beyond_kings_vol._i_no._i_spring_2013_0

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Vol. I, No. I, Spring 2013

BEYONDKING’S T H E

M A G A Z I N E

O F

K I N G ' S

A C A D E M Y

The evolution of King’s Academy Financing the Academy’s future Alumni who lead

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Spring 2013 Volume 1 Number 1

A welcome message to alumni from the headmaster

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Editor in Chief

Time capsule Graduates look back on their time at King’s

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A word to alumni from the chairman of the board

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The value of a King’s Academy education

5

The evolution of King’s Academy

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Vera Azar

Editor Matt Schubert

Designer Shadi Hasweh

Photographers Dana Aljawamis '10, Wasim Ayesh, Malik Al-Jabori '11, Suhayb Al-Jawhari '11, Wendy Bradley, Faher Elfayez '12, Peter Greer, Hala Halaseh '10, Omar Malkawi '11, Zeina Othman, Dave Powers, Seema Samawi '11, Sima Shabaneh '10, Rima Zaitoon, King's Academy photo archives

Financing the future Q&A with Chief Development Officer Rima Zaitoon

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Alumni who lead

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© 2013 King’s Academy, Madaba-Manja, Jordan.

Faculty notes Former mentors share their news

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without express written consent from the publisher.

Should I stay or should I go? An alumnus weighs the pros and cons of studying in the United States

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Beyond King’s is published by the Department of Communications and Publications at King’s Academy, P.O. Box 9, Madaba-Manja 16188, Jordan.

King’s Academy website: www.kingsacademy.edu.jo

For contributions and corrections Tel: +962 6 430 0230 ext. 1005 Email: beyondkings@kingsacademy.edu.jo

Front cover photo credit: Wasim Ayesh

Beyond King’s aims to keep the greater King’s Academy community – including alumni, families, donors and friends – abreast of significant developments and noteworthy achievements at the school. It also serves as a forum for alumni to stay connected with King’s and with each other by sharing news about developments in their lives. Beyond King’s strives to foster and support a strong school community, especially among those who are not or are no longer involved in day-to-day campus life.

A WELCOME MESSAGE TO ALUMNI FROM THE HEADMASTER

I

n early January, a heavy storm blew through campus. Gale force winds didn’t have strong enough roots to stay in place. In The Power of Full Engagement describe a similar situation in which the wind wreaked havoc on a freshly planted grove of trees in Orlando, Fla. In that case, maintenance workers made several attempts to prop the trees back up, but each time, the wind returned

! " problem at play in this scenario: the trees were not buried deeply enough in the soil.

“Beyond King’s signals our lasting commitment to each other.�

As these authors observe, some people go through their lives like those trees: buffeted by the winds of change without deep enough roots to anchor them in times of uncertainty. # $ % # " years you spent on this campus provided you with deep roots – in terms of both the community that supports you and the values that guide you. " & need a helping hand, a loyal friend from King’s will surely be there to help. & ( " King’s will serve as your compass. Beyond King’s signals our lasting commitment to each other. Each issue will keep you updated about what is happening on campus and provide a forum for you to stay connected with all of your fellow alumni. ) * * when the occasion arises and check out the online version at www.kingsacademy.edu.jo.

John Austin

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TIME CAPSULE

Graduates look back on their time at King’s

FAHER ELFAYEZ ’12 The Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) at King’s Academy was one of the highlights and turning points in my life. SEP taught me lessons that I will always have and always remember, such as how to be responsible, caring and giving. Counselors gave us so much. They showed us that it does not matter where you stand right now in terms of knowledge and experience; what really matters is where you go next and what you do to improve. A simple example is learning English. It did not matter to the counselors how well you spoke it; what really mattered was what you did with it – whether you kept it the same or worked on it and took it to the next stage. With all of that, I knew the counselors were there to provide help and support. Four years after my first SEP experience, I applied to be a SEP counselor myself and was chosen. It was truly one of my best experiences because it was time to give back what I had once been given.

