IMPACT 36 by Concordian International School

BY CONCORDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL INTEGRITY - VISION - INTELLECT - COMPASSION

Table of Contents

Winter Issue

Editor's Note Spotlight

Wishes to HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati

Festival of Love

Concordian Alumni Talk

Alumni College Fair

Showcase

Sornthong Thai Classical Music Competition

Forum for World Education

Celebrating Our Dragons

Athletics News

Basketball Varsity Girls / G7U Girls Football

Basketball Varsity Boys

Dragon Golf Tournament / G3U and G5U Track & Field

G1, G2 Track & Field

School Updates

EY Sports Day

PY Sports Day

Centerstage 12

Freaky Fun Festival

Spirit Week

Loy Krathong Festival

The Christmas Train Adventure K2&K3 Musical Concert

PYP Celebrating Chinese New Year

PY The Voice Season 7

Peter Pan

Concordian Choral Showcase

Instrumental Music Showcase

The 7th Chinese Temple Fair

Middle School Dramatic Reading

Student Life and Service

G6 Service Projects

G7 Service Projects

G8 Service Projects

G9 Service Projects

Loy Krathong

Page 35

K2 & K3 Musical

Page 38

PYP Celebrating Chinese New Year

Page 44

Festival of Love

Page 3

Instrumental Music Showcase

Page 54

MUN (Model United Nations)

Food for All Club & G12 Service

Hear to Heart / GAT Club

Operation Smile Medical Mission

Trips

Grade 5 Week Without Walls

Grade 6 Week Without Walls

Grade 7 Week Without Walls

Grade 8 Week Without Walls

Grade 9 & 10 Week Without Walls

Special Feature

Editor's NOTE

Dear Impact Readers,

In case there was any doubt, Concordian is back! Our school is once again full of life, vibrant events, colorful celebrations, trips and, most of all, great learning. One only has to look at the size of this issue of Impact to realize how quickly we have managed to regain our verve and vitality!

In this issue of Impact we would like to start by extending our sincerest wishes for a full recovery to Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati and reflect on the well-wishing ceremonies that took place within our school and at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. We then flash back to the incredible Festival of Love that took place in early December of 2022 and brought together thousands of members of our community in a joyful celebration organized by our incredible PTA - what a day!

A wonderful way in which our alumni give back to our community is by returning to Concordian once a year for the annual Alumni Talk and College Fair - this took place in November and presented an invaluable opportunity for our students to learn about what their journey after Concordian may look like. And, as usual, we celebrate the achievements of our Dragon Athletics - and there were some significant wins this season - and sporting life at Concordian. We also honor the victories and accomplishments of our talented students outside of school in the “Celebrating Our Dragons” section.

We then move on to the plethora of events that took place at Concordian over the past few months - Centerstage 12, the Voice of Concordian Season 7, Freaky Fun Festival, Spirit Week, Loy Krathong, and, of course, the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit throughout the school, notably with the return of the Temple Fair with both Sing! and Funfair this year. You can find out more about these events as well as our Vocal Showcase and Instrumental Music Showcase, the play Peter Pan Goes Wrong and much more! Last but not least, we check in on the progress of our Secondary Service Programme, relive the highlights of the G5-G10 Week Without Walls trips and hear from some of our Concordian families.

Please let me take this opportunity to wish you all a prosperous New Year of the Rabbit! Please enjoy this issue of our magazine!

Dessy Delevaux Editor

Dessy

Wishes to HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati

Concordian International School extends wishes for Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati Krom Luang Ratchasarinee Siripatchara Maha Watchara Ratchathida speedy and full recovery.

Concordian International School organized a well-wishing book for the Concordian community to wish Princess Bajraktityabha recovery on the first floor of the Lobby area.

In Thai classes, Concordian students gained knowledge of the royal contributions and gratefully recognized boundless benevolence of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati Krom Luang Ratchasarinee Siripatchara Maha Watchara Ratchathida. EY students colored well wishes cards for Her Royal Highness’s speedy and full recovery. PY, MYP and DP students wrote well wishes cards for Her Royal Highness’s speedy and full recovery. All the cards were put together in the EY, PY, MYP and DP well-wishing book to be presented to Her Royal Highness at Chulalongkorn Hospital on January 31st, 2023.

On January 31st, 2023 Khun Varnnee and Ajarn Vichitvong led a well-wishing ceremony for Princess Bajrakitiyabha. Khun Varnnee placed a vase of flowers on an altar before the Princess’s portrait on behalf of Concordian members. Later, Kru Lek, Kru Nit, and Kru Dear teachers’ representatives placed the EY, PY, MYP and DP well-wishers’ books on an altar before the Princess’s portrait on behalf of Concordian students and also wrote messages offering their wishes for the Princess to recover her good health soon on the first floor of the Bhumisirimangalanusorn Building at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Festival of Love

Friday, December 9th, 2022 marked a significant day in our school’s calendar of events - once again, the Festival of Love was back! The largest event ever organized at Concordian brought together thousands of our community members. The event’s theme of “Red and Green” helped to put everyone in a festive mood while numerous vendors provided delicious food and drinks for our students and parents to enjoy. The afternoon included amazing activities for our students to participate in as well as phenomenal performances by our talented students. And who could forget the spectacular lucky draw prizes!?!

The months of hard work, planning and dedication by our amazing Parent Teacher Association finally came to fruition in this afternoon of fun and joy that our Concordian community will not soon forget! We are deeply grateful to our PTA members - K. Por, K. Gil, K. Meow, K. Lux, K. Aom, K. Wee, K. Ging, K. Geng, K. Wan, K. Kyo, K. Oil, K. Mee, K. Jiew, K. Pat, K. Oum, K. Prot, K. Ning, K. Pinn, K. Jib, K. Kaew, K. On, K. Jojo, K. Mint, K. Vichai, K. Por, K. John, Mr. Craig and Mr. Bill - for their efforts, dedication and unwavering commitment to Concordian and its mission and vision!

Alumni Talk Alumni Talk

Concordian's Alumni Talk 2022 - Startups and Innovation: Challenges and Opportunities for Growth in the Tech Sector took place on Monday, November 7th, 2022 at 8.30 am at the Concordian Grand Theater.

Five Concordian Alumni who are currently CEO's, COO's and/or Co-Founders of successful businesses shared their insights on the challenges and opportunities for growth in the Tech Sector. The talk was MC'ed by Khun Kong Akarat Nitibhon and Thanutchaya Hirundaj (Pleng G12).

It was a great opportunity for our students and parents to meet our Concordian alumni who hold high level positions in successful businesses and to be able to interact with them. We are grateful to Man, Byte, Ong, Bright and Heart for giving back to our community by sharing their knowledge and experience!

Alumni College Fair

Now that restrictions have been lifted, along with campus visits, we are starting to have university fairs again in person. Yet there is one specific fair we are always so happy to host and that is our Alumni Fair. At this fair, our former students come back to Concordian to represent the universities they formerly attended and to share information and their experiences while studying in the university.

On November 7th, 2022 we hosted 12 alumni on campus to represent the following universities: Stanford University, University of St. Andrews, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University College London (UCL), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Oxford, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore, and University of the Arts London, University of Warwick, Glion Institute of Higher Education, Northeastern University and Chulalongkorn University (BALAC program).

There was a diversity of universities and countries represented by the Alumni and our students really enjoyed talking with them, learning more about their experiences and listening to their suggestions. In asking students to reflect on the success of this type of fair, we always hear that the students find it more meaningful talking with the alumni because the alumni can identify with the student and they also understand the process students are going through in preparation for university. We want to extend a very big THANK YOU to our Alumni for supporting us with the fair and we look forward to welcoming them back to campus for future events.

Dr. Tresa Virankabutra Director of College Counseling

Sornthong Sornthong

Thai Classical Music Competition

This is the fifth year that the Luang Pradit Pairoh Foundation (Sorn Silapabaanleng) has organized the Thai classical music competition to promote development by primary and middle school level students.

In the past two years, the contest happened online but this year, 3 representative students from Concordian - Don (G5), Dol (G5) and Tiger (G7), had to perform their talent on the real stage. Of course, that was the first time that they had to show in front of 5 judges, with the last 30 competitors in the final round from all over the country and the audiences in the auditorium at Kasetsart University on January 14th and January 21st, 2023.

They all performed their best on the stage and finally Dol (G5) earned the third place in Sornthong Contest 2022-2023 in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti. It was a great success this year and they would like to share their experience from the contest with us.

Dol (G5)

Ranad (Thai Xylophone) is an instrument, but not just a regular instrument - it is a Thai instrument, an instrument that defines Thai culture. Recently on the 14th of January , I participated in the final round of a Ranad (Thai Xylophone) competition called “Sornthong” and it was one of the most memorable days in my life. That was not the start of the journey since when I was in 1st grade, I signed up for Thai instruments @SA with Kru A alongside many others. Since then, I have trained a lot and first entered the “Sornthong” competition when I was in 3rd grade, and surprisingly I got 9th place amongst the hundreds who entered. When I was in 4th grade, I trained harder with Kru A and I learned methods from other teachers too who also helped me throughout this. I got 5th place that year which I was really proud of and had the motivation to go on.

