June 2020
A New Way of Learning
La Lettre June 2020 | 1
The strength of our school is our community.
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La
Lettre June 2020
In This Issue 4 In Solidarity 6 Head of School 10 Board of Trustees 14 Strategic Plan Update 20 School Happenings 42 Connecting with Our City: Internship Program
La Lettre is published by the Office of
48 Connecting Continents: Global Travel
Contents Š 2020
60 The Power of International 66 Athletics 74 Arts 84 Alumni
Communication, with tremendous thanks to all who contributed content. Keelee Wrenn, Director Rick Gydesen, Publications Michael Swingen, Coordinator French American International School and International High School 150 Oak Street San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 558-2000 www.internationalsf.org
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y it u SOCIAL eq action
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JUSTICE
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In Solidarity Most of this publication was prepared before Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade were murdered; before the movement to fight for Black lives inspired protests across the globe. But it would be remiss of us to not discuss within this edition of La Lettre the anti-Black violence plaguing this country. In response to the murders of these unarmed Black people, the protests that followed them, and the robust conversations taking place within our own community, we commit to the ongoing work of making antiracism, social justice, and equity the bedrock of our policies, practices, and programming as an institution. In doing so, it is our hope to contribute more substantively to the creation of a more just and equitable society. We have much to learn and much to do—together. We have undertaken intentional work in diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of our strategic plan in recent years, but this is not enough. Our tradition of critical thinking requires us to examine the gap between our aspirations and our actions, and our mission and values call on us to do more. As we build upon this strategic work, we must acknowledge the fact that our work begins with listening and acting on our values of respect, inclusion, integrity, curiosity, and collaboration. We must listen even more intentionally and actively, especially to our Black and POC students, families, and faculty, putting their experiences and voices at the center of our work. In the wake of continued anti-Black violence in this country, we affirm that Black Lives Matter, and commit to the support of Black students, families, and faculty, as well as our other students, families, and faculty of color. Here are our immediate actions. We will: ● Examine our systems for recruiting and enrolling students, faculty, and staff so as to eliminate bias and to continue to bring more Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to our school community; ● Continue to review our curriculum in order to include the voices, narratives, and histories of BIPOC and other underrepresented groups in ways that move away from deficit narratives, and that feel authentic; ● Evaluate our internal systems, policies, and programs to identify and address microaggressions against our BIPOC students, who represent 39% of our student body; ● Continue to implement school-wide professional development for faculty and staff, as well as learning for parents; ● Create a faculty and staff Diversity and Equity Committee, with section coordinators, and engage a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant to support this strategic work this year, as we recruit our next Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; ● Continue our Board of Trustee education in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and advance BIPOC representation on our Board. Schools are places of learning, and we are learning together about the pursuit of racial justice. As an international school, we have a particular responsibility to lead anti-racist work, one that we embrace. Our school’s strategic plan (pg. 14) guides us to deepen our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We must continue to undertake anti-racist work if we are to meet the promise of our school’s mission to build a more equitable and just world.
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Head of School
Dear Families, If ever there was a year that taught us the importance of school, this was it. A pandemic caused campus closure; shelter in place kept us apart; and the murders of unarmed Black people fueled public protests in the U.S. and abroad. These tragedies compelled us to take an even more intentional look at our role as a school in creating a more just and equitable society. Although our world changed, our mission did not. Our values—respect, integrity, inclusion, collaboration, and curiosity—did not. These are the things that saw us through a new way of living, learning, and working during the last three months of school, and the things that have allowed us to envision a new future when we return to our campuses next year. Early this spring, as we entered shelter in place, I wrote that we were being given an opportunity to show character. As the weeks of confinement continued, the character of our school community has indeed been revealed: in the partnership of parents in educating their children remotely; in the faces of teachers in Zoom classes; in the passionate participation of students in protests for justice; and in the joyful celebrations of families at online promotions and graduation. Our community has only grown stronger as we have been reminded again and again how critical the connections among us are and how important a French American and International education is to our city, our countries, and our world. This year’s La Lettre gives us an opportunity to reflect on all we have accomplished through the course of the school year—during the pandemic and also in the many months beforehand, when we were together on campus—and on the work that remains to be done. The record of this year is a testament to the character of our community and to the strength of the partnership between our families and our school. Thank you for meeting the challenge of this year with us. I look forward to next school year, when we are able to come back together on our campuses again!
Melinda Bihn, Ed. D.
Head of School
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Head of School Melinda Bihn cutting the ribbon for the inauguration of the new Grades 3–8 Library. La Lettre June 2020 | 7
“Our community has only grown stronger as we have been reminded again and again how critical the connections among us are and how important a French American and International education is to our city, our countries, and our world.”
Chères familles, S’il y a une année qui nous a appris l’importance de l’école, c’est bien celle-là. Une pandémie a provoqué la fermeture du campus. Le confinement nous a maintenus éloignés les uns des autres. Et des meurtres de personnes noires non armées ont provoqué des manifestations aux ÉtatsUnis et à l’étranger. Ces tragédies nous interpellent et nous ont conduits de manière impérieuse à examiner encore plus délibérément notre rôle en tant qu’établissement scolaire sur la voie de l’instauration d’une société plus juste et plus équitable. Si notre monde ait changé, notre mission reste la même. Nos valeurs—respect, intégrité, inclusion, collaboration et curiosité—demeurent inchangées. C’est grâce à elles que nous avons surmonté les difficultés liées à ce nouveau mode de vie, d’apprentissage et de travail, au cours des trois derniers mois de l’année scolaire, et ce sont elles qui nous ont permis d’envisager un nouvel avenir au retour sur nos campus l’année prochaine. Au début du printemps et du confinement, j’ai écrit que l’occasion nous était donnée de montrer de quoi nous étions faits. Au fil des semaines de confinement, la nature profonde de notre communauté scolaire est en effet apparue en pleine lumière. On la voit dans le partenariat des parents dans le cadre de l’enseignement à distance de leurs enfants ; dans les visages des enseignants des classes en visioconférence ; dans la participation passionnée des élèves aux manifestations pour la justice ; et dans les joyeuses célébrations des familles lors des promotions et de la remise des diplômes en ligne. Notre communauté n’a fait que se renforcer, car il nous a été rappelé à maintes reprises combien les relations entre nous sont essentielles, et l’importance d’une éducation franco-américaine et internationale pour notre ville, nos pays et notre monde. La Lettre de cette année nous permet de réfléchir à tout ce que nous avons accompli au cours de l’année scolaire - pendant la pandémie et également pendant les nombreux mois qui ont précédé, lorsque nous étions ensemble sur le campus — et au travail qui reste à faire. Le bilan de cette année témoigne de la nature profonde de notre communauté et de la force du partenariat entre nos familles et notre établissement. Merci d’avoir relevé le défi de cette année avec nous. J’aurai grand plaisir à vous retrouver à la rentrée prochaine de retour sur nos campus !
Melinda Bihn, Ed. D. Proviseur
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Mission Guided by the principles of academic rigor and diversity, French American and International offers programs of study in French and English to prepare its graduates for a world in which the ability to think critically and to communicate across cultures is of paramount importance. Guidé par des principes de rigueur académique et de diversité, le Lycée International Franco-Américain propose des programmes en français et en anglais, pour assurer la réussite de ses diplômés dans un monde dans lequel la pensée critique et la communication interculturelle seront déterminantes.
Values Our international community brings together people from many backgrounds. Together we strive to create a shared culture that develops compassionate, confident, and principled people who will make the world better. We base our community on these values:
Respect, Integrity, Inclusion, Collaboration, and Curiosity. Notre communauté internationale rassemble des personnes de toutes origines. Ensemble, nous contribuons à créer une culture qui forme des êtres altruistes et déterminés. Dotés d’un sens moral, ils œuvrent à un monde meilleur. Notre communauté repose sur les valeurs suivantes :
Respect, Intégrité, Inclusion, Collaboration, et Curiosité. La Lettre June 2020 | 9
Board of Trustees
Board’s Eye View By Josh Nossiter The Prince? The Art of War? What makes good ones? How do you identify them? By what yardstick are they measured? Is it innate, or can it be taught? Leaders and leadership are preoccupations for all organizations. Distilling the qualities that constitute an effective leader is the grail quest of management theory. Books about leadership, sprinkled with nostrums derived from dilute Sun Tzu or Machiavelli or both, fill libraries. Attending all the courses that promise to instill leadership, should anyone pay you for it, would be a full time occupation with a retirement date of never. Organizations are made or broken by the quality of their leadership, so perhaps none of this is surprising. Nor is it surprising that in normal times effective leadership tends to go almost unnoticed. The best leaders prefer it that way. In a complex institution like French American and International, ceaseless labor is required to keep the operation running smoothly, and much if it happens behind the scenes. Matching hundreds of high school students with dozens of courses and activities is a wildly complicated scheduling problem that has to be solved every term. It does get solved, and it’s only one of myriad such problems the school’s leadership routinely overcomes.
Terra Incognita Not long ago some of us were invited into classes at different grade levels, welcomed into read alouds for the younger children and discussions of science and psychology and history with their elders. My own student days ended forty years ago but I was instantly at home in the classroom, where the give and take, guided by the teachers, contributed to by the students, conjured that academic alchemy of simultaneously sparking and satisfying curiosity. It’s the normal stuff of school life, and no one who’s ever been a student forgets it.
