DragonTales April 2017 by Hong Kong International School

The Celebrations Continue! SUMMER APRIL 2017 2015

dragonTales

Table of Contents Letter from the Head of School

HKIS Gallery Lower Primary Student Art

Advancement Annual Fund Committee MPF Update: Upper Primary Redevelopment HKIS Kaleidoscope Fund Supports Play Church of All Nations Window 2017 HKIS Annual Ball

3 4 6 8 9

Then and Now The High School Academic Handbook

HKIS Gallery Upper Primary Student Art

Chinese Studies Kowloon City

Cover Story Winning Logo

50th Anniversary Celebrations Aerial Photo Events

20 24

Community Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation Update Parent Faculty Organization (PFO) The Booster Club

26 28 29

Student Life Turkey Trot and Turkey Bowl 47th Annual Holiday Basketball Tournament

30 32

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Lower Primary and Middle School Buddies Program Upper Primary Puts the ‘UP’ in Puppy Middle School Poetry

33 34 35 36

HKIS Gallery Middle School Student Art

High School Junto

HKIS Gallery High School Student Mixed Media

Events Hong Kong Chapter Class of ’86: 30th Reunion Class of ’94: Mini-Reunion Class of ’06: 10th Reunion Boston en Masse: Dr. Runge meets with Bostonian alumni

42 44 46 47 48

HKIS Gallery High School Student Digital Art

Alumni Making Moves

HKIS Gallery High School Student Photography

Staying Connected In Memoriam Social Sensations

56 58

The Last Word Amy Robinson

DragonTales is produced by the HKIS Advancement Team Chief Advancement Officer Maziar Sabet msabet@hkis.edu.hk Communications and Public Relations Manager Veronica (Galbraith) Booth ’97 vbooth@hkis.edu.hk Development Manager Lina Doo ldoo@hkis.edu.hk Annual Fund Manager Jacqueline Yang ’98 jyang@hkis.edu.hk Communications Coordinator Stuart Slavicky sslavicky@hkis.edu.hk Alumni Coordinator Hillary Sandeen hsandeen@hkis.edu.hk Development Coordinator Ceci Lau clau@hkis.edu.hk Thank you to our contributors Ale Aristeguleta ’17, Mary Ellen Bailey, Arun Bajaj ’19, Isabel Baker ’22, Geoff Ballard, Genevieve Bedell ’17, Booster Club, Ray Burghardt, José Carreón ’91, Rex Chan ’19, Nicole Chen ’20, Tracey Cheung, Jocelyn Choi ’17, Tim Chui ’18, Gracie Chung ’19, Shan Deneen ’17, Olivia Doherty ’22, Eliz Fan ’18, Nicola Fan ’06, Katie Flowers, Brittany Fried ’15, Victor Fung, Grace Giddings ’22, Charlie Grinnan ’19, Patrick Hall, Norika Hashimoto ’17, Katie Hawkins, Athina Hostelet ’18, Kimberly Hu ’06, Michal Joachimowski, Kirk Kenny, Clara Kim ’21, Megan Kincaid, Claire Kirk, Jill Kligler ’17, Daniel Kraebel ’19, Penelope Lee ’21, John Lee, Denise Lee ’19, Sharon Leung, Mark Li ’21, Liz Liang ’04, Hamlet Lin, Gretchen Loughran, Rohan Mukerji ’17, Maya Nelson, Nikki Pang ’00, Parent Faculty Organization, Nicholas Poon ’18, Amy Robinson, Richard Sui ’06, Jessica Tan ’18, Sabrina Woll ’17, Kevin Wu ’17, Clara Zibell ’21 Design Linne Tsu ’96

Letter from the head of school

Dear Alumni, Our 50th Celebration Year is off to a terrific start! I’m very happy to share some highlights from the last semester in this issue. I am grateful to my colleagues across all four divisions who have come together to plan and execute the range of events we’ve seen — from the 50th School Day which saw creative and whimsical celebrations to the Thanksgiving sporting events bringing community together in friendly competition (aside from the always hotly contested Holiday Basketball Tournament, known and loved by current and former students alike!), to the epic aerial photo made up of 3,000 students, employees, parents and alumni. The aerial photo tradition, which began during our 25th Celebration Year and repeated for our 40th, is always a huge undertaking and a great memory for both students and adults. It was a remarkable and special occasion to bring all HKIS students together in one spot, to celebrate our history, enjoy lively music, student performances, celebratory traditional Chinese lion dances on our newly re-turfed field on a beautiful December day! As with our 40th logo (designed by Linne Tsu ’96), our 50th was designed by an alumnus, José Carreón ’91. We had a phenomenal response to the logo design competition, which included entries from students, alumni, parents and staff. Thank you to all who participated for the time, thought and creativity you put into all of your entries. Special thanks to José for his wonderful logo, which captures so much of HKIS — our Christian roots, Chinese culture, and an American feel through the collegiate lettering. We’re very pleased to be able to showcase his logo as well as some of our favorite entries from others in this issue. Along with student artwork, writing and glimpses into student life across our campuses, we share here a few exciting developments in our Advancement activities. The first semester saw us launching three new initiatives to support different aspects of our school: the HKIS-Church of All Nations joint project to cover a beautiful stained glass window in the chapel and assembly hall; the Kaleidoscope Fund to maintain the play and common areas for students in our new Lower Primary School building; and the parent-led Annual Fund Committee, tasked with increasing participation in the Annual Fund within our parent community. We are also gearing up for the total renovation of our Upper Primary Building starting in June 2017, which promises to raise the quality of UPS facilities to those in the new LPS building. We hope to see you at our 50th Celebrations this semester. The Celebration Week in May promises to be an engaging mix of on-campus celebrations with current students, faculty as well as alumni students and faculty. We will start with a special service at CAN on Sunday, May 21, Homecoming events on Tuesday, events designed to bring out-of-town faculty and student alumni together every day of the week, a special choral concert at St. Andrew’s on May 22, a farewell to CAN service on Friday 26, and a UPS re-dedication ceremony. We have been receiving quite a bit of interest from former faculty and administrators and hope that you can come as well! Richest blessings to all,

Alan Runge, Ph.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL

HKIS Gallery

Lower Primary Student Art

Grade 1 has been drawing flowers.

Grade 1 has been studying Gustav Klimt Grade 2 has been creating mandalas, a circular design found in many cultures around the world.

Reception 2 artists have been exploring our gardens — look what they found! Grade 2 studied insects’ wings from High School Science models.

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Advancement

annual fund committee The Annual Fund is our school’s longest-running fundraising initiative and has contributed more than $170 million to the school’s operating budget since its inception in 2000. This year, in celebration of HKIS’s 50th Anniversary, a group of dedicated parent volunteers founded the Annual Fund Committee (AFC) to boost our community’s participation in the fund. This grass-roots effort has seen amazing success with over 400 families and 200 faculty and staff participating to date. Thank you to the co-chairs and committee members for their tireless efforts! Here are some memorable moments from last semester.

AFC Co-Chairs: Christopher Burgess (R1, G2) Suzanne Chu (G5, G8) Members: Ines Aguzin (G6, G9, G12) Prescille Cernosia ’88 (G6, G8, G9) Yolanda Choy (G6) Leontine Chuang ’93 (R2, G2) Jennifer Debow (G6, G9) Stephanie Fang (G1, G4) Gabriel Fong (G1, G4, G6, G10) Jenny Ip (G3) Catherine Kim (G3, G5) Katherine Koo (G5) Shirley Kuan (G8, G11) Julian Lee (G4, G6, G9) Mina Martinez (G5, G8) Jeff Shiu (R2) Samira Soltan (G2, G10) Derek Sulger (G6) Therese Tee ’96 (R2, G3)

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Advancement

mfp update Upper Primary Redevelopment

Gotta get UP to get down Our Upper Primary School building is scheduled for a facelift

With our new Lower Primary School building nearing completion, HKIS turns attention to our next major facility improvement project: Renovating the Upper Primary School building, home to Grades 3 to 5. Originally opened in 1967, the current UPS was conceived and built as a K-12 school. The UPS upgrades will bring the school up to our current standards for classroom size and design and expand program support. To do this and to minimize the impact on our learners, we are temporarily relocating UPS students and teachers to the Tai Tam campus for a full year, from summer 2017 to summer 2018, and redeveloping the UPS building from top to bottom. This is in line with HKIS’s 2006 Master Facilities Plan, which called for the renovation of this facility, with changes happening over a three-year period. However, as the Board and Administration reviewed the plans, it became clear that a more thorough redevelopment would better meet the needs of our current and future learners, and that this could be done most efficiently in a single year. The success of the Lower Primary School redevelopment and temporary relocation to the Tai Tam campus gives our community the confidence that student learning would not be negatively affected by such a move. HKIS is excited about our next stage of facilities development to deliver the best experience possible to our students, ensuring that today’s and tomorrow’s young learners will have a space to best enhance their learning. Visit goo.gl/kVvRjf for the latest updates!

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Advancement

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Advancement

hkis kaleidoscope fund supports play As we know at HKIS, play is the work of childhood. Play is essential to the wellbeing of our youngest learners in developing their sense of self and others, their passions, their interests and their ability to think. In November 2016, HKIS launched the Kaleidoscope Fund, created to support the upkeep of the child-centered facilities at the new Lower Primary School building opening in August 2017. Support of this fund will cover the maintenance and replacement of equipment in the common areas that see the most wear and tear from our smallest and busiest students: The Library, Innovation Lab, playgrounds, community rooms, gyms, and pool. These spaces are critical in supporting play as learning in an environment that inspires and supports this journey. By funding the upkeep of these spaces, our community will continue to provide countless opportunities for playful exploration, and will inspire memories that will stay with our children their whole lives. Please visit www.hkis.edu.hk/giving/kaleidoscope for more details, or contact Advancement at advancement@hkis.edu.hk.

CAFETERIA Future master chefs take note! Watch the chef prepare meals and learn nutrition, food preparation and the elements of cooking.

COMMUNITY AREAS The LPS Community Areas offer our students air-conditioned places to work, plan, create, cook, act, sing, dance and of course play, no matter what the weather!

COVERED ROOFTOP PLAYGROUND The 7th floor covered playground is the perfect place for students to run around in the shade and away from the rain.

28/F, Comweb Plaza, 12 Cheung Yue Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, HK T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) 3426 3822 E-mail: hq@playconcept.com.hk www.playconcept.com.hk

PROJECT:

HKIS Repulse Bay Campus

TITLE :

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-SITU SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND LAYOUT PLAN 7TH FLOOR OPEN AREA: ALL GRADES

REVISIONS/SUBMISSIONS:

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EXPOSED ROOFTOP PLAYGROUND Next to the covered playground is a special place that includes a climbing structure in the shape of one of Hong Kong’s most iconic mainstays: the Star Ferry.

THIS WORK IS PROTECTED BY H.K. & INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAWS. COPYRIGHT(C) PLAY CONCEPT LTD 2006. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, ALL DIMENSIONS IN mm. ALL DIMENSIONS TO BE VERIFIED ON SITE. ALL PHOTOS AND COLORS SHOWN IN HERE ARE FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY. WARRANTY FOR RUBBER SURFACES AND PLAY EQUIPMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, DISCOLOURATION DUE TO WEATHERING AND VANDALISM.

INNOVATION LAB The Innovation Lab allows students to tinker and make whatever they want. Opportunities for designing, building, playing, creating are all part of what will make this space a hub of learning. 2. 3. 4.

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LIBRARY With a wonderful collection of 25,000 books, the Library allows each reader to find the perfect book that they can’t put down and inspires a lifelong love of reading.

Advancement Flat 913A, 9/F, 113 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon, HK T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) 3426 3822 E-mail: hq@playconcept.com.hk www.playconcept.com.hk

PROJECT:

HKIS Repulse Bay Campus

TITLE :

28/F, Comweb Plaza, 12 Cheung Y Cheung Sha Wan, Ko T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) E-mail: hq@playconce www.playconce

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-SITU SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND

PROJECT:

HKIS Repulse Bay Cam PERSPECTIVE 3/F RECEPTION 1 TITLE :

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-S SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROU

REVISIONS/SUBMISSIONS:

R00.20151105- FIRST ISSUE

PERSPECTIVE VIEW

ARCHITECT / CLIENT'S APPROVAL:

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R00.20151119- FIRST ISSUE R01.20151211- MODIFIED R02.20160401- MODIFIED

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THIS WORK IS PROTECTED BY H.K. & INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAWS. COPYRIGHT(C) PLAY CONCEPT LTD 2006. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, ALL DIMENSIONS IN mm. Repulse Bay Campus HKIS 3. ALL DIMENSIONS TO BE VERIFIED ON SITE. 4. ALL PHOTOS AND COLORS SHOWN IN HERE ARE FOR TITLE : REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY. DESIGN, SUPPLY AND 5. INSTALLATION WARRANTY FOR RUBBER OF IN-SITU SURFACES AND PLAY SAFETY MATTING & EQUIPMENT DOES NOT OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND APPLY TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, DISCOLOURATION DUE TO WEATHERING AND PERSPECTIVE 3/F VANDALISM.

Flat 913A, 9/F, 113 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon, HK T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) 3426 3822 E-mail: hq@playconcept.com.hk www.playconcept.com.hk

ARCHITECT / CLIENT'S APPROVAL:

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RECEPTION 1

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THIS WORK IS PROTEC BY H.K. & INTERNATION COPYRIGHT LAWS. COPYRIGHT(C) PLAY CONCEPT LTD 2006. AL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, ALL DIMENSIO mm. ALL DIMENSIONS TO BE VERIFIED ON SITE. ALL PHOTOS AND COLO SHOWN IN HERE ARE F REFERENCE PURPOSE ONLY. WARRANTY FOR RUBBE SURFACES AND PLAY EQUIPMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO NORMAL WE AND TEAR, DISCOLOURATION DUE WEATHERING AND VANDALISM.