The following year, I practiced countless hours everyday to achieve a higher ranking, even though this year we had to do this live, which was an experience I have never had before. This year I even got 3rd place and made some friends there! All of this couldn’t be possible if not for Kru A and everyone else who helped me along this journey. I would also like to thank my parents for supporting me and motivating me to go on and Concordian for helping me and giving me support.

Don (G5)

I am very thankful to have played the Thai instrument “Ranad”. It gave me a lot of chances I never had. I feel very proud that I achieved something beyond my dreams. Sornthong is a huge competition and to have been able to reach such a high rank was beyond my imagination. I had practiced for over 7 months and going to the competition was extremely exciting. As it wasn’t taped and was live, my heart pounded very hard. I didn't know I would get a good rank, it was encouraging to be the only international student to go to the finals.

Even though I didn’t get 1st place, I have no regrets and know I will try harder next year, and make everyone proud. I am extremely grateful that Kru A invited me to play in the competition Sornthong, it gave me the experience to win and lose, it made me patient, and it improved my Ranad skills. I feel incredibly lucky to have a teacher and school as supportive as Kru A and Concordian and it has been an immense pleasure to learn under their guidance. I will learn from my mistakes and change them. Please cheer me on. Thank you.

Tiger (G7)

The Sornthong competition has been one of the greatest priorities of my life. But honestly, I’ve always had high hopes for myself because of just one win. This experience has been scary, but gave me a new perspective. Something I have appreciated the most in this competition is how easy I can make friends with other competitors. The stakes are extremely high, but since this is my first time competing in the real stage, I got to meet new people that have been here since they were my age. Most of them are in Grades 10 to 12, and I am just one of the few that are younger but have passed to the final round. It is almost inevitable to not talk to anyone in this competition, because you could literally sit next to the winner of the competition and you wouldn’t know it. Everyone supports each other, especially if you are a newcomer. If you play your song wrong, no one will criticize you.

I have made a few friends in this competition, and I told one of my friends to see each other next year, back in the finals. I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for always supporting me in every circumstance, and also every teacher that has taught me all of the skills that I know to this day. I feel extremely grateful for everyone that has supported me and I will try my best again next year.

The result of the contest is important but not more than what a risk-taker you are and how friendly you are with others. I truly believe that experiential learning is one of the best educators. This contest, of course, will bring you to be not only a good musician but also a good person in the future. We are so proud of you. Go Dragons !!!

Forum for World Education

FWE FWE

Conference in Khao Yai

On December 1st, 2022, Concordian students got a chance to perform Thai culture, music and dance, in the opening ceremony of the Forum for World Education (FWE) Conference at CP Leadership Institute, Khao Yai.

The first performance started with Home-Rong-Jeen-Tok-Mai (the overture). This playful song highlights the beauty of each instrument in the Thai traditional music band, followed by Thai Western harmonized fusion music.

Our second performance was called Forn-Phang-Pra-Theep, an ancient northern Thai dance. The song’s name refers to a candle that emits the lights of wisdom which means to bright light in the path of obtaining knowledge.

The last show was contemporary music which presented the solo Ranad-EK instrument, the Thai xylophone, with the western song called Cannon in the rock music style representing music as one of the universal languages, we can learn and be happy together.

Through all performances we wanted to wish everyone a wonderful experience at the Forum for World Education and convey our hope that everyone can find their own bright light as lifelong learners.

I would like to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank Khun Varnnee Ross who always appreciates how important Thai culture is and gave our students a chance for this performance. Thank you Kru Juab, Kru Nan and Kru Peemai for supporting and practicing Thai dance, and also the support team of the school. Last but not least, we are so proud of our talented students, Hui Hui, Rika ,Cake, Tiger, Don, Dol, Cathy, Kaem, Katie, Yumi, Mook and Melody. Thank you very much for being the wonderful representatives of Concordians.

Kru A Thai Music Leader

Celebrating

Our Dragons!

Bangkok International SuperCup

Congratulations to Namo (G5D) for winning the U11 Bangkok International SuperCup with his teamPremier Football Academy 2012 A - on December 3-4, 2022. The championship included 28 teams from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Laos.

U14 3x3 Basketball Thailand Championship on National Sports Day

Ken (G9D) and Bill (G8) won the U14 3x3 Basketball Thailand Championship on National Sports Day.

The competition was held on 10th December 2022 at the Thai National Stadium and was hosted by the Basketball Sport Association, with participating teams from across Thailand.

We would also like to celebrate Namo's team achievement last summer when they joined two football tournaments in Lyon, France on June 1-7, 2022 with Premier Football Academy - Rhodia Cup U10 and Reventin Veaugris U10 cup. The team proudly represented Thailand and became the champions of the Reventin Veaugris U10.

Schools Tennis Tournament 2022

Congratulations to Jaomaruai (K1S) who finished as the 2nd runner up in the 23rd Schools Tennis Tournament for juniors (not over 6 years old) on December 10-12th, 2022. He is the youngest player to ever achieve this result!

Overseas Performers Festival

Jaomaruai also won the Gold Prize in the 6th Overseas Performers Festival Piano” at Yamaha Music Hall on 14th January 2023. He played 3 pieces from memory and was the youngest participant in the competition!

Pho3nix kids Triathlon

The Pho3nix Kids Triathlon took place on February 11, 2023 and Concordian students achieved some amazing results! Congratulations to Aiya who finished in 1st place AG 10-11 Girls (25.47min) and Rita show finished 1st in AG 12-13 Girls (21.44min)!

Bravo to Pam for taking 1st place in Beginner 10-11 years and Mona for taking 2nd place! In the Beginner 8-9 years category, congratulations go to Nene for taking 2nd place and to Venice who came in 3rd. Well done to Hana, Lilo, Deedee and Vino, as well as Stephanie, Vita, Plawarn and Parima who also participated in this event. Concordian is very proud of all of you!

Paris Grand Prize Virtuoso & Red Maple Music Competition

Bravo to Plawarn (G2D) who won two Piano competitions:

1. First Prize Winner from Paris Grand Prize Virtuoso

2. Second Place Winner from Red Maple Music Competition

Thailand Kids Golf Step-up Tournament

Congratulations to Ava (G4I) for placing as 3rd runner up for the golf tournament on February 5, 2023.

Thailand pony Championship

Well done to Lana (G4S) who got the first place from Thailand Pony Championship pre-test 60cm in Saraburi and to Lanni (G4D) who placed 3rd in the same competition.

Congratulations to Proud and Zimba for placing 2nd in the Adisorn Cup 2023 Competition #10 Jumping Pony 70cm and for placing 2nd in the Competition #6 Jumping Open 40cm. Well done to Pi and Thunder who placed 3rd in the latter event as well.

Junior Famous Remark to Thailand Award

We are pleased to announce that Manie (G7I) and Proud (G4S) received the Trophy for Outstanding Youth by the Thailand Ministry of Education presented by the Prime Minister of Thailand at Government House.

Congratulations! Concordian is very proud of you!

Phoenix Riding Academy By KP

Amazing job by Venice (Tanittha Netrabukkana) for placing 1st in the Phoenix Riding Academy horse riding competition in both Jumping Lead Rein and Dressage Walk Trot Lead Rein!

Sub-Zero Bangkok Ice Skating International

2022

Congratulations to Mona (G4S) for winning 3 gold medals and to Venice (G2D) for winning 1 gold medal at the Sub-Zero Bangkok Ice Skating International 2022!

Basketball Varsity Girls

Hooray! The moment that we have all been waiting for has come. Our Concordian Dragons Basketball Varsity Girls team has finally made an indelible mark in history, as it happened for the first time ever. Despite the hectic scholastic schedule of the players, they always endeavored to join the training. Because of their hard work, determination and teamwork, they are now hailed as the AISAA Girls Varsity Basketball League Champion. 1-2-3 Dragons!

G7U Girls

Football

After some good League games and friendlies where this team deserved a bit more, on March 2nd, 2023 Concordian hosted the G7U AISAA Tournament. On a very hot day, these Dragons were able to complete the pool with 3 wins and 1 loss, winning the key game against KIS 3-0. With a 3 team tie, a penalty round between 3 teams decided the 2 finalists. In the end, Concordian and Berkeley both ended up advancing to the final. In three previous games against Berkeley, (the league, a friendly and in the tournament) Concordian lost all three games. However, on this day, the team was ready for the challenge. This final was one of the most amazing and emotional games we have seen on our home field. Our Dragons played the perfect match and were able to beat Berkley by a score of 1-0 on a goal by Ploy. This was an incredible all-round effort in a truly memorable game. Concordian fully deserved the victory on this day and from that game, thirteen young heroes emerged. These are the 13 girls that never stopped believing that If you try your best, you can indeed succeed:

G7: Gia, Pim, Melody, Proud, Rita, Ami, Airi

G6: Lookpear, Sureen, Aimee, Torfun, Grace, Ploy

Mr. Toni Asensio

MVP - BAMBAM Leadership Award - ROSE Coach Raymond

Basketball Varsity Boys

On February 26th 2023, Concordian’s Varsity Basketball Boys’ team got 2nd place in the AISAA Basketball Tournament of 2023 hosted at KIS international school.

