SUMMER 2015 2019
Respect all. Fear none.
Photography: Gigi Krembs ’22
dragonTales
Table of Contents Letter from the Head of School
1
Advancement Annual Fund Committee: Cultivating a Culture of Giving 2019 Bob Christian Alumna of the Year Award 2019 James A. Handrich Service Leadership Endowment Fund 2019 Charles W. Dull Visiting Speaker: Kenneth Bae Alumni Career Workshop Upper Primary and Middle School Principal for a Day Glamour at the 2019 Annual Ball
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Class of 2019
10
Cover Story Dragon Sports
12
Upper Primary Grand Opening Upper Primary Principal: Farewell Mrs. DeLashmutt! Upper Primary Principal: Welcome Mr. Hart!
18 26 27
Chinese Studies
29
HKIS Then and Now High School Sports
30
Community The Booster Club Parent Faculty Organization (PFO) Church of All Nations
37 38 39
Student Life Lower Primary: Field Day Upper Primary: Creative Writing Middle School: Student Service Leadership Conference Program 2019 Middle School: Bending It Like Beckham Middle School: New Principal — In the Middle with Mrs. Kim
42 43 44 46 47
Middle School: Creative Writing Performing Arts Feature: The Wizard of Oz High School: Community Gatherings — Sharing from the Heart High School: Spring Varsity Sports Roundup
48 50 51 52
Events Alumni Evening Annual Alumni Homecoming Class of 1974: 45 Years Class of 2009: 10th Reunion
54 54 55 55
Alumni Making Moves
57
Milestones Eric MacDonald
60
Staying Connected In Memoriam Class Notes Event Snapshots Social Sensations Staying Connected
62 64 65 67 69
The Last Word Natalie Broderick
68
HKIS Student Art Galleries Schoolwide: Artist in Residence, Gayle Kabaker ’77 Lower Primary Upper Primary Middle School High School
40 28 49 41, 53 43, 56, 61, 65, 66
Cover: High School varsity captains 2018-19 Cover and Athlete Portrait Photography (p. 12, 16-17): Kirk Kenny Winter 2018 Corrections Prescille Cernosia ’88 wrote the Class of 1988 30th reunion article but was not credited. Thanks for the piece! Tristan Choa ’15, not Chao, was the founder of the Mahjong Club at the University of Toronto.
DragonTales is produced by Supervising Publisher Carrie Chen Marketing Director cchen@hkis.edu.hk Managing Editor Veronica (Galbraith) Booth ’97 Communications and Public Relations Manager vbooth@hkis.edu.hk Alumni Editor Hillary Sandeen Alumni Relations hsandeen@hkis.edu.hk Publishing & Distribution Coordinators Anita Lam Marketing Specialist alam@hkis.edu.hk Ceci Lau Development Coordinator clau@hkis.edu.hk Noel Leung Marketing and Advancement Executive Secretary nleung@hkis.edu.hk
Design Linne Tsu ’96
Thank you to our contributors All our student artists and varsity captains, Andrew Adamovich, Vanessa (Herrera) Bourne ’98, Zaara Bhatia ’23, Natalie Broderick, Jon Bryant, Gene Cheh, Marcus Cheung ’20, Kaylin Chong ’19, David Christian ’69, Suzanne Chu, Leontine Chuang ’93, Paul Cookson, Jennifer DeLashmutt, Carolyn DeRobertis ’09, Ishwar Dhanuka ’27, Lina Doo, Ahona Dutta ’20, Alia (Marwah) Eyres ’95, Serena Fan ’02, Victor Fung, Caroline Gong ’21, Jutta Guiati, Natalie Hamilton, Ben Hart, Meredith Haskins, Helen Hoi, Jennifer Howell, Gayle Kabaker ’77, Anika Kamat ’23, Anahita Kaman ’20, Neha Kapur ’99, Kirk Kenny, Connie Kim, Liz Kingston, Claire Kirk, Kevin Krembs, Nancy Kroonenberg, Andrew Kwan ’97, Anne Kwok ’74, Greg Ladner, Kit Lang, Brad Latzke, Ceci Lau, John Lee, Julian Lee, Sharon Leung, Vincent Li ’71, Violette Li Huang ’74, Heather Liati, Dave Lovelin, Eric MacDonald, Madeleine McGarrity, Dean McLachlan, Madeleine Millien ’27, Lecholas Njomin ’23, Alison Overholt ’94, John Powell, Ken Rohrs, Ron Roukema, Joel Scheiwe, Jeff Seaberg, Matt Sears ’02, Kathie and Richard Siegert, Heatherly Stephens, Augustine Tse, Amy Turner, Virginia Udall, Amy Vlastelica ’02, Elizabeth (Libbie) Wallis Reinking ’78, Mark Wallis ’76, Krista Webster, Mary Frazell Wilkie, Heather Wong ’19, May Wong, Siu Man Wong, Hui Xu.
Letter from the head of school
Dear Alumni & HKIS Community, As you read this issue, many of you will have recently attended a concert, celebrated student work, thanked a teacher, or attended a graduation ceremony. It’s that time of year in a school when everything happens too fast, and yet the days seem long. I want to thank students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni for taking moments to thank, to celebrate, and to reflect on who our students are becoming, what our community is accomplishing, and how we have done it together. I am thankful that all of us are taking this journey Together As One. This is an exciting issue, as we are celebrating our athletes. To our alumni, it will come as no surprise that we continue to have a strong track record of good sportsmanship, achieving high accolades, and winning championships. We have extraordinary talent in our student community, and I’d like to congratulate all our athletes, particularly our featured varsity captains, for each hard-fought game, match, and race. Inspiring students to enjoy being athletic their whole lives is core to our athletics and activity programs. We believe that these homegrown athletes, who often become varsity captains in High School, will have gained a strong sense of sportsmanship, collaboration, and balanced athletic ability through our programs. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about our events from this semester, including our Upper Primary Grand Opening in January where we unveiled the lantern playground, the Middle School’s Student Leadership Conference, our High School musical with a special appearance by Upper Primary performers, the Annual Ball, and the many alumni gatherings around the world. In July, I will be attending the 50th reunion of the Classes of 1968 and 1969 in Seattle, Washington, which is the first reunion these classes have ever had! I am excited about the opportunity to meet with our earliest alumni students and faculty, including Bob Christian, HKIS’s first Head of School, and learn about the early days. It is heartwarming to know that their connection to HKIS remains vivid, and that this affection for our school and community links us, no matter where you are or when you were on campus. That’s one way that Dragon pride shines through the years! Warm regards,
Ron Roukema, Ed.D INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL Ron and Ashley
Roukema
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Advancement
annual fund committee
Cultivating a Culture of Giving The AFC completes its third year! Thanks to founding co-chairs Suzanne Chu and Christopher Burgess, and welcome new co-chairs Julian Lee and Jutta Guiati.
The Annual Fund Committee (“AFC”) consists of a group of dedicated parent volunteers who work together to build community at HKIS and cultivate a culture of giving back to the school through donating to the Annual Fund. We believe by cultivating a giving culture within parents, faculty, and alumni, we can all invest in the long-term future and well-being of the school. It is also an investment to elevate each child’s experience at HKIS and make their time at the school even more special. In November 2018, the AFC initiated a “giving month” through online giving, which resulted in record-breaking participation of 451 donations from parents, faculty, and alumni. The online giving platform allows the AFC to launch a fundraising effort cost efficiently while allowing ambassadors to create mini-challenges and social media sharing to maximize participation. The online campaign has raised proceeds of HK$3.46 million. The committee has also hosted a reception for the donors to the campaign at the Upper Primary School Grand Opening and at a cocktail reception at the Annual Ball. The AFC would like to thank the leadership and contributions of Chris Burgess and Suzanne Chu, who were the inaugural co-chairs of the committees and served for three years. Under their leadership, they have raised awareness of the Annual Fund, drove a tree adoption campaign and brought forward the online giving. The Advancement Committee, a Board Committee under the leadership of Jennifer McMahon, has appointed Julian Lee and Jutta Guiati as the new co-chairs of the AFC since January 2019.
Meet the New Co-Chairs! Jutta Guiati has been a member of the AFC since 2017. She has been actively engaged in the school community through her involvement with the Upper Primary Parent Advisory Group (2015-2017) and as an Upper Primary Representative for the Booster Club. She is a keen trail runner and has participated in various charity races in Hong Kong and Finland. She obtained her Master’s from the London School of Economics and highly appreciates the importance of a great education. She has two sons at the school, in R2 and Grade 5. Julian Lee has been a member of the AFC since its founding and has served on the Advancement Committee since 2010. He was the President of the MIT Club of Hong Kong and was director of the MIT Alumni Association. He attended 2
DRAGONTALES SUMMER 2019
Jutta and son Fillipo Guiati
’26
Julian Lee and wife Yvette Tang
La Salle College in Hong Kong and is a member of the organization committee of La Salle College Athletics Club, an alumni-based track and field club. He has completed the Oxfam Trailwalker four times and raised more than HK$2 million with his team. He has three sons studying at HKIS, who are now in Grades 6, 8 and 11.
Calling Volunteers! The AFC will launch the online giving campaign in November 2019 in preparation, it is recruiting alumni and faculty volunteers as ambassadors who are responsible for creating fundraising challenges and championing giving. Interested volunteers, please email Julian Lee at afc@hkis.edu.hk. n
Advancement
2019 | bob christian alumna of the year award Established in honor of HKIS’s first Head of School, the Bob Christian Alumnus/Alumna of the Year Award is presented to alumni who have made a strong, positive contribution to society while living the HKIS Mission and Student Learning Results.
This year’s recipient, Alia (Marwah) Eyres ’95, spoke to High School students at Convocation in May about her work as CEO of Mother’s Choice and her sense of purpose which was inspired by her mother. Below is an excerpt of her remarks.
Alia (Marwah) Eyres ’95
Mother’s Choice needs you! Visit www.motherschoice.org to find out the best way for you to support some of Hong Kong’s most vulnerable kids.
2019 Recipient
I have to tell you: I am not just grateful to receive this award, I am actually totally inspired to be standing here today. I’m not just inspired because the last time I was sitting in this room was exactly 24 years ago at my own awards ceremony and graduation; I am inspired because I’ve had the opportunity to get to know quite a few of you from across this High School, especially from the Class of 2019, who have volunteered their time to work with me at Mother’s Choice over the last few years. And I am inspired because you are world-changers and history-makers. I believe that Hong Kong is never going to be the same, and this world will never be the same, because of who you are and what you are going to do when you leave this place. The reason why I am so convinced of that is because you know WHY you are here. Of all the young people who I’ve worked with and who I have gotten the chance to get to know, I think you are a cohort of teenagers and young people who live with a greater sense of purpose in your life than most people I have ever met. Living your life with purpose, and having a sense of why you are on the planet, gives you courage to do great things. It will give you joy and hope even in the midst of great turmoil, tragedy, and challenge. The person who taught me the importance of living with a sense of my “why” on the planet and how important it is to live with purpose was an HKIS teacher, an HKIS teacher who worked with Bob Christian. That teacher is also my mom [audience says: “Awwww”]. My mom, Phyllis Marwah, was a teacher here in the High School in the 1970s. She grew up next to an Indian reservation in rural New Mexico. Her family was very poor; she was one of seven children. Her father was a missionary working with vulnerable people in their community. Very few people ever left their hometown or went to college, and there were many who experienced great challenges. But my mom decided from a really young age—younger than you are today—that her purpose was to see the world, and to show and inspire kindness. I think, despite the circumstances around her, it was that strong sense of purpose that gave her the courage to come to Hong Kong and to raise my six siblings and me. That‘s right, I am the oldest of seven children! My mom was so serious about kindness that when she would come to this building for our parent teacher conferences and teachers would start to say how we were doing with math or science or English or whatever, but my mom would say, “I don’t care about their grades. I just want to know: Is my child kind to others?” That courage not only inspired her, it has also inspired me. Living life with purpose. From the time I was sitting in here at my graduation, I was also thinking about what my purpose in life is: How do I want to live my life after being given so much privilege here at HKIS? And I decided that my “why” on this planet was family. Not just my five boys at home, not just my immediate family, but I felt very strongly that I wanted to see our city provide safe, loving and permanent families for the children and young people. There are thousands of them right here in Hong Kong amongst us who don’t have family. I want to give young people in our city a sense of security that they can have a good future, the same potential and destiny that I see in each one of you. That gave me the courage to leave my corporate law career behind. Having that sense of “why” has given me joy and hope, even in times of personal and professional tragedy and heartbreak. Almost every day I have to deal with real trauma, a newborn baby who’s been left in the trash, or a 14-year-old who has been abused and rejected, right here in Hong Kong. In fact, I was just looking through my diary and doing my planning for the summer and I realized this week last summer, I was in court trying to advocate on behalf of two sisters, a seven-year-old and a 15-year-old, both of whom had been terribly abused, and the 15-year-old was pregnant. I can push through that sorrow knowing that there are people in our community who are willing to walk alongside children like those sisters and be their friends. Welcome them into their family. And that is how I can still have joy - I know WHY we speak up for the most vulnerable in our city and I have seen countless babies and young people have their life stories changed. So to all of you here at HKIS, especially to you, Class of 2019, you are the most purpose-driven young people I have ever met. And as you go off for the summer, off to college, or off to gap years, I want you to think about and remember your “why”. Because it will give you courage to do great things, and you will have hope and joy as you change this world. Thank you so much for honoring me. SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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Advancement
2019 | james a. handrich service leadership endowment fund In the 2018-2019 school year, the James A. Handrich Service Leadership Endowment Fund proudly supported two student and club projects that embody HKIS’s spirit and passion for self-motivated learning and giving back to society.
L to R: Ahona Dutta ’20, Anahita Kaman ’20, Heather Wong ’19 and Caroline Gong ’21
Mental Health Awareness Week By Heather Wong ’19, Ahona Dutta ’20, Anahita Kaman ’20 and Caroline Gong ’21
“To be healthy as a whole, mental wellness plays a role” — Anonymous The goal of our project is to raise awareness in the HKIS community about the importance of taking care of our mental health. Through the High School’s Mental Health Awareness Club, founded by Jeffrey He ’16, the High School dedicates two weeks every academic year for students to get involved in a series of activities, such as visits with therapy dogs, meditation sessions and anger expression games. The purpose of these two weeks is to allow people time to think about the significance of mental wellbeing and lay the foundation to start including similar activities into daily routines. Support from the Handrich Fund covered materials for activities during these weeks. Students in our community benefit not only from the activities and time put aside for them to engage in activities that help them relax and de-stress, but also by encouraging them to take the time and think about the role mental health plays in living a fulfilling life. As leaders, we feel that we have also learned a lot about mental health from hearing valuable feedback from fellow students and teachers. Through teaching others about the significance of mental health, we feel that we have learned a lot and become more aware of ourselves as well. As leaders of a club that promotes a healthier lifestyle, it is important to embody the values we are trying to promote. The growth in our awareness of our own mental health has helped us in all aspects of life, including academic and social. We are trying to not only help students de-stress but also to think more about trying to balance out their mental health. We are especially excited for next year, because in addition to our mental health weeks, we are joining forces with the [High School’s] Wellbeing Board. Together, we can try and expand our reach. This will result in more activities and greater involvement! We are thankful for the support and funding we were given through the Jim Handrich Endowment Fund to organize our activities this year and for years to come.
Toon VRoom By Marcus Cheung ’20
Marcus Cheung ’20 sharing his “VRoom Toon” project with the UPS Service Club.
