DragonTales Summer 2010

Hong Kong International School

DRAGON The Alumni Magazine of HKIS

Alumni News

The Bob Christian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award 2010 goes to...

HKIS News

Veteran High School math teacher Bill Stork retires from HKIS FORMER Faculty News

Half the Size but Still as Fab – Karen Moffat

HKIS bids Farewell to Richard and Claire Mueller Volume 13

Summer Edition 2010

What is it?

The Alumni Resource Network is designed to leverage the knowledge, skills and connections within the Alumni Association to benefit alumni and the HKIS Community as a whole.

What is the Alumni Association?

Alumni Resource Network (ARN)

Anyone that attended HKIS for more than one semester, as well as former faculty and staff, is a member of the Alumni Association.

HKIS employs at least one full-time person dedicated to Alumni Relations, and that person liaises with the Alumni Association Board, which is comprised of alumni who volunteer their time.

Who is ARN for?

Every alumnus/alumna who registers, regardless of geographic location or graduating class.

What does the ARN do? u Connects alumni to get guest speakers into

classrooms u Connects seniors and recent graduates with fellow

alumni experienced in fields of interest for career counseling u Helps provide educational guidance – “What kind of

education do I need to get the job I want?” u Helps provide college advice – “Is this school right for me?” u Connects alumni seeking internships with alumni who may be able to offer

placements u Connects job-seeking alumni with alumni working in relevant companies for job

referrals

How might it look? u Journalist speaking to High School broadcast journalism class u Senior emailing alumnus/alumna currently attending a university that they are

considering

How do we get connected? u Through the Alumni Office

What can I expect? u Updated online registration and search system u To be connected to alumni to whom you might be of service u To be connected to alumni who might be of service to you

If you have questions about the ARN, please email them to alumni@hkis.edu.hk

Volume 13 • Summer Edition 2010

DragonTales is published twice a year by the Office of Institutional Advancement of Hong Kong International School.

Contents 5

n Message from Head of School Richard W. Mueller

Erik Dierks Chief Advancement Officer, O.I.A. David Young Manager, O.I.A.

6

Connie Chan Public Relations Manager Alan Beaufoy Webmaster James Manning Communications & Publications Manager Kathy Wong Development Coordinator Prudence Ng Administrative Assistant

22

Treasurer Simon Lau ’80

Cover photo by Kathy Wong Designed and printed by Impressions Design & Print Ltd

n HKIS Parent, Employee and Alumna Jessica Berman ‘00

n Alumni Homecoming – 70 former students visit the campus and reconnect with friends

n This is Where I Came In...

– Grade 12 students attend a class in Lower Primary

HKIS News & Updates n The “Great” Storkey checks out…

n HKIS’ new Middle School Building is Dedicated

36

Former Faculty Updates n Alumni Happy Hour Gathering with Jim Handrich and Chuck Dull

E-Board Members David Christian ’69 David Kohl (former faculty) Advisors Robert Dorfman ’72 Kenneth Koo ’79

n Ken Koo ’79 and Charles Watson ’09, the recipients of The Bob Christian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award

n Richard and Claire Mueller – One-Way Ticket to Lake Tahoe-Reno

Vice-President Joyce Yin ’89

Members Lincoln Chan ’88 Justin Hardman ’99 Ken Rohrs (faculty) Natasha Khan ’03 Spencer Chiu ’93

Alumni News & Profiles

n A World of Music – Adam Levowitz ’87

DragonTales Editors Irene Loh James Manning Alan Beaufoy

Alumni Board President Rohini Balani Chotirmal ’89

Leadership Updates

41

Class Notes

n Half the Size but Still as Fab – Karen Moffat

Save the Date • January 6, 2011

Homecoming 2011 For enquiries, please email alumni@hkis.edu.hk

leadership updates

Dear HKIS Alumni,

F

rom the moment I first walked through the gates of HKIS’ elementary school in 1982 to pay a visit to Principal Darrell Wallis, I fell in love with the place. My first visit all those years ago was to learn more about the school I had come to know through the American Consulate General staff who sent their children to HKIS. I left that day with a warm feeling in my heart and a sense of achievement. A warm feeling because I had witnessed a place of learning, caring and love. A sense of achievement because I returned home having found the right school for our young sons, Jonathan and Eric.

As alumni, you have firsthand experience of an HKIS education and know how it has shaped you into the people you are today. Over the years, I have been fortunate to meet many of you, hear of your experiences, and how the school still holds a special place in your hearts. I have been impressed by your journeys in life and humbled by how many of you credit HKIS for providing the foundations on which you have grown.

For Jonathan and Eric, HKIS nurtured a passion for living life to the full, to challenge themselves, and give back to those less fortunate. They benefited from HKIS’ broad and deep educational programs as guided by our Mission Statement and Student Learning Results. Claire and I have much to thank HKIS for; our family’s association with HKIS has been among the most satisfying of our lives.

I am proud that HKIS is not merely a transplanted American school but rather has become a truly unique international school. It is a vital part of the fabric of this city, educating a broad range of students from around the world and Hong Kong.

Having completed 27 years of close association with the school as parent, member of the Board of Managers, Chair of the Board and for the past five years as Head of School, I will retire this summer.

It has been a privilege to serve this community of young people in this way.

Claire and I will take with us many fond memories, but it is the friendships and support of people who make this community so special that we will hold most dear – the students, staff, parents and, of course, alumni.

I bid you farewell, not goodbye. I will stay in touch because I have so much enjoyed our journey.

Please continue your journey with HKIS. Alumni are an integral part of both the heritage and heart of our school.

If you have ideas on how we can improve contacts or ideas for events and programs, please let us know by emailing alumni@hkis.edu.hk. Our doors are always open to you.

Sincerely,

Richard W. Mueller Head of School

DragonTales

5

alumni news & profile

6

DragonTales

In recognition of their exemplary contribution to society and living out the ideals of the HKIS Mission Statement, The Bob Christian Alumnus/ Alumna of the Year Award 2010 was presented to Ken Koo ’79 and Charles Watson ’09 at the High School Annual Honors Convocation on June 1, 2010.

About the 2010 Recipients The decision to award two recipients The Bob Christian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award this year was taken because both Ken Koo ’79 and Charles Watson ’09 were worthy candidates.

Ken Koo was cited by the Selection Committee for his dedication and commitment to HKIS over many years and as someone who “truly exemplifies our Mission and Student Learning Results.”

Ken served as Alumni Association President for six years and established the James A. Handrich Service Endowment with Desmond Chu ’91. He has donated generously to the Handrich Endowment, which furthers HKIS’ Mission and Student Learning Results, especially the SLRs of “Self Motivated Learning” and “Contributing to Society.”

The Selection Committee cited Charles Watson as a “role model in service leadership” for spending his gap year in Nepal and Ghana to improve access to information technology in the education field. Charles’ work is making a meaningful difference to underprivileged schools in those countries. Coincidentally, Ken Koo has been so impressed with Charles’ work that he is funding his solar powered project in Nepal.

Congratulations to both of our recipients.

The Bob Christian Alumnus/ Alumna of the Year Award The Award was established in 2006 to recall the service of Bob Christian as Head of School from 1966 to 1977 and to give recognition to the Alumnus/Alumna who has made a strong, positive contribution to HKIS, our community, and the larger Hong Kong community.

The selection criteria used is that candidates: • Exemplify our Mission and Student Learning Results • Contribute to the HKIS community, the local community, or the broader community This school year the Award’s Selection Committee met and reviewed in detail the merits of a number of outstanding nominees. We thank those alums and community members who nominated candidates. The caliber of candidates was truly outstanding, and this made the selection process very difficult.

HKIS thanks the Award’s selection committee members: Dr. Bruce Kelsh, Zella Talbot, Rohini Chotirmal ’89, Lincoln Chan ’88 and James Manning. n

DragonTales

7

alumni news & profile

Ken Koo has been an invaluable and staunch supporter and driver of HKIS Alumni Association. Perhaps more than any other individual, he is responsible for perpetuating the positive interaction between generations of HKIS Alumni. DragonTales sat down with Ken to chart his life-journey from his early days with HKIS to the present.

T

he story begins in Tokyo against a background of American-style education. Ken’s mother, a graduate of the American School in Japan, Ken attending St. Mary’s International School as a 1st Grader, and his sisters Sandra and Stephanie attending Sacred Heart International School. This education ‘pattern’ was to continue when the family returned to live in Hong Kong in January 1968.

Having already experienced an Americanstyle education in Japan, and wanting their children to continue an American-style of education in Hong Kong, Ken’s parents canvassed their friends on a suitable school in Hong Kong. They recommended HKIS. Ken’s sisters Sandra (’78) and Stephanie (’79), joined HKIS in Grades 3 and 1 re-

8

DragonTales

DJ Condon, Interim Head of School and Ken

spectively, but there was no immediate place available for Ken, so he spent his Spring Term of the 1967-68 school-year at Kennedy Road Junior School (today’s Bradbury Junior School on Stubbs Road), enrolling in HKIS as a second grader for the 1968-69 school-year.

There was no Chartwells; we had Maxims, local stores, hot dogs and rice-plates.” Ken is also quick to note that some things don’t change: “Upper primary is still as it was when I used to climb the stairways all those years ago. Today’s kids are overprotected, living like babies in a bubble.”

Ken has fond memories of his early years at HKIS: “Every day was fun, especially chapel. Chapel would start with the singing of hymns, then prayers, and then more singing.” As he progressed through the grades, chapel changed, and by Grade 7 and 8, gospel hymn-singing emerged.

“Thinking back to those early times, HKIS seemed to be a ‘tighter’ community. Each year several of the elementary school grades would be involved in at least one big production, a four-act play. I remember performances of ‘The Land where Dreams Come True’ and ‘The Volga Boatmen’. They were really fun-times with lots of student interaction.”

“In those days children were allowed more freedom to grow and experience life. Students then had larger than life experiences in all sorts of areas. Food for instance.

“Then there were experience-programs with the Christian Youth Fellowship in

rising Junior in HKIS) returned to Hong Kong to continue their education at HKIS. As an alumnus involved in the fast moving arena of commercial shipping, Ken is aware of how the pace of change in all areas of our lives can blind us to what is good and sadly, in many cases, is no more, and comments:

Ken’s son Edward Koo ’08 and eldest daughter Emily Koo ’06

Kowloon Tong. We would go camping on Lantau, work in an orphanage in Tiu Keng Leng, and help out at local ‘roof-top’ schools.

Operation Interchange was the major event in high school through most of the 1970’s. Every two years, the Taipei American School would host this event on their campus. The participants included HKIS and Morrison Academy and activities ranged from athletics to performing arts to academic topics. Operation Interchange was superseded at HKIS by ‘Interim’ in 1978. All these activities were a significant break from the traditional Chinese culture of Hong Kong at the time.”

Ken identifies his ‘best’, favorite and fun years at HKIS as those he spent in grades 4, 6 and 8, and as a Sophomore. Why? “Because of the fantastic teachers and the students, many of whom have become lifelong friends, and of course the thousands of memories of those years are still clearly etched in my memory.”

These experiences influenced Ken to send his own children to HKIS to pursue an American-style education. Ken’s two elder children (Emily ’06 and Eddie ’08) started school in R1. After a short stint in Singapore from 1997 to 2000 when his children (including youngest daughter Ellen, now a

“The ‘lust for the latest’ attitude has become ingrained in the modern Hong Kong/Chinese culture, with little consideration or respect for that which is being replaced or superseded. Without recorded history how do we assess how far we have travelled, and in which direction?”

In this regard, Ken is passionate about preserving and recording the history of HKIS. Not only that which has already passed, but also protecting and recording the present as it develops to become part of the HKIS story.

“HKIS has developed rapidly from those early days of one building and a few hundred students, into the ‘elite’ school that it is today. We need to identify and track changes as they happen. So much of our history has been lost or forgotten already, and we are only 44 years old.”

So how can we develop and retain an allegiance to HKIS? “It has been suggested that an ‘HKIS History Museum’ should be created within the school, and I am wholeheartedly in support of such a move. Asking alumni to contribute to the history museum with memories, stories, pictures, and memorabilia would increase interest, involvement and communication among existing alumni, and simultaneously help to promote that allegiance in future alumni.”

Several key words spring immediately to Ken’s mind when he thinks of alumni: spirit, involvement, consistency and resilience – the consistency of commitment, involvement and effort, and the resilience and spirit to overcome problems.

“As HKIS has grown, so the difficulties and

real competition have increased. Perhaps it is time to reflect on our past and our core values; re-evaluate those things that made the school work in the past, and view them in today’s setting. If we can gain inspiration from the past we may be better able to enthuse our alumni.”

“We need to inspire alums. We need to celebrate the past. We need to improve contact between students, faculty and staff”.

“The Alumni Association is working to inspire the school by celebrating past successes, and individual endeavor, but more needs to be done. One specific action we can take is to follow-up on recipients of HKIS awards such as the Jim Handrich Award, not only to record their progress but to offer the advice and resources of ‘mature’ alumni to provide additional support as required, and encourage them to ‘pay-back in kind’ to future and potential alumni” Ken says “A case in point is Charles Watson ’09, who is doing fantastic things with his efforts in service leadership. Charles has taken a gap-year to introduce technology into learning in Nepal, and Ghana, West Africa.

I am actively involved in supporting Charles’ work, which clearly illustrates several of the Student Learning Results which may be regarded as six pillars of HKIS’ mission.”

Ken Koo was awarded the 2010 Bob Christian Alumnus of the Year Award together with Charles Watson in recognition of their significant contribution to HKIS, the HKIS community and the larger Hong Kong community.

Our thanks to Ken Koo for making the time not only to be interviewed for this article but for all the time and resources he has given so freely to HKIS over the years and continues to do so. n Ken Koo is Group Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Tai Chong Cheang Steamship Co. (H.K.) Ltd

DragonTales

9

alumni news & profile

S

ince leaving HKIS, Charles Watson has spent a gap-year in Nepal and more recently Ghana, working to develop a low power-consumption computer to provide increased learning technology for students where the power supply is unstable, difficult to access, or non-existent.

Charles has directed his efforts in two directions: developing a computer powered from a 12-volt DC battery source that can be charged when mains-power is available or via solar panels; and preloading the computers with Ubuntu

Linux and educational content in both English and Nepali.

Charles has met with businessmen from INGOs and NGOs, manufacturers and suppliers in his quest for parts to build his computers, and has already provided 35 machines, twenty of which were delivered to a school in Nepal in December 2009.

One ‘next step’ is to pursue a sponsor/developer to champion the sourcing of low power LCD screens for his computers that would reduce their power requirement even further.

Charles working on the 35kg tubular lead-acid battery

In addition to the hands-on immediacy of building and delivering his computers, Charles is also endeavoring to ensure his work continues long after his gap-year work is finished, by building interest and relationships with local Nepali businessmen.

