The Termly Magazine of Bangkok Patana School
Bangkok Patana
Magazine
Issue 60 Term 2, March 2020
Residential Visits
PRIMARY SCHOOL Excellence and Enjoyment in Hua Hin
SECONDARY SCHOOL A Week of Work and Play
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
A Wealth of Experience in Careers and Universities
Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School accredited by CIS
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Largest solar rooftop in an International School Bangkok Patana International School, 1,911 kW
Thanks to ... All students of Bangkok Patana International School for pushing up and believing that photovoltaic is an alternative source to energize the school, our city, our country and our planet.
Answers that you should know... Q: How many buildings are covered by solar panels? A: Totally, 14. FHC, BHC, SPH, HUM, ADM, CAN, TEC, SEC, Y34, FSB, HAL, Senior Extension, Science and Sport Complex. Q: How many solar panels we have in BPS? A: A lot!!! 5,680 solar panels, combining Polycristalline and Monocristalline PERC technologies.
Q: How many tons of CO2 we are saving to the planet? A: About 1,200 Tons of CO2 a year. Q: What is our Green Energy Ratio? A: Green Energy Ratio is 25%, that means, 25% of the energy demanded by the school is generated by the solar rooftop installation.
“I have never had such kind of committed customers with the environment and with the community. We worked very hard to complied and reached up the students expectations.
Jose Luis Martin
Managing Director at Energreen Asia
Bangkok Patana Students and Energreen Staff, Solar Kits Donation, Chiang Mai, December 2019
Our SOLAR services
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LEARNING
CONTENTS
Issue 60, Term 1, March 2020
PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL 8 The First Residential! 10 Excellence and Enjoyment in Hua Hin 12 Fun in Khao Yai! 14 The Chanthaburi Tales 16 Ticking all the Boxes in Rayong
SECONDARY RESIDENTIAL 18 High Expectations Met with Visit to Kanchanaburi 20 A Wonderful Diversion 22 Out of our Comfort Zones 24 A Week of Work and Play
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP 26 Books are Cool, Skills and Knowledge Rule and Authors Rock! 28 A Wealth of Experience in Careers and Universities 30 Early Connections at Bangkok Patana Lead to a Life in Music 32 A Passion for Cars Led to Developing AI for Vehicles 33 Alumni Global Reunions
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L ELAORBNAI LN C G GI T I Z E N S H I P
FOREWORD
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s a proud attendee of every Bangkok Patana Residential, from the Year 2 sleepover to the final bittersweet Year 12 Residential, I can confirm that my school experience would not have been the same without them. We measured time by thinking of it in relation to the eagerly anticipated trip of the year: a way to have fun with friends, both old and new, in adventurous new settings. Because of this, Residential Visits have never failed to include memories that I’ll cherish, long after I graduate from Bangkok Patana. I remember the hustle and bustle of packing for my Year 3 Residential, fingers anxiously clutching a well-worn packing list. The weeks of excitedly deciding on roommates and allocating lists of who was going to bring which snack culminated in a uniquely unforgettable experience. The annual inevitable goodbyes to parents were hard at first but learning how to be independent is integral and Residentials are the perfect environment to cultivate this skill. As the years passed, though the number of Residentials experienced increased, the palpable buzz of anticipation never faded and the lessons I learned never ceased to fulfill me. Residentials also challenge you to push your limits, encouraging students to form new friendships in opportunities they wouldn’t have experienced elsewhere: as eagerly told in the following pages of this magazine. It was on Residential that I swam under a waterfall despite its daunting thunder, learned how to compost, took my first sleeper train ride and embarked on my first camping trip. I found that these moments, becoming friends with new people and coping with unexpected moments, shaped me as a person, moulding me into someone who constantly strives to better themselves by taking risks.
643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna Tai, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 Email: reception@patana.ac.th www.patana.ac.th
Ling Ling on her Year 6 Residential Visit
Looking back on it all, every Residential holds fond memories and I can honestly say that it has, in addition to Bangkok Patana’s enriching academic program, broadened my perspectives. – Karnsiree (Ling Ling) Chen 13I
Editor: Shana Kongmun Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Email: shkn@patana.ac.th Advertisement: Finn Balslev Tel: 081-866-2577 Email: finn@scandmedia.com
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Bangkok Patana Magazine is the termly publication of Bangkok Patana School published three times per year and distributed to 2,000 members of the School community. Reproduction of articles, artwork and illustrations by written permission only. 6 6
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LEARNING
THE YEAR 3 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
THE FIRST RESIDENTIAL! Abigail Kay, Assistant Leader of Learning, Year 3 Join us on the adventure that is the Year 3’s first ever Bangkok Patana Residential Visit to the Royal Varuna Yacht Club at Jomtien Beach! Alongside feelings of excitement and anticipation, this trip also comes with a little apprehension.