Toon VRoom is a project that aims to bring the outside world to isolated hospitalized children. With the rise of new technology like VR, this has become all the more viable. Hopefully, having the chance to experience famous places such as Lantau’s Big Buddha through this medium will bring some amount of joy to these kids that wasn’t previously possible. The seed funding granted to me has allowed me to create a virtual reality character, an animated tour guide, who will take children to different locations for various adventures. The Toon VRoom VR experience can be both experiential and educational and has multiple applications. I’m grateful for the funding I have received through the Jim Handrich Service Leadership Endowment Fund. n The James A. Handrich Service Leadership Endowment Fund was created in 2007 to honor one of HKIS’s most dynamic educators. Mr. Handrich served as Elementary Principal, High School Principal and Head of School between 1983-2007. The Fund helps further the school’s Mission, Vision and “Self Motivated Learning” and “Contributing to Society” Student Learning Results. The Fund continues to support projects thanks to our community’s generous donations. Please visit www.hkis.edu.hk/giving to see how to support our students’ service work.
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Advancement
2019 | charles w. dull visiting speaker Former Head of School Dr. Charles W. Dull was passionate about educating the whole HKIS community, and felt a visiting scholar series would be a great vehicle to support this, for parents, faculty, staff, students, and alumni. And thus, the Charles W. Dull Visiting Scholar Speaker Series was born, generously supported by members of the community through the Annual Fund.
Bae as guest speaker at a High School Community Gathering.
Kenneth Bae This year, the Charles W. Dull Speaker Series gained the slogan ”where our speakers are anything but dull!” This year’s speaker was certainly this. As Dr. Roukema said while introducing Rev. Bae to an audience of parents, faculty and alumni: We ask our community to nominate speakers that embody our school’s Mission, Vision, and Student Learning Results. Our speakers are invited because they have a story. We believe that through stories, there is learning. Rev. Bae’s story is one of compassion and love. It’s also a story of risks and consequences associated with many of the world’s most pressing issues. I hope that tonight’s talk will generate discussion, thinking and of course, learning.
Meeting students in JO Y Club, the Upper Primary Christian Club.
Meeting and praying with students in Glow and FISH, the Middle School and High School Christian clubs. A GlowFish meeting!
Sharing an Easter message at the Middle School Easter Assembly.
Reverend Kenneth Bae is an American missionary, detained in North Korea in 2012 and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, being released in 2014 after 735 days of detention. He spoke to students and members of the community about why he was in North Korea, what some of the consequences of his actions were, and what sustained him during his time in prison. Bae sharing his full story at an evening talk to community members including parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and students.
During his two days on campus, Bae met with High School humanities students, Christian clubs (FISH, Glow, and JOY Club), and the student club ENKO (English for North Koreans Organization). He gave an Easter message at the Middle School Easter Assembly and the High School Community Gathering, and shared his story at an evening community talk.
Community member who nominated this year’s speaker, Suzanne Chu and her son, Ryan Lam ’24.
Lunch Q&A with students in ENKO (English for North Koreans Organization).
Prior to Bae’s visit, High School humanities students compiled a list of questions for our guest speaker: Our community was curious about life in North Korea, how North Koreans view freedom, and how someone like Bae endured and survived this trial. Bae’s talk was titled ‘Love Your Enemy’, which included stories about friendships he formed with prison guards during his imprisonment. Discussions among community members continued in the days following about Bae’s strong spiritual message and about risks he took and whether he could have avoided them. If the Charles W. Dull Visiting Scholar Speaker Series is about learning, Kenneth Bae’s visit delivered. Our speaker certainly raised the level of conversation and awareness about a global topic. n
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Advancement
alumni career workshop By Matt Sears ’02
Matt Sears ’02 organized the 3rd Annual Alumni Career Workshop which brought alumni from various industries to share their professional experience and career paths with current High School students.
On February 20, the Alumni Association – Hong Kong Chapter organized the 3rd Annual Alumni Career Workshop for High School students. This year’s event brought more alumni than ever to campus, with 23 people joining the workshop, representing industries from advertizing to animals, film to fashion, and property to public relations. Students flocked to the High School cafeteria for the after-school event, led by the High School counseling team, who worked with the Alumni Association and the Alumni Relations team on the event. As in previous years, each alum was assigned a table, and current students rotated through different tables in 10-minute intervals, ensuring they got to hear from a diverse range of alumni. The Alumni Association is already working on ideas for improving the program for next year, offering the opportunity to even more High School students. n
Matt Sears ’02
Natasha Khan ’03
Ivan Yip ’08
BACK ROW: Andrew Kwan ’97, Natasha Khan ’03, Anthony Chang ’94, Alessandro Bisagni ’02, Gayle Kabaker ’77, Man Kit Lee ’03, Michael Au ’00, Arthur Law ’02 and Kevin Chuang ’96. MIDDLE ROW: Lois Tien ’05, Kimberly Kwok ’05, Amy Vlastelica ’02, Danielle Paterson ’03, Coco Chan ’03, James Ng ’03 and Ivan Yip ’08. FRONT ROW: Grace Wang ’05, Adrienne Li ’92, Brian Li ’95, Kandice Li ’00, Linne Tsu ’96, Matt Sears ’02, Jenny Suen ’02 and Jamie Lee ’01. 6
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Advancement
principal for a day
Princi-pals Our most hotly-contested live auction prizes at every Annual Ball are the UP and MS Principals for a Day, where students get to practice their leadership skills and get a sense of daily life as a principal! Below our temporary Upper Primary and Middle School Principals reflect on their day in administration.
Middle School: Kristy Luk, Grade 6
Greetings, everyone! I am Kristy Luk, Middle School Principal for a Day on May 10. I was grateful for having the opportunity. Learning the responsibilities of being a principal lets me appreciate the dedication and leadership it takes to take on this position. I would like to thank the school as it is rich in opportunity of all different kinds to help students learn in their best way. I also have a better understanding of the true importance of Mr. Latzke, Mr. Ladner, and Mr. Krembs, as they are taking the helm of the school.
Mrs. DeLashmutt es shares the principl th wi of principalhood Sasha Tong ’26.
Upper Primary:
Sasha Tong, Grade 5
Hello! My name is Sasha and I was Principal for a Day in the Upper Primary School on Thursday, April 18! The LPS and UPS students were greeted in the morning by Torch, loads of bubbles, Mrs. DeLashmutt, and me! I went to the library to select a book to read to Mrs. Buxton’s class; she was my teacher when I was in third grade. Then the long, messy, and fun process of cupcake making in the Kid Kitchen began. We made red velvet cupcakes from scratch and the cream cheese frosting too! The Kid Kitchen made new friends that day!
During the 5th grade transition gathering, I was happy to share my thoughts and ideas which could help the pre-6th-grade transition well, letting them collaborate on activities, making sure they feel comfortable and welcome, and hopefully sparking their curiosity about 6th grade. Another interesting experience was signing forms with the special pen that Mr. Latzke usually uses, which let me feel true authority. All of the above has taught me that a leader has to be able to take up responsibilities and be willing to help out others. Helping out others let me appreciate the importance of reaching out to others. This is an unforgettable experience. Thanks again to our principals, to the students, and to our school! n
Cleaning spray and the rag were often present during this baking adventure! I also got to use the laser printer in The Garage and create my own uniquely designed box for my treasures. I prepared a little special something for all of my homeroom teachers in the Upper Primary School. If this is what being a principal is truly like, where do I sign up?! Mr. Latzke is delighted to “share” his office with Kristy Luk ’25.
Principal Luk welcome s (and her former UPS tea 5th graders their Middle School tran chers) to sition day.
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Advancement
Glamour at the 2019 Annual Ball
AFC hosts a Whiskey Tasting as part of the Cocktail Reception.
On Friday, May 10, 480 guests came together to celebrate HKIS and dance the night away at a 1950s cinema-themed gala. An incredible HK$5.2 million was raised in a single evening supporting the Annual Fund. Such success would not have been possible without the parents, administrators, teachers, staff, and alumni who gathered together for the occasion, driven to support the excellence they see in our students, teachers, and community. Thanks to all! Of course, no HKIS event is complete without our students. Guests admired student artwork on display, were delighted by the vocal performances of two juniors, Noa Yehudayan ’20 and Julia DeMar ’20, and charmed by a gaggle of Lower and Upper Primary co-MCs who chose a word to express what they think about HKIS. In their own words: Brendan Yick ’32 “Super cool!”, Simone Yick ’29 “Amazing!”, Alexis Tan ’27 “Outstanding!”, Winn Sukhyanga Hee ’27 “Incredible!”, Fillipo Guiati ’26 “Fun!”, Maya Stoehr Ito ’27 “Excellent!”, Dia Bhandari ’27 “Dreamland!”, and Aidan Yick ’27 “Awesome!”. Out of the mouths of babes! n
Leontine Chuang ’93 and student co-MCs.
Derek Flint, Peggy & Price Roe, Ashlee & Andy Schroth, Beth & David Reintjes Della Yu ’96, May Lim ’99, Kelly Ma, Justin ’97 and Elaine Ko, Alfred Ho
Andrew Kwan ’97
Marisa Zeman McConnell ’96 and Vicky Seehafer
Agnes & Stevenson Lau ’99
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Elaine Kwok ’98
Advancement
Thank you to our premium table sponsors: Learning
Mr. Martin & Mrs. Karen Sze Luk Mr. Paul Cheng & Ms. Louisa Liu Mr. Julian & Mrs. Ada Wang Cheng ’90 Mr. Allan & Mrs. Mei Warburg Mr. Philip & Mrs. Isabella Liang Mr. Jimmy & Mrs. Carman Tsang Mr. Christian & Mrs. Corina Larpin
Jun Zhang, Miaodan Wu, David Tian, Amy Tian, Swing Yang, Jing Tian, Chloe Wu, Fang Wang
le Hoard, Mary Ellen Ryan, Michel ver, Sarah Sisu Dea ah Sar , Megan Godek
Gayle Renken and Margarita Mendez Jenny Wan, Gigi Chao ’96, Jason Tan ’96, Lina Doo, Karen Sze. Hillary Sande en, Hillary G reen ’00, Casey Hifri, Liz Kingsto n, Mekala Weerakoon
Community
The Stoehr Ito & Wilcox Blot Families Capital Group Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings Ltd. Mr. Ronald & Mrs. Christina Tse Mr. Gary & Mrs. Derice Fung Ms. Linda Loi Collaboration
Mr. David Tian & Ms. Amy Chen Mr. Warren & Mrs. Susanna Lee Mr. Yong & Mrs. Cai Yun Tang Ms. Noelle Kwok Mr. Eugene & Mrs. Ester Chung Marriott International Creativity
Marybeth McNama ra, Selena Hui, Tent Hee and Vilma Cheng and Nicola Dougherty.
Mr. Sherman & Mrs. Carina Ho Lee ’94 Mr. Daniel & Mrs. Judith Tseung Mr. Daniel ’95 & Mrs. Billie Cheong Dr. Harold & Mrs. Julia Kim Resilience
Kim, Eunei Lee, Karen e, Le Julia Kim, Vivian lia Suzanne Lam, Ju Tsao
Noa Yehudayan ’20, Julia DeMar ’20
Mr. Timothy Lam, Jr. The American Club Mr. Massimo & Mrs. Jutta Guiati Mr. Justino ’01 & Mrs. Verna Ho Liang Mr. Andrew Kwan ’97 & Ms. Erica Ma Mr. Nicholas & Mrs. Gigi Fong Mr. Chul Joo Lee & Ms. Catherine Kim
Stan and Shawn Krause
Isabella & Philip Liang
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Class of 2019 College Enrollments
Students from the Class of 2019 will enroll at the colleges and universities listed below. Congratulations to the Class of 2019, and welcome to the alumni community!
USA
American University Appalachian State University Azusa Pacific University Berklee College of Music Biola University Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College Brandeis University Brown University Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Chapman University Colgate University College of the Holy Cross Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College DePaul University Duke University Emerson College Emory University Endicott College Fairfield University Franklin & Marshall College Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Harvard College Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Lehigh University Lipscomb University
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Loyola Marymount University Michigan State University New York University Northeastern University Northwestern University Oregon Institute of Technology Pennsylvania State University Pitzer College Purdue University Reed College Rhode Island School of Design Rhodes College Rochester Institute of Technology San Diego State University Santa Clara University School of Visual Arts Scripps College Smith College Stanford University Texas Tech University The George Washington University The New School – Eugene Lang College of Liberal Studies The New School – Parsons School of Design Trinity University Tufts University University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Chicago University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Miami University of Michigan University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Diego University of Southern California University of Vermont University of Virginia Utah Valley University Washington State University Wesleyan University Williams College
Canada
University of British Columbia University of Toronto
France
American University of Paris
Hong Kong
Savannah College of Art and Design – SCAD, Hong Kong
Ireland
University College Dublin
Netherlands
Universiteit Utrecht
UK
Architectural Association School of Architecture Durham University Royal Holloway, University of London University College London University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow University of Oxford University of the West of England
Class of 2019
Excerpts: Response from the Graduates By Kaylin Chong ’19
Graduation, Friday, May 31, 2019 We have changed so much over the years. We went from having perfect attendance to skipping entire days of school. We went from scrambling to finish our IFs [independent fitness] to still scrambling to finish our IFs. And of course, we went from destroying other grades in tug-of-war to narrowly beating the freshmen. But with accolades aside, who are we? Truly? For us, this lies in the dates of the past. These are markers. Milestones of who we are and where we came from. 17 August, 2015: First day of school as a … freshman. I’m sure
we all remember walking up the stairs to our first classes, for some, into honors bio with Mrs. Mulligan, scared out of our wits. Or walking into geometry, only to discover one of our closest friends the mighty solve function, and our mortal enemy, press to test mode.
January 18, 2016: We love you [Brandon] and we will never forget. May 27, 2016: We donned black shirts. Who would have thought we would end up coming on top and sweep the class lip sync with, of course, our iconic trick shots. The long-awaited champions of HKIS had finally arrived. May 25, 2018: Dear HKIS… expect the unexpected. Remember the balloons that said 2018 that somehow ended up by the ceiling of the gym, deflated? Just like the seniors we beat? We are truly a force to be reckoned with. Sincerely, Class of 2019. August 15, 2018: Who knew 12 years later, we could finally be
“Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armour, and it can never be used to hurt you.” — George R.R. Martin CLASS QUOTE It was about what was inside of us. It was about the exhilaration of figuring out class lists and Interim groups, about the eager anticipation of prepping for senior projects, taking FULL advantage of senior privileges - knowing leaving school never felt this good. It was about reminiscing as you consolidated your photos for senior collage, or writing your dedications, all 30 minutes before the deadline. Class of 2019, we have come so far and perhaps until now, leaving never felt so good. But along with it, we are saying goodbye to the routine that we once thought so mundane. To the people who we may have taken for granted so: Thank you, teachers, for all your enthusiasm, endless patience and guidance in helping us find our passions. Thank you, counsellors, for being there for us through our ups and downs, and of course for getting us into college. Thank you, parents, we wouldn’t be here without your kindness and support throughout our high school years. Thank you, Brandon. It is because of you that we only grew stronger, closer, tighter. Your spirit continues to fuel our victory and success as you have joined us on this journey.
saying this is our last first day of HKIS. The last time we would complain about school starting. The last time we would hug our friends after not seeing them for an entire summer. And so began, the year of lasts. But most importantly, thank you to each and every one of you, Class of 2019, for showing the world what true greatness looks like and for May 28, 2019: The very last last. The last day of school. The last leaving a legacy larger than any of us could have ever dreamed. time we would hike up the stairwells littered with dead butterflies and Class of 2019, we have grown so much. Become fighters that are ready bees, the last time your glasses would fog up whenever you walked out of to conquer the world. a classroom, the last time we would put up a united front. Us against Look to your left and look to your right, you are not sitting next to your whatever the world threw. For us, it represented the beginning of an classmates, but your brothers and sisters: The ones who have given you endless summer, a break, from High School. a shoulder to cry on; the ones who will miss you the most when you are May 31, 2019: Tonight. Graduation. A bittersweet moment. Torn between excitement to leave, but full of love of our home. Can you believe gone. The ones we must now leave behind, because our stories will be forever intertwined. The ones who have kept your sanity, because we will how much we have grown? Literally?! Or in the case of some of our always be your family. No matter how far or wide, the world will take fellow classmates…maybe not at all. Regardless of our height and you, we will always be there. I know, because some things won’t change maturity, most of us, are now adults. Ready to take on the world. Our no matter where we go. n blue gowns and cap our suit of armor, and our passions and strengths, what we brandish like a sword.