DragonTales caught up with Charles and asked him some questions: How do you spend a typical day?

Most of the work I’m doing on the ground is finding ‘the perfect school’. The computers are quite valuable, and it is key to find a school which won’t use them inappropriately. I want these computers to be doing what they do best – providing students access to computer-based learning.

It would be a real shame if I donated three or four computers to a school, and they ended up being sold at the market, or if the school administrators used them just for office work. A lot of what I do is meeting people, visiting schools, networking:

Students in Kaphal Danda who took turns giving Charles a lanyard of flowers and honorary red powder

10 DragonTales

things that ensure we will find the best schools to help.

I will usually spend a day with the students and teachers, showing them the basics of how to use a computer, as often they have never used a computer before.

What were the main problems you encountered in Nepal & Ghana?

How did you overcome them?

The biggest problem I encountered was trying to get the computers into the country. I had these donor-funded computers which were to be used in schools and not sold for profit. I had letters from donors, from the recipient schools, months of email exchanges proving this was not for profit, yet at every step we’d have to pay tax, driving up the cost of the computers.

While I was building the computers there were problems. In both Ghana and Nepal I’d be working one moment and the lights would be out the next. I realized pretty

quickly in Nepal that I would need to run them on solar-powered batteries .

You mentioned that the projects will continue to run even without your presence, how is this possible? What arrangements do you have in place?

In Nepal, I stayed with a friend of high school teacher Mr. Friedericks. I showed him the computers and software inside and out. Now that I’m gone, he has the contact information of all the hardware manufacturers where he can get this specialized equipment, plus the information on how to build the computers. Since leaving Nepal, I’ve been forwarding emails to him from people who want to buy the solar powered computers.

Secondly, the computers are designed using locally available parts – unlike the One Laptop Per Child project, where the parts are proprietary. If the RAM in one of my computers breaks down in a school in Nangi village, they can get a replacement in a nearby town – they don’t have to wait two months for a container ship.

Why service and why now when most of your peers are off to college?

My parents often ask me the same thing!

I’m very glad that I took this gap year, on a personal level as well as an educational one. Before taking this gap year, I wanted to study photography, as it is another huge hobby of mine (you can see the photos I’ve taken over the course of the gap year on my website, www.charlesparkerwatson. com). After working on my senior project, I saw how applicable this technology was in schools around the world, and I wanted to work on that. Although there is certainly a service component, it seemed like a mix of real-world experience, a test of my abilities, and even a chance for fun: I’ve always loved travelling, and I knew the project would be a great experience and a way to balance photography and computer science.

Will you go to college – if so where and to study what? Where do you see yourself settling?

Yes, although I will not go next year. This gap year taught me how little I really know in the field of computer science, and I’d love to learn more. I reapplied to colleges and was accepted in a few Engineering programs with a major in computer science, but I will take one more year on this project. I feel that in the next year, I can really sow the seeds for long-term success on this project.

How has the support of Ken Koo ’79 helped drive this project, who else encouraged you?

The support of the HKIS community and my fellow alums Ken Koo and Lincoln Chan has been so amazing. This project was originally going to be just six comput-

ers paid for by myself working a summer job, but the donations and help from the HKIS community pushed that number up close to one hundred. It’s been incredible how willing people have been to help and turn this idea into something tangible.

Mr. Friedericks set me up with my host in Nepal, and his interim group further helped out. There was a student-led group to Nepal (separate from the interim) which went over Chinese New Year, they also brought computers into the country.

Marcia Barham, a lower primary music teacher, helped me find a host family in Ghana. That’s not even including the many donors I met through the HKIS community who actually paid for the additional computers I’ve been distributing in the recent months. The support of the HKIS community has been so integral to the success of the project. Thanks everybody!

Are you missing your family, how do you deal with that?

Not just my family, but my friends, and Hong Kong itself. Thankfully, I’ve got the blog which really helps me stay in touch with people – I feel as if I’m talking to people face to face when I write the blog. I try to update it as often as possible, and I love it when people comment on the blog or email me. In both Nepal and Ghana I always had people to talk to, both in English and my fledgling Nepali and Ewe skills.

Learning at least a few phrases in the local language is also important: yesterday I had a (somewhat basic) conversation with someone on the bus in Ewe, which made me feel at home.

How HKIS helped to shape you?

HKIS opened up the world. I think the thing HKIS does best is showing students that the world is out there. You look around your math class and you see people from all over the world. You

look around the high school Humanities office and you have teachers who have spent a sizeable portion of their careers working at a school in a country whose name you cannot even pronounce. Plus, there’s PEAK week in middle school and the Interim program in the high school. I would not be talking to you from Ghana right now if it weren’t for these experiences I received as an HKIS student. The school makes a real effort to show students that there is life outside of Hong Kong, and that had a huge impact on me.

Can alumni support your project – how?

Definitely! If you want to get in touch with me so I can explain the project better, you can send an email to charles@charlesparkerwatson.com, or visit my website. Alumni and people in the HKIS community in general have so much to teach me, and guidance from alumni who often have experience in what I’m trying to do is very important.

Additionally, the computer labs I’m setting up are paid for in part by donors from the HKIS community, which of course has really helped turn this project into what it is.

Finally, if alumni are connected to a rural school without access to electricity, I’d be happy to hear from you – perhaps we could work something out.

Where do you envision yourself five years from now?

Graduating from college! After that, I’d really like to put what I learned in university to use and think about continuing this project. As I mentioned earlier, I’ll be formalizing this project into an NGO and working to continue the project throughout college, even if the amount of time I can spend on administering the project drops to an email or two per week. After college, I could imagine returning to work on this project for a few years – it definitely has wide potential throughout the world, as many places throughout the world will not have access to electricity for decades to come. n www.charlesparkerwatson.com charles@ charlesparkerwatson.com

The computer teachers from the five schools in Ghana that Charles has worked alongside

DragonTales

11

alumni news & profile

ried in 1992, and today have two children, Max and Samantha.

Adam’s Band Director at HKIS was Stuart Bonner. It was he who gave Adam his first professional break, playing trumpet in the pit orchestra for the American Community Theater in the show Sweet Charity.

“I was playing third trumpet and was really struggling to keep up with two other terrific players. Remember, I had only been playing trumpet for 10 months.”

Later that year, Mr. Bonner had Adam conduct the band at school. “I was totally clueless! I vividly remember seeing Leah Boggs ’86 at the back of the room on the drum set showing me how to move my hands to lead the band.”

In 11th grade, Adam became the unofficial assistant to Bill Kuhn. When Bill returned to the US during the school year to visit his ill mother, Adam ended up teaching his 7th and 8th grade chorus class.

Bill also provided Adam with many opportunities to play professionally, hiring him to play at the Church of All Nations at different meetings and functions.

At HKIS Adam Levowitz’87 discovered music and the love of his life. DragonTales finds out more...

A

dam Levowitz ’87 arrived in Hong Kong from Houston, Texas in 1983 – the summer after his 8th grade year. He had always been musical – taken piano lessons, sung in choirs and been part of musical shows, but it was at HKIS that he really started to take music seriously.

“My teachers were a huge influence on me – Bill Kuhn was the Choir Director and became a mentor and friend. Debbie Gibbs was the Drama Director and was very important.”

12 DragonTales

In the summer after 9th grade, Adam taught himself to play the trumpet. When he returned to school that fall, he was placed in the advanced band grouping.

Little could he have known, but his efforts over the summer to learn the trumpet would pay off in a different way. For on his very first day in the advanced band class he met Janet Dressler, who would later become his wife.

The couple dated all through HKIS, mar-

Upon graduating from HKIS, Adam returned to the US to attend college and studied a degree in music. He then moved to New York and worked as a Music Director for off-Broadway and regional theater.

From there he moved to be the Artistic and Music Director for a non-profit arts organization outside Houston, Texas for about four years, where he produced concerts, musicals and operas.

The training is the same regardless of your job. I was toe-to-toe with young men who are destined for combat zones.”

Adam next spent ten years working as a music teacher and band/choir director, and then two years in a Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Today Adam is teaching choir and AP Music Theory at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology outside Washington, DC.

“So there I was, a Jewish music teacher in a Catholic School in a Mormon State,” he smiles.

“We are singing at Carnegie Hall next week, which includes the world premiere performance of a new choral piece I composed called Magnificent,” Adam says proudly.

Every year since 2001, Adam has produced a concert called Now Come The Names – a tribute to the victims of September 11.

“This features two pieces I composed in November 2001. Now Come The Names is a choral piece based on a few lines from a speech President George W. Bush gave at the National Prayer service a few days after the 911 attacks. The other is a setting of all four verses of the Star Spangled Banner.

Both pieces are on my website.”

President Barack Obama at the Southern States Ball in January 2009, which was a thrill and an honor.

Adam keeps in touch with Debbie Gibbs, and Bill and Kris Kuhn through Facebook.

He hears from many people from the class of 1987 and recently made contact with Jeanette Black. “Of course, I am married to Janet Dressler and her sister Ann was at HKIS.”

A few years back, Adam joined the US Army as a trumpet player with the 257th Army Band in Washington, DC. The highlight, he remembers, was playing for

“I even did ten weeks of regular Army Basic Combat Training (Boot Camp) with guys half my age (I turned 41 last November). It was a challenge, but I enjoyed it.

Contact Adam at: adamlevowitz@yahoo.com or visit his website: http://maxamgroup.org n

Heifer Project and Service Projects in Lower Primary Thanks to the avid reading of our Lower Primary students and the generosity and support of the HKIS families and friends, the Lower Primary raised a total of HK$230,913 during a two-week Heifer Read to Feed Project.

Lower Primary had over 411 students participate and read 7,973 books. All proceeds go to Heifer International and will be used to purchase animals and other services to support 400 families in the Anhui Dabie Province devastated by the severe snowstorms in 2008. Lower Primary has been involved in various service projects over the year, raising an incredible HK$276,977 through all of its projects.

Thanks to all HKIS students and parents for a year full of support and generosity in our numerous relief efforts toward people in need all around the world.

DragonTales

13

alumni news & profile

HKIS Parent, Employee and Alumna

When Jessica Berman walks to work, her daughter holds her hand. DragonTales finds out more...

W

alking to work each morning is a trip down memory lane for Alumna Jessica Berman ’00, for the path she treads is the one she once traveled as a child to school each day.

“We lived in South Bay Villas,” she says, “which is at the bottom of the hill that leads to the Repulse Bay campus. I remember my Dad holding my hand and walking me to school. The road has not changed in the past 20 years. The trees, the pavement, the school buildings, they’re all the same.”

Though the route and landscape are unchanged, the purpose of Jessica’s journey 14 DragonTales

has evolved from that of attending HKIS as a student to working in the Upper Primary divisional office, where she is a Secretary.

Jessica attended HKIS for eight years from 1992 to 2000. She describes growing up in Hong Kong as “an amazing experience.”

Jessica never thought that she would return to HKIS as an employee; but is happy to be back, especially as it offers her the perfect work-life balance. “I have time to spend with my six year old daughter Sofia, who, amazingly, is an HKIS student herself,” she smiles.

“You experience many things that people elsewhere don’t. I remember celebrating Chinese festivals like New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. They were part of my world. It never felt like I was celebrating someone else’s culture, because that culture was important to me growing up.”

“When my daughter tells me about playing in the playground, it’s the same 7th floor playground where I used to play. She is treading in my footsteps for sure and I love sharing her journey.”

She says HKIS extra-curricular experiences like Mother’s Choice, Habitat for Humanity and Interim trips helped to shape the person she is today.

“I guess I should not have been surprised that when I went to college in the US many friends could not understand my different experiences growing up in Hong Kong and what they meant to me. It was clear that I had lived an entirely different life.”

When she graduated in 2000, Jessica went to college in Hawaii to study Social Science. Though gradually she realized her study choice was misguided and took the difficult decision to finish her major without graduating. She stayed on to complete a minor in Travel Industry Management, after which, she remained in Hawaii working in the hotel and leisure industry.

From left to right: Karissa Chen, Jessica Berman, Christina Cheng, Nicola Pang and Juliana Durante

The hotel and leisure industry demands long working hours of its employees, and Jessica, now a mom, was not getting to spend enough quality time with her daughter. Also, around this time, she found herself missing Hong Kong.

“When I graduated from HKIS I thought I had had enough of Hong Kong. But after seven years away, I realized that I missed the place and wanted to return.”

She decided to move back to prioritize Sofia in her life. “It was proving impossible to juggle a full-time job in the hotel industry with being a mother… so I quit my job and pulled Sofia from school.”

This was a big decision, because Jessica knew her return to Hong Kong meant she had to rebuild her life: she needed a job; Sofia needed a school.

Jessica’s Vietnam Interim trip colleagues

Jessica, who is Jewish, considered sending Sofia to the local Jewish School in Hong Kong, which has an “awesome reputation,” she says.

When Sofia is older, Jessica plans to return to full-time education and Major in Tourism. However, for now she is content where she is at HKIS.

“However, I went to HKIS, and knew what excellent education it offered, so when Sofia was accepted at the school I was so happy. There is such a community feeling here, I have benefited from this as a student and now enjoy it as a parent and employee.

The decision to move back to Hong Kong was the right one. “I love Hawaii, but really wanted to be in Hong Kong. Working at HKIS is a bonus. It is great to be working for a place you really believe in.”

Jessica on teachers...

“My Grade 5 teacher was Carol Austria who is still working at HKIS. She is now my colleague... Nevertheless, I cannot bring myself to call her Carol – she will always be Mrs. Austria to me.”

“I think all my teachers at HKIS were amazing, and they still are... They are here because they want to teach and help kids. Today I benefit from this dedication as a parent; every day I see teachers doing things above and beyond their duties for students.”

Jessica and Carol Austria

Hong Kong or American?

Upper Primary Principal Bruce Kelsh and Jessica

Asked if Hong Kong or America feels more like home? Jessica admits she is not sure.

“I have struggled with that since I was little. I have an American Passport, and my Dad’s American. We used to go back every summer so we could see my Grandma in the US. However, my Mom is from Holland and I also have a Dutch passport, so now I am even more confused... Just call me a third-culture kid.” n

DragonTales

15

alumni news & profile

On January 7, 2010 we welcomed back alumni for HKIS Homecoming. We had about 70 former students visit the campus and reconnect with friends and teachers. Some were making their first trip back to HKIS in a number of years. Â In the morning, they participated in Tai Tam campus tours, including of the new Middle School building. There was a lunch in the high school cafeteria, a tent reunion with faculty in the high school plaza, and various sporting competitions in the afternoon. About 40 alumni and teachers also joined an evening reception in Central. Â Homecoming reminded us that our school remains in the hearts of those connected with it long after they leave. n

16 DragonTales

James A. Handrich Service Leadership Endowment The James A. Handrich Service Leadership Endowment was established in June 2007 by HKIS and alumni Desmond Chu ’91 and Kenneth Koo ’79, in honor of Associate Head of School James (Jim) A. Handrich. Jim retired in July 2007. Over his 24 years with HKIS, Jim served as the Elementary School Principal, High School Principal, Interim-Head of School, and Associate Head of School.

