The MulTi-SporT paThway: SucceSS in School and Beyond
Alice Curwood, Cross Campus Vice Principal, Extra Curricular Activities and Sports
In today’s increasingly competitive sporting world, there is a noticeable trend of young athletes focusing on a single sport from an early age. However, numerous studies have shown that participating in multiple sports during school years offers significant advantages. These benefits extend beyond athletic performance, contributing to the development of essential life skills and promoting longterm health and well-being.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND MULTI-SPORT PARTICIPATION
Studies from the UK and around the world suggest that early specialisation can lead to increased injury risk, burnout, and even a decline in longterm performance. A 2023 study by Manchester Metropolitan University, in collaboration with the Youth Sport Trust (YST) and the Heads Conference
(HMC), surveyed students aged 1315 and found that sports participation in numerous sports throughout their time at school correlates with higher levels of fulfilment, confidence, and mental toughness.
Playing different sports for longer can help young athletes develop complementary skills. Examples of this include:
•Football and Basketball improve agility, spatial awareness and decision-making.
•Swimming and Athletics builds cardio-vascular endurance, power and efficient movement mechanics.
•Tennis and Rugby enhance coordination, reaction time and muscular balance.
Here are three stories of world class athletes who credit their success at the top level to a multi-sport background.
•Michael Jordan (Basketball and Baseball) – The legendary basketball player also played professional baseball with the Chicago White Sox, where he honed his handeye coordination, focus, and mental toughness.
•Emma Raducanu (Tennis, Ballet and Swimming) – The British tennis star credits her diverse sporting background with improving her movement, flexibility, and mental resilience.
•Marcus Smith (Rugby and Football) – England’s rugby star played football at a high level before fully committing to rugby, which helped enhance his kicking accuracy and game awareness.
CASE STUDIES OF YEAR 13 STUDENTS – WHAT DOES THIS PATHWAY LOOK LIKE AT BANGKOK PATANA?
MOVEMENT FOR LONGEVITY
Playing multiple sports teaches valuable life skills that extend far beyond the pitch or court. Adaptability and problem-solving are seen when adjusting to different sports, teammates, and strategies, in turn fostering resilience and creativity. Social skills and teamwork are gained through exposure to different team dynamics, enhancing our communication and collaboration skills. Reducing fatigue through varied training schedules keeps students engaged and motivated, whilst reducing the likelihood of dropping out of sport or physical activity altogether.
At Bangkok Patana we are committed to supporting multi-sport participation to ensure our students reap these benefits. Our strength & conditioning (S&C) programme, led by Imprimis Performance, plays a key role in this approach, developing students’ movement fluency,
functional patterns, strength, and can help with injury prevention. Our seasonal sports programme allows students to experience a range of sports throughout the academic year. By aligning training and competitions with each sport’s season, we ensure that students maintain commitment to physical activity, while continually adding to their skillset.
Role models can play a crucial role in encouraging a well-rounded sporting experience. While it is natural to want to support a child’s passion in a particular sport, it
is also important to provide opportunities for diversity and balance. Encouraging children to try different sports, supporting them through rest and recovery, and focusing on long-term development rather than immediate success can make a huge difference. Fostering confident, adaptable, and lifelong movers is a key driver for providing multi-sport opportunities. By embracing variety in our sporting programme, students not only enhance their development and performance, but also build a skillset to support their next pathway, hopefully remaining healthy, active, and resilient in adulthood!
3d Modeling in The priMary School
Max Hopwood, Leader of Primary Technology
Each year, Primary students in Years 4 and 5 are immersed in the world of 3D modeling and design thinking, thanks to the powerful online tool, TinkerCAD. Paired with our state-of-the-art Bambu P1S AMS 3D printers and the skilled support from the Primary Technology team, our students undertake innovative projects teaching them valuable skills in research and design. They each produce detailed models that require technical skills, creativity and cultural awareness.
FROM LANDMARKS TO SPACE COLONIES
Year 4 students begin by researching chosen architectural or cultural landmarks often from their home countries or local surroundings. This could range from a majestic temple in Thailand to a unique skyscraper in a capital city. With TinkerCAD, students translate their ideas into 3D models, experimenting with shapes, dimensions and symmetry to accurately reflect their chosen landmarks.
Through this process, students begin to appreciate design elements of architecture both ancient and modern, while honing their skills in measurement, scaling and spatial awareness.