DRAWING NO.

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3rd FLOOR OUTDOOR AREA Reception 1 students will enjoy a special additional outdoor play area. This area features a dragonboat and merry-go-round, along with three basket-inspired teepees to crawl in and out of. This work is protected by H.K. and international copyright law. Copyright (C) 2006 Play Concept Ltd. All rights reserved.

REVISIO

28/F

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01 APR 2016

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CHECKE HKIS Re

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THIS W BY H.K COPY COPY CONC RIGHT UNLES STATE mm. ALL D VERIF ALL P SHOW REFER ONLY WARR SURFA EQUIP APPLY AND T DISCO WEAT VAND

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPACES The Sensory Integration Room, pool, and fantastic full-sized gym give ample opportunities for our students to grow their fine and gross motor skills.

28/F, Comweb Plaza, 12 Cheung Yue Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, HK T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) 3426 3822 E-mail: hq@playconcept.com.hk www.playconcept.com.hk

28/F, Comweb Plaza, 12 Cheung Y Cheung Sha Wan, Ko T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) E-mail: hq@playconce www.playconce

PROJECT:

HKIS Repulse Bay Campus

HKIS Repulse Bay Cam

TITLE :

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-SITU SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-S SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROU

PERSPECTIVE VIEW

LAYOUT PLAN 5/F 1ST GRADE

REVISIONS/SUBMISSIONS:

ARCHITECT / CLIENT'S APPROVAL:

DATE:

2. 3. 4.

SCALE:

All Dime in m

DRAWING NO.

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P00207-01-DD06b-OP1 R02 DATE:

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R00.20151119- FIRST ISSUE R01.20151211- MODIFIED R02.20160411- REVISED

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01 APR 201

PLAYGROUNDS: Reception 1 Reception 1 students will play in their Chinese Garden complete with pagoda and rainbow-inspired bridge.

DRAWN:

2. 3. 4.

28/F, Comweb Plaza, 12 Cheung Yue Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, HK T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) 3426 3822 E-mail: hq@playconcept.com.hk www.playconcept.com.hk

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28/F, Comweb Plaza, 12 Cheung Yue Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, HK T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) 3426 3822 E-mail: hq@playconcept.com.hk www.playconcept.com.hk

HKIS Repulse Bay Campus

DATE:

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Cheung Sha Wan, Ko

T. (852) 3188 0955 F. (852) P00207-01-DD08b-OP1 R02 E-mail: hq@playconce

PROJECT:

www.playconce

DATE: PROJECT:

HKIS Repulse Bay Campus

12 APR 2016

NTS

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11 APR 2016 AJ

SCALE:

NTS

HKIS Repulse BayCHECKE Cam

TITLE : TITLE :

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-SITU SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND

TITLE :

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-SITU SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND

DESIGN, SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF IN-S SAFETY MATTING & OUTDOOR PLAYGROU

LAYOUT PLAN 5/F 1ST GRADE

PERSPECTIVE VIEW 2

PERSPECTIVE VIEW REVISIONS/SUBMISSIONS:

REVISIONS/SUBMISSIONS:

R00.20151119- FIRST ISSUE R01.20151211- FIRST ISSUE R02.20160406- REVISED

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R00.20151119- FIRST ISSUE R01.20151211- MODIFIED R02.20160411- REVISED

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PLAYGROUNDS: Reception 2 Reception 2 students will explore the concrete jungle with an attached “real” one: The Hong Kong skyline features prominently in murals and climbing features, alongside a jungle gym.

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PLAYGROUNDS: Grade 2 Grade 2 students will have their very own banyan tree forest, connected with rope canopies and tunnels. DATE:

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PLAYGROUNDS: Grade 1 Grade 1 students will explore an actual dragon’s den, surrounded by boulders and stylized giant bird cages. SCALE:

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P00207-01-DD06a-OP1 R02

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APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Advancement

church of all nations window

Many Waters More than the sounds of many waters, Than the mighty breakers of the sea, The LORD on high is mighty. - Psalm 93:4

Fifty years ago, Church of All Nations worked with the local community to establish Hong Kong International School as a leading place of learning with an American-style education. As the Lower Primary building opens in 2017, the new school Chapel will serve as the new home of Church of All Nations. In an effort to value our shared identity as one “grounded in the Christian faith,” HKIS and Church of All Nations collaborated to beautify the new Chapel with Christian artwork. The stained glass windows are being crafted by the Center for Liturgical Arts to tell the eternal story of God’s love for his people. The windows tell the whole story of salvation while individual sections tell stories of creation, protection during the flood, new life in baptism, Jesus’s care during the storm, and new life in resurrection. The windows also evoke the colors and shape of Repulse Bay, the home of HKIS’s Lower and Upper Primary Schools. In addition to the combined Lower & Upper Primary School Chapel and sanctuary for CAN, this space will also be the primary gathering place for the Repulse Bay campus. Seating up to 850 children or 650 adults, this space will host regular assemblies, performances and can be configured with table seating for over 250 people for special events. The designed stained glass will project God’s story of his love for all who gather here. The windows will be visible to the local community, sharing the promise of this story with passers-by. CAN and HKIS are working together to support this liturgical art, including its craftsmanship, installation, and long-term maintenance at the HKIS Chapel and Church of All Nations.

Please visit www.hkis.edu.hk/giving/window for more information, and email advancement@hkis.edu.hk with any enquiries.

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Advancement

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

HKIS Then and Now

The High School Academic Handbook Then and Now That book, yes you know the one that lived at the bottom of your bag, somewhere on your desk, under a pile of papers or hidden beneath your textbooks. It was always close at hand, ready to be picked up, waiting for its pages to be ruffled through and prepared to clarify and outline exactly what you could learn in your Math, English, Physics, History, Computer Studies, Art and the dozens of other programs that have graced the pages of the High School Academic Handbook over the years. Since 1974, this unassuming document has been there to provide guidance, summarize curricula and “present you with the many academic opportunities” that were on offer in the High School. The very first publication’s front page was a simple undertaking — a bright orange piece of heavy paper stock sitting on top of 40 sheets of plain paper printed with the quote from Euripides “Whoso neglects learning in his youth, loses the past and is dead for the future”. While its pages were not filled with the pathos and drama seen in the works of the great Athenian, in respect to the relatively short history of HKIS, as a publication, it has stood the test of time. Published each year from 1974, the handbook began as a simple document of stapled sheets then a spiral bound notebook and it now lives online as a PDF. In many ways, it is a simple reflection of the school’s changes. In 1974, the closest thing to the technological revolution that was waiting around the corner were two electives Typing I and II. The Human Development department offered a course on the Basic Ethics and Concerns of the 70’s that explored the “issues vexing today’s society” such as “war-peace, race, poverty, pollution, violence, etc.” Maybe life wasn’t so different after all. Whereas, the Social Studies department lessoned students in The Study of the American Presidency examining the “executive role in American Government from George Washington to Richard Nixon.” By 1979, the study of American Government and the Presidency’s timeline ran through to Jimmy Carter, and “the near collapse of the constitutional government under Richard Nixon” entered as an addition to the syllabus. For the more nimble-footed High Schooler, Physical Education classes offered the opportunities in Folk Dancing, while somewhere on a distant pitch you could here the crack of leather on willow as students learned about the rules of cricket. Science classes were now teaching basic BASIC — beginning the dawn of the computer age. The 1987-88 Academic Booklet was a magazine style publication. Its front cover featured a design by Bill Driskill, Athletics Director, with a myriad of vases labeled with all the key subject areas. American Government and the Presidency now continued through to Reagan and computer science taught BASIC through to PASCAL. This year saw the introduction of two new courses: A Drama Production I/II and General Psychology; the perfect combination for the more method oriented performer.

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

HKIS Then and Now

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

HKIS Then and Now

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

HKIS Then and Now

A decade later the 1997-98 front cover introduced photos on its front page; this was a glitzier undertaking with 63 pages of course notes and information. Computer Science had become Information Technology and taught skills such as word processing and letter formatting. Drama Production now had a III unit, and American Government and the Presidency ran up to the “present”. The High School was offering an ever-growing breadth of courses to present an “opportunity to explore, to try on different ideas in a safe environment”. The introduction emphasized HKIS’s global focus with “Biblical studies, psychology, information technology or ceramics [to] introduce new ways of seeing oneself, the world and new career ideas.” At the turn of the millennium, 2000-01, as today’s juniors were being born, a spiral-bound 82-page booklet was produced. By now students were no longer required to chart the ever-changing course of US government, but learned to address the “moral, ethical and intellectual questions about the American Experience.” The IT managers of today were taking their earliest steps with the Information Technology courses looking at “DragonNet, Junto On-Line, Senior Section, Trading Post, and school surveys.” In the Science department, teachers were busy preparing students “to function in the technological society of today”. While those who felt inclined to partake in a little Health and Wellbeing could find themselves playing Golf in Thailand or off to the remote depths of the Yukon for a spot of canoeing. 2011-12 saw a shift to digital and the document took up residence on DragonNet as a PDF. The school was now a functioning digital space and every student had access to a MacBook. Many of the courses in the 2011-12 version are similar to the 2016-17 incarnation. Though given a few more years, generations from now may look back with misty-eyed nostalgia at courses such as IOS App design, the Mathematics of Human Behavior and Bioethics. The breadth of courses on offer has always been a hallmark of the HKIS educational experience. No doubt, whatever shape future High School Academic Handbooks may take, they will continue to highlight courses that evolve, adapt and anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s society. n

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

HKIS Gallery

Upper Primary Student Art 5th Grade: Selfies in Art! Students explored self-portraits with a variety of applications while looking to the color wheel and pattern making for inspiration.

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Chinese Studies

kowloon city

九龍城

By Rex Chan ’19

編輯／撰寫：陳思恆

Kowloon City is one of Hong Kong’s 18 districts. It is north of Ma Tau Wai, south of Wong Tai Sin, and has a population of around 380,000. But when compared to the Kowloon City of 50 years ago, it could almost be said that these were two completely different places.

九龍城是香港十八區之一，位於馬頭圍以北、黃大仙以南，人口有大約三十八萬。今天的九龍城跟以前的九龍城比起來簡直可以說是天差地別。

In the past century, Kowloon City was a walled city with no one ruling over it. As a result, gangs ran rampant, while drugs and gambling could be seen everywhere. Also, the living conditions inside the walled city were very poor, as there was no running water or electricity. In order to gain access to such utilities, one had to pay a hefty sum to the local gangs. To those living inside the walled city, they had a bleak future. Fortunately, the Hong Kong Government tore down the wall surrounding the walled city and regained control of the area in 1993. Today, if you want to see the old walled city, you can go to the Kowloon Walled City Park. When Kowloon City is brought up, citizens of Hong Kong will think of Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong’s first international airport. At the time, there was a lot of air traffic, but the airport was dangerously close to residences as well as having quite a narrow airspace. It ranked third on the list of the world’s most dangerous airports at the time, requiring the most experienced pilots to pilot flights to and from Hong Kong. Other than being dangerous, the noise of planes taking off and landing created noise pollution for people who lived and worked near the airport. Factoring in the noise pollution, as well as how dangerous the location of the Kai Tak Airport was, the Hong Kong Government decided to shut it down in 1998 and move the airport to Chek Lap Kok, where it is today. Now, a new Cruise Terminal is standing where the Kai Tak Airport once was located. Once the airport was relocated, people started to build tall apartment buildings, and the population of Kowloon City also rapidly rose. Today, Kowloon City is the home to many of Hong Kong’s minorities, as well as many restaurants that serve good, cheap food while coming from a variety of backgrounds. Though there are a lot of restaurants in Kowloon City, a majority of its buildings are used for residential purposes. Since there is also a large number of Thai residents in Kowloon City, it has the nickname of “Little Thailand”.

在半個世紀前，九龍城還是一個無人管制的城寨。裡面到處都是黑幫跟毒品，可以說是黃、賭、毒的天堂。此外，城寨裡的生活條件非常之差，沒有我們每天需要的水、電和煤。如果要的話，就要向福利會交保護費。而住在城寨裡的人可以說是毫無前途。但幸好的是，香港政府在1993 年拆掉了城寨，由政府管理。今天，如果你想看到城寨舊時的樣貌，可以去九龍城寨公園。一講到九龍城，香港人一定會想起啟德機場。啟德機場是香港的第一個國際機場，在1998 年被停用。當時，啟德機場的流量很高，但是空域非常狹小，也很近民居，所以在世界上最危險的機場中排第三，來往香港的航班也因此而需要經驗豐富的飛機師來駕駛。除了安全因素以外，飛機起飛與降落時發出的噪音也給附近居民帶來了極大的滋擾。因為以上種種原因，香港政府在1998 年把機場搬到赤臘角。而今，啟德機場被改建成了啟德郵輪碼頭，成為香港一個熱門旅遊景點。九龍城在機場搬走後才開始蓋高樓大廈，人口也迅速地增長。今天，九龍城是一些少數民族聚居的地方，也有很多充滿民族特色的餐廳，食物價廉物美。九龍城雖然多餐廳，但是樓宇還是以住宅為主。由於生活在九龍城的泰國人較多，也有 “小泰國”的花名。九龍城的未來可以說是一片光明。在一方面，啟德郵輪碼頭會帶來更多的遊客。而在另一方面，政府也打算在那裡蓋大約三萬個住宅單位，給更多香港人一個“上樓”的機會。而我個人就希望九龍城能夠成為各個少數民族的文化中心，可以讓我們體會到不同的文化，同時也給少數民族一個家的感覺。 n

Kowloon City’s future is one which is quite promising. On one hand, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal will bring a steady stream of tourists to Hong Kong. On the other hand, the Hong Kong Government plans to build an additional 30,000 apartments in Kowloon City, giving citizens a chance to own property. Personally, I hope Kowloon City becomes a cultural hub for the minorities living in Kowloon City. This way, native residents have a chance to experience different cultures while the minorities living in Hong Kong get a sense of home. APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Winning Design by José Carreón ’91

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HON

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Other design submissions by José Carreón ’91 white background, full-color logo

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EE YEAR

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50th Anniversary Celebrations

Winning Logo In January 2015, HKIS launched a competition for members of our community to design a logo for our 50th anniversary. The winning logo would serve as a unifying design for all celebrations. We received over 100 designs from students, alumni, parents, and staff, from age 5 and above, that displayed an outstanding breadth of talent within the community. After much discussion and deliberation, the judging panel of administrators, faculty, alumni, parents, students and staff finally chose the design of José Carreón ’91. José’s standout design captures HKIS’s identity, references our Chinese heritage and celebrates the 50th year in a bold, layered design that has become the central focus of the 2016-17 year’s branding.