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Nothing about the present is normal. Our school, designed for community, the daily congregation of students and teachers and staff engaging in the art and science of learning, not least from each other, has had to reinvent itself. We have had to do so radically, and at speed, disassembling a machine of countless moving parts and reassembling it in a new guise, essentially over the course of a spring break. It requires the intense collaboration of staff, faculty, parents, and students to recreate the alchemy of the classroom in the home. Planning provided the outlines of a map for this journey into the unknown, but the detail is filled in as we go.
No Nostrums None of us has escaped the upending of daily life but we can take great pride in the school’s performance in the pandemic. Melinda, her team, the faculty, and all the staff have given us a case study in leadership. Not theory but the real thing. Constant effective communication. A balance of planning and improvisation. Flexibility, and adherence to the mission. Empathy and patience. Firm and clear direction. Vision, and relentless attention to detail. Reassurance, and realism. Unshakable calm, and the passion and dedication to get the job done right. Those qualities in the administration and faculty will be taxed to the utmost in the awesome task of re-opening the school, an operational and logistical challenge requiring yet another institutional reinvention. We are beyond fortunate to have teachers and administrators whose leadership will see us through it. Melinda and I always sign the high school diplomas together in her office, a convivial moment near the end of every last term that I think symbolizes for both of us the accomplishments of another successful year. This year we had to sign them separately, which we both regretted. But it was Melinda and Joel, in their full academic regalia, who drove hundreds of miles to personally deliver every diploma to the home of every graduating senior in the Bay Area, a massive graduation house call. Whatever constitutes good leadership, the proof of it is in the example set at the top.
Board of Trustees Conseil de Gestion 2019-2020 Joshua Nossiter Chair Andrea Kennedy Vice Chair Paul Loeffler Vice Chair Philippe Grenier Secretary Stephane de Bord Treasurer Amy Baghdadi Jean Paul Balajadia Asim Bhansali John Cate Stephan Forget Jon Fulk Coreen Hester Cassandra McGoldrick Robert Mee Erin O’Donnell Reiling Laurie Poston Philippe Sanchez Ronica Smucker
Honorary Trustee Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens Consul Général, Honorary Chairman
Correspondence is welcome, to joshua@nossiter.net
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Le point de vue du Conseil de gestion Par Josh Nossiter
Le prince ? L’art de la guerre ? Comment définir cette qualité ? Comment l’identifier ? Selon quel critère l’évalue-t-on ? S’agit-il d’une qualité innée ou peut-elle être enseignée ? Les leaders et le leadership sont essentiels à toutes les organisations. L’identification des qualités qui font l’efficacité d’un leader est la quête du Graal de la théorie de la gestion. Les bibliothèques croulent sous le poids des ouvrages sur ce thème, parsemés de pseudo-recettes dérivées de Sun Tzu dilué ou de Machiavel ou des deux. Assister à tous les cours qui promettent d’enseigner les secrets du leadership, si l’on vous payait pour cela, serait un travail à temps plein sans perspective de retraite. C’est la qualité de leur leadership qui fait la réussite ou l’échec des organisations, de sorte que cela n’a sans doute rien de surprenant. Il n’est pas non plus surprenant qu’un leadership efficace ait tendance à passer presque inaperçu en temps normal. C’est ce que préfèrent les meilleurs dirigeants. Dans une institution complexe comme le Lycée International Franco-Américain, il faut travailler sans relâche pour veiller au bon déroulement des opérations dont l’essentiel intervient en coulisses. Associer des centaines d’élèves du lycée à des dizaines de cours et d’activités relève chaque trimestre d’une coordination extrêmement complexe. On y parvient pourtant sans coup férir et il ne s’agit là que de l’un des nombreux problèmes de ce genre que la direction de l’école est régulièrement appelée à résoudre.
The 2019-2020 Board of Trustees at their Annual Retreat | Fort Mason, September 2019
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Terra Incognita Il n’y a pas si longtemps, certains d’entre nous ont été invités à rendre visite à des classes de différents niveaux. Ils ont pu assister à des séances de lecture à haute voix chez les plus jeunes enfants et à des discussions sur la science, la psychologie et l’histoire avec leurs aînés. Je ne suis pour ma part pas retourné sur les bancs de l’école depuis quarante ans, mais je me suis instantanément senti comme chez moi dans la salle de classe, où les échanges sous la bienveillante direction des enseignants et les contributions des élèves ne manquaient pas de faire surgir cette alchimie scolaire de l’éveil et de la satisfaction de la curiosité simultanés. Il s’agit là de l’ordinaire de la vie scolaire, et aucun élève ne l’oublie jamais. Il n’y a rien d’ordinaire dans la situation actuelle. Notre établissement, conçu dans un esprit communautaire, aux fins de la congrégation quotidienne d’élèves, d’enseignants et d’un personnel dévoué à l’art et la science de l’apprentissage, notamment les uns des autres, a dû se réinventer. Nous avons dû de manière radicale et rapide démonter une machinerie composée d’innombrables pièces mobiles et la remonter sous une nouvelle forme, essentiellement en l’espace d’une semaine de congés scolaires. Cela nécessite la collaboration intense du personnel enseignant et administratif, des parents et des élèves, pour recréer l’alchimie de la salle de classe à la maison. La planification a permis de définir les contours d’une carte de ce voyage dans l’inconnu, les détails venant progressivement s’y ajouter.
Pas de remède de charlatan Aucun de nous n’a échappé à un bouleversement de sa vie quotidienne, mais nous pouvons être très fiers des résultats de l’établissement face à la pandémie. Melinda, son équipe, les enseignants et tout le personnel nous ont montré une grande leçon de leadership, non pas théorique mais concrète. Une leçon de communication constante et efficace, d’équilibre entre la planification et l’improvisation, de souplesse et de respect de la mission, d’empathie et de patience, de fermeté et de clarté de la direction, de vision et de souci constant du détail, d’apaisement et de réalisme, de calme inébranlable et de passion et de dévouement pour le travail bien fait. Ces qualités de l’administration et du personnel enseignant seront mises à rude épreuve lorsqu’il nous faudra mener à bien la formidable tâche de procéder à la réouverture de l’établissement, dont le défi opérationnel et logistique exigera une nouvelle réinvention institutionnelle. Nous avons la chance inouïe d’avoir des enseignants et des administrateurs dont le leadership nous aidera à le relever. Melinda et moi signons toujours les diplômes du lycée ensemble dans son bureau, une occasion conviviale vers la fin de chaque dernier trimestre qui, je pense, symbolise pour nous deux les accomplissements d’une nouvelle année couronnée de succès. Cette fois, nous avons dû les signer séparément, à notre grand regret. Mais ce sont Melinda et Joël, dans leur tenue de cérémonie de remise des diplômes complète, qui ont parcouru des centaines de kilomètres pour remettre tous les diplômes en personne et à domicile à chacun de nos élèves de terminale de la région de la baie, une entreprise titanesque. Quel que soit ce qui constitue un bon leadership, c’est l’exemple que l’on donne au plus haut niveau qui en est la preuve. N’hésitez pas à me faire part de vos réflexions à joshua@nossiter.net
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Strategic Plan Update Launched in 2017, the Strategic Plan provides a compass for our school-wide initiatives; each of our ongoing, large-scale projects nests underneath one of our five key strategic goals. As a result, our work has been efficiently and effectively implemented because our path of continuous improvement is clear. We are excited to share with you what have accomplished this year, and look forward to continuing the work next year.
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International Program Promise
An academic program that enables our students to grapple with challenging concepts in more than one culture ● Committee work for the self-study for CIS/WASC and CAIS accreditation were completed, and preprations for submission of the CIS self-study document and remote visit, to occur in October, are underway ● Experiential Learning Grant for teachers formally launched over the summer, offering four faculty members the opportunity to travel, learn, and serve across the globe ● Curriculum shifted online through our Remote Learning Program during campus closure in the spring
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Cross-Cultural Cognition
A caring culture that imparts to our students the ability to navigate the world with confidence, command, empathy, and joy ● Lower school grade level curriculum designed and implemented for social-emotional learning, creating opportunities for students to strengthen self-awareness, social responsibility, and healthy coping skills ● Responsive Classroom and Culturally Responsive Teaching implementation was continued, providing all new middle and high school teachers with training in RC or CRT. Two high school faculty members completed leadership training in CRT and held a startof-school session for all high school teachers ● Restorative Justice, a trauma-informed practice that uses mediated dialogue and community activities to help repair harm among community members during times of conflict, was introduced as a pilot program in Middle and High School ● Affinity groups were extended into the Middle School and continued in our High School; Parents of Students of Color group continued this year
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Vibrant Urban Campus
A campus that meets the needs of our students and is an integral part of San Francisco ● Turf field at 84 Page completed and opened for use by our athletic teams and PE classes ● New lower and middle school Library completed and in use for Grades 3-8 ● New branding implemented in 150 Oak public spaces, and in middle and high school corridors ● 98 Franklin project continues to move forward: architect selected; Environmental Impact Report and Hub rezoning amendment adopted by Planning Commission; project approved by the Planning Commission; and a review by the Board of Supervisors planned for this summer
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Proud, Engaged Community
A community in which parents, students, teachers, and alumni feel connection to and pride in our school ● School-wide Days of Service created in partnership with GLIDE, and due to popularity, expanded across three days to accommodate the number of families and faculty volunteering to serve ● High School Day of Action, an annual event organized by the Student Diversity Council, gave high school students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to learn more about equity and access at 25 Bay Area nonprofit organizations ● Parent Association ensured a special, thoughtful Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week during campus closure, including delicious deliveries sent to each faculty and staff member’s home
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Culture of Giving
A community that is continually inspired to support the aspirations of our school ● Annual Giving again set a new record in total dollars raised, topping $2 million for the second year in a row ● Giving Tuesday received record support, with over 200 gifts totaling more than $375,000 ● 48 Hours of Giving in Support of Financial Aid campaign created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 360 donors giving more than $366,000 in donations
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2019-2020
School Happenings
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Win the Day
Student-athletes kick off the school year with a Leadership Retreat and a beach workout.