But in the end, who cares about the date. They are only but a package for our memories. We eagerly (or not so eagerly) anticipate the arrival of the date like we are waiting for a package to arrive. Once received, we explore what’s inside. Because in 10 or 15 years, when we come back for reunions, struggling to fit in our class shirts, sporting our iconic blue fanny packs, we won’t be remembering the dates. No. We will be remembering the resilience and courage of our class. How we were never afraid to back down or take no for an answer. Because high school wasn’t about the statistics, about the numbers.
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Cover Story
HKIS varsity captains 2018-19.
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Cover Story
By Sharon Leung, High School Athletics Director & Meredith Haskins, High School Humanities Teacher
Sports are about community. Whether on the sidelines or on the court, cheering from the bleachers or making posters of our athletes to post around campus, setting up a livestream for families and fans to join in, while winning or losing or training, sports are a chance for HKIS to come together to see that we are together. As our sports program brings us together and grows in popularity, we see that our athletes are stronger than ever. Participation rates and skills have increased steadily over the years since the introduction of community youth development and elite programs at the younger ages which serve to instill solid fundamentals (see more on the Middle School Athletics program on page 46). And while facilities and competition opportunities dictate that some sports need to be highly selective, our philosophy of offering at least one all-inclusive sport per season means that all High School students have the opportunity to wear a Dragon uniform. The move of crew from club to varsity status next year means that HKIS offers 16 sports with a total of 25 squads/teams for boys and 28 squads/teams for girls. That is a big change since HKIS opened with only basketball, track and cheer options in 1967! HKIS Dragon sports teams excel in the pool, on the courts, on playing fields and beyond. Our teams participate in one of the two main local leagues, the International School Sports Federation Hong Kong (ISSFHK) and the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation (HKKSF). Against stiff competition, HKIS has won over 40 ISSFHK Division One championship banners since 2014. Additionally, our girls swimming, boys swimming, boys soccer and golf have each won at least one HKSSF Division One championship in the past ten years. Excellence in competition in previous decades came in the form of Far East and Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS) championships. Today, HKIS aligns with China Cup and the Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC), resulting in over 100 China Cup championships in the past ten years. Just this spring, HKIS girls softball, and girls soccer notched our 59th and 60th APAC championship since we joined the APAC expansion in 2007. HKIS junior varsity (JV) athletes also have the opportunity to participate in China Cup. Starting in 2017, the volleyball, basketball and soccer teams now have a season-ending JPAC tournament (JV Activities Conference). Our girls swim program was ranked as the top global international school swim program in 2018 and second behind American School London in 2019. Our girls varsity tennis team won nine straight China Cup and APAC championships, making their streak the longest in school history for team championships (2008-2016). Other programs notching multiple APAC wins are baseball (seven), boys tennis (six) and girls basketball (five). The girls basketball team is currently on a four-year streak that is book-ended by Super championships in 2016 and 2019. Our boys varsity rugby team has won four of the six APAC championships offered and locally has finished in the top four every year since 2013, finishing runners up to South Island School in 2015, 2016 and 2018 in a very competitive HK Rugby Schools Union league. JV boys soccer has won 10 of 12 China Cup Tournaments and the first two JPAC championships in 2018 and 2019. In the past five years, we have had 32 student athletes graduate from HKIS and continue their passion at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) level. These athletes continued their sports journey onto college tennis, golf, swimming, fencing, rugby, soccer, rowing/crew, and baseball teams to pursue their passion of sport. A good number more continue on club and intramural teams. As exciting as success on the scoreboard is for spectators and athletes alike, as the old saying goes, what’s important really is “how you play the game.” Sportsmanship is a critical characteristic of a Dragon athlete. Coaches not only teach skill and strategy but work to instill the character traits of respect, integrity and fair play. We want our teams to model good citizenship on and off the field, court, pool, etc. And HKIS unites behind the character, grit and perseverance of our students and their passion for sport. Successful programs and their supporters are not just defined by tournament wins but the character that goes along with being a champion. “Respect all. Fear none.” will serve as our rallying cry for years to come as we come together in our shared pride. GO DRAGONS! n
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Cover Story
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Cover Story
Selena Li ’19
Calvin Zau ’19
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Cover Story
You and your opponent want the same thing. The only thing that matters is who works the hardest for it. Countless hours are put into practice just to run a second or two faster. But it’s that determination that we have that makes us so special.
Vincent Krembs, Baseball
— Adrian Track & Field
Adrian Lee, Track & Field
Maddy Smith, Softball
Each quarter in a game, we imagine that the score resets to 0-0. It gives us four chances to prove to one another how badly we want to succeed. We play to bring out the best in one another, where each pass and shot is evidence of our shared goal. Selena Li, Golf
Ben Cherry, Basketball
Bianca Garcia, Netball
—Bianca Netball
There is something special about volleyball, especially at HKIS. The camaraderie is both on and off the court. It’s amazing to share your passion with teammates who care just as much as you, giving it their all — laying out to save the ball. It’s hard not to love every moment.
Running gives me time to dedicate to myself, reflect, and have a space to push my limits. I run because it makes me feel confident. — Alessandra Cross Country Alessandra Sinibaldi, Cross Country
— Damien Volleyball
Damien Tarala, Volleyball
“The pure ferocity of one-on-one battle may make tennis the hardest sport out there, but at HKIS, we work as a team. —Darren Tennis Darren Yang, Tennis
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Hollis Brown, Field Hockey
Elliot Lai, Table Tennis
Cover Story
“You don’t have to be born with natural talent to succeed at a sport. A person who puts in the effort and maintains a positive attitude is a better athlete than a gifted athlete who doesn’t work hard.” — Melanie Badminton Melanie Chan, Badminton
Sam Hermann, Rugby
Nicole Chu, Tennis
Sport teaches people tenacity and to not be swayed by others. This is what makes a player passionate and committed. — Nikki Basketball Alyssa Giles, Track & Field
Antonia Gallagher, Swimming
Nikki Chen, Basketball
One thing I will always remember my coach saying to me in my final APAC game is, “Don’t be afraid of the moment.” This will stay with me through life as I can apply it to taking risks and trusting myself in my future endeavors.
Liam Carvey, Soccer
— India Rugby
India Soranson Way, Rugby
Olivia Dominick, Volleyball
I love table tennis because there is so much more to the sport than meets the eye. It isn’t just a sport that engages your athletic abilities, but also equally requires you to engage your brain in strategizing gameplay. — Tanya Kinsey Ho, Badminton
Lydia Harber, Soccer
Tanya Deshpande, Table Tennis
Table Tennis
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Starting UP On Saturday, January 19, 2019, over 500 students, parents, faculty members, administrators, and friends came together to mark the official opening of the Upper Primary School campus. We had dancers, musicians, singers, and a tribute from the principals to the newly re-imagined space. We were especially honored to welcome back Bruce Kelsh and Gary Woodford, former Upper Primary Administrators who had flown in for the festivities. Once the formalities wrapped up in the Chapel, dignitaries and other guests followed a lion dance to the Upper Primary 5th floor playground to watch the lions perform feats of acrobatic artistry. The open house then began, with people exploring all eight floors and coming across student musicians performing throughout the building. It was a jolly and full afternoon of Upper Primary highlights!
Upper Primary Grand Opening
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Upper Primary Grand Opening
Activities
Action Painting in the Design Wing (Art Studio, Garage, and Science Lab). Everyone was invited to find their inner artist and discover force & motion to produce a Jackson Pollock-inspired piece. Ker-splat!
Community Canvas in the Spiritual Garden
The Upper Primary Parent Advisory Group hosted a community art activity and invited everyone to contribute and commemorate this day.
Drinks & Nibbles on the 5/F Playground
No event is complete without snacks! Popcorn sponsored by the Booster Club and sweet treats sponsored by Sodexo.
Time for Tea in the Chinese Culture Center
The Chinese Studies Department prepared refreshing tea in the new Center, accompanied by a live guzheng musical performance.
Slide ’n Climb on the 7/F & 8/F Playground It finally opened! Guests were able to enjoy the real Upper Primary recess experience!
PFO Photo Competition
The Parent Faculty Organization held a photo competition challenging guests to capture the new campus in photos and win a prize! Winning photos best represented HKIS as FUN (and educational).
Ceremonial banners draped on the new wing read: 聚四海学子育世界英才厚德载物 Learners coming from all corners of the world to be nurtured into people who value excellence and virtue. and
集八方贤能树千秋伟业自强不息 Educators gather from around the globe to establish a school that seamlessly strives to improve.
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Upper Primary Grand Opening
Principals’ Tribute The principals from the Lower Primary, Middle and High Schools were on hand to offer words of encouragement to the Upper Primary community and finished off with reading the poem “Let No One Steal Your Dreams” by poet Paul Cookson.
Dave Lovelin: Good afternoon ladies & gentlemen, distinguished guests, parents, and of course, students. Welcome. My name is Dave Lovelin, and I am the High School Principal. Brad Latzke: Good afternoon, I’m Brad Latzke, the Interim Middle School Principal
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Geoff Heney:
And I’m Geoff Heney, the Lower Primary Principal. We’re thrilled to have you all here to celebrate the Upper Primary. When the students leave the Lower Primary at second grade, they are bursting with excitement for that chance to get across that bridge to expand their independence, to discover passions, and really start exploring as they start getting older. And we know from that amazing playground that they have built, everything that we are to instill here at Lower Primary through play still continues over there. And, being a kid at heart, it’s really an amazing place, and I hope that every one of you has a chance to go down that slide today.
BL:
When those 5th graders are promoted at the end of this school year, we look forward to welcoming them to Middle School. I won’t say much about what happens during those three years in Middle School, but we’ll do everything we can possibly do to get them out and on to High School.
DL:
Often times what you hear about elementary school students is about play, and we hope that continues as they move through High School. We want them to think about their dreams and aspirations and to try new things, and to explore throughout high school. The key at the end of everything is to build themselves a legacy and ultimately contribute to society...and always come back to us in Hong Kong
GH:
And so as a tribute to our fellow principal, the fantastic Jen DeLashmutt, we’d like to share a poem because she’s always talking about dreaming big. We hope this will stay in the hearts of all of our Upper Primary students as they go through their school lives.
DRAGONTALES SUMMER 2019
Upper Primary Grand Opening
Let No One Steal Your Dreams By Paul Cookson Let no one steal your dreams Let no one tear apart The burning of ambition That fires the drive inside your heart. Let no one steal your dreams Let no one tell you that you can’t Let no one hold you back Let no one tell you that you won’t. Set your sights and keep them fixed Set your sights on high Let no one steal your dreams Your only limit is the sky. Let no one steal your dreams Follow your heart Follow your soul For only when you follow them Will you feel truly whole. Set your sights and keep them fixed Set your sights on high Let no one steal your dreams Your only limit is the sky.
Reprinted with permission. Thanks, Mr. Cookson!
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Upper Primary Grand Opening
Student MCs hold the ribbon and Harold Kim, Chair of the Board of Managers, officiates the official ribbon cutting ceremony with local dignitaries. From left to right: Fergus Fung, Southern District Council; Thomas Hodges, US Consulate; M. L. Yan, Education Bureau, Carl Hanson, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
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Upper Primary Grand Opening
UPS Past & Present Remarks by Ron Roukema Ed.D., Interim Head of School
Welcome and hello! I’m Ron Roukema. I am pleased to see you all here today. It is especially nice to see alumni students and administrators here with us! Please join me in welcoming Bruce Kelsh and Gary Woodford, who were Principal and Associate Principal at Upper Primary for many years. It means a lot to us that they are here today, and it makes me think about the history of our school. Many of you know that the UP building was HKIS’s first, which opened in 1967. Back then, all 630 students, from kindergarten to grade 12, were in that single building. Today, the building still has over 630 students, but ALL are Upper Primary students alone! Former UP Administrators Gary Woodford and Bruce Kelsh enjoy the proceedings.
Coincidentally, it turns out the founding dedication ceremony was February of 1968, halfway through the school year, much like we are having our UP Opening Ceremony today. It is fitting that we are starting our opening ceremony in the Chapel. The Church of All Nations and HKIS are linked in their shared history and founding without one, we would not have had the other. One artifact that ties today to our history is the cross that Pastor Joel will carry through the Chapel to close the first part of our celebration. This cross has been part of HKIS celebrations for decades and featured in other building openings. You will see other reminders of our history throughout the building. The Design Wing and indoor playground stand at the original location of the Church. Take a moment to find the Spiritual Garden, and you’ll see bricks and the cross from the Church’s original sanctuary. Today, the building offers many hidden surprises. You may not know this, but every wall in the building was removed and the outcome is amazing. The classrooms are 30% larger...we now have many new flexible spaces, a center dedicated to Chinese Culture, and a large Dining Hall that seats an entire grade.
The UP Parent Advisory Group and students add to the community canvas.
In the busy-ness of schedules and everyday life, it is not often that we have the chance to reflect on our history and those who came before us. As we sit in this beautiful new campus, I can not help but think about and thank all those who contributed, in time... effort… finances... and visionary leadership. Of course, the common thread that has been true to HKIS throughout our history is the love we have for our students and providing them the best education, through our teachers, our facilities, and our programs, all in partnership with parents. Thank you for joining us today.
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Upper Primary Grand Opening
upper primary principal
Farewell Mrs. DeLashmutt! UPS Principal Jennifer DeLashmutt wraps up her fifth year at HKIS before heading to the International School Bangkok (ISB) as Director of Curriculum and Professional Learning. Stay in touch, Mrs. D! What’s been the best thing about HKIS?
The students, faculty, and staff. We have the most diverse, eclectic and engaged students I have ever known. On top of that, we have the most talented and dedicated faculty and staff who can come from all over the world. Being surrounded by such amazingness lets me learn and grow every day. Share a fun moment you had with your UPS students!
I have had quite a few fun moments with students over the last few years. It’s not hard to have fun in the Upper Primary School! Some of my favorite moments with students: Getting hit by a few pies in the face as a “prize” won by a student; facilitating Chapels; interviewing students to get to know what they love about UP; being on lunch duty; and reading aloud in a group in a classroom. What’s your favorite place/nook in the renovated UPS building?
There are too many! Having students, faculty and staff have voice and choice in the design process has allowed for our learning community to own our spaces. The indoor playspaces, the Chinese Cultural Center, the Secret Garden, the entire Design Wing, the library and the Kid Kitchen are all a reflection of the creativity of our students, faculty, and staff. On any given day, being in any learning space watching students as they read, make meaning, write, or collaborate is truly the best place to be! As you look back at your time at HKIS, first as Director of Curriculum and Assessment and then as UP Principal, what are you most proud of? What will you remember most fondly?
The privilege of working with and learning from Mrs. Linda Anderson, our current Director of Curriculum and Assessment, was an impactful launch into my first year at HKIS. Her wisdom and leadership style combined with our collaborative approach to strategic planning and professional learning served me well throughout my years at HKIS and will stay with me. I am thoroughly proud of the UPS faculty and staff for their efforts around collaboration and their commitment to a continuous cycle of improvement. There is always room to grow and as we dedicate ourselves to nurturing resilient, creative, collaborative and compassionate children, the UPS team is second to none in developing the whole child. And this is the team that moved our building twice in 12 months and helped design a future-ready school for our learners, all while continuing to focus on student learning, daily!