Learning about the competition through Bonny Pratt ’92, José entered to celebrate all that HKIS had given him and the continued influence it has on his life today. In total, he submitted 10 designs that were based on his knowledge of HKIS and Hong Kong. Despite strong ties to the US and being an American citizen, returning to the US after so many years in Hong Kong was a challenge. José discovered that he didn’t fully associate himself with American culture and describes himself as a true third culture kid. To us, it’s clear that this trans-Pacific upbringing comes through as an inspiration behind his logo designs. In designing the logo, José worked with HKIS’s existing typography to mimic its look-and-feel and introduced the element of the dragon. The HKIS dragon is particularly meaningful for José, as it was adopted as HKIS’s mascot during his sophomore year. Across all his entries, he looked to incorporate motifs from the golden jubilee to the year of the monkey, to historic links with the LCMS to Chinese culture and the Hong Kong-American experience. Winning against a very strong field of submissions, José’s design has become the centerpiece of celebrations and provides a fresh modern look for the 50th year. Fittingly, twenty-five years after being part of the 25th year celebration and first aerial photo, it was José’s design that brought 3,000 members of the school’s population together for the grand staging of the 50th anniversary aerial photo.

Artist Profile José Carreón ’91

For José, this all comes at a major turning point in his life. After 21 years as a designer, José feels he has arrived at a point in his career where he is now expressing his own style. José is planning to pursue a career in his first love — fine arts. Alongside this, he will continue to work as a graphic designer and art director in Southern California. Look for him if you’re in the region — he is a familiar face at the Californian regional alumni group meet-ups and was recently a key organizer for the classes of 1990 & 1991’s 25th reunion in San Francisco! Thank you, José for your wonderful submissions.

José joined HKIS in Grade 2 and by his senior year was one of the longest-attending students in his graduating class; HKIS to him was a big part of his growing up. It’s fitting that the winner of the logo competition should also be the 1991 winner of HKIS’s arts honor, the Renaissance Award. As an active member of the HKIS arts scene, José was inspired by his teachers, advisors and the overwhelming influence of the arts culture at HKIS that made his decision to go to the Maryland Institute, College of Art clear. This is also not the first public work of José’s HKIS has celebrated: Alumni may remember his large painting of Van Gogh that hung outside the art department for many years after he left.

circa 1984

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

50th Anniversary Celebrations

We received a huge number of beautifully designed logos from alumni, staff, students and parents. Here are some additional submissions. Thank you to all who participated! LOGO HKIS BY LL /

“The inspiration mainly came from what I thought was one of HKIS’s greatest assets — its cultural diversity. The calligraphy reflects the Chinese culture found in the school, and its softer strokes really contrast with the edgier HKIS logo, showing the difference of cultures, yet how we still somehow work together.” “I tried to keep it simple and make an anniversary logo that was close to the school’s other logos and illustrations. I designed the shape to be easy to use on merchandise, in print and in digital media.”

Serena Tam ’18

Lena Loefling, mother of Laban ’20

“My design puts HKIS’s 50 years front-and-center, and incorporates Chinese elements through the dragon and other motifs.”

Cecilia Chau, High School Attendance Officer

“My creation of this logo with the dragon flying through the “50” and looking back is to bring out the meaning of ‘Reflecting on the accomplishments of the school over the last half century and stepping forward to the next 50 years and beyond.’”

“I made the Hong Kong skyline a part of the logo because the city creates the business opportunities which enables a lot of families to attend HKIS.” Geoffrey Fong ’18

Della Yu ’96

“When I was designing the logo, I wanted to keep the original branding but add more excitement and add the element of Hong Kong and its culture. I also thought about howDesigned to incorporate everything to balance by Claire Barry 7 themGrade all out in an iconic and efficient way.” Claire Barry ’21

Fifty Years of Tradition “I’ve focused the design on keeping the true brand identity with an added modern feel, creating a dynamic look, through the movement of the design elements. By keeping the original relationship of the blue and red colors, the color scheme is emphasized through the design. Through this simplicity and dynamics of the design, the aim of the logo was to become a memorable design.”

Randall Alexander, father of Darling ’27

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“I came up with my design by wanting to create a fresh image that honored HKIS’s legacy through the use of red while highlighting the school’s success through the gold gradient.”

Nicholas Foo ’16

50th Anniversary Celebrations

HKIS ANNIVERSARY

Kristen Siano ’11

Genevieve Bedell ’17

Jonathan Slaton ’72

Randall Alexander Parent of Darling Alexander ’27

William Wang ’19

Drew Kraebel ’17

Park Ji Won ’17

ANNIVERSARY

Chloe Chan ’14

Nellie Barry Parent of Claire Barry ’21

Kaito Au ’19

Emily Chen ’18

years since1966

Lena He ’20

Talia Leung ’18

Staff-LP Airy Wang

Naomi Katayama ’21

Staff-HS Cecilia Chau

Emily Yates ’23

Caroline Spackman ’19

Manfred Lang Shek ’16

Cole Gallaudet ’17

Max Yang ’19

Jennifer Lu ’19

Elizabeth Wu ’19

Calvin Zau ’19

Melanie Chan ’20

Staff-HS Cecilia Chau

Alison Kell ’20

Andrea Sum ’20

Chloe Chan ’14

Kezia Leung ’21

Daniel Sun ’21

Anna Ruff ’17

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Houston Li ’18

Alex Tam Parent of Serena Tam ’18

Claire Barry ’21 Collaboration by Claire Barry (Grade 7) and Claire’s mom Nellie Barry

Emerson Fox ’22

Hayden Ma ’22

Claire Barry ’21

Karen Cooper ’73

Chloe Chan ’14

Della Yu ’96

Amanda Cheung ’20

Lana Loefling Parent of Laban Loefling ’20

Naomi Katayama ’21

Dylan Hui ’24

Chloe Chan ’14

LOGO HKIS BY LL /

Staff Facilities Management Daniel Chan

Emily Chen ’18

Talia Leung ’18

Jennifer Lu ’19

Winnie Leung Parent of Kezia Leung ’21

#decade5.0

Claire Barry ’21

Collaboration by Claire Barry (Grade 7) and Claire’s mom Nellie Barry

Naomi Katayama ’21

Winnie Leung Parent of Kezia Leung ’21

Christian Tarala ’22

Cameron Su ’19

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the aerial photo December 15, 2016 Congregating 3,000 members of our community in one place would be hard enough, but then to get them all to stand in formation for a commemorative photo to mark our 50th anniversary year was an even greater undertaking.

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

50th Anniversary Celebrations

Photo credit: Daniel Kraebel ’19

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

50th Anniversary Celebrations

Cast of Thousands

n December 15, 2016, a cast of 3,000 made up of students, faculty, staff, admin and alumni from across our divisions all came together on the High School field to mark out the 50th Anniversary logo, designed by José Carreón. It was an epic undertaking by the Facilities Management staff led by Mr. Lui that took three days and hundreds of meters of tape to mark out the outline of the 60 by 50 meter logo. With the entire Repulse Bay campus bused over to Tai Tam, this was only one of a few times when the entire school was all together in the same place. Emcee for the day was Dr. Ron Roukema whose booming voice over the PA corralled up the assembled company to pose for the photo that would sit happily alongside the photos for the 25th and 40th anniversaries. Unlike previous years where everyone waited in anticipation for a helicopter to fly over from Central, drones buzzed overhead taking multiple shots from a variety of angles. Junior and part-time professional drone racer Daniel Kraebel ’19 was one of the designated pilots for the day. He flew his quadcopter overhead and high above the campus to capture some of the incredible images of the entire school standing together. Once the photo had been caught, the plan was to attempt Hong Kong’s largest #MannequinChallenge. On Dr. Roukema’s command to freeze, everyone struck a pose and held it for just over a minute. For those of you who have not seen the result, please visit our Facebook page goo.gl/VlIxTn. Now able to relax, everyone broke from the pattern to enjoy some special dragon dancing, eventually returning to their offices and classrooms knowing that they had just helped make another unique piece of HKIS history.

“Being involved in a large project is always a moving experience. Walking into it, I knew something big is going to happen. When I was brought onto the team, I was beyond stoked when they said I could fly a quadcopter around a field of thousands of people. It wasn’t just the piloting that I loved, but rather knowing that what I do can have an impact on others in the best of ways.” — Daniel Kraebel ’19

#MannequinChallenge APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

50th Anniversary Planning Committee Members

50th Anniversary Celebration Year Events

Ms. Veronica Booth ’97, Communications & PR Manager Mr. Brent Brayko, High School Associate Principal Ms. Prescille Cernosia ’88, HKIS Alumni Association – HK Chapter Ms. Lina Doo, Development Manager Mr. Riz Farooqi ’94, Lower Primary Teacher

We have a fun-filled year planned for our whole community! Our most up-to-date information is available on our website — please see

Mr. Kyle Giesbrecht, Middle School Teacher

www.hkis.edu.hk/fifty.

Mr. Douglas Henck, Former Chair of the Board

Please email fifty@hkis.edu.hk with any questions.

Ms. Yamini Jena ’17, High School Student Ms. Farah Kroese, Upper Primary Teacher Ms. Ilene Levy, Booster Club President Ms. Beth McNicholas, Parent Faculty Organization President Dr. Ron Roukema, Provost Dr. Alan Runge, Head of School Mr. Maziar Sabet, Chief Advancement Officer, Committee Chair Pastor Joel Scheiwe, Church of All Nations

2017 May 13-14

Celebration Concerts A concert featuring our Band and Strings programs from our Upper Primary, Middle and High Schools. Our High School Band will perform a speciallycommissioned piece of music for our 50th Anniversary: “Miracles”.

Event Subcommittees

Location: Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center

In-School Celebrations

Band Concert 1 Performers from Grades 4-12 (focus on Grades 4-6) Sunday, May 14, 2017, 3 p.m.

All-Strings Concert Performers from Grades 3-12 Saturday, May 13, 2017, 5 p.m.

Ron Roukema, Chair This group will develop in-school celebrations across four divisions to bring the excitement of our anniversary year to our students and faculty.

Band Concert 2 Grades 5-12 (focus on Grades 7-12) Sunday, May 14, 2017, 7 p.m.

History & Future

Veronica Booth, Chair This group selects which projects best capture HKIS’s story and aspirations for our shared future.

Church of All Nations Worship Join the congregation for an education-themed service. Services will be held at 9 and 11 a.m.

Music

Farah Kroese, Chair For our 50th Anniversary our music departments will be designing an off-site celebration concert.

21-30

50th Anniversary Celebration Week!

PFO & Booster Club Events

50 Years of HKIS Student Government Reunion

Beth McNicholas and Ilene Levy, Co-chairs These parent-led organizations have always championed and supported HKIS spirit. This year their events will be infused with the 50th Celebration!

Alumni Events

Hillary Sandeen, Chair Alumni are invited to return to Hong Kong and HKIS to join in a host of alumni-centered celebrations.

Hope to see you here!

Alumni Senators and current Senate come together to talk about the past, present and future of Student Government at HKIS. All who were a part of the High School Student Government are invited to join.

Mentor Day Alumni meet with students to share their post-HKIS paths to their current career, what they learned along the way, and what their careers are really like. The afternoon will start with an introduction to our guest speakers, followed by parallel breakout sessions featuring career / study streams.

Celebrations – Choral Concert A special concert performed by our Upper Primary, Middle and High School choirs at St. Andrew’s Church in Tsim Sha Tsui at 7– 8:30 p.m. 24

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50th Anniversary Celebrations

50th Anniversary Kick-off Cocktails

28-30

Alumni, current and former faculty, and partners are invited to enjoy food and drinks at this in-town social event from 6 p.m.

Since our first visit in 1995, HKIS students have amazed us with their reflections about the simple action of holding babies and playing with special needs children at the Foshan orphanage. We invite those who have gone in the past, or who have never had the opportunity, to join this special alumni trip.

Location: Spiga, 3/F, LHT Tower, 31 Queens Road, Central, Hong Kong

On-Campus Celebrations Enjoy a fun afternoon of campus tours, meeting with current and former faculty, food and drink, and reminiscing at our High School campus at 3:30 p.m.

June 9

High School Graduation*

Evening Reception for Former Faculty, Admin and Staff

Come wish our graduating class of our 50th year well as they leave HKIS.

For those of you who worked at HKIS, stay on for this reception to spend time with former colleagues at our High School campus at 5:30 p.m.

Goodbye Assembly*

Decades Luncheon Meet up with alumni who graduated within your decade — 60s-70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s!

Lower Primary’s Goodbye Assembly ends the year of celebration for our youngest students and their teachers.

Time: Noon – 2 p.m.

Tram Tour Hop on Hong Kong’s iconic “ding ding” with alumni from your graduating decade for a tour along the tramlines.