Our Concordian Dragons strived through all the games but came up just a little short in the Finals against Wells. The tournament was a tough battle having played a total of 6 games, overcoming challenges and battles they faced together!

Khun Toon and Khun Top

Concordian Parents

Dragon Golf Tournament

G3U and G5U Track and Field

What a terrific day, as Concordian Dragons participated in the AISAA Track and Field Meet on Wednesday, December 7th, 2022.

We entered a Grade 3U Team and Grade 5U Team consisting of 26 eager athletes.

Students ran 60 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 600 m, 800 m or relay, as well as events consisting of running long jump, triple jump, ball throw, or push ball throw.

The Concordian students showed good sportsmanship, integrity, and perseverance as they pushed as hard as they could in each event!

The Dragons came away with 8 Gold Medals, 22 Silver Medals and 25 Bronze Medals. Congratulations!

Ms. Mari, Mr. Jared, Ms. Irish, Ms. Marily and Ms. Rona

I would like to congratulate the Dragons golf team for their excellent play on November 21st, 2022 at Thai Country Club. The team managed to claim 5 first place trophies, 7 team medals, and a Longest Drive prize.

1st place Team low nett score

1st place Low nett boys overall Puri

1st place Low nett boys Group A U18 Matthew

1st place Low nett boys Group B U16 Puri

1st place Low nett boys Group C U13 Dean Longest drive Girls Pei Pei

Very well done!!!

Mr. Michael Wilson

Grade 1, 2 Track and Field

What a terrific time we had with Grade 1 and 2 Developmental Track and Field. Students learned the basics of running, jumping and throwing over the three and a half months.

In our final celebration session, the eager students ran 60 m, and the 200 m. They also had a throwing activity and did the running long jump.

Each participant showed good portsmanship and perseverance as they competed against students from their same gender and same grade level. It was lovely to see them push as hard as they could in each event!

We had quite a number of parents that watched the culminating activity where they cheered on their child.

Congratulations to each student that participated since the beginning of the school year.

See you next year!

Ms. Mari, Mr. Jared, Ms. Marily and Ms. Rona

EY Sports Day

We celebrated our EY Sports Day on November 25, 2022. Everyone was so happy and excited to join and have fun at our event. The EY Sports Day was held in 2 separate sessions. Pre-K and K1 started at 8:05am and K2 and K3 started at 10:15am. Every student participated in all of our games and activities. Each session had 8 fun and competitive stations where students learned to have a sporting spirit. The parents and teachers showed full support, encouragement and motivation to all our students. It was nice to see all our students trying their best and showing good sportsmanship and enthusiasm on our Sports Day.

Ms. Mari & Mr. Ray

PY Sports Day

PY Sports Day this year was a fantastic event. Students were happy and had so much fun in the many activities they joined. They showed their strong performance and advanced level of sports skills in many stations. There were 8 stations for G1 & G2 such as Treasure Island, Football Blaster, Hula Hoop Relay, etc., and 12 stations for G3, G4 and G5 such as Table Tennis, Football, Long Jump, Speed & Agility, etc. All activities were challenging and could help them increase their body strength, balance and coordination.

This time our Sports Day was almost back to normal, students didn't need to wear masks while doing activities (optional) and we had the Grand Finale at the PY Gym to announce the house team winners at the end.

Thank you very much to all parents for supporting this event and joining with the students in some stations. And thank you very much to the admin team, PE team, teachers and all staff for your great support in making this event successful.

Hopefully during the next PY Sports Day students will enjoy and have fun with parents at the Grand finale in the PY Gym!

Kru Tiew

Centerstage 12

A massive thank you to everyone who participated and supported our PY Talent Show, Centerstage, in its 12th year! On Thursday, October 20, 2022, the PYP section was able to have its live audience again. Twenty five acts, which included 43 students, performed and vied for the SuperNova award. We were able to see a fantastic variety of talents, including the incredible hosting skills of our 5 MCs. Not only were our amazing students able to showcase their remarkable variety of skills and talents, but our PY teachers and TAs also surprised the community with their astounding dance number.

Enormous thanks go out to our PY Administration for the trust and unwavering support. Special thanks to our judges, Mr. Laurent, our Head of School, Ms. Dessy, our HR Manager, Mr. Clynt, our Arts Head of Department, IB Theater and Film and MYP Drama Teacher, Kru Aim, our Early Years Thai Head of Department and Early Years Thai Teacher, Ms. Jing our Secondary School Chinese Event Coordinator, and MYP & DP Chinese Teacher, and Mr. Mark, our Secondary School Music Teacher. They had a tough time deciding on the SuperNova Award Recipients as the talents and skills seem to be leveling up each year. A special thank you also goes to Ms. Alpha, our PY ICT Teacher, for our digital score sheet, Ms. Allen, our PY Music Teaching Assistant, for her flexibility and constant help, and to our technical team for their excellent support to our program. Also noteworthy as always are our custodians and maintenance team for helping to move the equipment and getting the stage ready for every act. Our warmest thank you also to the parents for their perseverance in supporting the children from practice to the final stage performance.

Hearty congratulations to all the student performers! You’re all superstars! Continue to enhance your passion and be an inspiration to others! To the following SuperNova recipients (listed in no particular order), our utmost congratulations – KFC band comprising of Kean 3I, Klint 3C, Finn 3I and Sisi 3I; Charlotte G2D (Vocal Solo) Pun Pun 5C (Aerial Hoop); Times 4I (Guitar); Nita 4I (Vocal Solo); Lada 3D (Piano); Venice 2D (Disney Musical Medley); Mona 4S & Neala 4S (Dance); Alin 4S (Singing with Guitar Accompaniment); TerTer 4D (Sing & Dance); and Lilo 4S (Drums).

Thank you all once again for the great 12 seasons! To the next and beyond, Mabuhay!

- Mrs. Maricor and Mr. Sebert

Freaky Fun Festival

Finally again in 2022 Parents knew just what to do It was time for our kids to party again I think it rated a solid 10

We decorated the gyms for games and fun We ensured there were activities for everyone Students moved through both gym and hall Having a truly amazing ball

Students laughed and ran and played Throughout this amazing fun-filled day Class parents came to help set the scene For a truly amazing Halloween

It was a great feeling to have us all back On a much more festive Concordian track

To say goodbye to those dryer years With all of us filled with viral fears

To turn the corner toward carefree joys For all of our Concordian girls and boys

Thank you all who lent a hand And improved upon my festive plan Class parents, your efforts mean a lot Without you all I certainly could not Host and plan our fun filled soiree And run the games for the kids to play

The Freaky Fun Festival in 2022 was our first big Concordian event in a long while. It went off without a hitch. The parents, students and teachers all had an excellent time. To all those that helped with this event, I would like to offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you.

Mr. Joe Savage

Spirit Week Spirit Week

The final week of school in 2022 was an exciting time at Concordian. The Concordian Student Council worked to organize events and activities for all of our Concordian PYP students. We had a full week of exciting fun!

Monday, December 12th, was Snow Day and Concordian students got a little taste of winter. Students walked through a field of gently falling snow to arrive at the dome where ice-cold frosty mounds waited for their arrival. Wearing their warmest gloves and boots, they worked to make sculptures and played with the snow that had miraculously fallen in the dome at Concordian. When they got too cold, warm mugs of hot cocoa were waiting to help them warm up their freezing fingers.

On Wednesday, December 14th, Concordian was visited by animals from all over the world. Students came to our biggest petting zoo ever, dressed in their best Christmas character costumes. Concordian students were able to feed many different animals like baby goats and sulcata tortoises. Our most courageous students cuddled with and handled snakes, owls and even baby pigs. Our PYP students were reminded that we share the planet with many different creatures and that they need food and care to survive and thrive.

Finally on Friday, December 16th, our students said goodbye to their school for 2022. The chorus from the Redemptorist School for the Blind in Pattaya came to Concordian to share the holiday spirit. Our lobby and the amphitheater were filled with their angelic voices singing joyous Christmas carols. The PYP Student Council read a story to the students of Concordian and were interrupted by The Grinch. Luckily, Santa came to save the day and distributed gifts to all of the good boys and girls of Concordian. It truly was a magical ending for 2022. The students left for their holiday with Christmas cheer in their hearts and a giant cookie as well!

