Night at the Tower ISP’s 8th Annual Fundraiser for Scholarships and Financial Aid June 2018 | International School of Prague
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Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
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Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
About the Event
Thank You to Our Major Supporters
For 2018, the eighth annual fundraiser for scholarships at the International School of Prague again took on a new name Night at the Tower! This year’s event, the showcase social event in the ISP calendar, was held at the historic venue of Novoměstská radnice (the New Town Hall) on Saturday May 5th.
Some of the most prestigious companies in the Czech Republic support ISP’s Scholarship and Financial Aid Program. Their financial support is demonstrated at various giving levels,
ISP constituent base. This year, we are proud to announce that our corporate donors contributed 1,320,000 Czk out of the total of 1,968,000 Czk that will be given to support the Scholarship
such as the Gold & Black, Falcon’s and Comenius Societies. The school is delighted to communicate the commitment of those donors to the
and Financial Aid Programs. A profound word of thanks goes to all our corporate donors for the influence that they are having on the lives of our students.
The venue has a colourful and at times grizzly history, and was the site of the First Defenestration of Prague, when seven city councillors met their demise in 1419 at the hands of a crowd of Czech Hussites! More recently, the venue is used as for all types of functions and the historic tower is open to visitors to take in what is a unique view of the city. Many Night at the Tower guests took the opportunity to scale the Tower and experience a somewhat different panorama of Prague to what is seen on most postcards. The occasion was one of friendship and celebration of the first 70 years of ISP, all while raising funds for Scholarships, which add such richness to our unique community.
and vocalist are well known in the ISP Community. He was joined on vocals by his daughter and Upper School student Madelen, whose voice betrays her tender years. The father and daughter duo were joined on tenor sax by Jeremy Chapman, who when not inspiring a love of music across the genres in Middle School, has become a fixture of Prague’s jazz scene.
An undoubted highlight for all attendees came early in the evening, when Dr. Bieber spoke passionately about the positivity, excellence and energy that scholarship students bring to ISP. He then introduced two Alumni who embody this positivity, excellence and energy, Vahe Asatyran and Tereza Matoušová, (both Class of ‘16).
Guests were also dazzled by the performance of the Loser(s) - who really did not live up to their name! The couple displayed wonderful athleticism and timing during a unique performance, which displayed exactly why the Loser(s) gained their status as an internationally renowned group.
Tereza recalled her time at ISP and her dilemma on leaving whether to follow a career in science or in marketing, communications and journalism (her ambition is combine both and be a science journalist!). Vahe traced his journey from an ISP Scholarship to currently studying Political Science and Economics at University College London.
Another internationally renowned group - or a incarnation of them - were the surprise package of the evening! Pop Stars Abba Revival are a popular tribute act which has pleased audiences around Europe, including their inspiration’s Swedish homeland. The group played two breathless sets before the stage was left to DJ Javo, who played a selection of modern sounds, often with a classic twist and took the party into the small hours.
Guests were entertained by some of ISP’s own magnificent musicians, Lawrence Hrubeš, Madelen Hrubešova and Jeremy Chapman. Lawrence’s talents as a pianist
Like previous years, the welcome champagne was generously supplied by La Finestra in Cucina. All beer was equally
generously supplied by Pilsner Urquell. The Zátiší Group excelled in providing sumptuous food throughout the night, the diversity of which reflected the diversity of the ISP community, with an excellent range of Asian, European and North American cuisines. The reception area outside the Main Hall showcased a marvellous array of silent auction gifts, all donated by committed supporters of Scholarships at ISP. Like the last few years, there was a supercar on display outside the venue, generating a lot of interest from guests. The supercar was once more generously donated by Advantage Cars. Tickets for the raffle were enthusiastically sold by the team of Upper School Students present at the event. Weary feet were given some tender loving care by the team of masseurs from Carlo IV Prague Hotel Spa. A memorable evening at a unique Prague
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The Scholarship Program at ISP Since 1948, The International School of Prague has been committed to providing an exceptional education in a truly global environment. The success of ISP Alumni is a tribute to the work not only of those who have worked at the School, but to those who have helped to ensure its firm financial foundation. For more than sixteen years, a number of our students from the Czech Republic have been the deserving recipients of generous Scholarships provided by the ISP community. The goal of the Scholarship program is to make the ISP educational experience available to a diverse range of students. These Scholarships are based not only on financial need, but also on merit. In addition to fulfilling the normal requirements for admission to ISP, a student who wishes to be considered for a Scholarship must demonstrate an excellent academic record, a strong command of the English language, a desire to obtain an education in a multicultural environment, and an intention to enroll in the full International Baccalaureate program.