Welcome Back
Families spend a Saturday together at our annual Back-toSchool Picnic.
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A Capitol Experience On the Grade 6 trip to Washington, D.C., students get a hands-on lesson in civic engagement.
Building Trust
Grade 10 students build teamwork on a ropes course at their Retreat to Shaffer’s High Sierra Camp.
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School Pride
At the Fall Fan Jam, our community cheers for the Jaguars at volleyball and soccer games.
Singing Their Hearts Out
Students performing for a good cause at this year’s Songs for Senegal.
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Halloween Hunting
PK3 students enjoy their first field trip of the year at the Pumpkin Patch in Half Moon Bay.
Masquerade
Middle school students get to know one another while in costume at the Masquerade dance.
Builders and Tinkerers
Grade 2 students build cities with recycled materials in the Tinker Space.
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Civic Engagement Grade 1 heads to City Hall to learn about architecture.
Halloween on Parade
Maternelle students go all out in costume for their Halloween parade.
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A Night at the Opera Middle school Italian-language students enjoy a production of The Marriage of Figaro at the San Francisco Opera.
A Day at the Park
High school students and faculty compete at a fun soccer tournament at the Beach Chalet. 26 | La Lettre June 2020
A Night at the Movies
Movie night at the Maternelle is fun for the whole family.
A Morning at the Museum
Grade 9 students visit the SFMOMA and learn to decode symbols and meanings in historical paintings. La Lettre June 2020 | 27
Holiday Spirit
Grade 4 students get into the winter holiday spirit by making a gingerbread house.
Shining at Model UN
International is named “Best Delegation� at the East Bay Model United Nations conference. 28 | La Lettre June 2020
Giving Back
Families gather for the first annual School-wide Day of Service at GLIDE as part of our Urban Engagement Program. La Lettre June 2020 | 29
King for the Day
Middle school students hope to win the crown inside the seasonal Galette des Rois.
A Day of Thanks
Lower school students and families put on a pre-Thanksgiving feast at school.
CrossGenerational Connections
PK3 students perform a bilingual play in a nursing home. The audience is impressed!
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Knowledge in Action
High school students lead International’s 6th annual TEDxYouth event around the theme “Knowledge in Action.” Speakers ignite conversation with fascinating and insightful talks.
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Inspirational Moves Grade 2 learns about accessibility and the joy of dance with Axis Dance Company.
Go Jags!
The Cheer Club makes their debut at the Winter Fan Jam.
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A Musical Valentine
Grade 11 students share their love of music with others in honor of Valentine’s Day. La Lettre June 2020 | 33
Discovery
On field trips, Maternelle students embrace their curiosity and discover new experiences.
Let’s Party!
Grade 11 and 12 students tear up the dance floor at Winter Formal.
Time Traveling
Kindergarten students delight in a full day of school in Medieval attire with themed-activities to boot!
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Ecological Awareness
Members of the Lower School Green Team visit a middle school faculty meeting to teach about sorting trash in San Francisco.
Global Philanthropy
Grade 6 students host a CafĂŠ Haiti fundraiser for the Children of Haiti Project in the Learning Lab.
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Civic Planning
Grade 8 students share models, drawings, and written works on ideas for new buildings in San Francisco’s Civic Center. 36 | La Lettre June 2020
Campus Closure On March 16, we close our campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our teachers immediately rise to the challenge, preparing for the transition to Remote Learning for the remainder of the school year.
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Remote Labs
Middle school students execute science experiments in kitchens, on neighborhood streets, and in backyards.
Families Love French American + International 48 Hours of Giving raises over $361,000 remotely, thanks to parent, alumni, faculty, and staff support of our financial aid program. 38 | La Lettre June 2020
Movie-Making
Grade 4 and 5 students create short films and musical compositions for the Confinement Film Festival.
Recreating Masterpieces famous works of art.
Lower school students recreate La Lettre June 2020 | 39
A New Way to Learn
Students from all sections gather daily with their teachers and classmates on Zoom calls and Google Meets, on tablets, laptops, and desktops.
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Remote Language Learning calligraphy projects in Google Meet.
Arabic students share their
Celebrating Virtually
Seniors celebrate the completion of their high school career through Zoom, a first in our school’s history. La Lettre June 2020 | 41
Internship Program
Education Beyond the Classroom
High school students enjoy an internship visit to DATAVENT, October 2019
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I
t is the great privilege of French American and International to call San Francisco home. We find our academic community nestled in the heart of a world-class city, where many leading businesses, industries, and entrepreneurs have set up their main offices and headquarters. Our school collaborates with our urban setting. One of the principle ways is through our Urban Engagement Program, which connects our students, faculty, and families to the wider city and community through experiences in the arts, civic life, community service, social justice, urban environmentalism, business, and entrepreneurship. The core initiatives of the Urban Engagement Program include an internship for high school students, a Community Salon for parents, and School-wide Days of Service for families. The internship experience is one of the most exciting aspects of the program for our students. The experience begins with Urban Engagement Coordinator Michelle Haner meeting Grade 10 students to discuss how an internship could fit into their future, whether that means their career trajectory, college plans, or simply exploring different interests. During her meetings with students, Michelle encourages small research projects that look into the different businesses, industries, and opportunities here in San Francisco. “It’s important for them to realize that all these possibilities are at their fingertips,” she explains. After Michelle meets with the students, it is then up to them to decide if they want to pursue the experience further. Last year, around 25% of our Grade 10 students decided to secure an internship. Those students then met with Michelle and our Internship Coordinators for two weekend seminars. “We take them deeper into thinking about their passions and interests,” says Michelle. “‘I love art,’ says a student. Well, what kind of businesses could that take her into? Maybe it’s design, maybe it’s architecture, maybe it’s a museum.” The seminars also serve as a sort of miniature boot camp that trains the students on how to write a resumé and a cover letter, and how to conduct themselves during an interview. The weekend seminars also include a parent panel. French American and International not only has a remarkable student body and faculty, but also an accomplished cohort of parents. Even though the main initiative of the internship is to move beyond the walls of our school and encourage students to collaborate with our urban setting, the internship brings our extremely talented parents into the school as well. “All of the sudden, we get venture capitalists, senior leaders of innovation teams at Salesforce, artists, and journalists talking
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to our students,” explains Michelle. “It’s a win-win.” While listening and asking questions during the parent panel, our students begin to understand the different occupations within the industries that interest them. The parent panel creates a unique and powerful parentstudent interface, allowing interaction and collaboration with each other, both inside and outside of our school. Madeline ‘22 can’t decide whether she wants to be a surgeon, a businesswoman, or a politician. For her internship experience, she decided to take a closer look at her interest in politics. “I wanted to see how the city government functioned,” explained Madeline, “and I wanted to see how I could better be engaged.” So, she interned at City Hall with the Department of Neighborhood Services. While there, she attended meetings and observed other departments in City Hall, and as a result, was able to differentiate between the responsibilities of the departments. “It was inspiring because there are so many resources that not everybody knows about,” said Madeline. “There’s so much help that can be provided at City Hall. Despite what you sometimes think, it’s not just a big fancy building.” By the end, her internship experience reignited her flame for politics, and as a result, Madeline finds herself moving more in that direction.
The International High School Internship Program visits Twitter
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“It’s important for them to realize that all these possibilities are at their fingertips.” Not all internship experiences have to be affirming, just informative. For example, Isabella ‘22 is interested in law, but she isn’t sure what branch of law she ultimately wants to pursue. When she began her internship with Marin County Public Defender Tamara York, she had one simple question in mind: “Is this something I want to do later in life?” During her internship, she was able to accomplish a considerable amount while evaluating her interest in this type of law. “I got to sit in on a forensics meeting and listen to a tape from a real case and help decipher the voices,” Isabella explained. However, by the end of her time, she realized that being a public defender is not the type of law that she is interested in pursuing, and she is considering corporate law instead. A lot of our student-interns have rich and intimate one-on-one relationships with accomplished business leaders during their internship experience. Rachel ‘22 shadowed Bernard Huger, the Chief Financial Officer for OneLogin, a tech company based in San Francisco. Rachel has a blossoming interest in finance. “My first day, I got to sit in on an executive board meeting, with people presenting about the quarter,” explained Rachel. “I’d never seen anything like that. It was pretty amazing.” It also gave her a better idea on how companies run. “I thought a company was completely split into teams, but I got to see everyone working together, which I didn’t really expect.” For Rachel, she really saw how her academic work at French American and International can translate into a career path. “My internship experience really solidified that I like finance. Before, I thought, ‘Oh, I like math, so I’ll just do something with that.’ Now, I understand how finance works and what it really entails, and that it’s for me.” Last year, the Urban Engagement Program placed 20 students in summer-long internships and another 5 in weeklong shadowing experiences. We aim to find experiences that match the burgeoning interests of our students, and with our unique position of being at the heart of one of the most opportunity-rich cities in the world, we have a high success rate. Seize those opportunities, students!