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What do you love most about Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is our first post away from our home country. It is also the place my children have lived the longest. Hong Kong quickly became our home and is a part of our family’s forever story. Hong Kong is home to a diverse culture, it is welcoming and it is vibrant and gritty like no other city in the world. It has been an honor to live here for the last five years. What are you looking forward to at ISB?
Moving to a school-wide role, I am so excited to collaborate with and support principals around teaching and learning. Having student-centered, learning-focused conversations focusing on a strategic common goal or purpose has always been invigorating to me. I appreciate the opportunity to learn, grow and plan for the current and future development of the whole child, PK-12. Apart from the international move, do you have summer plans?
Between moving to Bangkok and starting the job, we’ll watch our kids play in soccer tournaments in Sweden! Clockwise from below: With Associate Principal Virginia Udall and the Stanley Cup; Director of Facilities Pat Hall, APs Gene Cheh and Virginia Udall, Jen DeLashmutt and Ron Roukema celebrate the UP opening in August; with an UP student; the Terrific Trio that is the UP Admin team!
Upper Primary Grand Opening
upper primary principal
Welcome Mr. Hart! We asked Ben Hart, our new Upper Primary principal, to share what excited him about coming from a K-5 elementary school to the HKIS Upper Primary. Mr. Hart and
family enjoy th
e sea and sun.
What is special about this time of development?
What have you learned from far away that you want to bring back?
So much. It is so special to be able to hone into Grades 3-5. Children at this age are passionate about learning without any preconceived notions about school. They are reliant on the relationships they have with teachers and adults, and there’s a special bond that kids have with their teachers. They enjoy the fun in learning; it’s important that there’s laughter and learning is seen as engaging.
Six years is a long time in education! I left HKIS with a strong understanding of standards-based assessment, articulated curriculum, passion for literacy and numeracy development. I went to a school that needed a lot of that and a lot of change. The thing I had time to develop was the inquiry piece, the conceptual understanding; giving that as much weighting as the standards piece. Teachers sometimes see inquiry as a big project and a big deal, but the biggest piece is for students to apply knowledge and skills in different contexts. Are we giving them authentic opportunities to apply this [standards-based learning] to real-world problems. I think I can take the work that Jennifer has done with the faculty in inquiry and add to it.
It’s exciting to see young kids being able to talk about complex issues that they are reading about in books, and they can relate what’s happening in the text to their own lives. It helps bring an authentic piece to learning. Teaching is hard, because it’s not a one size fits all anymore. Our job is to understand our children individually and to personalize learning. We want children to have a strong sense of agency, to know themselves as learners, to advocate for themselves, and to find things they are passionate about. You were here before in the Lower Primary as a teacher and then an administrator. What drew you back? What are you most excited about?
HKIS is a leading school in the world with the most amazing, highly dedicated faculty and resources for professional development. I’m excited to come back in a leadership role. When you think about coming back to a place you’ve left, it’s an easy decision to make, and a bit like coming home. I have to say [after all the planning on the Lower Primary development], it’s nice coming back, and it’s all done! I feel very fortunate to be here.
Tell us about your family.
All three kids are born in Hong Kong: Jonty (G7), Gabby (G6), and Harry (G4). My wife, Mary Jane, worked in an admissions role in South Africa, and now she’s going back to Kindergarten to be a Lower Primary teacher. We are an outdoorsy family and we’ve loved having our children grow up in Africa. Our family is originally from New Zealand, so this will be closer to home. n
Ben Hart Fun Facts! What’s a funny thing a student has said to you recently? A kindergarten student asked me last week why my tummy was so big… What were you like in Grade 3? What were your favorite subjects? I was naughty. I got in trouble a lot for talking in class when I wasn’t supposed to. My favorite subjects were writing and PE. What is something unexpected about you? My great-grandmother, grandmother, mother and sister were/are all nurses. What’s your hidden talent? I can play the guitar and love to sing. My daughter and I make singing videos together on an app called Smule.
ry are ready Gabby, Jonty and Har Kong! ng Ho to e hom to come
Kiwi pride is strong! SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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HKIS Gallery
Lower Primary Student Art
Pop! Goes My Art
Grade 2 Pop Art Inspired Patterned Puzzle Portrait Prints After discussing the life and art of Andy Warhol, students traced a photo of themselves to create a printing plate on scratch foam board. Students printed their portraits on brightly colored paper and then cut their portrait into puzzle pieces and rearranged them to create a Pop Art-inspired Patterned Puzzle Portrait Print. n
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Chinese Studies
proficiency with purpose After seven years serving as the Chinese Studies Director, Hui Xu has been tasked to oversee the overall approach for language acquisition of the world languages taught at HKIS. In addition to Chinese, French and Spanish have been added to her roster. While some critique the HKIS Chinese program as not taught in the traditional rote methods of other language programs, Hui remains true to HKIS’s learning philosophy and continues to drill home the message of proficiency and its primary purpose in communication. The ultimate goal for learning a foreign language is to be able to communicate effectively in the native speaking environment of the target language. At HKIS, we design our curriculum, teaching practices, and assessment to help students reach true proficiency. What does it mean to be truly proficient and how does our program respond to Hui Xu Director of Chinese that mission? It means that we measure Studies and World students’ ability to use languages to Languages engage in authentic communication. It’s not about how many words or characters they know; it’s about how they can use the language. Imagine you are learning to play the piano; you don’t need to learn high levels of musical theory or wait until you are at level 10 to be able to enjoy playing the piano or perform for other people. These principles apply to all languages taught at HKIS. As one of our Student Learning Results, Chinese culture maintains an integral part of the HKIS curriculum. To be proficient in one language, one has to be culturally proficient in that language. Know what to say and when to say it. In a proficiency-based classroom, teachers not only use over 95% target language, but they also use authentic materials that are rich in cultural elements. As our language program evolves, we continue to build out the support for our students, led in each division by our Chinese Studies Team Leaders. n Our Chinese Studies Team Leaders Support our Growing Program!
Alumni Perspective:
Learning Chinese at HKIS Vanessa (Herrera) Bourne ’98, Reception 1 parent
Vanessa and Timothy Bourne at the HKIS Annual Ball.
What was your experience like learning Chinese at HKIS?
Learning Chinese at HKIS was always a joyful and rich experience. I especially remember the Chinese folk stories about the rabbit on the moon and trying delicious, traditional treats like dumplings and moon cakes. I loved learning how to write traditional Chinese characters together with their origin and meaning. After graduating from HKIS, what opportunities or challenges did you encounter with regards to using Chinese in your studies and day-to-day life?
After graduation, I placed into intermediate Chinese at Yale University. After taking Classical Chinese and Chinese research skills classes there, I graduated with distinction as one of only two Chinese Literature majors in 2003. I received the Richard U. Light Fellowship from Yale to study at the National University in Taiwan. I realized that all the formal study of a foreign language doesn’t prepare you fully until you live in a country and “live the language”. Getting a haircut, ordering from a menu, watching the news, opening a bank account – tested my Chinese language skills in a whole new way! During my 15-year career in the auction industry, I have held Chinese-only press calls, conducted TV interviews, lectured to VIP clients all in Chinese and translated Imperial poetry written on Ming vases by the Emperor Qianlong into English! What are your hopes for a Chinese program that would best serve the needs of your children and the community?
Rachel Wang Lower Primary
Sunny Yang Upper Primary
Daisy Shen Middle School
Jane Ye High School
A great Chinese program should cultivate a profound respect and appreciation for Chinese culture, values, and traditions together with learning Chinese. In the long-term, this passion for learning Chinese is what keeps you reading Chinese authors, watching the Chinese news and wanting to converse in Chinese, no matter where you are in the world. A Chinese Program should provide plenty of oral practice due to the four tones in Mandarin, and as a pictorial language, there are elements of memorization that are inevitable to build up vocabulary and fluency. Children, no matter their background or initial levels of fluency, all have the potential to master a foreign language in their lifetime and their learning experience should always be nurturing, encouraging and positive. n SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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HKIS Then and Now
High School Sports Then and Now
HKIS students have always enjoyed sports. Since our earliest days, they have played basketball, rugby and tennis, swum, run cross country, sprinted, jumped and thrown at track & field. Other sports have come and gone, like gymnastics and cheerleading, with others, like “schuffleboard” making a brief appearance, and still others, such as netball, coming later. As the school has grown so has our athletics program. Back in our early days, when we had a single campus in Repulse Bay, HKIS students traveled to St. Stephen’s School in Stanley to use their field. With the opening of our Tai Tam campus and its field, students now had consistent access to one of the largest sports fields in Hong Kong. With a larger program has come more structure, with a focus on 23 sports supported by the Athletics Office and others, such as sailing, transforming into clubs. Of course, one change was the name of our athletes, from Crusaders to Dragons. But support of our athletes never changed: Go Dragons! n
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2018
Our beloved mascot: TORCH 30
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HKIS Then and Now 2006
1987
Badminton
2019
Baseball 2019
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2001 2018
Cross Country 2008
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Netball SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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HKIS Then and Now
Track & Field 1996
2019
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Soccer
1996
Rowing
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2008 2019
2004
2018
Field Hockey 1996
1987
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HKIS Then and Now
Rugby 1982 2004
2019
Softball
Swimming 1968
1969
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2008
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HKIS Then and Now
is Table Tenn
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2001
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2017
Tennis
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1968
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Volleyball
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HKIS Then and Now
Basketball Uniforms 1970
1980
1984
Basketball has always been part of HKIS’s athletic life, with its uniforms evolving with the times!
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1997
2006
Mok Cup
2019
The Mok Cup was an annual High School intramural competition founded in the early 1970s and continued through the early 1980s. HKIS parents Mr. Stephen Shiu-Ning and Mrs. Doris Man-Hung Mok, along with their son Peter ’71, founded this competition in memory of their son David, who passed away shortly after graduating from HKIS.
1978
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HKIS Then and Now
in s t r o p S e r Mo y! B e n o G s Day
Cheerleading Gymnastics
1978
1987
Bowling
1973
Handball Tumbling 1970
1973
Wrestling 1973
Weightlifting 1970
Jogging 1970
Schuffleboard
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1970
Community
the booster club
Booster Club Cheers on Dragon Athletes! By the Booster Club Executive Board The HKIS Booster Club, a volunteer-run organization since 1994, operates and manages the Dragon Shop and reinvests all profits to support Dragon Athletics, extracurricular activities, and events to promote school spirit. Follow Booster Club on Instagram @boosterclub_hkis
The Booster Club is proud to support its Dragon athletes and help promote school spirit by making games and tournaments an exciting and fun place to celebrate our HKIS community. Dragon Athletics had an incredible year this past school year, and Booster Club was there to support athletes, fans and the HKIS community. With profits from the Dragon Shop, the Booster Club continues to sponsor events and athletic support on all campuses, spreading the Dragon spirit among students in all divisions. Our volunteers bring bubble machines, pop popcorn, serve sno-cones, and organize snacks for visiting coaches and referees to promote school pride and foster a sense of community.
Class of 2021 fans at Super APAC Basketball Tournament Kezia Leung, Anna-Grace Richard, Claire Li, Gaurika Pant and Alina Fowler.
This year, the Booster Club made an active push to cover Dragon athletes on social media in regional tournaments such as China Cup and APAC. Traveling students, coaches, and parents all helped us gather intel so we could post updates and photos of our talented and spirited Dragons on Instagram. Booster Club’s grants and events are possible because of our profits generated in the Dragon Shop. Thank you for your continued support! Next August, school starts for all divisions on Wednesday, August 14. The Dragon Shop’s Back to School Sale will run from Monday, August 12 through Saturday, August 17! n
teers Holiday Basketball BC parent volun s. Seema Shah and Carrie Gammon
Krish Shah ’2 0 Repulse Bay during Varsity basketball visit to primary campu s.
Varsity Softball girls show their smiles and muscles, going undefeated at APAC.
Booster Club sno-cones and Torch at Varsity Girls Soccer APAC.
Varsity Girls Soccer – APAC Champions, undefeated throughout the tournament.
APAC Track and Field.
Varsity Boys Basketball – Super APAC Champions.
tball’s The Blakely family at Sof ’28, Senior Send-off: Takeo iye ’19, Mrs. Debbie Blakely, Kim mi ’30. Ayu and ’23 i Em , ’21 a Tair
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Community New Parent Mix & Mingle in HS Gym
parent faculty organization
A School Year in the Life of the PFO By the Parent Faculty Organization
The end of the school year is approaching, giving us, the PFO, a chance to look back at the exciting year we have had. The PFO’s main purpose is to build a positive community by involving and engaging all parents, students, and faculty. We do this through the many events we organize throughout the school year. The year started with a New Parent Mix & Mingle at the High School Gym, followed by a New Parents Breakfast at the American Club. In January, we welcomed new parents with a breakfast. The goal of these events is to help assimilate new parents into the school. To this end, the PFO also sets up and leads a new families Facebook page. Next came the Back to School nights, which we supported through food for both parents and faculty.
Family food teams at
World’s Fair
2019 started with us organizing the Chinese New Year assemblies, as well as book fairs at both Lower Primary and Upper Primary. The PFO was also delighted to fund another successful ImagineHKIS, a program that has grown well in the past few years at the Upper Primary. Two teacher appreciation weeks were held across the divisions, one in November during American Thanksgiving week and another one in May. In May we worked with parents to give gift cards to teachers, and also sponsored lunches for faculty and staff. As the PFO is a 100% volunteer-run organization, all funds raised through its various activities and events go entirely back to the school. Our two biggest events of the year through which we raise a lot of these funds are the Pumpkin Festival in the Fall and the World’s Fair in the spring. This year, for the Pumpkin Festival, we were faced with it a highly unforeseen circumstance of our USA pumpkin VIPs “missing the boat” and not being able to make their traditional appearance. The strength and resilience of our HKIS community were showcased by the fact that upon hearing this news, not only did the community spring into action to find ways for the pumpkins to get here, but when this was not possible, we were able to find alternatives and still plan an incredible Pumpkin Festival! Hope you all have a great and relaxing summer. Until next year! n Tinkering at UP ImagineHKIS Giving Thanks Days for Faculty and Staff
Performances at CNY Assemblies
Performance at CNY Assemblies
PFO Table at HS Tree Lighting Ceremony 38
DRAGONTALES SUMMER 2019
LPS Back to School Night
Community Hundreds gathered at CAN to celebrate marriage with the faithful witness of family members and volunteers.
Love is in the air couples in the ch urc
h.
church of all nations
Celebrating 2,777 Years of Marriage Hundreds gathered at CAN to celebrate marriage and recommit to love. On April 28, almost 800 people gathered at the HKIS Chapel, Church of All Nations, for a celebration of marriage. The celebration, “100 Blessings: a Renewal of Marriage Vows�, was a collaborative event of Church of All Nations, Hong Kong Lutheran Social Services, and Abiding Grace Lutheran Church. Fifty couples connected to five Lutheran Social Service Senior Centers in Hong Kong gathered to renew their marriage vows. All of the couples have been married for over 50 years with one couple married over 70 years; all together the couples represented 2,777 years of faithful marriage. Each couple was accompanied by a four-year-old from one of the two Lutheran kindergartens in Hong Kong Island East as both a guide and ring bearer. Family members, church volunteers, and co-workers of the social service sites joined the celebration to encourage the couples in their faithful witness to marriage. Pastor Simon Kwan of Abiding Grace Lutheran Church in North Point along with Pastor Joel Scheiwe of Church of All Nations hosted this Cantonese language event. Pastor Kwan was especially pleased that family members who had never before entered a Christian church were present to witness the recommitment of love of the long-married couples. Dr. Annissa Liu, Executive Director of Hong Kong Lutheran Social Services, noted how the collaborative event was a blessing to a wide segment of the community. Pastor Joel Scheiwe, while noting that this event hosted the largest number of adults ever present in the new Chapel facility, said that this was an example of how the spaces provided at HKIS for the benefit of students are also a blessing to the larger Hong Kong community. n
The wedding ring, a material symbol, designed to illustrate a spiritual true love of couples.