Dear Diary, I am about to go on my first Residential trip with my friends. I am excited but a little bit nervous. What if I can’t sleep? Who will I be sharing a room with? Can I take a toy with me? My teacher says that we will go to the beach and, best of all, we have ice cream! I can’t wait. My friends and I are going to stay up all night and have a secret, scrumptious midnight feast. Do you think my teacher will find out? I’m looking forward to swimming in the shimmering, blue sea and jumping over the mighty waves. Hopefully, this will be the best Residential ever! – 3K Dear Diary, Firstly, we came to the classroom sadly because we were a bit worried about leaving our mums but excited about our new adventures! Then we went to the bathroom, got our hats and Resi diaries and we were ready to go. After that, we walked carefully to the huge bus and as quick as a flash we got our suitcases and packed them on the bus. We enthusiastically waved goodbye to our mums and dads. On the bus we played games and eventually we arrived at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. – 3D Dear Diary, What’s the biggest picnic you’ve ever seen? Because after we arrived, we started our amazing activities with a ridiculously large Resi picnic! Sweet watermelon, crunchy popcorn, sour gummy worms... YUM! It was like a festival of flavourful food for us to devour! In groups of six, we gathered together and shared the dishes that we had brought along. We’d discussed what we would take before we went on the Resi, therefore we had a balanced meal to savour. Could things get any better than this? – 3M
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Dear Diary After we had eaten as much as we possibly could at our picnic, we split up into groups to complete some team activities and games. These activities took a whole hour, but we barely even noticed the time passing by as we were so distracted by all the fun and excitement. When we were finished, we went up to our rooms and unpacked. The teachers gave us thirty minutes to do it because we had to practice a fire alarm. Everyone ran down the stairs so we had to do it all over again. Then, we got to chill in our rooms for about one hour and get ready to go swimming. Some of us were unable to swim or just preferred to play games on the lawn. Either way the afternoon flew by! – 3S
Dear Diary, After our afternoon at the beach, we showered and prepared for the barbeque and talent show. Sizzling sausages, scrumptious skewers and juicy chicken were all on the menu. Once we had finished our delicious barbeque, we excitedly made our way upstairs for the talent show. From quizzes to puppet shows, dancing to jokes, and magic to gymnastics, our truly entertaining talent show had everything! After an exhausting couple of days, we changed into our pyjamas, brushed our teeth and climbed into bed. We were excited to go home and see our parents, but we were sad to leave such a wonderful Residential with our friends. As we drifted off to sleep, a thought crossed our minds: will any of our other trips be as good as this? – 3J
Dear Diary, On the second day of our adventure we exhaustedly awoke to the heavenly smell of breakfast. We changed very quickly because the smells were driving us crazy! After breakfast my friends and I quickly rushed to the first amazing activity, it was both exciting and relaxing, doing our water colour painting of what we could see around us. After that we built wooden boats in no time to float across the huge pool, my friend called hers the ‘reaper’ as it zoomed quickly past the other boats. After we had finished making our boats, we climbed the steep staircase to the large room where Miss Bow and the nurses sat among mountains of bandages ready to teach us how to wrap each other up like mummies… and daddies! By the time we were racing along with our colourful kites, we felt exhausted but making them was fantastic fun. We were so keen to go to the beach next, so we quickly dashed onto the sand like crazy crabs. We all jumped into the wavy sea; we were thrilled as we jumped into the waves and made beautiful golden sandcastles, which we decorated with colourful seashells and rocks. Just two hours later our tummies started complaining and demanding food again, dinner time, yum! We excitedly chomped down the slippery sausages and chicken and we gobbled up all the food like hungry lions, it was incredible how fast we ate, how hungry we were and how amazing it tasted. – 3A
Dear Diary, In the late afternoon, we hopped in the shower, then quickly transformed ourselves into smart, fabulous Year 3s in our best clothes. Excitedly, we headed to the restaurant and were not disappointed…. the food was delicious! We feasted upon scrumptious spaghetti, crunchy salad, tasty fried rice and to finish came a dessert of sweet, juicy fruit. After dinner, we had an exciting evening, delighting in games such as Splat, Simon Says and Wink, Wink Murder, until finally it was time for a story before heading to bed. We went to sleep dreaming of the fun and adventures that were still to come on Day 2. – 3H Dear Diary, After a delicious breakfast and some free time playing on the lawn or enjoying the stunning scenery, it was time to go home. We had made sure our rooms were tidy and our bags were packed before we said our final goodbye to the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. We had the most wonderful experience and although we were sad to leave, we were also excited about coming back to school and sharing our exciting Residential stories with our families and friends. – 3F TERM 2 – 2019/20
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LEARNING
THE YEAR 4 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
EXCELLENCE AND ENJOYMENT IN HUA HIN Alexander Lowe, Year 4 Class Teacher and Assistant Leader of Learning
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ince the start of the year, the Year 4 Residential Visit has been a hot topic of conversation with students curious as to where our new adventure will take us. They were asking questions about the resort, the food, the activities and more importantly who they will be sharing a room with! The students weren’t the only ones with questions. The teachers also wanted to know what they would like to get out of a Residential Visit and their responses didn’t disappoint: • To have fun! • Learn new things that we can’t learn at school • Be more independent and learn how to be away from our families • To make new friends and meet different people from other classes • Learn to solve problems together
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DEVELOPING PERSONAL AND SOCIAL SKILLS Spending quality time with friends and learning how to get along in new and sometimes challenging situations was an important part of the visit to Hua Hin. Within the programme we allow students plenty of ‘down time’. They can relax on the beach; have fun in the pool and sea; hang out in their bedrooms and enjoy mealtimes with friends. “Splashing around in the sea and playing in the sand with my friends was so much fun!” – Yumi, 4L “I loved making new friends in different classes. I didn’t realise how much we have in common.” – Isa, 4D
SPLASHING AROUND As the students stated, having fun on Residential is essential and what better way to have fun than by visiting Black Mountain Water Park? Students were given the opportunity to splash around in the wave pool, slip and slide down various slides and relax and unwind in the shade. “At Black Mountain, I loved the wave pool because it made you bob up and down like a cork in the water.” – Rachel, 4A “I loved the water park because we got to go on the slides with our friends and surf in the wave pool. I felt safe with my life jacket and helmet.” – Nicholas, 4D
Bangkok Patana Magazine
EXPLORING THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT At Bangkok Patana we strive and encourage our students to be open minded, considerate and respectful of people and the surrounding environment; to become good global citizens. By visiting a local man-made mangrove forest, Sirinart Rajini Mangrove Ecosystem Learning Centre, students get first-hand experience not only of the negative effect humanity can have on an environment but also the potential to reverse and reduce the impact. Through their learning and observing they can begin to question and explore ways in which they can have a positive impact upon the environment.
“I learnt so many new things as we explored the mangroves!” – Momo, 4K
themselves in the wealth of activities, the children get to see a different side of the adults.