In Year 5, students look to the stars. They are challenged
to design interstellar vehicles or habitats and equipment for Martian or Lunar colonies. This project encourages them to think beyond Earth’s gravity, allowing freedom to collaborate on interconnecting designs.
The emphasis on space exploration taps into students’ natural curiosity while pushing their creative boundaries. It’s also an exciting way to explore engineering concepts and the real-world applications of 3D design.
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
TinkerCAD is an intuitive and free online platform that makes Computer-Aided Design (CAD) accessible to learners of all ages. With its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, students can play and explore without fear as they steadily create more and more intricate 3D designs.
Through this tool, students gain essential skills, including:
•Shape Manipulation: Grouping and ungrouping 3D shapes to create custom designs
•Precision and Measurement: Learning to think in three dimensions and use accurate measurements (mm/cm) to ensure symmetry and alignment.
•Problem-Solving: Experimenting with ideas and revising designs based on what works best.
•Collaboration: Sharing designs and seeking peer feedback to improve their models.
TinkerCAD bridges the gap between imagination and reality, allowing students to bring their ideas to life in a tangible way.
STATE-OF-THE-ART RESOURCES
At Bangkok Patana, learning doesn’t stop at the screen. Thanks to our stock of fantastic 3D printers, students can turn their digital designs into real-world prototypes and keepsakes. Watching their virtual models come to life in physical form is a rewarding experience that builds confidence in their own ability.
Our Primary Technology team ensures that every student has the support they need to succeed, from learning the basics of CAD to troubleshooting designs and prototype challenges.
EXPLORE TINKERCAD AT HOME
Families are encouraged to explore TinkerCAD at home, where students can experiment with designs, create their own projects and even teach their parents a thing or two about CAD. This free tool is accessible on any internet-connected device and offers endless possibilities for learning and fun. Students can sign in using the Google Single Sign On (SSO) option by entering their Patana username and password.
EMPOWERING TOMORROW’S DESIGNERS
By integrating TinkerCAD into our Primary Technology curriculum, Bangkok Patana School is equipping students with skills for the future. Whether they dream of becoming architects, engineers or astronauts, this program fosters creativity, critical thinking, and a love for problem-solving that will serve them for years to come.
We can’t wait to see what our talented students design next—whether it’s a tribute to their cultural heritage or a bold vision for life beyond Earth!
The Year 8 String Ensemble have been working on Dua Lipa’s hit, Dance The Night in their music lessons. We decided to hit the recording studio and invite Patana’s very talented sound engineers and videographers… and we are so pleased with the result!
Enjoy the video!
School announceMenTS
Dear Parents,
Invoices for Term 3 school fees (2024/25) were sent out on Wednesday, 19th February 2025. If you have not received your invoice, please contact the Accounting Department or email accounts@ patana.ac.th.
Please note that the payment deadline is Friday, 21st March 2025. Payments made after this date will incur a late fee of 1% per month.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
FOBISIA
Tennis 2025 was once again held at Arena Hua Hin with both the Junior and Senior weekends happening on back to back three-day weekends.
Although the Junior weekend is primarily Bangkok based, schools with the addition of a few overseas players, it is an excellent first trip for many. The U10 event saw 50 boys and 24 girls battle it out whilst the U11 event had 51 boys and 20 girls competing.
Our team was spread evenly across all age groups and genders and with the U10 matches played in the morning and U11 in the afternoon, it gave them all a good opportunity to play, support each other and have a bit of pool and beach time to rest and recover.
All events were set up with a group stage followed by knockout rounds with the top two in the Boys’ and top four in the Girls’ qualifying for the knockout rounds.
All our players performed well with 21 qualifying for the Sunday rounds. Although we didn’t manage to take home any titles, three players: Rui (U11 Boys), Pakin (U10 Boys) and Molly (U10 Girls) finished as runners up in their respective categories. Emily (U10 Girls) and Nicha (U11 Girls) finished 3rd, whilst Ontvarin (U10 Girls) and Alex (U10 Boys) 4th. In the plate events which were for group runners up, Luka won the U11 Boys and Emilia was 2nd in the U11 Girls.
The Senior event was split into three categories: U13,
Daniel Ahl, Head Tennis Coach
U15 and Over 15.
Again, we were very well represented with 29 students competing out of total of 186 overall entries. With so many competitors, matches started at 6.30am each morning with practise from 6.00am and with play finishing at 8.00pm, the coaching staff were kept busy - luckily the students were split into time slots throughout the day by age group so they had a bit more flexibility.