Mr. Joe Savage

Loy Krathong Festival 2022

Loy Krathong is the traditional Thai festival that falls on the night of the twelfth lunar month (usually in November). This year it was held on Tuesday, November 8th, 2022. On Loy Krathong day we make krathongs by using natural materials and decorate them with colorful flowers, joss sticks and candles. We make wishes for happiness and release the krathongs into the river.

On Concordian Loy Krathong Day our members wear the beautiful Thai traditional costumes to school to promote Thai culture and celebrate Loy Krathong together. Happy Loy Krathong Day!

EY Loy Krathong

We were very excited to celebrate the Loy Krathong Festival this year. The EY students really enjoyed decorating their own krathongs with different kinds of flowers. Everyone looked amazing in their Thai costumes. We really had a great time together and were so happy to be able to float the krathongs in the pool as we had all missed out on this moment over the past few years. The Loy Krathong backdrops were a famous area for all students, parents and faculty members to gather and take such lovely and beautiful photos.

Kru Dear Thai Activities Leader

Kru Aim

EY Thai Team Leader

PY Loy Krathong celebration

The wonderful Loy Krathong celebration for PY this year started with making the krathongs to represent our respect and ask for forgiveness to the goddess of the river. On Loy Krathong Day, teachers, students and parents participated by wearing their beautiful Thai costumes and were delighted to float their krathongs together in the pool. Our Thai instruments student band and the Thai dance group performed at the lobby as well as at the swimming pool and demonstrated the beautiful Thai culture and added to the spirit of Loy Krathong Festival. We all missed this celebration over the past three years and it was wonderful to celebrate this festival once again at Concordian.

Kru Nit

PY Thai Team Leader

MYP/DP Loy Krathong

This was my first Loy Krathong experience at Concordian International School, and I found it highly delightful. Students were separated into teams for a Loy Krathong boat building. At Concordian, I enjoyed making my first lotus krathong, and learned the history of the event in Thai class. This was an engaging activity that allowed me to get to know my peers and the special occasion better. The ceremony was interesting to watch as there were many traditional Thai performances that I haven't had a chance to view yet. Overall, I really enjoyed this occasion and will be looking forward to a repeat for next year!

Alyssa G10I

The Christmas Train Adventure K2 & K3 Musical Concert

December 15, 2022

Before 2022 concluded, our K2 & K3 students were able to bring on our K2 and K3 Musical Concert, “The Christmas Train Adventure.” It was a fun musical train ride through rhythm and time. We’re truly glad to be able to pull it off after the two long years of the pandemic.

Although this performance was the first for all of the students, as soon as they went on stage, they were full of confidence under the lights. The more clapping and cheering they heard from the audience, the more enthusiastic the students became and the livelier their performances came to be.

The journey began with the Concordian Faculty choir putting everyone in the holiday spirit through their songs, “A Marshmallow World”, and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. This was followed by K3D’s interpretation of “A Super Celebration”. K2I rendered “Let’s Build a Gingerbread House” and K2C performed “The Sounds of Santa’s Workshop”. K2S sang and danced to the song “I Want to Be an Elf” while K3I rapped and moved to the beat of “Hip Hop Reindeer”. K2D showcased “Happy Christmas Eve” and K3S performed “Elfie Selfie”. The finale song, “We Wish You a Swinging Holiday!” was performed by all the K2 and K3 students.

A BIG thank you goes out to EACH ONE of YOU for going that extra mile in making our K2 and K3 students’ musical concert a huge success!

It was not easy but with the hard work that everyone has contributed, we were able to pull it off. Thank you so much, Concordian community!

Mrs. Maricor

Ms. Norylove

Ms. Shella

We are thankful to all parents who joined us for this celebration!

PYP Celebrating Chinese New Year 2023

At Concordian, we celebrate a diversity of cultures and Chinese New Year is one of the greatest highlights of the year.

In January, the campus was decorated with festive vibes for the year of Rabbit: lanterns, plum blossoms, red couplets, rabbit figures, Concordian dragons in rabbit outfits… Students, parents and teachers were amazed at the decorations and took many beautiful photos for good memories.

The Wishing Tree activity (许愿树) continued to be one of the most popular activities in the lobby. We hope the wishes written on the red paper tags hanging on this beautiful plum blossom tree will come true in the year 2023.

This year we welcomed back Professor and Calligrapher Jia Qing 賈慶 from Ramkhamhaeng University to write blessing words and spring couplets on red paper for all Concordian members. Watching Professor Jia gracefully transform a wish into a piece of art on red paper was a great pleasure.

For children, receiving Hong Bao (red envelopes) is always a favorite activity during the Chinese New Year. We organized five locations for all PYP students to collect Hong Bao with chocolate coins inside. In order to receive a Hong Bao, students greeted the adults with blessing words in Chinese as a traditional custom called "拜年". Something worth mentioning was that this year we designed our own red envelopes with different Concordian dragons on them. It was a good collection indeed!

In the Early Years, students had a chance to participate in station activities led by classroom teachers. Pre-K and K1 had four rotation activities while K2 and K3 had eight stations! Not only were there some traditional games such as Kung Fu Mei Hua Zhuang 功夫梅花桩 and Arrow In The Pot 兔年投壶 but we also had adapted activities for the Rabbit year such as Pass Rabbit 击鼓传兔, Eagle Catching the Rabbit 老鹰 抓小兔, Chinese Zodiac Hopscotch 十二生肖跳房子 Students and teachers had a great time together playing games and celebrating the cultural event.

It was delightful to see students learning the Chinese language and learning about the culture as well. We wish all Concordian members a happy and auspicious Chinese New Year! 祝大家兔年幸福安康，顺心如意！

Ms. Ariel Yu Wang Elementary Principal

PY The Voice

Concordian Chinese Singing Contest Season 7

The Voice of Concordian Chinese Singing Contest Season 7 helped us to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival 2023.

The theme of the Voice Season 7 this year was “华灯会 A Festival of Lanterns''. Like so many other Chinese cultural elements, lanterns have a long history dating back to thousands of years ago, in the early Han Dynasty.

Over the centuries, lanterns have become a staple Chinese item, particularly in times of celebration. Lanterns symbolize vitality, good luck, and hope. In the year 2023, we hope everyone will keep a lantern in their heart. A lantern that lightens up your day, gives you hope and courage, and brings you joy.

After auditions, sixteen talented groups were selected to compete in the Voice Finale on the 3rd of February 2023. They all had impressive vocal strength and beautiful voices. They had good musical accuracy when singing high and low notes. Their stage presence was a result of their inner confidence and, of course, tremendous practice. Through the competition they pushed each other to rise to a higher level!

We would like to express our appreciation to all of our judges from the auditions to the finale: Mr. Mark, Mr. Roxy, Ms. Jing, Ms. Jenifer, Ms. Dessy, Ms. Sally, Mr. Laurent, and our student judge Kyla, Grade 11, who won the Best Voice award in the very first Voice Season 1 seven years ago and returned to the Voice this year as a judge. She is a wonderful role model for younger students. A special thanks to our Finale judges for their surprise performance.

Congratulations to the following students who won the Best Voice Awards: Janine G1I, Nita G2C, Venice G2D, Charlotte G2D, Chada G2D, JJ G2I, Finn G3I, Times G4I, Mona G4S, TerTer G4D and CJ G5S.

Congratulations to the following students who won the Good Voice Awards: Kade G1D, Morris G1I, Nikki G2D, Hana G2D, Pisa G4C, Peang-or G4C, Tun Tun G4S and Yada G4S.

Congratulations to Times G4I who won the Golden Voice Plaque Award. He has won the Best Voice awards consecutively for three years in a row since G2!

A great show can only be done with a professional team. And this team is our outstanding PY Chinese departmentall the Chinese teachers, teaching assistants and support teachers spent long days over many weeks to ensure the success of the event. We thank Khun Pavida who created all the graphic designs and coordinated the event alongside me; we also thank Khun Thida for coordinating the facility and stage set, Khun Game on behalf of the IT team and Khun Ying on behalf of the maintenance team.

We look forward to the Voice of Concordian Chinese Singing Contest Season 8 next year!

Ms. Ariel Wang

Elementary Principal

Peter Pan; Goes Wrong

The secret of Peter Pan seems to be that it is not merely a children’s entertainment but a great play in its own right, a memorable theatrical experience, and reflecting on directing this work, I feel that the cast and crew achieved “a memorable theatrical experience” for the audience.

James M. Barrie wrote Peter Pan out of the depths of his memory, experiences growing up with a large family, and own creative personality; as a young boy, he played with his friend’s toy theater, performed improvised dramas for family and friends and was an avid reader of the sensationalized fiction of the day know as Penny Dreadfuls. He also read voraciously with his mother, beginning with Robinson Crusoe and continuing with other adventure stories, including the historical novels of Sir Walter Scott and James Fenimore Cooper, as well as R. M. Ballantyne’s The Coral Island, a tale of shipwrecked sailors and pirates. When the supply of books at the local library and bookshop was exhausted, Barrie began writing his own adventure tales to entertain his mother.

