Inspiration Magazine January 2019 by International School of Prague

Inspiration

Newsletter January 2019 | International School of Prague

ISP Newsletter 2019

From the Director what our school stands for. With over 60 nationalities, at ISP the concept of the “other” and fear of other nationalities and cultures is an alien one. We see the diversity of our wonderful community as what makes us what we are, and that internationalism and interculturalism are overwhelmingly positive forces.

Nicholas Winton, who organised the rescue of 669 mainly Jewish children during the Second World War from the then Czechoslovakia, says:

Nearby the entrance to our school, we have some quotes from a number inspirational figures displayed in prominent places. One of these, from the late British humanitarian Sir

We see our Alumni go on to achieve great things and I believe that we have imparted our values so that they are empowered to live out the words of Sir Nicholas. At our most recent

Dr. Arnie Biebe

Welcome to Inspiration Magazine, an edition that celebrates the International School of Prague’s 70th school year, 2018/19! It is a school year of anniversaries - as well as our own milestone, our host country celebrated the 100th anniversary of the formation of Czechoslovakia in 2018 and it is a time for reflection on our school’s history through some historic and tumultuous times. ISP’s formative years as a small school consisting of the children of Prague’s diplomatic community may on the face of it have little in common with this year’s record enrolment of over 900 students. Present from the beginning to today, however, has been our commitment to internationalism, compassion, integrity, respect and intercultural understanding. These values are at the heart of all that we do at ISP, and I believe that they are more important than ever in our world today. There has in recent times, in several countries around the world, been discourse and language used in public life which is far removed from

ISP Teacher Nina Horáková and Alaa Eddin Janid

“Don’t be content in your life just to do no wrong, be prepared every day to try and do some good”.

ISP Newsletter 2019

Dr Bieber with the ISP Happy Caravan Team

graduation ceremony, one of our new graduates said: “We are privileged to have had these opportunities and we should not waste them. We must therefore welcome change and use the changes which have shaped us to then shape the world and make a difference.” It makes me very proud, therefore, to see evidence in pages of this magazine of our current and former students doing great things, while retaining the ideals of internationalism and compassion. In particular, I have been greatly inspired by the work of our Upper School students and teachers in establishing what is now a formal partnership with the Happy Caravan refugee school in Greece. Our partnership with a school for refugee children who have so little optimizes our commitment to real world learning. Having interviewed the founder and President of Happy Caravan, Alaa Eddin Janid and the ISP students who recently spent time with the children of Happy Caravan, I wrote a blog about this partnership. The

children of Happy Caravan expressed how much they truly appreciated spending time with and learning from our students. This was in fact a transformational experience for our students that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. As one student said “once you get to meet these kids they’re not just numbers any more. They’re people, there’s so much that you don’t know about them. Once you meet them they’re people you’ll never forget. They’re people that change you. All the little girls and little boys, it’s just they’re not numbers. That made a really big difference in my mind and I hope I can share this with many more people.” We recently had the the honor of hosting Alaa from Happy Caravan. He has an infectious personality and his passion for the Happy Caravan project is palpable seconds after meeting him. Despite living through some almost impossibly difficult circumstances in his home country of Syria, Alaa has retained such a keen sense of humor and unrelenting drive it is impossible

not be inspired by him. Our students most certainly were as they describe so eloquently in the article overleaf about their recent trip to Greece. I look forward to the deepening of our partnership with Happy Caravan. The need is so great and I am grateful that the ISP community has enthusiastically taken active steps to help those with the greatest needs and “create change that is bigger than we are!” I also look forward to hearing more stories of our current and former students, and colleagues from around the world or around the corner, achieving great things and carrying forward ISP’s core values, Compassion, Respect, Integrity and Intercultural Understanding. Warmly,

Dr Arnie Bieber ISP Director *Cover photo - ISP Student Lily enjoys an uplifting experience with two Happy Caravan kids

ISP Newsletter 2019

"We create change that's bigger than we are" - ISP students visit the Happy Caravan School in Greece ISP established an educational partnership with a one-classroom school located in one of the many refugee camps in Greece. Happy Caravan has quickly become part of our ISP family. Not only is Happy Caravan’s founder, Alaa Jnaid, a popular guest in classrooms in all sections of the school, also and more importantly, ISP students and faculty embraced this opportunity to come together as a community to do something good and stay true to our mission statement, "creating a change that's bigger than we are". You can find out more about the partnership on the ISP website (www.isp.cz/happy-caravan-partnership).

Teacher Vivi and her students

After several volunteer trips by teachers, Happy Caravan welcomed the first group of ISP student volunteers during this year’s October break. As all of them said, the experience of spending a week in Happy Caravan is something difficult to express in words; it was life-changing.