“...it was time to give back what I had once been given.�

The summer before going off to college at Georgetown University, I posted as my Facebook status the dorm that I was going to be living in as a freshman. One of the former counselors – Huoi, whom I met during my first year of SEP – commented on that status saying she had lived in the same dorm as a freshman at Georgetown. The last time I had seen Huoi was six years earlier at SEP. She messaged offering to help me move in and, since I was flying in two days early, she offered to let me stay with her, take me shopping and help me move in. Now that I look back at the beginning of my freshman year, I know that, if it were not for her tremendous help, my year would not have been the same. Even with her very busy schedule, she still calls and texts me all the time. So even after six years, I’m still experiencing the benefits of SEP, and I will always be truly grateful.

!

I was a freshman. It was the first Parents Weekend in the history of King’s Academy. During that weekend, there were a lot of sporting events going on so that parents could watch their kids play. My sport was football, and we had a game against the Modern American School. I hadn’t made a good enough impression at the beginning of the term to be a starter, so I sat on the bench throughout the first half. We were losing 2-1, and I figured I wouldn’t get to play, so I asked my parents to go home since there seemed to be no point to their staying. To my surprise, the coach put me in. I know he sent me in just to give everyone playing time. But that game changed how everyone looked at me as a football player. Soon after taking the field, I scored my first goal. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the ball move the net! Five minutes after that, I scored again. I remember that, as I was celebrating, my teammate Suhayb Al-Jawhari ’11 ran to me with the biggest smile on his face because he knew me the best out of all my teammates and he knew what I had gone through to prove myself. Even though we ended up losing the game, I came away from the field with a personal victory. My only regret is that my parents didn’t get to see me score!

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A WORD TO ALUMNI FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Dear alumni,

M

y experience in the business world has taught me the value of teamwork. Coming together as a group to accomplish a project is both productive and rewarding. But you probably don’t need me to tell you this. It is important for me to tell you, however, that I’m feeling especially proud of the King’s Academy team. Whether you realize it or not, you and I are part of a team here. And I’m not talking about basketball, cardboard boat races or * / ( * " ; thinking, integrity, ingenuity, respect for one another, global citizenship. King’s Academy is our common project – a place where we cultivate these values.

“Our partnership did not end when you walked out of King’s Academy’s doors.�

I think it’s safe to say that you are committed teammates. I’ve witnessed how eager many of you were to visit campus upon your return for breaks, and how keen you were to share with teachers and mentors your experiences at your " ) ( ! < appreciation for the guidance that King’s provided you. You’ve come back to share because you’ve thrived and grown so much. You’ve gone on to some of the world’s most renowned colleges and universities. From what I’ve seen, you’ve proven yourselves ready to take on the challenges of higher education and, more important, to contribute to those institutions. I trust that, as you transition into the working world, you will demonstrate inspiring leadership in your various disciplines. Our partnership did not end when you walked out of King’s Academy’s doors at Commencement. You’re just as much a member of this team today as you were during your high school days. Over the course of your lives, you will = you put in, the more you’ll get out. If we work together as a team, we can * * * ( $ % # education. Think how rewarding and gratifying it will be to see each graduating class receive its diplomas, knowing you played a part in making that possible.

Karim Kawar

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T H E VA L U E O F A K I N G ’ S A CA D E M Y E D U CAT I O N

K

ing’s Academy has an immortal spot in my heart. The lessons I learned there continue to guide me today as I pursue my studies at the American University of Beirut (AUB). Academically, I have been doing well so far, and this is in large part thanks to the unparalleled scholastic and personal preparation I received at King’s. Courses at AUB have been a bit tough this semester, but I have handled them = ( * $ % * Q( X [ \ & At King’s, I learned to depend on myself. My teachers believed that “spoon

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" ] me to perform individual research and analysis in order to connect the dots by myself. And of course, they were always more than happy to provide support after I had given it a shot on my own. Thanks to that style of teaching, I am now completely independent. And that approach has prepared me particularly well for my future career as a mechanical engineer. After all, this kind of free thinking is the secret behind the success of leading scientists and engineers, who open doors to the future by seeking and discovering their own methods.