Couples took wedding photos of memorable moments with the help of volunteers.
Children from Lutheran kindergartens in Hong Kong Island East were ushers and ring bearers for the wedding ceremony. SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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HKIS Gallery
Re-Gayled Artist Gayle Kabaker ’77 returns to HKIS for the first time since leaving in the 1970s to lead workshops with students.
Artist in Residence
In February, alumna artist Gayle Kabaker ’77 spent three days with our Lower Primary, Middle and High School students. She inspired our young artists by sharing “real life” examples of her art and sketchbooks to encourage students to try something new. She emphasized a more relaxed and free form of painting and that “mistakes” are a matter of perspective. She encouraged students to sketch and work through art as a way to develop their talents. Gayle, we’re so glad you came home! Read more about Gayle on page 57. n
Gayle shows students her art journal.
A grade 2 student practices in his sketchbook. Victoria Lui ’21
Gayle assists second graders’ learning. 40
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HKIS Gallery
Grades 7 & 8 Art & Design students display their creations.
Grade 1 students proudly showcase their work!
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Student Life
lower primary Field Day
Having a Field Day Twice a year, our youngest students bus over to Tai Tam from Repulse Bay to take in our amazing Tai Tam field. Mr. “Gym” and Mr. Dave, our two Lower Primary P.E. teachers, lead out the ethos of our Long-Term Athlete Development philosophy beginning at the age of four. As soon as the buses arrive in front of the field, kids tumble off the bus and stream onto the massive field looking for their teachers to gather and sit cross legged in lines. Mr. Gym (as students like to call Jim Jenkins) and Mr. Dave (Cumings) wait patiently in front of the lines until all are seated and quiet. After he reviews the four “B’s” of Lower Primary (Be Kind, Be Respectful, Be Safe, and Be Responsible) and points out the nurse, Mr. Gym counts down dramatically...three, two, one! And off they go. Lower Primary Field Day is one of the most popular events of the year for students, faculty, and parents alike. While P.E. teachers emphasize safety, creativity, cooperation, and fun, the kids are there to run free and use cool equipment to try out their skills from P.E. class. Everything from kid tennis rackets, nets, mini seesaws, hula hoops, jump ropes, and parachutes are laid out across the middle of the field. But some kids gravitate straight to the baseball diamond on one end of the field and the full-sized soccer goal on the other side. Everything is unstructured, promoting self-motivated learning, and in the bright morning sun on the Tai Tam field, there is no better feeling. n
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upper primary Creative Writing Back to Vancouver
Someday
Madeline Milliken ’27
Ishwar Dhanuka ’27
Chapter One
Someday the blind will see Someday we’ll make a difference Someday we’ll save the ocean Someday we’ll give respect
It was a normal morning. But just as the clock struck nine the radio interrupted us with breaking news. I stopped reading, I looked at Dylan as we huddled next to the radio, the reporter paused and then queasily spoke “There’s been a bombing in Pearl Harbor” he hesitated “we think it was the Japanese”. My freckles burned, no no no I thought but I knew it was true. I was Japanese, we were Japanese. They knew it was us. I sat on the sofa, I felt like I was sinking in. The radio went on and on, “We were told the Japanese did it” the reporter said in his awful fake voice. It felt like time sped up but then slowed down, my heart skipped a beat one, two, three times I didn’t dare breathe. Mom stood up with tears dripping down her face.
Someday I’ll follow my dreams Someday our glory will be free Someday the light will shine on me Someday we will all be free Someday we will all be friends And when that day comes We will all live in peace
“Your dad and I are going for a walk, we’ll be back for dinner” she sighed. As soon as she slammed the door Lily my little sister started bawling, so did Luke my other younger sibling. I looked at Dylan, my best friend my twin, we were known as the troublemakers, but now I don’t know. I told them it would be okay, but knowing it was not.
High School Photography: Angelica Cheng ’19
High School Photography: Norman Qining Wen ’19 SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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Student Life
middle school Student Service Leadership Conference Program 2019
Learning to Serve Alongside Our Two Sister Schools By Zaara Bhatia ’23 and Lecholas Njomin ’23
On January 6, 2019, students from sister schools Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS), Concordia International School Hanoi (CISH), and Hong Kong International School met at HKIS for the 6th annual Student Leadership Conference. At HKIS, High School and Middle School students have been taking part in this conference for six years with around 20 MS students participating this year. This four-day experience has become a tradition for HKIS and its sister schools and it’s an experience to be remembered. Students meet to discuss issues in our world today, how to be a good leader, and how they can make a difference. Guest speakers were called to inspire and educate, and activities were designed to raise awareness giving the participants an acute understanding of world issues and what they can do about them. During the conference, we traveled to the Crossroads Foundation, an international ssroads. Cro at ing charity based in eer unt vol Student participants Hong Kong where students took part in group service projects, such as cleaning out computers for needy children, packing clothes for poverty-ridden areas, recycling and many more, giving us the satisfaction of being able to help those in need. Nghia Tran from CISH mentioned that, “the most meaningful thing that I did at the conference was to help clean computers at Crossroads Foundation.”
students gained insight on the struggles of people who could have AIDS, but lack proper medical treatment, and a blind simulation which stripped students of their sight and challenged them to maneuver their way through a [re-creation of a] small village in a pitch black room. These eye-opening exercises taught us how to not just sympathize but to empathize with the struggles that these people go through. Being able to experience this for ourselves was extremely impactful making every one of us feel for the millions in these situations. In the words of Jengus Ercil ’23 from HKIS, “The most memorable moment was when we went to Crossroads and did all the simulations, that was a crazy experience and I learned a lot.” Throughout the conference, participants received talks from influencers and activists. Jordan Hattar, a refugee worker, was with us the whole time, teaching us about leadership, giving us exercises and activities, describing how he helped refugees by raising funds for affordable housing in the Middle East and introducing us to other role models from all sorts of backgrounds. We Facetimed with Alex Myteberi, a six-yearold boy (now eight) who wrote a letter to President Obama asking him to send a Syrian refugee to his house so that they can be a family and was congratulated by the President himself for it. Alex inspired us by the pure kindness of his heart. Kaira Sheth of HKIS put it simply, “I think that if there were more people like Alex, this world would be a much better place.”
Yet what most of the students recalled as one of the more impactful activities were the simulations we took part in at Crossroads. This included an HIV-AIDS simulation, where 44
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Group discussions and reflections — a feature of the conference.
Student Life
Guest speaker via Skype, Carl Wilkens stayed behind to look after the family helper and gardener when he could have escaped during the 1994 Rwandan genocide and ended up saving a school full of children. He told us his story, how was life like then, how he got through it, but most importantly, why he decided to stay. Lastly, the students of the conference went to the HKIS High School to listen to Jackson Kaguri, a powerful man who rose from the depths of poverty to help orphans and other children in Africa who are in need of education and homes. The final activity saw us join in with the annual High School Service Summit where students and some local NGO representatives presented their service projects. It was inspiring to hear how ideas grew into sustainable ventures. Three months after the conference concluded, students have still been heavily impacted by their experience: “Before the conference, I really thought that even though there were obviously many problems around the world, others were doing something about it, so I don’t have to but after the conference, I realized that I have to get up and do my part as well.” Students have taken matters into their own hands, trying to stay informed on global issues, and going out and actively trying to make a difference by helping out at shelters or even continuing to help at Crossroads. Learning about the work at Crossroads. Skyping with Carl Wilkens, who witnessed the Rwandan genocide.
Volunteering at Crossroads
While we discussed many serious, heart-wrenching and empowering stories during the conference, this momentous occasion was not just a time for sister schools to meet, but also a time for making friends, meeting new people, and opening minds and eyes to the realities of the world and what students can do to help. Guest speaker Jordan Hattar said, “if I could have been anywhere in the world, it would have been at HKIS for this conference. Most of the time dreams are distant but our week at HKIS helped make our dreams attainable. You guys inspired me!” Middle School Associate Principal Mr. Greg Ladner, who initiated the conference in 2013, says, “we have been running this conference for six years now and every year I am so amazed by the bonding that takes place so quickly between the students of all three schools. There is no doubt that students are impacted in lasting and personal ways through their participation in the different activities and discussions.” n
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Student Life
middle school Bending It Like Beckham The arc of the junior girls’ soccer program has been right on target. By John Powell
Sunday, March 17, 2019 saw over 60 girls’ soccer teams competing on our field in our own Tai Tam Girls Soccer Tournament. Ten years ago, this seemed like an improbable event. HKIS and its club team, the Tai Tam Tigers, have long been actively involved in Youth Soccer Leagues in Hong Kong and have held the chair of the Hong Kong Junior Football League for the past five seasons. From this position, we have been able to advocate for the inclusion of the Girls Junior Football Leagues, and these have now been running at U10, U12 and U14’s for the past four years. It’s been a long process. Girls soccer in Hong Kong has
come far since our inaugural event 10 years ago, when the only real opportunities for girls to play club youth soccer were on boys’ teams. When we started our girls-only program in 2008, we were the first in Hong Kong to do this. In fact, the Hong Kong Football Association only officially started a Women’s Soccer League in 2012 and still does not run any girls youth leagues apart from an Under 18 competition. Our first training sessions attracted only a handful of girls, but word spread fast, and within a year we had close to 100 girls attending practice at Tai Tam field every Sunday. In order to encourage other schools to follow our lead, we decided to host a girls’ only soccer tournament at HKIS – which we believe was the first ever in Hong Kong. This inaugural tournament attracted an encouraging 20 plus teams across the age groups (U8 through U14), so we decided to host another later that same year to keep the momentum going. Jump ahead 10 years, and we now have many clubs in Hong Kong with established girls youth teams. Alongside
our established Fall and Spring Girls Soccer Tournaments here at HKIS, there are two other major tournaments each year at the Kowloon Cricket Club and most importantly, an established Girls Youth League.
great to see a good number of these players coming back out every Sunday to help us to train the next crop of players. We have come a long way and while we know that there is still a lot more to do, we feel that we have been instrumental in girls soccer gaining a momentum in Hong Kong that will ensure that, with the right guidance and encouragement, it keeps developing. n
Active Your Whole Life The HKIS girls soccer program is an example of the success that can be achieved with a clear Long Term Athlete Development “LTAD” model. Adopted from the Sport for Life organization and supported through research, the HKIS LTAD model is aimed at developing physical literacy and providing a framework to ensure that children, youth, and adults do the right things at the right time to develop in their sport or activity – whether they want to be soccer players, dancers, figure skaters, or gymnasts. LTAD describes the things athletes need to be doing at specific ages and stages. Accordingly, we have developed and deliver sequential programs that teach age-appropriate physical activity with a focus on keeping kids engaged so that they are intrinsically motivated and can pursue an active lifestyle. Science, research, and decades of experience all point to the same thing: kids and adults will get active, stay active, and even reach the greatest heights of sporting achievement if they do the right things at the right time.
Our girls soccer program is now part of the Tai Tam Tigers Soccer Academy, and we have seven teams training and playing every week. Last year we took our Under 12’s girls to play in the Singapore Soccer 7s which is considered Asia’s premier Youth Competition, and we swept all before us to take the title. This year, we took our Girls Academy teams to Bangkok to play in another girls-only competition and three teams to Singapore over Easter, where the U14 girls just missed out on retaining their title, losing in the final in a shootout. Our U10 girls stepped up this year to win the championship, and so a great showing from our girls’ teams! The strength of our Girls Club program at HKIS has been a major factor in the success of our school teams at the Middle and High School level both domestically and internationally. Many of the current High School Varsity
Girls Team started with our program 10 years ago, and it is
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The Girls U12 team: Teamwork makes the dream work!
Student Life
middle school New Middle School Principal
Connie Kim
In the Middle with Mrs. Kim
Incoming Middle School Principal Connie Kim shares some insights on the middle school years, her dream to become a policewoman, and why she is called the School Mom. Tell us about this special time called Middle School.
I started off my teaching career as a high school English teacher in 1997 in San Jose, California, thinking I had a calling to make a difference in the lives of Inner City kids. I moved to Korea to be an ESL director and assistant principal, then five years as principal of the middle school. That journey opened up my need to delve deep into the unique developmental stage of a child’s growth: The 11 to 14-year-old. The vast change that they undergo is real, it’s palpable, it’s there. It changes the home dynamics, the friend dynamics, with their teachers, how they approach learning. There needs to be a very distinct identity to the middle school. I learned why it’s so important to embed brain breaks throughout the day and what it means to have kinesthetics in the classrooms. All of this made me into a passionate middle school person. I can reassure parents — don’t worry, your kids will come back. But you have to give them that space, honor their authenticity, their individualism. They still want you to love them, they want you to care about them, but don’t meddle too much. There is a lot of angst and it looks like your child is always angry, but rest assured they’re not like that at school. They’re actually really polite. I always introduce myself at the beginning of the school year: Yes, you can call me Mrs. Kim, but I am your school mom. I will be your parent here. Some kids, they’re like, “I don’t want a mom!”, and some are like, “oh good, I’m relieved.” I counsel kids all the time. When there is an issue between a friend to a friend, there’s something that’s underneath the surface, and to get to it, they need to trust that you really care.
Connie and Damian wit
h sons Toby and Noah
Tell us about your family.
I’m married. This will be our 24th year. Damian and I met at church in LA. We have two sons. Toby will be off to college and the other, Noah, will be a junior here. My husband is an industrial designer and the first time we moved to Hong Kong [prior to Korea] with Damian’s job, I was a trailing spouse. Our kids still love to hang out with us. I think it’s really unusual. It doesn’t mean they’re not annoyed by us, but they don’t mind hanging out with us. We have a dog and a cat named Poe and Annie. We’ve been in Korea for the last 10 years. I was born in Korea, and I left when I was 7. My dad was an expat in California. I went to UCLA, got married and stayed. So my identity is really everywhere. n
Connie Kim Fun Facts! • I was voted most humorous in high school, which no one believes being a principal. • I’m really into turtles. • I really wanted to be either in the army or be a policewoman with the LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department]. I wasn’t allowed to do that, with parents who wanted me to be a news anchor — my maiden name is Chung, and my parents named me Connie [just like the well-known American TV anchor]. A lot of what I wanted to do in law enforcement is sometimes in alignment with what I have to do as a Middle School principal, you know? So, I feel like I’m living my dream.
What are you most excited about coming to HKIS?
I can see the respect and the honoring of the sacredness of Middle School and yet understanding that we are part of a big school and a big community. I love the diversity of the community. I sense that potential of the students. As a female leader, I’m excited to figure out how to raise girls to think of themselves as leaders.
Thanks Mr. Latzke!
Our Middle School was lucky to lure you back to the joys and adventures of Middle School life for a special year. Thanks for getting to know us, for taking such good care of us, and having a good time along the way. Keep in touch!
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Student Life
middle school Creative Writing
Snowbirds
Daisies
By Anika Kamat ’23
By Gahyun Lee ’23
Loose sheets of paper fluttering, flying, fleeting, twisting like doves. Dancing on the wind, blown swiftly out of control.