“I liked the mangroves because we saw so many more animals than we usually would” – Ben, 4K
“I thought the disco was amazing because I enjoyed watching everybody dance and Miss Narui break dance. You would never get that opportunity in the classroom” – Kelli, 4L
“I loved being at the hotel and the mangroves were so connected to nature.” – Kevin, 4K
STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS
“I really liked being looked after by the teachers who would calm me down and help me get to sleep but also make me laugh and giggle through the day.” – Lucas, 4L
Having time out of the normal classroom environment and school community, which is achieved through Residential Visits, allows for a less formal studentteacher relationship. As staff involve
“All my friends and teachers were always smiling which made me smile and feel happy and warm. It was the best part of the residential.” – Lana, 4A TERM 2 – 2019/20
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LEARNING
THE YEAR 5 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
FUN IN KHAO YAI! Joanna Mitchell, Assistant Leader of Learning Year 5
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ear 5 had an amazing time in Khao Yai National Park, developing their learning about rainforests, applying key science skills by the river, collaborating with each other, solving problems with positivity and resilience, and, most importantly, having lots of FUN with teachers and friends. Let’s hear about some of their favourite memories:
Dear Diary, On Monday evening, we boarded the songthaews in the national park full of excitement and trepidation at what we might discover! Quickly, we realised we had to stay quiet, otherwise, we would scare the animals. We were lucky! We saw a family of elephants, and some deer too! After doing so much rainforest research in class, it was great to actually be there with all of the exciting plants and animals we have read so much about. – 5B Dear Diary, Today we went to the waterfall! It was beautiful. While we were at the bottom of the waterfall, we listened to the sounds of nature. We enjoyed the calming splashing of the water as it fell from the great height. The climb back up the 12
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steps was a challenge, and we were glad to have a rest when we got to the top. After that, we went to the visitors’ centre – there were lots of interesting facts there and we tried to answer the quiz. It was hard! – 5P Dear Diary, My favourite day was when we visited the river and the waterfall. Mr Damon ran a pond dipping activity which was so fun! We found some different creatures – Ayah found a crab! After that, we measured the depth of the river at different points. I didn’t want to get in at first, but my friends encouraged me so I was brave and slowly entered the water. It was COLD! After lunch we visited the waterfall where we listened to the sounds of nature and created a word bank. The climb back up was hard. There were 117 steps! I am excited for the games night tonight! – 5M Dear Diary, Today at the resort, we played team building games. It was lots of fun! It gave us an opportunity to collaborate with friends from other classes who we don’t normally learn with at school. I enjoyed making new friends, and working together to solve problems. – 5W Dear Diary, Today at St Stephens we did some team building games and a low ropes course. The ‘Gutter Game’ was a challenge! We had to communicate and collaborate successfully so we could work as a team to get the ball into the bucket. After LOTS of perseverance we finally managed it! I liked it when we praised each other, even when we made mistakes. After lunch, we built shelters. When they tested them to see if they were rainproof some people got wet! I am excited for the talent show tonight – I wonder who the judges will be? – 5C Dear Diary, My favourite part of Residential was the quiz and the talent show. There were lots of fun acts, and Miss Aya was an excellent judge. There were lots of entertaining acts: magicians, singers, comedians and even some breakdancing! – 5S Dear Diary, Today, we went on a forest trail in Khao Yai National Park. We kept our eyes out for signs of life. We had to be very, very quiet. When we were silent, we could hear the sounds of nature – birds chirping, bushes rustling and even gibbons calling to each other! I can’t
believe we walked over 3km in total! We were all glad to have a rest for lunch, and we even had an ice cream! – 5K Dear Diary, Last night we went to a bat cave! It was so cool. As soon as we arrived, I could see people pointing up to the sky. When I looked up, I was amazed by what met my eyes. There were millions of bats snaking through the sky! There were many hawks swooping near the entrance to the cave, waiting for their next feast. I was worried about the bats, but then we realised that this is part of the circle of life. – 5J TERM 2 – 2019/20
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LEARNING
THE YEAR 6 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
THE CHANTHABURI TALES Elizabeth Davies, Assistant Leader of Learning, Year 6
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aving goodbye to their parents and munching on their mountains of snacks, Year 6 were off! Chanthaburi was the destination for their last Residential during their time at Primary School. Well-being and learning about the environment were the focuses of the trip, combined with opportunities to develop key collaboration and independence skills, alongside having bucketfuls of fun. Much of the Residential was spent in the serene mangroves; the perfect spot to sit, reflect and paint the beautiful landscape with watercolours. Whilst walking through the trees to paint their chosen landscape, Year 6 were lucky enough to spot different species, such as: mudskippers, fiddler crabs, snakes and even kingfishers! Learning about these fascinating species and the mangrove eco-system along the walk really brought the learning to life. Once in the depths of the
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WELL-BEING
Bangkok Patana Magazine
mangroves, it was time to put the kayaking skills Year 6 had previously learned at school into action. Paddling through the trees (and occasionally getting stuck!) was a highlight for all the classes. Teamwork and collaboration skills were utilised as children sailed through the water, chanting “Left! Right!” so they could paddle in harmony. Another memorable moment for the students was visiting Khao Kitchakut National Park. Here, they trekked up through the park to a waterfall and were rewarded with a refreshing dip at the end. Peals of laughter echoed as they splashed happily and brave fish nibbled their toes. Back down by the river was the perfect spot to sit quietly and mindfully reflect on their Residential experiences so far, listening to the sounds of the surrounding nature and gently lapping water. Successful teamwork and communication skills were required when it came to jungle cooking. All our students pitched in and took on a different role to cook a delicious meal of salsa, vegetable dips, corn on the cob and grilled chicken and pork. Sitting down to eat the feast – served on environmentally-friendly banana leaves – the children felt a huge sense of achievement at the dinner they had cooked, whilst learning real-life skills. Tired but happy, the buses arrived back at Bangkok Patana after a busy week full of fun and adventure. Filling the buses was chatter about the stories they’d tell their families of kayaking, beach clean-ups, trekking, and roasting marshmallows on campfires. Everyone experienced new things and had a brilliant time whilst doing so. Year 6 strengthened their friendships and developed their independence skills, ready for their next step into Secondary.