These students have enriched our community as much as their horizon have widened. Their attendence at ISP is an important way in which the school can connect with and give back to the local community. In order to ensure the long-term viability of this program, the School holds its annual fundraiser for Scholarships, in the case of this year, Night at the Tower. The event is a chance for the whole
community to celebrate the success of the program and those donors who so generously support it. Thank you to our volunteer committee, without whom this evening could not have happened! Thank you also to our donors, without whom the Scholarship program could not thrive, and thank you to you, without whom the evening could not be as successful, or as enjoyable!
Profile of Scholarship recipient, Lucie Vágnerová, Class of ‘06
Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
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“ISP is a truly extraordinary, global school, equipped to educate and mould the leaders of tomorrow” Vahe Asatryan, Class of ‘16 Former ISP Scholarship Student 5 May 2018 Good evening distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, My name is Vahe Asatryan. I am a graduate and scholarship student of the International School of Prague, from the Class of 2016. I am honoured, humbled and proud to have been given the opportunity to speak tonight, on the occasion of ISP’s annual Fundraiser for Scholarships. What does a learning experience at ISP entail? What makes the school special? And therefore, what makes the scholarship programme vital? There are a myriad of exceptional qualities and reasons I could list right now, but for me, throughout my high school years at ISP, three became of particular importance to me. The first quality that ISP instils in its students is self-confidence. Many activities I undertook in high school encouraged me to be poised, to find my own voice and stand up for what I believe in. Seminars in Social Studies, heated conversations in after school Speech and Debate, as well as English department speech competitions allowed us to step outside of our comfort zones, become more determined and strengthen our resolve. These characteristics fostered positive reinforcement in our own capabilities. Essentially, self-confidence allowed each of us to approach day-today errands with greater optimism and level-headed assuredness. For that I am unreservedly thankful. The second quality ISP actively nurtures in students is the ability to think critically. Virtually every course I took, extracurricular club I participated in, or activity I started at ISP encouraged me to think of versatile, multifaceted and well-rounded solutions to complex problems. Individual hands-on lab assignments, group work
Tereza, ably assisted by Vahe, gives her inspirational speech in musical projects and the analytical comparison of several narratives in history honed an out-of-the-box style thinking ability, in all areas of learning: be it hard
sciences, social sciences, humanities or the arts.
Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
and thoughts became more critically evaluative and all-encompassing, with consideration for factors beyond the traditionally acceptable scope or norm. For this skill, I am also, wholeheartedly thankful. The third quality ISP blessed us with, is international mindedness. The ability to speak multiple languages, converse with people of different backgrounds, from diverse ethnic groups and various continents was a beautiful privilege. Any time we gathered as a whole school for our annual Sing-Along, seeing all the different nationalities, religions and cultures together, acting with one purpose, was a beautiful moment I consider to be a case-study for the future of humanity and peaceful coexistence of peoples. Unity in diversity as it were, enforced an open-minded, nurturing and cooperative environment that made us passionate for constructive and resolution-oriented dialogue. International mindedness allowed us to break down stereotypes, go beyond punitive and basic assumptions of relationships, understand each other’s inherent needs and wants, as well as truly adopt a global mind-set. We lived, studied and socialised with integrity in a multicultural melting pot. Thank you ISP, for your commitment to international mindedness.