Alumni & Family Junk Trip

Middle School Celebration* Come celebrate with our 8th graders as they leave Middle School and begin the last four years of their school career.

Venue: Bizou, Shop 132, L1, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty

Alumni Service Trip to Foshan

Grade 5 Fling!* Our Grade 5 students leave Upper Primary and head to their Middle School adventures.

Last Day of School: End-of-Year Assemblies* HS, MS & UP close out the year of celebration with special assemblies.

Tours around Hong Kong for our out-of-town visitors, including a junk trip.

Golf Tournament

*Celebrations for current students, faculty and staff only. Please note that events and dates are subject to change.

We will be hosting a golf tournament in Deep Water Bay. There will be two flights and lunch is available between flights. For more information please contact natalie@dynevents.com or call +852 2663 3524.

Church of All Nations Memories & Farewell Chapel Come say goodbye to the chapel before CAN moves to its new home in the new Lower Primary Building. This afternoon event will celebrate the CAN-HKIS partnership and will be a trip down memory lane for those who worshipped here in the 70s, 80s and 90s. There will be a tour of the new Lower Primary school, a performance by the UPS choir, the opening of the 40th Anniversary Time Capsule, sealing of the 50th Anniversary Time Capsule followed by a cocktail reception.

50th Anniversary Celebration Ball A glamorous evening of celebration and fun at the Ritz-Carlton.

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Community

concordia welfare and education foundation update By Megan Kincaid

As 2016 drew to a close, the Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation team took time to reflect on the past 10 years of partnering with rural communities and schools in Asia. We are deeply grateful for all our dedicated partners and supporters, including many in the Hong Kong International School community who have given generously of their time, talent and treasure to support the people CWEF serves. In Cambodia, HKIS humanities classes and interim teams have worked with CWEF to improve health conditions in rural communities and have helped transform the lives of young people through university scholarships. HKIS students and alumni have been faithful supporters of CWEF education programs in China, and each summer HKIS student groups have taken time during their holiday to conduct workshops with CWEF scholarship recipients in Deqing County, Guangdong.

CWEF and Xing Ai volunteers working with left-behind children in Guangdong.

CWEF REACH resilience-building program activities with high school students in Guangdong.

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Community

Summer English Camp in Deqing, Guangdong hosted by CWEF and EMBER.

These past 10 years of investing in the lives of young women in Guangdong has begun to produce some incredible fruit. Together with a group of former scholarship recipients, CWEF recently launched the GROW program, which provides support for “left-behind children” whose parents live and work in urban centers, impacting children’s healthy development. A group of former scholarship recipients who served as interns with CWEF have gone on to found the Xing Ai (or “Shining Star”) Organization, which recruits and trains volunteers in Guangzhou to support GROW, as well as other CWEF education programs. Alongside the CWEF staff, these young women leaders of Xing Ai are providing encouragement, love and academic support for left-behind children in rural Guangdong through regular phone calls, in-person visits and activities at their school.

ients in Guangdong.

CWEF high school scholarship recip

It is a wonderful thing to see these often shy high school students develop into confident young women who are now serving others, inspiring hope and helping to build thriving communities. Without the support of dedicated partners like HKIS, it would not be possible to see this remarkable development. Thank you for your continued support! n

REACH teacher training in Guangdong. APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Community

parent faculty organization (pfo)

We’re building community and raising funds, come rain or shine! By the Parent Faculty Organization

What a year it has been already for the PFO in HKIS’s Golden 50th Anniversary Year! The PFO, with the help of parents, students, faculty, administration and alumni, continued to build community while also raising funds to help support so many of the programs that make HKIS such a special place. The first of our all-school community events, the Pumpkin Festival, was the biggest and most successful to date. Even the threat of Typhoon Haima could not dampen our spirits, and in the end, we had a perfect “fall” day for the Pumpkin Festival. The beautiful pumpkins, amazing games, fantastic food and so much more made it a day for families to come out and celebrate after a week where we had black rain, flooding, and a T8. PFO calendars, cookbooks, and wrapping paper were once again available at many HKIS events and in the Booster Club’s Dragon Shop. We had our Upper Primary and Middle School Book Fairs late in the year, and we had some fabulously creative designs from Middle School and High School students for the Year of the Rooster Chinese New Year Apparel. This year, in honor of the 50th Anniversary, we also offered some apparel with the commemorative logo for that event, and those items were very popular. We look forward to some sharp dressing worth crowing about early in 2017. The PFO had additional activities during the first semester for new parents, including the New Family Meet and Greet, the New Parent Breakfast, the Parent-to-Parent Mentoring Program and three Walkabout tours to show the newest members of our HKIS community how to navigate Central like a veteran. We also hosted all of the divisional Back to School Nights and had our first Teacher Appreciation event of the year as well as A Day of Thanks in November. In the first few weeks of 2017, the PFO hit the ground running with the new parent breakfast and the delivery of the fantastic Chinese New Year and 50th Anniversary Commemorative apparel. The end of January brought three fabulous Chinese New Year Assemblies to celebrate the Year of the Rooster, and each student received a stunning bookmark as a gift from the PFO. The Lower Primary Book Fair took place on February 22, and 23, in the Middle School Black Box Theater. The PFO thanks you for your continued support and wishes you and yours a happy and prosperous Year of the Rooster! n

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Community

the booster club:

Carrying the Torch of Dragon Spirit By the Booster Club Executive Board

Since 1994, the HKIS Booster Club has been a volunteer-run organization that operates and manages the Dragon Shop and reinvests all profits to support Dragon athletics and extracurricular activities as well as spreading school spirit. The Booster Club volunteers carried the Torch of Dragon Spirit with pride this year. Due to their combined efforts the 2016-17 school year is awash with events and grants benefiting HKIS. The Booster Club aids student and faculty involvement in school activities through our grant-making process. This process strengthens the total offering of athletic and extracurricular programs at HKIS. School spirit extends beyond the athletic field and gyms, and we have funded items such as: • Books for the UP’s Battle of the Books. • Equipment for the HS Robotics VEX and ROV teams. • Three table tennis tables for the MS. • Tricycles and building blocks for the new LP playground. • Supplies for the UP Lego architecture club. • Equipment for the HS softball, cross country, baseball and field hockey teams. The Booster Club actively supports Dragon Athletics. In the 2016-17 school year, they distributed 180 complimentary travel kits containing an HKIS logo jacket and travel bag to members of the athletic, competitive performing arts and academic teams who travel to represent HKIS in tournaments outside of Hong Kong. The Booster Club also supports the athletic teams by helping to coordinate teams of parents for each squad, coordinating parent volunteers for hospitality during home tournaments, distributing ‘Good Luck’ goodie bags, and recognizing our seniors and their parents at their last home game each season. Each athletic season culminates with the High School sports banquet, sponsored by the Booster Club. Together with the High School athletics office we celebrate the achievements of student athletes and their families with three sports banquets attended by over 700 athletes and families who represent HKIS in 15 sports spread across 44 teams!

We also have a little fun spreading Dragon Spirit throughout the year through the distribution of goodies to athletes and students. This is also extended to our visiting athletes and spectators in an effort to ensure that everyone feels welcome at HKIS. We are grateful to our many parent volunteers who bake cupcakes, pop popcorn, hand out hot cocoa or slice orange segments to lift our students’ spirits. Highlights include: • 500 bags of popcorn given out at the HKIS Christmas Tree Lighting. • 1,300 sno-cones given out to UP, MS and HS students. • 1,300 candy canes and holiday stickers given out to all divisions’ students before the winter break. • 700 chocolate kisses at monthly HS community gatherings. • 1,200 of the most delicious oranges cut and given out during the Sports/Field Days in the LP, UP, and MS. • 400 thunderous spirit sticks and HKIS tattoos were passed out to build school spirit at home games and tournaments. • Joining in the HKIS 50th Anniversary Celebrations by giving out popcorn at the MS and UP Schools at the 50th Day of School and oranges at the 1st Annual HKIS Turkey Trot and the Turkey Bowl flag football tournament. • Endless bubbles to welcome and lift the spirits of all HKIS students throughout the year. Dragon Spirit would not be complete without the Booster Club’s Torch, our spirited mascot. Every year parents and students don the Torch costume and make appearances at the PFO Pumpkin Fest, the PFO World’s Fair, the APAC Basketball Tournament as well as at divisional events like Dragon Math and Upper Primary Book Week. Torch also helps with school fundraising and was cheering on the shavees at the St. Baldrick’s event. We are indeed grateful to those who volunteer for Torch duty, whether as Torch himself or as one of his handlers. All of this is made possible by the generous support of our HKIS community, through your purchases of uniforms, school supplies and other HKIS merchandise! We thank you all for being part of the Booster Club and we look forward to another amazing year! n

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Student Life

turkey trot and turkey bowl It was a surfeit of sports over the Thanksgiving weekend with the Turkey Trot and Turkey Bowl.

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Student Life

After an evening of overindulgence on turkey, trimmings and more, what better way to work off those excess calories than take part in Hong Kong International School’s first Turkey Trot! Gathering at the entrance to Tai Tam Country Park on Friday morning, nearly 100 eager runners were ready to take on the 5 km course. After a fun and physical warm-up led by Middle School PE Teacher Mr. Michael Coleman, the competitors, made up of parents, students, teachers and alumni, lined up at the start. In just over 20 minutes the leaders were back. Middle schooler Hayden Bailey ’21 came home in front of parent Gary Lew in what proved to be a hard fought contest with parent Paul Cherry in third place, two minutes behind. Parent Liza Bailey won the women’s race in just over 30 minutes, closely followed by parents Victoria Street and Christine Boyle. As the runners crossed the line they were greeted by the cheers and support of the Advancement Department, and Booster Club who had laid on their prized sliced oranges for all the finishers! The action then moved to the High School for the Turkey Bowl. Teachers, alumni and students took to the field to battle it out to be crowned champions of the coveted event, now in its eighth year. As the flags were tagged, balls caught and yards stolen, the players sparred it out on the newly refurbished High School pitch, which looked stunning in the brilliant November sunshine. The Booster Club was once again on hand to spread the Dragon Spirit, handing out sliced oranges on the sidelines. Back on the pitch, the High Schoolers led by this year’s event organizers Joshua Levy ’17 and Parker Rudd ’17 provided tough opposition to the alumni team. And 8 years after dreaming up the original Turkey Bowl as part of his High School Senior Project, Justin Turley ’08 led the alumni team to the title. Look out for updates on how you can take part in 2017’s sporting activities this coming Thanksgiving! n

Photos by Nicholas Poon ’18

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Student Life

47th Annual Holiday Basketball Tournament SCOREBOARD

GIRLS RESULTS Champions: American School of Bangkok 2nd: Taipei American School 3rd: Hong Kong International School 4th: American School in Japan 5th: Singapore American School 6th: Belilios Public School

The Holiday Basketball Tournament is, undoubtedly, the most competitive basketball tournament that we participate in each season. Throughout the past few years, I have witnessed immeasurable growth in the women’s varsity team. Three years ago, our team was rarely recognized given our long history of constant losses. However, throughout the past two tournaments, not only have our individual players improved, but our team has also become extremely passionate and determined. This year’s tournament was incredibly competitive as each game was unpredictable. The result depended on the drive and perseverance of each team. I am incredibly proud of our team’s performance in this tournament because each of us were determined to play our best and keep a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity.

For the 47th time, the Holiday Basketball Tournament brought together players from around Asia to converge on HKIS for a weekend of hoops, shots and slam dunks. It was a three-peat for the boys from SAS, once again walking away with the championship. The girls’ tournament saw the coronation of new championship winners, American School Bangkok.

To be a part of such a long-standing HKIS tradition is extremely special. It was truly an honor to be able to represent our school, and play on our home court while parents, teachers, and classmates cheered us on. Looking forward, I am hopeful that we will take what we have learned in the Holiday Tournament and move on to reach our true potential. — Nitya Velakacharla ’17 Captain, Girls Varsity Basketball Team

BOYS RESULTS Champions: Singapore American School 2nd: St. Mary’s International School 3rd: American School in Japan 4th: Taipei American School 5th: American School of Bangkok 6th: Hong Kong International School

Our Dragons fared well against tough opposition with the girls’ side finishing in third place, producing a strong performance against American School in Japan winning 53-43. Phoebe Chen led the way with 16 points and Nitya Velakacharla was selected to the All Tournament Team. The boys’ team gained valuable game experience over the course of the tournament with injuries playing a part in their 6th place finish. Positive leadership from Mitchell Parks and solid play from All Tournament Nominee James Drake were factors in the teams win against Taipei American School. A big thanks to those families who housed our visiting players and the Booster Club for their support! We look forward to seeing you all on November 23, 2017 for the 48th edition of the Holiday Basketball Tournament. n

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I’ve been watching the Holiday Tournament since my days in the Middle School. It’s a privilege to don the HKIS uniform like so many have before me. This tournament has been a tradition for 47 years, and as HKIS entered its 50th year, it is truly an honor to play for and graduate from this school in such a special year. Though we did not finish where we hoped, I believe that this tournament shed light upon the capabilities of our team. Even whilst being short-handed due to injuries, we had stretches during the tournament where flashes of brilliance and toughness stood out. Our first game of the tournament against TAS was undoubtedly a memorable one. A packed crowd cheering for us as we pulled out an impressive victory is something that I will never forget and having the opportunity to play in front of our teachers, friends, and families for both China Cup and APAC is invigorating.It gives us a chance to show what we’re made of and allows us to bounce back in historic fashion. — Mitchell Park ’17

Student Life

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony singing in christmas!