The purpose of this Endowment is to help further the school’s Mission Statement and Student Learning Results, specifically “Self Motivated Learning” and “Contributing to Society”.

This is the third year the endowment has Jim Handrich and Kenneth Koo ’79 been active in terms of supporting student service learning projects. The following five groups of seniors were awarded funds from the endowment of their senior projects.

Genny Chin, Tiffany Wu, and Clara Hung – Research and Cultural Exchange of the Jiangmen Scholarship Program Stephen Liu and Ethan Hallberg – Lose the Shoes Yan Chu, Kelly Lo, and Dhruv Jhunjhnuwala – Flash Mob and It’s Relation to Service Brian Mulcahy, Scott Rau, and Anthony Abdelnou Chagamoto – Heal Africa Lynette Chen, Yeh-Jin Lee, Katherine Ng, Emily Tsai – River Styx James A. Handrich Service Leadership Endowment Lead Donors: Kenneth ’79 and Helen Koo (parents of Emily ’06, Edward ’08, Ellen ’12) Desmond Chu ’91 Jim Handrich K H Koo Foundation Co Limited Mark Kwok ’74 (parent of Gareth ’00, Robyn ’04) K.S. and Feili Lo (parents of Katherine ’99, Alexander ’03, Elizabeth ’05, Nicholas ’12) Leanne Lu ’98 Moses and Angela Tsang (parents of Alexis ’00, Brietta ’04) Peter and Daisy Wang (parents of Vanessa ’12) Kenneth and Linda Wang (parents of Jeffrey ’03, Jeremy ’03) Haitao and Hongwei Zhang (parents of Dora ’12) To find out how to contribute to the James A. Handrich Service Leadership Endowment email alumni@hkis.edu.hk or visit www.hkis.edu.hk and select Giving Back and then Online Giving.

alumni news & profile

By Rosann Santora Kao, Ph.D.

Graduating Seniors and Grade One children attend class on Pinwheel Science in the Lower Primary...

18 DragonTales

I

n the first grade classroom the 12th graders watched as the younger students listened with care. There was a sample pinwheel on display. The teacher asked, how do you think this machine works? Jenny, a seven-year-old with a glowing smile offered, “The wind blows and catches here inside the paper and then the paper goes around.” Complimenting the young student, the teacher continued her explanation of how the papers, colored markers and tape might be used to construct a toy wind machine.

The words from the teacher were hardly spoken when active learning styles were soon apparent around the room. Some children went immediately for the colors, others were ready for the cutting action even before lines were drawn on paper, a few studiously read the directions. Yet, there were some who went straight to work; building the product was their only focus. Adults wonder how young minds absorb information and how kids gain skill. Fortunately, in our own primary school there is ample opportunity for each child to try out their own learning styles.

On assignment in the same classroom, the 12th graders were asked to reflect on twelve years of schooling. What did they remember from first grade? How had each changed from those early years in school?

A few days later in a high school classroom, the seniors recalled the rainbow staircase, the smell of construction paper and the big picture books in the library.

Others remembered the building blocks, games and hands-on learning materials that were abundant in each classroom.

Soon the mature students began a more detailed analysis of behavior observed in the younger ones. One 18-year old said, “You remember, Jenny, that girl who raised her hand and was first to explain how the pin wheel works? Well, I talked with her; did you guys hear the vocabulary? Those kids in first grade are learning words I did not learn until freshmen year. ‘Odometer,’ they are going to be so ready for the SATs.”

Our tall basketball player told his story, “The little girl I was helping, Dora, she hardly talked at all. So, I just said what I knew about Hong Kong and HKIS. She still did not say much. I didn’t know if she was listening or what. But, at that closing circle, when we were all sitting down together on the rug at the end of the morning. That same girl, Dora, got up and walked over to me, I am as tall sitting as she is standing, and she put her hand on my shoulder. Loudly and clearly she told the whole class, ‘This is my friend Ed. He talked to me about Hong Kong.’ Yeah, she remembered my name and what I said.”

Knowing our seniors would soon have to leave HKIS, the first graders had written letters of advice. Here are the warm thoughts of our seven-year-olds: “Don’t forget to bring pictures of your family. You are going to miss them.”

“Kiss your mother. She will not be able to come into your room so far away to say goodnight.”

“If you are good you can take your D S.” “Eat vegetables not just junk food.”

“Don’t forget to say good bye to your pet.”

“Good luck seniors; we will miss each of you. Come back and see us.”

Rosann Santora Kao, Ph.D. Guidance Counselor Hong Kong International School May 2, 2010

All guidance counselors in the High School teach Senior Transitions. This visit to Lower Primary was carried out by the classes of Rosann Santora Kao and Jeff Steuernagel.

The LP teachers who have guided this project are Donna Koehneke and Michelle Cavalli. Thank you to all the teachers. n

DragonTales

19

alumni news & profile

Class of 2010

Graduated on Friday, June 4, 2010

20 DragonTales

DragonTales

21

HKIS news & updates

One-Way Ticket to As HKIS prepares to bid farewell to Richard and Claire Mueller after 27 years of service and connection with the school, DragonTales sat down to talk with Richard about the past and explore the future...

Richard and Claire Mueller bid farewell at this year’s Celebration Gala in May 2010

22 DragonTales

Lake Tahoe-Reno

Richard enjoys the artwork of some Middle School students

S

urrounded by some of his favorite photographs depicting a lifetime of travel and adventure, Richard Mueller tells me about a trip he is planning back to their new home between Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada in late June.

The difference this time, he says, is that after five years here he will not be returning to Hong Kong to resume his role as Head of School.

“This summer I’m going home with no return date on my ticket,” he smiles. “Claire and I are retiring to pursue new adventures after 27 wonderful years of association with HKIS.” Richard first experienced HKIS in November 1982, during a trip enroute to China. “I had heard of the school because many U.S. Consulate General families sent their children to HKIS.”

“I felt that HKIS could offer a good education for our sons, Jonathan and Eric, both whom I felt were very capable, as all parents do of their children!”

During his first visit to the school in 1982, including a conversation and tour with Elementary Principal Darrell Wallis, (whose son, Mark, is now a member of our Board of Managers), he noticed a heartfelt caring for children about the place. “There was also a Christian ethos as well as an understanding, support and respect for people of different cultures and faiths. I was impressed.”

Richard says what he discovered at HKIS during that first visit nearly 30 years ago is still present today: “We are a school grounded in the Christian faith and proud of it. Those are our origins.

Also, as our mission states, we want students to learn about and DragonTales

23

respect other faiths. If somebody is Jewish, we respect they are Jewish. We hope to see students and adults engage in spiritual and religious discussion and learning. I think that is a special, HKIS quality.”

When his family eventually moved to Hong Kong in 1983, his sons, Jonathan and Eric, attended elementary school, and Jim Handrich was the new principal.

Soon after, Richard was invited to join the Board of Managers. He remembers thinking, “Why do they want me?”

However, the idea of being able to give back to HKIS appealed to him, and he joined the Board. Richard soon found himself heavily involved in the issues of the school. One was the future of the Chinese language program and whether it should be Mandarin or Cantonese. Another was, ‘Do we build a new high school in Tai Tam or the New Territories, or not at all, since the 1997 reversion of sovereignty to China was just ahead?’

Photo opportunity with HKIS Senate students following a meeting in 2009

as United States Consul General to Hong Kong. Their son Eric finished his junior and senior years at HKIS, graduating in 1996. Richard says he felt a strong relationship with the school and Church of All Nations, a Lutheran congregation associated with the school. One way he found to serve was by inviting students and teachers to lectures, presentations and concerts at the Consul General’s residence.

“Bon Jovi came to town, so I called up David Rittman and Jim Handrich and told them Claire and I were hosting a reception for the band and wondered if the high school would like to send some students and teachers to attend. It was great to have the opportunity to offer this.

There were many similar occasions, such as Winton Marsalis as well as the Boston Symphony.”

Richard with Jim Handrich, who was his sons’ Elementary Principal

“I will never forget my first trip to Tai Tam and being shown the parcel of land the government was offering HKIS and asking, ‘Where’s the proposed site?’ There was nothing but the slope of a hillside. Then Patrick Lau, our architect, said, ‘Yes you can build on that, you can build a very nice complex. ’ And he was absolutely right.”

That’s the site on which today’s High School and Middle School stand.

Richard and his family left Hong Kong in 1986, but returned again in 1993 – Richard 24 DragonTales

As U.S. Consul General, Richard officiated at the opening ceremony of the new Middle School building in November 1994 – which had indeed been ‘very nicely’ built on the same hillside that he had seen and questioned some years earlier.

When he finished his service as Consul General, Richard worked with the Asia Society in Hong Kong from 1996 to 1998 on a leave of absence from the State Department. It was during this period that he served a year as Board Chair, his second stint on the Board of Managers. “The view from the Chair’s side of the table is an altogether different one from that of Head of School! But the working relationship is close and collaborative.”

Richard worked closely with Chuck Dull, Head of School in his first year, who led the Board and school through an envisioning and planning process that year, culminating in what are today’s Mission Statement and Student Learning Results.

Richard points out that Claire’s connections with HKIS are as deep and longstanding as his own. She worked at the Middle School 1995-96 before resuming her Foreign Service career. “Even when she was working full-time at the Consulate General, Claire was involved with teachers, students and with me and my Board activities. Moreover, since 2005 while I have been Head of School she has contributed to all aspects of school life. In so many ways, it has been a real partnership between Claire and me and the school.”

When he left Hong Kong to become Head of School at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts in 1998, Richard never imagined he would return to HKIS as Head of School. However, in 2005, that’s exactly what happened. “In some ways, coming back here as Head describes my life. Things happened I never planned for...

It took me a while to get my head around the idea of returning to HKIS; it came so unexpectedly. Who knows, I may be back again,” he quips.

Richard will treasure many fond memories of his time as Head of School. The most special memories revolve around the students. “My discussions with students interested in international relations and the world and my dialogue with the High

School Student Senate around leadership and change are highlights.”

plugged in and use my diplomatic and Foreign Service experience to educate young people about what’s going on around the world. I’m not going to let my mind run down – I plan to be a lifelong learner,” he insists.

There have also been opportunities for him to get to know individual students. “I have memories of Andrew Yip ’06 who was here during my first year. In addition to his strong academic accomplishments, he learned to play the organ at Church of All Nations. On graduating, he went off to a wonderful education at Lewis and Clark. His father – Philip Yip – is a security guard at school, and his family has been so grateful for the experience Andrew had at HKIS.” Holding up a card from high school student Cathie So thanking him for his time, Richard says he has learned alternative perspectives about the world through the eyes of students like Cathie. “She is very interested in politics and history, and we’ve had some good conversations.”

Rummaging through his papers, Richard locates a note from a Lower Primary student, John Cassidy, wishing him a happy birthday and thanking him for reading the book It’s a Fine Fine School to his class. “I don’t think it was my birthday, but still...” smiles Richard.

“Another young student wrote to me to show how well he had learned to write and that he had gotten better and better and wanted me to see it. Some Middle School students dropped by my office a few weeks back just to say hello and asked if I had ten minutes. Of course I did; I showed them some of my photos of China and we talked about school; we had a good chat.”

Cathie So’s thank you card

Retirement in the Lake Tahoe and Reno area, however, is already starting to look busy for the Muellers with a new grandson on the way – their first – and Richard having accepted an invitation to join the Board of Trustees at the Chinese American International School in San Francisco. He also has in mind working with his son Jonathan’s non-profit education organization, Sierra-Nevada Journeys.

They will also spend time with Eric, who is an aerospace engineer with NASA’s Ames Research Center, and his fiancée, Susan, in San Francisco…

“I want to find opportunities to stay

This retirement will be the first time that both Richard and Claire have not had a demanding job. “We’ll have more flexibility and freedom to travel. Strangely, I have spent most of my life traveling the world, but have seen little of my own country. We have much U.S. travel planned. I am sure we will reconnect with friends from our time in Hong Kong, many of them with HKIS connections.”

Even though Nevada and California are a long way from Hong Kong, Richard and Claire intend to stay connected with HKIS. “We have been blessed in so many ways through our lives and careers. Our association with the school has been among the most satisfying, and serving so many parents and students over these years has been our privilege.

I am also proud of our HKIS alumni – current and future. I have enjoyed watching them mature and grow; and I am extremely happy now to be joining their ranks.” n

Richard holds these interactions dear as he prepares to embark on the next chapter of his life. Aside from school, students and friends, Richard will miss Hong Kong.

“I’m going to miss the adrenaline. I’ll miss the double-decker tram ride from Western to Shau Kei Wan. The slow pace of the tram slows me down and is a nice antidote to the hyperactive drive that is Hong Kong.

I’ll miss hiking the Dragon’s Back, a family favorite” he says pausing, before giving off the biggest of smiles and saying, “Yes, I am going to miss this place.”

Mueller family Christmas holiday in Hong Kong 2007

DragonTales

25

HKIS news & updates

A New

Int Ko ng Hong

OUR MISSION

minds to inquiry, our hearts to com and our lives to passion, service and glob al understanding An American-styl e education grou nded in the Chri and respecting stian faith the spiritual lives of all

STUDENT LEAR

NING RESULTS

academic exc

ellence Students will achi eve their intellectu al potential by and attaining the striving for highest standard s of academic exce llence.

Spirituality

Students will unde rstand and respe ct Christianity religions and will and other identify and deve lop their own spiri tual identity.

charac

ter Developmen Students will dem t onstrate respectful school and in the and caring attit udes at community, as well as the cour age to stand up for what is right.

Self-motivate

d learnin

g apply a variety of learning and strategies thro motivation ughout their learn ing process.

Students willingly

contributing to

Society Students will deve lop the skills they relationships in need to form genu our diverse socie ine ty and to make contributions to our commun ity. chinese culture

Students will gain

an understanding of China and an appreciation for the Chinese cultu re.