I wandered in solitude like a seed that glides through the air riding the wind
A marionette, the puppet master: gone. Cut strings, limp body. Colorless autumn has arrived. Leaves on a snowy tree, all will fall. Parchment blossoms hit the ground, five centimeters per second, tossed around in a muted world. Shredded hopes and dreams ripped apart by circumstance, falling, falling, falling. Left to flutter aimlessly without substance. Wind carrying them this way, and that, before crashing into the sea. Dissolving. Blue salt transformation. Bubbles rise and pop letting go, one at a time. Take these hopes cut strings shredded dreams. Leap from the water, fly like a paper crane. A snowbird: leaving the cold for the warmth.
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When all at once gently landing with a tumble I lay in the moist soil beside the flowering bed of cloud white daisies Their petals brush and whisper to each other Sinking under into the tepid soil like the ceaselessly expanding ocean I am swallowed whole. Above me the daisies stand as a crowd waiting, For a thunderous storm cloud.
HKIS Gallery
Upper Primary Student Art Keen Observations Who knew a seed pod had so many pieces!
In Upper Primary, the art curriculum is a critical part of growing our students’ ability to observe and ask questions about the world around them. Observational drawing is a way we can help students to foster inquiry, curiosity and develop skills in drawing. Each year, students build on their drawing experience to deepen the observational drawing process. Students observe 3D objects and transfer what they see onto a 2D surface before using ‘art tricks and techniques’ to make their object look 3D. It’s quite a challenge! In grade 3, we look at line and shape, build students’ skills in using pencil, and introduce them to value and shading. Grade 4 students take a giant step and use pen, which takes a bit of courage as students have to take the bold step of abandoning any possibility of erasing and turn mistakes into happy accidents! Fifth graders are challenged further with using more difficult materials and more challenging 3D compositions that mean students need to differentiate between light, color, and texture in their object and represent this using carbon chalks and charcoal. These processes help to stress the importance of hitting ‘pause’ during our ever-so-busy lives and to stop and appreciate the beauty in the things around us. The texture, structure, and form of a seed pod; the complex structure of the skull. The textures, lines, and form of old bits of worn machinery; cogs, wheels, pistons, gears, all the valuable parts that make an engine run. It’s the wonder of the world around us! n
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Student Life
performing arts feature The Wizard of Oz
Not in Kansas Anymore
A cast and crew of dozens came together to provide a sensational performance transporting audiences over the rainbow. This April, 60+ student actors, choreographers, assistant directors, technicians, musicians and Upper Primary students as well as the High School Performing Arts team Tim Gavlik, Mike Ross, Cy Udall, Meidad Yehudayan, Heatherly Stephens and High School Associate Principal Brent Brayko, Upper Primary Choir director and Music Specialist Krista Webster and HKIS parent Sarah Inglis all came together to create one big beautiful piece of theatrical art: The Wizard of Oz. After a three-month rehearsal process, students in the HKIS High School Theatre, High School Music and Upper Primary Music programs were ready to showcase their spectacular talents! The HKIS Tai Tam Auditorium was filled to beyond capacity, delighting audiences of all ages within and outside the HKIS community. Everyone involved wanted to give the audiences a theatrical experience they could cherish and treasure with their families, friends and loved ones. The audience’s reaction indicated that the plan worked!
The Performers Proclaim! “My favorite part of the show was being a monkey because I liked attacking the lion.” – Maxwell Park ’28 “I liked dancing and singing together especially the song, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.” – Sophia Lee ’28 “I think the performances were really fun. In the beginning, I was nervous but then I practiced, it was more natural and easier.” – Averie Tan ’26 “My favorite parts of the musical were getting to dance, sing, annnnnnd say a line.” – Urvashi Kumra ’26 “I’d like to thank the HS directors, cast and crew, for their hard work and support. An extra big thank you to “Glenda” (Dixie Lonergan ’19), for bringing our cast out for their curtain calls! Having the opportunity for our UP students to collaborate with our HS students was an amazing learning experience for everyone. Between the time the UP cast auditioned for the show and their closing night performance, their growth in both confidence and poise was exceptional. I am already being asked by students and parents, ‘what will the next show be?’” – Ms. Krista Webster “With this being my last high school show, it was a bit more sentimental than the rest, and because of that, I put way more time and effort into it to make the most out of it. Despite all the blood, sweat, and tears (literally), when I saw the show come together, I felt accomplished. I became more aware of what it means to be a collaborator. I became more open-minded and patient with others, and I can’t thank my co-stars, crew members, pit members, technicians, and directors enough for giving me the opportunity grow not only as a theatre artist but just as a person in general. Finally, this production taught me what it really means to be a leader – that it’s about giving others responsibilities and trusting them, and if they make a mistake, let them learn from it. I am so fortunate to have worked with the most hard-working, creative, and patient apprentices I could ever ask for.” – Heather Wong ’19, Publicity and Costume Design Student Leader and program designer. n
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high school
Community Gatherings — Sharing from the Heart DragonTales spoke with Humanities teacher Jon Bryant about what’s at the heart of the High School’s Community Gatherings and what it means to embody grace, love, and compassion.
Jon Bryant and Da nie Sambu, a Maasai l Ole warrior from the Big Life Foundation, after Community Gathe a rin Daniel is an amaz g. ing advocate for the preservation of wi ldlife.
What is a Community Gathering?
Community Gatherings evolved from what we used to call Chapels. Today, they are organized by our Spiritual Community class, a project-based class where students recruit speakers, arrange performers, and put all the pieces together to produce a bi-monthly event for the entire High School. Students are tasked to put a message together that would connect with the student body and give them something that is both grounded in the Christian faith, but also accessible to everyone in the room. Respectful, but also accessible. In a Community Gathering setting, we try to point students to the spirit of the law, rather than the letter of it. How does the Community Gathering reflect the school’s mission of being “grounded in the Christian faith”?
We recently invited Kenneth Bae to speak, and the theme for his talk to “love your enemy” — it’s a really challenging thought for a kid, especially if someone is spreading nasty rumors about you. So the idea that someone who has been justly or unjustly put into a situation where there clearly is an enemy, and their response to that person is to love them and to pray for them, that’s grounded in the Christian faith. We try to expose them to different ways of thinking. We don’t tell them what to think, but we give them a chance to consider something beyond what they would normally get.
High School students fill the gym at a Community Gathering.
Tell us about a memorable Community Gathering experience.
A few years ago, a student shared about a struggle she had with an eating disorder. She did it in such a bold, empathetic, and insightful way, it had us talking for weeks afterward. It gives us as teachers an opportunity to understand students much better. She said something that has really stayed with me: “I was really struggling and I was waiting for someone to ask me a question in the way I wanted to be asked. When I didn’t hear it in the way I wanted to be asked, I took that as evidence that they didn’t care.” So it’s complex, but still revealing about what some of our students are going through. We bid farewell to Jon Bryant, who is leaving us to teach at a school in Kenya. We thank him for passionately serving our High School students for the past six years and for speaking into their lives. n
Nyaka Interim with Jackson Kaguri, who has been such an inspiration to our students and faculty. Kaguri has visited HKIS to work with our students and to speak at Community Gatherings.
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Student Life
high school Dragons 2019
Spring Varsity Sports Roundup It’s a banner year to be a Dragon! Congrats to all our athletes for a terrific year of effort, sportsmanship, and excellence.
Congrats to our four senior athletes who will take their skills onto NCAA competition! Calvin Zau (fencing), Nicole Chu (tennis), India Soranson Way (rugby) and Selena Li (golf) are moving on to college competition. See our Dragon Sports story for photos! GO DRAGONS!
ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2018-2019 China Cup Trophies
APAC Championships
JPAC Championships
ISSFHK Championships
Girls
Girls
Girls
Girls
Varsity and JV Soccer Varsity and JV Softball Varsity and JV Basketball Table Tennis
Boys
Varsity and JV Rugby Varsity and JV Soccer Table Tennis *Baseball and Tennis did not travel due to typhoon
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Table Tennis Soccer Swimming Super Basketball
Boys
Baseball Tennis Rugby Super Basketball
JV Soccer
Boys
JV Soccer
U20 Div 1 Soccer League Div 1 Tennis U16 Volleyball U20 Basketball Overall Girls Swim Girls U20 Swimming Girls U16 Swimming
Boys
U20 D1 Soccer Cup U20 Div 2 Soccer League (JV Team) U20 Volleyball U20 Basketball
HKIS Gallery
Middle School Student Art Mixed Media
Meghan Lem ’24 Asha Gill ’23 and Abby Richard ’23
Emily Yates ’23
Alexandra Tse ’23
Nathalis Bos ’24
Aarza Sachdeva ’24 SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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Events
Alumni Evening at the Upper Primary School
Shull Chelsea Werth, Katie ss and Jonathan Chu, cla of 2009.
By Hillary Sandeen
On Thursday, January 24, 2019, we had the pleasure of hosting more than 60 alumni and their families at the newly re-opened Upper Primary School. The evening offered alumni a firsthand view of their former school’s transformation since the completion of the renovations. Together with the help of Kimberly Kwok ’05 and Andrew Kwan ’97 of the Alumni Association – Hong Kong Chapter Board, we led tours for alums to explore the state-of-the-art learning spaces including “The Garage,” our new maker space, the art studio, the beautiful Chinese Cultural Center and the impressive, two-story indoor playground. Children and parents couldn’t resist taking a ride on the twirly slide. Alums and their families enjoyed delicious food and drinks in the Upper Primary “Dining Hall”, while reconnecting with classmates, sharing stories and recounting fond memories of their time at the school. It was wonderful to showcase our new learning spaces and share the progress with our alumni community. n
Angel Chang ’00, Godwin Chan, Justin Kwok ’00, Clio Lim Kwok, and Trisha Yeh ’00.
Marisa Zeman Mc Connell, Kim (Kuok) Stric kla Anna (Hurley) Ba nd, ronas and Sophia (Malliris) Rogers, class of 1996.
and Kimberly Kwok ’05 Andrew Kwan ’97
Annual Alumni Homecoming Happy Hour at Bond By Hillary Sandeen Edward Rees
On Wednesday, January 9, 2019, we hosted our annual Homecoming Drinks again at alumni favorite Bond. A group of nearly 30 alums gathered and stayed warm next to the fire pit tables under the stars in the quaint Little Tai Hang neighborhood. Alums enjoyed delicious food and drinks while swapping funny stories and favorite memories of their days at HKIS. The one and only Mr. Coombs was there, and there was a good showing from the class of 1996. Thanks to all that joined and we hope to see you next year for more “Bonding!” n
’18 and Geo
rge Coombs
Kimberly Kwok ’05 and Douglas Yang ’15
Kelvin Hah, Albert Yung and Derek Leung from the class of 1995 with Hillary Sandeen.
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, Anna (Hurley) Baronas Linne Tsu, Kim (Kuok) Strickland class of 1996. the from ers Flow an) and Jen (Dom
DRAGONTALES SUMMER 2019
Events
Class of 1974 Hong Kong Get-Together: 45 years!
Good to be reunited... let’s not wait so long to do it again!
By Anne Kwok ’74
Walter Loh, Anne Kwok, Shik Ming Chow, Mark Kwok, Leslie and Ann Chao from New York all met for lunch on March 19, 2019 at Jimmy’s Kitchen, one of the few institutions still around since the ’70s. The youngest looking hosted us… thank you, Walter. Suzie Oh and Scott Clayton tried to join us.
Kwok, (L-R) Walter Loh, Anne Leslie and Ann Chao
Shik Ming Chow, Mark
Kwok,
We reminisced about the good old days and got caught up on our latest news: Kids graduating from high school, kids engaged, grandchildren, a new fishery in Australia, and a new Ferrari. It was sad to hear about five classmates out of our graduating class of 48 who are no longer with us: Jim McLeroy, Victor Lok, Alison Chow, Margaret Kwok and Toni Ketterer. We concluded we must enjoy life to the fullest with Baked Alaska, and, at our age, HKIS reunions should be held at least every five years, not 10! n
Class of 2009 10 Year Reunion The Class of 2009 held their 10 year reunion at the Hong Kong Club on Saturday, April 13, 2019. It was a great success with 40 attendees!
Class of 2009 Attendees
By Carolyn DeRobertis ’09
An incredible night filled with Dragon pride and a nostalgic walk down memory lane as the Class of 2009 came together to celebrate their 10 Year Reunion at the Hong Kong Club on April 13, 2019. With a total of 40 attendees and individuals flying in from Chicago, Houston, Kauai, Jakarta, Singapore, and New York, this class embodies the worldliness that we all set out to accomplish. It was a wonderful evening of reconnections, looking ahead to the next 10 years, and new superlative winners. This included ‘most likely to win the lottery and lose the ticket’, ‘life of the party’, ‘most eligible bachelor and bachelorette’ and many more. It was certainly a night to remember filled with joy and laughter. Thank you to everyone who came out to reunion, and we hope to see many more of you at the 20 year gathering! n
10 Year Reunion Flyer
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Jessica Ng, Invitation Design
REUNION COMMITTEE Kristel Chan and Carolyn DeRobertis The Reunion Committee: Kristel Chan and Carolyn DeRobertis ’09
GIVEAWAY SPONSORS: Christine Ng & Jessica Ng Luna Blanche Hillary Sandeen HKIS Alumni Goodies SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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HKIS Gallery
High School Student Art Photography
Gigi Krembs ’23
Selena Sun ’22
Akika Altman-Chandler ’21
Annie Brooks ’19 56
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Sara Khorsandy ’19
Alumni Making Moves
Art Gayle Kabaker ’77
chell, daughter Sonya Kit Son-in-law Howie, er, son Max with girlfriend nak Me at sister Dana band Peter Kitchell Gabi, Gayle, and husy dinner. Gayle’s 60th birthda
What do you remember most about your time here?
I remember it being a great life! I loved school, we had a boat, we belonged to the Hong Kong Country Club, we went to different beaches, ate out at interesting restaurants, traveled… What was your favorite school activity?
I was always into art. I had a bit of an ability to draw from a pretty young age. What has stuck with you about being a student at HKIS?
I still keep in touch with my two best girlfriends from HKIS, Stacy Steele and Becky Campbell, and a few other friends as well. There is a unique bond to growing up in HK that very few can understand. You recently returned to Hong Kong for the first time since you left in the 1970s; what struck you about what’s the same, or what’s different?
The only thing that looked the same at HKIS was the cross tower. Everything else was different. And then I took a walk down to the beach [only to discover that] the apartment building on the corner where one of my best friends lived was the same! How did you become an artist?
I always wanted to be a fashion illustrator. When looking at colleges my mom found the Academy of Art in San Francisco as it had a fashion illustration program. We were living outside Washington D.C. and my family was moving to Los Angeles. So it was a good fit. A career as a freelance artist (I’ve never had a 9-5 job!) is not for everyone. It’s been very up and down. Luckily very up these last seven or so years. I firmly believe in Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours theory. I have worked hard and painted a lot, not just for assignments but for myself, to grow and experiment. I think this is super important.
Putting Her Art Into It
HKIS’s 1969 yearbook has a drawing from a young Gayle Kabaker. At HKIS from grades 4-8, Gayle thrived in Hong Kong, making friends for life, before returning to the US and becoming an artist. Gayle talks to DragonTales about the joys and challenges of being driven by her need to create art. What advice would you give to people wanting to pursue art as a career?
You have to really really want it, as it won’t be easy and it almost has to be like a calling. Like, if you don’t paint or draw you feel like you aren’t being your real self. And be realistic and learn many skills to support yourself. Design, animation, things other than just painting or drawing. I’ve developed more skills over the years, for design and producing, so I can coordinate bigger projects that have many aspects to them, like with film, animation, music, merchandise, I love getting creative in these areas! In the last few years, you have become more politically active. How has your art helped you communicate this?