The school community gathered on December 5, 2016, in the High School plaza to welcome in Christmas. Our second Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony welcomed over 200 parents, students, faculty and staff to spend an evening enjoying cookies, candies, carols and hot chocolate. Music Teachers Mr. Cy Udall and Ms. Krista Webster led the UP Choir, UP A Cappella, HS Men’s and Women’s Choir and the HS Wind Orchestra to fill the plaza with harmonious sounds. The wonderful tree, which had been merrily decorated by the Facilities Management staff with lights, tinsel and ornaments donated by parents Andy and Stephanie Pan, looked fittingly festive. The Annual Fund Committee provided tree decorations with students’ inscriptions saying I love HKIS because… Booster Club also provided their ever-popular popcorn for all the guests. Finally, following Dr. Alan Runge’s introductions, the chorus of O Christmas Tree signaled the official start to Christmas, and the tree came to life in a dazzling array of sparkling lights. n

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Student Life

lower primary and middle school

Buddies Program By Katy Hawkins and Maya Nelson

As educators, we always seek opportunities and experiences that help build the whole child. We know that those tools, those soft tools that have everything to do with everyone, but aren’t so simply taught or given, are crucial in the development and exposure of children and adolescents. How do we grow others socially, and, emotionally? How do we support students in having experiences that may place them in situations of needing to give and take, learn and teach, and being thrown a little out of their comfort levels into the hands of another? There are a few things, we know. As educators we know how truly important the elements of relationship building and collaboration are. We also know that there is something about the developmental stages of early childhood and something about that stage of pre-adolescents that make it the perfect time to combine these two age groups to make some magic happen. That we did. The idea of a “Buddy Program” came out of a conversation with Dr. Michael Thompson, a world renowned psychologist, author and consultant who has worked with our HKIS community over the years. He stresses the importance of children working and playing with one another in multi-age opportunities. Dr. Thompson speaks to the connections given to younger students when an older student engages with them and the opportunities of learning that occur naturally through dialogue, play and interaction when you put these two groups together. This idea gave birth to our Lower Primary and Middle School Building Buddies Program. Three years ago, the Lower Primary moved onto the Middle School campus. We had children from 4 year-olds up to 13 year-olds sharing spaces and walking past each other on a daily basis. The Buddies meet throughout the whole year and each year this has been reset to support the students’ learning and schedules. Buddy classes meet first in September and then other mornings over the course of the year. Each Lower Primary student is paired with a Middle School buddy. The children spend 30-40 minutes together each buddy session. We also have chapels and assemblies that we attend with our buddies in an effort to bring our entire Middle School and Lower Primary schools together and together, we enjoy a variety of performances. The most beautiful moment to watch is when our very young four year olds walk hand in hand with their MS buddy into the Christmas Concert. That has now become a tradition, of

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sorts, and really is symbolic to the the true beauty and warmth of these experiences for all the students. Every young child firmly grasping the hand of their older buddy, watching and listening, attentively focused, and in awe of that “big kid!” Every older buddy, holding the hand of a younger, more sensitive and tentative one, wondering the realness of this connection and how squirmy and talkative (or not) they may be. It’s a special view to see. Our Building Buddies program helps to strengthen our school community and challenges the fears or misconceptions that children may have about younger or older age groups. It also gives children the opportunity to practice important values such as respect, responsibility, friendship and valuing differences. Through caring for younger children, older children learn the skills associated with empathy and compassion. Younger children enjoy the one-on-one attention from their Middle School buddy and find comfort and excitement as these unique friendships flourish across the year. With these positive cross-age relationships, the younger children feel safe and cared for and the older children feel valued and respected. There isn’t much better than this. All you need to do is look at the eyes of a four year old staring in awe at his special buddy, and you know. Some learning doesn’t come in a book. It comes through the gentle nudges of others, the relationships made, the hearts tugged a bit, the mentors and heros established. That look, that look of a four year old looking attentively into the eyes of a buddy? THAT’s the magic. n

Student Life

upper primary puts the ‘up’ in puppy

Four paws. Long, pink tongue. Wagging tail. A future lifeline in the form of black, velvety fur. By Gretchen Loughran Lovey is just like every other black Labrador puppy– she needs potty training, play time, snuggles and kibble. Unlike most others, though, she’s headed for an important lifelong job of being a guide dog for someone who is visually impaired in Hong Kong. The partnership between Hong Kong Guide Dog Association and HKIS began when Ms. Gretchen Loughran, a Grade 4 Learning Specialist, met another Hong Kong teacher who was a “Puppy Raiser” at her Kowloon high school. After many discussions, school and home visits, and plenty of planning meetings between Gretchen and HKGDA, both partners realized this could be a great match: HKIS students could benefit from directly serving their local community, and the puppy could be trained in a busy, distracting environment. And so the “Puppy Project at Upper Primary” was born! Lovey was approved to become a part of the community at Upper Primary for the 2016-17 school year. The UP community would raise her, train her in basic dog obedience commands, and socialize her in a variety of settings, including public transport. Students at Upper Primary have been coached about how to help Lovey focus on her “job” (which involves ignoring them and sitting through classes). As Kelton Sonada ’25 says, “It is important not to pet Lovey when she has her vest on because she can get distracted when she is supposed to be working.”

Upper Primary students take Lovey’s training seriously and a special student Puppy Club has been created. The club has met to plan events and fundraisers. The students also have the opportunity to walk her around the block during recess and lunch. “[Walking her] feels good. I have walked a dog on my own before so I am kind of used to it. Also every time I get to walk a dog a joyful feeling fills me,” says Celeste Belin ’24. Students not in the Puppy Club also have the opportunity to interact with Lovey on campus, as well as follow her progress on her puppy blog (hkishkgda.wordpress.com) and email her directly (lovey@hkis.edu.hk). Lovey has embraced the busy schedule of Upper Primary and attends school events (assemblies, Adventure Day, etc.) She’s brought a lot of joy and unity to the students and staff at Upper Primary. Staff and kids alike can watch her at work, offer insight into her training, and sometimes just come to see her for a free pet or snuggle to relieve stress. At Upper Primary, we’ll learn how service takes sacrifice, too, as Lovey will move on to her formal training in a few months’ time. Ritambhara Singh ’25, new this year to HKIS, says, “I feel sad when I think of Lovey leaving but she will be happy and that’s great. Ms. Loughran told me that she just thinks of it as something good and spends the time with Lovey when she can. I wonder how she is feeling, she’s raised her and now Lovey will just go. The only thing we can hope for now is for Lovey to be happy.” n

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Student Life

middle school Poetry

Lantern By Grace Giddings ’22 My Dad Is like a Lilliputian red lantern glowing in the thick velvety night Only few will notice his warm glow He will ignite the stars with incandescence And then pass on Leaving the thick, milky darkness of the mysterious night He is like a rippleless mahogany clock ticking endlessly Keeping watch over a snug little home He perpetuates with his tasks, And tells me to do the same Every day he tells me to work hard and be honest He might not notice that I listen and that I know But I do, and I tuck these words into my thoughts Behind soft blankets of worries And pillows of dreams A soft milky world of passing thoughts I see him as a perfect dad I feel a phosphorescence of warmth come over me It illuminates my life A peach colored glow That cradles me in safety

But there is another side Work. It is one word But it means so much He has worked so hard He still works so hard I could never do what he does Planes Trains Cars Every day on one of these Embarking for work Talking to people he does not know Yet they feel his warm kindness And so they know him Thoughts wander in my head like nomads of a faraway land What if the plane never lands What if the train never stops I hide these sorrowful dark thoughts I tuck them away for another time In a dark place in my mind Filled with opaque curtains And abandoned thoughts An attic for worries I pray every night That he will be alright. I think of the lantern, glowing in the dark milky night And then I truly know That he will be alright. n

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Student Life

middle school Poetry

The Man Who Lived Through War, To Die Tomorrow By Penelope Lee ’21 North Korea, 1949 Young Chang, 12 year old boy, Body, half broken Mind, mostly stressed Heart, completely crushed. Vivid memories will forever linger in his brain Tall men dressed in army green uniforms roaming the North Korean streets Black guns held horizontal from their bodies The blast of the guns caused his whole family to plunge to the ground Even in their own home, They have not been more startled His cheekbones pressed against the wood floor He could only hear the gulps that his body created His heart, punching through his chest begging to be free It was then when his family realized, They had to leave. His heart may still be alive But his soul is dead His bony figure makes it hard to move Bones pierce through his skin making him look like a skeleton His body may still be a boy But has the duties of a man His back aches from carrying his five siblings Step after step, Breath after breath “We’re almost there, we’re almost there,” he kept telling the little ones He tried his best to keep their little flame of hope alive, But deep down he knew that theirs had been torched out, as with his All the energy abandoned his body as if he deserved none Sleepines s hit as soon as they began this trek, As much as he wanted to close his eyes, and dream of a better tomorrow, The fear of being caught and killed kept him awake and moving. With Korea’s winter months rolling around, As if plunging into an ice bath, Their little flaps of skin provided no warmth Their ripped clothes let the cool winter breeze clash against the surface They had no idea where they were, But knew where they wanted to go “Seoul, Seoul,” he kept whispering to himself The fear on his father’s face reflected onto his The pain in his mother’s limbs resembled his own The exhaustion ricocheted into his own eyes It was that day when the thought of being a father or grandfather never crossed his mind It was that journey when he thought that in a few days his heart will catch up to his soul And that little spark will be torched out Never had he predicted a future with a family A wife, three daughters, then me My grandfather made it. n APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

HKIS Gallery

Middle School Student Art

Isabel Baker ’22

Clara Kim ’21

Clara Zibell ’21

Olivia Doherty ’22 38

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Mark Li ’21

Student Life

highschool Junto As part of HKIS’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations DragonTales is continuing its collaboration with Junto, the High School Newspaper.

TEDx: Shifting the Paradigm at HKIS November 6, 2016

(L-R) Jacob Tai ’17, Jordan Marzo ’17, Jahaan Vaswani ’17 © Arjun Bajaj ’19

By Kevin Wu ’17 Last year, the seed for HKIS’s TEDx program was planted when alumni Rachelle Hung ’16, Evadne Sanussi ’16, and Charmaine Chan ’16 decided to explore the idea for their senior project. “Having watched

TED and TEDx videos for years now, the idea of having a platform for speakers to come together and share their ideas with an audience inspired us. TEDx gives everyone an opportunity to voice their thoughts – not just professional speakers,” said Chan, Hung, and Sanussi. When discussing the motives of their senior project, the three leaders added, “We wanted to inspire the students to venture out of their comfort zones and to change their outlook[s] on life – perhaps [by] adding yoga to a daily schedule for stress relief, or [even] playing a new instrument.” With the former directors of TEDxYouth@HKIS off engaging in their college endeavors, the next generation of leaders have taken up the mantle: Jordan Marzo (12), Jahaan Vaswani (12), and Sophia Naqvi (10). In addition, interest toward the TEDx initiative has gained momentum since the conclusion of the 2016 event. Fortunately, Sophia Naqvi was able to provide key pieces of information in regard to the in’s and out’s of TEDx. “This year, [Jordan, Jahaan, and I] carefully selected a

12-person committee from over 40 applications and organized the committee into 3 teams: organizing, marketing, and photo/video.” The new TEDx leadership team has also gotten the ball rolling by picking out a fresh theme for the event. “Our selected theme for the

conference is Facing Fears. Our speakers will all be giving talks centered around this topic and will be free to share their interpretations and experiences.” In terms of curating, Vaswani, Marzo, and Naqvi have also begun searching and designing the audition process for non-student speakers, with a final goal of ten speakers. The 2017 executive directors also have their eyes set on bolstering the number of student speakers. Last year, only one student, Joshua Levy ’16, spoke at the conference. However, this year’s committee hopes to invite two to three student speakers from a range of grade levels. The leaders are also advocating for more committee involvement in terms of organizing event details. Naqvi explained, “As the first

Although TEDx@HKIS is a comparatively young initiative among our school’s vast array of student-led clubs and organizations, one should not shrug it off as the second-rate remains of a senior project. When asked about the planning of this year’s TEDx event, Naqvi replied,

“I can confidently say that out of all the extracurriculars I take part in, this is the one that requires the most work. I’m sure that Jahaan and Jordan would agree that this is one of our biggest non-academic commitments.” This directly correlates with remarks made by the former leaders of TEDx@HKIS, who stated that they had to spend “two to four hours” applying for the license, contacting speakers, creating promotional videos, ordering physical resources, and performing other logistical tasks. Providing just a taste of the effort required to plan such an occasion, Naqvi elaborated further, saying, “[The other leaders and I] Skype

practically every weekend for two hours sifting through applications, filling out forms, and discussing the direction we want to go in for the next week.” Jahaan, Jordan, and Sophia all firmly agree that the trajectory of this semester’s planning should result in a “phenomenal conference.” While making her final remarks, Naqvi revealed her desires for TEDxYouth@HKIS 2017. “I personally hope that the conference allows

students to feel a connection to the speaker, to others in the audience, and to themselves. At HKIS, we all too often focus our efforts solely on academics and activities. Because of this, we just as often fail to pause and simply think,” said Naqvi. With high hopes for this year’s TEDx event, the team strives to give back to the HKIS community by providing students and faculty with a refreshing social and intellectual outlet. Let us wish them luck as they strive to carry out the bold mission of the global TEDx community:

“To enable viewers to think more holistically in regards to our fast changing world, and how we as inhabitants can help make it a better place.” n

TEDxYouth@HKIS conference was planned as a senior project, the committee wasn’t allowed to do much. Charmaine, Evadne, and Rachelle had to take care of a majority of the work in order for it to qualify as a senior project.”