Fast-forward to 2022, and we have Peter Pan Goes Wrong, a play written by Harry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, performed by the fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, a version, which ends in ruin, due to amateurism and personal rivalries. It is one thing to produce and direct a play to go right and an altogether more challenging task to have it go wrong (because it still needs to go right if you follow). The realization of the production was due to the commitment of everyone involved; the ensemble actors; the technical crew and the talent & professionalism of the Design department. And I would add a personal thanks to our Principals and Head of School who were on board with us every step of the way.

Te Arohanui

Mr. Clynt Whitaker

Concordian Choral Showcase

A Celebration of Singing!

The winter choir performance at Concordian on December 1st, 2022, was a unique and exciting experience for both the students and the community. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the MYP music students were able to come together and share their love of singing through the Concordian Choral Showcase. It was also Concordian’s first official choir performance!

The students worked hard to produce a great afternoon of singing to demonstrate learning about technique, musicality, and logistics in a short amount of time. The Concordian community was also a big part of this success, as many families and friends came out to support the students and the growing choir program at the school.

As a new arrival to Concordian, I am honored to see the love of song throughout the campus and the community. I am excited for the upcoming Spring Semester, as the new @SA select choir, Con Brio, begins rehearsals and we continue to push the limits of musical skill at the school. Thank you to everyone for helping make the first Concordian Choral Showcase a success, and thank you for the opportunity to grow the love of choral music at Concordian.

Mr. Mark Palombo MYP Vocal Music / DP Music

Instrumental Music Showcase 2022

On the 16th of December 2022, our school’s music program came together to put on a show for the Concordian International School community. Students from Grade 7 to 12, including the String Ensemble and Concordian’s Wind ensemble, Poco-A-Poco, participated in this event, showcasing their talents.

As the music teacher and ensemble director, I couldn’t be more proud of the students’ performances. They faced many challenges due to the Covid-19 restrictions, not being able to perform or rehearse together for the past two years. Despite this, they worked hard and delivered an outstanding performance.

The concert was not only a showcase of our students’ musical abilities, but it was also a celebration of the joy of music-making. It was a pleasure to see the students enjoying themselves on stage, and it was a reminder of the importance of music in our lives. Their performance was a testament to the growth and development of our school’s music program.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the students on their achievement and thank the parents, school administrators, and community for their ongoing support of our students’ music learning. Without their support, events like this would not be possible. We look forward to the next concert and other musical opportunities, where our students can continue to showcase their talents and share their love of music with our school community.

Ms. Hyesun Chung Music Program Coordinator

Chinese Temple Fair The 7th

This year, we returned to the normal Chinese Temple Fair. We held both the SING! Performance and the usual Funfair with games and art crafts to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival, which takes place 15 days after the Chinese New year. The MYP/DP Chinese team presented this Chinese Temple Fair with a theme of “月圆人团圆，你我向未来”, which means “A Day for Family Reunion, A Hopeful Future for All ”.

In the year of the Rabbit, we wish everyone an excellent and prosperous year. We give our special thanks to all the Concordians, especially the dedicated performers, teachers, IT department, maintenance team, and staff and support team.

G12 Deno: The Chinese Temple Fair and SING! event on Friday, February 3rd, was a truly spectacular celebration of culture. My Language and Culture Club and some other classmates organized the Costume Photobooth for the Fair. Seeing not only friends but also underclassmen and parents being able to put on costumes and have fun amongst themselves was a genuine experience. Not only did it help to validate our hard work but seeing the joy and energy of people being brought out through cosplay gave us a lens through which we used to view how alive the school was that day. Although we did not wander around the fair much because of our booth, it was clear how alive and vibrant everybody was during the Temple Fair.

G10 Haddy: 在今年的庙会上，作 为主持人，我不仅为现场观众 带来了精彩的表演，而且还尝 试了每个组设计的庙会游戏。 我非常感谢中文部组织的庙会 活动，让我有了这次难忘的体 验。

G9 Sheen: 2023’s Temple Fair was absolutely amazing! As one of the performers, I feel extremely proud to be able to partake in such an event, as not only was I able to enjoy the festivities of the Chinese festival，元宵节 but I was also able to represent a portion of Chinese culture as well. This year’s Temple Fair was not only brimming with excitement and fun, but it was the year when student-led booths were finally back! Personally, I felt that the singing performances were executed extremely well, it was breathtaking to be able to listen to all the performances. This year’s Temple Fair was truly outstanding!

G8 Meena: 在这次中国庙会当 中，我参加了《渔光曲》的舞 蹈表演。这是一个展现东方女 性的柔美和细腻，呈现上海独 特的风情与韵味的舞蹈。舞蹈 看似简单，跳起来却很难。虽 然在舞台上我们只表演了两分 多钟，我们其实在台下练了四 个月。在这四个月里，我们用 心感受着音乐的同时体验着共 同成长的快乐！感谢Ms. Jennifer 的耐心辅导，也感谢学校给我 们这样一个舞台，让我们追求 美，展示美。

G8 Pim: 虽然我是八年级的学生，但我和六、七年 级的学生一样，也是第一次参加庙会。我们的摊 位是用成语和古诗词来写书签,因为我们想让更 多的人了解我们古人的家国情怀。今年庙会活动 丰富，除了学生以外，老师和家长们也来和我们 一起玩，特别热闹。我希望明年会让我们做食 物，那样的话我想肯定会更有意思的。

G8 Prin: I believe that the Chinese Temple Fair is an event that is both memorable and enjoyable. This is because we get to create memories with our friends and see the variety of talents during Sing!. Overall, I hope that we can enjoy this event more often since the Covid regulations have decreased. In addition, I also would like to thank the Chinese department and every individual who is involved in organizing the event because it helped us receive numerous knowledge and create memories!

G7 Manie: This year was my first year taking part in the Chinese Temple Fair, both the booths and the SING show and it was a total blast! I had a great time experiencing new Chinese activities and games that I’d never tried before. This festival allowed everyone to socialize with new people and make new friends by talking to all the different people who came to visit our own booths and also interacting more with our classmates working on the project with us. In addition, I also got to take part in the SING! show. I was honored to be able to both sing and dance in front of my friends and family. I was overwhelmed with happy emotions when I walked onto the stage hearing all the screams and claps for me, I really didn’t expect it. It was such a great encouragement that I was able to express myself fully, it will be kept in my memories forever!

Dramatic Reading Middle School

On November 2nd, 2022, students from Grades 6-8 participated in our sixth Middle School Dramatic Reading event. This year’s event showcased 17 amazing students, presenting both solo recitations and small group performances. All dramatic text selections were independently chosen by the students based on their own personal interests.

On our return to the stage after a year-long hiatus, we had some wonderfully diverse selections, ranging from original poetry, novel excerpts, and even some humorous tales about a moth named Harry. The audience had an engaging time and relished the vocal exhibition from our vibrant Middle School ensemble.

Dramatic Reading is an opportunity for students to explore their own interests in literature and a variety of texts, whilst bolstering their vocal presentation skills. What is more, the event is student-led and gives our students an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their ATL skills in an authentic manner. Once again, it was a wonderful show and we hope to continue this dynamic event from the English Department for many years to come.

Mr. Maurice Mickle

Service Program Service

Grade 6 Service Projects

G reetings from the 11 Little Ducklings and 1 Bush group! We are a sixth grade service group consisting of 12 members (Budh, Ren, En-laye, Keit, Hakao, Thunwa, Haru, Sally, Pat, Tatar, Raffi, and Minnie). Our project was to raise funds to purchase educational equipment to donate to Baan Nok Kamin Foundation - an orphanage.

Our experience at the orphanage can be described in one word: Rewarding. Since our school greatly cares about outside communities and would always be happy to lend a helping hand, our group felt a feeling of immense pride to be participating in a project which will not only make an impact to society, but also people’s lives as a whole.

Our group has met our fair share of problems regarding teamwork and communication. But out of conflict, a new and better hope always arises. However young you are, please remember that age doesn't matter; Not everyone can change our life, but we can change everyone’s lives!

Hi, our service group is called PPICKS, and for part of our G6 Service Project, we interviewed Khun Alongkot, who is the Director of Thai Elephant Research and Conservation, and an expert of marine life, and Khun Alex, founder of EEC camp, Khun Van and lastly Khun Dream. They gave us lots of information about the oral and why it is a very important part of the marine ecosystem.