“Thanks to that style of teaching, I am now completely independent.� King’s not only taught me independence, but it also gave me leadership skills and an appreciation for other cultures. As such, I have taken on the role of secretary in AUB’s Jordanian Cultural Club, which brings together Jordanians and non-Jordanians alike. I have engaged in this group largely because of what King’s taught me about the value of global citizenship. Alongside my King’s classmates from all over the world, I discovered what can be accomplished when a diversity of bright individuals live together in a loving community. ) " * ( from a King’s Academy education as I have. Let’s make sure they do. Floreat Scientia, Yazan Fanous ’11

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400

200 100 0

2007-2008 007 2008

School opens

2008-2009 008 2009

2009-2010 009 2010

2010-2011 010 2011

2011-2012 011 2012

Austin headmaster

CIS & NEASC accreditation

First graduation Round Square full member

2012-2013 012 2013

Named 2014 Round Square host

GOA founded

Countries represented at King’s Academy 2012-2013

E V O L U T I O N

O F

300

T H E

Number of students

500

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A C A D E M Y K I N G ’ S

A GROWING COMMUNITY

A C A D E M Y K I N G ’ S

SPORTS & SERVICE

E V O L U T I O N

O F

ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Baske Ba sketba tball ll AAC Basketball U18 Boys 1st Place l 2012

METS Trac METS Track T rackk and and Field Field l U18 Boys 1st Place 2009 and 2011

Muasher Basketball Ayman Mua Ayman Muashe sherr Bask B asketb etball all U18 Girls l 1st Place l 2012 and 2013

T H E

METSS Voll MET V olleyb eyball all Volleyball U18 B Boys 1st Pl Place 2012

METS METS Cross Crosss Country Cros Country Coun try U18 Boys and d Girls l 1st Place l 2012

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E V O L U T I O N

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FINANCING THE FUTURE Q&A WITH CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER R I M A Z A I T O O N

Q: First, welcome to King’s Academy! Can you give me an idea of your

background and why you chose to join King’s?

A: Before coming here, I spent quite a bit of time doing fundraising for

schools and universities, including Yale University and my alma maters, International College (IC) and the American University of Beirut (AUB). I grew up in Lebanon and then spent about 30 years living in the United States, so I am happy to be coming back to work in the Middle East. I decided to come to King’s because it is an amazing institution. It started from scratch, and it has accomplished so much in six years. I met some alumni at an event in Boston, and I was inspired by how much they love the school. It’s a sign of a great place when the graduates are so happy and can’t wait to go back to visit. Q: Where has funding for King’s traditionally come from? A: & ( * * ( ‚ ƒ „ = King Abdullah II and friends of the school’s trustees stepped forward to help realize this vision and to bring the best in American education to the region. Individuals from these different circles gave very generous gifts that made the creation of this institution possible. In the future, parents and alumni will play an important role. Various parents have already been very generous over the years.

Q: Why should a potential donor consider giving to King’s? A: The cost of educating a student at King’s greatly exceeds the cost of tuition. As a new school, King’s does not have a big endowment to sustain its activities. In fact, tuition accounts for less than half of the operating budget. So there is a need for funding to support day-to-day costs and to sustain the Academy’s commitment to excellence. $ % * † „ \ ƒ „ = brought the best of the American prep school education home to Jordan. An education at King’s is not only about classroom learning; it’s also about life learning: building relationships, becoming a global citizen and developing leadership skills. ˆ " % * *

$ % (

& ƒ „ = # *

* ( Q: What are the biggest development challenges King’s faces, and how do you plan to overcome them? A: Our biggest challenge is that King’s is a young school, which means we do not yet have a large alumni * " * ( ‰ # * # * ƒ „ = % [ ( Academy classmates from the Class of 1980, who have already made very generous gifts. ‚ %

( $ % % " school and its importance to the region and its people are tremendous. Just have a look at the amazing graduates out there.