2016 TEDx Committee © Ellis Holcombe APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Student Life

highschool Junto

Resurrection of the Winter Formal After Five-year Hiatus January 8, 2017

By Gracie Chung ’19

Back to traditions with

On December 3, HKIS held its first Winter Formal in five years at the Middle School gym. Complete with a DJ, Christmas decorations, and catering by Castelo Concepts, the gym was buzzing with 175 students from different grades, though they were mostly freshmen and sophomores. Around 15 to 20 seniors attended the Winter Formal. According to Samy Morton (11), the Senator of Student Life, the Winter Formal at HKIS was discontinued a couple years ago due to

“a lack of numbers and enthusiasm from students.” Morton wanted to revive the Winter Formal this year in response to some peers’ suggestions to bring back the Winter Formal. She also wanted to hold an event open to all grades that would include underclassmen. There are many positive reviews on the Winter Formal for the DJ and the food. In addition, many people appreciate the fact that the Winter Formal stands as a long-standing tradition for many other APAC schools and therefore, feel that it should be reintroduced to HKIS. Class Officer Christopher Shim (11) says, “A lot of international schools, a

lot of the APAC schools, have Winter Formals. It’s like an established tradition for them, so I think it’s nice HKIS is doing it again this year. It would also be a nice opportunity for underclassmen to get to know one another, and also for the juniors to get to know them.” Class Officer Sophia Naqvi (10) explains, “I’m here because I’d like to see how the class is benefiting from our Senate. I think it’s a good idea to hold the Winter Formal because there aren’t any events for students from all grades. There’s only prom for upperclassmen. It’s good to have it there for people who do want to have this type of community event to be able to participate [in].”

“It’s really fun. I like the fact that underclassmen are bonding,” Emma Bisgaard (10) yells over the music.

Even those initially less enthusiastic about the event were impressed with the Formal this year. Daniel Sheremeta (9) says, “Although I initially had some apprehensions about

going to the Winter Formal because the hangouts were honestly not very fun in the Middle School—we got locked in and couldn’t leave early—I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of the event. It was very well-organized, and the food and music were both excellent.” Even though many were satisfied with the event, there were still points for improvement. Senate ExCo Treasurer Maxwell Sheremeta (11) mentions the slight miscommunication regarding the food served at the Formal. He adds, “This is more coming from what I’ve heard from others, but I

know a lot of people would have preferred a full buffet because it was hard to eat from the platters and dance at the same time with nowhere to sit.” 40

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the High School Senate

Presiding Officer Ben Huang (12) suggests that in order to attract more upperclassmen, “the event could be moved to before Chinese New Year in January instead of December.” He comments that “many of [his]

upperclassmen friends felt that they were too busy to attend, given that the Formal occurred around a stressful time of college apps, summatives, and standardized testing.” Still, the overwhelming sentiment has been that the Winter Formal should continue for years to come.

“Anything that brings people in our school together around fun and good memories ought to be preserved,” Maxwell Sheremeta adds. Huang explains, “Although there may have been few bonds formed… between members of each grade directly resulting from the Winter Formal, the event contributed to the overall High School spirit, and that helps to create a sense of inter-grade community. People who attended the Winter Formal certainly felt like they were a part of the greater High School.” Jonathan Chung (11) echoes a similar opinion, “[the Formal] reminded me of the middle school dances at my old school, TAS… I’m really happy for Samy and the Winter Formal committee that it went so well, and thank them for the hard work they put into the event.” Overall, he notes, “It was a great event and would be a really nice tradition to have at our school. It contributes to the Christmas spirit and helps bring people together to celebrate the completion of the first semester.” According to Mrs. Taylor, one reason for the success of the Winter Formal this year, especially in contrast to the waning participation from students five years ago, was that the Winter Formal of past used to be an event run by the junior class. This year, however, it was a Senate-run event, which rendered it an all-school event rather than just the eleventh grade sponsoring it. Another reason is simply time. She says, “If you

let something go for a while, then people have no memory of it, and the Winter Formal [from five years ago] had been happening for a very, very long time, and there was less and less attendance… Sometimes if you put something away for a while, and then bring it back again, it seems fresh and new.” The Winter Formal this year was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, and the HKIS Senate and students look forward to next year’s event with even greater anticipation. n

HKIS Gallery

High School Student Art: Mixed Media Eliz Fan ’18

Tim Chui ’18

Nicole Chen ’20

Students recently took part in a woodcraft workshop at Three Keys Craft Space.

Sabrina Woll ’17

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Events

hong kong chapter

Meet HKIS’s HK Chapter Alumni Board! In September 2016, the HK Chapter Alumni Board held its second Annual General Meeting, whereby a new Board was voted in to represent the HKIS Alumni Community in Hong Kong. Please welcome the new Board for the school years 2016-18!

HK Chapter Alumni Board 2016-18 Alexander Ting Andrew Kwan Jason Tan Justin Lui Liz Liang Matthew Sears Michael Au

Class of Class of Class of Class of Class of Class of Class of

2007 1997 1996 2004 2004 2002 2000

Back (L-R): Mrs. Janet Taylor (faculty advisor), Justin Lui ’04, Mr. George Coombs (faculty advisor), Matthew Sears ’02, Michael Au ’00 Front (L-R): Andrew Kwan ’97, Liz Liang ’04, Jason Tan ’96, Alex Ting ’07

Alexander Ting ’07

Jason Tan ’96

Liz Liang ’04

I believe in giving back by helping to strengthen our alumni network. Connecting alumni is fun and is a great way for new ideas to be formed and new things to be done. I currently run a tech company, and with my expertise, I hope to broaden our reach and improve how we communicate with our alums through developing more efficient online systems.

I have been serving on the HKIS Alumni Board in Hong Kong for five fulfilling years, and especially enjoy meeting and catching up with HKIS graduates from all years. I will continue to dedicate my time to bringing the school and the alumni community closer together, and hope that our success will be a model for HKIS Alumni Associations all over the world.

As a Board, we are committed to connect back to our HKIS roots. Having served on the Board for the past two years, we have made a lot of progress to build out the HKIS Alumni platform in Hong Kong, and find ways to better engage with the HKIS community, as well as showcasing the breadth of knowledge and talent among the Alumni. Beyond that, I have also have deep personal connections with the school — my three brothers are also proud HKIS graduates, and my husband and I first met in second grade at HKIS!

Andrew Kwan ’97

Justin Lui ’04

Matthew Sears ’02

I loved my days at HKIS and keen to give back to the alumni community. I have a group of very close HKIS friends who have been together since Grade 9, and 23 years in, we are still as close as ever and have called ourselves the “Garoupa,” partially inspired by the word group. Many of us alumni are interconnected by fond memories of the school, and by aspiring to serve, I hope to help alumni rediscover their passion for their school.

I come from a family of HKIS alumni, with two brothers who graduated in 1994, 2000, and then myself in 2004. HKIS has been without a doubt the single most influential experience in my childhood and adolescence life, and I would love to get firmly in touch with fellow alumni and hope to also create more service opportunities for alumni and current HKIS students to participate in together.

I’m excited to be more involved with HKIS now and am focusing on ways to increase the connection between the alumni community and current students. I’m lucky to be able to see so many great friends from HKIS all the time in HK and hope that my experience working in education can help our accomplished alumni support today’s students.

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Events

Alumni Initiatives in Hong Kong WELCOME DRINKS

LEADERSHIP / ENTREPRENEUR FORUM

To welcome all Alumni, the Board kicked things off in December 2016 with Holiday Drinks.

In February, the Alumni Board hosted a luncheon on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation, featuring three HKIS alumni who shared their own experience as start-up entrepreneurs and investors. Thank you to Henry Hu ’12, Founder of Cafe X, Arthur Law ’02, Co-Founder and General Partner of Vectr and Natalie Lo ’08, Co-Founder of Creatica Lab and CEO at Kadho Creatica Lab, for taking part in the discussions.

We also gave a very warm welcome to Ms. Zella Talbot and Amanda Liang (Class of 2017), who provided us with an update on Interact and their annual fundraising fashion show scheduled in March. This was followed by a live performance by Nicole Lim (Class of 2018) and an inspirational speech by David J. Begbie, HKIS alumnus ’94 and Director of the Global Village for Crossroads Foundation as we embraced the spirit of giving back.

The Board’s aim is to continue rolling out leadership seminars as we look to continue featuring distinguished guests who lead on topical discussions in company of the HKIS alumni community. Expect to hear more of these forums in the coming two years!

Matthew Sears ’02 , Amy Vlastelica ’02 and Monica Woll ’02

David J. Begbie ’94, Director of Global Village, Crossroads Foundation

Jonathan Leung ’01, Cyndy Kiow ’02, Chester Hui ’01, Michael Au ’00

HKIS Alumni gather over lunch to speak with fellow alumni to discuss entrepreneurship, tech and innovation.

’04 and Pramod Sharma ni ’00 Yogi Uttamchanda

HKIS ALUMNI BENEFIT CARD IN HONG KONG After the inaugural launch of the Benefit Card in 2015, the Board has committed to continue with this initiative as a way of giving back to HKIS’s alumni community, as well as showcasing the successful businesses built by many of our alumni.

HKIS Alumni Board member Andrew Kwan ’97 kicks-off the luncheon with a welcome speech

Available to all registered Alumni Association members for the 2016-17 school year, the card provides a series of discounts and/or special offerings from a selection of business establishments (restaurants, gyms, furniture stores), most of which are owned by HKIS alumni. Select Business Partners include BO Concepts, Gyotaku and Moda Republic. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who made this card possible — to the Business Partners, Board members involved to make this happen, as well as to Brian Cheng ’07, Barry Cheng and Rosa Byun who designed the card. Questions? We will be providing regular updates via the alumni mailing list soon. Please also feel free to contact the HKIS HK Chapter Alumni Board at hkisalumni.hk@gmail.com. n

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Events

Class of ’86 30th Reunion Reunion Team

rst Crush Dinner At Fi 16) (June 25, 20

& Wine Bar Restaurant

Christine Wong

Honorary Chair Leah Goslen & Suzette Stephens

Venue Coordinators Sondra Stever

Hotel Coordinator Suzette Stephens

Reunion Polo Shirt Coordinator Rob Dinglasan

Reunion Logo Designer Francine Jacome

Finance & Communication Coordinator (and Lasso Operator)

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

One small group made their way after dim sum up to wine country for an afternoon of tasting and feasting. It was fun to laugh over reminiscences. nt & Seafood

Kiang Restaura Dim Sum At Ton ) (June 26, 2016

The Class of ’86 had a wonderful weekend in San Francisco. Everyone kept telling us how lucky we were to have such beautiful sunny weather with almost none of the famous fog. The reunion officially kicked off on Friday evening, June 24, in the lobby of the Park Central Hotel. Several alumni gathered for a drink in the lounge before crossing over to California Pizza Kitchen, where the main festivities would begin. By 5 p.m., the crowd on the outdoor patio began to grow as everyone slowly arrived. It was wonderful to see the familiar faces. Some had changed so little, while others were hardly recognizable. Thirty years will do that to you. Those inside must have wondered what all those crazy people in the patio were going on and on about. The servers were definitely confused as if we were some sort of alien being. To be honest, we were. Unless you lived our lives, we’re sort of hard to comprehend. The conversations were so much fun; it was difficult to get anyone to eat! But alas, we did. And, throughout the evening, as more of our friends arrived, we kept squealing and jumping up to give welcoming hugs. By 10 p.m. it was time to go. Everyone dispersed into smaller groups, some continuing elsewhere, while others crept back to their hotels to recover from jetlag. Saturday started out as a day where everyone was free to do as they wished. One rather large group headed over to Alcatraz for much of the late morning/early afternoon. Others explored the city and the Golden Gate Bridge and some simply met for lunch to catch up on old times.

Most began to depart on Monday. Tears started to flow as the realization came that our weekend was over. Those that had to travel to the airport had a hard time saying goodbye. To wrap up my summary of our 30th reunion, I will attach a message I sent out to everyone at the tail end of our weekend, which pretty much sums up our feelings:

“As I sit at the gate, relaxed and waiting for my plane to board, I can look back and reflect on our amazing weekend. Old friendships were rekindled and new ones were forged. It’s interesting to see how much, yet how little, each and every one of us has changed. The number of years any one of us spent at HKIS or whether or not we graduated there was totally irrelevant. What we shared is seared into our collective consciousness. Thank you to everyone for coming. It was easier for some than for others, but you made it work. Against all odds, you showed up for one or all events. Those little lunches and side activities also gave you a chance to catch up with a smaller group. Plans have been made to visit friends with your family. I will now be more careful to find out if an old classmate lives in a city I plan to visit so we can meet up for a lunch, dinner or drinks. I laughed this weekend like I haven’t laughed in a long time. It made me feel good to know how strong our bond really is. One universal comment I heard from almost everyone I spoke with is how hard it is for others to understand our experience. It developed us in some special way as more empathetic toward the ways of the world. I’m saddened that some couldn’t join us this year, but take comfort in the knowledge that they’ll make it next time around. Dinner At California Pizza Kitchen (June 24, 2016)

At 6 p.m., everyone gathered downtown again at First Crush Restaurant and Wine Bar for the main event. This was the largest group, at around 40 people. A slideshow ran in the background with photos from high school and reunions past. Animated conversations were taking place throughout the room. It was all we could do to get everyone to take a seat so that our three-course dinner could be served. Thank you’s were shared and then conversation ensued. Again, 10 p.m. seemed to be the hour when we had to “move along”. About 30 people made their way on foot back to the Park Central for another round of drinks and conversation. By midnight, the lounge was closing and again, several people headed up to their rooms to talk some more and others to sleep. A small, animated group hopped into an Über and traveled to the Castro district to have some fun on the night before the Pride Parade. Day two came to a close. Sunday started early at Ton Kiang Restaurant and Seafood. The aroma of fresh dim sum permeated the air. The gang slowly grew and filled up first one table, then two, then three and finally four. Steaming bamboo containers filled with goodness appeared on each table. For those who hadn’t indulged in dim sum for a while, it was heavenly!