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L ELAORBNAI LN C G GI T I Z E N S H I P
THE YEAR 7 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
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TICKING ALL THE BOXES IN RAYONG JJ Guyton, 7T
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he coastal Year 7 Residential in Rayong was wonderful. It ticked all the boxes because it was fun, crazy and calming all at the same time. The journey to the resort took around two and a half hours but time flew by. We got to sit with our friends and eat a load of snacks and we told a lot of funny stories. The rooms were awesome and we had lots of fun with my our roommates. The weather in Rayong was really good – it wasn’t too hot, nor too cold – thanks to the sea breeze. Our days on Residential were jampacked with cool activities. There was snorkelling, kayaking, Thai cooking, eco-orienteering and a visit to a turtle sanctuary.
The visit to the turtle sanctuary was really interesting. The turtles were massive – there were greenbacks and hornbeaks. The baby turtles were tiny and very cute and it was great to learn about their habitat. Eco-orienteering involved a visit to a beach with a treasure hunt we learnt so much about the beach environment and different animals that live there. We also took a boat ride to an island where we snorkelled. We had lunch on the boat in between snorkelling, and the lunch on the boat was delicious. In Thai cooking, we cooked coconut curry - ours was a bit too spicy. One of my friends ate a whole chili and then he realised pretty quickly he’d made a
big mistake! My favourite activity was the kayaking, however. We had to paddle far out in the ocean, make a bridge with our kayaks and then some people had to walk across it!! There were 25 kayaks so the bridge was very long and crossing it was very tricky. A couple of people fell in to the water but we rescued them. It rained a little when we were kayaking but that just made it more slippery and exciting. The Year 7 Residential was a blast for everyone. We got to know each other better, take on fun challenges and learn a lot about the environment and marine life. Everyone went home tired happy, with great memories.
TERM 2 – 2019/20
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WELL-BEING
THE YEAR 8 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
HIGH EXPECTATIONS MET WITH VISIT TO KANCHANABURI Samuel Stuart, Head of Year 8
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xpectations and excitement levels were high, long before the coaches pulled out of the Bangkok Patana gates at 8.00am on Monday 11th November, to make their way to Kanchanaburi for the Year 8 Residential Visit. “What will the hotel be like?” “Will I be with my friends?” “Are there leeches in the river?” These were just some of the questions the teachers were asking and the anticipation among students was even higher! On arrival, rooms were checked, bags dropped off and we enjoyed a fantastic lunch, before making our way to the hotel playing area for some spirited team games and icebreakers. Shepherds and Sheep,
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Blindfold Shapes and Electric Pulse were some of the more popular games, as the students burned off some excess energy and set a fantastic precedent for the rest of the week. It was so great to see so many students working well with each other, lending a helping hand, shouting encouragement and sharing a joke and a smile. The overall aim for the week was to provide opportunities for our Year 8’s to identify their own character strengths and to put these strengths into practice. The various physical activities on the trip were certainly challenging and teachers were on the look-out for students demonstrating bravery, resilience, teamwork and perseverance. Other important strengths such as curiosity, love of learning, openmindedness and kindness were also in evidence regularly throughout the week, and these characteristics were
recognised and celebrated with highly sought-after certificates! By common agreement, the standup paddle boarding proved to be the most popular activity. For many of our students, it was something new and there were certainly a few nerves when we eventually got riverside. After a wet and wobbly practice, most students were soon standing up, racing along in the steady flow of the river and even attempting a few skills like 360 degree spins! For others, it was a great chance to sit back, relax and watch the riverbank and wildlife slowly pass by. The second activity of the day involved exploring the rice farms and rural roads surrounding the foothills of Sai Yok National Park by mountain bike. For some, the most memorable activity was the visit to Elephant Haven. It was a real privilege, not only to learn
Bangkok Patana Magazine
about the lives of the rescued Asian elephants at the centre, but to then have the chance to prepare a tasty lunch of rice balls and watermelon, before escorting the elephants down to the river for their daily bath. Sustainability and conservation are topics which are important to so many of our students and it was a good opportunity to see firsthand what can be done by people who are passionate about a good cause. Another key focus of the Residential Visit was to make some close links with the current Year 8 History curriculum. There is no better place to learn about the role of South East Asia in the Second World War than Kanchanaburi. At Hellfire Pass, students explored the new exhibits at the Visitor Centre before setting off on a short self-guided walk along the mountain ridge to the pass itself. It was a moment for quiet reflection as students
tried to visualise the scene as it was 80 years ago and tried to empathise with the prisoners of war who constructed the pass. We also visited the Railway Museum Centre and the adjoining Commonwealth War Cemetery and left a rose in memory of those who had lost their lives in the war. The walk to Erawan Falls was not a long one, but it was certainly steep as we made our way up to the fourth level of the falls. By the time we arrived, students were glad of the chance to change into swimwear and cool off in the pools and under the falls themselves – as long as they didn’t mind sharing the water with some rather large fish! Others were happy to keep their toes out of the water and to quietly get on with some sketching. For me, the most enjoyable part of the trip was when the whole year group came together at the end of the
day. Most students were exhausted but many enjoyed a splash in the hotel pool before getting ready for dinner and the evening activities. The first night was quiz night and tensions were high as the groups went head to head. The following evening, we had a sing-a-long to Aladdin during movie night. The talent show was next and it was incredible to see just how many talented singers, dancers and performers we have in Year 8. It was obvious that the routines had been practised and polished and there was raucous support from a hugely entertained audience. Well done to all involved. Despite such an exhausting week, Mr Rowley and Miss Redman were still full of energy and couldn’t wait to get on the Wheels of Steel on the final night, to end the week with some great music during disco night.