When Trump became president I was devastated. I began painting how I felt. This resulted in the cover “Resist” for the Women’s March. And my “Voting is My Super Power” art. I have a line of political T-shirts and we donate part of the profits to different organizations. How did you get involved with Vital Voices?
The CEO of Vital Voices [an organization that works with women leaders to empower other women] saw my Super Power art when it ran in the The Washington Post and contacted me. I am thrilled to be working with them. I’ve done portraits for this year’s honorees for their big gala at the Kennedy Center. Any personal/family updates you would like to share?
I love what I do and feel very lucky — but also know I’ve worked really hard and it can all change at any time, so I never take any of it for granted. I am getting more requests for private commissions, and hope to do more of this. Painting for myself has become very important and I hope to come paint again in Bali which could bring me back through Hong Kong and back to the school again! n
Which projects are you the proudest of or most pleased with?
My New Yorker covers would probably be at the top of my list of coolest assignments. My friends and family get very excited and even people I don’t know or only know a little bit get excited about it. Everyone knows exactly how many covers I’ve had. It’s so much fun.
Follow along on Instagram @gaylekabaker Email Gayle at gaylekabaker@gmail.com
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Alumni Making Moves
Informal Education Serena Fan ’02 & Amy Vlastelica ’02 Founding Team: Amy Vlastelica ’02, Alice Leung (Administrative Manager), Serena Fan ’02 during CDM’s Grand Opening, September 2018. Photo by Lauhaus.co
Joshua Kosnoff ’18 helping to install an exhibit about Hong Kong landfills.
CDM features a water table where children learn about the properties of water through hands-on experimentation.
Class of 2002 alumnae Serena Fan and Amy Vlastelica opened Children’s Discovery Museum in Hong Kong in September 2018. The pair talk about their HKIS roots, the network of HKIS alumni and teachers who supported them during this venture, and the excitement of creating a place for kids to learn through play. Serena Fan and Amy Vlastelica both started HKIS in 5th grade and have been friends since sharing a 6th grade homeroom. Over the years, their friendship and shared interests led them to the creation of Hong Kong Children’s Discovery Museum (CDM). After almost four years of planning, CDM officially opened its doors in September 2018. CDM is Hong Kong’s first museum dedicated to child-centered play. The museum is an educational playscape that welcomes families with children aged 10 and under from all parts of Hong Kong to explore, create, and express themselves together. CDM’s setting uniquely reflects Hong Kong’s people and culture. Serena is the Founder and Executive Director, and Amy Vlastelica is Director of Museum Planning and Design. HKIS’s Influence
Amy discovered her vocation after taking Stagecraft in High School. Production design influenced her to use visual arts to solve problems and tell stories. From 2007 to 2009, Amy returned to HKIS as Associate Teacher of Drama and the class impacted her yet again – this time with a love of teaching. After earning her MFA, she designed educational exhibits for museums across North America, with a focus on family audiences. Museums are the perfect outlet for Amy because she can dabble in many industries and is constantly learning new things. Serena was fortunate to have found a calling to education when she was in college, but thinks that her service activities at HKIS, which mostly focused on young children, were an underlying influence. Serena believes all the school group projects helped to lay a strong foundation of how to work collaboratively, to communicate effectively, and most importantly, how to stay organized! She sometimes jokes that CDM is a like big group project, but with very real-life implications! 58
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From Classmates to Children’s Museum Collaborators Establishing a Children’s Museum in Hong Kong
Children’s museums have been around for over 120 years but are only now gaining popularity in Asia. In Hong Kong, test preparations and academic extracurriculars have traditionally been prioritized over play. Serena and Amy felt there was a huge need for a play-learning space dedicated to young children and their families. With their professional backgrounds perfectly aligned to fill this niche, they were very fortunate to find donors who wanted to finance their dream. Every step of CDM’s development was a learning process for Serena and Amy. Prior to their opening, the concept of a children’s museum was very unfamiliar in Hong Kong; this made such things as establishing company ordinances, obtaining an operating license, to finding like-minded contractors and staff challenging. While there were tough days and long nights, the enthusiasm received from kids and parents proves that when a project is truly dedicated to the welfare of Hong Kong families, it will gain interest and support. Hearing children say that they enjoyed their visit tremendously and hope they can return soon is the greatest reward. Other HKIS alumni were involved along the way: Jennifer Lui ’97 currently advises on CDM’s marketing strategy. Philina Fan ’01 designed the initial website and Jon Lau ’01 shot professional photographs of the space and events. Several Class of 2002 alumni, especially Victor Lang, Angela Ho, Matthew Sears, and Flora Lai, lent their professional skills, networks, and knowledge. CDM also worked with current HKIS students and recent alumni. Thanks to an introduction by High School art teacher Tracey Cheung, CDM prototyped an exhibit with a Service on Saturday group that volunteers at a local primary school. Last summer, Joshua Kosnoff ’18 interned and worked tirelessly on preparations for the soft opening. Serena and Amy are grateful for the help of HKIS students, past and present, and look forward to future collaborations! n Get in touch with Serena and Amy! serena@childrensdiscoverymuseum.hk amy@childrensdiscoverymuseum.hk Learn more about CDM: www.childrensdiscoverymuseum.hk
Alumni Making Moves
Sports Journalism
Taking a pass fro m our point guard and pivoting for a quick baseline dribble to the hoop was Alison’s signature move.
Alison Overholt ’94
If you can see it, you can be it.
Seth With husband PY ES at the annual Alison Awards, which uces. executive prod Alison with husband Seth Wickersham, daughter Maddie, 8, and son Grant, 3 this year.
What lessons did you take from your time at HKIS?
Be open to new experiences, and appreciate that everyone brings a different perspective that’s valuable and eye-opening. Being part of an international community makes that clear, but those things aren’t always a given in other communities. Those learnings have been invaluable to me as a citizen and as a journalist. Your varied perspective is valuable, and it matters. No matter the field you’re in. You were into basketball in High School. What did being part of the team mean to you? What did you learn about sportsmanship?
The girls’ basketball team was my family, and the gym my second home. Our coach, “Doc O” (Karl Ostheller), was our North Star. He believed in us in a way that was transformative for a bunch of teens who were trying to figure out all the things high school kids are trying to figure out. Playing basketball made me strong—mentally and physically. We set big goals, and we felt the exhilaration of meeting and exceeding them. And when we lost, we lost together, and we learned to be gracious. I had a temper tantrum on the court exactly one time, and it was clear that wasn’t how Doc was going to have us conduct ourselves. Learning that lesson at 15 has served me well ever since. Our team was a family. I have always loved being part of a team, and I’m grateful today for every one of those girls. You’re now Vice President, Editorial Director and Executive Producer of Storytelling & Special Projects at ESPN. How did you go about making this happen?
I have loved writing for as long as I can remember. It was almost accidental that I was able to combine my passions for writing and sports. I was a technology and business writer for Fast Company magazine, based in Silicon Valley, when I started freelance writing about things like training for a marathon with friends for women’s magazine, and profiling female athletes for Sports Illustrated for Women. I met some of the guys at ESPN through those efforts, and eventually earned an editing position at ESPN The Magazine. Until it happened, I honestly didn’t imagine that I could make a career out of something sports-related. I really believe in that saying, “If you see it, you can be it.” But until I fell into this career, I had never seen it. That’s why it’s important to me, these days, to talk with student groups and women’s professional groups to give them insight into careers like mine. It’s so important for people to know what’s out there to aspire to.
Accepting the National Magazine Award (the “Ellies”), the highest honor in the magazine industry, on behalf of her team, in 2017.
In 2016, Alison Overholt ’94 became the first-ever female editor of a sports magazine in the US. She reflects back on how her 10 years at HKIS has stuck with her throughout her career.
There was a lot of media attention around you being the first female editor of a sports magazine. What was it like to be on the receiving end of this?
Honestly, it was really strange. I was trying to process the fact that I’d just been given my dream job—and was told to start that job the very next day!—at the same time that I was 3 months pregnant with my son. I felt like I was on a clock to chart a fresh editorial vision and reorganize our staff, and solidify those plans enough that it wouldn’t be debilitating for them or for me to then disappear on maternity leave … and in the background of all of that was what felt like a lot of noise about this milestone of being a woman. Part of me was also frustrated that our industry could be so backwards as to not have more women in these sorts of roles already. It felt absurd that in 2016, this was still newsworthy. Once my head cleared a little bit, though, I was both honored and moved by the attention. It’s that thing I mentioned—if you can see it, you can be it. When I got messages from women across our company, and then when they started to come in from other places, other industries, from women saying that because they saw me doing this job, because they saw me leaving work to go pick up my daughter from daycare, because they saw me not hesitating to do this job while I got ready to have a second child, because I was taking risks and commissioning different kinds of stories, and creating covers that were artistically ambitious, they felt they could pursue professional dreams too, without compromising on their personal or family lives. To get that sort of feedback meant a great deal, more than I expected, and it also makes me feel a deep sense of responsibility to do what I can to now hold that door open for more women to walk through. Any personal/family updates you would like to share?
My sister Christine and her family (she has three incredible kids!) live in the Boston area and she is doing great, running her own communications company. My dad lives nearby and teaches and does research at Harvard. My husband Seth Wickersham also works at ESPN, follow him for fascinating looks at the inner workings of the NFL. We live with our two kids, Maddie (8) and Grant (nearly 3) in West Hartford, CT. We brought Maddie back to Hong Kong for that reunion in 2014, and I hope I can bring Grant back someday too! n Get in touch with Alison! Email her at alisonoverholt@gmail.com SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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Milestones Paddling the Thelon: 11km crossing into fog...trying not to get crushed by drift ice.
this tardiest explorer Eric MacDonald, current High School PE (and former science) teacher, sits down with DragonTales to reflect on an unexpected journey to HKIS, and what’s in store after. Avuncular is the word that comes to mind when I think of Dave Rittmann [HKIS’s Head of School 1977-1996]. I’d been at Nagoya International School for three years and felt it was time for a change. The Head there set up an introduction with Dave Rittmann, and I met up with him at Narita airport as he was on his way through to Hong Kong. Dave had this presence that was commanding and intelligent; you just knew that in whatever context, he was clearly the guy in charge. Here I was, about to turn 40, and he was not so much older than I was, but he called me “son” and seemed quite sincerely concerned that I would make the right decision for me at the stage of life that I was entering. He kept saying that it was a “significant decision.” He seemed to really care about me. It was awfully nice. This is saying something. My life before joining HKIS had been, you could say, adventurous. I am the eldest of seven
siblings and the only boy. I studied sciences at university, specializing in organic chemistry, but once that was done I needed a change, so went up into remote Canadian mining camps with Frontier College as a laborer-teacher. I walked away from a plane crash into one of those mines. I worked shifts at the mine and spent off-time helping my workmates with literacy skills. That lasted about two years. It was a very rough life out there and transformed my life perspective. I then served as group-leader with Katimavik, a program where participants were banded together with other Canadian young adults from diverse backgrounds to spend the year contributing to the community through service volunteerism and living communally to gain language and living skills. By the late 1970s, I was burnt out by the weight of the human story of these two intense experiences. In my alter ego to people-work, I had garnered considerable skills as a woodsman/canoeist. I was invited by Black Feather to canoe guide on the wild Nahanni River in the Yukon so off I went. I topped off the Yukon with a solo stint spending two months by myself on a lake up there doing oil painting. When the snows came I headed back south to canoe through Algonquin Park [in Ontario] with a friend, a month-long trip that ended in December with me hanging out the front of the canoe hacking through the ice with an ax to get to moving water.
I’d met someone earlier in my travels who told me that I needed to go to Crete. I traveled to London and caught a bus through Europe to get there. But in Germany, the bus crashed and I was catapulted 90 feet out the emergency door. I woke up a month later in intensive care, with just about every bone in my body broken, a collapsed lung, no memory and no idea of who I was. They told me I was never going to ride a bike, canoe, or run again. I didn’t know my sisters when they visited me. My mom came, with Gordie Lightfoot tapes, and parts 60
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of my memory started coming back. It took 10 years for me to put Humpty back together again but it was a pretty magical journey. As soon as I could, I got back into the wilderness. I did a lot
of solo trips, and began to get a name for myself in the adventuring community, and got a call from Outward Bound. I went up to their base: Homeplace, north of Thunder Bay, I lived with the other instructors, and it was a wonderful community. I did lots more traveling; exploits like hitchhiking through Tibet, riding rails for some months in India, a winter in Paris. By this time I’m 37, I’d done a lot of different whacko things. My modus operandi was to find disorienting situations in which to immerse myself; figuring my own way through did something for me. So I was on to the next adventure — I heard that they were setting up an Outward Bound school in Nagano, Japan, so I called them up and they invited me to oversee their inaugural courses. The very first course culminated with an 18 km race through the mountains. Holding one end of the finish line was Naoko, who I’d marry. We traveled through southeast Asia and ended up in Singapore. On a longshot, we got in touch with Don Bergman, a grandfather of international school admin, who we’d met by chance on a beach in Japan, who offered me a job as a science Eric, Naoko & Mari and math teacher at (in Grade 3), Hong Nagoya International Kong, 2004. School. I had had to re-learn all of my science from university, which had gotten all knocked out of my head when I had my accident. So it was three years after that that we decided it was time for our next adventure and met Dave Rittmann. I remember the night before teaching my first class at HKIS in
1993. I was up all night. I taught general physics, honours chemistry, algebra, general science, and astronomy. Soon I got to know Doug Baker, David Elliott, Dave Bickel, and they were real brothers to me. They took care of me. We would share a taxi from our homes in South Bay to the High School campus every morning. I used to love seeing them in the morning. Such warm memories!
HKIS Gallery In 1997, Naoko and I went back to Nagoya where I was a middle and high school principal for four years, and then came back to HKIS, but this time as a PE teacher. Jim Handrich [the High School principal at the time] was a progressive thinker. He wanted kids to have choice, and the choice he wanted to offer was eclectic. He saw that we didn’t have certain pieces, so I started developing experiential learning programs: Climbing on trad, sea kayak touring, outdoor leadership, kayak polo, sailing. It was great to see those programs take hold and to see the students thrive. We had some memorable experiences. Naoko
and I started up Nepal Adventure Interims for four years and then the Japan Mountaineering Interim for 16 years. Back in the days of the Kai Tak airport, I used to take kids climbing on Suicide Cliff on Kowloon Peak which overlooks Victoria Harbour with planes landing in front of you, it was a phenomenal place to bring kids, being on the Cliff and loving life. Another time, Craig Butler and I took kids out in north Sai Kung on a sea kayak course and had a surprise windstorm blow up as we made our way around the headland, huge waves. But we made it to the village and shooed wild boars away to set up camp. One of the highlights of HKIS for me was being part of the faculty band: nights in the music room with Mike Nelson, Bruce Ueland, Chris Taylor, and Doug Baker, jamming. Mari ’14, our daughter, had an amazing childhood at HKIS. It was incredible to watch her develop as an athlete through the rugby program, and that dovetailed perfectly with the Football Club’s program. It added a special dimension to her life, to be part of a team, to make that commitment to her skills and physical fitness, it’s phenomenal. That will stick with her. She also enjoyed her PE classes!
n Island in The MacDonalds on Baffi le. Circ the Arctic
2005, trekking across
Naoko and I are moving to the mountains of Nagano, Japan. I’ve always been interested in creating a context where people can realize when how wonderful they are. That’s sort of my mission, since my days in Frontier College, so that people can find something inside that brings out their special gift. I also want to get back to the creative pursuits, back to oil painting, piano, guitar. It’s tough to leave HKIS, I’m going through some grief. I love my PE colleagues like brothers and sisters. We laugh a lot. I’m going to miss those guys. For all the ups and downs at HKIS, I jumped in two feet with dedication and devotion. It mattered to me. I’m OK with that. n Keep in touch with Mr. Mac! Email him at ericmjmacdonald@gmail.com
High School Student Art Photography
Alex Swanson-Bell ’19
Clare Clayton ’19 SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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In Memoriam
James Alexander Adamovich ’95 1977-2019
Aged 42 years Born in Wimbledon, England on February 14, 1977, and died on April 26, 2019, at his residence, St. Peters, NSW, Australia. James arrived in Hong Kong in 1979 and attended HKIS from 1991 until he graduated in 1995, before attending Emerson University. James was an extremely popular and active member of the HKIS community, leaving marks on the skateboarding and punk rock scene, with his band Pregnant Men remembered fondly by many. James’s formative years were at HKIS, and many of his close friends from school stayed in touch over the years and attended the funeral and celebration of his life in Sydney. Loved husband of Elizabeth, adored father of Theodore and Ramona, beloved son of Alex and Paula and cherished brother of Barbara, Andrew, Nicholas, and Jessica. Much loved and missed by all who knew him and especially his students and colleagues at Giant Steps, a school for children and young people with autism. Donations in his memory can be made to Giant Steps Sydney https://giantsteps.net.au/donate-sydney/
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“Uncle” Jay reads to Rebecca and Tim Siegert.