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Day of service Another axis of our Urban Engagement Program is forging opportunities for schoolwide service and creating layered partnerships with other organizations. This year, we focused on building a partnership with GLIDE, which runs one of the city’s largest free meal programs, serving over 2,000 meals every day in the Tenderloin. Almost 200 of our school’s community members—staff, faculty, and parents as well as students from Grades PK3-12—took part in our three Days of Service in November, February, and March at GLIDE. Our community members helped prepare food, make brown-bag lunches, and serve in GLIDE’s dining halls. In order to develop a multi-faceted partnership, linking service to learning, reflection, and exchange, we also engaged a range of other activities with GLIDE. Representatives from GLIDE visited campus several times throughout the year, including meetings with lower school, middle school, and high school students in the fall, presentations to high school students at their Day of Action in February, and participation in our parent Community Salon in November. This kind of partnership—with shared conversation, purposeful action, and on-going reflection— exemplifies how we aim to engage with our wider community.
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Global Travel
Transformational Moments of Learning and Exploration
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For our students, the learning process is both an intellectual and geographical journey.
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ur school champions cross-cultural learning; for our students, the learning process is both an intellectual and a geographical journey. Although several of our trips in the Global Travel Program were put on hold this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still managed to send a number of our students on trips spanning the globe. These educational voyages, which our students shared with one another yet were deeply personal at the same time, were full of transformational moments of learning and exploration that exemplify our school’s mission and values. In Middle School, our Grade 6 students traveled to Washington, D.C. to learn about the history of civil rights. They visited the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the White House. For the first time, many of our students began to process and reflect upon the great—and often troubled—history of the country to which they belong. They began to understand that they are not only an individual but a citizen as well. In High School, our students celebrated the 12th anniversary of our relationship with Senegal. There, our students learned how the French society and culture has affected other regions of the world, both in positive and negative ways, and reflected deeply on the role that France has played in history and in geopolitics. Other students went on a trip to Oman, which proved to be a revelation for many. Many students were able to deconstruct the mediadriven narratives that are often imposed on countries like Oman, and began to see the country in a new light. Other students were able to improve their rhetorical and presentation skills at a global Model United Nations competition in New York City. No matter where our students traveled, each experience proved to be transformative and even life-changing. The world grew much bigger, richer, and deeper for them. Their journeys of learning and discovery have just begun. Join us as we take a look at the diverse passions, languages, and service of our students.
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Washington D.C. Daniel ‘26 — During my trip to Washington D.C. I learned a lot and experienced things
that I will remember for the rest of my life. The trip went great and I had a great time. I became much closer with many of my peers and met a lot of interesting people. The group leaders from ENVOYS were very kind and many of them had very interesting backstories. I learned many things about American history and culture, the good and the bad. I got to learn about what it was like to be a government official and what their life at work was like. I also learned about Black history, especially at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where they had a very detailed and well-done exhibit about slavery and the Jim Crow Era. We also went to Fredrick Douglass’s house. The trip made me much more aware of what happened and what is happening now in the US and the struggles people go through. After the trip I realized how lucky my classmates and I are, and the education and opportunity that we’ve been given, which other people have to work very hard for. I believe it impacted and motivated me to not pass up on my opportunities and to make every opportunity count.
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New York City Colette ‘22 — I love debating and public speaking, and knew that the Model United
Nations Club was a great platform to practice those skills. [In New York] I had to stand up at a podium and share my ideas with other students who were representing many different countries. The experience definitely helped me level up my skills, but the it also helped me understand how much I like collaboration—because you have to meet with a lot of different students and create a resolution; everyone had to combine their ideas and figure out one common solution that fit with every country’s ideologies and policies. It was a really meaningful experience for me. In the end, I won an award. There were 10 awards given out per committee, and it was a really nice feeling to receive one of them. Before going to New York, I wanted to be an engineer for as long as I could remember, but the Model U.N. trip helped me realize that I want to work in a more collaborative environment where I’d be working on a team. I don’t want to be someone just working independently on a project. The whole experience made me realize where I want to take my career.
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Caspar ‘22 — I was lucky enough to go to New York with the
Model United Nations Club. We stayed in Times Square for four days, and had conferences every day with many students from all over the world. We had a morning and an afternoon conference, and during lunch we were allowed to explore the city. The conferences were set up as a theater, with a lot of chairs in a row and a stage at the front. There were around 100 students, and we were all representing different countries and trying to get through policies that benefit our country. My friend and I represented Jordan. We were able to present an argument on stage, and [the other students] debated whether they agreed with us or not. Our topic was climate change, but it was specifically directed towards how climate change disproportionately affects disadvantaged peoples. Because Jordan is less wealthy than other countries, we were able to be at the forefront of a lot of discussions in order to represent the people of Jordan in the best way possible. And so, we tried to pass resolutions that would benefit the people in Jordan and also the other disproportionately affected people across the world.
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Oman Grant ‘22 — Before going to Oman, the media had shaped my beliefs about the Middle
East and led me to believe that the region was a place of violence and hatred. When I arrived in Oman, those beliefs completely disappeared. By visiting several Mosques and Souqs, or marketplaces, I came to realize how peaceful the region actually is. And I came to see how everyone is dedicated to their religion and how this dedication creates unity. I also learned about Islam and it’s five pillars: faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage. Overall I had an amazing experience and a great time in Oman.
Chloe ‘22 — In February, I was lucky enough to go on a trip to Oman with the Global
Travel Program. Since I am an Arabic student at International High School, I was able to put my knowledge to use and gain a cultural component to my linguistic education. Though International is an international school, it mainly crosses with cultures of other Western countries. The trip made me aware of the often-neglected but rich history of Middle Eastern cultures. This amazing experience gave me a sense of the values of Oman’s culture and how it has adapted to abrupt globalization after the discovery of its natural gas reserves. Oman, which has no enemies and has been at peace for three decades, is also the perfect counter to the stereotype of violence surrounding the Middle East that is harbored by many Westerners. My trip to Oman helped me grow as a person and as a global citizen.
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Senegal Max ‘22 — As a resident of San Francisco who traveled to Senegal this year with my friends, it’s difficult to describe how different M’bour, a medium sized coastal city in Senegal, is in comparison to my city, its American counterpart. On one hand, we experienced the most forceful way these differences manifest themselves at the fish market, which presented an overwhelming sensory experience for someone used to buying fish from a quiet, air conditioned supermarket counter.
Upon arriving at the beach so crowded with people, boats, and fish that it was difficult to move, we were immediately confronted by the intense heat, the smell of fish, the loud crunch of litter and seashells underfoot, the deafening shouting of the hawkers, the sight of the incredibly colored boats, the bloodied rays and sharks on the ground, and the piles of fish, all of which combined to create something rather magical in an indescribable, chaotic sort of way, that no photograph can come close to capturing. It’s the sort of experience that shocks and awes you, and though unpleasant feels like an absolutely essential adventure that nothing you have ever lived can ever come close to replicating. On the other hand, a much more comfortable experience I enjoyed in M’bour was playing soccer and wrestling one evening with some local boys on the beach, who favored the area in front of our hotel for its cleanliness. It was another experience that, while new and different from life in San Francisco in many aspects, felt very natural, the kind of adventure that simply feels right. Of course, these are just two of the many highlights of the trip. Riding horse-drawn carts into the salt flats, where women from a nearby village provide for their families by harvesting the family “salt well”, and visiting the Île de Gorée, an island off the coast of Senegal, the quiet and beauty masking its centuries long sinister role as a European territory holding African men, women, and children bound for the Americas to work as slaves, were just as unforgettable. It would be wrong not to mention the stated purpose of our trip: to work with the kids at École Natangue, which was a uniquely rewarding experience that proved enormously enjoyable.
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Emma ‘22 — My experience in Senegal was more fun and meaningful than I could have ever imagined.
What made this trip so special is that we stayed in one place, M’bour, and we had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the people who live there. We visited École Natangué almost everyday, so I was able to connect with some of the young kids there. They were full of energy; at times their excitement could knock a person over! They were also very affectionate, and I really miss them. I will never forget dancing to Senegalese music with one of the girls that I met at the school, who was around my age and was so friendly. The sunsets on the beach were beautiful. Even getting around was memorable because we rode on donkey carts, on top of vans, or in the back of a pickup truck. Spending time at École Natangué made me realize how much work goes into providing an education for these kids. The school is well maintained with vibrant colors and a positive energy; it is a happy place for the kids. I am happy to have done a small part to support a school that is providing an education to kids of their community.
Grace ‘22 — My trip to Senegal was one of the most amazing trips that I have ever taken in my life. At
International, the trips are an important part of our school culture. The Senegal trip in particular has always been a little bit legendary at our school. In speaking to past travelers about their experiences, more than one person talked about how grateful they were to have had the opportunity to experience the trip. I wanted to be a part of a trip that created such a unique experience. The first thing I noticed in Senegal that really surprised me was the kindness and openness of the people in Senegal. Because of their past experience with our school, they greeted us as though we were extended family, excited to show us and let us be part of their culture. Marie, who works at our sister school, École Natangué, told us about how she had taken out personal loans to help keep the school from falling into disrepair. Her
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story was very moving. The care which she feels for each and every student at Ecole Natangue was very evident. There was a kind, accepting, eager atmosphere between the students of International and the community at Ecole Natangue which allowed me to appreciate where I was and get a lot out of the trip. The Senegal trip is also known as a service trip. International students have lots of experience with service in school and outside of school, but the service aspect of the trip did not really feel like we were doing service work. The children at the school were all so excited to see us. Communicating with children who don’t speak your language, and have differing cultural norms was very interesting and fun to do. It turns out that you don’t need to share a lot of words to have fun playing together. I remember one little girl in particular who showed me around the yard at her school. We played hide and seek and she showed me all her friends. I got just as much joy out of that experience as the children did. We also spent time working in the fields. I actually enjoyed that a lot more than I thought that I would. I had a great time being outside, working with my hands, and had a blast because everyone was together talking and laughing. After our work, we were brought back to the hotel on the back of a cart pulled by donkeys. I still have the image of us all singing together as we rolled along in the cart with the bright stars behind us. I can’t think of any better memory. At the end of the trip, we planted a tree together. According to Senegalese tradition, our guides, Souleye and Omar, could tell how we were doing after we left based on how the tree grows. The trip to Senegal was one of the best trips that I have ever had in my life. I was able to have incredible once in a lifetime experiences and make new friends and memories at International High School.