26

c hoo nal S

l

ony ereml School’s c n o a ati ation DeDincg Kong intern c H o o l S o le for H miDD ing w e D n Buil

Hong Kong International School’s New Middle School Building is Dedicated Dedicating our

tio erna

the Dedication Conducted by

PROGRAM

ceremony com

mences at 8:00

am

Jazz 2 Band

Stella Chang, Midd

le School Band

teacher

welcome

Richard W. Mue ller, Head of Scho Linda Anderson ol; , Acting Middle School Principal; Grade 8 students and Claire Chen and Sarah Faruqui Dale Koehneke

invocation

, Pastor, Church

Conducted by

of All Nations

High School cho

Cy Udall, High

about the new

ir

School Music teac

her

Building’s Bea

m award

Jangho Ro, Grad

e 8 student

Presentation of award to rich ard mueller and HKiS Board of the managers by the Beam Society Conducted by

Jazz 1 Band

Scott Rogal, Midd

le School Band

a Student’s Pers

pective on “lea Katie Tang, Grad

teacher

rning in the new

e 7 student

a teacher’s Pers

pective on “the

Peter Dratz, Midd

building”

growth of HKiS

”

le School teacher

ribbon cutting

Richard Mueller,

Head of School

closing remarks

D. J. Condon, Asso

ciate Head of Scho

Conducted by

closing - Jazz

ol

1 Band

Scott Rogal, Midd

le School Band

teacher

the ceremony will conclude at 9:00am and refreshments be followed by on the 8th floo r of the new buil a tour of the ding. new building will commence from the 8th floor reception if you have time.

l ationa Intern ng Kong for Ho mony n Cere building. ed tio Us ca di ol 07-08. y the De iddle Scho or year 20 M me to Welco (HKIS) new school new eight-st in the ’s ilding st 2009, the our Middle g School bu is th in gu tin ced on time in Au classrooms ce and mee mmen st of en Work co ts for the fir the number -art confer he en d by stud has increase es state-of-t g e hous th d is buildin an by 15 y, which School Societ l Assessment the BEAM . This is nmenta rooms.

09, the ber 20 ilding Enviro um Standard rd to a m ce De Standa the Bu a Platin end of At the and owner of building with ted Platinum r ve e founde certified th arded its co e d, aw n of th Metho e BEAM has ng.

Ko ly desig arded the ng nd aw lly frie first tim ilding in Ho bu nmenta chitects Ltd, ural design” enviro school Ar ct d en ite an e ch Ch novativ cts, Nelson ellence in ar Chapter). ite , the in xc ng In 2007 saw our arch cture for “e cts (Hong Ko ite g buildin ard for Arch te of Archite Aw Institu an Merit ic Amer by the

, 2010 ry 21 Janua , y a d a i Ta m T h u rs ool, T le Sch Midd n and r pansio ing ex sure ou of ongo work will en ard t part is w portan ses. Th rive to is an im HKIS campu ntinue to st g in we co w build ork at both as ne le is ab w Th e of ement als are achiev e. ov pr nc ant plac for im excelle import ional go be an they prepare educat her levels of g will ig buildin ents as ever-h e, this for our stud m co th ns to d grow neratio For ge , creativity an m. oo learning nd the classr yo life be

HKIS has been blessed, growing in just under four and a half decades from one building and 630 students at its Repulse Bay campus, to four buildings on two campuses, with 2,640 students.

The new Middle School building is the latest chapter in this development.

Here’s how we’ve grown: September 1967: HKIS opens a K-12 school in Repulse Bay with 630 students.

February 1968: HKIS’ new building is dedicated.

September 1975: New Elementary School opens its doors to students.

September 1988: The new High School at Tai Tam opens for its first term.

november 1994: The Middle School is dedicated with the theme “A 21st Century Home for the Mind”.

June 2007: New classrooms, music rooms and science labs open in Tai Tam.

august 2009: New Middle School building opens to students.

november 1986: The groundbreaking ceremony for the new High School in Tai Tam takes place.

January 1989: The new, HK$85.8 million High School is dedicated.

June 2006: New classrooms are constructed on the sixth floor of the High School building.

november 2008: Tai Tam field upgrades, which include floodlights and the latest generation artificial turf.

T

hursday, January 21, 2010 will go down in Hong Kong International School’s (HKIS) history as “Dedication Day” for our new Middle School building. Used by students for the first time in August 2009, the new eight-story building has increased the number of classrooms in our Middle School by 15, and houses stateof-the-art conference and meeting rooms.

At the end of December 2009, the BEAM Society, which is the founder and owner of the Building Environmental Assessment Method in Hong Kong, certified the building with a Platinum Standard.

David Brown, Head of Building and Energy Efficiency for the Business Environmental Council, presented HKIS with its Platinum certificate from the BEAM Society for the environmentally sustainable design and construction of the building at the ceremony. HKIS is proud to be the first recipients of the coveted BEAM Platinum Standard awarded to a R1-12 school building in Hong Kong.

The new building is an important part of ongoing expansion and improvement work at both HKIS campuses. This work will ensure our educational goals are achievable as we continue to strive toward ever-higher levels of excellence. For generations to come, this building will be an important place of learning, creativity and growth for our students as they prepare for life beyond the classroom.

At the ceremony, HKIS welcomed the Honorable Henry Tang, Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong, to officiate at the Dedication. He was joined by Christopher J. Marut, Acting U.S. Consul General, United States Consulate General Hong Kong; Richard Vuylsteke, President, American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong; Abbi DeLessio, Vice-chair of HKIS Board of Managers; James Robinson, HKIS Facilities Committee Chair; Richard Mueller, Head of School; Linda Anderson, Middle School Acting Principal; and Clifford Chiu, Member of the Chairman’s Council for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

DragonTales

27

HKIS news & updates

We’re out our own. And we know what we’ll know.

And WE are the guys who’ll decide where to go.”

The foundation was dug and the pants were a saggin’ The middle school rose in the air like a dragon.

The connection was seamless Two behemoths, one The bridge was a playground Potentially fun.

Poem by Peter Dratz…

“Congratulations Today is our day We’ve grown a new wing We are off and away.”

Two decades ago Tai Tam was the jewel where our board decided to build a new school Back then our neighbors were mostly all wild There were long legged spiders as big as a child.

HKIS has been blessed, growing in just under four and a half decades from one building and 630 students at its Repulse Bay campus, to four buildings on two campuses, with 2,640 students. Many alumni bear testament to this growth. The new Middle School building is the latest chapter in this development.

At the Dedication, veteran Middle School teacher cum poet Peter Dratz shared through a poem his reflections on the growth of HKIS over the years. n

28 DragonTales

“It’s finished!” we cheered.

Our school has been built But we must have been feeling Some great pangs of guilt.

For in just a few years We were building again More classrooms and offices Would it never end?

We needed more space We were getting too crowded So we added more floors And again we applauded

There were boars in the jungle, lots of squirrels and mice And a long Burmese Python Who was really quite nice.

Our beautiful sports ground Where we played and we raced In the grass, mud, and rain was removed and replaced by a shimmering carpet of pellets and plastic which turned out to be nothing short of fantastic.

The high school came first With a pool and a plaza But we never imagined That there’d be a Ritazza.

Now today we are gathered To embrace a new wing A communion of learners All ready to sing.

We could see Tai Tam village And Dragon Boat races We could hear campers camping But we couldn’t see faces

Oh, the places we’ll go And the people we’ll see The world is our classroom “Imagine”....the Key! “

“We have brains in our heads.

We have feet in our shoes.

We can steer ourselves any direction we choose.

Kid, you’ll move mountains!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!

The Enigma Machine – and the Code-breakers of World War II – Visted HKIS Dr. James Grime of the Enigma Project Office

E

ver since messages were intended for restricted eyes only, there have been codes to conceal the content of such communications.

From the Roman emperor Caesar and Marc Anthony, to Mary Queen of Scots to World War II, important messages have been hidden in written code. Codes that have ranged from the very simple to the extremely complex; and as technology advanced such methods of concealment changed from manually manipulated systems to mechanical and further to automated coding machines.

Dr. Grimes presented on the history and mathematics of codes and code breaking, from ancient Greece to the present. He presented the story of code, code-breakers and the Enigma machine was relayed to a fascinated audience in the Black Box Theater.

The presentation revealed the history of code and some famous or infamous users were exposed. The audience of students, faculty and staff were occasionally challenged to decipher simple examples of

coded messages to emphasize the intricacy and simplicity of different code forms.

The highlight of the ‘show’ was the story of how the Enigma machine was developed, and how the development was transferred between a number of different people before the final ENIGMA machine saw light of day in World War II. Dr. Grimes went on to talk about the famous English code-breakers assembled at Boreham Wood in England, who eventually discovered the secrets of the Enigma machine, and broke the code-process of Enigma. A code that the German military believed was so complex as to be truly unbreakable.

The internal workings of Enigma were exposed for examination and its operating processes for both creating and deciphering code demonstrated to a clearly fascinated audience.

HKIS thanks its Parent Faculty Organization for sponsoring this event, which was a unique learning opportunity for students and adults alike. We all thank Bill Stork for his dedication and determination to bring the Enigma machines to our school. n

From left: PFO President ZoeLynne Sursock, Math teacher Bill Stork, Dr. James Grime and Associate High School Principal Sue Harvey

Possibly the most famous code methodology of recent times was developed prior to World War II utilizing a complex mechanical system to create and undo extremely complex code. This became known as the Enigma code, created by the Enigma Machine.

HKIS was thrilled that a genuine Enigma Machine used by Germany in World War II was demonstrated on campus on March 29 by Dr. James Grime of the Enigma Project Office of the University of Cambridge.

The Enigma machine was built in 1936 and used by the Germans in France to send coded messages during the war. It is one of only a few dozen known to be around today.

DragonTales

29

HKIS news & updates

Our “Outstanding” High School Mathematicians

F

our HKIS high school teams scored at the OUTSTANDING level on the Twelfth Annual High School Contest in Mathematical Modeling (HiMCM). This is the ninth consecutive year that HKIS has had teams cited at the OUTSTANDING level – a truly remarkable achievement.

A total of 277 teams, with up to four students each, from 59 schools, competed. All teams worked at their own schools during a designated 36-hour period between November 6 and 23, 2009. Each high school team chose from two modeling problems offered and then constructed their solutions.

Back row: Stork, Jennifer Hui, Samantha Chao, Han Lim Kim, Gillian Tay, Justin Hui Bon Hua, Larry Au, Edgar Fong Front row: Florence Wong, Sauman Cheng, Tara Lorimer, Thomas Ruan, Peter Lee, Justin Suen Not pictured: Stephen Suen, Marie Wu, and Stephanie Bak

HKIS wins an International Film and News Festival Award C

ongratulations to senior students Steven Keithley, Alex Sinyak, Parker West, Arthur Maitre and Tyler Leung – creators of the broadcast journalism Super Action News team – on having one of their broadcasts win the 9th Annual Prestigious

30 DragonTales

The judges were impressed with the creativity in mathematical modeling of the HKIS teams, and in their ability to explain their strategies and problem-solving techniques.

‘Shortie Awards’ - International Film and News Festival.

The HKIS team is now preparing an acceptance speech to deliver in Washington in late May.

Far East Soccer Success T

he HKIS Boys Varsity soccer team won the DODS Far East Large Schools Soccer tournament in Seoul, Korea in May. The boys completed the tournament having won all seven of their matches. They scored 44 goals, and conceded just five! In the final, HKIS beat Kadena 2-1 to take the tournament.

The 2009-10 school year has been an unprecedented season of achievement for the Boys Varsity soccer team, having notched up the following championships: • Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation Division 1 • China Cup • Asia Pacific Activities Conference Championship • International Schools Sports Federation of Hong Kong Division 1

Support the Alumni Scholarship in Memory of David F. Rittman In honor of the unique legacy that David Rittmann left to our school, HKIS named an Alumni Scholarship in his memory.

The scholarship will go to a local student from Hong Kong chosen from our High Achievers Program or English Language Leadership Program. Through this scholarship, the memory of David will literally live on in the recipient. What better tribute to David, who spent a full life serving the Lord and making a difference in the lives of so many students?

The Scholarship is open for donations. To direct a gift go to www.hkis.edu.hk, click on Giving Back and then Online Giving. Please select Alumni Scholarship in Memory of David F. Rittmann where it states “Please designate my gift to”.

To learn more about the Annual Fund, review our Annual Report and Report of Giving online at www.hkis.edu.hk.

DragonTales

31

HKIS news & updates

G

rowing up in Ohio in the Midwest, Bill Stork had a passion for books.

His dad was the headmaster of a school he had taken over during the Great Depression, and it was he who inspired Bill to be a learner.

“When I was quite young, dad gave me a ledger to keep track of the books I read,” says Bill. “When I look back, this was a clever thing to do because it motivated me to read more.”

“Great” Storkey

William and Jasmine, his wife, at Stanley

The

Veteran HKIS teacher Bill Stork departs this summer after 19 years with the school. DragonTales spoke to Bill about his life and career...

William at a ‘chubby bunny’ 6 months; 3 years; and when in Grade 4

32 DragonTales

“If my father was the educator of the family, my mom was the brains,” laughs Bill.

“She saw her role as that of the supportive wife and mother, and did both excellently.”

When he was in his 10th Grade year at school, Bill’s family moved to California, where his father took a job as headmaster of Polytechnic School. This school; however, only taught up to Grade 9, which meant Bill had to attend Flintridge School in Pasadena.

Here he found himself in a class with some fantastic students. “We developed our own study groups to help each other. History was my forte, so I was the history coach.

Other classmates were strong in mathematics or physics, so would take turns coaching these subjects. I grew so much in these years, and started to appreciate

what it meant to teach and coach others,” says Bill.

Bill’s appreciation of teaching was cemented when a bridge partner of his mom’s asked him to tutor her son in math. “Her son was two years older than me,” remembers Bill. “But I was getting paid to teach him, did the lessons, and thought that was that.”

However, it wasn’t, because when the boy returned to school and did well, Bill felt a tremendous sense of fulfillment. “I liked the feeling of making a difference, this meant far more to me than the money.”

Christmas Grade 4; William’s mother, father and sister, Cynthia

Following school, Bill attended Yale University, majoring in math and physics. But history was still a passion, and influenced by two exceptional History Professors, he switched to History in his junior year.

“The plan throughout most of my university years was to complete my studies and attend Law School,” says Bill. “However, by my Senior Year at Yale, I realized I did not want to be lawyer. I was a people person, not a paper person. Law might be lucrative, but it was not for me.”

It was at this point in his life that Bill realized he was destined to teach. “I knew teaching was no way to fame or fortune,

A Harvard summer, Grade 2

William when in Grade 12, with Åse Fystro (AFS sister)

Dad, William, Mom and Cynthia

but it was what I wanted to do. As a teacher I could make a difference.”

Bill shelved his writing ambitions and started to look for a job. A stroke of luck was a chance discovery of an ad in the Brown teacher-placement office for a math teacher at St George’s School (Newport).

Bill applied and was accepted to do a Master’s in History at Brown University.

“I figured if I worked hard, I could get my Masters in a year... and that’s what I did.”

His first teaching job was at a prep school in Boston, teaching East Asian history. The next year he headed the department and added a course in British history.

The following year, Bill left Boston to return to Brown University with the intention of writing his first book. “The book was to be based on some rich resource materials I had uncovered while studying earlier at Brown,” says Bill.

“However, my timing back to Brown was inopportune, because the materials I needed were in storage and inaccessible owing to the old John Brown House being under renovation.”