Following this, we went to Samaesan, an island in Thailand that is known as the island with crystal clear water to be filled with corals. There we met Doctor Apple, who planned activities for us, such as cleaning the coral, and removing algae off snails that help clean the coral. We arrived on the day that the coral eggs are starting to hatch. The hatching of coral eggs is a one day a year opportunity, and it won’t happen again all year. We not only learned more about the growth of corals, but also helped care for them. This opportunity was very special because a new generation of corals will grow into a beautiful reef, and we got to take part in that.

Even though going to Samaesan is a small action for the whole world, it surely reflects back to the community. We believe that the action we have done in Samaesan will give us wonderful and great inspiration to continue raising awareness of coral reef conservation.

Sureen, Prim, Plus, Katie, Candy and Ivy - Grade 6

Grade 7 Service Projects

Hello, we are IngIng, Diya, Leeya, Becky, and Tora. Our first service project this semester was to pick up trash then sell it at Recycle Day which is a recycling company that pays you for recycling. We then used that money to buy dog food to give to the dogs at the dog shelter. In this service project, the SDG that we targeted was Life on Land and Life Underwater. We also targeted the dog shelter community as well as the people who use the beach. We feel that this service project has helped us empathize more with the plight of shelter dogs and their living conditions.

Hello, we are from G7D,7I, and 7C. Our members are Kimmie, Ami, Proud, and Jane. Our main idea was to be able to help the children at มูลนิธิเด็กอ่อนในสลัม

คลองเตย.

Our Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) was Quality education. Our project included collecting money to buy items that we then donated, such as books, toys, and clothes that are good in condition. This service project made us feel that we are so lucky to have a good life and that we should be grateful in everything we have and to help others in need because it doesn't hurt us to help others to have a good life too; in fact it made us feel happier, too.

Sincerely,

Kimmie, Ami, Proud, and Jane

Grade 8 Service Projects

Hello! We are Cheeno and friends, for our service project we chose to spread awareness to help soi dogs. We created a social media account to help spread awareness and information about the issue. We want to promote the foundations of the donations to soi dogs, since not only are the soi dogs more vulnerable to danger which could lead to the extinction of some dog breeds, but the soi dogs could also harm us humans. As one of the most intelligent species on Earth, we humans should protect animals and nature, so that we could protect ourselves too. Even though for our service project, due to the change in plans, we were unable to raise the funds we needed, we were still able to raise awareness of how this seemingly unimportant issue may actually be quite significant. We hope that more individuals will be willing to lend a hand and raise awareness of this problem so that we can all work together to hopefully find shelter for soi dogs and "remove the 'soi' from soi dogs".

- Finn, Earn, Cheeno, Imboon

We are called the MPPR group and for our first-semester service project, we decided to donate old books and toys to an orphanage in Thailand. By doing this, the kids in the orphanage will be able to have access to more resources for their learning and will be able to gain more knowledge over time.

The books and toys that we no longer use or play with will also become of use to other people, and not go to waste. The kids there can also play with new toys and have fun. We hope that this project will improve most of the kids’ childhood experiences.

- Proud, Rika, Mark, Peppo

Grade 9 Service Projects

Building a Sustainable Future: Helping a Community in Need in Northern Thailand

For people to work efficiently in their daily lives, one must have a safe and healthy environment to live in. As students of Concordian we are lucky to have been born in amazing families with opportunities to express ourselves, to have people that support us in our studies and daily lives. Our service learning project's main objective is to support a sustainable community for people who are struggling to live their lives in the countryside. We have targeted a location in a small province in the north of Thailand known as Nan province. Currently, the wildlife population has dramatically decreased, to the extent that some species are no longer in the area and the people who relied on the forest to provide their necessities were forced to leave. Their lives have undergone huge changes as a result. Our community contact has guided us towards this community and we are working with them to provide assistance, both monetary and in the form of our labor to help them achieve their goal of sustainably expanding their community housing. Concordian as a community is able to make a huge impact on their lives, the outside community needs our help and I believe their lives can have a drastic improvement from our help.

- Ken G9D

Bringing Clean Water to Communities: The Power of Homemade Water Filters

Our group has been conducting research into the topic of homemade water filters and how teaching others the benefits of water filtration can help communities. Our plan is to educate members of a select community on the effects that unfiltered water can have on their health and how to make a homemade water filter with inexpensive and readily available items. Our project is linked to SDG 6 access to clean water. Each group member will make their own website to document our water filter related findings and a guide or a video detailing the creation of each of our water filters.

- Joe G9D

Inspiring the Next Generation of Changemakers: Empowering Students to Make a Difference Through Service

In general, students do not take service very seriously and tend to disregard its significance compared to the things that appear on their report card. Consequently, for my service-learning project I am collaborating with Mei to encourage, inform and inspire Grade 6, 7, and 8 students to take service more seriously given its significant importance. The primary objective of this project is to collect accounts of exemplary service provided to the community by CIS students over the years. The focus will not only be on service-learning projects but also clubs and the independent efforts of individual students that have had a positive impact. By hosting a session in which we present students with examples of outstanding service projects from their seniors, as well as Mei's and my personal experiences going to the Blind School and other charities, we hope to inspire the younger grades, who look up to us, to take service as action more seriously. Furthermore, I anticipate that the influence of my project will be that students will have a general understanding regarding what can be done to continue making the community a better place for everyone.

- Bow G9S

Fueling Minds and Bodies: Improving Student Health and Wellness at Concordian International School

For this year’s independent service project, my collaborators and I are aiming to improve the health and well-being of the Concordian community. This goal will be achieved in two ways. The first will be through gathering research about why students are sometimes not making healthy choices during lunchtime, specifically why some students are choosing to omit the most nutritious elements of the meals and choosing the least nutritious options in terms of snacks. We aim to gather data about why students, who regularly eat fruits and vegetables at home, do not do so in school. Additionally, we will create eyecatching infographics and posters to inform the school community on various important elements of having healthy diets, including but not limited to benefits and different necessary nutrients. What inspired us to take action and strive for this goal is that we want to make the Concordian an even healthier community. We hope that through our project, more students will be aware of the foods they are consuming, and the benefits/ limitations of said foods and that the healthy lunch and snack options will become more desirable to students.

- Miki G9I

Fighting HIV/AIDS in Rural Thailand:

Raising Awareness and Providing Aid through Medical Technology

As we share a profound interest in medical technology, Sheen, Pote, Sophia and I joined forces for our service-project this year. We were captivated by the sheer amount of development in HIV research—and how far the curative methods have come. So, we decided that this independent project will focus on relaying known scientific facts about HIV and AIDS in Thailand to the community, with the goal of raising awareness about this prevalent issue and the struggles HIV patients face on a daily basis. This advocacy campaign will be run in tandem with a fundraising drive that will aim to buy medical gear/technology for a rural hospital that is affected by this issue. Through this service, I hope to contribute to bringing well-needed medical technology to a deprived area within Thailand and to be a voice for struggling citizens that need it the most.

- Henry G9C

Breaking Barriers: Promoting MUN in Thailand with BarrierMUN

This year for service I decided to work with an organization called BarrierMUN. One of my friends from G10 told me about it, as he is the founder. BarrierMUN is an organization which has the main goal of proliferating the activity of MUN in Thailand -- and through that, educate people on international affairs and promote interaction between students from different schools. Currently, for the most part, MUN is dominated by international schools, and there is little representation from Thai public schools -- or private ones for that matter. BarrierMUN aims to provide resources in Thai and English to those who are interested. Through close cooperation with individuals who aim to start clubs, we intend to set up webinars to ensure the best results for the students we work with. Ultimately, BarrierMUN has the intention of organizing a flagship conference, not only in English, but with ESL and Thai committees too. If you want to work with BarrierMUN, or just want to know more, feel free to check out our website: https://www.barriermun.org/.

- Burger G9I

MUN (Model United Nations)

In the middle of January, some of us attended Thammasat University Model United Nations. On the first day, we visited UNESCAP, which is an official UN location. We listened to a couple of keynote speakers which provided us with a lot of insight into the next day's events. The following weekend, we started the debate in our respective committees. I personally was in UNWOMEN where we had a lot of discussions regarding gender equality, current problems regarding gender equality in the Middle East, and the politicization of women's bodily autonomy. It was a great opportunity for me to open my eyes to a wider and more realistic world, and to better understand the current global problems.

MUN started off with a bang this year! Concordian hosted its first MUN conference on October 8-9, 2022, with more than 100 delegates from multiple international schools. Though we've encountered some obstacles along the way, the months-long planning was worth the joy we saw on the faces of every delegate. The MUN club also attended many other conferences such as TUMUN, BKKMUN, and HMCA! We are very proud of how much each delegate has achieved! BKKMUN was my first time chairing the Historical Security Council. It was utterly nerve-racking to say the least -- especially since I know nothing about history. However, the delegates were very enthusiastic and willing to engage with the topic at hand. New friendships were formed and old ones were rekindled. It was truly a wonderful experience collaborating with such amazing people!

