Real World Experience category, raising just over $8,000. Committee members, Jennene Cheshire-Rea and Tracie Slosberg, also reached out to the AIS faculty and staff to establish a new category. The priceless AIS Student Experiences allowed guests to bid on packages such as “Lunch with the Upper School Faculty” and “King or Queen of the AIS Menu.” You also may have had the pleasure of reading the newly introduced Spring Benefit Newsletter. Beautifully crafted by Tasha Boyd, the newsletter was distributed quarterly and featured information on newly acquired auction items, sponsor acknowledgement, and each issue spotlighted a different country in Africa.
What makes the Spring Benefit so special is the opportunity it provides for the students to give back to their community. Thanks to the hard work and creativity of the primary and middle school students under the direction of art teachers, Joyce O’Brien, Jennifer Pendergast and Marie-Laurence de Potesta, our Student Art category displayed some of its most beautiful pieces to date. Net proceeds from the event will be used to support financial aid, faculty development, academic programs and the general operations of the school. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event, and we look forward to your support next year!
Many thanks to members of the volunteer committee for all they gave to the Benefit:
Darcie Adler Stephane Bell Lael Bellamy Carolina Branch Claudia Brand Susan Hyde Brown Nadine Chamseddine Lorraine Charman Marcia Cowan Terri Croom Jennifer Culley Kristin Dean Marcelle DeCuir Ann Delbrassine Diane DeShazo Nicci Dozier Karen Dudley Jill Edee Anne Egros Beth Fernandez Cecilia Gil Dawn Hawkins Esther Hinrichs Carol Hoffmann Julia Hunt Holly Johnson Elisabeth Jordan Kelley Jordan-Monne Mylinda Kerr Karen Lamassonne Julie Latona Heidi Leithleiter Leigh Anne Mazzawi Nabiha Megateli-Das Joyce Melville Aarti Patel Shilpa Read Jill Reams Beth Reeves Maschanika Richardson Katrina Tapp Lisa Cannon Taylor Jean Terrell Janet Tirpak Barbara Vazquez Lisa Vivori Sylvia Williams Moira Wilson Stephanie Wren Lisa Young Patricia Yugueros Lara Zaller
Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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AIS is in the Green Summer Camp at AIS!
By Tracy Ballot, Senior Manager–Auxiliary Programs, Facilities and Services
It may be summer, but AIS is still in session! We offer language camps in German, French, Spanish, Chinese and English. Other programs include our Kaleidoscope Day Camp with varying themes, Basketball, Volleyball, Design Technology, Robotics, Theater, Chess, Tae Kwon Do, and ESL. Complimentary drop off starts at 8 a.m.; daily camps are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and our afternoon camp runs until 6 p.m. We will be here for you from June 8 through July 31. We provide carefully designed programs, activities and well-trained, dedicated staff in a caring, environment with premier facilities. Let us give you peace of mind as your children have an enriching summer experience filled with fun, new friends and opportunities to learn about the world and each other.
This year, the faculty, staff and student Green Committee members have been hard at work
Contact us at summercamp@aischool.org or call 404.841.3840. Register at www.aischool.org/camps and let the fun begin!
making AIS a more sustainable campus. Here are some examples of their achievements: Students • Our Student Green Committee participated in the second annual statewide Green Cup Challenge and took third place by helping AIS reduce its energy consumption by 22.09%! • The student Recycling Club collects batteries, ink cartridges and cell phones; Monies raised for these efforts goes to the charitable organization, Heifer International. Faculty • The Kaleidoscope After-School Program has a rain barrel that collects water for the students’ garden. • Grades 6 and 7conduct fieldwork projects on global warming. • Primary school students do composting to help the environment and learn about decomposition. Facilities • We installed four bike racks around campus to encourage community members to cycle to school. • From monitoring all our printers and copy center paper to cutting down on waste, we have reduced our use of paper by half! • All thermostats on campus will be changed to programmable ones. Completed areas have already seen a significant drop in our utility bills! • All fluorescent light fixtures have been changed to reduce energy consumption. • Timers in new buildings shut off lights when areas are not in use. • All new field floodlights are on timers and photocells to increase energy efficiency. • All of our exit light signs have been retrofitted from incandescent to LED bulbs to reduce energy consumption. • We have begun to use a building automation shutdown for heat pumps from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. to conserve energy. Dining Services • We now use biodegradable utensils and plates in the SAC Welcome Café and have switched to reusable utensils in the main cafeteria. • Instead of using individually wrapped condiments, we now use only bulk condiments. • We have implemented seasonal menus that highlight seasonal, locally grown vegetables. • We have installed napkin dispensers that extend only one napkin at a time, which eliminates waste. Messages about sustainability and good environmental stewardship are featured on the dispensers to keep the environment top of mind.
Grade 1 Students Enjoy Magical Day By Martha Korgi, Primary School Teacher As a part of our unit of inquiry, Magical Tales, grade 1 celebrated Character Day on April 8. The children dressed as their favorite story book characters. They also had healthy and delicious snacks provided by the parents. The entire school day was devoted to the children working on a variety of activities related to Magical Tale books. We paraded around the school, so everyone could enjoy the costumes in the afternoon. It was magical!
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Back by Popular Demand: AIS Announces the Return of Declining Balances Now Available for Grades 3 and Up! AIS Dining Services is committed to giving you the information and convenience you need to manage your student’s school meal account. We are pleased to let you know that we now offer MealPayPlus, an innovative service for parents that allows you to make prepayments as well as monitor your student’s purchases and account balances. At NO COST, MealPayPlus allows you to: • Create a free, secured account to manage all of your student’s accounts • Check your student’s current account balance • Monitor the items your student has been purchasing in the cafeteria • Create settings to receive email notifications when the account reaches a low balance For a small program fee, MealPayPlus allows you to: • Make a prepayment into your student’s meal account using a check, credit card, or debit card at www.mealpayplus.com or by calling 800.347.1096! Funds deposited through MealPayPlus are usually available for student use within a matter of minutes. This feature eliminates the need to send a check to school or worry about lost or forgotten lunch money. • Create settings to automatically replenish your student’s account when it reaches a low balance. To learn more about MealPay Plus, review our frequently asked questions section at: http://www.aischool.org/studentlife/cafeteria.html. To create a new account, visit www.mealpayplus.com. Follow the onscreen directions and register your student using his or her Student ID number, which can be found on the parent portal: www.aischool.org/parents/parentportal. We encourage you to visit www.mealpayplus.com or call 800.347.1096 today.
AIS School Store Goes Online By Amy Medford, Auxiliary Programs and Services Manager The school store is now online! We have partnered with three companies to ensure parents get everything they need. Chameleon Services provides PE uniforms and spirit wear; Binders offers some school supplies and developmental workbooks; and EPI offers the mandatory exercise workbooks for grades 6 to 10. These partnerships mean increased availability and guaranteed delivery. All developmental workbooks and exercise workbooks ordered prior to June 6 will be available for pick up on August 17 and 18. You no longer need to spend the start of the new school year waiting in line to purchase items. Simply stop by the school and collect your prepaid items! While we will no longer offer any items for sale in the SAC Café, we will have all PE items available in sample sizes for students to try on.You can stop by this summer between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and have your children try on the items they need. Then order online. Our online PE store offers more size variety, so everyone can find a size that fits. We have sizing charts and a customer service line to help in selecting the right size. The expanded size offering isn’t the only benefit of going online.Your PE items will be shipped directly to your house, so no more waiting in line, no more running out of sizes or items. This convenient service allows you to order when it suits your schedule and have your purchases arrive at your doorstep within five business days. All of the purchasing, log-in and delivery information you need can be found on the AIS website at http://www.aischool.org/studentlife/schoolstore/.
Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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Globetrotter’s
ALUMNI CORNER Campaigning for President Barack Obama By Ethan Lyle, Class of 2008 Just days after graduating from AIS, I found myself driving to Savannah, Georgia, knowing that whatever I did for the next four weeks would be to help Barack Obama be elected president. The intense, three-day training I had just finished at Spelman College still clouded my thoughts, and I still had not fully grasped the adventure I was about to embark on. Little did I know that in a few weeks, I would decide to forego leaving for college in August that year so I could continue my work with the campaign. Our state leadership quickly built a functioning organizational structure and brought in staff from the primaries that were ready to hit the ground running. Before long, we had formed the largest political ground game in the history of Georgia. We organized one of the biggest voter registration efforts ever seen in this country, registering more than 215,000 people. I was the youngest paid staff member in Georgia, but was motivated by the opportunity to lead training seminars with hundreds of attendees. During mid-August, I was assigned to design a presentation on campaign strategy for an upcoming all-state leadership training we had organized for activists throughout Georgia. I could easily have crumbled under the enormous pressure on my shoulders, so I learned to do my best and rely on those around me for support. The next stage of my adventure was brought about by a gargantuan shift in campaign strategy, and forty-eight hours later, I was headed to Florida. I had a righteous wind at my back, and the most daunting task I had ever been faced with in my short life in front of me. After making the long drive from Atlanta to Miami, I went straight to work at the region headquarters. My first task was to help prepare the upcoming Barack Obama rally scheduled at the University of Miami. After the rally, I spent a week updating the main office’s data processing system. Just as I was getting settled in, I was reassigned to southwest Florida! There, I took over an empty office in an area where we needed well over ten thousand votes on November 4. That assignment came with other responsibilities including lost absentee ballots and hours on the phone with lawyers and election workers, adding to the dirge surrounding an election already rife with hype, tension and craziness. All the noise and distraction did not deter us, however, because at the core of this campaign was a common thread that gave us direction and united us with a common purpose. Just like before, I was being stretched to my limit but was lucky enough to be assisted by many people more brilliant than I am, who made it possible to get the job done. On the campaign, I learned to remain constant through the good times and the hard times. The families I met at a public housing complex, who will be forced to move further from the city when the luxury housing developers come, made me appreciate why people wearing suits sitting at a conference table on the 90th floor do not always understand the problems we face. Sometimes, it takes a home-business owner telling you he is not going to make any money this month because no one can afford his services anymore. The stories I have heard and the people I have met guarantee that I will never look at anything the way I used to. An important vote or critical protest no longer centers on my taking ownership and participating. Instead, I am compelled by a sense of collective responsibility to get ten others to participate with me. When debating an issue in foreign or domestic policy, we must ask ourselves how it will affect regular people, as opposed to what the grandiose committees will be called or what the prolific flowcharts should look like. Now, more than ever, we are challenged to live by the creed of “I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper.” I was on the campaign to change the world. What I never expected was for the campaign to have such an impact on me. My experience is the story from the Obama Campaign you don’t see in newspapers. I was inspired to become a leader on the issues that are important to me, and for the first time, I have an idea of where I want to go in life. Somehow, one thousand words or even one hundred thousand words are not enough to describe my experiences in unequivocal terms. Edward Kennedy, in a single sentence, struck to the heart of embarking on an adventure to meet new people, learn new things about yourself and become forever changed by your experiences, “In the words of Tennyson that my brothers quoted and loved, and that have special meaning for me now: ‘I am a part of all that I have met…Tho much is taken, much abides.... That which we are, we are—One equal temper of heroic hearts, ...strong in will… To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’” These words, like my story, you do not just “quote” or tell, but you also “love” and live.
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Class of 2008: What Are They Up To?
Where Else But at AIS?
Many members of the Class of ‘08 are back in town before embarking on their summer adventures. Here’s the latest on their activities: Ethan Lyle is about to start a two-month internship that involves work with the White House administration office and then he will enroll at Johns Hopkins in the fall. Benji Schuttler completed his first year of the Huntsman Program at Penn State University. He is leaving soon for a French immersion experience after which he will accompany Huntsman Program colleagues to Tanzania to work developing business and tourism in the country. Manuel Grunenfelder is leaving for Switzerland where he has been offered an internship in the hospitality industry, which is perfect since he is studying hospitality at Boston University. Owing to size and strength, Richie Lopez was drafted to be a cheerleader at Villanova University this year. Next year, he will be playing rugby, and the cheerleaders will lose him. Lauren Olens has had a successful year at Washington University and is on a Birthright Trip to Israel. Pauline Badarani has enjoyed her year at McGill and is taking a course in Montreal this summer. Aida Curtis has completed her first year at Emory and is visiting her sister in Argentina for this summer. Elliott Flautt will be returning from eight months in Rwanda where he was teaching children and adults. The last few weeks of his trip were spent at Tini Bennett’s school in Tanzania. In what other school could one say that an alumnus taught in Rwanda, but dropped into a school in Tanzania to visit with a fellow alumnus ten years older than he is? Caroline Geiger returned from a gap year in Ghana and Ecuador. She will enroll at Tufts in August. Max Hunt successfully finished his first year in the bio-engineering program at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). He arranged for AIS to present the JHU Book Award to a deserving junior. How nice that alumni think so highly of their high school that they pursue this honor for the school! Alison Lenz has had a challenging but very successful year at Carnegie Mellon. Christina Theodore finished her first year at University of Virginia and has an internship in Italy this summer. Jenna Sanborn spent the fall at Bethania Orphanage in India and then several months studying at the Sorbonne and will meet with her parents for a European vacation before returning home after an eventful year. Yasmine Rosshandler has had a successful year at Agnes Scott College Rebecca Keng finished her first year at Vanderbilt where she will be a Latin American studies major. In addition to English, Chinese, and Spanish, she will learn Portuguese... Erons Ohienmhen is home for about two weeks from his first very successful year at MIT; He and Allison Lenz were comparing grades–all As and one B!
By Sandy Ferko, Upper School Counselor If you’ve been at AIS for any length of time, you’ve heard me boast about 1998 alumna, Tini Bennett who, after graduation from Roehampton University in London, made her way to Tanzania. She raised the money to build a school for an orphanage where she started as a volunteer. If you attended the recent Spring Benefit, you were fortunate to hear her speak about the school and what her time at AIS had meant to her. In 2008, graduate, Elliot Flautt, took a gap year and has been in Rwanda working and teaching since October. But, having heard all about Tini’s school, he decided to travel to Tanzania and visit with her before returning to the US. Where else but AIS? Tini’s older sister Nicki, who graduated from AIS in 1996, has worked for a number of years for Oxfam*, traveling all over the world where food and other kinds of aid are needed, but most of her time with Oxfam has been spent in Africa. Last summer, 2007 grad Sashi Leff, who had spent three summers in Senegal, met up with Nicki in Addis Ababa so that they could talk before Sashi made her way to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), part of the University of London. Where else but at AIS do students form such powerful connections? *Oxfam International is a confederation of 13 organizations working together and with partners and allies around the world to bring about lasting change.
Lucy Pettitt-Schieber finished her first year with honors at Georgia Tech. Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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El Día del Idioma By Luz Forero, Primary School Teacher The Spanish Department held its annual celebration, Día del Idioma, on April 17 this year. Among the activities to celebrate this event, we had our annual poetry contest organized by the Amigos Association, under the direction of Cynthia Zdonczyk. Cynthia has been a great support and made this day possible for the Spanish Department for the last two years. On that day, we also had the opportunity to meet the Mexican author of children’s literature, Maria Blanco Palacios and Yolanda Fernández, a storyteller from Atlanta. Barbara Borrero, upper school Spanish teacher, directed her students to perform a beautiful dance from her home country of Spain. On April 23, primary school students had the privilege of meeting Rodrigo Tobar, an illustrator of children’s books. He is the husband of Vanenka Mosqueira, our 5K assistant. He saw all Spanish students in the primary school and shared his expertise with them. The children were fascinated to hear how he gets his ideas for illustrations by using his imagination and interpreting the words of an author. After his presentation, some of our students decided to become illustrators too. The Spanish department would like to thank all the parents, volunteers, teachers and people involved for making this day another great success
AIS Students Promote Peace Through Poetry Along with several schools in Georgia, AIS participated in the Inspirational Messages of Peace Poetry Contest, held by the International World Peace Rose Gardens (IWPRG). The organization’s mission is “to advance peace and understanding amongst all the nations, cultures and religions of the world through the creation of rose gardens that become centers for youth and community activities.” Each year, in cooperation with the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site in Atlanta, IWPRG invites students to write a short, poetic thought of 35 words or less about peace, Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King or the special meaning of the rose gardens that have been planted at the different sites. Of the ten poems that were submitted by AIS primary school students, three were chosen as the final winners and will be displayed on plaques in the rose garden at the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site, for a year. The messages of peace will inspire the thousands of visitors who walk through the site each month. Congratulations to all our students who participated in the poetry contest this year! This year’s finalists were Ansley Toldeano, Alex Dotts, Deniz Sezer, James Dindorf, Arantxa Martinez-Gonzalez, Rafi Perez, Sarah Eidizadeh, Melinda Hartz, Annah Malik, Alex Dotts.