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WELL-BEING
THE YEAR 9 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
A WONDERFUL DIVERSION Clara Kelsey, 9T
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verall, the Year 9 Residential was very enjoyable. At first, I was unsure about the plane trip, we had to meet at the airport at 4.00am! But after boarding and finally taking off, we had all forgotten about even being in the air because we were so busy chatting and playing games with our friends. After arriving at the hotel near Chiang Mai, we all sat together in the main area where we would meet every morning. We then played some educational team building games. Although the weather was a little humid, we all really enjoyed ourselves. Later, we finished the day with some dinner and an evening activity. Exhausted, we all then went to bed. We were woken up early the next morning for breakfast before being divided up to take part in different activities. I was a member of the Pink group and we drove to the kayaking and biking activities. Kayaking was one of the activities I liked most on the trip as it had a stunning view and was extremely fun despite it being a hot day. I also took pleasure in the biking and enjoyed riding around more than the obstacle course. In between these activities, we had lunch with the Red group. After breakfast on the third day, we got back on the bus to go to Pun Pun Centre for Self-Reliance. It was such a cosy environment. We
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learnt how to make soap and about a variety of fruits and water filters. The lunch at the centre was mouthwatering, especially the dessert! Our next activity was camping. When we arrived, we settled in and then all sat together and ate dinner. Soon after, to earn the right to roast marshmallows, we all needed to perform in the talent show. My friends and I performed the song “Baby” acapella. We were all tired so, straight after the talent show, we went to bed. The next morning, we woke up and it was, in my opinion, extremely cold! After breakfast, we were briefed on white-water rafting as that was our last activity and turned out to be the most fun. Once in groups, we did a safety test by floating in the water to see if we would be taken away by the currents. While out in the boat, as the boat bounced off of the huge rocks in the river, three of our crew members fell out of the boat and needed to be dragged back onto the boat by us in a calm manner! When this happened, all of us were laughing hysterically but thankfully no-one was hurt. White-water rafting brought our Residential to an end and soon after we were back on the bus driving to the airport. We flew back to Bangkok and were met by our families. This whole trip was so much fun and a wonderful diversion from regular classroom work. I cannot wait until next year for the Year 10 Resi. Thank you to Mr Meadows and all the staff for organising it.
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WELL-BEING
THE YEAR 10 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES
Hsu Htoo, 10P
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hen we arrived at the Golden Gold Khaoyai Resort in Khao Yai on Monday we were greeted with a delicious meal and got our rooms sorted. The Monday group left to start trekking after arriving at the hotel. While the Monday group was hiking in the hot sunny weather, the other groups unpacked their things and had a fun time talking and playing with their friends. After a few minutes of unpacking, we were called to stand in our day groups for the fire drill. We then went in our tribal groups and had some competitions with the other groups. We were all chanting and painting each other’s faces while putting on our bandanas ready to start the amazing residential ahead of us. All of us performed our tribal chants and the group “Moana” were crowned champions. Soon after, we went on to routeplanning with Ms Steciuk to make sure we knew what we were doing and where to go. The teachers were
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extremely helpful and they guided us through the whole route card. The evening was followed with an entertaining film, “Wall- E”. Some were watching the film while some students decided to play some card games and talk to their friends at the back of the room. On Tuesday I went trekking with my tribal group. When we arrived at the starting point, we were told to
wait a bit because it’s better to have a period of time between each group’s departure. When the time arrived, we started using our compasses and our map to guide us along the right path. The starting point to Point 1 was filled with the beauty of yellow cornfields and mountains filled with green trees. The first few minutes were tiring as we were out of our comfort zones and walking with weight on our backs. After a
Bangkok Patana Magazine
few minutes of walking, laughing and communicating with our tribal group, the walk became more fun and easier. We encountered several intersections but with the help of our route cards and compasses, we were able to figure out the correct path. The first day was quite tiring as the trek was further but with the cooperation of the cool weather, it was bearable. We arrived at the campsite around midday and rested for a while then set up our tents. The boys were playing games with the tyres and the swings while the girls talked and played some games with their friends. During the evening, we all made a lovely meal at the campsite using trangias. After eating our meals, we cleaned up and played some games and had fun with our friends. It was a memorable campsite. We trekked for a while on Wednesday morning and got back to the resort around 1.00pm. It was tiring but a lovely meal and a warm shower made it a lot better. As we were the last group to arrive, we didn’t have time to do “Green Fingers”, an activity where we gathered fruit from the orchard to
use in cooking and to make compost. We unpacked and rested for a while. We then had a fun time with our friends, laughing and playing some games at the open areas of the resort. To wrap it all up, we had a fun Quiz Night. We were in our tribal groups and there were some challenges to gain more points such as the first person that can find a hidden balloon. After all the fun we had, nighttime crawled up on us and we all went to sleep. On Thursday we went to Splash World. It was really fun and everyone was screaming and laughing with their friends. We all went on different slides and enjoyed the cool water hitting against our skins. The weather was really nice as soft, cold breezes passed by us every so often. It wasn’t as hot but it wasn’t that cold either. After a while, we were all a bit tired but a cold cup of coffee helped brought our energies back! Later in the evening, we did some Thai cooking. We worked in groups of two or three within our tribe and presented our lovely meals to the judges. Everyone was competitive as they were trying hard to make sure they
could display the best looking and appetising meal. The smell of both Pad Thai and Som Tam filled the air, making our mouths water a bit. After a long day, we had a disco night. Some people were playing cards and talking with their friends whilst other students were having the time of their lives. The songs blasted through our ears and we all danced to the beat of the music; moving our heads with the rhythm of the music every once in a while. Just like every other night, the moon rose higher into the sky and we all had a restful sleep after all the dancing and partying with our friends. On Friday we all waited patiently for the Thursday trekkers to arrive and welcomed them with a big smile and a warm hug. After a few minutes, we had breakfast and the whole year group gathered. Then we took a group photo afterwards. This was finally the day to say goodbye to the lovely place and we all went back to the big bus we came in. It was a very memorable trip and I would love to come here again!