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Q: It seems like these obstacles are not insurmountable. What are your nearterm and long-term goals? A: Our immediate goal is to reach out to our very generous donors to thank them for what they’ve done and show them where the school is today thanks to their contributions. Meanwhile, we plan to raise spendable gifts that will support ! ! ( = Our longer term goal is to lay the framework for a major fundraising campaign. We plan to gradually grow the endowment, which will provide a reliable source of income in perpetuity. As our alumni graduate from college and begin working and giving, their gifts will be an important part of achieving this objective. Q: King’s alumni haven’t yet graduated from university and may not be able to make large monetary gifts. How can they help out with development efforts? A: Alumni can play a very important role in networking. Having them attend events to talk about their experience is a great help to us. When I hear recent graduates talk, it makes me want to give them all my money! Their passion for King’s makes them great ambassadors and fundraisers. They are already thinking of how they can give back, but their resources are limited. Of course, we accept gifts large and small, but the best way young alumni can contribute at this point is by representing King’s well and being mentors to fresh graduates. Q: So if I’m a young alumnus or a friend of King’s and I want to give, where would the money go? A: ) % ( " needs are many! ( * maintenance of the facilities and grounds that our students use. Curriculum development and faculty support are equally important. This is a new school where the biggest revenue source is tuition. If the entire operating cost were passed on to the families of our students, tuition would be prohibitively expensive. Financial aid is also a priority because 45 percent of our students receive some form of assistance and yet there is no reliable stream of revenue to support this program. This percentage is pretty high # " " ‹Œ ( assistance to students. As a relatively new institution, King’s offers plenty of naming opportunities through which it can recognize the generosity of major donors. As you walk around campus, you will see names of donors whose gifts have supported the construction of buildings and classrooms. There are also opportunities to name programs and faculty chairs. There’s nothing we’d love more than to recognize people who have been generous to the school in this way. No matter how you give, the money will go to one of the many great causes at the school. Q: You’ve convinced me: I want to make a gift! How do I go about doing that? A: Ž [ " / ( * (development@kingsacademy.edu.jo) and make a gift via check, cash or wire transfer. Keep an eye out for future mailings!

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ALUMNI WHO LEAD GHASSAN GAMMOH ’10 enriches Harvard’s Arab community

G

hassan Gammoh ’10 has applied the leadership skills he developed at King’s Academy to the Harvard University campus, where he serves as vice president of the Harvard Society of Arab Students (SAS). After joining the organization his freshman year, Ghassan became treasurer before attaining his most recent promotion. Since the beginning of his time at Harvard, Ghassan has made a positive impact through his involvement with SAS. As a freshman in 2011, he led the Harvard College team alongside the president of SAS in planning a panel on the role of women in the Arab Spring. He then turned to a more directly humanitarian cause, organizing a social fundraiser for Syrian refugees as part of the 2011 Harvard Arab Conference. This event, the largest pan-Arab conference in North America, with over 650 attendees, was commended by the White House. ˆ ( * # * * ƒ " ƒ the biennial Harvard Arab Alumni recruiting trip to the Middle East, during which he presented on Harvard admissions and gave college advice to over 200 high school students in Egypt and Jordan, including students at King's Academy. Back on campus, he organizes social, cultural and political events for the Arab community at Harvard. Ghassan has invested his time so heavily in SAS, which has been around since 1996, because he believes strongly in its mission: to support students of Arab origin, promote awareness of Arab issues and provide a forum for all those interested in the Arab world. For new students coming to Harvard, SAS provides a welcoming environment where students can feel at home but also grow in their understanding of the Arab world by getting „ \ ˆ * ( student and is now happy to help create the same experience for others.

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DANA ALJAWAMIS ’10 creates a venue for political discourse

D

ana Aljawamis ’10 has brought her passion for editing and publishing to Wellesley College, where she founded the non-partisan, biannual Wellesley Globalist,

*

( ˆ * `{ * organization for student-run magazines at top universities, based at Yale University.