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The Power of International
The Business of Learning
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Ashley Rochman Co-Director of College Counseling alking down the hallways between class periods is an auditory treat at our school. An observer can hear students speak to each other in a wonderfully-diverse array of languages—even some languages that we don’t teach on our campus. It is something that we often take for granted on our campus but surprises and even delights college representatives who visit our school community.
The bigger surprise, though, is listening to students talk about their independent research projects. Did you know, for example, that a group of students have tried to build an artificial heart with an Arduino motor and valves that they designed themselves? How about the students who are developing mushroom-grown mycelium into a sustainable building material? Or how about the International High School students who are writing 20 page research papers on topics such as the golden mean, the crash of the oil market in Venezuela, or Fellini films? For our own faculty and for the visitors who pass through our hallways, the intellectual passion and vigor displayed by our students is truly awe-inspiring. By accepting the challenge to learn deeply, our students accomplish things that they didn’t think they could ever do. Launching sophisticated research projects, immersing in other cultures different from their own, undertaking ambitious art projects, and competing in challenging athletic contests—they are constantly engaging in activities they might have thought were impossible until they begin to realize their potential at our school. As a parent here at International, I recall the experience of witnessing my own daughter accomplishing things that I didn’t know she had the capacity to do. She was in Netta Maclean’s mathematics class and needed to devise a topic for her independent research project. She struggled at first, but then settled on analyzing the mathematics involved in ranked-choice voting schemes. One afternoon, I walked by her closed bedroom door while she was speaking on the phone to someone about sophisticated mathematical concepts—definitely not a typical teen conversation. Later that night, out of deep curiosity, I asked her to whom she was speaking.
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“This drive, curiosity, and commitment to accomplishing the seemingly impossible is what makes students with a baccalaureate education so attractive to colleges and universities.” She said, “Ms. Maclean wanted me to work out the math problems in my project with someone she knows who works at Google, so I was speaking with him about outcomes in ranked-choice voting systems.” At that moment, I witnessed my daughter engaging deeply in the type of learning I didn’t know she was capable of. I was amazed by her development as a learner and thinker. This drive, curiosity, and commitment to accomplishing the seemingly impossible is what makes students with a baccalaureate education so attractive to colleges and universities. Students from our school already have the critical thinking skills that are required of them in college; in contrast, many of their college classmates have to learn those skills once they arrive at these institutions. Assistant Dean of Admissions at Stanford University, Debra Von Bargen, says of students like ours: “Selective institutions, like Stanford, perceive International Baccalaureate students as strongly prepared, capable, and ready to take on the challenges of the curriculum that we offer. When we see an IB student’s application, we light up. We are excited.” It is evident that colleges and universities continue to recognize the power of an International High School education. We are pleased to share that it was another strong year of college admissions outcomes for our Class of 2020, despite continued contractions of admittance rates at many selective colleges and universities. Our seniors were admitted to an exciting array of institutions from top technical institutes to state flagship universities to premier liberal arts colleges to the Ivy League. Of our 84 students who submitted applications, 47 received offers from universities that accept 15% or fewer of their applicants, totaling 75 offers from these ultra-selective institutions. Our students received 491 total acceptances overall. We often explain that colleges are intellectual places, and college admissions officers want to see students actively engaged in the business of learning. We are pleased that our students take up that challenge successfully and never abandon the mindset they develop as students here at International. Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
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Acceptances 2020 American University (5 students) Babson College Bard College Barnard College Bates College (4) Bocconi University Boston University (12) Bournemouth University Brandeis University Brown University Bryn Mawr College (2) California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (3) California State Polytechnic University (Pomona) (2) California State University, Fullerton California State University, Los Angeles California State University, Monterey Bay (2) Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Chapman University (8) Colby College College for Creative Studies Concordia University, Montreal (2) Cornell University Dartmouth College Denison University DePaul University Drexel University
Duke University Durham University (2) Eastern Michigan University Emerson College (2) Emory University (3) Florida Institute of Technology Fordham University (7) George Washington University (9) Georgetown University (2) Georgia Institute of Technology, Main Campus Goldsmiths, University of London (2) Gonzaga University Harvey Mudd College Haverford College Howard University Illinois Institute of Technology Imperial College (2) Indiana University (Bloomington) (2) Kenyon College (3) King’s College London (8) Lafayette College Lehigh University Lewis & Clark College (9) Louisiana State University (2) Loyola Marymount University (2) Loyola University New Orleans Maryland Institute College of Art Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGill University (8) Middlebury College (3)
Mount Holyoke College (2) New York University (7) Northeastern University (8) Northwestern University Nottingham Trent University Oberlin College (4) Occidental College (3) Oregon State University Oxford College of Emory University Pace University, New York City Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (2) Pitzer College (2) Pratt Institute (5) Princeton University Purdue University Reed College (8) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2) Rochester Institute of Technology Rutgers University, New Brunswick Saint Mary’s College of California San Diego State University San Francisco State University (4) San Jose State University (3) Santa Clara University (4) Sarah Lawrence College (5) Savannah College of Art and Design Sciences Po Scripps College Seattle University Smith College (3) Sonoma State University Southern California Institute of Architecture Spelman College
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Melinda Bihn delivering caps, gowns, and diplomas to the Class of 2020. St John’s College, Annapolis St John’s University, New York) Stanford University SUNY at Purchase College Syracuse University (3) The New School The Ohio State University, Main Campus The University of Edinburgh (10) The University of Manchester (2) The University of Nottingham The University of Texas at Austin Trinity College Trinity College Dublin Tufts University (3) Tulane University of Louisiana University College London(6) University of Arizona (4) University of Bristol (3) University of British Columbia
University of California Berkeley (11) Davis (17) Irvine (8) Los Angeles (9) Merced (11) Riverside (9)
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San Diego (16) Santa Barbara (10) Santa Cruz (35) University of Chicago (2) University of Colorado, Boulder (16) University of Denver University of Florida University of Glasgow (2) University of Iowa University of Kansas University of La Verne University of Leeds University of Massachusetts, Amherst (3) University of Massachusetts, Boston University of Miami (4) University of Michigan (5) University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (3) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Oregon (9) University of Pennsylvania (2) University of Pittsburgh, Main Campus (3)
University of Portland (2) University of Puget Sound University of Redlands University of Rhode Island University of San Diego (3) University of San Francisco (4) University of Southern California (3) University of St. Andrews (4) University of Sussex University of the Arts London University of the Pacific (2) University of Toronto University of Utah University of Vermont University of Washington, Seattle Campus (9) University of Wisconsin, Madison (4) Wellesley College Wentworth Institute of Technology (2) Wesleyan University (2) Willamette University (2) Worcester Polytechnic Institute (2)
Matriculation 2020 American University Barnard College Bates College Bocconi University Boston University California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Chapman University (2) College for Creative Studies Columbia/Sciences-Po Duke University Fordham University Georgetown University (2) Imperial College London King’s College London Lewis & Clark College Loyola Marymount University Maastricht University Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGill University (2)
Mount Holyoke College New York University (5) Northeastern University Occidental College Oregon State University Pitzer College Pratt Institute (Main Campus) Princeton University Reed College Rochester Institute of Technology Rubika Montreal Sarah Lawrence College Smith College (2) SUNY at Purchase College The George Washington University The University of Edinburgh Tufts University (2) Tulane University University College London University of Bristol
University of California: Berkeley (2) Davis Los Angeles (5) Merced Riverside San Diego Santa Cruz (5)
University of Chicago (2) University of Miami University of Michigan University of Oregon (2) University of Pennsylvania (2) University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of St. Andrews (2) University of Vermont University of Washington, Seattle Campus (3) University of Wisconsin Wellesley College Wesleyan University
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Athletics
Building Stronger Relationships
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A Framework for Lifelong Success Ian Noh Middle School Athletics Director It is easy to simplify what youth sports are. For some, it is a recreational tool to keep their child active and develop healthy habits. For others, it is a great form of childcare to keep their child out of trouble and harm’s way. But for many, it is more than that. It establishes an outlet where they are free to excel in self-expression and develop their individual identity. When coaching and mentoring student-athletes, I often draw parallels between sports and other realms of life. The leadership skills that are developed throughout years of practices, games, and adversity directly foster their ability to lead a business when the time comes. Dean Smith, legendary basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said, “What to do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.� The ability for student-athletes to be resilient as they work through their mistakes or setbacks and attach meaning to them will come in handy as they pass different milestones in life. Their growing understanding of the importance of communication will help them build stronger relationships with colleagues, friends, and loved ones.
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It has been said many times by numerous people that sports are a microcosm for life. It serves as a platform to teach lessons that are difficult to teach and in a context that is impactful and meaningful but at the same time harmless. Losing a championship game stings. Tears may be shed, but the bonds formed between teammates, lessons learned in teamwork, and dedication to a higher cause will never be lost. The experience and lessons we draw from sports provide us with the practice we need to address and troubleshoot life. Starting to learn these lessons at a young age helps us to be better equipped as the challenges of life increase. The Athletics Department has consistently trumpeted the process of preparation and improvement being more valuable than the outcome in athletics. Paul Bear Bryant once stated, “It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” Being able to dedicate yourself to preparing isn’t easy, but it is important. When we focus on the process rather than the end result, our perspective shifts and we unlock the ability to find the meaning and value in any situation. The principles of preparation, practice, and focusing on what we can control will always outweigh winning a 6th grade soccer match or 8th grade basketball game. We hopefully learn just as much in a loss as we do with a win. The capability to recognize our mistakes, to learn from them, to be resilient, and possess “the will to prepare to win” help guide us as we overcome challenges in our lives. These crucial skills provide the framework for us to be successful in any arena and situation—zoom meeting, classroom, or playing field. Allowing us to confidently face life one step at a time while knowing that the journey is most important.
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Finding Purpose in Times of Uncertainty Sara Johnson High School Athletics Director
Competitive athletics have been a part of my life since my first tee ball season at age 4. At that time, it seemed like the big leagues to me. In reality, the game was considered a success if our team ran the bases counterclockwise, and we earned our snack bar tickets. My passion was ignited, and I couldn’t get enough of America’s pastime. I became a sponge, waking up early to immerse myself in SportsCenter and absorbing the culture of the game. As I grew, so did my love for sports. During adolescence, my identity started to form, in large part due to my involvement with my high school’s volleyball and track teams. Now, when I reminisce on this crucial time, I look back with joy and nostalgia on my student-athlete memories. Ask any Jaguar, and they will agree athletics continue to be an integral piece to the High School experience. On the playing field, lessons are taught in conjunction with the classroom curriculum. It is powerful to collaborate with peers to achieve a common goal— competing in the Section Championship, trying something new for the first time, or cheering proudly together as a community. In times of uncertainty, I am reminded of purpose. Why did I dedicate my life to sports, become an Athletic Director in the first place? I want our students to learn invaluable virtues that I understand through sports: industriousness, integrity, achievement, belonging, fun. I strive to coordinate a positive outlet for our students and cultivate a program that the community can rally behind. On March 6th, International High School competed in our last athletic event of the year: a Track & Field Invitational at Kezar Stadium. It was a cold, wet evening. There was a hanging uncertainty in the air thicker than the Sunset District fog. Several of our runners accomplished personal records, and the contagious feeling of achievement in their finish line faces was almost enough to ignore the fact schools were starting to cancel nonessential activities across San Francisco. When I gave my last elbow bump, I had no idea that this would be the last competition of the 2020 spring season.
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This year, we achieved our purpose. Our participation continued to increase across grade levels. Every Varsity team competed in a BCLCentral League Championship game. Our League Champion Men’s Varsity Soccer squad continued their success all the way to the North Coast Section Championship Game. For the fourth consecutive year, our Women’s Varsity Basketball team won the League Championship. Fortyfive high school students expressed interest in the Men’s Basketball program, sparking the creation of a fourth team. This participation surge has strengthened the entire program, evidenced with the Varsity team earning the highest ranked NCS Seed in recent memory. More than the victories, our community came together like never before, led by our new Cheer Club. During the Winter Fan Jam, we hosted basketball teams from Australia and packed the Jaguar Den with fans who were entertained by thrilling hoops, student musicians performing National Anthems, and lower school games at halftime. That night reminded us that love of sport has no borders, instilling in us the international spirit of athletics. Next, we opened our new turf field on campus, where countless student-athletes will benefit from the expansion of facilities for years to come. Spring season started off just as strong as the fall and winter. Our Women’s Varsity Soccer team was favored to win the league, Swimmers and Runners set strong benchmarks, and all coaches reported incremental improvement each week. With each student-athlete experience comes a wealth of lessons learned and memories made. I am certain that the importance of these experiences is not lost on our students or fans. Sports will continue to empower our studentathletes and inspire us all. It will always remain deeply-rooted in the traditions and rituals of our community. We will always debate joyfully about which starting pitcher is better equipped for a playoff run or which NBA player should be League MVP. What I have learned most this year is that one must never take our concurrence through athletics for granted. More than anything, I look forward to gathering with my team in a circle, hands held high, chanting an exuberant, unified, “JAGS!” cheer together soon.
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Lower School Arts
Exercising Imagination and Creativity at Home By Aicha Idelcadi, Lower School Arts, and Clara Jourdon, Lower School Music Remote Learning has been a challenge for our community of teachers, but it has also given us an opportunity to learn more and learn in different ways. In March, our teachers had to adapt to a new reality of not seeing our students face-to-face or as frequently as we would like. Of course, we would much prefer the heightened sensitivity that consistent face-to-face interaction affords the learning experience, but as the shelter-in-place lifestyle became our new normal, we began to create, refine, and implement our online strategy of pedagogy. Connecting with students through Zoom sessions has been a great way to keep them active and motivated. Quickly, we discovered that our students needed an artistic outlet through which they could stay in touch with the outside world while exercising their imagination and creative faculties at the same time. A popular project with our students was our assignment to have them imitate famous works of art, like the Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. They’ve also had an art assignment every week that keeps their work output and productivity levels sharp and consistent. Plus, it has given them a welcomed sense of regularity and rhythm to their weeks. We’ve also created projects that involve family members, such as the Color Wheel Challenge and the Painting Recreation Project. Those projects were a hit for our students and their family members as well. We were thrilled to see so much fun and creativity in our community!
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During Remote Learning, we’ve also been able to blend music and art lessons together to create collaborative projects. Together, we created an online movie festival for Grades 4 and 5. For four weeks, our art and music students worked together as they created storylines, passed along useful how-to videos, and shared resources that inspired them all in the effort to help each other in the creation of their own films. Students were involved in every part of the process: they created their scripts, scored their films, and edited the entire work. It was a massive undertaking, which they all took on with drive, determination, and passion. By the end, each student had their film showcased with a trailer and watched by their peers. The students can’t stop telling us how much fun the whole process has been—and were surprised and delighted when we sent them an award diploma by mail! During Remote Learning, we also wanted to make sure that our students could keep practicing music and continue singing in French. Every week, the students listened to and analyzed classic French songs, and we shared music created by their own teachers at home. We encouraged students to create their own songs and record themselves performing them—one of the most popular projects involved students creating their own music. We created a tutorial that taught our Grade 4 and 5 students how to write and perform rap songs. Their results were astounding, and the students loved listening to each other’s music. Although we’ve managed to stay very busy and active during shelter-in-place, it was disappointing to leave campus in March just prior to our scheduled Spring Art Show. Students worked extremely hard on their projects while parent-volunteers, who were very generous with their time, came to help mount and stage our students’ artwork. Even though the show ultimately couldn’t happen in person, it didn’t mean that our community couldn’t enjoy the beautiful artwork that our students have made. Instead, we took pictures and videos of the projects that our students poured their energy, hearts, and minds into. It was an absolute pleasure to go through their work and create the online gallery. It made it all come to life and to share their artwork with our community was very fulfilling. Art is such a great relief in a situation like the one we are experiencing and we are so lucky to have all the tools, resources, and support we do at our school in a time like this. We look forward to creating work together again soon, but until then, we will enjoy each other’s creativity virtually!
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Upper School Arts
Creativity in Isolation
An Artistic Perspective During a Pandemic
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Alistair Hamilton Head of Creative and Performing Arts Many composers wrote their best music in isolation. During a time when many of us find ourselves uprooted from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and are perhaps yearning for the daily human interaction that goes along with that, it is important to look for the positives in the current situation. How can we continue to grow and learn as individuals with all this sudden alone time? Communities of artists all across the world are finding new ways to share, communicate, and express themselves during this unique and challenging time. As arts educators, what is core to our collective beliefs is the recognition that everyone has an expressive voice and should be encouraged to develop it. Whether in person or online, I am always thankful to join and work alongside an inspiring and committed team that enriches the lives and education of our students and their families. Artistically, we teach our young people to articulate, audiate, calculate, create, dictate, differentiate, estimate, interpret, notate, ideate, participate, proximate, spectate, and speculate through a critical and artistic lens. At our school, we celebrate discernment, critical thinking, and the power of nothing in place of something, of space in place of busyness, of silence instead of noise, and often embracing the “less-is-more� philosophy.
Alistair Hamilton conducting an orchestra rehearsal for Songs for Senegal.
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The Faculty and Staff Choir | Winter Concert , January 2020, Herbst Theater
Our students have continued to move their artistic journeys forward. On a daily basis, for example, I receive an abundance of recordings and videos from my students of them improvising at the piano. Remarkably, I can discern how their musical styles and inclinations are subtly changing as their piano playing reflects the new lifestyle in which they find themselves. I also receive drafts of full-fledged compositions using Sibelius. Other students have sent me recordings and videos of song-writing sessions in groups and informal performances. And still, other students have been using this time to take a deep dive into the great works of the past and present. I’ve received many critical analyses and breakdowns of classic songs, scores, styles, genres, and traditions. Some students have sent me their research findings on composers and musical movements. Their feedback demonstrates an exceptional intensity and focus as they try to understand what makes a composer truly great and what makes a piece of music remarkable. Artists live their lives through guiding principles taught to them by inspiring mentors, who pass them on to the next aspiring or curious artist. For our students, these mentors are often their Arts teachers at school. The relationship between an Arts teacher and student is critical and often extends to subsequent artistic collaborations and creative endeavors in the future.
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The 2019-2020 Fall Musical: The Fantasticks, November 2019
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Winter Arts Evening | IB Theatre, January 2020
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They teach through their own experiences, published works, and pedagogy. We teach our young people the importance of reliability, organization, service, the power of humor, flexibility, and reputation while having an eye for detail, defying convention, and celebrating unbounded, wild ideas. Like active members of a string quartet, we encourage our students to be sensitive, to be expressive, and to be flexible with balanced proportions of listening, adjusting, and responding. Their work and positive spirit at home amazes us as educators, and encourages us to keep moving forward as artists. At the moment, our Pavilion is a quiet sanctuary for the Arts. Soon, hopefully very soon, our doors will re-open and we will be delighted to welcome you back to observe, listen, rehearse, share, and take advantage of our vibrant artistic community.
Black Rider | The 2019 Spring Musical
The Student-Directed One Act Plays | January 2020
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Alumni
Sherene Melania (Bretschneider) Class of 2000
Sherene Melania Bretschneider ‘00 unites the international dance community with a virtual performance showcasing dances across cultures. Sherene Melania, Executive and Artistic Director of Presidio Dance Theatre (PDT), is an accomplished performing artist, choreographer, and arts educator. When she was facing the cancelation of their most exciting outreach program event, Children’s Day, due to COVID-19, Sherene could not bring herself to abandon it completely. The annual event usually gathers up to 6,000 Bay Area children at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House to watch excerpts from PDT’s award-winning show Dancing Across Cultures. On May 4, 2020, Melania, together with the Presidio Performing Arts Foundation, and the San Francisco and Oakland School Districts, streamed Children’s Day Live: United We Dance, a virtual performance introduced by San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. The one-hour event featured both live and pre-recorded dance performances from around the world including Ireland, Ukraine, Italy, Azerbaijan, China, Hungary, and more. “Now more than ever, it’s important to unite people through dance, reminding them of our shared humanity, while celebrating one another!” Melania affirmed. San Francisco Mayor London Breed agreed: “I am grateful for the Presidio Performing Arts Foundation’s commitment to providing access and equity to the arts, especially for our young people. Their outstanding programming reflects the cultural diversity and spirit of our city. Sherene’s leadership and advocacy during her twelve years of service as San Francisco Arts Commissioner make her uniquely poised to lead this new endeavor.” Melania feels that French American and International was the foundation of everything she does today. “Our company’s philosophy is uniting peoples from various cultures through dance. International sparked my interest in the global community. Developing an appreciation of others, from diverse backgrounds, at a young age is crucial. “I learned the importance of not only respecting other cultures, but preserving them.”
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“International High School provides such a well-rounded, complete education—from CAS volunteering, to languages, the arts, philosophy, and cultural exchange. That’s where I also learned to think critically on my own, and see knowledge as an active process—something I try to impart to my own students now.” After International High School, Sherene received a Master of Arts in Education from Harvard University, a Certificate of Ballet Direction Specialty and Choreography from the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia, and a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude in Performing Arts and Social Justice from the University of San Francisco, where she received the Dean’s Medal for Excellence in the Arts. Melania was recently selected by the UNESCO International Dance Council (CID) as the founding President for the West Coast chapter of the United States. Melania is looking forward to continuing to expand Presidio Dance Theatre’s reach in the Bay Area and the world. She is currently working on another production to be shown virtually this spring, “The Little Lantern Ballet,” a story of tearing down barriers based on the Palestinian novel “The Little Lantern” by Ghassan Kanafani. She has loved this author since reading “Man in the Sun” her senior year at International. “My time at International with students from all over the world made me realize who I am,” shared Melania. “The school also does a wonderful job of acknowledging students where they are. It is a very student-centric environment. I always felt respected and seen as an individual.” This was key for Melania as she needed a flexible schedule to pursue her dance program in parallel to her high school classes, and attend dance competitions. Without the school’s flexibility, she would not have been able to pursue her dream. Her final piece of advice: “Believe in yourself—even when you face rejection, work hard and you can achieve your dreams.”
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Sophie Carpenter Class of 2017
In her three years since graduating International High School and joining Carnegie Mellon University’s Vocal Performance program, Sophie Carpenter ‘17 has kept busy. “It has been quite the adventure, but I’ve loved every second of it,” she shared. A Vocal Performance major with a Creative Writing minor, Sophie has not shied away from getting involved in a wide variety of programs. To name just a few, Sophie has joined a sorority, written for the school newspaper, became a member of the ballroom dance team, and is very involved in the Admissions Department and the Alumni Association. As part of her sorority, Sophie was named Director of Community Service, Head Booth Chair for her sorority at CMU’s Spring Carnival 2019, lead singer for her sorority’s Greek Sing performance (an annual fundraising event where she was cast as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde), and is very involved in all of her sorority’s fundraisers. In the Admission Department she was selected as a School of Music Student Tour Guide and through the Alumni Association, she serves as a Highland Ambassador. Additionally, she works with CMU’s First-Year Orientation as an Orientation Counselor, and recently was selected as a Head Orientation Counselor—a very competitive role. Her love for clubs and admissions started at International, where she founded her own marine biology/climate change club and was a very involved admissions volunteer. Sophie returned to International this year to attended the Alumni Holiday Party, and caught up with us over the phone this spring.
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Q: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make in college? Walking into college I had a 5-year plan with every step leading to my dream of performing on a professional opera house stage and working with a large company. But I found that being too focused on a single plan does not always work. This year in particular has been a pivotal year. Working with my teachers, I’ve learned that my light and fast voice lends itself well to both Baroque and contemporary-style music. This feedback has changed my view on the future, and has allowed me to follow a path that will bring me joy and get involved in a broader range of programs and activities than I expected.
Q: How did International help set you along the path you are now? International was 100% what I needed to grow as a person. IB High Level Theatre really prepared me for my career—the subject-matter and performances we did were very similar to what was expected of me in my first year of college. One example was the Director’s Notebook assignment we received from Brad Cooreman, a 20-page analysis of the script and characters, laying out our director’s vision and intent. In our first week of acting class at CMU, we received a very similar assignment, and I realized I was the only one in my class that had one before. This showed me how my education at International impacted my progression into college level courses. Similarly, the IB tests, while academically rigorous, intense, and at the time stressful, were beneficial for training to take college tests and writing papers. They helped me learn a lot about time management and writing long pieces. I felt extremely well-prepared going to college.
Q: What was your most memorable classroom lesson or experience at French American and International? Many come to mind… One was a Field Study in Geography my senior year with Mr. Dalmedo. We went to the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco and analyzed the gentrification of the neighborhood through a variety of tests and observations. It was a very memorable experience to go into our own city and analyze it from a new perspective. I also remember my Internal Assessment for Biology. It was a very challenging experience. I started out with a very narrow topic that didn’t work out, so I had to find a new topic and start all over. Ms. Pejovic helped me so much and stayed after school to work through what I needed. It was the first time I experienced a more collegiate, collaborative partnership with a teacher. Those are common at universities but uncommon in most high schools; it was an incredibly supportive relationship that was very inspiring to me.
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“International High School was 100% what I needed to grow as a person.”
Q: What is the most distinctive feature of a French American and International education? The IB curriculum—it is such a unique program and experience, and it had the biggest impact on me. It provided me with a skill set I wouldn’t have gotten at any other high school—leadership skills, writing skills, public speaking, self-advocacy, confidence in myself, the ability to speak my mind, and a willingness to make mistakes. Being confident in my education and the growth I experienced at International allowed me to apply to the colleges I was interested in.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a current student… It’s going to be OK! It feels really difficult right now, but you’ll come out of it a better and more well-rounded person. Take advantage of every opportunity International High School has to offer to explore your passions—events, experiences, travel, clubs, performances, languages, STEM, TOK—I didn’t realize most high school students don’t get to experience these things. It goes by really fast so live every day to the fullest.
Q: What’s next for you? Right now I am looking forward to my Senior Recital next Fall. It is an hour-long recital featuring a variety of works, including one collection of five songs I’m working on with a composer frend of mine, called Cover to Cover: A Lifespan Collection. It features excerpts from my favorite authors and novels. I’m also writing a libretto (the lyrics of an opera) for a student-directed and -run opera. I chose to write a political piece about women’s rights and women’s advocacy. I’ve never written a political piece before, but I think exploring how to integrate politics and arts together, and how they can make an impact, is a great learning experience and a way for me to learn and grow. The story aims to capture a friendship between an unlikely trio of women, facing the injustices of being a woman in 19th century Britain. I love bringing joy to people—seeing people smile, laugh, and experience the emotions of music. I hope that I can influence the next generation of singers and inspire others to do what they love and are passionate about!
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Class Notes 1987 Cecilia Andrews is a French-Chilean artist born in Chile and living in
Paris. Her work is inspired by the evolution and transformations in nature and human beings, focusing on materials and their contrasts, balance and visual complementarity. Cecilia’s work was recently shown at the Biennale Révélation exhibit in the Grand Palais in Paris.
2000 Ryan Drake-Lee started a new job as Principal at the San Francisco office of Keystone Strategy, a boutique consulting firm focused on business strategy and economic and technology litigation support. Keystone recently published a dataset on the Impact of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in the response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2003 New Orleans-based jazz vocalist Anna Laura Quinn is rapidly gaining notice for her particular blend of American, French, and Brazilian music. She is currently in her final year of the Jazz Studies masters program at the University of New Orleans. Anna made her debut in 2019 at the 50th annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with the UNO Jazz All-Stars, and released her first EP, I Feel the Sudden Urge to Sing!, in 2018.
2004 Jeanne-Louise Camus (left) welcomed her second child,
Charlotte Tilden Boynton, with her husband, Tyler Boynton. Charlotte’s brother, Tyler “TJ” Boynton, is thrilled to have a petite soeur to keep him company while they shelter-in-place in Sonoma, CA.
Charles Givadnovitch founded LABORATOIRES
L’ESTHETIC in 2015, a biotech company in France that creates products for esthetic doctors. Charles is residing in Paris and hoping to expand his company for American distribution soon.
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2006 Genie Cartier has been working for a local non-profit, and in her spare time is running Bow & Arrow Circus Theatre Collective, a small circus theater company in San Francisco with her sister, Marie Cartier ’10. Genie and Marie’s latest show, “Dark Side of the Circus,” is a circus show choreographed to Pink Floyd! They are hoping to be able to resume performances once the theaters reopen.
Salimata Gassama finished her Neurology residency and received her
MD in October 2019. She started working as a Fellow of Neurology at the Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris where modern Neurology was founded. Salimata is part of the European Academy of Neurology as a Programme Committee member where she represents European Residents in Neurology and young European Neurologists.
2008 India Kieser recently collaborated with the Italian fashion house Maison
Valentino on a menswear line for their Fall 2019 collection. www.india-k.com
2009 Kelsey Brown recently upgraded to Captain at her airline! She is Captain
at Republic Airways, based out of Washington Reagan National Airport, and flying for Delta, American, and United. She enjoys making announcements in French when flying in and out of Quebec, and shared, “Hope to see y’all on my flight some day!” Kelsey’s brother, Colin Brown ‘08 has also started flying and is currently a flight instructor at an aviation academy in Florida.
Gabriela De Golia recently began pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and hopes to become an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ, a social-justice-oriented Protestant denomination. She recently moved back to Middletown, Connecticut (where she lived during her time at Wesleyan University) due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is continuing her studies remotely from there.
Simona Mariotto is now an Ombudsperson/Member Advocate for a family business handling workers’ compensation in an Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. She works with clients such as SFPD, SFFD, LAPD, Vons, Golden Gate Transit, Fresno PD, Richmond PD and Fire, Able Services, Hanford PD, and soon Oakland PD. Instead of going through the state system, these injured workers come through the program for an expedited resolution of their claims and for a more human-centric approach to workers’ compensation. Simona just celebrated her one-year marriage anniversary and still lives in San Francisco!
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2011 Veronica Paulsen became the first woman to land a backflip into Corbet’s Couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (a world renowned 25-feet jump) in February this year, and she was crowned the 2020 Queen of Corbet’s! This feat took Veronica three years of practicing to accomplish, and led her to achieve her dream of becoming a professional skier.
2013 Melina Dunham graduated from Sciences Po Paris
School of International Affairs last June and has since been working for the United Nations in New York. Last fall, she worked in the Governance Division where she focused on elections. She is now a consultant for the UN Gender and Education Initiative (UNGEI), where she works to mainstream gender into national education plans around the world. Melina is also a strategist for Coda Societies, a design-thinking and social impact firm that creates human-centered systems and infrastructures. Melina credits her experiences as a “lifer” at French American and International to her dedication to gender equality and her commitment to bring about positive change in all that she does.
2014 Michèle Jubilee Davey graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts and Art History from the University of British Columbia last May and then moved back to the Bay Area and got married. She is the Education Coordinator at the Triton Art Museum in Santa Clara. This year, in response to COVID-19, Michèle launched a new artistic program for Bay Area youth to participate in an online art exhibition exploring the question “What does community mean to you?” Michèle shared, “IB theater helped inspire me down my artistic path. Thank you Michelle Haner for being a wonderful teacher!” Kayla Rogers moved to Brooklyn and started working in the French bilingual program at International
School of Brooklyn.
2015 Hannah Van Aelstyn is a Social Justice Project Coordinator at GLIDE in San Francisco. Located in the Tenderloin, GLIDE serves those most in need, providing food, housing assistance, healthcare, and family services. Hannah was on campus in February for our school’s Day Of Action, talking to our high school students about service as an act of radical love.
Edgar Smit is studying material science and engineering at EPFL (Ecole polytechnique fédérale de
Lausanne) for his Master’s in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Mandana Farmanfarmaian Class of 1986 When Mandana Farmanfarmaian moved to San Francisco from Iran at age 10, with her parents and two brothers, the family found a home away from home within the French American International School community. Mandana was born in Iran to a family descending from the ancient Ghadjar and Safavid dynasties. Her family was very involved in education and the welfare system in Iran, and she was brought up with a strong grounding in civic responsibility. Her father, having spent parts of his childhood in France, the United States, and Iran, felt a strong kinship to our school’s international community. One of Mandana’s most treasured school memories of French American and International is her time in the Back à Dos theatre program. She was cast in the lead role of Antigone in Back à Dos’ very first production, under the direction of Martha Stookey. She also remembers fondly her music education, particularly her music teacher Mr. Victor Fink. After high school, Mandana received a bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. A passionate photographer and studier of cultures, Mandana has traveled extensively to 41 countries throughout the world. She is fluent in English, French, Persian, Spanish, and conversational in Italian. In both 2001 and 2003 she visited Iran, intrigued to learn of the country’s changes since her childhood. Backpacking alone for five months she explored over 60 cities and villages and visited with the Ghashghai and Backtiari nomad tribes. The resulting book from her travels, Welcome to Your Country, part biography and part travelogue, is currently being edited for publication. A member of Association of Iranian American Writers as well as Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she is also the author of Anahita and Ariana at the Aquarium in Monaco, as part of the Anahita and Ariana series of educational travel books for children. Mandana is an avid philanthropist and joins her family in promoting and supporting educational endeavors and health causes. She aided in the 2003 effort for the aftermath of the Bam earthquake in Iran for which she was nominated “Woman Of The Year International Red Cross.” Her husband, Dr. Amir Hedayati, is Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, and a former concert pianist and composer. He opened for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles for which he was honored with a Bronze Medal by the International Olympic Committee President. They live in Los Angeles with their two teenage daughters, Anahita Sophia and Ariana Olivia, and a Shih-Tzu named Athena. As a family they enjoy travel and music, and Mandana credits her international education for a lifelong love of cultures, travel, and the arts.
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2016 Cyrus Unvala is a senior at Virginia Tech, majoring in electrical engineering and graduating in December 2020. Cyrus interned at Northrop Grumman in the summer of 2019 and will return there this coming summer. Cyrus has also been approved to join the Navy and hopes to attend Naval Officer Candidate School after graduation, and commission as a pilot. Cyrus visited campus last December for our Young Alumni Lunch, to share his experience with our senior class.
2017 Rebecca Bihn-Wallace is going into her fourth year as a Studio Art major and Professional Writing minor at the University of California, Davis. She is working on the college newspaper and has had several fiction stories published in the last couple of years. “Here’s hoping I might become a writer and an artist like I always planned!” she says. She is looking forward to being a senior this year and is keeping the Class of 2017 in her thoughts as we navigate this peculiar time during the pandemic. “What will I do after I graduate? Well, who knows…”
Alexander Wong is enjoying his 3rd Year at Boston University as a Finance Major.
2019 Kenji Bravo had a very successful freshman season at Harvard on the Men’s Fencing team, and was
named D1 All-American. Kenji finished the year at 45-9, was named All-Ivy First Team, won Silver at NCAA Northeast Regionals, and earned a second-place overall finish at the Ivy League Round Robins in foil. He was slated to fence for the US at Junior World Championships in Utah in April, until the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Tianji Lukins is enjoying fencing at Notre Dame, practicing twice a day every day. She was a member of the Australian Junior World Championship fencing team in 2018 and 2019. She credits her time at International, playing soccer, basketball, and track and field, for easing the transition onto a college sports team by building her leadership skills and work ethic. The balance between academics and athletics is a challenging but rewarding experience. Tianji plans to major in Science-Business.
Elizabeth Miclau had a
very successful first year as diver on Harvard’s Women’s Swimming & Diving team. She earned D1 AllAmerican honors following a second-place finish at the Zone Championships. Before the event was cancelled because of COVID-19, she was slated to dive for Puerto Rico at the World Cup in Tokyo (Olympic qualifying event) in April.
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Alumni Events Young Alumni Lunch In December 2019, a panel of recent alumni returned to campus from their universities around the globe to share sage advice with our senior class regarding their college experience, internships, studying abroad, and more. Left to Right: Corin Ropp ‘19 | UCLA ● Atiana Skokan ‘19 | New York University Maxine Rosenfeld ‘19 | Carleton College ● Nathalie Rathle ‘19 | California Polytechnic State University ● Melinda Bihn, Ed. D. | Head of School ● Bakari Smith ‘15 | Stanford University Cyrus Unvala ‘16 | Virginia Tech ● Carter Cohen ‘17 | Georgetown University Charlotte Meyer ‘19 | GBBA–ESSEC Singapore (inset)
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Alumni Holiday Party More than 65 attendees joined us for the Alumni Holiday Party on December 18 at the Dennis Gallagher Arts Pavilion. Returning alumni and alumni parents represented all eras of French American and International. Some guests had never before seen the Arts Pavilion, while others delighted in returning to a space where they once performed as musicians or Back à Dos cast members. The crowd kept celebrity faculty bartenders Scott Paton and Brad Cooreman busy, while other teachers and administrators—like Leslie Adams, Joel Cohen, Daniel Paz, and Andrew Brown—had the chance to catch up with former pupils and parents.
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See you this fall!
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150 Oak Street San Francisco, CA 94102 www.internationalsf.org
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