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WELL-BEING
THE YEAR 12 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
A WEEK OF WORK AND PLAY
Timothy Jarrett, Head of Year 12
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ovember 2019 saw Grad 21 excitedly wait until they were the last out of school on their final Residential Visit as Bangkok Patana students to Nakhon Nayok for their week of Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and fun. As is the norm for the Year 12 Residential, once the students arrived at the
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resort and unpacked and had lunch they went straight into their TOK introductory sessions. After a busy first afternoon the students were able to let off some steam with volleyball, football, Frisbee and swimming. A conservative estimate would be that only six balls went into the surrounding khlongs despite frequent reminders; the hilarious attempts to retrieve the balls more than made up for the loss of freetime. The students were surprised at how much they enjoyed the week, with the emphasis on the IB through the TOK, Year 12 enjoyed the many thought-provoking sessions. As well, the “Old Skool” sports events and the evening entertainment that included the quiz and the Hungry Games, the disco proved particularly popular, demonstrating that Year 12s still love to dance. To give you a flavour of the student perspective of the week Clara Boucher and Amar Ritoe have kindly summarised their perspective of their last ever Residential Visit.
Bangkok Patana Magazine
The Year 12 Residential is unlike any other; this year, we had to work during our week away in Nakhon Nayok. We had four days of TOK workshops led by a variety of subject teachers and plenty of sessions on how to write TOK essays and make presentations. After a long day in the blasting AC, we got to spend some time outside playing Frisbee, volleyball, going swimming, or just relaxing with our friends. We spent the evening doing lots of fun activities with our whole Year group. My personal favourite was Hungry Games where we got to see who the most flexible person was in our year! Although all the TOK sessions were really thought-provoking, as a business and economics student, it is no surprise that my favourite was the session on Human Sciences. Even if this Residential was more academic than our previous years, we had lots of fun and we will certainly benefit from it to succeed in our IB diploma.– Clara Boucher, 12B
Year 12’s final Residential at Bangkok Patana consisted of five educational days combined with four entertaining nights. The week away revolved around different Theory of Knowledge sessions in which we refined our analysis, empathy and critique skills from the viewpoint of different subjects. Furthermore, we developed our research and communication skills through the Group 4 Project, a science-based presentation created by the students to find a solution to combat climate change through geoengineering. Besides enhancing our academic skills, we developed our social skills and our team spirit through a range of joyful and exciting activities after a busy day of learning. During the day, I particularly enjoyed regrouping for the Group 4 Project and applying newly acquired knowledge from the Theory of Knowledge sessions to enhance our presentation. In the evening I cherished the activities which allowed us to unwind from the day and have fun with our friends during our last Residential together. – Amar Ritoe, 12T TERM 2 – 2019/20
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WELL-BEING
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
BOOKS ARE COOL, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE RULE AND AUTHORS ROCK!
Stephen Murgatroyd, Head of Libraries “#NFNovember“ was a hashtag that the Library hoped would be trending around the school in Term 1, as we prepared for a focus on non-fiction texts last November. In this digital age, where information can be gathered at the click of a mouse, it was wonderful to be able to highlight the fabulous book stock that our Libraries at Bangkok Patana still have available for our community. We had two fabulous authors lined up to visit us and we were able to give our children and students, from the ages of 6 through to 17, the opportunity to listen to professionals who make it their life’s mission to produce work that both informs and inspires. Both Steve Swinburne and Matt Dickinson promoted the positive aspects of research and of using books as an initial source before delving into the choppy waters of the internet. In fact, Matt Dickinson told every group of students he spoke to that he highly recommended them to find good quality texts, before they did anything else, to fully immerse themselves into their favourite subjects. He said that one well written book, from an expert in their chosen field, would get them deeper into their subject and with a greater level of understanding in a few hours than many more hours of browsing websites would do. Powerful stuff! 26
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Bangkok Patana Magazine
Primary School – Author Visit Steve Swinburne Reflection by Hannah McLaughlin, Leader of Learning Curriculum, Year 3 Class Teacher In November 2019 we were incredibly lucky to have a visit from children’s author, photographer, and naturalist Steve Swinburne as part of the Libraries Non-Fiction November celebrations.