Bill called the number and a man on the other end of the line told him his name sounded familiar. Bill explained he had sent his CV earlier. He was the History teacher.

“Within a couple of hours I was in his office. He wanted to know why I thought I could teach Math. I explained I was a Math major at Yale until the middle of my junior year...” “...He asked ‘if I would be willing brush up on my math skills by taking a course on number theory during the summer.’ To which I replied yes, knowing that Brown had a great course during the summer.”

DragonTales

33

HKIS news & updates

The interviewer was impressed that Bill knew about the course at Brown. “But most of all, he was impressed by my East Asian history teaching experience, because St. George’s was planning to develop a program in East Asian history.”

Sure enough, Bill was hired, and in his second year at the school, he started an East Asian (Honors) program for sophomores.

“Later I taught seminars in both Modern China and in Game Theory. I also got into administration: college advising and as Associate Dean of Students.

In 1971, Bill accepted a position as Director of Studies at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, where he was charged with developing the school academically. He

school driver [who still works for HKIS] – pointed out a shining oasis in the darkness and said, “that’s HKIS.’”

Brother-in-law and Father copying Storky’s style [age 26]

It was through this connection that he was asked by Hong Kong International School to develop an intensive math program for highly gifted local Chinese students, known as the HKIS High Achievers Program.

Three Weeks in Hong Kong Bill arrived in Hong Kong in 1991, the

“Though I was only here for three weeks, it was a marvelous experience to be at last in Asia having taught the history of the place for so many years. I mean, what an opportunity for a Math teacher to be in Asia! I got a letter the next year and then the year after asking if I would come back to reach on the High Achievers Program.

Of course I did.”

What started as a fun venture that Bill expected to last a summer, turned into something much more in April 1994 when he received a faxed message from David Rittman about an unexpected resignation

Yale Tercentennial Gala (2001), Hong Kong.

Yale president Levin to William’s left

William’s new office! The Foreign Correspondents’ Club

William with Jasmine at Caesar’s Palace

also taught one course each year, and in 1978 was selected for a Fulbright to India.

same year HKIS celebrated its 25th Anniversary. This was his first trip to Asia.

of a full-time mathematics teacher.

In 1983, he moved to Polytechnic School in Pasadena to be Department Head, Mathematics. “I was thrilled to return to fulltime teaching, and was able to concentrate my efforts on developing the K-12 math program.”

He initially came for just three weeks as a consultant/teacher to set up and run the High Achievers Summer Program. The headmaster at the time, David Rittmann, had established the program to give back to the local Hong Kong community.

“Somewhere along the way, I was talked into heading the Polytechnic School’s Summer Session, and built it eight-fold to over 800 students.”

“I remember arriving in Hong Kong and being transfixed by the cityscape and lights. It was not what I expected; I was anticipating little squatter huts. Obviously, I was thinking of somewhere else.”

Initially Bill had planned to stay no more than ten years at HKIS, but in year nine, he met the love-of-his-life – Jasmine. “So the nine years has become 16 years most easily! And I don’t regret a single day.”

Bill will always remember his first glimpse of HKIS. “It was at night. We seemed to no sooner leave the city than we were in the countryside, a few bends later, Sam – the

Ask Bill about the highlights of his years teaching at HKIS and it is the names of students that roll off his tongue. “I have had many gifted and giving students.

Around this time, Bill also became interested in the special needs of gifted children, doing advisory work and teaching for Johns Hopkins’s Center for Talented Youth.

34 DragonTales

“David asked me if I knew any suitable teacher to recommend to HKIS, or what about you?”

I came to Hong Kong for three years. Then it became another two years, and I have been happily teaching at HKIS ever since,” says Bill.

Far too many to mention each by name,” says Bill, who hands me a list fifty names long. He then asks that I do not quote from the list because he is sure to have missed someone. The list includes Captains of his rowing teams, HiMCM (High School Contest in Mathematical Modeling) team members, student leaders of Amnesty walk-a-thons, and many more.

But as the adage states: All good things come to an end. This summer, some 19 years after first walking through the gates of HKIS to start the Summer Program, Bill has decided to depart. “It’s just the right time... I have lots to do,” he says.

“Perhaps I’ll start a business, or do some writing... In the past, something has always surfaced to excite, intrigue or involve me. I will wait and see what comes up in the months ahead and then decide.”

Bill expects travel to occupy much of his time. “In recent years Jasmine and I have been to Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Bangkok, Budapest, Vienna, Prague, and St Petersburg. Hong Kong is a lovely hub for travel, and I am of a mind to linger here for several years, and enjoy all that Asia has to offer.

He hopes also to get back home more often to visit his Mom, who is now invalided. “When I went back to see her in December she told me she keeps outliving her doctors,” smiles Bill, who insists he does not know her age.

“I do have a sense that she is quite old, and when I was there in December, I noticed a congratulatory birthday letter from Michelle and Barack Obama on her mantle-piece. So I guess she could be 200,” he quips. n Bill asks alumni who know him to keep in touch. His email is william.stork@ aya.yale.edu

Things you didn’t know about William Stork...

• During ‘the Emergency’, had tea with Indira Gandhi and a private audience with then-Prime Minister Moraji Desai • Was on the cover of CalTech’s magazine Engineering & Science • Was Chair of the Yale Assembly, “The Internationalization of Yale” • Raced own 1960 Alfa Romeo 2000 spider on same track at Laguna Seca historic car races as Juan Fangio, five-times F1 Gran Prix champion • First course ever taught was ‘History of East Asia’ • Served for five years on Yale’s alumni Board of Governors • Wrote a book on ‘social change in rural China’ while at East-West Center (Hawaii) • Studied Mandarin at UCLA • Co-chaired the 300th anniversary event for Yale’s alumni in Asia • Served as Sports Information Officer for Soccer (Football) at the LA Olympics • Recruited by NASA while undergraduate • Owned for five years a center in mid-levels specializing in Conversational English • Coached the HKIS Crew that won 10 medals at the HK all-Schools Rowing Regatta • Worked on NASA solar wind investigation • Serves as Regional Director (Asia) for the Yale Day of Service • On steering committee for USC’s first International Alumni Convocation • Invited by Columbia’s Institute of Far East Studies to work on the East Asia Curriculum Project • Was honored by receiving Stanford University’s Teacher Tribute award • Decided to leave HKIS after 9 years were over, but in that year met the love-of-his life, Jasmine, and no longer has plans to leave Hong Kong!

DragonTales

35

former faculty updates

Alumni Happy Hour Gathering with Jim Handrich and Chuck Dull Chuck Dull, Jim Handrich, Ken Koo ’79

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Jim Handrich and Chuck Dull returned to Hong Kong for a short visit at the end of April and caught up with HKIS Alumni and friends.

Jim Handrich, Jason Lui ’03, John Liang ’03, Elly Eng ’96

Alumni and HKIS administrators joined Jim and Chuck at Panevino, an Italian restaurant on Robinson Road managed by the Teodorovich sisters. During that evening, Ken Koo ’79 presented Jim Handrich with his annual family donation to the Jim Handrich Endowment Fund.

Thank you Ken for your generosity and continued support for our school.

Hunt Smith, James Manning, Sharifah Albukhary ’94

36 DragonTales

John Liang ’03, Matthew Sears ’02

Ken Koo ’79, Milana Teodorovich ’95

Leo Chiu ’99, Mose Tsang, Jim Handrich, Chantal Teodorovich ’92

Dana Trang ’96, Terry Lee ’96

Bruce Kelsh, Evelyn Kuong ’99, Chuck Dull

Linne Tsu ’96, Evelyn Kuong ’99, Bruce Kelsh, Dana Trang ’96, Elly Eng ’96, Terry Lee ’96, James Manning, John Liang ’03, Chuck Dull, Jason Lui ’03

Dana Trang ’96, Elly Eng ’96, Terry Lee ’96

Veronica Galbraith Booth ’97, Chuck Dull, Jim Handrich

Wendy & Bruce Kelsh

Jim Handrich, Ken Koo ’79

Evelyn Kuong ’99

Hilary Thompson ’00, Tracy Cheng ’00, Mark Wallis ’76

Rohini Balani Chotirmal ’89, Chantal Teodorovich ’92

Gary Cheung ’97, Daniel McKinny ’79

DragonTales

37

former faculty updates

Half the Size but Still as Fab

Karen Moffat Karen Moffat worked at HKIS for four years: one year as a teacher in the Humanities Department and then for three years as the High School Associate Principal for Academics. She reflects on her life and tells us how she managed to shed half her body weight

I

f home is where the heart is, then HKIS will always be a home to Karen Moffat, who says the years she spent at HKIS had a strong impact on her.

“I forged some very deep friendships and personal connections with the faculty, parents and students and I still feel a part of the HKIS community in my heart,” she says.

When she left HKIS in 2006, Karen returned to South Island School (SIS) Hong Kong for an 18-month stint as a Deputy Principal. She had worked there previously for 17 years.

Today she is working in Bahrain as the Deputy Director for the British School of Bahrain, which admits students from more than 60 nationalities, the most ‘international’ school she has worked in.

38 DragonTales

“Bahrain and Hong Kong are two entirely different worlds. Bahrain has about half the land area of Hong Kong, but has a population of just over a million, only half of whom are Bahrainis.”

“Things here are on a much more human scale than Hong Kong, although the pace of life is still busy and there’s always more to do than you have time to do comfortably.”

These past 18 months have been a profoundly transitional journey for Karen, who has nearly lost half her body weight over this period. She says there were a number of factors that converged into the motivational force to help her to lose this amount of weight, but the most significant was having a living example that it was actually possible to do it.

“At South Island School, one of the teachers

changed shape right before my eyes over a period of several months and that got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could do that too. I guess I needed someone to inspire me to believe that I could do it because I had come to accept the slow, gradual accumulation of extra weight over the years. It’s all too easy to justify it to yourself as being ‘just the way you are,’” she says.

Other motivational factors included being healthier and fitter and able to lead a full and active life, with none of the handicaps that are just part of being overweight, like not being able to go into a shop and buy clothes.

“And, by the way, not having to have everything tailor-made is one of the joys of having lost this weight. It makes life so much simpler to be able to walk into a shop and buy something to wear. It sounds like an

everyday kind of thing to do, but not when you’re overweight.”

Karen now weighs 70kgs, but she is still working on those last 5kgs. “Not deviating too much from my eating plan, and exercising and swimming for at least an hour five or six times a week, I have been able to maintain a steady weight loss of 10kgs every six weeks.

Her son is getting married in Scotland this August and it is Karen’s intention to have reached her weight goal by then.

Karen’s strategy was not to just lose weight, but also to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

“I hadn’t dieted much in the past but I knew that I didn’t want to follow any of the fad diets that come and go.”

Karen with Justin Hardman and Myron Buck at the Building Learning Communities Conference in Boston 2009

She bought several books about nutrition and read them avidly to really understand the basis of a good diet so she could design one that worked for her.

Karen and Interim Middle School Principal Linda Anderson

way: cajoling, encouraging, pushing and coercing me to reach my targets.”

Linda Anderson, Karen Rohrs, Doreen Liu, David Elliot and Justin Hardman.”

Karen says Nong is very tough and pushes her to go way past the point at which she would have given up. Her uncompromising carrot-and-stick approach has given Karen the motivation she needed to keep going.

“...When people are committed to work together cooperatively to reach a common goal and are willing to support each other to overcome the difficulties they encounter with a willing and gracious spirit, there is no limit to what can be achieved.”

“Knowing that I have to get on the scales and face Nong’s judgment every second day when I go to the gym, keeps me on the straight and narrow,” says Karen. “She does not take kindly to being disappointed! Seriously, though, she has been a wonderful mentor and coach and has taught me a lot about good learning and teaching along the way.”

Karen likens working with Nong to other productive and creative partnerships of “flow” that she was privileged to be part of at HKIS: “Like my collaborations with

Karen’s Fascinating Study For Karen, losing weight has been a fascinating study in human psychology. She’s found out many things about people and human nature that she would never have known otherwise.

“The most surprising and maybe disappointing thing I’ve discovered is that people really do treat you with more respect and are generally kinder, friendlier and more willing to help you when you

“I would pretty much prepare all the food I ate at home so that I could control exactly what went into everything. It’s astonishing how much fat and salt there is in processed foods!”

Support and Encouragement Karen says she was fortunate to have the support and encouragement of her family and close friends who were prepared to put up with her eating different foods and not going with them to eat out. However, her greatest ally and support has been her Thai personal trainer, Nong Pussanut Jienmas.

“She has been with me every step of the

Karen with some familiar HKIS folk at a noodle restaurant in Wong Tai SIn

DragonTales

39

former faculty updates

Things to Achieve...

are slimmer, than when you are overweight.”

She says people fell into several categories in terms of their reaction to seeing her looking different. “There were people who were genuinely pleased and happy for me, who were very supportive and encouraging.”

“There were others who wanted to know EXACTLY how and what I did to lose the weight and who often asked me to write it down for them.”

“I think most of those people were really hoping that I had some magic formula to impart to them and they were usually disappointed to hear that it involved healthy, balanced eating and lots of exercise over many months.”

Other people asked Karen what surgery and drugs she had taken. “If only it were that easy,” she laughs.

“There is also a small group who seem unsettled about the change in my appearance and who’ve told me, often repeatedly, that they preferred me the way I was.”

Losing so much weight and then seeing people she knew well who had not seen her for a time gave Karen a little taste of what it must be like to be an instant celebrity. “Naturally, people were curious and asked a lot of questions, which is okay, but sometimes it made me feel awkward to have so much emphasis and focus put on my appearance.”

Bahrain Relay Marathon – British School teachers’ team

“I guess I would much rather be the center of attention for having achieved something more worthwhile than losing weight, like having written a great book that adds to the store of useful human knowledge. As I get older, and hopefully just a little wiser, I am even more convinced that knowledge is insufficient; that without application and outcome, knowledge is not worth anything...” “...So, I’m hoping that Justin Hardman and I can find the time to get down to Karen with her personal trainer Nong finishing that book we’ve been working at the gym on some time now. We need to get it finished and published before all this new technology we are writing about becomes just business as usual.”

“My passion to know more about educational technology and its potential to greatly improve and transform learning for people, continues to grow the more I know about it, and I’d like to spread that knowledge and help to make a difference to the way teachers teach and learners learn.”

What about the future?

Losing weight has been a liberating and life-changing experience for Karen, but she has to work hard at maintaining the “new her” and she knows that will be an on-going task.

“I can relax a little sometimes but I know that I will never be able to go back to my old lifestyle and expect to stay slim.”

“I can’t say that I like exercise; but I’ve accepted that it’s just something that I have to do. And, maybe I am learning to enjoy it a little, the fitter I get the easier it becomes,” she says.

Karen can now do things that she never thought she would ever do again – silly things like safely climbing on a chair to change the clock.

She even ran a relay marathon as part of the schoolteacher’s team. “And even though I was the oldest team member, I was not the slowest. Actually, I wasn’t even the second slowest! I’m not sure that I’m ready to run a whole marathon, or even that I want to, but I could, with a little training and a great coach.” n

40

class notes

Susan Bryant Zolo ’69 susie_zolo@yahoo.com

’70

I have three grown children. I am VP of Marketing for a company that recruits financial planners and National Sales Manager for a sister company that handles direct mail for seminars.

Class Agents needed!

Volunteers please email alumni@hkis.edu.hk

Vicki Westphal Grieshaber ’70 vickigries@yahoo.com Vicki Westphal Grieshaber ’70 is happily living in New Orleans, La. I obtained a Masters in clinical Social Work from Tulane University in 1983 and have been an LCSW since 1987. At this point I am semiretired from counseling and more interested in making jewelry, which I sell at a local Art Market. I live in an historic section of the city which did not flood; however we renovated our Victorian cottage in a major way post Katrina. Would love to hear from fellow classmates.

Class agent Debbie Smiley ManaMW@gmail.com Class agent Lynn Barratt Frau arriva@telus.net Class agent Scott Kendon Waterman scottkwaterman@yahoo.com Class agent Judi Rower (Porter) jrower@hotmail.com

Charlotte Agell ’77 cagell@suscom-maine.ne

M c a l l Is

I’m really pleased to announce a new book, The Ag ell Ch ar lot te Accidental Adventures of India McAllister. Why is a girl adopted from China named India?

Read the book and find out all about this fourth grader! Or visit India on the web through www.charlotteagell.com (chapter books). I’m still teaching middle school and enjoying the seasons here in Maine.

My own kids are in college!

’78

’72 ’73 ’74 ’75

Class agents Akinori Fukue fukue@wondernet.ne.jp and Wilfred Koo wk@givenchy.com.hk

Class agent Richard Grayson drograyson@yahoo.com and Richard Eric Eichelberger reichelberger@verizon.net Class agent Kenneth Koo kkoo@tccgroup.com

Class agent Brad Doyle bdoyle@jbdoyld.com

Martha Goudey Collard ’76

Kerry Gallagher Hincka ’79

marthacollard@yahoo.com Recently joined Lane Crawford Joyce Group as VP Organisational Wellness responsible for corporate wellness and social responsibility.

Wade Newer ’76 wnewer@keene.edu I returned to S. California in 1974. Worked as a camp counselor for two years before enlisting in the US Navy Sub Service for seven years in New London CT. While there I married and had two sons.

After the Navy we lived and worked in Seattle WA, Helena MT and now in Keene NH. For fun I play in a band with my sons.

I have four grandchildren.

Class agent Jill (Liddiard) Hedenstad hksbalum@yahoo.com and Rosemary Garvey Sweden Geographical Class Agent smxo54n@tninet.se

s of Adventure

IndIa t er

’79

Class agent Christy Wendell christywendell@aol.com

’76

Class agent Edmond Chen exc2404@hotmail.com

’77

’69

’68

Where are They Now?

’71

tal The Acciden

hincka6@gmail.com Kerry Gallagher Hincka ’79 is still happily living in Brighton MI. My oldest son, Jake, has recently joined the US Army and I am very proud of him! He is currently stationed at FT. Drum in upstate New York, working in the motor pool. My second, Molly, graduated from high school last May, and is currently studying in a community-based post HSchool special education program. We’ll see where life takes her! Charlotte is a junior, and Danny in third grade. Susan Gallagher ’78 and I are looking forward to a family vacation at the Outer Banks this summer. We enjoy

Gallagher Hincka family ay Fort Leonard Wood, MO at Jake’s Graduation from basic training, 12/09

DragonTales

41

class notes

keeping up with old friends through DragonTales. Thanks!

Christine Morgan Sandner ’79 CS@fts-travel.de

’80

Class agent Patrick Pang pepang@aol.com and Jonathan Lutz jonathanlutz@stanfordalumni.org

’81

I have been living near Düsseldorf, Germany since 2000. I married Urs, a German, whom I met on the Beach in Boracay, Philippines in 1988. We have two boys, Nicolas (11) and Alex (9) who are avid “European” football (soccer) fans. I finally left the hotel business, after 15 years with Shangri-La, Omni and Mandarin Oriental HKG. Our family business is still in travel though. We are Tour Operators who send thousands of Germans overseas each year (primarily to Asia) so I still get to Hong Kong regularly and manage to catch up with “old” friends.

I will be in HKG again this Sept/Oct 2010 so if anyone wants to meet up…please drop me a note on cs@fts-travel.de

Class agent Anna Agell aagell@gwi.net and Karen Staniek-Gerhardt staniekgerhardt@arcor.de

Karen Staniek-Gerhardt ’81 KarenStaniekgerhardt@arcor.de

’82

For the Class of 1981: Our 30-year reunion (!!!) will be taking place next summer. At the 25-year reunion we had tentatively decided on Atlanta, at Freny Bunshah Jokhi’s hotel. Anybody interested in joining the organizing team, please get in touch with Anna Agell or Karen Staniek-Gerhardt (or both!).

Class agent Sheila Baker Gujral sheilamcneila@hotmail.com

Sheila Baker Gujral ’82 sheilamcneila@hotmail.com

Greetings everyone. I had the pleasure of getting together with many alumni over the past months. For spring break, I headed to San Francisco for two weeks and 42 DragonTales

L-R Ike (Richard Eric) Eichelberger ’78, Linda Reizman ’80, Sheila Baker Gujral ’82, Bog (Peter) Tan ’82 (The only picture I got at the end of the party. Forgot to have an HKIS pic)

Bog (Peter) Tan ’82, Sheila Baker Gujral ’82

In addition, a group of HKIS alumnae got together in NYC on April 30th. We had a terrific time and I can’t wait to see them again. In attendance were myself ’82, Allison McKinnell King ’82, Judi Smith Edgar ’81, Colleen Carey Craig ’82, Tessi Bossany Massa ’82 and Kari Black ’82.

From Michael O ’Keefe ’82 “Hi Sheila, through the magic of Facebook, Bruce Chiu, Karen Karr, Shannon Sullivan, Nick Champeau and myself got together in Washington DC for dinner and drinks in December. First time I had seen Nick, Bruce and Shannon together since Mr Lindner’s sixth grade class in 1976. Karen Karr flew in all the way from Qatar. It was a lot of laughs.

Here is a photo.

L-R Michael O ’Keefe ’82, Shannon Sullivan ’82, Karen Karr Nimarota ’81, Nick Champeau ’82, Bruce Chiu ’82

At brunch in San Francisco – L-R Matt Long ’84, Bog Tan ’82, Steven Piccus ’82

was able to spend time with many friends from HKIS. I was able to reconnect with Steve Piccus ’82 (but spent high school in boarding school), Bog Tan ’82, Matt Long ’84 (but left in grade school), and Linda Reizman ’80. I also managed to visit with Steven’s parents, which was a real treat. I had not seen any of the Piccuses since 93.

We had a get-together for our local friends in the house we rented and attending were Linda Reizman ’80, Bog Tan ’82, Ike (Richard Eric) Eichelberger ’78, Shannon Sullivan ’82, Steven Piccus ’82, Matt Long ’84, and all of their significant others.

Alumnae in NYC – L-R Judi Smith Edgar ’81, Colleen Carey Craig ’82, Sheila Baker Gujral ’82, Allison McKinnell King ’82, Kari Black ’82, Tessie Bossany Massa ’82

From Jeffrey Cheng ’81 (with whom I also went to boarding school!) – Jeffrey Cheng says hello to all his fellow classmates from the 80s! “Even though I didn’t actually graduate with everyone in 1981 (having headed off to prep school in 1979) - I still have many fond memories of my time at HKIS through 10th grade. Hard to imagine that 1981 was 29 years ago! I’m still residing in beautiful Newport Beach, California and enjoying every minute of it (minus the occasional earthquake, brush fire or landslide!). Ha ha. In all seriousness I wake up every morning feeling blessed to live here and hope the dream never ends!

I’m still a bachelor (although my significant other is trying to convert me). Odds are that she will eventually succeed! Business -despite the rough economic environment - has been stable and the future looks great! I touched base with Renee Rasmussen via email a few months back.

She resides in Las Vegas with her children and seems to be doing well. Hopefully I will have a chance to say hello in person on my next trip out there! I hope all my fellow classmates are doing well wherever you are! Go Lakers!”

DragonTales

42

’84

Class agent James Hamel jaham1@yahoo.com and Patricia Bossany Gordon gordonsinasia@yahoo.com

’85

ily move to New York. After graduating from Concordia, Bronxville I taught in Florida, Arizona and Utah. I am still in Sandy, UT (near Salt Lake) – going on 20 years. I am the Director of Worship at our church and direct the handbell, vocal and children’s choirs. In the picture is my husband, Jeff, children, Lynnea and Joshua and my parents, Walt and Lois Schmidt – former PE teacher at HKIS.

Class agent Michael Taylor martinplayers@rogers.com and Lori Delahunty dscvrme@hotmail.com

’86

From Steve Davis ’82 – “Steve went to HKIS starting in ’77 joining midway thru 7th grade after moving from Sao Paulo, Brazil. “Although I left before things got really interesting, I do remember my good friends Lynn Doolittle and Mike Roth and all the wonder of HK in those early years.

I left mid way thru 9th grade returning to Marin County, CA where I schooled at Redwood High, in Larkspur, CA. After moving to Seattle and graduating from Bellevue High, I went back to California for 4 years at UCSB, graduating in ’86 with a degree in geology. I joined the US Navy to become a pilot, but ended up as an intelligence officer working for VF-ll fighter squadron aboard the USS Forrestal and then as an analyst for Atlantic Intelligence Command. I resigned my commission in ’90 and traveled around the globe for a few years before settling into a job with MSR designing mountaineering equipment. I left MSR in 2000 to start a yoga center with my wife and guru, Kathleen.

We continue to manage and teach at Samadhi yoga center on Capitol Hill, near down town Seattle (www.samadhi-yoga. com). I’m grateful to all the teachers and students at HKIS who helped me along the way.””

Class agent Christine Wong yellow.nyc@gmail.com

Wendy Brainard ’86 wendybrainard@optonline.net

’83

Steven R. Davis ’82 and his beautiful wife Kathleen Hunt at Bumbershoot music festival ’09, Seattle.

keith_lutz@yahoo.com Moved to Philadelphia March 2009 from Cleveland. So far loving the big city life.

Visitors welcome! Contact me at keith_ lutz@yahoo.com. Also want to report that brother Scott moved in Jan 2010 from Deland, FL to the Atlanta, GA area for a new job with Slingshot Design.

Kristine Schmidt Marlatt ’83 marlatts@q.com Since leaving Hong Kong in 1981 my fam

My son (12) has been enjoying middle school here at Morrison Academy, and my daughter (6) is just wrapping up her first year of school. Since I teach at the same school my children attend, we are able to see each other at various points throughout the day, which has been great. It will be a bit of an adjustment to have them away at school and not be able to say hello in the hallway or the lunchroom.

We may return to Taiwan (or Hong Kong!) at some point in the future, but for now it’s time to be near aging parents and other family members. We will miss Asia!

Class agent Brett Rossuck KitchenCowboy@aol.com

Keith A. Lutz ’83

Morrison Academy in Taiwan (the Kaohsiung campus), for most of the last nine years. I actually started school at Morrison’s Taichung campus in 1973. Anyway, I recently finished up a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction through Indiana Wesleyan University’s Beijing extension, and have now decided to move on from teaching. This summer, my family and I will be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona, where I plan to work in the educational publishing field, or at a small university.

Still waiting to find out! My wife, Kathy, is a sign language interpreter, and will be resuming her career when we return.

Michelle Pozon ’86 mpozon@yahoo.com Living in New Canaan CT. I am a Realtor with William Raveis Real Estate in New Canaan, CT. Married to Bob with 3 children: John 16, Anne 13 and Kathryn 6. Also actively coaching youth girls on lacrosse and on the travel basketball board.

Tim Michael ’86 timkat2@hotmail.com I attended HKIS from 1978 to 1981, my fifth, sixth, and seventh grade years. I graduated from Taipei American School in 1986, along with another HKIS classmate, David DeLauder. I’ve been teaching at

Bonjour!

I have been living in Paris for the last 6 years. I moved here with my husband, Didier, whom I met while living in New York, and married in 2001. I’ve been a fashion designer since 1993, doing everything from Custom Wedding gowns to Ready to Wear. In 2003, Didier and I decided to travel around Asia for a bit then move to Paris for a while. In 2004, barely a year in Paris, we found ourselves pregnant, and we decided to stay.

Paris is lovely. On a sunny day, there is no DragonTales

43

class notes

Christine Wong ’86 Didier, Olivier and I in Bali for Rob Gvozden’s Wedding, last April 2009

city more beautiful to me. That said, there are many grey days to be had and the winters are long and wet. But, it is a wonderful place to raise a child and we have settled nicely in the Marais.

I love the quaint, little streets, cafes on a sunny day, gorgeous and fresh produce at the Farmers ’ markets, and biking as our main mode of transport. I also love how art and culture is encouraged at such a young age. At 4 years old, my son and his class went to the Louvre to study the 4 seasons via sculpture and painting.

We have year round visitors and have yet to tire of playing tour guide. Crossing any of the bridges over the Seine always evokes a sigh of “joie de vivre,” and in those moments, I feel like I could live here forever.... until another 2 straight weeks of wet, grey skies make me long for Bali!

My sister Angelica (class of ’88), has 2 kids and lives with her family in the Netherlands, so we feel lucky to have access to that great city, as well.

I am still designing, but Childen’s wear this time. In 2007, EVA&OLi was born, and named after my partner’s daughter, Eva Liv and my son, Olivier. This is truly a labor of love, and a lot more fun than women’s wear. The line sells in several European cities, as well as in the States, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Japan. You can check out our website if you like at www. evaandoli.com.

Memories of HKIS never fail to bring a smile to my face. The experience of constantly moving around Asia has made our vagabond lifestyle conceivable. While I do love Paris, I am yearning for year round sunshine, the sound of the ocean and spicy food (one day, I hope to greet you all from my home on a hill overlooking an endless beach)! Until then, if any of you find your44 DragonTales

yellow.nyc@gmail.com Hello Everyone, Next year is our 25th year reunion, and we are in the process of figuring out where and when to do it. Contending cities are Hong Kong, New York or San Francisco.

Tram party? Chinatown? 80s night? It would be fantastic for you all to help make it happen (BE THERE!), open to suggestions. The decision will be based on where is most feasible for most people to come.

Wherever we decide, I will need volunteers to help organize, please let me know if you are interested.

It’s been a fun year seeing and catching up with people from 1986. Helen Best and counselor Lesley Lewis came to NYC in November and we had a great and fun Chinese dinner with Melanie Musgrove, Adrienne Casey DiBlase, Tomoyo Igaya, Jennifer (Thompson) Harvey, Leslie North ’89, Lanchi Venator ’85, Rita Arifin ’85, Eugenia Lee ’85 and Michelle, Helen ’s colleague (who didn’t mind all the reminiscing about Mrs Collis and Mr Reinking and lots of others...) We called up Susan North Tanaka and Mike Taylor ’85, passing the phone for a round of chats and hellos. In December, I went to Hong Kong and hung out with Amy Ng for an entire week (!) we caught up with and Koh Ann Chu who is having a great time with her new baby; over Easter break, had dinner with James (Jimmy) Williamson in DC; and Tomoyo, Jenny T and I had a hilarious night out in New York with Mingson Chou when she came for a visit from her world tour after her olympic stint in Vancouver, visiting John Misa and on her way to see Mette Wøhlk Poulsen. I see Allene Chung almost everyday as our kids go to the same school.

It ’s a small world after all.

We have an updated website www. hkis1986.com check it out! We can also be found on the Facebook group hkis1986.

I am always amazed at the strong bond

that draws us from our school year(s), it all feels like not so long ago. There ’s a comfort and a connection that we can get together without formality after so much time has passed (who ’s counting?) Thankfully for Google, gmail and FB it is so easy to find and re-connect with everyone. But if you, or if any people you are in contact with, are on our “lost” list, please let me know or have them contact me at: reunion@ hkis1986.com

’87

self coming to Paris, look me up! You can reach me at mpozon@yahoo.com.

Class agent Jeffrey Tsai jeffreytsai@mac.com

Heidi Bayfield Chekouras ’87 sales@vintagelily.com

I am living in Norfolk, VA with my husband Tom and our two children, Lily (6) and Brooks (2). We are expecting our third child in December. My husband is a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy and I stay busy with my store, The Silver Rattle (www.thesilverrattle.com) and production of my line of baby goods, VintageLily. Look for some of our things featured in the July/ August issue of Pregnancy Magazine! I’ve attached a fairly recent family photo too.

Rob Scott ’87 rob.scott604@yahoo.com Since leaving HK, I have been living on the East Coast and currently reside in Raleigh, N.C. with my wife and two boys, Brendan (5) and Ryan (2). I have been employed in the IT industry almost 20 years and currently consult for a large information technology company as an IT Strategy Consultant. I hope to take the whole family back to H.K. one day and show them the special place I called home for two years and where I met some amazing people a few of which are still my closest friends to this day.

Prescille Chu Cernosia ’88 prescille@gmail.com We have been enjoying our time in Asia since we moved to Singapore in July 2008.

Thomas (8) loves the year round warm weather, Max (6) enjoys swimming most days, and Elise (5) loves tormenting her brothers. We’ve had a chance to see William Hsu ’88, John Burdsall ’88, Matt Adams ’88 and Patricia Sadayasu ’89, who all live here. I keep myself busy studying Mandarin every day and teaching UFIT, an outdoor fitness class. We always love seeing friends, so let us know if you are passing through town!

Todd C Pearce ’88 todd@pearcelink.com Still living and working in Australia. Having graduated with a degree in industrial

The little guy is Ethan (18months); Wedding photo – Todd (me), Clare (my wife) Wedding photo – Todd (me), Clare (my wife) and Risto (my brother who also went to HKIS)

design with a double interior design major.

Worked for a decade in retail store planning and design, exhibitions and displays.

Took a couple years off to travel, sailed through Europe, managed a restaurant caught up with old friend scattered around the globe. Last 8 years in the architecture department of a residential design and construction company. Freelancing on the side, formalising my qualifications in building design at night school and raising a young family. Met and married my lovely wife Clare who has produced a very happy and content little boy Ethan.

We have another one in the making and expect to have a brother for Ethan in late August/Early September. What seems to be constant renovation to our period flat in the inner suburbs of Melbourne is almost complete. If anyone finds themselves this far south or would like to contact meTodd@pearcelink.com would be the way to do it.

Class agent Angela Stich Easterwood angeast@msn.com Jennifer Fresco jennifer.fresco@custom-accessories.com Michael W. Thompson homelesspayguy@yahoo.com

’89

’88

Class agent Prescille Chu Cernosia prescillechu@hotmail.com Molly Giss molly_wadhwani@scualum.com and Debby Tuck deb70@yahoo.com

Timothy Lam ’89 tlam@tisoh.com After a career in international marketing and earning two masters degrees in international business and hotel administration, I co-founded a hotel school in Las Vegas (www.tisoh.com). I currently serve as the Executive Director while my brother Marcus Lam ’93 serves as the Director of Admissions. The two of us own the school.

Janice Lee ’89 janiceylee@gmail.com My first novel, The Piano Teacher, came out in paperback in November of 2009 (after its hardcover publication in January) and spent 13 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list, going as high as #2.

It was also chosen as a Richard and Judy Pick in the UK, which is a little bit like that country’s Oprah. It is being translated into

25 languages. Many, many HKIS alums came out for readings when I was on tour in the US: Karen Wright, Jessica Fresco, Christine Hanchett, Eric Lee in San Francisco, Angela Easterwood in Dallas, Nancy Sears, Sam Templeton, and Achal Kapoor in Seattle, Bettina Virtusio, Jin Young Kim, in Pasadena, and many more I’m sure I’m forgetting. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had such a fairy tale publishing story after many, many years of writing short stories in obscurity. I live in Hong Kong now with my husband, Joe Bae, and our four kids, two of whom are at HKIS! I am at HKIS all the time, now, and it is really funny and lovely and sentimental and I bump into alums all the time, including Rohini Balani, Joyce Yin, Ada Shum, Christine Cheng, etc.

Karen Lee Wright ’89 Karenleewright@comcast.net Hello from Marin County, California!

Trevor Wright ’90 and I have been living in the Bay Area for the last 13 years with our 4 children. Noah (10), Jonah (8), Peaches (6), and Tucker (3). We are spending the whole month of July in Hong Kong and Bali this summer visiting my parents and brother Jonathan Lee ’98. We would love to see anyone else who will be there! Send us an email if you will be around in July.

Karenleewright@comcast.net

Joanne Schmitt ‘89 joanneschmitt@mac.com I came back to Hong Kong in 1995, and worked in the interior design industry here (most recently for Steelcase Inc selling textiles and specialty interior products), until 2007 when I made the decision to head back to school to become a counselor. I completed a specialist degree in addiction counseling at Hazelden in Minnesota in 2008 - I was worried about what the winters would be like there, but loved living in a small town again for the year I was there, despite the cold!

After graduating and passing my US testing to become an LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor), I then returned to Hong Kong to work at an English-language DragonTales

45

Eric Sun ’89 eric_o_sun@yahoo.com After four years (to the day!) and one more kid, I graduated from Tyndale Seminary in Toronto with an Master of Divinity on May 8, 2010. We’re waiting on the Lord to see and hear His call. Should be interesting to see where we go with this!

Grace and peace.

Daniel Wang’89 dhw4095@gmail.com I really enjoyed my time at HKIS during the years 1988 to 1989. After graduating from HKIS, I went back to the States and lived in Maryland for many years while I was attending school at Montgomery College and then eventually the University of Maryland. After getting my degree, I went to live in Taipei, Taiwan with my parents

46 DragonTales

Class agent Betty Chung chungbyc@aol.com

Kelly Cooke ’90 kellyecooke@gmail.com

I am living in Hong Kong, working as the Director of Business Development & Digital Media for ESPN APAC. I recently got married in Bali over Chinese New Year and a bunch of fellow HKIS’ers were in attendance Mari Saito Hinden ’91, Jef Cheah ’87, Sue Harris ’92, Rick Johanessen ’92 (one of the groomsmen), Meg McBride Martin ’92, Jon Martin ’88, Pete Movizzo ’88.

A good time was had by all - it was great to have so many old friends in one place - and I was really touched that everyone made the trip, especially the folks from the East Coast who braved blizzards, flight cancellations, long layovers & even longer flights to get to Bali!

’92

I lived on a houseboat in Aberdeen Harbour for many years, but have just sold that to fund my business, and I’m now living on land in Stanley, which I’ve really enjoyed so far. That’s actually where my family lived when I was a student at HKIS, so it’s kind of nice coming full circle! I wasn’t able to attend the reunion in San Francisco, but I have been able to see a few HKIS folks still here in HK in the last year, which is always fun!”

for two years. There, I learned karate and Chinese, did a lot of exploring and scootering, and met my future wife, Mandy. It was a great time of freedom and care freeness.

My wife and I got married in early 1997 in Rockville, MD, a suburb of Washington, DC. I started working in Maryland and switched careers to software development in 1999 during the booming dot com era.

Eventually in late 2000, we moved to Fairfax, VA where we currently reside. I have three children: Thomas (12), Robert (9) and Katie (4). Hi to all fellow classmates!!

If you want to keep in touch, my email address hw4095@gmail.com. Take care!!

’90

treatment center called Recovery Works. I also completing further studies as a Imago couples counselor and in 2010 I also started my own company, where I am continuing to work with addiction related issues also and as a couples counselor. My practice is called The Support System (www. thesupportsystem.org).

’91

class notes

Class agent Desmond Chu deschu@163.net Christine “Rio” Gaxiola Sikes christinegaxiola@yahoo.com and Angela Teng angelateng@yahoo.com Class agent Timothy Chen timchen55@gmail.com Iain McGlashan imcglashan@mac.com

Tim Chen ’92 timchen55@gmail.com Dear friends, Carrie and I are happy to announce the birth of our second son Nathan Alexander who was born in December of last year. Joshua has started going to pre-nursery school and taken a liking to “Annie”, “Mary Poppins” and “Sound of Music”. A little disturbed though that our 2 year old marches around the house singing “It’s a hard knock life…”. We are slowly adjusting to the fact that we can’t gang up or have one of the parents take a break when there are 2 little guys to deal with. We are blessed though to have live-in help here in Hong Kong so really can’t complain. On a separate note, starting to think about our upcoming 20 year reunion and wanted to take a quick poll on possible locations.

Since many of you have not been back in Hong Kong since graduation, wanted to throw out the idea of having the reunion back here for everyone to relive the good ’ol days.

Kevin Tranbarger ’88 (The Best Man!), My brother Scott Cooke ’88, Betty Chung ’90, Jen Price Smith ’90, Me, My new husband Ante Galic, In front of him - Tara Butler Krgovic ’90, Mari Saito Hinden ’91, Jef Cheah - ’87, Sue Harris ’92, Rick Johanessen ’92 (one of the groomsmen), Meg McBride Martin ’92, Jon Martin ’88, Pete Movizzo ’88.

’95

Class agent Tiffany Bissey tbissey@gmail.com Norman Ho Singapore Geographical Agent romanic@singnet.com.sg and Michal Pemper mpemper@hotmail.com Class agent David Cheng dcheng23@hotmail.com

David Cheng ’95 dcheng23@hotmail.com

Dear Class of 1995, please join the HKIS Class of 1995 Facebook Group page. Information about 15 year reunion to be posted there shortly. Thanks.

Jens Janssen ’95 jens.janssen@gmail.com Still living in Hong Kong. After 4 years of managing the APAC business of the Disney Music Group, I left Disney earlier this year and started my own entertainment company in HK. I am still in regular contact with my old classmates Jimmy Yang (living in Shanghai, and will be my best man at my HK wedding this July), Hjalmar Mok (living in Florida with 2 beautiful

sara.dallaire@gmail.com Jessica Koach ’96 and I had the chance to catch up with Sarah Immel ’96 while she was in NYC for work. Sarah and her husband Richard live in Chicago with their three adorable children. The rest of the Immel clan (John ’95, Jeff ’98 and Jenny ’00) also live in Chicago. Jessica recently moved to NYC with her husband Jeff and works in HR/recruiting. Her sister Jocelyn ’00 also lives in NYC and sister Justine ’93 and brother John ’04 are on the East Coast.

’98

Sara Dallaire ’96

’99

’94

Still living in brookline ma, ellie is 3.5 yrs old and stella is turning 1 yr old later this month. yeah! for ellie this year has been about preschool, playdates, being an older sister, speaking english, cantonese and chinglish and all day dress up. For stella this year has been about growing growing growing - she took her first step at 11 months, eating table foods, waving bye, saying no, ma ma and other words, and loving her sister. As a family we went to hk in the fall and had a blast seeing families and friends. boston is great, just way too cold.

Class agent Sara Dallaire Sara.dallaire@gmail.com Jennifer Doman jdoman@deloitte.com and Fahd Hakim fbh04@aol.com

I have been living in Washington DC for a little over 9 years now and work in the field of study abroad at George Wa s h i n g t o n University. My biggest news is that I would like to share with my fellow HKIS’ers is that I got married on May 29, 2010 to Jess Cannata. We met at our church a year and a half ago. Though we live in the Washington DC area and will be making our home here, the wedding took place in Los Angeles. We are thrilled to share our good news with the HKIS community!

Left to right: Sarah Immel ’96, Sara Dallaire ’96, Jessica Koach ’96

Linne Tsu ’96 linneanthony@gmail.com We welcomed with love our daughter, Maia Ng on December 8, 2009 in Hong Kong.

’00

lisating@gmail.com

’96

Lisa Ting ’93

kids), Caroline Picquot (living in Madrid) and Ioli Filmeridis (living in Mongolia!)

Class agent Cheryl Yip cheryl_yip@yahoo.com and Sarah Yeung yeungsarah@hotmail.com Class agent George Liao gliao@hotmail.com Kevin Kiwan Chung kiwan99@hotmail.com and Eleanor Shing eleanor.shing@gmail.com Class agent Theresa Cheng theresakchung@gmail.com

Juliana Au ’00 juliana.au.young@gmail.com

Linne Tsu ’96 & Anthony Ng ’95 Class agent Meghan (Smith) Heidmann meghanheidmann@gmail.com Lisa Tan lisa@lisatan.com Tim Lo lo_tim@hotmail.com and Victor Yeung yeesung@gmail.com

’97

’93

Class agent Timothy Gregg timgregg@hotmail.com Amy Ruhter ARUHTER@iesabroad.org

Lucie Jugant ’97 ljugant@gmail.com

Jason Young ’95 and Juliana Au ’00 tied the knot on October 24, 2009 in Hong Kong!

They are very blessed to be expecting their first child in August 2010.

Lindsay Meyer ’00 lindsayjmeyer@gmail.com I have been living in New York City since then. I graduated from Eugene Lang ColDragonTales

47

class notes

Jason Blackburn ’01 and I were married this past fall in the beautiful rooftop ballroom of the Taj Boston.

Jason and I reconnected during college when I traveled to North Carolina to visit other HKIS friends. No one, including ourselves, would have ever believed that encounter would lead to this! There were many HKIS’ers in attendance at the wedding, David Crowder ’01, Julia Davidson ’01, Melissa Davies ’01, Luke Driscoll ’02, Alex Dunoye ’01, Stephanie Ko ’01, Bob Pan ’02, Sarah Olver ’02, Ryan Powell ’01, Krystle Sarkissian ’01 and Chris Wallace ’01. My two brothers, Eric Tou ’91 and Edward Tou ’92, who currently reside in Connecticut with their families attended the wedding, as well as Jason’s two sisters,

48 DragonTales

Class agent Timothy Chang changs@natim.com.hk Kristen Chin kwchin@gmail.com Candace Ho caho@UDel.Edu

Coco Alexandra Chan ’03 small.tsu@gmail.com PR Executive - A-VIBE (Asian-Vibe PR Company) Class agent Amy Easton amybynet@hotmail.com Nicholas Wong nixx1985@gmail.com

Katie Campo ’04 Katie Campo ’04 graduated from Brown University in 2008, where she majored in

’05 ’06 ’08

2009 was an incredible year!

Class agent Andrew Chan chanandrew@gmail.com Angela Ho angela.kf.ho@gmail.com and Bob Pan bobzpan@gmail.com

’09

maileblackburn@gmail.com

’02

Maile Tou Blackburn ’01

’03

’01

Class agent David Munho Choi m.david.choi@gmail.com Michelle Emma James m.james1@ugrad.unimelb.edu.au and Lauren Tanner laurentanner@gmail.com

We are very happy living, working and nesting in Beantown. Jason is a manager at the Colonnade Hotel and I work in nonprofit management for a local children’s agency. In addition to getting married last year, I also completed my Masters degree in social work at Boston College and we bought a house! Needless to say, everyone is now holding their breath in anticipation for baby news!

’04

lege, part of The New School. I got married in 2008 and had my first baby, a daughter named Juliette in September 2009. I write a blog called Urban Branches as well. www.urbanbranches.blogspot.com

It was incredible seeing all our old Hong Kong friends again and we continue to be amazed at the strong bond which never seems to weaken over time, trial or tribulation. After the wedding we spent 2 glorious weeks in Bali, along with a quick stop-over in Taiwan so Jason could meet my extended family for the first time.

International Relations. She is a Foreign Service Officer with the US Department of State, currently residing in Washington DC. Her first overseas assignment, a twoyear post in Khartoum, Sudan, commences in July 2010. Gigi Campo ’06 is a senior at Williams College in Williamstown, MA, majoring in Asian Studies. She will commence work as a teacher at the Fudan International School (FIS) in Shanghai in late summer 2010. Will Campo ’10 is a senior at Hotchkiss School in Lakeville CT, where he plays varsity squash and tennis and has furthered his Mandarin language studies.

’07

Katie and Kellie Blackburn who attended elementary school at HKIS.

Class agent Dickson Pak dickson2go@gmail.com and Jeffrey Char jeffrey.char@stern.nyu.edu Class Agents needed!

Volunteers please email alumni@hkis.edu.hk Class agent Chris Chipman cchipman@elon.edu Anjali Daryanani anjalidaryanani22@gmail.com and David Suen davidsuen.hk@gmail.com Class agent Arun Govada mp.govada@gmail.com and Joanne Lam jolam08@gmail.com Class agent Sharon Chan sheeaaren@gmail.com Eugene Lo eugenelo@hotmail.com and Drew Mehrmann drewmehrmann@hotmail.com

Kate Miller ’21 sandersmiller18@yahoo.com Kate Miller ’21 (formerly M=R1 and R2 with Mrs. Friedricks 2007-2009) she misses her friends at HKIS but is enjoying 1st grade in Rye, NY

FACULTY

Carole Feddersen, PhD carolefeddersen@aol.com An update on the Feddersen’s. (1972-75,7890; Alan- middle school principal, Carole 5th grade teacher).

We live in Tucson, Arizona. Alan is retired but chairs the school board for our Child Development Center at Resurrection Lutheran Church. He continues to run in 5K races.

Carole plays pipa in the Purple Bamboo Chinese Ensemble. She is improving noticeably.

She has sold stories to Little Lutheran/Little Christian. While looking for a university adjunct position in education she is giving workshops for teachers.

Chris married Amy Ucello in October and they are currently in Lusaka, Zambia, and planning to travel the next six months. Chris hopes to explore Madagascar or climb Mt. Kilamanjaro.

Alexandra is married and has two little girls, Victoria, 6, and Melissa, 4. They live outside Paris near EuroDisney. Dad Fernando is a bank manager and Mom Lexy works for a corporate investment group.

Judie and Bill Lee (Bill: Math Teacher and Dean in HKIS High School during 1991-1993) We were HKIS for 3 years from 1991 to 1993.

It feels like a long time ago, yet it feels like yesterday. Bill was a math teacher, and later was the Dean at the HKIS High School and coordinated the weekly Chapel there during those years. I was a part time teacher at the high school for a Cantonese class and a Dean for a short time. When we were there, our son Korey attended 3rd -5th grades (Class of 2001), Jeremy attended 1st to 3rd grades (Class of 2004) and Klarissa attended Kindergarden – 1st grade (Class of 2005).

fered encouragement along the way! To have been a part of this wonderful international discovery process has been privilege indeed.

Peace and Blessing!

We moved back to California to work at Mountain View High School. Korey graduated from UC Berkley in 2005 and is now working in New York City at a start up company.

Jeremy graduated from UCB in 2008 and is working in Mountain View, and Klarissa also graduated from UCB in 2009, is now looking for a full time employment.

Bill was a counselor for 7 years and went back into the math classroom teaching Calculus and Geometry while Judie has been teaching English Language Development and doing some teacher training consultation in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We hold fond and precious memories of HKIS and miss our wonderful friends there. We will always cherish our memories at HKIS.

Karl Boehmke Former HKIS Chaplain, Faculty member and Board member (67-73) akboehmke@sbcglobal.net Easter Sunday 2010 (which just happened to be my 91st birthday) was also publication date for my book FORGIVENESS – NEVER EASY/ALWAYS POSSIBLE Healing Rifts among Families, Friends and God We all need to be forgiven and we all need to forgive in turn, and these two invariably go hand in hand. Neither attempt is ever easy, but both are always possible. That is the common message of 40 ages-old Bible stories recast in modern language. Here are people trying to get along with each other, with their communities and with God, sometimes succeeding sometimes not. Families torn apart by hurt or misunderstanding, friends who have forgotten how to be friends, struggle for courage to begin talking again.

My website at http://www.ForgivenessPossible.com. tells much more. Please be good enough to check it out. It offers sample stories.

Thanks much to HKIS alums who have of-

Dr. Michael Wong-Russell mwongrussell@framingham.edu HKIS: I taught Middle School and High School Spanish from 1974-1982, and 19841990. I was Modern Languages Department Chair from 1975-1982, and 1989-1990.

Boston: I received in 1996 my PhD in Latin American Literature at Boston University Framingham State College, Massachusetts: in 2010 I received the Distinguished Faculty of the Year Award, and was promoted to full Professor. Presently, I teach 19th and 20th century Latin American literature, and I’m Chair of the Modern Languages Department.

Michael and Louise Weber (Alumni faculty 1982-1998) The 2009-2010 school year marks our 12th school year in Shanghai at Concordia International School. During these years Louise (Lou) has held the positions of elementary principal, lower school principal and one year as head of school. Michael served as Director of Technology, 1998-2008, when he retired.

In the past two years he has done much substitute teaching for Concordia. He’s also on the organizing committee for an EARCOS/ ACAMIS co-sponsored tech conference that will happen in September 2010 – Learning 2.010.

In 1997, our son, Jason, graduated from HKIS, which is where he began his educational career as a kindergartener! Jason is currently residing in McHenry, Ill. He serves as a missionary-at-large for his Lutheran congregation, Fellowship of Faith. To read more about him go to missions@fellowshipoffaith.org.

Currently, Concordia educates 1100 students whose passports represent 30 countries. We have a faculty of 140 educators. Lou is responsible for nearly 500 Preschool through Grade 4 students taught by a faculty of 29.

It’s a terrific blessing to work with educators from around the world who are committed to providing the best education for each child DragonTales

49

obituary

and to working with parents as partners in the educational process.

Philosophically, Concordia educates the heart, mind, body, and soul. This philosophy is visually represented alongside our main building, the Phoenix Center, in our Founder’s Garden. As one strolls through the garden, there are six distinct areas: academic, aesthetic, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual. These areas represent Concordia’s approach to education.

To prepare children academically, Concordia offers a challenging American curriculum with an international focus.

Mandarin is studied daily, Preschool through Grade 7. Spiritual growth is nurtured in the classroom and through worship experiences. Children grow aesthetically through the study of art, drama, and music with specialist teachers. Physical education teachers provide children opportunities to improve skills and learn through cooperative games.

The guidance program, facilitated by our school counselor, focuses on the social and emotional aspects of education. Extracurricular activities and service initiatives expand the classroom program, asking children to use their learning from the “garden.”

In 2009, Michael and I were honored by the Lutheran Education Association as “Lutheran International Educators’ of the Year.” In May 2010, Louise will be honored by her undergraduate school, Concordia University Chicago, as “Alumna of the Year.” We are truly humbled by these honors.

July 2010 will find us “repositioned” at our home in Ft. Myers, Florida. Our address is 8823 Spring Mountain Way. Our email contacts are Michael (mchlwbr@gmail.com) and Lou (landm@ theweberhome.net).

We were hugely blessed during our years at Hong Kong International School and continue to keep it and all involved in our prayers!

50 DragonTales

Arun Stewart ’07 Stewart, Arun David Stewart ’07 died from an accidental fall in Beijing, China on October 31, 2009.

He and his parents were looking forward to celebrating his 21st birthday together the following week in a country whose language and culture he loved so deeply.

Arun was born in Dallas, Texas on November 6, 1988 and attended the Hong Kong International School from 1992 to 2000.

After returning to Dallas, Arun attended Greenhill School and visited Hong Kong or China nearly every summer.

In the summer of 2006, Arun served as a volunteer English teacher for children of impoverished migrant workers in Beijing. He worked in the summer of 2008 as a residential advisor for students at a program run by the Center for Talented Youth in Nanjing.

Arun graduated cum laude from Greenhill School in 2007 and enrolled at Brown University. Arun’s passion for China and the Chinese language led him and a team of three other Brown students to win a grant in the summer of 2009 to study migrant entrepreneurs in Shanghai. Arun returned to Beijing for his junior year abroad as a student in the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University. He was dedicated and relentless in pursuing his desire to master Chinese, choosing as his career goal to become a stand-up comic in China in the uniquely Chinese comedy genre known as “cross-talk”.

Arun’s life was a brief but bright star.

That he died in a country he loved, pursuing his ambitions with all his heart and all his might, and was recognized

for his gifts by his many friends and teachers, provides great consolation to his grieving family.

Jimmy Zhao Gorman ’04 Jimmy Zhao Ruo Yu Gorman was killed in a car accident in Maryland, U.S.A., in October 2009.

Jim my at tended HKIS from Grade 1 through 9, graduating from BISS in Beijing. He majored in computer science at American University, and after graduation in 2004, he joined the educational software company Blackboard, in 2005.

At Blackboard, he began as an associate technical support analyst and received the first of a series of promotions later that year. He was named a quality assurance analyst in 2007, in the North America Higher Education Division, and later promoted to senior QA engineer.

His manager shared the following comments with Jimmy’s family: “Jimmy was one of the best people I’ve ever had an opportunity to work with. From the day he joined QA he made a valuable contribution on any project that we would throw at him, typically doing the work faster, better, and more efficiently than we thought possible. In the last few weeks he was making especially amazing changes that were completely innovating how we worked. We will miss having such a talented, responsive person who was so easy to communicate with and was generally such a nice person!”

Jimmy is survived by his mother, Jenny Chan Ching Gorman, his father, Tom Gorman, his sister Madeline, and his birth father Richard Zhao Chong. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

The following is an abridge of Jim Handrich’s

Tribute to Bob Welch

delivered at his Memorial Service on April 9, 2010

H

ow fitting it is that we’ve gathered to celebrate Bob Welch’s life on this side of Easter. Bob fought the good fight, finished the race, and Bob always had a vision of hope and promise which is what Easter is all about.

Bob and I worked together at Hong Kong International School where he was Middle School Principal and I was High School Principal. Besides being a superb administrative colleague, Bob was my sometimes tennis partner and together with Martha, always a good friend... ...Bob was a man of integrity, warmth and sincerity. He was a great supporter of teachers and I heard several personal stories of what that meant for individual teachers’ lives. Bob always believed in people and gave them opportunities to grow. Others reminded me to say how much Bob was dedicated to Middle School kids and to that community. Bob’s spiritual leadership was a strength as well.

Happy Days: Bob and Martha Welch

We always started our weekly admin meetings in Hong Kong with a devotion that we all shared in leading. Using Scripture and the events of school life or the happenings in the world, Bob’s words were encouraging, sometimes challenging, and always growthful for all of us. Bob’s leadership moved the middle school of HKIS to a new level of quality. We all only wished that his time with us had been longer.

Not only was Bob a superb educator, he was an amazing person. Of course, people wrote about Bob’s famous Manhattans.

All of us know how Bob and Martha had a wonderful gift of hospitality – when you were in their home in Hong Kong, you were part of the family.

After the cancer diagnosis had him return to the US, I saw even more of Bob’s quality as a person in his courage, positive attitude, and steadfast love for Mart and his engagement in all of life... ...During those 12 years of his living with cancer – at the bottom after his signature

it always read – “Each day is a gift.” And what a blessing it was to his family and friends that we had twelve years worth of those days of good gifts with Bob! Jim Handrich On a quiet afternoon in late April there was a small gathering at Peter and Cristy Dratz’s house to celebrate the memory of Bob Welch.

Jim Handrich brought a DVD of Bob’s California service which he shared as those present sipped one of Bob’s legendary Manhattans or some other beverage of choice. For many, it felt like we were in California with Martha, Steve King, and Bob’s extended family and friends. Nice camaraderie and great memories made for pleasant adieu to a man who touched us all so deeply.

Peter Dratz

DragonTales

51

Register Now! http://www.hkis.edu.hk/newmember.php We need you to keep us up-to-date on your current whereabouts.

Please login to review your current personal details and provide updates where necessary by using the Alumni Registration & Update Form to fill in as many fields as possible.

Please also help circulate to Alums you may know that have been out of touch. The HKIS Alumni Office needs you to help find these Lost Alums! You can also write directly to alumni@hkis.edu.hk and tell us about your recent developments in life. We will include your submission in our next edition of the Alumni Magazine, DragonTales.

Once registered, the Alumni office will keep in regular contact and update you on Alumni news, events and school developments. If you have new contact details, keep us informed and up to date.

Please help your Alumni Office!