Many overseas schools attended with schools from the Philippines. Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Taipei and Malaysia taking part to join the Bangkok teams.
The Senior event followed the same format as the Junior event and 24 of our players qualified for the second stage.
Performance wise, Anton was Champion in the U13 category playing excellent tennis all weekend whilst Rinka narrowly was beaten in the final of the Over 15 Girls event. Asama reached the semi final of the Over 15 event but fell short in both her semi and 3/4 play off so finished 4th.
We had more success in the Plate with Pip (Over 15) and Pippa (U15) winning their categories.
Anya and Taisuke won the Coaches Choice and True Grit awards, which they received at the gala dinner.
Many thanks to Coaches Pie, Gift, Ball and Rung for supporting all players and watching plenty of matches.
d e S igning F or c hange :
John Clare, Design + Technology Teacher
Overthe course of Year 12 and 13, our Design+Technology students have taken multiple trips to The Village International Education Centre as part of their internal assessment and undertaken their own design pro-
ject, focusing on socially responsible design. We take four visits to The Village throughout the project, with each visit demonstrating the fantastic work our students have done here at Bangkok Patana, developing their investigation and initial ideas to fully functioning working prototypes.
Pon’s project is best described as possibly the most commercial idea of the class. A well developed design that began with a focus on one specific user and their very individual needs. Pon’s development work explored a number of different concepts, ranging from fine and gross motor skills to friendly competition amongst classmates. The outcome of this project was a huge success, visible from the enjoyment her intended users had during product testing.
PONRAPI (PON) KASEMSRI NA AYUDHAYA
Working with a user group from The Village International Educational Centre, I developed a product with the goal of helping the students’ cognitive and language skills. Creating a toy that challenges the students’ learning skills is essential to developing the children’s language skills so they can live a fulfilling adult life.
After working closely with the staff and students, I made continuous improvements to my design like introducing tactile elements to expand the scope of my design. The
constant collaboration provided invaluable feedback, stimulating my design process.
My project, an educational resource, is a game aimed to mentally challenge students, while teaching them resilience and determination. Through the combination of tactile and mental stimulus, this design offers a fun challenge for the students at the village school, hopefully encouraging active participation and classroom bonds.
D+T STuDenTS ShowcaSe Their DeSignS
Emily’s outcome of this project is one that is truly inclusive of all needs, regardless of needs. Emily’s initial designs and modelling process was a joy to witness and it was a difficult decision to narrow these down to the developed design you see now. The prototype is well designed, developed with longevity in mind.
In my project, I worked with a client from The Village International Education Centre. We discussed the wants and needs of the users to further benefit the development of my design.
My goal was to design a product with an educational purpose to support children with needs of physical movements, focusing on fine motor skills and specifically the
pincer movement, an essential skill for everyday life.
After receiving feedback from staff, I identified specific areas within my prototypes, which needed change and improved the function of the existing prototypes. The final design provides an engaging learning experience, supporting the children’s developmental progress while encouraging active participation.
EMILY KENDLE
inTernaTional woMen’S day aSSeMBly:
Year
7
Bangkok Patana School celebrated International Women’s Day on Friday, the 7th of March. During the assembly, which was lead by Mr Meadows (Head of Year 7), we learned even though some people are recognising gender equality, it won’t be until 2158, that boys and girls will have the same opportunities and rights. This year emphasises that we need to pick up the pace, and start quicker decision making, if we want to achieve real equality sooner.
We then discovered why Women’s Day was so important. We were asked questions like: “Why does it matter?” or “What’s the point?”” 8th March is truly significant because it’s
the one day in the year that underlines the global need for equal rights. We also covered important days for women in history including 1911 when Women’s Day first came into the world from the work of the International Working Women Conference. Then, in 1914, there was a suffrage march in London, calling for Women’s right to vote. Lastly, in 2001 a website https://internationalwomensday. com/ was launched to raise awareness.
We also talked about inspiring women, with participation from the students, each presenting their own person. For example, Serena Williams or Malala Youasafzai. After the
7 students were done speaking, we were asked one of the most important questions in the entire assembly: “Who are the inspirational women in YOUR life?” We were also given a task: We had to message or speak to those inspirational women in our life and tell them three things that inspired us about them.
Overall this assembly helped raise awareness about gender equality, teach us about the history of it, and so much more in between. I can easily say that gender equality is one of the most important and useful topics in our well-being curriculum
Alice Murphy, 7U
oMMuniTy engageMenT aT Bangkok paTana
Holly Myers and Ranya Omair, Year 13
HER PERIOD DIGNITY
As Saturday 8th March was International Women’s Day, we want to reflect upon our group, HER period dignity’s achievements over the past year.
HER Period Dignity is an inter-school group across Asia that has helped hundreds of women. Founded in 2021, HER began at RIS in Bangkok, and in 2023, a chapter was launched at Bangkok Patana. HER aims to provide affordable, safe and sustainable menstrual supplies and products to women and girls predominantly in Thailand and across Asia. We do this predominantly through fundraising, distribution, partnership and advocacy. HER has a line of sustainable sanitary products, and through the production companies, jobs are being provided to women who would otherwise be unemployed.
Within our school, this year, we have continued to raise our profile and funds. Our period simulator event raised over THB 5,000. This was our second time running the period simulator event, and it was always a success, gaining a lot of attention from younger students, especially the boys. Whilst it’s not entirely medically accurate, it is a good way to get the message across. We added a
new layer to the event this year, getting the participants to partake in everyday activities such as weightlifting, school work and colouring in. We also changed locations to the hard court to have more space. Overall, this event was a success, and we can’t wait to run it again.
Another highlight of HER’s achievements of this year was promoting our club through Instagram and TikTok. Not only did this create a new role within our team, Social Media Manager, but it also improved our online presence and awareness of our club. Being a relatively new team, this is important to ensure that when preexisting members graduate, there will be new students to take over.
On that note, we are changing over the leadership of HER with our presidents being in Year 13 and graduating soon. We are proud of all HER has achieved within the last two years and hope that our club continues to grow.
The perfect project for the Songkran break... E c o - I n n o v a t o r s
Key Event Details
�� Date: April 30th
�� Location: Exhibition Hall Bangkok Patana School
Schedule: 4:00 - 4:30pm Judging, 4:305:00pm Awards and Speeches
For more details: CLICK HERE
Guest Judge - Sri Hollema Founder - Mat Zero I
Building Fine MoTor SkillS For liFe
Heather Rising, Leader of Primary Support for Learning
Snipping, moulding, threading, spraying, shaking, pinching, buttoning, scrunching, tying and tracingthere was a flurry of tiny motions in the Primary Hall, as parents participated in a workshop hosted by seven members of the Primary School Support for Learning department on the importance of fine motor development.
The development and co-ordination of the small muscles in the hands and fingers is vital to success with countless activities in life. The many muscles in the hand don’t automatically become strong or adept, and if the development is uneven, playing instruments, writing with a pen, typing efficiently and quickly, crafting, and daily tasks such as doing buttons or tying shoes can be frustrating.
To model how it might feel to be a child still developing fine motor movements, parent volunteers were asked to put on oven mitts and quickly open wrapped boxes containing sweet packets, then share the candy with their group. Not as easy as it seemed. Everyone was a great sport!
Parents then had the opportunity to reflect on the sequence and the development of fine motor skills. Next, it was time to stand up and get active.
Parents circulated between six stations to learn about, and practice, ways to strengthen the different muscles. The SFL department had parents tying shoes, stringing beads, picking pompoms up with tweezers, snipping cat’s spiral tails, spraying water, kneading and cutting dough, opening jars, grabbing up fruit, tracing letters, practicing writing movements with chalk, and so much more.
In addition to the ideas offered in the workshop, parents were able to take home a post card with recognition of their efforts within the framework of the Characteristics of Effective Learning, and one hundred fine motor activities they could try at home.
The SFL department would like to thank all of the parents for their enthusiasm and “being willing to have a go”.
priMary MaThS challenge 2025
Tanya-Peake Hutchins, Assistant Leader of Support for Learning
“I have a cube whose sides all measure 10cm. I paint it purple all over and then cut it up into 1,000 cubes each of volume 1. How many of these cubes are painted on just one face only?”
This is just one question encountered by students taking part in the Primary Mathematics Challenge (PMC) taken by many students across Years 5 and 6 in November.
Congratulations to all those who took part in the PMC. The results reflect not only the students’ individual achievements and enthusiasm for Maths, but underscore the school’s commitment to fostering a strong foundation in Mathematics.
In February, students who scored 20 and above in the initial round of the PMC were then invited to take part in the BONUS round. 13 students took part and collectively they were awarded 5 BRONZE, 2 SILVER and 3 GOLD certificates.
Congratulations to Ho Yuen (Aiden) from 6S, Eunu, 6M and Ricky, 6T for their exceptional performance in achieving a gold certificate.
would you eaT a crickeT For The planeT?
Ana Bolakoso, SEC Co-President
You’ve
just sat down for a burger. It looks juicy, smells amazing… but surprise! It was grown in a lab. Or maybe it’s made from mushrooms. Or (plot twist) it’s packed with ground-up crickets. Welcome to the future of food—where your dinner plate might look normal, but science is working overtime behind the scenes to make it sustainable. But is it actually better for the planet? And more importantly… would you eat it? Let’s dive in.
The Problem: Our Food System is an Environmental Nightmare
We love food. A lot. But our current way of producing it? Not so great for the Earth.
• The meat industry is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (yes, cows and their legendary digestion are a major culprit).
• Factory farming guzzles water like there’s no tomorrow—producing just 1kg of beef takes about 15,000 litres of water.
• Deforestation is wiping out rainforests to make room for more cows, chickens, and soybeans (which are mostly grown to feed livestock, not people!).
So, unless we all want to live in a desert eating overpriced lettuce, we need better food solutions.
THE FUTURE OF FOOD: WHAT’S ACTUALLY ON THE MENU?
Forget everything you know about burgers, nuggets, and snacks—scientists, startups, and chefs are reinventing food as we speak. Here are the most promising alternatives:
1. Bug-Based Protein: The Future is Crunchy
Before you gag, hear us out—bugs are an amazing protein source. They’re already eaten by 2 billion people worldwide, from Thailand’s fried silkworms to Mexico’s spicy chapulines (grasshoppers).
Why bugs?
• More protein than beef (tiny but mighty).
• 99% less water & land use (no deforestation needed).
• Nutty & crunchy taste (like popcorn… kind of).
What’s on the menu?
Cricket protein bars (sneaky sustainable snack), bugbased tortillas (the secret ingredient? Crushed mealworms)
and insect flour waffles (breakfast with an eco-twist).
2. Lab-Grown Meat: Real Meat, No Animals Required
What if you could eat a juicy burger without killing a cow? That’s exactly what lab-grown meat is doing—literally growing meat from animal cells in a lab.
Why it’s cool:
• Same taste and texture as real meat (because it IS real meat).
• No animal cruelty (great news for cows).
• 90% lower carbon emissions (scientists, we salute you).
What’s on the menu?
Lab-grown burgers (already served in some restaurants), cultivated chicken nuggets, petri-dish sushi (coming soon to a sushi bar near you?).
Is it weird? A little. But Singapore has already approved lab-grown chicken for sale, and the US isn’t far behind.
3. Mushroom & Mycelium Magic: Meat Without the Meat
If eating bugs is too much, but you’re still not ready for lab-grown steak, how about… mushrooms?
Mycelium (the root-like part of fungi) is being turned into realistic meat substitutes, and the results are shockingly good.
Why it’s cool:
• Grows insanely fast (like, days instead of months).
• Meaty texture, no weird lab processes needed.
• Compostable and waste-free production.
What’s on the menu?
Mushroom chicken nuggets (already a thing), mycelium-based steak (chefs swear it tastes like the real thing), fungi-powered sandwich meats (deli-style but make it fungi).
4. Ultra-Realistic Plant-Based Meat: The Impossible is Possible
Plant-based burgers used to taste like cardboard, but not anymore. Companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have cracked the code to make plants look, taste, and sizzle like actual meat.
Why it’s cool:
Uses 87% less water and 89% less emissions than beef.
Bleeds like real meat (thanks to a molecule called heme).
Already at fast-food chains like Burger King and McDonald’s.
What’s on the menu?
Impossible Burgers (vegans and meat-lovers both approve), Beyond Sausages (tastes like the real thing, no pig required), Plant-based bacon (finally, a good alternative!).
This is real, it’s already in supermarkets, and yes, even Gordon Ramsay approves.
FINAL VERDICT: ARE YOU READY TO EAT THE FUTURE?
The way we eat is changing—whether we like it or not.
• If you’d eat a cricket, try a lab-grown burger, and
snack on mushroom steak, congrats! You’re an eco-foodie.
• If you’ll consider plant-based burgers but draw the line at bugs, fair enough—you’re cautiously sustainable.
• If you read this whole article while eating a double cheeseburger, at least you’re aware now.
But the truth is, we can’t keep eating the way we do forever. If switching to bug protein, lab-grown chicken, or mushroom-based burgers helps the planet… maybe it’s time to get a little adventurous with our food. Did you know that Patana has it’s very own student led Eco-Foodie brand? Amino Insecto. Try some of their products today or follow them on Instagram.
#295: coMMon SenSe Media’S parenTS’
ulTiMaTe guide To your 2- To 4-yearold’S digiTal world
If you have a 2 to 4 year old in your life then I highly recommend you read through the Common Sense Media guidance here
If you have a 5 to 7 year in your life then read the guidance here. You can read the full report here.
Please note that the data in this report is for US based children.
If you want to see a summary of the data on an Instagram reel then click here.
Have a great weekend.
Brian Taylor Vice Principal, Technology for Learning
TeacherS aS arTS pracTiTionerS (TapS) projecT: inSighTS FroM The exhiBiTion
Purnima Ghogar, TAPs Project Lead | Secondary English Teacher
Theinaugural ‘Patana Canvases’ exhibition was a huge success among our students, sparking curiosity, inspiration and a new appreciation for artistic expression. The TAPs project encourages staff to explore and showcase their artistic talents to the community, fostering creativity and connection. A big thank you to all students who took the time to write meaningful comments (nearly 200 received!) – these have been shared with the artists. This article offers a snapshot of their reflections and common perspectives from the exhibition comment box. House points are being awarded to all those who left insightful feedback.
STUDENTS’ REACTIONS: A NEWFOUND APPRECIATION FOR ART
Many were struck by the dedication and creativity of their teachers and business staff. Patrisa (Tam) Pungpapong, 7A expressed admiration for the effort the artists put in despite their busy schedules: “It moved me…they used the little free time they had and devoted it to bring the showcase to life.” Yawei (Annie) Shen, 7U was similarly in awe: “They were all so amazing. The teachers must have spent so long making these”.
For others, the exhibition transformed their understanding of art’s power. Kevin Keiser, 7A reflected, “Seeing all the artwork made me realise that art isn’t just about how it looks, it also has a deeper meaning. You could tell a
whole story from one piece of artwork. I never knew art could be this powerful.” Students found the exhibition moving - “Each of the different pieces of art move you in different ways and emotions. Wow!” Nia Ekaraphanich, 9N
Elena Burton, 11C was inspired by the diversity of artistic expression, adding, “This exhibition has taught me the importance of expressing yourself because someone is always listening” and Danny Hattasingh, 7B found new meaning in everyday objects, explaining, “It inspired me that just some normal items, like we see or pass every day, have a meaning and can become beautiful artwork—just different points of view.”
THE HIDDEN TALENTS OF TEACHERS: A FRESH PERSPECTIVE
The showcase also changed students’ perceptions of their teachers, revealing hidden creative talents. Davine Park, 7A shared, “I was surprised by the other side of teachers—creativity, strength, and motivation. I saw the hard work that took part and was impressed by it.” Meanwhile, Arlyn Sorakraikitikul, 8B echoed this sentiment: “Many shocked me that ordinary teachers could be such great artists. I can only imagine how much effort and work each and every practitioner puts into these wonderful pieces.” Prim Yuvanasiri, 7A appreciated seeing teachers in a new light, stating, “Some students don’t understand
that teachers have creativity too. It’s so nice to see them showcase their work and let them see the uniqueness of them.”
Specific Themes from Student Reflections
ART THAT INSPIRED IMAGINATION, WONDER AND CURIOSITY
For example, Poonyanuch (Amy) Soontharinka, 7J was struck by Tidarat (GungGaew’s) paintings: “Awakening under the Midnight Glow inspired and moved me. I liked the idea and colours which explained the word “midnight,” whilst Aunree Mishra, 7C appreciated “the detail and the colour blending.”
ART THAT EVOKED DIVERSITY, CULTURE AND EMOTIONAL DEPTH
JinJin Hu, 7T was drawn to Ian McDonald’s Thai mythological art, “because they have a lot of culture in them.”
Students shared how some pieces evoked emotional responses, such as on Sue Perkins’ digital portraits, Ellie Vergara, 7B reflected, “Miss Sue Perks’ artwork really inspired me. She conveyed beautiful emotions ranging from joy to loneliness via digital artwork. Her use of colours, hues, and complementary tones moved each piece’s concepts to evoke a sense of depth and contemplation in each portrait. I feel inspired as many of her pieces depict
those of minorities and successfully create a sense of humanity in each person. I am inspired to make an inclusive change from her depiction of unity in diversity.”
ART THAT ENCOURAGED APPRECIATION FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Art that took everyday elements and transformed them into something beautiful also had an impact. Kenyo Nonaka and Ritsu Kurita, 7B were inspired by Romeu Barros’ simple objects that made him “want to appreciate the life in small things,” while Ritsu was fascinated by “how art can encourage students to see the beauty in the mundane and reflect on their surroundings in deeper ways.”
ENCOURAGING CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING USING REAL EXHIBITED ART
Drama performances also deeply moved students. Khongkwan Kim, 8B described how Sharon Godrey’s monologues resonated with her, “Each piece evoked the sense of feeling limited, misunderstood, or powerless— which I feel resonates with us all. I especially loved Miss Meadow’s performance of a woman called Jennie and Miss Godfrey’s ‘Cost of Loyalty.’”
ART THAT STIMULATED REFLECTION ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND APPRECIATION OF
NATURE
On Rattanchai Phangsa’s sculpture ‘People of the Future,’ Dhruv Agarwal, 7J commented: “The 3D design inspired me because it links to e-waste, and we are polluting the world”, and Zhuo Yi, 7A added, “it really made me think about how if we humans harm the environment, our planet could become a dystopian society and a wasteland.” Students also admired Coke Smith’s wildlife photography showcasing the beauty of animals in their natural habitats. “They show different and rare animals, and it also shows me how beautiful wildlife can be.” Proud Vijakkhana, 7C. Min Wannaiampikul, 10F commented on how Chris Ferne’s digital photography raises awareness of key issues of our generation, “I really like Mr. Ferne’s piece since I think there isn’t enough media about this topic (pollution)”.
ART THAT ENGAGED THE SENSES
Kaylee Kim, 7J was struck by how art can stimulate multiple senses such as in Sneha’s Mathew’s immersive edible art installation ‘Enchanted Forest’, “As the plants were alive, you can experience it better via smell.” On Weerapol’s Moundej’s light installation, Matthias Thrane, 7T was fascinated by how “light displayed the way that shadows stretch and bend to create figures.” On Grace Chen’s food photography, Mingkun Wei, 8J remarked, “The Mango Sago pictures made me incredibly hungry, and the realistic (photo) was captured so beautifully. It glowed in my opinion.”
BUILDING ARTS-RELATED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
The art displayed encouraged students to explore the cultural and technical aspects of creating art. Preme Pong-
paint, 7A admired Pimpakarn (Jam’s) Abhinoraseth oil paintings: “I think what inspired me was the different types of flowers drawn and the diversity of them. They were really unique. How did you learn to do this?” Benjamin Jacob, 8S was curious about learning the technical skills relevant to Mark Lanzuela’s photography, “How did you capture the ‘The Magic of Erawan Waterfalls?’
ART FOR WELLBEING
Students admired the use of art as a relaxing hobby: “I really like the crocheted artwork by Duangporn because crocheting is a good way to relax, and it’s a fun hobby that has a really cute and impressive result.” Kayla Srivorakul, 7B and “it moved me that Mr McDonald created this art to relax.” Preen Thongbenjamas, 8W.
THE LASTING IMPACT: INSPIRING FUTURE CREATIVITY
The inaugural TAPs exhibition inspired students to appreciate the diverse creativity of our staff.
“Everyone of the artworks were magnificent in their own ways. Everyone was able to capture their passions and interests in their work and that is what art is, which moved me”. Annie Xu, 10V.
“I was inspired by many paintings representing teachers’ and staff’s interests and cultures expressed by their own respective media,” Arya Pandit, 8J. The students are eager to see more: “I really hope more events showcasing and embracing teachers’ creativity and craftsmanship happen more often.” Glenda Ho, 8B.
You can view the exhibition catalogue featuring the artworks and artists here
Patana ParTiciPaTeS!
Achievements from Our Community
Irie Masafumi, Parent
On 2nd March, the 2025 Singha Double Control BMX competition took place in Bangkok. In the Under-14 category, our twin boys, Umi Irie (4M) and Sola Irie (4C), secured 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Notably, all other participants were teenagers.