One of the many reactions to the experience was a letter to the ISP Community, written by Vivi Lanzarotti, 11th grader who went on the trip: Dear ISP Community, This letter is on behalf of all the little (and big) angels who live at the

Thermopylae Refugee Camp in Lamia, Greece. Some have been there for two years and some arrived two days ago. Some are with their family and some have been left behind. They know me as teeaacherrr (most often belted out with a huge smile and

ISP Newsletter 2019

ISP Faculty and Students join their Happy Caravan friends and colleagues outside the school

raised arms to be picked up) because most don’t remember my name or know how to pronounce it. But they remember my face, and that I’ll probably lift them up in my arms and give a big cuddle. They remember the apple pie rhyme I showed them the first day and they remember that I’ll spin them round and round like a helicopter. For them, teachers come and go, some volunteers stay for only a week like us and some have been there for a year. But they treat every single one of us like we’re their best friend and greet everyone with a massive smile and hug and kiss to the cheek.

I went on this trip to become a volunteer and help teach the refugee children English and Maths. But turns out, they did most of the teaching and I did most of the learning. Not only did we learn the skills needed to work with children of a traumatic past before departing (a skill which is unfortunately crucial for the upcoming teachers and leaders of the world as the crisis is affecting more and more people) but every moment I spent at the camp with the kids I learnt something. When teaching them a hand trick I learnt that this was how they entertained themselves during the long days on their

journey from Turkey to Greece by foot. I learnt that they all have a shining hope to go to Germany because they know it as the most prosperous land. I learnt that there are many different dialects of the languages they spoke and this limited their friendship groups. I learnt that if they offered us something to eat it was rude to refuse and even when they were going hungry they just wanted to share. I learnt that they don’t let their traumatic pasts define them and come to school with a smile of their face despite their situations. I leant that they miss their friends back home and the family they left behind. I realised they are the most resilient and strong people

ISP Newsletter 2019

Alana has some haircare advice and cuddles from Happy Caravan students

that I have ever met and probably will ever meet. I learnt that they have hopes and dreams and aspirations just like any other student. They want to become doctors, architects, singers, teachers, and athletes and they have an everlasting desire to go to school (this is obvious by the continuous knocking of the students on the door wanting to be let in). I learnt that, just like any other child, they get into fights and yell and pull hair and misbehave. That they’ll scream

to get your attention and pout if they don’t get their way. But all it takes to make them happy is to give them a bit of your attention, speak softly and calmly, teach them something new, and make them feel loved. As an international student who spent the majority of their childhood in a developing country (India) I’ve been aware of the refugee crisis as a global issue. At school teachers have shown us incredibly emotional and touching

videos and stories, but it’s never sunk in until now. Until you hear the ten-yearold girl in a polka dot onesie sitting on your lap tell you that she walked from Turkey to the camp and is separated from some of her family. Until you hear her say that when she’s sad she wants her mum to give her a kiss but she doesn’t know where her mum is. All of the children have a story similar to this. Whether it’s the seventeen-year-old boy who is stuck behind in the camp whilst his family is in Germany because

ISP Newsletter 2019

Oliver and friend

the car window ready to greet us in the morning. I see their parents come to pick the kids up from school just like every other parent. Just like every parent at ISP.

the judge won’t approve his papers or the two new Kurdish siblings who come to school with healing scabs around their mouth, massive blisters, and what seem like burn marks up their ankles. This trip really puts life into perspective; the way we live versus the way that they live. Because now when I think of refugees I see the children’s eager faces to learn, their smiles and kisses and hugs, their tear stained faces when they fall down playing catch, and their cute little noses pressed up against

Through this letter I want to show you why these kids deserve more. I want to show you how it doesn’t take much to make their lives that little bit better. The life that they deserve more of. Today you watched a video of me and the other students who went on this trip. You listened to our thoughts on our experiences and our thoughts on why we think you should experience it too. You even saw us surrounded by and cuddling the precious children of Happy Caravan and their never ending energy and smiles. So, I ask you to please help. If it’s possible for you, please please please go down to Lamia and volunteer even for just a week. Or get involved in one of the clubs and projects in connection to Happy Caravan at ISP. And if that’s not possible, then donate. The children could really benefit from having experienced and knowledgeable

teachers in their classroom, and you yourselves will benefit too, I’m sure of it. It’s an indescribable experience. I’m not really sure how to form coherent and cohesive thoughts about my trip because it’s so much more than words could ever begin to describe. Lots of love, Teacher Vivi

ISP Newsletter 2019

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? As ISP celebrates the 70th Anniversary of the formation of our school, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? represents an ideal opportunity to pay homage to the roots of the school in Prague’s diplomatic communities. This event also is an important fundraiser for the ISP Annual Fund, donations to which have a direct positive impact on learning every day at our school.

The Azerbaijani Ambassador, Mrs Shafiyev and compatriots in national dress welcome ISP Community members

Many thanks to the embassies of Azerbaijan, Finland, Peru, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for their support of ISP and for being such magnificent hosts! Thanks also to all our community members who supported the event. Particular thanks to those who channeled their inner journalists to write such wonderful reports of the evening!

Azerbaijan

By Julie Becker

Who would (willingly) agree to attend a dinner party without being informed of the location, cuisine or their dining companions until after arriving? That's exactly what members of the ISP community did on Saturday, 6 October.

Upon boarding vans which would bring our party of 8 to the location where we would spend the next few hours, some guests could not contain their curiosity about the destination while others wished it to remain a surprise until they arrived.

lamb, similar to many of the national dishes. According to our hosts, traditionally it is custom to serve food in the middle of the table and have guests serve themselves. Our meal was separated into courses to allow our hosts to tell us more about each dish.

It was not long before we arrived at our destination in Dejvice, and spotted the blue, red and green of the Azerbaijan flag illuminated in the night sky. As we entered the expansive entryway of the Embassy, we were warmly greeted by Ambassador Farid Shafiyev and his wife, Ulkar, as well as some members of the staff in national costume.

Over the course of the evening, the group bonded over stories about children, sports, and finding familiar grocery items in Prague. We learned about the history and traditions of the country. Azerbaijan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of Fire" due to the many oil wells, they are well known for their exquisite carpets and also for their tea culture.

We enjoyed a delicious meal, which extended over several courses and featured many types of greens, vegetables and fresh herbs. We were treated to meat dishes prepared with

At the end of the night, we parted ways with full bellies, fascinating information and a few new friends.

ISP Newsletter 2019

We left our evening full of good food and drink, armed with some kind gifts, including the ultimate guide to sauna; with our hosts joking that next time they would be handing out bathrobes at the front door for a truly authentic Finnish experience. We were all so grateful to have the opportunity to participate in this unique event and especially honoured to be the first evening guests the Ambassador and his wife have hosted at their Residence since they arrived in Prague.

The ISP Delegation meet Ambassador Pesola of Finland

Finland

By Anna Owen

After a sociable drinks reception held at school, eight members of the ISP community bundled into a taxi full of anticipation to finally discover our host embassy for the evening ….and lucky us, it was FINLAND! We received a warm welcome from the Ambassador, Jukka Pesola, and his wife, Satu, who have only recently moved to Prague to take up the Ambassadorial post. Hosted on the beautiful ground floor of the Ambassdor’s residence, we enjoyed our aperitifs surrounded by a happy mixture of original Czech furniture and fine Finnish art. The layout of the building was explained, with the ground floor hosting official events and receptions and the upper floor given over to family living… with the most notable feature of the basement space below being the sauna -which we learned no Finn should be without. We settled down to a delicious dinner featuring tasty seasonal produce and fish. Poached pears for dessert were accompanied by a fabulous liquorice ice cream; celebrating the Finnish dedication for the sweet treat. Conversation was varied and entertaining and we not only learned a little about Finland but also about each other’s lives and experiences. Our table full of travellers exchanged

tales of moving our families around the world, not to mention the challenges of transporting more unusual luggage from cats to crustaceans! Conversation flowed as well as the wine and it was a wonderful opportunity not only to meet our generous hosts but also for ISP parents who hadn’t previously met to spend time together. After dinner, of course there had to be coffee; Finns are the world’s biggest drinkers of the stuff – and it was predictably strong and delicious. To conclude the evening, we raised a glass of Koskenkorva Salmiakki – a vodkabased spirit based on the Finn’s beloved salty liquorice. Our versions of ‘cheers’ covered ‘kippis’, ‘skol’ and “hölkyn kölkyn” which apparently doesn’t even mean anything; but puts a smile on everyone’s face when they say it.

Peru

By Clive Watkins Thanks to the generosity of Ambassador Liliana De Olarte de Torres Muga, a wonderful mix of ISP parents, teachers, and extended friends enjoyed an evening learning about just a few of Peru’s traditions. The purpose of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” is to step slightly outside of our comfort zone by meeting with new people in a new environment, and the Ambassador certainly helped us to do that. The event took place at the Ambassador’s residence in Starý Bubeneč. The home is decorated with items acquired by the Ambassador during her postings, including those from Peru, which allowed us to start the evening by diving right into Peruvian history (over a few Pisco Sours!).

ISP guests at the Peruvian Ambassador's residence with Ambassador de Torres Muga

ISP Newsletter 2019

Dinner was shared over stories from all guests about their origins and their lives as expats (with an occasional foray into current affairs); the several hours of conversation flew by, until we each found ourselves presented with a book on Peru by the Ambassador - an item to help us remember our evening of new friends and new experiences. Thank you Ambassador de Torres Muga!

Tunisia

By Susan McKinnon "All aboard?" enquired Clive! "Yesss" hailed the packed bus of intrepid diners, who waited with bated breath and somewhat rumbling stomachs. "It's Tunisia!!!" And, at that, the small talk quickly turned to thoughts of delicious lamb stews, moist couscous, fresh fruits and the exotic tastes of North Africa. It didn't take long before we pulled up at Embassy Avenue somewhere East of Central Prague and we were welcomed into the exquisitely furnished Tunisian Embassy. Our host was the effervescent and wonderfully charming Madam Ambassador Bardaoui - a more welcoming host than could ever be expressed in words alone. What a consummate Diplomat with a smile and warmth for all of her guests. Indeed, to ensure that we really shared in the hospitality of her country she had not only assembled her full diplomatic power team (including her cute little dog) but we guests were treated to an audience with some very fit and handsome Tunisian under 21 soccer players, and their coaches, who were in town for a major tournament. We learned much about Tunisia and its beautiful geography and all dreamed about spending our next vacation basking in its sunkissed beaches and ancient towns. As we drifted to these warmer climes, we were shaken back to Prague by the gentle tinkle of a little bell. Like a pack of Pavlov's proverbial dogs, we excitedly queued round

The table is set at the Turkish Ambassador's residence and below Joe and Avis meet Ambassador and Mrs Bigali

the most sumptuous of banquets prepared by the elite Embassy Catering Corps. The food certainly lived up the the billing and, just in case you ever hear otherwise, the couscous from Tunisia is the best in the World bar none! So are the carrot canapes, the fragrant beef stew, the chick pea casserole, the fresh Tunisian salad, the bread... - you get the drift - wonderful fresh food showcasing ancient cooking techniques and bountiful produce. And then, the piece de la resistance - organic dates from the oasis of the desert, quite simply delicious and even quite healthy (in moderation). Throughout dinner our wonderful host, who is quite the raconteur, continued to enthral us with stories of Tunisia, her time in Paris and New York. More than a few of us imagined ourselves as our country's chief representative in important UN meetings, and just as we started to drift away, the little bell rang again and our carriages awaited. We wished the football team well and Dr Bieber offered up the Falcons for practice (but we didn't think they need it) and then we thanked our lovely host one last time and made our way home. What a fantastic way to learn about new cultures, to meet new

and interesting people in the ISP Community and beyond. A truly unforgettable evening and one we are already looking forward to next year! Unfortunately we don't have a photo of the wonderful evening of Tunisian hospitality.

Turkey

By Laura Ellsworth “A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints.” -Wilfred Peterson It is not without some trepidation that one agrees to spend an evening with strangers eating food they may or may

ISP Newsletter 2019

ISP Community members meet Ambassador Abdullah Mohamad Almaainah

not have ever tasted or even heard of, but it is also the recipe for adventure. That is precisely the challenge that roughly 70 ISP parents and teachers signed up to do in early October, and it turned out to be a perfect setting for an international community to get to know each other a little better and experience first-hand a new culture.

grandma. It’s inseparable from the get-go.” -Anthony Bourdain

Our group was received by the Ambassador to Turkey, Ahmet Necati Bigali and his lovely wife. The evening began with an aperitif in the Ambassador’s residence, a stunning building representing beautiful classic Czech architecture with a Turkish touch here and there from the rugs to the china.

By Henrica De Jong

“Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region your tribe, your

We were then treated to a four-course meal, representing the best food Turkey had to offer.

United Arab Emirates

Nine ISP guests were invited to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ambassador Abdullah Mohamed Almaainah and his wife welcomed us and took the opportunity to present various aspects of their country. UAE consist of seven emirates founded by the late Sheikh Zayed in 1971. The year 2018 marks 100 years since the birth of the Founding Father and is named Year of Zayed.

Interesting facts arose when questioned about the UAE flag. We found out that the Ambassador was the winner of the design contest when he was 17. His design was chosen from 1,030 entrees! Guests were offered a beautiful buffet with a large variety of delicious meats, fish and tasty vegetable dishes. Finishing off with cumin coffee and Arabian sweets. All guests enjoyed a true Arabian experience.

ISP Newsletter 2019

The Long Road from Karlovy Vary to South Sudan Tereza Kaplanova (Class of 2010) and her epic journey via Nebušice and ISP by Nane Asatryan (Class of 2019) Every year, our community grows richer with bright and creative students who are given the opportunity to study at ISP. The graduates of ISP all take their own unique road in this world to achieve and accomplish wonderful things around the globe. Even if the road is foggy and unclear, there are stories within our community that are worth sharing and hearing about as they help us all as individuals be more aware of our community. It also helps one comprehend the fact that it is totally normal to want to achieve a certain thing in life and end up wanting to do something different in the end. One of the stories in particular that depicts this and that I decided to focus on is that of Tereza Kaplanova, an ISP Class of 2010 graduate originally from Karlovy Vary. Tereza joined the ISP community back in 2007 when she was awarded a scholarship for her outstanding academic performance. For Tereza, this was something unthinkable, as she says that “coming from a small town from the Czech Republic, the opportunity to study at

ISP was amazing for me”. It was a tough road for Tereza, as she barely knew any English when she first enrolled at ISP, however she took a great step forward to get her English to the level of proficiency that it is now. Her thoughts on the education she received from ISP is that it always challenged her to analyse and critically think about the information that was put in front of her. This is something that she deems to be very important for the new generation. “The people I was surrounded by made me very motivated. Seeing what they know and the different places where they came from gave me a new perspective on things”. This lead Tereza to want to have an understanding of all these multicultural people and wanting to work on herself to be more openminded and to seek other perspectives. For her, the road did not end where she could see it. When speaking with Tereza, she remembered being stressed about university applications as she entered her History class one day and heard the wise words of her teacher, now a loved alumnus of ISP, Ms Shannon Leggett. Ms Leggett advised her that: “It does not matter which university you will go to, it will all be fine and you will be successful”. As an upper school senior, she had no idea what she wanted to do in life. Both her parents are doctors but she was more interested in PPE and

Law and knew that ISP gave her the opportunity to do so. After graduating from ISP, Tereza went forth to pursue a Law Degree at the University of Sussex. She then took a U-turn on this field of studies and decided to chase the dream of helping people by taking up a career that included both enforcing human rights and supporting equality in healthcare. This change of career was inspired by her role-model in life; her grandmother, who was a human-rights advocate in post-communist Prague. "It is important to look up to a woman in your life", states Tereza. After searching online for possible human rights related jobs, she came across an organisation called the English National Health Service, where she spent 3 years working as a healthcare provider, whilst also addressing demographic changes and issues relating to health inequalities, ensuring compliance with relevant human rights legislation and policies, and improving healthcare access to disadvantaged groups. Her journey led her to Greece, where she was part of a non-profit organisation, that promoted safe infant feeding practices and infant nutrition amongst the refugee population in Greece. She spent 3 months here as the Project Coordinator and was happy to be apart of this NGO as she knew that it had good intentions.

ISP Newsletter 2019

Tereza and Medicines Sans Frontieres Aircraft in South Sudan

Tereza completed her Master's degree in Public Health at the University of Cambridge and continued to work on a project for another half year with the executive body of the UK Department of Health and Social Care where she investigated and analysed diseases to support those in need. Currently, she is working as an Epidemiologist in South Sudan, as part of the Doctors Without Borders programme (Medecins Sans Frontiers). Though Tereza has a busy schedule and has spent a lot of her time helping others, she does not refrain from playing the ukulele, doing yoga, or keeping in touch with her Czech relatives and friends back home. Her adventurous ride made her realise that not having a plan does not equal to not being successful. What Tereza learnt was being able to take the right opportunities at the right time, leaving those behind that did not seem right.

Tereza Kaplanova (Class of 2010) After completing a Law Degree at the University of Sussex, Tereza chose to pursue a career interlinking human rights and healthcare. She spent three years working across a healthcare provider, commissioning as well as inspection organisations of the English National Health Service addressing demographic changes and issues relating to health inequalities, ensuring compliance with relevant human rights legislations and policies, and improving healthcare access,

experience and outcomes for people from disadvantaged groups. Following the onset of the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the Middle East, Tereza took on a role as a Project Coordinator managing operations of a non-profit organization promoting safe infant feeding practices and infant nutrition amongst the refugee population in Greece. She then returned back to the UK to complete her Master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Cambridge, after which she worked on a project with the executive body of the UK Department of Health and Social Care providing analytical support to transform the way health and care is delivered for people with long-term needs and conditions. Most recently, Tereza started working with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) as an Epidemiologist, and is currently completing her mission in South Sudan.

ISP Newsletter 2019

TEDx @ISP - 4 Years and Counting! On Saturday October 13, 2018, a team of dedicated student organizers and speakers, led by supervisors Lawrence Hrubeš and Madeleine Cox, transformed the theater of the International School of Prague into a professional platform for talented young speakers to share ideas they are passionate about with the audience. This was the fourth consecutive TEDx event at ISP and each year more and more ideas are brought to the stage by thoughtful speakers from ISP’s Upper School.

Preparations began 8 months before the event with a meticulous selection process. TEDx talk veterans Madelen Hrubešová and Mariam Mansuryan helped Mr. Hrubeš and Ms. Cox select the most interesting talks and most confident speakers after through rounds of auditions in late February. A team of student organizers also came together under the leadership of

Lawrence Hrubeš, all striving to make this year’s event a success. 2018's TEDx event offered a wide variety of topics, ranging from effects of artificial intelligence to the objectivity of history textbooks, that inspired, challenged, and engaged their audience with “ideas worth sharing”. The theme this year, Better

Questions, encouraged audience members, speakers and organizers alike to expand upon their own ideas and discover new possibilities. TEDx speakers Darja Kornjenkova, Jesse Li, Jackson Stoner, Lara Anderegg, Jody Druce, Jihyeon Kim, Bella Adamova, and performer Marek Mičan worked hard to bring the

ISP Newsletter 2019

audience an enlightening afternoon of daring new ideas, engaging stories and impressive performances. Nervous pre-performance jitters were shared backstage in the crew room, but words of support reassured the performers. One after another, the team of speakers stood on stage in front of the anticipating audience and confidently delivered for the final time their talk

that had been carefully rehearsed and improved. The team of dedicated student organizers included: Khanh Duong Dinh (CoHead of Logistics), Yinjie Shi (Co-Head of Logistics), Chih Tong Lee (Head of Media), Jesper Holter (Slide Supervision and Design), Julia Lewis (Head of Film) Ashot Mansuryan (Live event

MC), Amartya Vats (Head of Theater Technology), and Lily Aliyev (Website Technician), all of whom worked hard to ensure that the event was polished, professional, and smooth-running. Stage organizers Amartya Vats and Jesper Holter worked under the leadership of ISP’s theater technician Juraj Benda to set up a stage that allowed the speakers to professionally present their ideas.

ISP Newsletter 2019

What’s truly powerful about the TEDx event is that it brings students together to compose a complex, professional piece of performance that is both enlightening and rewarding. Perseverance played a major role in the success of the event as both student speakers and organizers continuously reviewed, refined, and edited their work throughout the project. Supervisor Lawrence Hrubeš mentions that one of the core characteristics that makes the TEDx project such a valuable experience for students is in the continuous feedback as students take their own autonomy on their roles: ‘speakers and organisers get generous feedback throughout the six months leading to TEDx. As they work on talk drafts or delivery, as they create event media or edit raw footage, as they plan all aspects of the event from food to seating, feedback is specific, timely, constructive, honest and task-oriented. This is how a lot

ISP Newsletter 2019

and collaboration. The team worked each to their own strengths and ultimately came together to create a cohesive product. ‘We make it clear that we're a team, that it's not enough to do our own work well, but also to support others wherever we can. There's not much room for ego. We're working to create something bigger than our own part in it.’

of the learning happens! The road to success was tedious and, occasionally, more frustrating than one could ever imagine, but the significance of perseverance is that the team was able to create an authentic and professional event for the audience and use their skills to build a world of new ideas.

The authenticity of this event was really brought by the collective effort from the entire student team to transform the school theater into a professional stage of TEDx ideas. Everything about the event, from the talks to the arrangements of the sofas was the product of student decision

As organizers, students had to be aware of each other’s capabilities and be aware of the workload of others. What’s truly amazing about the TEDx project is that students with different roles can collaborate with each other on their jobs depending on their strengths. This isn’t something that is in school, there is no grade placed on it. Students had to be flexible regarding their jobs and be mindful about what tasks they can handle and occasionally recognize roles that maybe they need to fill in (even if it was not their job). A role on the team meant that one had to be independent, have a good sense of group collaboration, and be responsible about their jobs because it was not about individuals but about the group as a whole. Lily Chih Tong Lee (Class of 2020 and the TEDx Team)

ISP Newsletter 2019

Staying in Touch - Alumni Relations at ISP and Reunion Events! In the International School of Prague’s 70th year, it is very appropriate that Alumni relations are in perhaps the best health that they have ever been in the seven-decade long history of the school!

ISP Director Dr. Arnie Bieber and John Crane unveil a tribute to ISP’s long-serving Faculty and Staff at the all-years reunion 2017/18

Alumni relations have been led by a group of former students in the ISP Alumni Council. These former students, based in Prague, the United Kingdom and the United States, have led the way through their enthusiasm for their Alma Mater and staying in touch with both the school and connecting with fellow Alumni from across the years. For many of those Alumni based in Prague, bi-monthly ISP Alumni Gatherings have became a regular fixture in their calendars. Fittingly, these events are now regularly held in the restaurant of ISP Alum Stefan Savic (Class of ‘09), Polpo by Kogo. These events take place on the first Wednesday of every second month and the next one is on Wednesday 6 February 2019 at 6pm. Reunion events aren’t just about Alumni you already know - as Milena

Keith Richards spots his name

Paprok (Class of '08) said on connecting with the Colin sisters, Guenaelle and Domitille (Class of '13): "We met for the first time last night. However, after revealing the fact that we have Korean mothers we realized that we've actually already heard of each other from our moms, but just never had a chance to meet being 5 years apart. So, we took a photo for our moms.” Excitingly, three All-Years Alumni Reunion Events are taking place in 2019 to mark our 70th school year in London, Prague and New York! Both the London and New York events are evening events in downtown venues with drinks and nibbles whereas the end of year event in Prague is a daytime event London Alumni Reunion 2019 Larissa Batt (Class of ‘08) has been

ISP Newsletter 2019

Serge Frolov, Jason Nam (Class of ‘07) and Peter Ulc (Class of ‘08) struggle to hang the tribute in reception!

Milena Paprok (Class of '08, centre) with the Colin sisters, Guenaelle and Domitille (Class of '13) at a bi-monthly Prague reunion

ISP Alumni across the years get reacquainted

instrumental in organising the first event, which will take place in the City of London on Friday 8 February 2019 at 7pm at Patch St Paul’s, 5860 Carter Ln, London EC4V 5EA www.patch-bar.co.uk. Please visit www.isp.cz/alumni for more details or email advancement@isp.cz. New York Alumni Reunion 2019 The New York Event has been arranged by Gwyther Bultman (Class of ‘98) and will be at Flatrion Hall Restaurant and Beer Hall www.flatironhall.com in Manhattan on Friday 17 May! Again, please visit www.isp.cz/alumni for more details or email advancement@isp.cz. Prague 70th Anniversary Reunion The Prague event involves a return to Nebušice! On Saturday 15 June! This follows two very successful Reunion events which we have had in the last two school years. 2017/18’s reunion

was attended by over 70 Alumni and a great time was had by all reacquainting themselves with their old surroundings, as the photos on these pages show! This year’s event will be slightly different as it will be a daytime event, although it will will take place on the International School of Prague campus - full details will be announced - but please save the date for now! The key message from the Alumni Council and from ISP is - get involved! Drop us a line at advancement@isp.cz for any suggestions, information or just to tell us what you are up to! Join our mailing list at alumni.isp.cz and like the ISP Alumni Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ InternationalSchoolofPragueAlumni.

ISP Newsletter 2019

Class Notes Class of 2010

Class of 2012

Dear Class of 2010,

Dahlia Rawji After graduating from ISP, Dahlia went on to attend Wellesley College (Class of 2016), where she pursued a double major in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies. Upon graduation, she began working in the nonprofit sector. Most recently, Dahlia was living in Mumbai, India and was working for Aseema Charitable Trust, a nonprofit that provides education for underprivileged children in urban slums. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Nonprofit Management at Columbia University in New York City.

I’m very pleased to be writing another alumni newsletter and I hope the enthusiasm for the newsletter continues.

Katrien then and now!

Petr Syrovatko recently launched his first start-up internet gaming site European Fantasy League. The site is the first daily Fantasy Sport provider in Central and Eastern Europe and is available throughout the entire EU. In addition to the start-up, Petr has also joined his family’s construction and investment business, SYNER, and is the head of marketing and development. Congrats Petr! Katrien Wilmots graduated law school, passed the New York bar and moved to London in September. Now, she is working as a U.S. capital markets lawyer at Allen & Overy LLP. She was back in Prague in May and made a visit to ISP, where she re-created a picture she took as a graduating senior. If you have any more updates you want your classmates to know about or you have any photos you want to share please don’t hesitate to pop me an email at isp.class.of.2010@gmail.com and I’ll make sure to include them in the next newsletter.

Eva Havelka completed her fourth year of medical school at Keele University in July 2018, after which she decided to intercalate in Global Health at Imperial College. Intercalating is an opportunity for medics to take a year out of clinical training to focus on research in their area of interest. “Through this course I’m able to explore health from a population rather than individual point of view and am also studying the ways in which healthcare and international aid is organised and funded on a global scale.” Eva is currently living in London for her program, and feels that it has been an excellent professional but also cultural hub. “I’m lucky to be surrounded by incredible art and music events which I can attend, sometimes with ‘Prague people’ or ISP alumni!” After finishing medical school, Eva intends to pursue a career in Public Health, with a focus on reducing the individual and societal harm caused by drugs.

ISP Newsletter 2019

Eva Wilmots went to the University of York for her undergraduate degree which she completed in 2015. She then went on to study and complete an MSc in Developmental Psychology and Clinical Practice at UCL/Anna Freud Centre in London in the summer of 2018, and is currently working as an Assistant Psychologist at the Royal Free London Hospital (NHS). “I work in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, both in general (which covers young people with depression, anxiety, OCD difficulties etc), and in the specialist Eating Disorders Service in Hampstead, London. I am currently working towards applying for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, hoping to complete the training in London and then live and work here.” Besides her studies, Eva enjoys traveling with her boyfriend. They have most recently hiked in the Scottish Highlands, and are looking forward to their upcoming trip to South Africa! Jana Lohrova After ISP, Jana went on to complete a BA at Yale, majoring in History of Science, Medicine and Public Health, and was a Global Health Fellow. She was then accepted into a Joint Masters Program with Yale School of Public Health, where her undergraduate research on epidemiology was awarded the Dean's Prize for the Outstanding Thesis in Global Health. Following her studies, she worked for the Connecticut Department of Public Health for a year. Outside of her studies, Jana has become passionate about folk singing and dancing! “I started training in Slavic folk singing in college, and then spent this summer learning traditional Gàidhlig song in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, and Seán Nós singing and dancing in Ireland.”

Sophia in Japan

Sophia Freckmann completed her undergraduate degree, MA of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen in 2016. Following her graduation, Sophia went on to volunteer at the Pieria Voluntary Action Group’s in Northern Greece. The group runs a Social Pharmacy, that supports the people affected by the Economic Crisis in Greece, as well as the refugee camps all over Greece, by supplying and sending medication, food, and home stuff. Returning from her volunteering, she then went on to become an Assistant Manager at the

retail store Hollister Co. in Aberdeen, Scotland, where she worked for a year. “It was at this time that I decided that a career in teaching was better suited for me.” Sophia is now in Japan on the JET Program as an Assistant Language Teacher, co-teaching with a Japanese English teacher in a Japanese Junior High School, in Takashima City in Shiga Prefecture. She is enjoying traveling and exploring all that Japan has to offer, as well as sharing her own international culture with her students, fellow staff members, and the people in her city!

ISP Newsletter 2019

Class of 2013

Sebastian in Prague

The Class of 2013 is still all over the world achieving great things! Many of us are slowly starting our career, while others are continuing to pursue various degrees.

Lukas Borovicka In Prague, Lukas Borovicka got an offer to direct TV commercials in the Czech Republic during the second part of his internship at Disney. He accepted the offer, returned home to Prague and has been working for clients such as Kaufland and Bata since the spring of 2018. Sebastian Winkler Sebastian Winkler is currently working as the PR & Marketing Coordinator at the Augustine Hotel in Prague, where he oversees all digital aspects of the property, including social media. The job demands many skills as he needs to know how to manage and update the website and social media, keep in touch with publishers and magazines,

Bo at Angkor Wat in Cambodia

and create printed and digital collateral for the hotel and its outlets.

Tina Zhou Hui Tina Zhou Hui, also in Prague, quit her first job and decided to travel for five months. Her journey started in Norway, after which she went to Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Thailand. What a journey! After her trip, she started at KPMG and is currently based in Prague. She is loving it so far! Veronika Jouklová Veronika Jouklová has just received her Master’s of International Business in Wuhan, China. After getting married in August, she moved to Nottingham, UK to finish her dual degree in European Business and Finance. Recently, she has accepted an offer to return to the Czech Republic and work for a German company, ACO Industries, on projects in International Business Development.

Alexia Bossan Alexia Bossan, on the other side of the world, has started medical school at the University of Central Florida and alongside her studies is currently involved in Sports Medicine Research with Nemours Children's Hospital. Additionally, her first author publication from her research with Prostate Cancer was recently accepted for publication in BMC Cancer so it will soon be searchable online! Rudan Balay Rudan Balay, also in America, is currently working for a human rights organization in Washington D.C. and is doing freelance writing on the side. She was the youth representative of Iraq at the United Nations this year and will be going to the UN again as the youth ambassador next year. Right now she is in the process of applying to grad schools hoping to get a masters in middle eastern studies. You can follow her blog at www.rudanbalay.com.

ISP Newsletter 2019

Veronika on her idyllic wedding day

Aydin Aydin currently lives in Boulder, Colorado, working at One Earth Future, an NGO whose mission is to catalyze systems that eliminate root causes of war and foster sustainable peace by building effective networks and resilient societies in fragile and post-conflict environments around the world. Concurrently, Aydin is working on the publication of a paper on the science of consciousness with Dr. Vijay Gupta at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES). Aydin continues to be involved in the consumption and study of great wines, playing in the mountains, and of course, football. Aydin hopes to pursue his graduate studies back in Europe next year. Emma Beauchamp Emma Beauchamp started a Master’s in the fall in Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa.

She also works part time at the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada. It has been challenging balancing the two, she says, but very rewarding!

Balazs Kuti Now back to the European continent! Balazs Kuti, is currently finishing his Master's in Marketing at the University of Buckingham at the Budapest campus. He recently got accepted into the RISE Management Trainee program at Coca-Cola Hungary and is looking forward to starting after obtaining his Master’s degree. Ana-Maria Berlew Ana-Maria Berlew obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from Northeastern University this May. She recently moved to Amsterdam to pursue an MBA from Hotelschool The Hague.

Tom Wilmots Tom Wilmots graduated in July 2017 from the London School of Economics with a MSc in Finance and Economics. He is currently living and working in London for Ernst & Young (EY) as a Technology Consultant, currently focused on a Machine Learning asset development for combating Financial Crime. Bo Hitzert As for myself, I will also be based in London soon. I completed my MSc in Marketing Management from the Rotterdam School of Management this past summer, where I specialized in data analytics and digital marketing. After obtaining my degree, I decided to travel through South East Asia for two months. I will be joining Amazon in London as an E-Commerce Graduate in January 2019.

ISP Newsletter 2019

Night at the Palace 2019 ISP's fundraiser for Scholarships and highlight of the social calendar returns to the Lobkowicz Palace! Prague Castle Complex by Night - The Lobkowicz Palace is on the right of this photo

We are very pleased to let you know that the ISP Fundraiser for Scholarships - the Night at the Palace - will be returning to its roots this year!

Scholarship recipients and last year's speakers Tereza Matoušová & Vahe Asatryan (both Class of 2016) enjoy last year's 'Night at the Tower'

Night at the Palace will be held on Saturday, March 30th, 2019 at the most elegant of Prague palaces, the Lobkowiczký palác at the Prague Castle. The Palace's many baroque rooms and unique panorama of Prague are unmatched. This school year is an extra special one, our host country has been celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formation of Czechoslovakia, for ISP it's our 70th anniversary, and it is the 20th year of ISP Scholarships! Such moments call for an outstanding event, and you can be assured that this will meet all expectations.

The all-volunteer committee, cochaired by Vera Newbold and Sheridan Barnett, is hard at work already, and we will be bringing you updates on auction items, sponsors, entertainment, tickets, and more.

If you need more information about Night at the Palace contact Tereza Třešňáková in the Advancement Office ttresnakova@isp.cz or visit www.isp. cz/night-at-the-palace.