For me personally, all three of these earlier mentioned qualities - self-confidence, critical thinking and international mindedness - have all come incredibly useful in my studies at King’s College London, not to mention my chosen career pathway in politics, economics, diplomacy and international relations. The real-life transferable skills ISP has given to me are its great legacy, in inspiring bright-minded and active youth to bring about crucial change in the world. ISP was an invaluable experience for me, a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Without a doubt, I would not be where I am, without the school’s culture of dedicated teaching and supportive learning. As cheesy as it sounds, ISP inspired me for life. It helped me grow in numerous ways, and make use of my full potential. ISP is a truly extraordinary, global school, equipped to educate and mould the leaders of tomorrow. This is also why the scholarship programme is so inherently crucial. ISP and its gracious donors open up this exceptional opportunity to students of a less-able social and family income bracket, allowing many, like myself, to also contribute positively to our ever-changing globalised world, through our own respective talents.
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I would like to sincerely thank the scholarship board. Thank you to admissions and the dedicated faculty committed to the continuity of the scholarship programme. Above all, thank you - gracious donors, for you have fundamentally changed my life, helping me, and many others, access quality education, allowing us to set the groundwork for our individual goals and common aspirations for the future. I am forever grateful for your generous support. I wish the Annual Fundraiser and the Scholarship Programme fruitful continuous years of growth and operation. Thank you ISP for supporting us. Thank you for believing in me. Tereza Matoušová, Class of ‘16 Former ISP Scholarship Student 5 May 2018 Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is Tereza Matoušová and I was an ISP scholarship student from 2014 to 2016. I´d like to start where I finished last time – my graduation ceremony. I was saying thank you to all of you, parents, teachers, students, for your donations and ISP for giving me this opportunity that changed my life so much. I started to cry during the ceremony because I realized how incredibly lucky and thankful I was and that the years at ISP were the best years of my life. I want to tell you that my gratefulness didn´t diminish over the years and I´m very happy that I can be here tonight.
Structuring one’s speech, written work
Let me start by telling you what ISP means to me. The school is a happy and very open minded place. Really, look at the teachers, look at people around you and you will see that they are mostly positive with a smile on their faces. Secondly, I´m very fascinated by the international and intercultural environment.
All smiles with friends
Tereza and Vahe get in the party spirit
You can find the whole world in this particular building in Nebušice and in a way, it‘s a smaller version of the entire world, where all the nations, cultures and religions live together and even very small children learn the value of being open minded and tolerant. I really enjoyed the fact that I was surrounded by so many
Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
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Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
journalist, ideally for National Geographic or NASA. I truly believe that by giving me a scholarship, ISP helped me to do one big jump forward in reaching this life goal and I could never say thank you enough.
different cultures and the best part about this are the events that school helds to celebrate our diversity, such as food fair, where families happily share their national food traditions. ISP also provides its students with strong and universal educational background. Students don´t go to school to just study, but they can learn useful real-life skills in and outside their classes. Especially after school activities and clubs gave me great opportunity to learn new important skills such as public speaking. Students are supported to develop their interests and hobbies in different fields from sports to science, which I believe, is very important as a base for their future life. I‘m also grateful that ISP is a place that supports compassion with those who are disadvantaged for some reason. Firstly, there are clubs that raise money, food or clothes to help homeless people. Compassion is also supported during the clases, for example, during my film classes, I was a part of group that worked on filming a short video for charity event.
Thank You from the Director Dear Friends,
Abbacz vow the New Town Hall audience
Roulette at the Fun Casino
Thank you for attending “Night at the Tower”, the International School of Prague’s eighth annual fundraiser for Scholarships! For the 70 years since our school’s inception in 1948, ISP has been dedicated to providing and exception education in a truly global environment. Over the years, the success of our Alumni is a tribute to the work not only of those who have worked at the school, but to those who have helped ensure its firm financial foundation.
Of course I can´t forget about us, the Scholarship students. We would never have an opportunity to study at ISP if there wasn´t the community that donated our scholarships. So, why are Scholarships so important? I’ve been working with talented student for a few years and I met young people who are full of energy and willing to learn, but they actually don’t have the chance because of their financial situation. Hence, it is important that we let financially disadvantaged students outside our community to come in and join us because there are talented and gifted students in Czech Republic.
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For more than seventeen years, a number of our Alumni students have been the deserving recipients of generous scholarships provided by the ISP community.
Madelen Hrubešova showcases her exquisite voice
Fun times at the Youbox photobooth
These students have enriched our community as much as they have been enriched by attending ISP. Participation in “Night at the Tower”, coupled with the generous support of our corporate donors, ensures the programme will continue in perpetuity in supporting deserving future ISP students. Thank you to our volunteer committee, without whom this event could not have happened, thanks to our donors, and thanks to all attendees and anyone else who contributed to a great evening, and provided invaluable support to the Scholarship Program, which brings so much to our community.
They are kids who are super active, their minds are open and they yearn to overcome the borders of their Czech schools, to go to world one day, and who knows, maybe there´s a Nobel prize winner waiting among them. That´s why we need to support them with scholarships, to give them the opportunity to overcome the borders, to develop their skills and to give them the latitude to go and do whatever they want.
Dr. Arnie Bieber, ISP Director
My dream job is to become a science The silent auction offered an outstanding selection of donated gifts
The breathtaking and unique view from the Novoměstská radnice tower
Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
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Report from the Night at the Tower Co-Chairs Dear ISP Community and all Attendees and Supporters of Night at the Tower,
Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
gifts to build on the success of the events of previous years while simultaneously offering the community something new. As co-chairs, we would like to sincerely thank everyone who supported the event in any way but in particular, we would like to thanks our Night at the Tower Committee colleagues - Vera Newbold, Pip Sturgeon, Alejandra de Maria de Campos Orrico, Markéta Zajícová and Andrea Koudelková. Thanks also to everyone in the ISP Advancement Office, in particular Tereza Třešňáková, who
Thank you all for the fantastic support we received for the 8th Annual Fundraiser for Scholarships at ISP Night at the Tower! We had several new faces on the Committee this year - not to mention a new face in the ISP Advancement Office in the shape of Advancement Associate Tereza Třešňáková! We worked hard together to organise a new, exciting and fun event which people would enjoy and which would rise a significant amount for Scholarships at ISP. It is important as Committee members to always keep sight of the aim of the event, which is to raise significant funds for Scholarships as they provide lifechanging opportunities for those who might not otherwise see our school as a place to further their education. It was deeply inspiring for the Committee, and indeed for all those present, to hear Vahe Asatyran and Tereza Matoušová, (both Class of ‘16) talk so eloquently and passionately about what an ISP Scholarship had meant for their lives and futures.
The Night at the Tower Committee
The Night at the Tower Committee, the ISP Advancement Office and the Board of Trustees all work together to ensuring that the gala is a success. Committee members always have it in mind to try to please the entire community while also being focused on the ultimate aim of raising funds for Scholarships. The committee spent many hours planning and coordinating the event. Numerous mornings and afternoons were devoted to sourcing great food and drink, decor and auction
As a Committee, we would like to sincerely thank Vahe and Tereza for their moving speeches. We would also like to express our deep thanks to everyone who in any way helped us put together this great event. There were a vast range of people involved; parents, teachers and staff, the wider ISP community, local and international businesses. Without the hard work, generosity, support and donations of time, energy and such fantastic auction items, we simply would not have an event.
Fun Casino
was a real asset to the team and worked tirelessly on the event. We must thank our the management and employees of our corporate supporters for the commitment they have shown to education through Night at the Tower. Profound gratitude to ADP, Avast, Doosan, TV Nova, UPS, 24Safe and Engel & Völkers.
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We have always had the steadfast support for the gala event of the Board of Trustees. Board Members, who already freely give their time to the betterment of education at ISP, also made a significant financial contribution to the success of the evening. Thanks also for the hard energy and enthusiasm of our Upper School student volunteers who helped with the sale of tickets for the Advantage Cars Supercar Raffle. Sophia Lobkowicz, Elizabeth Rouha, Oscar Watkins, Daria Konovalova, Lucia Mandrysova, Inbar Ben Zion, Marek Mican and Will Lizr (who is not an ISP student but who was very willing to help out his friends!) all showed fantastic negotiational and sales skills to net total of 47,500! Thanks also to the ISP staff members who were on hand to help the event run smoothly. Particular thanks to Sváťa Soukup for his endless patience in transporting all manner of auction gifts, decorations, equipment, drinks and people between ISP and Novoměstská Radnice. Thanks also to Petr Koubek and Veronika Tichá, who very cheerfully and efficiently looked after our safely and security on the night. Finally, we would like once again to express our sincere thanks to the entire ISP community and everyone who made a contribution to ensure that this event was a fun night and ran as smoothly as it did. Everyone involved in any way has made an important input into to the delivery and continuation of scholarships at ISP. With this support, be it in your time, attendance, purchase of raffle tickets, bids for auction items or anything else, you have contributed greatly to the success of the event and in doing so made a real difference in the lives of young people!
Night at the Tower Committee Co-chairs Sheridan Barnett Henrica De Jong
After the previous two years at the Manes Gallery and Sacre Coeur respectively, the Committee visited several venues around Prague before unanimously choosing Novoměstská Radnice (New Town Hall). All Committee members agreed that this beautiful and historic space would make a perfect venue for the 8th year of the gala event of the ISP calendar. Guests take in the entertainment at Night at the Tower
An evening of fun moments at the New Town Hall
Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
Student Raffle 2018
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Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
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Student Raffle Donors
Advantage Cars The Student Raffle 2018 saw arguably the greatest haul of prizes ever assembled! This raffle allows ISP students not only the chance to win great prizes, but allows then to simultaneously participate in raising funds for Scholarships at ISP. A massive thank you goes to all the dedicated Student Raffle Organisers and Volunteers; Aurelia Benitez, Alejandra De Maria Campos Orrico, Sonia Pedreira Felpeto, Stacy Eckstein, Ana Maria Garces, Andrea Koudelkova, Janina McFarland, Vera Newbold, Julia Paniagua, Marie Pierre, Margarita Aldecoa Sanchez Del Rio, Ericka Hernandez Sykora and Tereza Třešňáková. This group worked extremely hard helping with ticket sales, decoration and clean-up of the raffle display, and even donating some amazing gifts to the raffle!
The raffle raised the magnificent sum of 102,500 CZK, in doing so making a significant contribution to the total raised to support Scholarships at ISP. We would like to sincerely thank all our generous Student Raffle Donors for showing their commitment to supporting education and changing the lives of young people through their magnificent raffle prizes. Student Raffle donors: Adventure Golf Horní Bezděkov Andrea Koudelková Aquapalace Čestlice Bakeshop The Candy Store Caravan Metropole Karting Choco Muzeum Praha Cinestar Cloetta Da Ezio Pizzeria Distinguished Friends of Al Bundy Prague Chapter Dolce Villa Hotel - Burger Bar
Dovecraft Feedo Foto Škoda Fresh & Tasty iPilot ISP Activities Office ISP Arts Departments Julia Paniagua JumpArena Zličín Praha K-Service Klub virtuální reality Lego Group LG Electronics Lowpolya Markéta Zajícová MaxLaserGame Mega Books MindMaze Escape Mr. Hot Dog Museum of Senses The Newbold Family Paintballgame.cz Sephora Surf Arena The Sykora Family The Room Tomáš Česálek Waf Waf 24U
Support Scholarships Driving an Aston Martin, Lamborghini or a Ferrari is always a special experience. Any time, any place, being behind the wheel of an exotic supercar is a great way to spend time. Courtesy of Advantage Cars, one fortunate winner will experience all this, coupled with the knowledge that their own generosity will be making a significant difference to the lives of local talented students. We are proud Avantage Cars continue partnering with ISP in recognition and support of ISP‘s Scholarship Program.
A weekend in an exotic Supercar was Raffled to Benefit ISP‘s Scholarship Program
Night at ... 2019 If you would like to volunteer for the event next year, please contact Tereza, Clive or Tony in the ISP Advancement Office. Your questions, comments, or suggestions are always welcome! Please email at advancement@isp.cz.
Night at the Tower Newsletter 2018
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Thank You to Our Auction Donors The Supercar Weekend Raffle, Fun Casino, and wonderful Silent Auction items contributed a tremendous amount of 545,500 Czk to the total figure raised, and brought people
from the ISP and non-ISP communities together in a meaningful way. The companies and individual donors who donated the Auction items have shown their support for the Scholarship
Program - please, whenever you frequent their businesses, be sure to let them know that you are aware of their commitment to the School, and that you appreciate their involvement.