We were blown away by not only his passion for writing, but his fascination for wildlife. Steve lives in Vermont, a state in the United States, and is fortunate enough to be surrounded by an incredible landscape and wildlife. Through nature he uses his experiences and facts about nature and wildlife and transforms them into beautiful story books that children love. The book he shared with us was ‘Turtle
Tide’, which told the story of sea turtles coming to beaches to lay their eggs. In the session with Steve we learnt the first things a writer needs to do is “get it down and fix it up”, a motivating phrase that enhances the need to get your words out of your head, get them down on paper and then you can go back, edit and fix them …… mistakes are good! Steve also shared with the students the three important things to remember when writing, “If you, as a writer, have active verbs, cool details and a hook to grab the reader, you are halfway there to making your writing really sparkle.” This was something the children practised with Steve in their writing workshop. Following this session they were inspired to take his non-fiction narrative of the journey of the turtle, adding their own creativity to the concept and current learning on writing comics, the students created their very own comic strips of a turtle’s journey to the shore. Students in 3H were inspired by his energy, passion, poetry and singing, about how to be a writer and our need as a world to understand and respect animals. The students looked forward to their next visits to the Library to search for his books! To find more of Stephen Swinburne’s books visit his website. http://www.steveswinburne.com/
Secondary School – Author Visit Matt Dickinson Reflection by Stephen Murgatroyd, Head of Libraries For the last week of the Libraries’ celebration of all things non-fiction, which we called #NFNovember, the Secondary School welcomed Matt Dickinson into our fold in the hope that he was going to inspire, engage, interest, enthuse and motivate our students to believe that nonfiction books have a place in our technologically dominated world. Well, we were not to be disappointed. He most certainly gave it his best shot as he provided thought-provoking and fascinating presentations about Mount Everest and the Antarctic throughout his time with us. Students from Year 9, Year 10 and Year 12, along with a group of International
Award students at an after school session, were gripped by his talks as he shared his insights and experiences of climbing the tallest mountain in the world and his travels to the largest uninhabited (well, the least densely populated) continent on the planet. Matt was able to cater each presentation to the audience, so the Year 9 students did not receive a talk as complex as the Year 12 students did and the Year 10 Geography students had a different angle to their talk compared to their Year 10 History counterparts. His knowledge and enthusiasm shone through and the students were in awe of the places he had visited throughout his career as a journalist, documentary film-maker and mountaineer. Scientific facts like the blood thickening as you climb the mountain, geographical facts like the snow does not settle on the
mountain most of the time due to the high winds and historical facts like Mount Everest has only been climbed in the commercial way that it is now since the mid to late nineties, created quizzical glances and subsequent questions from students in many of the sessions. The students were encouraged to use books for any research that they undertook, as good quality texts would allow for both a broader and deeper understanding of their subjects. One of Matt’s well used phrases throughout the week was “A well-chosen book will allow you to find out more information from a wellrespected expert, in a shorter amount of time, than spending a couple of hours searching using the internet.” His visit was such a success that if the opportunity presents itself, we would happily have him back again. TERM 2 – 2019/20
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LEARNING
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE IN CAREERS AND UNIVERSITIES Kevin Keller, Head of Faculty Careers and Universities
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t’s been an exciting year in the Careers and Universities Faculty at Bangkok Patana School. Not only has our new Senior Studies building given us the flexibility to host a variety of universities in different settings while delivering more personalised university counselling to all of our students, but we’ve also welcomed three new university counsellors who bring a wealth of experience from around the globe. With over four decades of combined experience in university admissions and university counselling, our team is certainly one of the largest and most dynamic at any international school in Southeast Asia. Many of Grad ’20 have already submitted their applications to universities in 17 countries and are now (im) patiently waiting for the decisions to come back. Irrespective of where our students choose to apply, we support their work; celebrating the successes and mourning the bad news alongside them. Already this year, our students have secured offers at prestigious UK institutions such as Imperial College London, King’s College London, Cardiff University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and the
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University of Warwick. Across Europe, most students are still waiting for offers, but we’ve seen some come in from University College Dublin, the University of Amsterdam, and Franklin University in Switzerland. In North America, students have good news from the University of Toronto, Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Columbia University, Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State University, Santa Clara University and Haverford College among others. We are all very grateful to teachers across the Secondary School who spend significant time creating personalised references to supplement university applications. With all that success, it’s easy to forget how much work each student puts in to their time here at Bangkok Patana. The Careers and Universities Faculty can’t take much of the credit for our students’ success! Leadership positions, the rigour of (I)GCSE and the IB, sports and community involvement are impeccably balanced by our students, creating a combination of activities and academics sought after by universities around the world. Preparation
Bangkok Patana Magazine
for university is more than just good grades and we are acutely aware of the services and counselling necessary to assist our students in achieving their individual measures of success. Individualised university counselling begins in Year 11, with counsellors meeting with each student to discuss their (I)GCSE progress and their options for the IB. Of course, this focus on individualised attention and guidance continues through to Year 13 with the goal of helping each student compile a list of universities that emphasises personal and academic fit. The most rewarding part of our work is when a student comes to us with an offer in hand to celebrate the rewarding culmination of their efforts here at Bangkok Patana School. Our faculty continues to offer a variety of ECAs to help students prepare for university, including ECAs supporting students applying to selective universities in North America and the United Kingdom, university writing, supporting students applying to medicine or veterinary courses and intellectual and emotional resilience. Throughout the year, students have access to over 300
universities visiting Bangkok Patana to meet with our students and network with our careers counsellors. These visits are not only helpful for the students to learn about universities they might not have heard of, but in some cases turning up to a visit might even positively impact the outcome of their application for admission! We also offer a variety of lunch time sessions on standardised testing, higher education in a variety of countries, career options and courses/majors in a variety of area. We regularly encourage reading outside of the curriculum to stimulate reflection, subject knowledge and critical thinking in each student’s area of interest as well as the addition of supercurricular activities related to university course choice, all of which are crucial to successful university applications. Bangkok Patana School is truly lucky to have such an experienced team of individuals who are excited to share their knowledge and expertise with our students. We are happy to meet with students and families at any point of the university admission process and look forward to working with you and your family to assist in planning the brightest post-Patana future.
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LEARNING
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP ALUMNI STORIES LIFE AFTER PATANA
EARLY CONNECTIONS AT BANGKOK PATANA LEAD TO A LIFE IN MUSIC Paul Srisant, 1995-1998 Although Paul was at Bangkok Patana for just a few years, he credits the Music Department for instilling in him a deeper connection to music. That connection kept him active in the music industry despite pursuing degrees in Law – he studied for a Bachelor of Law at Macquarie University in Australia, and at the same time, earned a second degree in Media and Arts. He continued on to obtain a Master’s in International Business Law at the University of Technology Sydney. Now he is the CEO of Universal Music Thailand. “I have always known music is a big part of my DNA. I started playing guitar and writing music when I was 12 years old at Bangkok Patana and I have been DJing now for 25 years. Writing music and jamming with friends in the Music Department was one of my earlier connections to music that has stayed with me since. At Bangkok Patana, I felt we could be free to express ourselves. Moreover, we were encouraged to go after our dreams. When I was 15 years old, I negotiated a deal with a music venue for us to use during the day (as we were not legally allowed to be there at night). I gathered a few international school bands together and promoted the event which also involved me holding up a large sign on Sukhumvit 24 for many hours! In the end, 10 people turned up. Eight of them were parents of the bands. I was ecstatic!” “But funny enough, I never pursued an education nor a career in music until much later. I studied film and law through the years in university. I spent over 14 years in multinational companies in 30
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Bangkok Patana Magazine
Paul with The Weekend
innovation, sales and marketing departments. I wholeheartedly loved every job I had, but there was not a moment that I traded my passion for career advancement. I am a big believer that passion and career can co-exist even if they are different. You don’t have to give up your individuality to be successful in business. In fact, the opposite has been true
Paul with Shawn Mendes
for me.” “When my career progressed and I was stationed in New York City and Shanghai, I kept on DJing in clubs and events in those cities. This was a way for me to discover new cultures and their histories. It made me more ‘in-tune’ with what was going on and consequently it made me a better marketeer. I
approached DJing with pure passion of discovering and sharing music, it was never about the partying side of it. I am and have always been a morning person. In fact, I don’t like to go out unless there is a good show or DJ gig going on. The years outside the music industry have tremendously groomed me for my current job at Universal Music Thailand; they gave me the foundation to manage a company. When a headhunter approached me, it was a natural move. I became the youngest Managing Director of a multinational music company in this region, but it was as if I had spent my whole life working towards this role without ever realising it. Having said that, I admit there is so much more that I do not know in the music business that is constantly and rapidly evolving. I am lucky to be able to do what I do because of the people and my team around me. At Universal Music Thailand, we focus on breaking underground musicians and making the underdogs tomorrow’s superstars; finding unknown artists that may change the world. Streaming platforms have broken all borders in music and trends in lifestyle. What’s popular in Bangkok, could be popular in Berlin or Beirut in an instant in the digital world. If the song is good enough, it can travel. In future, whatever I do I’m pretty sure music will be at the center of it!
Paul as a DJ TERM 2 – 2019/20
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L ELAORBNAI LN C G GI T I Z E N S H I P
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP ALUMNI STORIES LIFE AFTER PATANA
A PASSION FOR CARS LED TO DEVELOPING AI FOR VEHICLES Jimmy Chiu, Graduating Class 2002
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n undying love of cars and motorsports continued after school as Class of 2002 grad Jimmy Chiu updated us on his achievements since he graduated from Purdue University. Last time we heard from Jimmy he was working for Honda Research Institute in Silicon Valley. His years in D+T at Bangkok Patana paid off as he earned a BSc in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Purdue University in Indiana in the United States. He followed that up with a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering and a PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue. Currently I am working at Mythic Inc where I am a senior manager in the AI (artificial intelligence) Solutions group – leading a team of machine learning/AI engineers developing the world’s first AI chip using analog computing to meet the challenges of future intelligent products. As I was finishing up my PhD, one of the researchers came across my Master’s thesis where I had developed a physical simulation for vehicle dynamics and asked me to come out to California to help them on a special vehicle project which was so novel that there was essentially no prior art. They wanted me to come help write the physics model of the vehicle so they could study its behavior. I ended up finishing the simulation, then going on to develop the control system for it, resulting in three international patents and multiple prototypes. The company convinced me to stick around with a variety of research projects and eventually, after a few years, I ended up leading
the automated vehicle project for Honda Research Institute USA. During that time, I eventually went back to campus to defend my dissertation and completed my PhD. I went on to work for a variety of autonomous vehicle projects and over the course of my work I began to realise the bottleneck for realworld autonomous cars was in the Deep Neural Network processing capabilities of current technology. I had the opportunity to work on a revolutionary new technology that could potentially enable a future generation of AI so I took the role. My current work dovetails with my
passion for automobiles. I’ve always had an affinity for the automobile and I still spend part of my spare time building, tweaking and racing cars. I also pit crew for Team Honda Research – West for the world’s longest automotive endurance race each year, the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. My main long-term goal is that I want to try to make sure that whatever I put my energy and expertise in to, that I am continually learning and having fun. I try to enjoy the process of getting there as much as the end result and I would like to think that in ten years I could look back and say that it was time well spent.
Visiting Bangkok? Want to come back for noodles? To book your alumni visit, get in touch at alumni@patana.ac.th 32
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Bangkok Patana Magazine
ALUMNI GLOBAL REUNIONS: BANGKOK, LONDON, NEW YORK
Don’t miss our upcoming alumni events! Make sure you are signed up to the Bangkok Patana Alumni Platform at https://patana.360alumni.com/ or scan our QR code:
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Bangkok Patana’s Historical Success Continues with University Offers to Grad’20 The students of Grad’20 can look forward to bright futures as their offers from universities and colleges have been furiously coming in. They have received offers from top universities and colleges including the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Stanford University (two offers), University of Toronto, University of College London, Imperial College London as well as Ivy League schools – University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and Cornell University. So far these make up 38 offers from the most selective universities globally and 110 offers from universities in the Russell Group and 141 from global top 100 schools. More offers come in daily – well done Grad’20! Liberal arts colleges in the United States have not been ignored by our diverse population of students, with offers to top ranking Swarthmore College, Bowdoin College and Sarah Lawrence College, as well as offers to specialist programmes in entrepreneurship, medicine, film and arts. A Range of Diverse Interests from our Students Our students show a diverse range of interests, from studying
Biology at Oxford, a perfect fit for Student Environmental Committee member Maya Lemaire, to Charlotte Masson who has received an offer to study film in the highly selective and reputed Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University in California. Many students are still waiting to hear from their choices and we are looking forward to celebrating their successes. Bangkok Patana has been recognised throughout its long history for developing the potential of every student. A team of six career counsellors work individually with students to ensure they are placed in the university or college that best fits their aspirations and sets them on the best path to their futures. This means that along with offers to Oxford, Cambridge and Stanford, students have been able to boast of offers to highly specialised programmes such as music at Berklee College of Music and theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts – both globally recognised as the top programmes in their fields.