Reverend Jay Frazell HKIS Chaplain 1974-80 1943-2019
Rev. Jay Frazell passed away April 25, 2019 at the age of 76. Very early in life, Jay recognized a calling to God that became his passion and life’s work. Jay attended Concordia High School and Concordia University in Milwaukee, WI, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology. He continued his education at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, earning a Master of Divinity in 1969. He completed his vicarage in Topeka, KS and then accepted his first call as pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, IN. In 1974, Jay accepted a call as chaplain at HKIS. During his time in Hong Kong, he was appointed as an instructor for the Chinese Seminary. In 1980, Jay returned to the U.S. and accepted a position as Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Bensenville, IL. He served at Zion for 20 years before retiring. Following retirement, he moved back to his home town of Peoria, IL where he continued to serve as pastor emeritus for his home congregation and several churches in the Peoria area.
Friends Richard and Kathie Siegert with Jay.
Jay often spoke fondly of the years he spent in Hong Kong. He cherished his time at HKIS and held close to his heart the many lifelong friendships he made while serving there. He always enjoyed recalling those days as some of the best memories of his life and career. Aileen & Darre ll Wallis
Aileen Wallis HKIS Kindergarten Teacher, 1971-83 1932-2019 Earlier this spring, former HKIS kindergarten teacher Aileen Wallis passed away in St. Louis, Missouri after an extended illness. “Mrs. Wallis” was a dedicated Lutheran school teacher for 49 years, serving at HKIS from 1971-1983 and was married to former HKIS Elementary School Principal, Darrell Wallis, who passed away several years ago. Mrs. Wallis was best known for her enjoyment of travel and entertaining, but for those in her kindergarten class, the memories are more likely of playing games and learning about being a friend – it was always fun! From 1973-75, she team-taught with her sister, Linda Windhorst. Having both morning and afternoon kindergarten classes every day for 12 school years, it is likely that Mrs. Wallis touched the lives of over 600 HKIS alumni. Notably, she was the mother and grandmother of HKIS alumni Mark Wallis ’76, Libbie (Wallis) Reinking ’78, Mark Wallis II ’07, and Andrew Wallis ’11. In her later years, she continued to teach preschoolers and enjoy family. She is survived by son Mark (Lisa) and daughter Elizabeth [Libbie] Wallis (Mark) Reinking ’78; Mark Reinking is a former HKIS HS teacher. Grandmother of Jason (Ne) Reinking, Mark (Annmarie) Wallis II, Sarah Reinking, and Andrew Wallis. Great-grandmother of Hayden Reinking and Elora Wallis. Sister of Winifred Thornton and Linda Windhorst Ford. A memorial service was held at St. Thomas Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Staying Connected
1986 Derek Kwik
Class Notes
Desiree holding Dashiell and Derek ’86 holding Dakota and Caroline Kwik.
It has been several years since my last DragonTales update. On the family front, I met my wife in Hong Kong and in 2014, we were married in a small church in Iceland under the Northern Lights. Just two years later, we were blessed with the birth of our twin girls, Dakota and Caroline. This year, one day shy of my birthday, we welcomed the birth of our son, Dashiell. We are now proud parents of “three under three” and the journey has been an amazing experience. I had never expected to take on daddy duties with such vigor and enthusiasm. Whether it be Sunday church or bedtime reading, I aim to be part of their daily routine despite my hectic work schedule and community service work. In the office, I continue to work with and invest in technology start-ups in the APAC region. Recently, much of my work is spent in the electronics factory zone in Shenzhen and the rest of the Greater Bay Area. I sit on various technology committees such as advisor to the Dean of the Lee Shau Kee Business School at Open University of Hong Kong, Hanson Robotics, New World D eve l o p m e n t / Te n c e n t ’s Eureka Nova, CPA Australia 64
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and venture capital fund, Elementz Ventures. I continue to serve on the boards of Junior Achievement (JA) and The Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (SPCA). Each year, I still find time to slot in training to prepare for my next multi-day ultra-marathon. Cambodia, Madagascar, Bhutan and Spain have been my most recent accomplishments. If anyone wants to get in touch with me, my email is ktderek@hotmail.com.
1981 Elizabeth Keenan Johnson
L to R: Elizabeth Keenan Johnson ’81, Barbara Semken Butler ’81 and Kim Semken Brown ’80.
Barbara Semken Butler ’81 and Elizabeth Keenan Johnson ’81 manage to get together a few times a year in the Pacific Northwest to share some memories and many laughs. Recently Kim Semken Brown ’80 met up with them in Portland, OR. A good time was had by all!
1992 Antonio Ng
I’d like to start off 2019 with a big shout-out to the classes of ’91 & ’92! I had the pleasure of reuniting with Erik Tallroth ’92 this past Christmas, spending the holiday together with our families in Hong Kong. This was his first time returning to HK since 1992, 26 years ago. Although I have returned to HK many times since graduation, it was different this time walking through Repulse Bay and Stanley with him while reminiscing about the good old times. Having spent the past 27 years in US, Europe and China, I am now living in Taipei with my wife Judy and two daughters Raya and Aria. After a recent visit to the Repulse Bay campus, I came away very impressed with the new primary school renovation. As both a future strategist and architect, I admire the overall spatial reorganization to go along with a renewed focus on collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity — all important aspects for the future graduates of HKIS. Go Dragons!
1997
In April, the Class of ’97 had a great excuse for a minireunion when Bethany Wetjen, Ian Chee and Julie (Foo) Chee all happened to visit Hong Kong at the same time! Over spam fries, beer, and burgers, ’97ers caught up over old times. Here’s to more happy coincidences!
We know you like to read Class Notes.... so submit yours today! Contact alumni@hkis.edu.hk with your updates, stories, and photos.
Staying Connected 1999 Sang Ok Kim
2010 Justin Ma
A small alumni gathering took place on Saturday, March 23, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea over some good Korean bbq and soju. There were alums from all ages with a quite big age gap between a few, but that didn’t deter the alums from finding something or someone in common!
Justin Ma ’10 married Jacqueline on December 15, 2018 at the Chinese University Chapel. Justin is the son of former HKIS High School math teacher Daniel Ma. Current faculty member George Coombs attended the wedding ceremony and banquet.
Event Snapshots
HKIS Alumni Association – Hong Kong Chapter Alumni Family Fun Day The Alumni Association-HK Chapter hosted a wonderful afternoon of fun for the whole family at the Upper Primary School on Saturday, May 18. Kids and adults alike had a great time exploring the new playground and taking a turn on the slide, climbing through the giant Chinese lantern made of rope, and ringing the bell atop the replica of the Cheung Chau bun tower! Thanks to all the alums and their little ones for attending.
2000 Grace (Chen) Wong On December 12, 2018, I married Kevin Wong and celebrated with many friends and dear family, including my siblings Tim ’92 and Phil ’97 and three nephews (HKIS classes of ’26, ’28 & ’30!) who flew all the way from HK to NY. Kevin and I first met briefly in 2004, but we went our separate ways until God led our paths to cross once again 13 years later, and the rest is history! God’s ways and timing are truly perfect.
Alumni Family Day at Noah’s Ark The Alumni Association-HK Chapter organized a great family-friendly outing on Saturday, April 27 at Noah’s Ark, a local amusement park, which brought together alumni and their families along with longtime faculty member, George Coombs, and his wife Ame. There were lots of great activities and good food for all ages to enjoy!
I’m currently working in the NYC school system providing occupational therapy to students with special needs. If you’re ever in the area, let me know!
High School Photography: Selena Sun ’22 SUMMER 2019 DRAGONTALES
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HKIS Gallery
High School Student Art Illustration & 2D Media
Dixie Lonergan ’19
Peter Kim ’19
Ashley Chang ’22
Emma Hu ’20
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Caity O’Donnell ’19
Staying Connected Take a look at some of our fun events, friendly visitors, eye-catching student art, and spectacular performances we have had across this semester. From the student involvement in CNN’s My Freedom Day to the PFO World’s Fair to welcoming a visiting astronaut at Lower Primary, it’s been a full and fun few months. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to keep in touch with the latest!
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The Last Word
Natalie Broderick Director of Student Services, 2005-2019 Natalie with her four kids
Although HKIS’s Director of Student Services Dr. Natalie Broderick didn’t expect to end up in Hong Kong, she spent her 14 years at HKIS transforming the Student Services Department so HKIS could become the school where every one of our students is known and supported. How and when did you come to HKIS?
I joined in 2005. I was living in Massachusetts and wasn’t looking for a job, but a friend of mine sent me the ad for this position at HKIS and I filled in the online application. [Then Head of School] Jim Handrich happened to be in Boston for a recruitment fair and called me in to meet him. I was so surprised! He said, “we have a shortlist and you’re at the top of it, please seriously consider joining HKIS.” I met the rest of the admin team and had a job offer within 24 hours – it moved extremely quickly! What was student services like when you got here?
At that time Student Services meant anything outside the classroom, including counseling and student support. There was one English as a Second Language teacher, and one enrichment specialist across the whole school. On the counseling side, we used the dean model in the High School — five or six part-time deans who were also teachers. How did the program begin to change?
Together with the High School, we recreated the program to resemble what we have today: Full-time counselors for grades nine through 12, able to work with social-emotional issues as well as the transition to college. It was a big change, and really well received. Over time, we also introduced the seminar program, so each student was participating in a preventative workshop model, helping through their high school experiences and transitioning out to tertiary education. Now, this seminar is part of the wellness block, which includes PE, spirituality, and seminars. And across the school, we have counselors for every grade level to support kids no matter where they are. Can you tell us about the role you’ve held?
I have two separate roles. First, I support the social-emotional counseling thread that goes the whole way through HKIS, where counselors deliver preventative services [like understanding emotions, being aware of the self and others]. Counselors travel up with the kids in each division and work with the families as students progress throughout those years. As a result, our counselors really know our kids. The second part of my role is around special learning needs. We have trained special educators who assist kids with special learning needs. At first, this responsibility sat with teachers who were interested in helping kids but not trained in special ed — they were more like tutors. Now, particularly in lower grades, our specialists work with classroom teachers to build skills into a day. I can’t say enough about the strength of those services. The people that we have in these roles are so strong. They have a 68
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Natalie with friends Linda Chan and Heather Perano
multiplicity of roles; they work with families, with students. They help kids with special learning needs to navigate what can be a high-pressure, high expectations environment. How have you seen students benefit from the support Student Services offers?
There’s been a noticeable change over the years: People no longer say “this kid doesn’t belong here” — it’s us that can’t meet the student’s needs. We’ve also developed cool partnerships with outside agencies. It’s gratifying to see the attitudinal change, that there is a diversity of learning that can happen here, and kids can feel successful, be part of the community, and learn and profit from what we can offer. All students benefit from social-emotional support, and having a team of people that kids can rely on in addition to their teachers has been very helpful. What are some of the highlights for you?
I am really proud of the wellbeing surveys in Middle and High School. This system helps us recognize trends on topics like sleep, happiness, and stress levels by class or time of year. We can run correlations on stress, for example, with time spent on coursework and physical activity. Counselors can then report back to kids about the aggregate findings and have a discussion about what that means. What’s your vision for the future?
I’d like to see dedicated classrooms for kids who need deeper support; students who would be afforded a different style of teaching which would meet HKIS’s standards but with more direct instruction, for example. And students from the mainstream classroom would join these classes three or four times a week for specific projects around social skills. What will you miss most?
I do love my job as Director of Student Services because I can interact with every layer of this school, from three-anda-half-year-old kids all the way through to senior leadership; I will miss the daily interaction with colleagues. I have met the most incredible people here. What will you do once you leave HKIS?
I’m going back to Massachusetts and will be doing private work, mostly psychoeducational assessments. It’s rewarding to find out why kids are struggling and to help them. Of course, part of the fun of doing private work is that I will have more flexibility and be able to visit my 10 grandkids! HKIS has been a great ride that I never expected. Stay in touch with Dr. Broderick! Email her at natyb2772@gmail.com n
Stay Connected Alumni Homecoming & 50th Holiday Basketball Tournament November 27-30, 2019
BASKETBALL ENTHUSIASTS — HAVE WE GOT GOOD NEWS FOR YOU! We all know that for the last 50 years, some of HKIS’s fiercest competition has taken place at the Holiday Basketball Tournament. This year will be no different: HKIS athletes will battle it out against schools across Asia in our flagship event. Come join the crowds and cheer the DRAGONS!
Dates to Remember 2019 July 19-21 Classes of ’68 & ’69 50th Reunion Seattle, WA October 19 PFO Pumpkin Festival
This year is special because it makes the 50th anniversary of our Holiday Basketball Tournament. The celebration will kick off with an Alumni vs. Faculty basketball game, a 3-Point Contest and Free Throw Shoot-Out on Wednesday, November 27 in the High School Gym. Winner takes all…bragging rights. The 50th Annual Holiday Basketball Tournament will tip-off on Thursday morning at 8 a.m. and run until late Saturday evening. Friday morning we’ll help you recover from your Thanksgiving overindulgence at our annual Turkey Trot 5K run in beautiful Tai Tam Country Park. And Saturday there will be an alumni lunch, tours of the Tai Tam and Repulse Bay campuses and of course basketball and more basketball! You could say it’s a Slam Dunk of a weekend.
November 27-30 Alumni Homecoming Weekend
Wednesday, November 27
Please contact Alumni Relations at alumni@hkis.edu.hk for more details.
Alumni vs. Faculty Basketball game and 3-Point Contest and Free Throw Shoot-Out 6:30 p.m., HS Gym
November 28-30 50th Holiday Basketball Tournament November 29 Turkey Trot 5K Run December 2 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Welcome Alumni and Basketball Players Reception 7:30 – 9:30 p.m., HS Thursday, November 28
Social Media for Alumni!
50th Annual Holiday Basketball Tournament Begins
8 a.m. – 9 p.m., HS and MS gyms Friday, November 29
50th Annual Holiday Basketball Tournament 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., HS and MS gyms 9 – 10 a.m. Turkey Trot 5K Run, Tai Tam Country Park
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Saturday, November 30
50th Annual Holiday Basketball Tournament 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., HS and MS gyms 12 – 1:30 p.m. HS plaza Alumni Homecoming Lunch 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Tour of the Tai Tam Campus 3 – 4 p.m. Tour of the Repulse Bay Campus 9 p.m. Awards Ceremony
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1 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam, Hong Kong +852 3149 7000 info@hkis.edu.hk