Winning poems When a Flower Blooms When a flower blooms a friendship blooms, When a friendship blooms love blooms. Love brings tolerance and creates peace, Equal rights feed peace and love. Let us surround the world with peace, Love and flowers. Deniz Sezer, Grade 4
Love, Hope, Peace LOVE, is what brought us TOGETHER, HOPE, is what we have for everyone’s DREAMS, PEACE, is what we want for our CHILDREN, And Martin Luther King INSPIRED it in us all. Ansley Toledano, Grade 4
Peace Peace is happy things Like hugging, kissing And saying I love you. Rafi Perez, 5K
10 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009
Spanish Poetry in Spring
Here are some of the winning poems
By Ilse Ortega, Secondary School Teacher
5K
During the month of April, students from 4K to grade 10 worked on developing their creative skills by writing different kinds of poems in Spanish. Students for whom Spanish is their first language and students for whom Spanish is a foreign language used Spanish as a means to articulate their thoughts and creativity. Poems written by students in the primary school and in the middle school were entered in a poetry contest organized by the Spanish-language cultural group, Amigos. In an effort to promote the Spanish language, Amigos celebrated “El Día del Idioma.” Students were grouped in four categories according to their grade levels, and the results were as follows: • 4K-5K category: Nicole Moreno (first place), Nocloe Croom (second place) and Matteo Schaffner (third place). • First to third grade category: Uni Valdivieso Wooldridge (first place), Serena Kapoor and Cristina Diaz (second place), and Anika Parashar (third place). • Fourth to fifth grade category: Helen Audrey Williams (first place), Eli Levy (second place) and Jayme Selby and Emily Cueto (third place). • Sixth to eighth grade category: Lorenzo Gonzalez –Lamassonne (first place), Sara Wren (second place) and Cristina Sanchez and Iris de Kerorguen (third place). Upper school students, on the other hand, took our poetry beyond AIS boundaries and participated in the Casa de la Cultura Hispanoamericana Poetry Contest competing against other prestigious schools in Atlanta Amongst all contestants, five finalists were chosen from each grade. These five finalists were invited to recite their poems in order to help judges select first, second and third places in each category, and the results were as follows:
First Place
Mi mamá Mi mamá es muy bonita. Huele a rosa y es maravillosa. Cuando me enfado con ella Aún la quiero es una bella. Es mi estrella. Eres mi vida que me ¡alucina! Nicole Moreno
Second Place
Cuando yo tenga un pony Voy a llamarlo Sony. Si yo encuentro un pony Voy a cuidarlo como una mascota Si yo veo un pony Voy a jugar pelota. Nicole Croom
Third Place
El bombero apaga el fuego El bombero apaga el fuego Después se va a su casa Va a jugar con sus legos Matteo Schaffner
Grades 1 & 2 First Place
El día está claro, el sol brilla Mi hermano Carlos me espera en la esquina. En la esquina una vaca me encontré como no tenía nombre Carlos le puse. ¡Ay Carlos, “mira “ que feo eres tú con oreja de elefante y nariz de avestruz. Uni Valdivieso.
• Ninth grade category: Inye Nosegbe (first place), Alexander Thomas (finalist) • Tenth grade category: Ana Paula Shelley (first place), Nicole Wilke (second place), Martha Correa (finalist) and Cecilia Winter (finalist).
Second Place
We, in the Spanish Department, are all very proud of our students. They have shown commitment to learning and taken the risk to express themselves through poetry even when, in some cases, Spanish was not their mother tongue. ¡Felicitaciones a nuestros poetas
Tierra de vida Los bebes están en sus cunas viendo la luna. Las personas son bellas como las estrellas. ¡Todos tenemos paz y nosotros queremos más! Serena Kapoor Pascua Pascua, pascua m gusta la pascua Un conejo de pascua viene Y da huevos con dulces adentro de los huevos ¡AY; AY! Yo como muchos dulces que me da un dolor de barriga. Todavía quiero más dulces ¡No, NO, No! Dijeron mi mamá y papá. No más dulces para el resto del día. Pascua, pascua me gusta la pascua. Cristina Díaz
Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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Ski Trip: AIS Students & Faculty Hit the Slopes
By Michelle Hibbert, Secondary School Teacher
This spring break, the physical education (PE) department at AIS once again had a successful ski trip to Breckenridge in Colorado. Four great days were spent skiing. The weather was mostly sunny, so students got great face tans! We spent our last night very well, eating a Gigantor Pizza, and to burn it off, ice skating became the main attraction! Great fun was had by all, and the PE department is in the process of organizing next year’s ski trip. This time, the destination is Lake Tahoe (Heavenly Village) on the California/Nevada border. Please contact mhibbert@aischool.org for more information.
Doing AIS PROUD! Through their accomplishments outside of school, our students bring honor to AIS and are a great source of pride to us.We are pleased to acknowledge a few of the recent successes: • “It is such a great pleasure to see students represent themselves and the AIS graciously outside the school day or a school-sponsored activity. I had this opportunity in April spending a Saturday at the Woodruff Art Center to listen to a recital by 16 young classical musicians who are all members of the Talent Development Program (TDP), a special program for aspiring minority classical musicians. This coveted program is rather difficult to get into since it offers the opportunity to study with master teachers, perform regularly in public, and participate in nationwide competitions. Two of the young musicians are AIS middle school students, Keanu (grade 7) and Myrtil Mitanga (Grade 8), a violinist and a cellist. I found out that even if you are a member of the TDP you have to play for judges before you are allowed to play in the public recital. Both of our students performed beautifully and should be very proud of themselves. Congrats also to their parents! You sure did us proud!” Christiane Box, Secondary School Teacher • Grade 12 student, Colin Hill, received the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize. The Emerson Prize is awarded annually to students published in “The Concord Review” during the previous year who have shown outstanding academic promise in history at the high school level. Colin is the first student from Georgia to win this award. Colin’s family believes that Colin’s achievement speaks very highly of the history program at AIS and the support he received from his history teachers as he conducted his research and wrote his paper on the Soviet Afghan war, which was published in the “Concord Review.” • Camille Williams (grade 2) submitted an entry to the “BE KIND TO ANIMALS WEEK” Student Contest and Exhibition, run by the Atlanta Humane Society, and was chosen as one of the 60 finalists. Her work was displayed at the Humane Society’s exhibition gallery in May. Congratulations Camille! • Nicole Dancz (grade 10) wrote a letter to President Obama, which was selected to be published in a book entitled, “Dear President Obama: Letters of Hope From Children Across America.” The book, published by Beckham Publications, was compiled and edited by Bruce Kluger and David Tabatsky. For more information, visit www.obamakids.us
12 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009
Globetrotter’s
Grammar Guru All “I’s” Are Not On “Me” By Globetrotter’s Grammar Guru Pride goes before a fall. The harder the fall, the more effective the lesson, and mine was swift and immediate. A few kindred spirits caught the glaring typo in the very first word in the title of the very first piece from this self-professed “Grammar Guru.” So much for pride. Like the owner of a brand-new car with its first dent, I will now relax and delve into the subject of today’s column: an educated error motivated by a similarly embarrassing personal stumble. A student of English language in college, I considered myself a moderately good writer and speaker with a firm command of grammar and usage. Imagine my discomfiture—it was the summer before my senior year—when my mother quietly asked, “Do you realize that you consistently misuse the first-person subject pronoun in compound constructions when the object pronoun is required?” (We are our parents’ children.) Defensive, I listened intently while my mother quoted me and uncovered my error. It was obvious. I was stunned. Afterwards, I caught myself making the error over and over again. My roommate, also an English major and a far better student than I, did it too. I enlightened said roommate, and, thanks to my mother, we sailed forth into the world, correcting students of our own. Yet, ever since, I hear this very basic error everywhere, and outside the classroom it is simply not polite to correct it. If a friend is close enough and confident—and I think would prefer NOT to make the mistake—I dare to point it out.Yet, most of the time, the benefit of correction does not warrant the loss of face involved. Ironically, insecurity and innocent arrogance underlie this error. In a linguistics class, I learned a label for it: hypercorrection, an overcompensating error made while trying to project oneself as cultured or elegant. Perhaps “I” commands more importance for adults because it is capitalized, but the preference for “I” over “me” gets reinforced in toddlerhood, thus its deep entrenchment. Babies simply pronounce “me” more easily so have to be coaxed to use “I” in the right places. The child who says, “Me and Tom want the ball” is corrected gently by his parent, “Tom and I want the ball.” This parent-teacher delivers a double, unstated message of good grammar and good manners: Name your friend first and use “I” as the subject of the sentence. The child who puts himself second will learn more readily how to share that ball. Notice that the underlying message is to be humble, something this error inadvertently is not. The frequent forced repetition in early years of “friend and I” causes the construction to jump to unintended places: 1) Pass Tom and I the ball. 2) Between Tom and I, we thought the referee’s call was unfair. 3) Signal Tom and I when you want us to pass the ball. In each of these cases, the construction “Tom and I” is used as a compound object: 1) indirect object, 2) object of the preposition “between,” and 3) direct object. Here are the correct forms: 1) Pass Tom and me the ball. 2) Between Tom and me, we thought the referee’s call was unfair. 3) Signal Tom and me when you want us to pass the ball. Once tuned in to the error, you will hear it littering conversation, lectures, announcements, the airwaves: it is one of the most common mistakes of the educated elite precisely because it is so common. We see it less in print because the grammar check in your word processing program catches it. How can we catch ourselves and use “me” when required? Note that the mistake happens ONLY when the object phrase is compounded, having two or more people in it. The answer lies in getting rid—just for a moment—of the compound part of the structure. In the singular, the native ear will almost always hear it and get it right. We would never say “Pass I the ball” or “Signal I when you want me to pass the ball.” So make the phrase singular, then trust your ear. Until “me,” “him,” “her,” “us,” and “them” disappear from the language, we ought to keep using them where they belong. Using “I” where “me” is correct is neither elegant nor simpler usage. It’s incorrectly trying to be correct.
The Globetrotter’s Grammar Guru column grapples with an “educated error” common among native English speakers. Readers are welcome to suggest topics for future columns or to catch errors in this column. Please write to “Globetrotter’s Grammar Guru,” globetrotter@aischool.org. Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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AIS Sports Report Celebrating Athletes Madison Scott and Ana De Olano By Oliver Flautt, Grade 10 As our athletics year draws to an end, we would like to reflect on the accomplishment of two of our athletes. Madison Scott, a junior, and Ana de Olano, a senior, have been selected to the all region team in their respective sports. This is quite an honor especially when competing at such a high level. As we celebrate this achievement, we must peer back into the past to fully grasp the magnitude of this accomplishment; they both were elected all-region team last year as well. Any athlete would be thrilled to be selected once, but twice? This is a feat we will remember for years to come! Ana de Olano is an all-around athlete. In her junior year, she was a varsity letterman in three sports. She received the award for Most Valued Player (MVP) for multiple sports and Atlanta International School Athlete of the Year. Ana’s senior season came along, and she decided to focus on volleyball. As we selfishly wanted to see her compete in soccer and basketball, we knew her true passion was volleyball. And to play in college, she would need to focus all of her energy to achieve a goal of this magnitude. Ana competed and accomplished more than we ever expected. As captain, she led her team with 341 kills, had 91 aces, 32 blocks and many other impressive numbers. She was elected to the region team once again, by other coaches in the region and led her Lady Eagles to their first-ever state tournament. Ana will attend Elon College in the fall and plans to try out for the volleyball team. We wish her the best and will always be thankful of her leadership, passion and determination. Thanks Ana for a wonderful career! As a sophomore, Madison Scott received much deserved recognition. After being named to the all region team, she received incredible news: Madison was selected to the all state team as well. Only a handful of deserving athletes, in the entire state, are honored with this prestigious and coveted award. We have been waiting anxiously to see how Madison would respond this season to her prior success. After a slow start, the Lady Eagles got things rolling, and Madison was in the middle of it all. She proved to be an unstoppable force once again. Madison finished the season with a game average of 17 points, 11 rebounds, numerous blocks and solidified herself as the leader of the team. She was awarded her second all region award and is working hard in the off season to try to top her last two seasons’ achievements. Madison, we thank you for your dedication and hard work. We all are looking forward to seeing you compete next year!
Important Athletic Dates for Summer and Fall Volleyball camp will take place the week of June 15. The camp is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is designed for rising sixth to twelfth graders. The cost for the week is $350. Basketball camp will be held the week of June 22. The camp is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is designed for all rising sixth to twelfth graders. The cost for the week is $350. Soccer camp will take place August 3 through August 6. Camp starts at 10 a.m., ends at 4 p.m. and is designed for all rising sixth to twelfth graders. This four-day camp costs $300.
Sports Physicals Every student who participates in athletics in the U.S. MUST have a completed physical evaluation form on file in the Athletic Department. The pre-participation form can be downloaded from http://www.aischool.org/athletics/forms. html. No other forms are acceptable. For your convenience, the Sports Boosters have arranged for Dr. Pettitt and her staff of volunteers to perform the procedure for a low cost of $20 per physical on August 17 and 18 in the SAC.You can also get this examination done at your pediatrician’s office; however, you must take the pre-participation form to the doctor’s office to be filled out. Physicals last for one school year. Any physicals completed before April 2009 are considered out of date and will not be accepted for the fall.
Parent Meeting A mandatory parent meeting for middle school and upper school parents to discuss the upcoming fall athletic season will be held on August 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the SAC. The meeting will address topics such as the athletic handbook, early dismissal, the importance of the Veracross Parent Portal, team parents, uniforms, concessions and other information. This meeting is a must for all parents whose children plan on participating in fall athletics. 14 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009
Start Dates for Athletics Volleyball Junior Varsity & Varsity: Wednesday, August 5 Time: August 5 to 12, 9 a.m. to 11:30, after August 12, practice starts for Upper School at 4:00 p.m. Age: Grades 9 to 12
Primary School Chorus Performs at Dogwood Festival By Karen Peters, Primary School Teacher The Primary School Chorus performed for the Atlanta Dogwood Festival on Sunday April 19. The chorus members sang in Chinese, Hebrew, French, and English. Along with their songs, they performed a ribbon dance, the hora, and a Broadway style dance. The audience was very enthusiastic in response to their singing and dancing. Thanks to Constance Heery for making the connection with festival organizers so that we could have this opportunity to represent our school and to simply have fun performing in the community
Middle School: Wednesday, August 24 Time: Full practice and game schedule will be posted online early this summer Age: Grades 6 to 8
Cross Country Upper School: Practice starts August 12 Time: August 12, 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. After August 19, practice starts for Upper School at 4:00 p.m. Age: Grade 9 to 12 Middle School: Practice starts August 24. Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Practice schedule will be posted online this summer. Age: Grade 6 to 8
Soccer Middle School: Practice Starts August 24 Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Practice schedule will be posted online this summer.
AIS Students Tackle Global Issues at Model United Nations Conference By Simon Underhill, Secondary School Teacher On May 14, 20 ninth and tenth grade students traveled to New York City for the 10th Annual UNA-USA Model United Nations conference. This is one of the largest conferences with over 2,200 students from all over the US and the world taking part. Over two intense days of debate and discussion, our students tackled some of the more intractable and pressing issues in today’s world: the situation in Myanmar, climate change, illicit trafficking of small arms and nuclear containment, to name but a few. Considering many of the students were much older and more experienced, the AIS delegation presented itself extremely well, regularly taking a leading role in discussion and in the formation of resolutions. In the closing ceremony, held in the United Nations General Assembly Room in the UN Building in Manhattan, six of our students were recognized with Honourable Mentions in the Position Paper category: Lindsey Sanborn and Ula Kulpa; Alex Richards and Andrew Wooster; and Ana Paula Shelley and Alexandra Douvre. Our delegation’s performance as a whole was outstanding, and the students were a credit to themselves and fine ambassadors for our school.
Age: Grades 6 to 8
Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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A Prom with a Difference Rather than splurge on a lavish dinner at a restaurant on prom night, AIS seniors supported a worthy cause by attending the annual fundraiser for Bethania Orphanage. After enjoying a delicious Indian meal and live entertainment at the event, the soon-to-be graduates proceeded to their prom. Here’s what two of the attendees had to say about the experience:
Megan McGraw, Grade 12 “The dinner was a great way to end the school year together.The food was really
good, and I’m glad we got to help Ms. Shanta and the orphanage one last time before she and the rest of us leave AIS.”
Daniel Levine, Grade 12 “As a “senior” attendee of the Bethania orphanage pre-prom fundraising event, I was amazed by the incredible performances put on by our
peers. Furthermore, it was clear that great effort went into preparation, for the overall presentation and food were exquisite. … we, as a grade, were immensely happy to support Mrs. Shanta in her endeavors. Finally, the event had great personal importance as, in addition to the primary task of providing aid to Bethania Orphanage, the fundraising event also acted as a sort of formal farewell to our beloved teacher and (for some of us) advisor, Ms. Shanta. All in all, it presented a unique, giving way to start off the senior prom.”
Cakes for Cows Bake Sale Raises Funds to Buy Cows for Bethania Christiane Box, through her famous German Bake Sale, raised enough money to buy two milking cows with calves for Bethania. The cows have been named Nina and Lisa after Christiane’s daughters, and the calves are Boxey and Ellen. Thank you to all who baked the cakes and to all who bought the cakes!
16 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009
ISAL Raises Awareness of Landmine Crisis By Dina Goodman, Grade 11 International Students Against Landmines (ISAL), a student-based community service group at AIS, just completed its twelfth year. We work to raise awareness about antipersonnel weapons, such as cluster bombs and landmines, and we also fundraise to ban landmines worldwide. Nearly every 30 minutes, someone is killed or maimed by a landmine. The majority of victims are children and innocent civilians. While it costs as little as $3 to create a landmine, the cost of removing a landmine can be over $1,000. Such chilling statistics bring to light only part of the gruesome threat that landmines pose. In the past year, ISAL has expanded its focus towards cluster bombs, which are air-dropped weapons that release several smaller bombs. Although a large number of landmines are still active, and cluster bombs are still commonly used, ISAL has contributed to the eradication and prohibition of such indiscriminate weapons. In fact, this year we created a petition against the exportation of cluster bombs that was signed by hundreds of AIS students and then mailed to Washington DC. The group, along with several others nationwide, was successful because the American Congress and President Barack Obama, in March of 2009, passed a bill banning the exportation of cluster bombs. There is still work to be done because this bill does not stop the American creation and use of cluster bombs. Furthermore, this year, ISAL donated $1,700 to Reverend Joyce Myers-Brown, the Atlanta chair of Adopt-A-Minefield, an international organization affiliated with the United Nations. Over the past 12 years, ISAL has donated over $15,000 to Adopt-A-Minefield. In April alone, ISAL made just over $1,900 by selling T-shirts, barbequing during the senior and junior girls’ powder-puff football game, and hosting our annual talent show. The talent show, which took place on the evening of April 24, consisted of dance numbers by faculty members, an impersonation of Simon Cowell by Mr. Hurworth, and a myriad of student talents. Meanwhile, every dollar made from ticket and concession sales, donations, and raffles was placed in the ISAL account so that another sizeable donation can be made next year. Raising awareness is a key approach for resolving the current landmine crisis. It is imperative that the problem receive significant attention to gain more support for the group. As a result, ISAL holds a yearly presentation to the AIS upper school about the cause and the problem at hand. However, in the future, we aspire to find a more hands-on method of participating in the fight against landmines. Hopefully in the coming years, a portion of the group will be able to travel to an afflicted country and volunteer by aiding affected civilians. International Students Against Landmines thanks the AIS community for all of the support it has given the group in the past. Such a cause could not be undertaken without support. All support is appreciated, whether in the form of encouragement, the purchase of a T-shirt, or a donation.
Students From Dresden Thank AIS Community As part of a 10-year-old exchange program with the St. Benno Gymnasium in Dresden, four students from Dresden spent eight weeks at AIS earlier this year. Here is what they had to say about their stay:
“The past seven weeks have been an amazing, exciting time for the four of us—the German exchange students from Dresden. Our lovely host families, our wonderful exchange students who became very close friends, the teachers who supported and challenged us, the friendly students, and the awesome soccer team and coaches at AIS who welcomed us with open arms, are the main reasons why we enjoyed our time as much as we did.We can not thank you enough for all the love you gave to us! All of us are looking forward to coming back to Atlanta one day in the future.Thank you very much for everything!”
Marlene Augerman, Katharina Saul, Uli Spindler and Juliane Fritz (grade 10)
Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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On the Other Side of the Desk By Mary McCarney, Primary School Teacher I often joke with my students that when I started school as a five-year-old, I liked it so much that I never left! This may be my twentieth year as a teacher, both in my native England and now at AIS, but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped being a learner too. For me, professional development is a crucial part of examining and improving my role as an educator. Therefore, I was thrilled to have the opportunity in February to attend a Primary Years Programme (PYP) workshop in New York, together with my AIS colleagues, Dianne Potdevin and Laura Branam. As we are all new teachers at AIS (and also new to the PYP), this was a valuable opportunity for us to broaden and deepen our understanding of the PYP. It was also a wonderful chance for us to spend time getting to know each other and meeting teachers from other International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools. The workshop was informative, stimulating and affirming. We explored the philosophy of the International Baccalaureate, sampled different classroom activities and looked at how to plan units of inquiry. We focused on the learner profile and discussed our role as teachers. The sessions were informal and collaborative, with interesting questions to ponder. Being able to exchange ideas with teachers from around the world was fascinating, and also provided us with a whole variety of new strategies and activities to share with our students back at AIS. And of course, being based in the heart of the Big Apple for three days was an exciting experience in itself. Having explored Manhattan, we prepared to return to Atlanta just as a winter snow-storm blew in. With our flights home cancelled, we were forced to spend an extra night in New York, and Dianne (who is from Colombia) got to see snow for the first time in her life—an unexpected highlight of our trip! Back in my classroom at AIS, as I apply the principles of the PYP, I encourage my first grade students to self-evaluate and reflect on their role as learners. In New York, I was able to take time out from my busy school schedule, sit back at a desk, become a student all over again, and reflect on my role as a PYP teacher. What a precious opportunity! Thank you, AIS, for your continued commitment to professional development.
First Grade English Students Celebrate St. George’s Day By Mary McCarney, Primary School Teacher A little corner of England appeared at AIS on April 23 as Mrs. McCarney’s first graders celebrated St. George’s Day. St. George is the patron saint of England, and his feast day on April 23 is England’s national day. As part of their unit on Magical Tales, Mrs. McCarney’s English students listened to the legend of St. George and the Dragon and then painted their own beautiful dragon for the first grade display board. “I think St. George was really brave when he slayed the dragon!” first-grader Alexa Richardson commented. The students also put together a map puzzle of the British Isles and made Union Jack flags. “I think it’s really cool that three different countries are all together in one flag,” said Haley Patton. Other activities included research work on the culture and traditions of England and cuddling the class bear, Paddington (who is named after the famous London train station). “I really enjoyed painting the dragon”, said Grant Huyghe, while classmate Ethan Hartz commented that he liked learning about new places. Some of the students’ work, including their colorful dragon, can be seen on display in the first grade hallway. 18 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009
Atlanta International School Honors Assembly 2009 Congratulations to the following students for their outstanding achievements this year!
Special thanks to AIS alumni who participated in our Honors
Group 1: First language Group 2: Second Language Group 3: Social Sciences Group 4: Science Group 5: Mathematics Group 6: The Arts Thespian National Art Honor Society Award National Choral Award National Orchestra Award National Band Association Outstanding Musicianship Award Louis Armstrong Memorial Jazz Award John Philip Sousa Memorial Band Award Jones Day Mock Trial Scholarship Governor’s Honors Recognition
Assembly by presenting Book
Quitterie Gounot Shelbi Vaughn Colin Hill and Kelsey Sanborn Richard Smith Adrien Pellerin Adrien Pellerin Sarah Wattles and Adrien Pellerin Ana de Olano Amelia Zuver Cio Brandau
Awards from their schools:
Eva Imbsweiler from Vanderbilt University Kristine Vanijcharoenkarn from Yale University
Anusha Sthanunathan and Daniel Levine Ben Murphy Marvin Fichtmueller Hortense Badarani Ian Hill (in Physics)
Scholar Athlete and Coaches’ Awards Scholar Athlete Coaches’ Award
TC Winter and Tanya Lancaster Ana de Olano, Eve Laurent and David Collura
Emilia Hermann and Giselle Dutcher from University of Pennsylvania Max Hunt from Johns Hopkins University Charles Vanijcharoenkarn from Harvard University
State and National Recognition Awards Class of 2009 Valedictorian Class of 2009 Salutatorian Class of 2010 Georgia Merit Certificates
National Merit Awards
AIS Service Award Barnard College Book Award Brandeis Book Award Bryn Mawr College President’s Book Award Caltech Alumni Book Award Colgate University Book Award Columbia University Book Award Dartmouth College Book Award Harvard Book Award Johns Hopkins Book Award New College Junior Scholars Award Rensselaer Polytechnic Award University of Pennsylvania Book Award Vanderbilt University Robert Penn Warren Award Wellesley College Book Award Yale Book Award Journal Cup
Adrien Pellerin Colin Hill Claire Colberg, Brian Pettitt-Scheiber, Hortense Badarani and Joanna Palmer
Annie Farrell and Hannah Shore Shannon Harkins Robin Kuik Tati Manidis Ian Hill Dina Goodman Kareem Rosshandler Brian Pettitt-Schieber Hortense Badarani Rana El-Nahas Guillaume LaBalle Charles Laurent Claire Colberg
Bi-Lingual Diplomas • 36% of the Class of 2009 obtained bilingual diplomas. • 12% of the class studied two A1 languages, the highest level of language available. • 24% of students worldwide obtain the bilingual diploma
.
Nicola Pardy Emmaline Campbell Dixon Adair Adrien Pellerin
ECIS Awards for International Understanding Middle School Upper School Faculty
Emily Cohen Ana de Olano Françoise Monier Atlanta International School Newsletter / June 2009 • Globetrotter
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“Into the Woods”
Primary School Field Day
Middle School Field Day
Globetrotter
The Globetrotter is the newsletter of Atlanta International School. Letters to the Editor should be sent to:
Our new century needs and will be shaped by extraordinary individuals. Meeting the challenges and opportunities of an interdependent world will require versatile intellectual competence and uncompromising commitment. Those who thrive in and contribute to this world will have a solid sense of who they are, and respect for who others are, as individuals, as members of a group, as citizens of their nation, and as members of a global community. They will have a rigorous academic preparation and a passion to become the best they can be and to help others achieve their best. The mission of Atlanta International School is to develop such individuals.
Gordana Goudie Communications Manager Atlanta International School 2890 North Fulton Drive • Atlanta, GA 30305 404.841.3879 • globetrotter@aischool.org Submissions may be edited for length or content prior to publishing. Visit us on the web at www.aischool.org
Mission