This year, the MUN club has worked hard to create opportunities for the student body to learn more about international relations and current affairs while improving our debating skills. We started the year strong with our inaugural ConcordianMUN conference with over a hundred delegates from about a dozen schools. We were delighted to see this much in MUN after a long COVID-induced hiatus. As one of the first post-pandemic conferences, we tried out new techniques to make the activity even more interesting. Our talent show also served as another zestful opportunity for delegates to not only enjoy themselves but create lifelong friendships and exchange experiences. We have also been active in attending conferences. Delegates have gone as far and wide as Korea for conferences like Harvard Model Congress Asia and also attended national conferences like BKKMUN.

- Poj G10, Secretary of MUN Club

- Tin G11

- Anna G12, President of MUN Club

Food For All Club & G12 Service

We, Elia, Rose, Temmy, Dash, Deno, and the Food For All Club collaborated on a project to help the local Khlong Palad Priang School for the Children’s Day celebrations. The Food For All Club is responsible for raising funds for buying donations for the school that had around 150-200 students of ages 2-14. With this diverse range of children, we experienced a few hours of activities with extremely lively children, who were thankful for the donation they received and our presence as volunteers. Together with the Khlong Palad Priang students, we competed in games such as tug of war, relay, musical chairs, and others, not only bringing a smile to their faces, but to ours as well. In short, it has reminded us of our privileged lives and appreciating what we can get on a daily basis.

Special thanks to the teachers who supported us during the trip and to Rose who made 200 meals for the children.

Hear to Heart

On January 14-15, 2023, Hear to Heart Club members visited Elderly care Engrak Nursing Home Bearing. We engaged the elderly with painting activities that help stimulate fine motor skills, as well as taking part in their physical therapy sessions that are helpful for certain elderly people with Monoplegia (one limb paralysis) and neurological conditions like Dementia. Some elderly people had verbal difficulties as well, which allowed our members to learn patience when it came to caring for people with communication difficulties. Not only did we participate in their physical therapy session, but we also performed over 10 songs and encouraged them to sing & dance with us. We have also donated a 12,000 baht indoor bicycle that they can use to exercise every morning!

If you are interested in joining our club for future service activities like this, don't forget to sign up! We'll be happy to have you join us!

GAT Club

The GAT club (Geck'yo Act Together) serves to educate ourselves how to conserve wildlife and support our nation's conservation centers. On Saturday, February 11th, 2023. we went to the Wildlife Quarantine Center to support our nation's conservation centers.

As part of our trip here, we held a fundraiser to fund our donations of food for the animals. We held a bake sale at K Village where we sold cookies and croissants.

From this trip, we learned about each animal's diet and how to ration it. For example, the Binturongs ate bananas while the tigers' diet consisted of raw meat. Moreover, we learned about hygiene and sanitation, a much overlooked aspect in conserving animals. In order to better understand this, we had handson experience in cleaning the bears' and tigers' cages. Most importantly, we learnt about the importance of wild animal captivity here and how it is important.

It should be noted that most of these animals are not wild. For example, the tigers here were confiscated from private sectors. However, the monkeys held here once lived in the wild but repeatedly caused havoc in the city, therefore, they are unable to ever go back. These explanations justify the reason for the animals' captivity, although they are in cages they do have different aspects of their environment in it. For example, the jackals had sand while the Binturong's cage had a banana tree, and the otters had a moat for swimming, and rocks in the middle of their habitat.

Overall, the club was excited to visit the center and we learnt a lot from this educational trip.

Operation Smile Medical Mission

From February 5-8, 2023, members of the Concordian Operation Smile participated in the Operation smile medical mission at Phayao which provided 40 free surgeries to the underprivileged for cleft palates, scar burns, polydactyly and syndactyly. This is Operation Smile’s 90th Medical Mission and the first time ever to be operating in Phayao. We had the opportunity to explore multiple sections and parts of the medical mission and felt truly inspired by the patients there.

Sunday 5th February

We packed “smile bags” which included 9 essential items including tissue paper, comb, toothbrush, etc., to donate to the patients and their families. We also sewed colorful “nono arm bags” to prevent young patients from scratching their surgical wounds after surgery.

Monday 6th February

We were able to observe the screening process during the first half of the morning. Then, we decorated the patient ward with colorful shapes and banners to make the young patients feel more warm and comfortable before and after their surgery.

Tuesday 7th February

We handed out toys, stationery, and clothes to both Operation Smile patients and pediatric patients at Phayao hospital, the excitement and smiles on their faces showed us the positive impact it had on their wellbeing. We also had the chance to interview Dr. Apichai Angspatt, Medical Field Director Operation Smile Thailand, regarding his journey in medicine, and his 30 years of experience in Operation smile. Lastly, we wrote Thank you cards to the doctors, nurses, and volunteers that worked very hard to accomplish this medical mission.

The dedication, compassion, and expertise of its staff, volunteers, and supporters are an inspiration to us all and a reminder of the good that can be achieved when people come together to help those in need; achieving the “Gift of Smile”.

We hope more students are able to join this meaningful medical mission in the future!

Jinnie and Praew

Grade 5 Week Without Walls

The Grade 5 Week Without Walls trip is an important experience for our students. It supports their understanding of the unit of inquiry “Who We Are” in learning about adolescence, allowing them to grow personally, socially and physically. The trip provides students with opportunities to develop their independence,responsibility, organizational skills and team spirit. In addition, it also prepares our students for the transition into the MYP.

This year, some of the fun and purposeful activities the Grade 5 students participated in included team building activities at True Arena and Vana Nava Water Park, eco printing at Artist Village Hua Hin, and nature education and tree planting at Pranburi Forest Park. These experiences helped students to bond with each other and to grow as individuals.

Mr. Craig Martin Elementary Vice-Principal

The trip received great feedback from students and teachers alike. When asked why this trip was meaningful they had this to say:

The trip was meaningful for me because it allowed the students and teachers to experience fun, interesting activities together. I especially enjoyed planting the trees near the ocean because we did something positive for the environment that will have lasting effects.

Mr. Drew

We got to spend time with friends and practice time management.

Pun Pun

We got to experience going to a new place without our parents. We also had to work with a group.

Dol

We got to learn how to be independent and not need our parents or teachers help with things.

Drake

I had to be responsible for myself and my stuff. Especially when I had to pack everything that I needed and take care of myself.

Thames

Grade 6 Week Without Walls

The Grade 6 Week Without Walls trip in November 2022 was an unforgettable experience for all students who participated. The journey began at Uncle Chris' farm where students discovered the beauty and diversity of the local flora and fauna. The students embarked on a hike in the mountains, learning about the importance of water conservation and the traditional methods of collecting water used by the local villagers. The students also had a blast splashing in the mud, catching frogs, and exploring the natural wonders of the farm.

The next stop was the EGAT Learning Center, where students were exposed to the technologies and innovations in sustainable energy. Through interactive and engaging activities, students gained a deeper understanding of the importance of protecting the environment and preserving natural resources for future generations. The Thai/ Danish Dairy Farm was another highlight of the trip, where students had the unique opportunity to witness the daily operations of a working farm. Some even got to try their hand at milking cows and cracking a whip, gaining a newfound appreciation for the hard work and dedication of farmers.

G6 WWW was a truly memorable experience for all who participated. The combination of hands-on creativity and team-building activities provided students with a unique blend of education and adventure, allowing them to learn valuable lessons about nature and sustainability while also having fun and discovering new things about themselves. The memories made during this trip will be cherished for years to come, as students will always remember the valuable lessons they learned and the fun they had during the week away from the walls of the school.

Ms. Tashia Mante Trip Leader

Grade 7 Week Without Walls

On the 31st of December 2019, the World Health Organization was informed of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, with no known cause. What was to become the Covid-19 pandemic was already underway. Governments, trading blocs, and alliances all struggled to cope. For our community, like millions of other communities, the paradigm for safe education shifted, and part of that paradigm shift was to abolish any type of residential trip for the foreseeable future. So what a ray of sunshine it was to be asked to plan the Concordian Grade 7 Week Without Walls trip for November 2022. A return to trips, and an opportunity to begin reestablishing cross-community links; a return to trips, and an opportunity for the students to engage with experiences beyond their computer screens.

With a directive to focus on fun over academics, and armed only with the dusty (figuratively speaking) plans of what seemed like a decade ago, it was time to reconnoiter the area of Hua Hin. What had changed? What had stayed the same? With the support of our wonderful local office staff, a great hotel for the students was booked, and some stimulating, interesting and fun activities were selected. What better way to reconnect with nature than to see ecologically sound methods for waste water and solid waste management at Laem Phak Bia? By interacting with the staff and animals at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) the students were able to reconnect with themes of service. This trip was also an opportunity for students to challenge themselves physically and mentally with a supervised bicycle ride along approximately 15km of scenic coastlines south of Hua Hin.