I’ve hugged you all so much but would gladly do it again and again and again. I mean it when I ask you to PLEASE keep in touch. By now, you have my mobile, my Facebook, my email and more. Let’s not lose each other. I expect to see 50 alumni at our 35th! Love and peace (and cheers)! Francine” n

Everyone did their best to stretch the morning out as long as possible. Some had come with their suitcases in hand as their next stop was to the airport. More pictures were taken and more stories shared. Promises to keep in touch and see each other soon. By 11 a.m., everyone’s tummies were satisfied and we made our way outside for a wonderful group photo. APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Events

Class of ’94 Mini-Reunion In early June, Andrea Pulito ’94 and Brenda Pulito Runion ’94 celebrated their 40th birthdays in London with fellow HKIS friends Faith Fischer ’94, Lauren Castellari ’94, Louise Stallard ’94, Ryu Voelkel ’94 and Kevin Kent ’95. Then Andrea, Faith, Brenda, and Andrea’s husband, Zack Godfrey, traveled to Ireland for a week of fun and sightseeing! n

llard, Lauren r, Louise Sta Faith Fische n, Andrea Pulito io Brenda Run

yu Voelkel,

Castellari, R

Faith Fischer, An Kevin Kent, an drea Pulito, (left to right) d Brenda Runion

Brenda Runion (left), Andrea

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Pulito (right)

Events

Class of ’06 10th Reunion

By Kimberly Hu and Richard Siu Thinking back with the perspective of a High School senior, 10 years feels like the equivalent of a lifetime. All the struggles and hardships that each and every alumnus had encountered along the way to adulthood seemed to dissipate upon entering the room on the evening of the Class of 2006’s 10-year reunion. With the backdrop of the Hong Kong Harbor, the Chart Room at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club was a beautiful venue for the milestone event. The night was a spectacular evening of food and drinks coupled with High School photos, yearbook photos and even our class of 2006 video - special thanks to Simon Liu for producing this feature and we are extremely grateful of Natasha Tang for locating the sole remaining copy of this precious video. Over 60 alums attended this event and we were especially pleased to welcome alumni who travelled across the world to be there that night. With special thanks to Dongyoung Kim from Korea, Nicholas Chan from San Francisco, Natasha Tang from New York and Joy Thomas from Washington DC, along with alumni who had to step away from their children that evening – Edwin Kam and Eric Cheung. The night was filled with laughter, teenage immaturity, rekindling friendships and meaningful discussions. It was a night to remember and a night we will forever hold dearly. We look forward to meeting up again at our Class of 2006, 15-year reunion! n

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Events

Boston en Masse Dr. Runge meets with Bostonian alumni

On October 6, Head of School Dr. Alan Runge met with HKIS alumni attending college in the Boston area for an evening of catch-up and connection at The Merchant restaurant. Students from Boston University (Dylan Pan ’13, Jasmine Lee ’15, Valerie Tan ’15, Anya Soumya ’16) Northeastern University (Vivian Kon ’13, Kevin Shenk ’15, Nicholas Leung ’15, Chloe Kwan ’15, Angela Fan ’15, Alex Shaw ’16, Keelin Fitzsimons ’16, Ernie Hao ’16, Julie van Westendorp ’14, and Howard Liu’ 14), Tufts University (Kristofer Siy ’13 and Max Luo ’15) Harvard University (Jeffrey He ’16) and Suffolk University (Hilary Fan ’15) all joined the reunion. The next night, Alan again was honored to host alumni of all ages for a dinner and update of campus development and news. Hope to see you at the next event! n

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HKIS Gallery

High School Student Art: Digital Art Athina Hostelet ’18

Ale Aristeguieta ’17

Genevieve Bedell ’17

Denise Lee ’19

Jessica Tan ’18

Rohan Mukerji ’17 APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Alumni Making Moves

College & Service Brittany Fried ’15 A passion for service Brittany Fried ’15 and Caroline Scown ’15 launched the Empowerment Curriculum in their senior year at HKIS. Now at Georgetown University, Brittany’s passion for service and her dedication to developing the Empowerment Curriculum have led her to the world stage.

You were always passionate about service at HKIS. How has this continued in college?

It’s not difficult to find service opportunities in university; the hardest part is deciding on the type of involvement. In High School, I wasn’t involved in many service clubs per se, but instead worked with external organizations, led Interim trips and served as the Senator of Service. I am more involved with clubs at Georgetown, from weekly teaching in a public school, to being a board member of the anti-human trafficking organization, to consulting for local NGOs. While these clubs are enriching, I find that the Empowerment Curriculum Caroline Scown ’15 and I published in our senior year at HKIS continues to be my focus. We received feedback and mentorship when we travelled to the Global Engagement Summit in Chicago and we are now in the process of expanding the curriculum activities through developing a facilitator training course, and making the resources available online. I feel that the work we start in High School should not stop when we leave; instead, we can deepen and expand the work and continue to make an impact.

You had this amazing experience at the United Nations/Vatican Youth Symposium. Can you tell us about this?

I took our curriculum to the UN/Vatican Youth Symposium in Rome and the Youth Assembly at the UN in New York. I was selected as one of 50 delegates chosen from around the world for the three-day conference, based on my application around a set topic of a “sustainable development solution” to facilitate the achievement of the UN’s 2030 Agenda, focusing on education and human trafficking. The symposium, which took place in Vatican City, was an unbelievable opportunity. It was hosted by global change-makers Jeffrey Sachs, Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, and Siamak Sam Loni. The “Top 10” solutions were selected to do special presentations, and ultimately two were published and supported by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the UN. My proposed solution was to introduce and expand the Empowerment Curriculum to all Catholic and UN-associated schools. I believe that leadership training and civic engagement are essential lessons that every child should experience. The proposal made the Top 10, but what mattered were the relationships I built during this conference. People our age are making an unbelievable impact on our global community, and they love to share all they can to help others make a more profound difference. I am so appreciative of the support and recommended resources our project received (and continues to receive) from this new network.

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How did HKIS influence you?

Coming to university has made me appreciate just how much HKIS has done for me. HKIS truly cultivates leadership qualities, community engagement, tolerance of diversity and academic excellence in its students. This made the transition to university a lot easier, as I was accustomed to being surrounded by other students who are engaged globally, want to excel academically, and celebrate diversity. I’m still learning Chinese and absolutely love it, so I’m pursuing a minor in Chinese! Georgetown offers fantastic Chinese courses, such as Topics in Current Affairs, Chinese in Diplomatic Discourse, and Business Chinese. The biggest surprise for me at university was the transition back to living in the US. I had lived abroad since Grade 2, but spent most summer and winter breaks in America. It surprised me when my friends’ pop-culture references went straight over my head! I realized how many “regular” restaurants, among other things, I’d never tried. My friends made a group challenge to bring me to new places as often as possible and it soon became a playful running joke.

Are you still connected to HKIS?

My friends and I still Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook message and visit each other regularly, especially on the East Coast. Caroline and I have remained highly involved in HKIS through our Empowerment Curriculum, which runs on multiple Interim trips. The regular alumni emails are also a nice way to stay in touch with the school and greater community, even while half a world away. And Advancement Office events in HK are great, too! n

Get in touch with Brittany! blf32@georgetown.edu

Alumni Making Moves

Communications & Travel nd New Zeala Golfing in work perks! —

Nikki Pang ’00

trip advisor Nikki Pang ’00 has directed live television for CNN and now curates trips for the discerning traveler. She credits HKIS for the strong work ethic she brings to her job, no matter what the task.

With fiancé Rhys in Nepal.

L-R: Nicole Pang, Lilli an (in the back) and Laura Wu Yang, Jessica Berman Sander

Tell us about life after HKIS.

After graduating from HKIS I went to Tufts University in Massachusetts, where I majored in International Relations. After Tufts I moved back to Hong Kong where I spent a year working as a production assistant at CNN before moving to Beijing. There, I studied Mandarin, did marketing for a restaurant group and then worked for CNN in the run up to the 2008 Olympics. Alas, after 3 years I felt my lungs needed a break and I returned to Hong Kong with CNN.

At CNN you were a director/editor. There aren’t a lot of women in those jobs – how was this for you?

I was indeed the only female in the Technical Operations Department, but the boys all looked after me and I’m quite a tomboy so fit right in! We were responsible for editing feature programs and directing live news broadcasts, which certainly was exciting (and stressful at times!). It was such an exhilarating environment and I couldn’t have asked for a better team of people to work with.

After 5 years at CNN why did you want a change?

While I loved life at CNN, I started to tire of being confined to a studio every day. A friend introduced me to Lucy Jackson, Co-founder and Director of Lightfoot Travel, a luxury tailor-made travel agency which was then only a year old in Hong Kong. We clicked instantly and given my obsession with travel and previous experience in marketing, Lightfoot seemed like the perfect fit!

What do you love about Lightfoot Travel?

What we emphasize at Lightfoot is creating bespoke itineraries based on first-hand information and personal experiences. We invest heavily in sending our sales consultants away to stay at the properties we sell, test out the excursions and seek out the most reliable local partners. Being able to visit amazing destinations and stay at some of the best properties in the world is certainly a job perk! I think the common thread that runs through all staff is that we REALLY love to travel. And we come back after these familiarization trips, or FAM trips as we call them, and really just want others to share the same incredible experiences.

Hawaiian wedding with 9 HKIS alumni L-R: Hilary Thompson Green, Candice Luk, Lillian Wu Yang, Sonalie Figueiras, Nicole Pang, Louisa Marion, Laura Sander, Stephanie Tchong, Anita Tsay.

Why is this sort of travel important?

Nowadays, a lot of people are keen to do that little bit extra when travelling. So instead of visiting Myanmar and ticking off the highlights, they want to learn about the lesser-known regions, hidden boutique hotels and excursions that are away from the crowds. Enter Lightfoot Travel!

How did HKIS influence you? How has it helped in your career?

HKIS was one of the best times of my life! Great friends, amazing teachers and so much opportunity to travel (we still all talk about our Interim trips!). It definitely instilled a tremendous work ethic in me (countless all-nighters!) that continues to this day.

Have you worked or kept in touch with other alumni?

There is a small group of us in Shanghai and we meet up fairly often. The best thing about HKIS is that even if you weren’t particularly close in High School, everyone is friends afterwards. My closest HKIS friend in Shanghai told me recently that he actually used to find me really annoying in homeroom. I’m glad I’ve become less so, or maybe he’s become more patient! A lot of us in Hong Kong are still very close, and we recently had an HKIS wedding in Hawaii with nine former classmates!

And now it’s your turn! Congratulations on your engagement. Tell us about your fiancé.

Yes! My fiancé Rhys and I have been dating for about six years now, and he popped the question as we were walking down from the Peak one night before we moved to Shanghai. We’re looking to get married in Wales next year, but with him starting a new job and me setting up Lightfoot, neither of us really has time to plan! n

Get in touch with Nikki! nikki@lightfoottravel.com

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Alumni Making Moves

Documentary Filmmaker Nicola Fan ’06

Filming for Good Nicola Fan ’06 uses her creative skills to shine a light on social issues in Hong Kong.

How did HKIS influence you?

Tell us about ‘She Objects’. Since its release, have you seen this film have impact?

From a young age, I’ve been most drawn to art/design/film. At HKIS, I was able to nurture my interests through abundant opportunities to express my creativity. In fact, I did my first music video in Grade 8, which was then selected for showcase at the Middle School’s morning news channel!

I’m grateful to be given the chance by The Women’s Foundation to express my voice on this matter. Since its release this year, She Objects has received immense interest and support from schools, corporations, and film festivals. After screenings, it sparks lively discussions and thought-provoking questions from the audience. Some viewers also privately reached out to me and opened up about their battles with self-image and sexual harassment. Drawing on the film, The Women’s Foundation will also run media literacy workshops in local schools and universities across Hong Kong.

I joined HKIS in the sixth grade from a local school. By comparison, HKIS provided me freedom and encouragement to pursue a wider spectrum of topics and interests. I was no longer as strictly defined by my academic grades, and found myself exposed to and understanding things through a more international lens. From making rocket-ships and launching them on the field, to serving at a local orphanage in Foshan, to preparing ourselves for college and shaping our own future…these were all valuable hands-on learning experiences and practices that I continue to embrace to this day as a graphic designer and filmmaker.

In High School, my art teacher Ms. Karen Fish enriched me for life through teaching me the history of art and trained me to be thick-skinned about my artwork. Through the school’s counseling department, I also came across my dream college: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). In more ways than I could have imagined, HKIS sparked the beginning of my career journey.

How did you get your start in filmmaking?

After HKIS, I went to RISD (yes I cried when I found out I got accepted) and majored in Graphic Design. During that time, I also took a lot of film/ video/animation classes and experimented a lot with different mediums. Upon graduation in 2010, I worked in New York for a year as a graphic design consultant at JP Morgan and a multi-media assistant at Time Warner. Then I returned to Hong Kong and worked as an art director at the ad agency Cheil Worldwide. However, I needed to do more storytelling through short films, music videos and such. In late 2013, I started working as an independent graphic designer/filmmaker. Using my own savings and help from some friends, I created a music video The Eve and a short documentary Inspire Hope. Through word-of-mouth, The Women’s Foundation, a local non-governmental organization focused on women’s issues, came across Inspire Hope and invited me to direct their documentary project She Objects.

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Commissioned by The Women’s Foundation, She Objects is a documentary that explores how traditional and new forms of media create and exacerbate gender stereotypes, and their impact particularly on young girls in Hong Kong. This topic resonates with me: I grew up in the first wave of social media –MySpace, MSN, etc. It was fun for awhile until the pressures of constantly comparing yourself to not just celebrities but with everyone around became too much.

It has been extremely humbling and rewarding meeting everyone who made this documentary come to life, and engaging with audience to raise awareness and conversation.

What other projects are you working on?

I’m currently at research stage for my next feature on issues facing transgendered people, a drama about self-identity, relationships, and faith. I will be working on this with my producer Patty, with whom I worked on She Objects. In the meantime, I will continue to develop and direct short films, music videos, brand-content, as well as providing art direction and designing for promotional materials. n

Find out more about Nicola’s latest projects at www.nicola-fan.net

Alumni Making Moves

In the News Gigi Chao ’96

Gigi Chao ’96 has been named the world’s most influential LGBT executive by the professional network OUT-standing and The Financial Times. She is the first Asian to top the list. In the words of Suki Sandhu, CEO of OUT-standing: “She stood up for her own beliefs and who she is, and set

up an LGBT organization in Hong Kong to promote acceptance and visibility.”

Michelle Erickson ’97

Michelle Erickson ’97 is a passionate food writer. She has been writing about Shanghai restaurants dealing with the ‘Michelin curse’ and the post-award dining scene in her latest article published in the SCMP.

Forrest Holcombe ’16

Forrest Holcombe ’16 was recently featured by the Hong Kong Rugby Union for his work on raising awareness for first aid. Although currently on his gap year, Forrest has been campaigning to increase the worrying low rates of cardiac arrest survival in Hong Kong.

Gigi Chao ’96

Sarah McLaughlin ’10

Performing as Bishop Briggs, London-born Sarah McLaughlin is making a name for herself in the world of music with her self-described “dark, emo songs”. Recently profiled by the San Francisco Chronicle, the article looks at her life as a third-culture kid and the influence it has had on her art. Check out YouTube: BishopBriggsVEVO n

Be sure to join our mailing list to get the latest Alumni updates! Email alumni@hkis.edu.hk to join.

Michelle Erickson ’97

Sarah McLaughlin ’10

Forrest Holcombe ’16 APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

HKIS Gallery

High School Student Art: Photography

Jill Kligler ’17

Athina Hostelet ’18

Shan Deneen ’17

Jocelyn Choi ’17

Charlie Grinnan ’19 Norika Hashimoto ’17 54

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In Memoriam Susan Day Burghardt — mother & wife, grandmother & friend, teacher & linguist, world traveler & sailor —

These are just a few facets of Susan Day Burghardt. We were saddened to receive the following message from her beloved husband Ray:

Dr. Michael E. Wong Russell, former HKIS Spanish teacher and Foreign Language Department Head, shares his memories:

Susan left us on Saturday morning in Honolulu, November 26, 2016. She died at home, with her family at her side. As many of you know, last year during an operation for gall stones, the surgeon found a tumor in her gall bladder. This is a rare disease and rarely curable. It was Susan’s wish to return to Hawaii for her last weeks. To the end she was thoughtful, following world events closely, opinionated, passionate about the arts, very practical, and kind to all those who helped her, as she had been throughout her very full and adventuresome 71 years.

Sue was a congenial colleague who added a lot of life to our Foreign Language Department at HKIS. She kept the laughter level high in our office, and also hosted one of our most memorable dinner parties at her home in Repulse Bay. Thanks, Sue, for the fun, fellowship and sincere interest in our students’ education!

A memorial service was held in Hawaii on December 2, and another service will be held in Osterville, Massachusetts next summer. Susan is survived by her husband Ray, daughters Caroline and Helen, and grandson Martin. Susan was known as a vibrant member of the HKIS family, teaching Spanish in the High School from 1977-80 and actively leading students in the art of sailing. Hong Kong was just one of the many stops around the world for Susan and her family — Honduras, Guatemala, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, US, The Philippines. Nearly every stop was a new language for Susan.

Tina Wong-Russell, former HKIS Cantonese and Chinese Culture teacher, reminisces:

Because my association with Sue was through her high school colleagues, most of the memory is centered around food. It started with the wonderful dinner created around the dessert wine — Château d’Yquem, and my introduction to aioli. Then we met up with Ray and Sue on the Cape, bringing them dim sum, and shared a delicious blueberry pie! I also visited them in Seoul when I went for work, and met their Gordon setters. Just remember that there was always a lot of laughing that went on. HKIS alums and former teachers may remember Susan’s laughter resonating in the low-ceilinged Foreign Language Office. Nancy Kroonenberg, former HKIS French teacher, remembers the Burghardts, Wong-Russells, Ellises and Kroonenbergs experiencing this same fun and warmth with Susan during many social evenings together. n

When Susan had any spare time, she was engaged in art, music and tennis pursuits. Susan’s former student Eileen Keenan Cornish ’80 has memories of Susan and her family:

We had lost touch in the late 1980s, but I carried fond memories of her as I traveled through life.

The photos of Susan with her family capture her warm spirit and zest for life.

I was the lucky one. Susan saw something in me as I struggled through her Spanish classes. She was always kind and patient, never giving up on me. I got to know her as a friend after being invited to babysit her beautiful daughters, Helen and Caroline. When their family was transferred back to the East Coast, to my joy and surprise, the invitation was extended for me to join them in Osterville, MA for part of the summer of 1980. I helped Susan’s parents take care of Helen and Caroline while Susan and Ray readied their new home in Washington, DC. This was truly an idyllic summer, full of lazy days, grandparent love and children laughing. I send my love and condolences to her husband Ray, daughters Helen and Caroline and their families.

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Susan with daughters Helen and Caroline and husband Ray. (above) Susan with grandson Martin and husband Ray. (left)

Earl J. Westrick — mentor, guide, counselor, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather — It may have been a small flicker of candle light or an entire stretch of deep eastern Oregon skies full of stars ... Earl Westrick would see a spark of opportunity to initiate a conversation. The art of conversation energized Earl’s heart and soul … it may have been a short, fun quip with an unexpected joke or hours on end with a deeper, exquisite, exploratory conversation. It could be with someone young or old, with professional colleagues, with family, loved ones, or with a stranger. Earl’s life journey was about the interaction ... it was about the enjoyment of reciprocating ideas … listening and sharing ... to create rich, authentic moments and time together ... weaving together stories and lives and ideas. And as he called it: a tapestry of life. He connected to each of us, one at a time or speaking in front of thousands. And of course most deeply connecting in every imaginable way with his true love, his wife Marge. Earl was an educator, a dreamer, a pragmatist, a rebel, a potter, a counselor, a school principal, a builder, an athlete, and deeply spiritual… a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Earl’s spirit lives on and we celebrate him by his spirit now emanating from all of us. Earl, Marge, and their seven children moved from Indiana to Hong Kong to serve at HKIS in 1971. Earl passed away peacefully on March 19, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio with family gathered around, on a Sunday, the same day of the week as his bride nearly 30 years prior. n

PHOTO ABOVE: Upon retiring from full time service with HKIS, Earl moved to Sunriver, Oregon, where he thoroughly enjoyed a microcosm of the HKIS community and continued providing administrative support across the Pacific.

The love of Earl’s life, Marge, HKIS nurse for 11 years.

Earl stands next to Cross Sections at the entrance to the High School. He found the sculpture specifically for HKIS. It was also deeply meaningful for him personally. The sculpture represents the cross sections in our lives and the hope of resurrection.

Earl with the seven kids: Gregg, Ken, Paul, David, Bradley, Rebecca, and Christine. Celebrating Marge’s life touring Westrick roots in Indiana.

APRIL 2017 DRAGONTALES

Staying Connected

Catch up with some of the happenings on our Social Media pages. If you’re not following us already, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Social Sensations

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/ HongKongInternationalSchool

TWITTER

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

@HKIS

WAYS

to Stay Connected to HKIS

1. Celebrate with us!

Find out how you can join in with the 50th Anniversary Celebrations by visiting www.hkis.edu.hk/fifty

2. Follow and Like us! POST & TAG @HKISAlumni Say Hi from your reunions and meet-ups and feature in the next issue of DragonTales!

FACEBOOK

A LU MNI

www.facebook.com/groups/ hkisalumni

@HKIS

STAY IN TOUCH

www.facebook.com/ HongKongInternationalSchool

TWITTER

JOIN US ON

LINKEDIN in/hkisalumni

3. Get the latest news.

Update your contact details with us at alumni@hkis.edu.hk and get the bi-weekly Alumni eNews update on reunions, school events, alumni, future issues of DragonTales, and more!

4. Join a regional alumni group.

We have ten alumni groups around the world that you can join: Hong Kong | USA: Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC | Canada: Toronto, Vancouver | UK: London If you are interested in becoming an HKIS Alumni Regional Representative for your city or to get in touch with your current Regional Representative, please contact Alumni Relations at alumni@hkis.edu.hk.

5. Organize a class reunion.

We will help you organize your milestone reunion on campus. Just ask us how!

6. Contribute to DragonTales magazine.

Our alumni magazine is published twice a year. Send in your Class Notes, ideas for stories, and more.

7. Hire an HKIS alum as an intern.

If your company is looking to hire a summer intern, email us to find out how to become an Internship Hosting Partner.

8. Be a speaker at HKIS.

Share your knowledge, skills, and experience with our students by speaking to a class or at an assembly.

9. Attend our Annual Ball.

Join alumni, parents, faculty and staff at our Annual Ball in the spring. All proceeds from our largest fundraising event go to our Annual Fund to help maintain our status as the leading school in the region. Email advancement@hkis.edu.hk for more information.

10. Give back.

Be a part of the legacy of HKIS and give back. Make a donation to support our school by giving online at www.hkis.edu.hk/giving. Gifts are US and Hong Kong tax-deductible. To find out more about how you can be involved, please get in touch! Email alumni@hkis.edu.hk or call +852 3149 7899.

The Last Word

Amy Robinson

Upper Primary Librarian

“The Library card is a passport to wonders and miracles, glimpses into other lives, religions, experiences, the hopes and dreams and strivings of ALL human beings, and it is this passport that opens our eyes and hearts to the world beyond our front doors, that is one of our best hopes against tyranny, xenophobia, hopelessness, despair, anarchy, and ignorance.” – Libba Bray

Tell us about yourself.

What role does the library play in the HKIS education?

How have you seen the library develop over the years?

What changes do you see in the digital world?

In 2002, HKIS was my first international experience working at the Lower Primary Library. It was a tiny space with tall mismatched bookshelves, chock-a-block full and quite unwelcoming. We had to cull thousands of outdated books, some non-fiction titles talked about one day sending a man to the moon! We started a flexible schedule to give more students access, saying, “Every day is library day”. That first year, book checkouts skyrocketed to over 65,000 circulations. We also started the birthday book program asking families to donate a book in their child’s name on their birthday and over 5,000 library books have been donated to the LP and UP libraries through this program. After a spell at the International School of Amsterdam, I returned to HKIS to work at the Upper Primary Library. It was amazing to work closely with the school architect and Mr. Pat Hall, Director of Facilities Management, to design a purpose built library. It has been a busy time for me at Upper Primary starting many new initiatives such as: A yearly One School One Book project where the entire Upper Primary community reads a book together over several weeks; an annual Author in Residence program featuring award-winning authors including Deborah Wiles, Grace Lin, Mac Barnett and more; and Book Week, a weeklong celebration of books and reading. Specialist Mary Ellen Ryan and I have developed a Battle of the Books enrichment reading program for our Grade 4 and 5 students. I feel lucky to have the trust and support of my Principals Bruce Kelsh, Ron Roukema and Jennifer Delashmutt, who have allowed me to transform our library space and program into something that our students cherish.

Hanging out

Dr. Seuss’ Birthday!

Ally Pelayo with author Jennie Holm

Busy Morning in the UP Library!

I grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming and went to Utah State University. I started my career as a grade 1 teacher in schools that served large homeless communities. I completed my Master’s degree in education and library science while living in Las Vegas. While working as a librarian there, I had the amazing experience of helping to design and open new school libraries. I moved to the Washington D.C. area and met many people in the Foreign Service, and I realized I wanted to live and work internationally.

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017

Our Upper Primary library is certainly not the quietest library but is the center of our school in many ways. While it is a space for students to find and check out books, it is also a place to explore ideas, socialize and inspire creativity.

Our amazing digital library offers audiobooks and ebooks, and a wonderful collection of online resources. We search for reliable information, something that is becoming increasingly important to find from unbiased, trustworthy resources. HKIS was the first library in Hong Kong to provide audiobooks, ebooks and digital magazines. We’ll continue to develop our digital library, but print books, particularly fiction, remain extremely popular and important to our collections.

What are your favorite moments?

I love to go “book shopping” with students. Students arrange an appointment or just stop by for a personalized book shopping experience. I love this time with students because I get to know them as readers and recommend books based on their interests as well as challenge them to try new things. I love that our students feel like the library is their space. We are often filled to capacity; a great problem to have! I have the best job at the school. I am lucky to work in a place that values libraries and with qualified librarians and a dedicated team.

What’s next for you and the library?

Our library will relocate next year while the Upper Primary undergoes renovations. We’re excited to be able to connect with the Middle School and High School. We are also in the process of saying goodbye to the Dewey Decimal system and reclassifying our non-fiction books using the book industry’s subject headings. It’s a geeky way of saying we are making our library easier to browse. We like to shake things up at Upper Primary! n

in the library Library Staff as Llama Llama Red Pajama

1 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam, Hong Kong +852 3149 7820 advancement@hkis.edu.hk

Dates to Remember 2017 May 21 (TBC) Class of ’97 Reunion – Hong Kong

May 21-27 50th Anniversary Alumni Celebration Week

May 27 50th Anniversary Celebration Ball

May 28-30 Alumni Service Trip to Foshan

Please contact Alumni Relations at alumni@hkis.edu.hk for more details.

DRAGONTALES APRIL 2017