[ % Globalist < $ % have a positive impact on their peers. Dana opened the Wellesley chapter in February `q{` ‚ $ %{q " ˆ * `{ ‰ # * %{{ ˆ * `{ & College, where he is a sophomore. # * ‚ [ * *

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" ! * # �qq ( Q& ] " X [ * {q `q{` The aim of the magazine, as Dana reports, is to present international affairs issues to its college student readership in a way that is more accessible than other publications of its # [ = " appealing layout. Her commitment to the Globalist is a continuation of an interest in publications that started at King’s Academy, where she helped found Al-Majnouneh literary magazine. Meanwhile, she draws inspiration for the Globalist’s ethos from & % * † ; professors and pursues opportunities to exchange articles with other publications in the ˆ * `{ Visit wellesleyglobalist.org and contribute to the conversation yourself!

“Dana’s work on the ˆ * is a prime example of King’s alumni working together...�

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fter leaving King’s in June 2010, Dr. Eric returned to Rhode Island and was reunited with Dr. Meera, who had resumed her teaching at Brown University the year before. This has given him the chance to see the King’s alumni who study nearby (he also gets to see a lot of Mr. Matt!). Dr. Eric and Dr. Meera returned to King’s in June 2011, when they delivered the Commencement address together. They were glad for this chance to wish the graduating seniors well and to see the returning alumni from the Class of 2010. In addition to spending time with family, Dr. Eric divides his life in three ways. He is senior advisor to Chinese International School in Hong Kong and Greentown Yuhua School in Hangzhou, China. He is also senior advisor to the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA, the Pashtun word for “peace�) in Kabul. The third part is equally satisfying: he spends a lot of time in southern Rhode Island puttering about his 350-year-old farm, which requires lots of attention. He thinks about King's often. At night, when listening to the ocean just half a mile away, he remembers how soothing were the sounds of the braying camels ( * $ % # * presented to him, more or less, by the Class of 2010 on graduation day! He and Dr. Meera give their best to all alumni, faculty, students and parents.

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s. Wendy and Mr. Sean have been living in Massachusetts since leaving Jordan and are about to embark on another new adventure! Their experience living abroad at King’s Academy has made “being at homeâ€? feel a bit passĂŠ. So they are moving to Beijing to help get another boarding school started. For the last four years, Ms. Wendy has been a dean of students and has worked in international admissions. She has traveled to 11 countries to recruit and interview prospective students and to meet families. Mr. Sean has been at a different school serving as IT director, English teacher, dorm parent, playwright and media lab creator. Ms. Wendy will return to being a dean, the role she has loved most, as she heads off to Keystone Academy in China. She says her students at King’s Academy prepared her well for future challenges. She also related how much she enjoys keeping in touch with everyone via Facebook. Mr. Sean will be responsible for bringing new technologies into the classroom and training teachers and students at Keystone. They are eager to adopt another country as home, to explore China and surrounding countries, and to welcome visitors to their new school. If you plan to be in Beijing, they would love to hear from you!

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n the year and a half since leaving King’s, Ms. Zeina has experienced a whirlwind of momentous events: she traveled, her dad passed away and she got married and moved to Canada. Her connection to King’s is still going strong, however: not only does she still keep in touch with King’s alumni (one " " (" ’~ * husband also happens to be Ms. Lilli Audeh’s brother. When she left King’s, she set off to seek adventures – and by that she’s not just talking about traveling to new lands, but also about challenging herself and pushing her limits. Society tends to dictate an expected course: you go to school, get a job, get married and settle into a mold that others have conformed to before you. But, says Ms. Zeina, life is too awesome to restrict ( * “" graduated school or chosen a career path. There are too many adventures to be had and too many opportunities to expand and discover new passions. At the moment, she is learning how to decorate cakes and dance cha cha...and who knew, she’s actually good at it! There are so many things we put on the back burner to try "someday when we have time," but Ms. Zeina counsels, the time is actually now. Ms. Zeina still doesn’t know what she wants to be when she “grows up,� but she sure is having a blast discovering it.

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r. Peter ranks the year he taught at King’s (2008-2009) near the top of his 40-year career teaching English at Phillips Exeter Academy. He says that King’s got under his skin in the best possible way, and he has a continuing interest in its progress, such that he has returned twice for graduation. In the past four years, he and his wife Dale have traveled extensively: Honduras and Costa Rica for bird-watching, France to visit friends, Oregon to see an unfamiliar part of the United States, San Francisco for a family wedding and now in prospect a bird-watching trip in June to Colombia. But all is not travel, obviously. At home he reads and writes, plays squash and golf, cooks occasionally, keeps up with people via email and spends time with friends.

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In that regard, he and Dale have hosted Athletic and Co-curricular Assistant Lubna Ghadban and Zarifa Hamidi ’12 and spent some lovely time with Faculty Members Dima Kayed and Dragana Babic. They also see Arthur Clement regularly. Mr. Peter has also twice been a part of small gatherings in the Boston area with some King’s graduates. He has visited Ali Shajrawi ’11 at Wesleyan and talks with Zouheir al Ghreiwati ’10 at the University of Michigan every so often. He maintains lots of connections with both students and adults that he never wants to lose. He says to let him know if you get to Exeter, NH. Dale and he would love to welcome visitors into their house just as the King’s community welcomed them not so very long ago.

M

r. Dave’s experience at King's – and his time in Jordan – made him re-examine his career and ultimately decide to study international relations. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) at the Fletcher School, Tufts " ( ; international security studies and Southwest Asia & Islamic civilization. He says he often refers back to experiences or conversations he had at King's while listening to lectures or writing papers, especially in a history course he recently took at ƒ " # *!– was taught by a renowned Israeli scholar, and there were three Jordanian students taking it – who had no idea he could understand (some of) what they would whisper to one another! He will graduate in January 2014, at which point he will move to Washington, D.C. or back to the Middle East. At the time of writing, he had applied for a couple of Arabic language programs that would allow him to spend the summer in Amman. He is also coaching basketball part-time at his former high school in Massachusetts, but he reports that it's not the same as leading the Lions into battle against ABS and IAA! This fall he enjoyed meeting up with Ali Shajrawi ’11 in Middletown, Conn. Mr. Dave was happy to learn that Ali has found his niche at Wesleyan University – although they of course discussed why Amherst College is still a better school!

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SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? An alumnus weighs the pros and cons of studying in the United States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From Left, Fadi Hamati, Dalia Mehiar, Jeris Abuhouran, Rnad Salaita, Ghassan Gammoh, Sima Shabaneh and Maria Al Mamlouk, all Class of 2010, at Harvard University

Hala Halaseh and Maria Zabaneh, both Class of 2010, have lunch during Maria's visit to New York.

Ismail Al Tamimi, Jamil Dababneh, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh and Faisal Al-Kabariti, all Class of 2011, with friend Faris Fakhouri at a Montreal park

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1 From left, Malik Al-Jabori, Hani Murad, Ismail Al Tamimi, Faisal Al-Kabariti, Mohammad Al-Oran and Suhayb Al-Jawhari, all Class of 2011, and some friends relax by the Dead Sea during the summer after graduation.

2 From left, Rnad Salaita, Sima Shabaneh, Omar Al Majali, Jeris Abuhouran and Fadi Hamati, all Class of 2010, gather in Boston for dinner.

3 Moutasem Bitar, Sima Shabaneh and Hashem Al-Hadid, all Class of 2010, outside Beit al Mudeer during their reunion in the summer of 2012

4 Jamil Dababneh and Faisal Al-Kabariti, both Class of 2011, enjoy Montreal.

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5 Shourouq Hijazi and Faher Elfayez, both Class of 2012, reunite on the Georgetown University campus.

6 Seema Samawi ’11 gets ready to hit a backhand while playing tennis for Smith College.

ALUMNI REUNITE

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P.O. Box 9 Madaba - Manja 16188 Jordan tel +962 6 430 0230 fax+962 6 430 0259 email info@kingsacademy.edu.jo

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w w w . k i n g s a c a d e m y . e d u . j o

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