Concordian prides itself on academic excellence, and on nurturing our young people to be moral and responsible leaders in the future. I firmly believe that these residential trips support that mission and vision, and are a key component in challenging any preconceived notions the students may have. That they can take this opportunity to process eustress, use it to build better character, and to develop a more positive mindset. The chaperone team were all hugely impressed by how the grade seven students responded to… well everything. The bike ride was long, tiring, and we did get rained on. The itinerary was packed and complicated. There was a lot of traveling from A to B to get to activities. The students responded to those challenges with positivity and smiles. And even when COVID-19 tried to spoil the experience on the final day, the students followed

Mr. Mike Daly

Trip Leader

Grade 8 Week Without Walls

After we were unable to take our annual Week Without Walls trips the last few years, Grade 8 was more than eager to get out and explore. This year, our trip was to Khao Yai, where students spent 5 days learning about this unique, beautiful environment and our place in it. Throughout the trip, we were fortunate to work with truly amazing people who taught our students all about this special part of Thailand, while engaging in various activities to help them understand what they can do to better protect our fragile ecosystems.

While there were many wonderful moments and memories on the trip, one of the highlights was the Burg Barn Buri Farm, where students learned about eco-printing and how to approach the world, and commerce, in a more sustainable way. This particular day emphasized our role as stewards to the environment and how we can consider the impact we make through business or any other endeavor we choose to undertake. Our students even gathered ingredients right from the farm and prepared a delicious meal for everyone!

Another high point of the trip were the hikes through Khao Yai National Forest, guided by the Environmental Education Center of Thailand. In addition to being fantastic, highly knowledgeable guides, this group made safety their top concern while also ensuring our students had fun. While the weather didn’t cooperate as we had hoped, we all made the best of the situation and still had a great time. Students and teachers alike came away with more of an understanding about how unique Khao Yai is and how important it is for Thailand’s biodiversity. We cannot thank the nice folks at EEC enough for their hard work and dedication to this noble cause.

Being our first trip in a few years, it is easy to see that our Grade 8 Week Without Walls trip was a resounding success. From the ride up, to the farm, to the mountains, each step of the way was memorable and enjoyable. We are looking forward to more fun, successful trips in the future!

Mr. Aaron Curmi Trip Leader

Grade 9 & 10 Week Without Walls

The Grade 9 & 10 Week Without Walls adventure to Chanthaburi was a resounding success! G9 students had a blast exploring new experiences and learning together during the day and connecting with their G10 peers in the evenings. The talented CIS teaching and counseling staff, along with support from the administrative team, went above and beyond to make the trip a safe and unforgettable experience for all.

The students truly shone, showcasing their maturity and embodying the skills and values taught at Concordian. They were eager to participate in activities, asking thought-provoking questions and exhibiting a keen sense of curiosity. From learning about the famous gem and jewelry trade in Chanthaburi, to exploring the natural wonders of Kung Krabaen Bay and Phlio National Park, they stepped outside of their comfort zones and demonstrated their fine attributes as motivated students and adventurous young adults.

The students learned about the importance of preserving coastal ecosystems, the benefits of sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and even made their own fertilizer. They spent time learning about the local area, visiting an OTOP center where they learned about hand-woven products like reed mats. In the national park, they hiked fearlessly through a forest, erected tents, lit campfires and made s'mores. The hands-on experiences, combined with the educational aspects of the trip, allowed the students to gain a deeper appreciation for the environment and local culture whilst providing a valuable opportunity for the students to learn and grow outside of the classroom.

Evenings at the hotel were a blast, with students leading activities like airband, games, and improv comedy nights. In one instance, during a sudden thunderstorm, the group showcased their adaptability by making the most of their indoor time with an impromptu karaoke session that stood out as a particularly memorable moment for many. The balance between fun and education was just right, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

The students returned home with new experiences and great memories that will serve as a testament to their strength, resilience, and character. Everyone involved, myself included, had a fantastic time and is already looking forward to the next trip.

Mr. Brian Gannon Trip Leader

Grade 10 discovered the great wonders of Chanthaburi on their Week Without Walls trip in November. There were lots of laughs, bonding, fun activities, and long bus rides had by all. As I reflect on this trip, it was amazing to see how students can come together and create lifelong friendships. Instead of a long note to describe the trip, here are some of the staff and and student highlights in their own words:

“We liked the hike that brought us to the mountain-top view point. We were risk-takers!” - Orange team

“The karaoke was a blast!” - Teal team

“The National Park was so fun!” - Blue team

“It was honestly very enjoyable…especially the hiking.” - Yellow team

“The night activities were really fun.” - Pink team

“The G9/10 trip to Chanthaburi was a lot of fun, and it was refreshing to witness students outside of their element! I especially enjoyed seeing the kids collaborate to survive life in the jungle!” - Ms Karissa, G9-10 Chaperone

"Seeing [students interact in a variety of ways reminded me that many of them will keep in touch for decades, and these WWW experiences will be some of their favorite stories they relive and share 20 years from now. What a joy to be involved with that!"Jamie Martindale, G9-10 Chaperone

“Chanthaburi! What a beautiful part of Thailand.” - Mr Ben, G9-10 Chaperone

“The G9 & G10 students have experienced exploring nature with rich information about the environmental sciences. It's a rare experience to see vegetable farming, sea life, plants and wildlife in the jungles. This year's WWW will surely expand their view about Thailand.” - Ms

Sally, G9-10 Trip Administrator

“I enjoyed the hikes through the woods. There were some very steep inclines and it was amazing to see how the students helped each other and motivated each other to keep hiking.” Mr Brian M,

G9-10 Chaperone

“Although the learning opportunities at the Kung Krabaen Bay Centre and the hikes through nature were amazing experiences to get to know about the local natural environment, one of my favorite moments actually happened during the afternoon when it rained. Then, instead of low spirits because of a canceled afternoon, they came together to have a second lively round of karaoke and make the best of their time together!” - Ms

Rachel, G9-10 Chaperone

Thank you to every student and staff member that made this trip unique, fun, and possible. We had a wonderful time and are already looking forward to next year!

Ms. Diane Coon G10 Trip Leader

Interview with Kirk, Kevin, Klint & Karat's Family

I have made the decision of selecting Concordian for my four children based on the IB curriculum and Chinese language offered here. The education style has now changed in new ways. The learning style which can develop the learner’s ability to shine and move further is very important. The IB curriculum is the answer. Moreover, Chinese will soon become a common language in the world so my children should be equipped with Chinese language ability. The most effective way of learning a language is to start from a young age so that the learners can immerse and use the language fluently.

When my children became Concordian students, they not only received the academic foundation but they also learned to be socialized. The community of Concordian students and parents is very strong, warm and welcoming. Concordian is an IB World School but yet preserves Thai culture very well. It’s very important for us as Thais to keep the children well mannered. The students here are confident and not afraid to express ideas but they are also humble. This is a very important value in life.

ออกมาได้รอบด้านนั้นสำาคัญมาก ระบบ IB นั้นตอบโจทย์ในสิ่งนี้ นอกจากนั้นภาษาจีนกำาลังจะกลายเป็นภาษา

The administration team is very supportive. They do their best to make sure that the parents are happy and the students are safe and well cared for. They care not only about academics but also they look after the wellness and safety of the children. You can be sure that all the voices have been heard always.

เป็นคุณสมบัติที่ดีควรมีติดตัวไปตลอด ความใส่ใจ ความเอาใจใส่ของผู้บริหารโรงเรียนทำาให้ผู้ปกครอง

The family of Kirk G9, Kevin G5, Klint G3 and Karat K2

Interview with Tsheyang's Family

When Tsheyang joined Concordian in 2018, it was his first time staying in a different country and being away from home and family. It was both exciting and there was also a sense of anticipation – how would he enjoy the school? Would he make friends and be happy there?

The Concordian family welcomed him and Laudrel wholeheartedly, and went out of their way and continued to go out of their way to make them comfortable and at ease. And in the past three years, Tsheyang has not only enjoyed the school and made some good friends, but the education he has received has given him the foundation for greater possibilities. Academically the curriculum is excellent and has challenged him to work harder and become the best version of himself.

The school and staff have been attentive and caring. Despite the small number of students in the boarding house, attention and constant care have been given to ensure that they are well cared for. At the highest level, the Founder herself has shown interest in and personally cared for the boys, and even provided them with a place to stay during the school breaks when they could not travel back home due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

It will be a long list to mention all the things the school has done for them, but we would like to say in particular the care that they showed him when he tested positive for Covid in 2021. The school ensured that he had all the medicine he needed and always checked up on him. As parents, we were concerned that he was sick so far from home, but their care and regular updates gave us comfort and assurance that he was in the best hands. For that and for everything the school has done for him we are most appreciative and grateful.

Jigme and Tashi

Parents of Tsheyang, Grade 11

HAPPY

CHINESE NEW YEAR

YEAR OF THE RABBIT

CONCORDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL