ROUND SQUARE NEWS March 2013 - Issue 14
www.roundsquare.org
Round Square International Conference 2013 Saint Andrew’s School, Boca Raton, Florida, USA South Florida sends warm weather to our friends in the northern hemisphere and cool ocean breezes to our friends in the southern looks forward to hosting the Round Square International Conference in October 2013. We hope you are as excited as we are to see everyone again and share in an incredible week of keynote speakers, adventure, environmentalism, and service. From the wetlands to the coastlines of South Florida, Waves of Change aims to expose guests to the natural beauty and watery landscapes around Boca Raton, Florida, USA. However, there is much more to our theme than just environmentalism; we hope to set Waves of Change in motion – change that inspires innovative solutions, empowers entrepreneurial spirits, and sustains collaborative action. The logo was designed by one of our current seniors (Class of 2013), and the Student Steering Committee felt it best captured their enthusiasm for a phenomenal Round Square International Conference (RSIC). Waves of Change start with a ripple in the shore. Delegates will have their chance to make their own waves and quite possibly make their own change. Activities will
get some wet, while others may splash through new ideas and mindsets, waves may wash, but they can also inspire, empower, and sustain. The Everglades National Park is one of the United States natural gems yet development and modern sprawl have made their impact on the “river of grass.” Non-native species, suburbanization, pollution, and modern water misuse turn the swamp into a glocal (global and local) canoeing, site-seeing, exploring, and slogging will bring delegations closer to Adventures and Service will combine in many cases, but in others delegates will opportunities to participate in activities based on their interests in skill development. Leadership, sustainability, empathy education, and entrepreneurial workshops will be available to delegates based on their responses to questions
during the registration process. We aim to inspire as well as equip at RSIC 2013. There is nothing more beautiful than the South Florida (SoFlo) shore. Delegations will be able get some sun, catch some waves, and enjoy what millions visit annually – the beach. In addition to sand and surf, delegations will have a chance to serve and leave a positive impact on the environment and the SoFlo community while attending Waves of Change this October 2013.
Contents • General News - Tweet Tweet - RSGF new developments - Development Director - Young RS Conference - The Kurt Hahn Prize
For more information visit http://www.rsic2013.org Contact Nicholas Dorn E: nick.dorn@saintandrews.net T: 001.561.210.2092 Skype: DORN0817
- The Round Square website
• Regional News • Alumni Update
GENERAL NEWS FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS - GOVERNANCE MATTERS Recently the Board of Trustees of Round Square met at Box Hill School for two days. It was wonderful to be back in one of the Founding Member Round Square Schools and we were delighted to interact with Staff and Students of Box Hill. Members of the Secretariat attended the meeting and we were pleased to welcome Rachael Westgarth, the new Director of Development. In addition to receiving reports from the Regions, Staff Representative and were reports from the Executive Director (in absentia – unfortunately Brian was not able to travel to the meeting), as well as the RSIS Projects Manager, Liz Gray. Some discussion centred on the
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in very good shape and considerable time was spent on Membership matters, given around the globe at this time. The Board is conscious of the mandate
Vancouver in 2008. It is intended that there be a presentation and discussion on this at the upcoming During January and February, meetings in the Regions were held, by either teleconference or as part of their Annual General Meeting. The Rules of Governance were discussed and adopted within the Regions which has now allowed the Board of Trustees to adopt the Rules that has been proceeding over the past eighteen months. We now have revised Articles of Association (combined with the previous Memoranda of Understanding) which have been approved by the UK Charity Commission and adopted by the Board and a set of Rules of Governance which are derived from the Articles and allow the Governance of the Organisation to transparent. The Board of Trustees is very conscious Conference in Florida in October 2013 will be the last time that the entire Round
Square Family will be together, at least for the foreseeable future. As a consequence, we spent some considerable time discussing how best to engage the adult community during the Conference. I will be writing to all Members of the Round Square Family shortly, once the details of the program have been the rich and wide-ranging discussions that are planned for adults (Governors, Heads cover such topics as membership and growth, strategic issues (given that the Organisation is embarking upon the development of a new Strategic Plan) and programs – given that a number of Schools are looking at ways of embedding the IDEALS into their curricula. The Board does hope that as many Governors, Heads and Reps will be Conference so as to make the discussions and professional development opportunity as possible.
Roderick D Fraser Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Round Square Global Forum - new developments Leveraging the power of the Round Square network of schools through online collaboration initiatives such as The Round Square Global Forum is the future of the organisation. This is where innovation will occur and curricular development will be supported. In addition, the RSGF is a means for communication among member schools. of users and to habituate Reps to use the platform we encourage all Reps to register and contribute to the RS Reps classroom by the end of April 2013. Planning is underway to integrate the RSGF into the Round Square International
conference are made available to the RS students unable to attend in person.
RSGF Teachers Forum (Pilot Project) To date, 45 teachers from 16 schools in 11 countries have expressed interest in the RSGF; of those, 17 teachers from 11 schools in 8 countries have submitted interest inventories and are actively seeking partners and creating collaborative projects.
a growing number of virtual classrooms. Two new classrooms have been created: the IDEALS classroom, for the discussion by RS Reps and Student Committees of the implementation of the IDEALS in member schools, and the RS Reps classroom, an open forum for discussion of issues of interest to RS Reps.
Among topics being explored are Othello, statistics, art, health issues, Earth Day, and ethics. We are encouraged by the growing interest in using technology to all of our students and will be updating you on further developments and opportunities as they arise. Virtual schoolhouse In addition to supporting academic collaboration among RS teachers, the RSGF provides a platform for ongoing discussion of issues pertinent to the RS community. The Round Square virtual schoolhouse, hosted by TIGed, is home to
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Contact John Nordquist, Director of RSGF for more information: E-mail: rsglobalforum@roundsquare.org
GENERAL NEWS
Development Director - New Appointment We are delighted to announce the appointment of Rachael Westgarth Development. In this role, Rachael will be applying her fundraising and brand development experience to shaping the way that the organisation presents itself to potential funders. The ultimate aim is to generate additional income in order to fund growth in the range and scale of Before joining Round Square, Rachael was Deputy Chief Executive at Young Enterprise, a national education charity, and part of the worldwide Junior Achievement movement. Whilst there, Rachael raised millions of pounds for the organisation from trusts and foundations, individuals, government and the corporate sector. She was responsible for designing programme materials and intranets including six new national programmes,
PR and Marketing function, including a 3-year side-line writing a weekly column in The Times newspaper and several months brand and web development. During her 10 years on the leadership team the number of students taking part in Young Enterprise programmes grew from 60,000 per year to over 320,000. Rachael has a BA Hons degree (MA Oxon) from Oxford University, and is a keen violinist, having toured internationally as a student with a number of orchestras and string ensembles. She is married to Peter Westgarth, Chief Executive of the have 4-year-old twins. Brian Dawson said “We are delighted to have such an experienced and talented fundraiser onboard and we wish Rachael every success in her new role” Rachael Westgarth, Director of Development
beyond its traditional 6th form offering into Universities, Key stage 3 and Primary Schools.
Young Round Square Conference Endangered - END.anger.e.d (END.anger.every.day) Dainfern College, a young Round Square school, invites you to South Africa to Round Square conference from 4th – 10th May 2014. “We are greatly honoured to be hosting you as we embark on a journey of discovery and rise to challenge ourselves to build new friendships, speak to one another, and share with one another - in compassion, friendship and generosity of spirit – as we endeavour to embrace and protect the wonderful world we share. We look forward to your participation, to your thoughts and to your debate at this conference. We know that you will have a wonderful time in South Africa. You will learn a lot about yourself and others, as well as the rest of the species that share this planet with us, make lots of new friends and start thinking about the way forward – A Guide to Survival.” Mr Stuart West, Principal, Dainfern College
Brian Dawson, Executive Director of Round Square said “The Young Round Square Conference will be a gathering of approximately 250 young delegates aged between 12 and 13 from over 40 schools arriving from all corners of the globe. They will be introduced to the conference theme and at the same time enjoy the opportunity on meet and interact with people their own age from different cultures and backgrounds, whilst experiencing the unique history, culture, wildlife and hospitality that South Africa is known for.” The theme for the conference is – Endangered… a guide to survival. The conference focus on what delegates can do to help species (humans, animals, plants) to survive on the planet. All lessons learn for survival. Each delegate will receive a workbook that will become a “survival kit” where children get on their own and in Baraza groups and pledge what they will do to help species to survive on the planet. Conference website:
http://yrs2014.roundsquare.org
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Every continent nominated an endangered species from their continent, which were incorporated in through their footsteps in the conference logo. The Rhinoceros represents Africa http://worldwildlife.org/ species/rhino and the footsteps in the logo are from top to bottom: Tiger (Asia and Gulf) http://worldwildlife.org/species/tiger
European Brown Bear (Europe) http://worldwildlife.org/species/brown-bear
Bali Staling (Australasia) http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/im0113
Leatherback Sea Turtle (Americas) http://worldwildlife.org/species/leatherback-turtle
GENERAL NEWS
ELLA MCAULIFFE AND THE KURT HAHN PRIZE There is so much still to be done
who would otherwise not have the opportunity to education and especially for girls. Their stories spoke to me and linked with my friend Sreyleak. Without UWCSEA, I would be just another little girl who knew that other kids could not go to school. One school completed and others to follow—that is my aim. Being a UWCSEA kid, I know I can take action. I have been so encouraged by three parents of the College community: Michelle Fisher, Fleur Thomas and Sara Bailes—thank you. Most of all, I thank my great teachers and mentors: Skilly, who has shown us all the way with the Global Concerns programme, Mrs Males, who took the time to encourage me and to
At the opening ceremony of the 2012 Round Square International Conference, His Majesty King Constantine spoke about the importance of education so passionately that he was visibly moved to tears. He concluded his speech with the words of Mr Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which we can change the world.”
Junior School, I began my fundraising
Whilst the King spoke, I was sitting in the front row next to Mr Niko Becker, the Head of Salem Alumni. These two gentlemen are almost the guardians of the Kurt Hahn Prize; a prize awarded annually by the Round Square Organisation for an “exceptional act of service to others.”
understanding of development from asking direct questions, from meeting directors of NGOs, from many dinner table conversations, from eavesdropping and from the real life experience of a dear family friend, Sreyleak. Sreyleak is a hero of mine, and it is her story that made it a logical progression for me to try to put children into schools.
It was indeed an honour to be awarded the 2012 Kurt Hahn Prize, and being the youngest recipient, there was much discussion about my age. However,
factor in taking action where one can. According to a press release by Ban Ki Moon on September 26, 2012, 108 million primary school aged children were not enrolled in school by the end of the 1990s. United Nations statistics claim that today that number has fallen to 61 million. 61 million children (and most likely far more) is an unacceptably high number for anyone to digest, especially for me who has the luxury of a place in one of the best classrooms of the world. So, what can we do about this disparity? For me, it has become a driven ambition to raise funds for school building in Cambodia. As soon as I moved from Infant into
raising funds to buy chickens, then pigs, enough funds to build a house—all in support of the excellent work of Tabitha, which has become my great Global Concern passion.
Sreyleak held a vocational scholarship at UWCSEA, and she spent a year at the College developing her English and French skills. Sreyleak was a child of the dumpsite, having begun her working life at the age of 4. At age 12 she was, in her words, saved by an organisation who gave her the opportunity of education and that gave Sreyleak hope and a new life away from the horrors of Steung Meanchey dump site. With the dream developed her English and French skills with Angkor Air. It has been a long road for Sreyleak who was not given the opportunity to an education when she was a little girl. When I was in Grade 3, I met John Wood and Greg Mortenson who have dedicated their lives to bringing education to those
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is such a support and allowed me to be an independent fundraiser, to Kate Lewis who leads Tabitha with a combination of passion and great humour and always appears at my sales table. Finally, but not least of all to Janne Ritskes, the FounderDirector of Tabitha who tells me the real stories of development, who is at the front line of the hard work of breaking the poverty cycle.
You are invited to send a delegation held from 26th - 28th April 2013 at the ENKA Schools Istinye Campus. This conference should prove a revolutionary event, at it merges an Model United Nations (MUN) format with an International Chain of Awareness (ICA) solution focused approach. This novel conference is planned to enable students to debate universal and prevalent issues focused on the theme of the conference which is “Diversities and Minorities”, and to resolve challenging and contemporary ICA and MUN. For more information contact: Judith GUY PhD, Director, Enka Schools, Sadi Gülçelik Spor Sitesi Istinye 34460, Istanbul Email: judithguy@enkaokullari.k12.tr tel: +90 212 705 6706 fax:+90 212 276 8294 www.enkaschools.k12.tr www.enkaokullari.k12.tr/munica
GENERAL NEWS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: UPDATE FROM BRIAN DAWSON The Round Square wheels of business continue to roll relentlessly onwards as we move forward into 2013. Our core focus of exchanges, conferences and projects continues to maintain its impetus. Membership is in a realistic growth phase and new interest is evident in all of our regions. Innovative initiatives within the management structures are emerging which will add further value to the organisation. Developments within the secretariat have been put in place to ensure that we continue to add worth to the services we offer. The Round Square Executive and Board recently completely a series of successful meetings hosted at Boxhill School which compliment the ongoing development of the organisation. has been posted and you are encouraged to consult this for detail and registration information available at http://www. rsic2013.org/. The mail out includes information on travel, accommodation, costs and general background. I am also
pleased to be able to report that planning and preparations for the inaugural Young Round Square 2014 Conference in Africa are well under way and the level of professionalism of the organisers has been impressive as is the preparations for Florida and the 2014 Conferences at the Academy, hosted by the South Asia and Gulf Region. On the governance front, I would like to extend my thanks to The Chairman, Jane Howison and to the Regional Directors for the work done on the rules of governance. This has been a particularly successful project. Despite the Christmas holidays for many, the December RSIS were completed successfully and I would like to extend our thanks to the Project Leaders, Deputy Leaders, Accompanying Adults, Project Managers and Student teams for their
The Round Square website is streamlining!
contributions. Lastly, as I continue on my journey of recovery, I cannot but comment on the response I have received from the Round Square family and must place on record my grateful thanks to the Board, the Secretariat, the membership and especially Jane. Liz, Ann, Angela (my nurse) and Rod Fraser for the special interest and care they have shown. I would also like to comment on the manner in which all the secretariat have willingly stepped up to cover for me when asked. I am reminded that it is that bring out the best in so many. I look forward to seeing many of you at year.
Editor of RS NEWS Suzanne Bookless, Marketing & Communications Manager E-mail: admark@roundsquare.org www.roundsquare.org Registered Charity No.: 327117
Contributions Please send you news and photos to Suzanne Bookless for the next edition. If you would like to see Square News that is not currently being written about please let Suzanne know.
www.roundsquare.org combining the current Round Square and RSIS sites As part of this development, a new Intranet area will be available as the home for all forms and downloads. At
“Intranet” button on the Round Square home page and enter the password “IDEALS”.
current web site but in the future we plan to improve this area, creating a truly multifunctional intranet space.
All Round Square Heads and Reps will receive an email reminder and be informed of the launch date in advance of the switchover.
In order to access the intranet space, users will simply need to click the
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REGIONAL NEWS - AUSTRALASIA
Salvo’s Christmas Pudding Fundraiser After a successful 2011 fund-raiser, raising around $800, the Ivanhoe Grammar School Plenty Campus Round Square Committee began preparations in early September for our 2012 effort in the City of Melbourne collecting donations and selling plum puddings in support of the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. So many students and staff volunteered for shifts over the week-end immediately before Christmas, at the two entrances of the Block Arcade to collect donations while puddings were sold inside the Arcade. With a couple of extra hands (and tins!) that turned up we were able to cover the city up to Federation Square and Flinders Street Station as well as we had a glimpse of hope of beating the previous year as the students had already put in an enormous effort to raise upwards of $300. Our initial success began to set a tone for the weekend, and astonishingly the number of students helping out grew for what is a great cause. We easily surpassed our 2011 effort by raising a massive $2008 for the Salvation Army,
A group of 10 students from The
service-focused days working with NGO Colabora Birmania. Mae Sot is a small town that lies in Western Thailand and shares a natural border with Burma, the Moei River, which serves as the main gateway for Burmese migrants and refugees. The students co-operated with the “Km 42 School” students to plant vegetables, some of which was used to cook their school lunches. The rarer vegetables and fruits were sold at the local market to earn some money to spend on school resources and food. They also helped build a new pigsty and led the project
volunteers and Colabora Birmania. In order to meet the educational needs of the migrant children, several small schools have emerged spontaneously over the years, but with the lack of unwillingness of the Thai government to recognize and credit their studies, these schools rely solely on international support and the aid of NGOs.
proving that next year there will be nothing to stop us! This effort is all the more commendable given the extreme heat – the Saturday was over 40 degrees C! “A huge thanks to all the students and staff involved in both the organisation and on the weekend, it could not have
It is estimated that over 200,000 Burmese people are established in the area. Most of the residents do not own a proper work permit and therefore are subject to abuse by factory owners who do not pay the minimum wage or withhold payments, and from police demand bribes. However, despite these and more people keep crossing to Mae Sot. Colabora Birmania is made up of four Spanish travelers who were struck by the conditions in which these children live, as well as the injustices that their migrant relatives faced and the poverty they are living under in Mae Sot, and decided to stay and work as volunteers. They created a presentation and sent it to their families and friends in Spain asking for help. They managed to make £6000 which covered not only the shoes, but also the construction of more, safer classrooms and the provision of school lunches. They joined their forces, expertise and willingness and together they have consistently supported three main projects: The Km 42 school, which
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been done without you. However the biggest thanks goes to Mr Hoogenraad who basically made the days possible. Hope to see many of you there again next year!” India Caudry, Round Square Captain, Plenty Campus
currently registers 400 students aged 3 to 16, the Chicken School, whose primary students they provide with a meal every day and the STTC, a vocational training school for teenagers. If you would like to get involved too, Visit www.colaborabirmania.org for more info about the NGO and their projects in Mae Sot. By Moneiba Fernández Brito
REGIONAL NEWS - AUSTRALASIA
It’s about ability and not disability Cara Camp is a camp on which children with disabilities can attend and be with volunteering teenagers their age. Cara is an organisation which assists people with disabilities, but the camps are for children with a whole range of disability from being almost completely independent to being completely dependent for everything.
these things. I felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team making a difference by helping these kids with a range of activities including visiting the Zoo, Scavenger hunt in the city, Ten Pin Bowling, Art and Craft and a range of games.
The camp allows the kids to get out of their home life and experience things that
ability and not disability� and the focus should be on what people can do rather
for the camps. But the camps mostly give the kids an opportunity to be with people them, but will help and support them, be a true friend to them and give them the quality of life they deserve.
Brooke Davison (Camp CARA co-project manager). Westminster School, Adelaide, South Australia Left to Right: Brooke Davison, Susie Hayden, Grace Robinson, Emily Brigham, Casie Chalmers, Sarah Walter
After volunteering at a few camps it is safe to say that I have changed because of it. I have become more compassionate and patient and learnt a lot about myself and the other volunteers. I have also realised that despite the occasional bite, pinch or hair pull that these kids are some of the most caring people I know. I learnt what it means to be a true friend. I went to the camp to help kids with disabilities but came home having been helped by kids which despite all odds against them, have the ability open your heart and to care. We often take things in life for granted, the fact that we can walk, talk, read and even feed ourselves. Many of the kids at Camp Cara are not able to do
Is school getting in the way of education Dan Kinzer, Director of Jump! Schools at Jump! Foundation, was welcomed to grace the stage as their guest
What, When, Where, and Why of Learning - how School gets in the way, Kinzer breaking down a collection of inspirations for his educational practices to explain why it may be time for a change in the standard education system we have in place today. He reminded the audience (comprised of staff, students and parents alike) that this is a system that has been in
His advocacy of stronger student involvement and autonomy over what they learn caused some debate: members of the audience suggested that this was not feasible and, perhaps, the maturity levels of many students could not justify this radical thinking; yet it was interesting that in his experience as a teacher, before his time at Jump!. He came to the conclusion (though he admitted that it was painful to accept) that students will
really seemed to stress. Giving education a sense of purpose and engaging a is really needed to create a successful learning environment. Students should
technology happening every day and the breadth of opportunities expanding
the same thing. Within school and in life,
the educational system has failed to respond.
for either student or teacher. The talk certainly provoked discussion within the
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audience and challenged everyone present to consider carefully why we do things the way we do in education. Though some might have been sceptical concerning the methods, Mr
the status quo, to continue as active learners and be prepared to adapt to change will be the only way that we can ensure future generations can really get the best from our schools of the future.
REGIONAL NEWS - AUSTRALASIA
Radford College - 2013 started with gusto! Radford College in Canberra Three students have returned from their participation in RSIS projects & have enthusiastically shared experiences whilst abroad. Olivia Greer & Martin Elliffe, along with their enthusiastic mums, headed off to northern Thailand. It seems that despite the hard work & challenges, a great time was had by all. Olivia sums up her experiences… “The Round Square Thailand trip was amazing! My Mother and I are so glad perspective. Being able to be a part of a village (even if it was only 11 days) was an unbelievable experience. A highlight from the village was being around the children, playing with them and them accepting each one of us in their community so easily. I also loved the elephant conservation. It was so fun and a great opportunity for the group to bond even more. Overall I loved the trip, I gained so much from it and I will remember it forever!”
“On returning to the worksite, everyone threw themselves into their work with full enthusiasm. Poo was shovelled, the cemented into place. Then the tired dwarves hi-hoed back to their ashram, aches in their bodies, peace in their minds & an exaggerated sense of drama in their writing, & so our chapter ends. And tomorrow, the jolly little campers will all rise again, ready to face a brand new day.”
Olivia Greer
On the national front, planning is afoot & the selection process begins for our Yr 8 Exchangees, the lucky team who will provide input on the Fiji Project put together by Rod Summerton, the Yr 7/8 Central Australia Adventure trip and the upcoming Conferences… & so we await the opportunity to provide reports on these much anticipated activities. by Beth Girvan, Round Square Rep Radford College, Canberra
Martin provided the following thoughts… “I enjoyed working alongside the Karon. At times they seemed almost superhuman, and even though we great to be around. They were just so happy, no matter how hard the work got. project like this to anyone, you really feel made a difference. You also get to meet people from all over the world & make friendships that you never would have otherwise. I would certainly recommend this project to anyone.”
Crossing the bridge
Jamie McColl spent Christmas morning riding on an elephant up to the Red Fort in Jaipur (India)! Hardly the normal Christmas, but after successfully convincing a local stall holder that he
international beauties with anyone! (Jamie was the only male with some 17 female students!!) The project, based in Katapathur, located in Himalayan foothills, was an amazing experience. The Round Square project team successfully established a playground, built a garden, & assisted with the construction of a toilet block for the school. Jamie McColl
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REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA Round Square Meeting held at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls On the 23rd of January Dainfern College organised a meeting for local Round Square schools, including: Dainfern College, OWLAG, Cornwall Hill and St hosted by Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls and included the heads of Round Square from each school. We compared organisational structures and spoke about how each school incorporates the Round Square IDEALS. We also exchanged ideas surrounding: Nelson Mandela day, the Prince Alexander fund, RSIS/general service projects, exchange, regional/international conferences, baraza leader training, the African Round Square Alumni Association and many more aspects of RS. It was a very productive day whereby everyone gained insight and ideas. We
were also fortunate enough to get to know each other and exchange contact details. We were able to form relationships with each other and planned to work together with regards to our Round Square aspirations in the near future. It truly was an amazing experience which enabled us to communicate with likeminded people who are trying to achieve similar goals. It demonstrated that together we can make a big difference in our respective communities. I am sure that all of the representatives will recommend this type of meeting and discussion to other representative schools. Plans have already been set in motion with regards to organising the next meeting, whereby more schools will hopefully participate. In addition, we have created a Dropbox for all the ideas
ROUND SQUARE DAY On the 5th of December St Cyprians Square day. The day was dedicated to 3 ideals: Environmentalism, Service and Internationalism. The school was split into 3 groups. One group started with an environmental activity, one with an international activity and one with a community service activity. After 50 minutes the groups switched until each group took part in all 3 activities.
enjoyable and all round successful day. We hope the leaders of next year will carry on with this idea.
The international activity was a quiz that ultimately taught the students about different Round Square schools and gave them insight about them. This activity was very successful as it made more people aware of Round Square and the different schools that are a part of the association. The environmental activity was about looking learning about the environment. This activity consisted of a quiz about the school and its environmental policy and later in the activity the students made mini seed pots out of old toilet shown. The Service activity was about doing something extra for the community in need. The activity consisted of making children and making cards for certain community partnerships. All three activities were very successful. All the girls worked hard and the
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which, once populated will be shared with the other African Regional Schools so that Laura Bishop, Student Head of Round Square, Dainfern College
Connecting Schools On 4th of February St. Cyprians School had the privilege of hosting a fellow Round Square School Gordonstoun School from Scotland. Gordonstoun is on a music and dance tour to our beautiful country where they are performing at many different locations and we were lucky enough to experience their wonderful dance and music show. The students were very eager and so talented, that they left their audience cheering and wanting more. It was so wonderful not only to get to experience their great talents but also to speak to them personally and connect with them. It was a perfect example about how Round Square connects schools and brings one another together.
REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA
Barefoot Day to celebrate Human Rights Day On Monday 28th of January the St.
of celebrating Human Rights Day as we look into our own heritage and what being barefoot represents for many people not only in South Africa but around the world. Our girls managed to bring numerous pairs of shoes which will be donated to Mama Amelia, Feet Forward,
In return for donating shoes, the girls were allowed to spend the day barefoot within school, showing their support. The shoes were laid out in a big heart shape on the Chapel Lawn, which was a day would not have been possible without the help of the caring and warm-
Africa Regional Project in Philippolis, South Africa In December 2012 (7th - 15th) 37 students accompanied by 5 teachers descended on the sleepy town of Philippolis. The participants came from a number of Round Square schools mostly in South Africa: St Stithians Girls College, OWLAG, Roedean School, Bridgehouse and Brookhouse from Kenya.
I wish to thank Kate Groch of Future Nature who has continued to run this project over several years helped the Philippolis community at large. Round Square Regional Rep
The week was spent doing a number of tasks that included; cleaning a preschool, sorting the toys and ing and preparing them for painting, laying foundations, installing a wooden pre-school battling the storms and rain which washed away some of the wet paint. Another project was an extreme make over on the outside of a community members house (the rain did not help us on this one either) lots of Any spare time was spent with the children who live in the Bergmanshoogte community. Doing arts and crafts with them as well as showering the children with bucket loads of love! Since it was Christmas time the students spent time putting Christmas packs together for all the children.
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REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA
Enchanting Cambodia On arrival in Cambodia on the 6th of December 2012 I was immediately given a bottle of water to prevent dehydration and then whisked away in a “Kombi� to our hotel. As the driver sped through Phnom Penh, the capital, I was taken aback by the amalgamation of colours everywhere, from the tuk-tuk scooters to the vibrantly decorated buildings. In record breaking time we reached the hotel, to be greeted so warmly by the Project Leader, Sonia Christian from St. rest of the team. We all got on straight away. In Phnom Penh we orientated ourselves by going to Wat Phnom, a temple on a little hill in the centre of the city. An elephant lives there and you can feed it bananas. To understand the Cambodia of today you have to understand the history of their struggle under the Khmer Rouge, which terrorized the country. Accordingly we visited the Killing Fields and S-21, the notorious torture prison. After three days of orientation and cultural experiences, and the obligatory market to bargain for souvenirs, we headed to a village in Takeo province to start the building project. The city in Takeo is tiny and calm in comparison with Phnom Penh; there are fewer buildings and rice paddies are everywhere! Our goal was to build a two-roomed community centre and, if we had time, a jungle gym. Every component of this project was absolutely
up at 3am to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat. Seeing this blistering orange ball of gas rise up above the 1,000 year old temple was breathtaking. It left us and one hundred other tourists completely silent. We spent that day walking leisurely around the beautiful temples. We marvelled at the exquisite carvings and the sheer scale and beauty of the architecture. In addition to Angkor, we visited the
rise and fall of the river. In the evening we went to the night market. It is alongside the river and lit by hundreds of small, sparkling lights. On the last night we attended a dinner show with traditional Khmer dancing. We returned to our village in Takeo for ahead of schedule on the community centre, we had time to complete the jungle gym and assemble the eighty bicycles which our fundraising had bought. During one of our lunch breaks my friends taught me how to ride a bike.
worked this hard in my whole life. had our mid-project break. By this point our relationships were well established, so going on holiday together was incredible! Siem Reap is home to Angkor Wat. This colossal 12th century temple encompasses 820 000 square meters. It was hidden in the jungle for centuries, but is now a renowned World Heritage Site. If it was to be built today it would take 300 years to do so. After an eight-hour bus journey we arrived in time to watch the sunset over Siem Reap. It was truly magical. I felt as if I was watching a National Geographic programme. The next morning we woke
ceremony. Finally we travelled to the coast for our and mostly deserted beaches, the clear, warm, blue ocean water, the nearby islands and all the fresh seafood charmed us. For the next two days we had freedom to just enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas together. I was able to spend Christmas in enchanting Cambodia with wonderful friends. Miserably we headed back to Phnom Penh to spend our last day together. We soaked up the wonders of the city one last time before making our separate journeys back home. I will never forget or lose contact with my friends, nor will I forget Cambodia. I cherish the memories we made. Often in tough or unfamiliar situations you turn to friends which is why all our friendships will be long lasting; we all went through the same experiences so we could support each other. The overwhelming emotions that projects such as this conjure up are indescribable. I know I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. It was an honour to represent St. Stithians College on this building project and I would go back any day. Candace Drennan: Gr 12
started straight away with the foundations 5pm, we slowly built our way up. Before RSIS I had done two building projects but neither could compare to this magnitude
village will change their lives forever and it certainly changed ours. On the morning of 24th December we watched ourselves
I will never forget the moment when I turned my head around slightly and saw everyone riding behind me, cheering me on. It was like something from the movies. Later in the week we had a class in cooking traditional Khmer food. legs, barbequed cobra and caramelised tarantulas. The opening ceremony and handover
with many local people congregating to watch. The centre will substantially help women with their dental health and family planning. Our fundraising enabled us to hand over 80 bicycles, 80 mosquito nets, 100 toothbrush and toothpaste sets and four chickens for each of 10 new chicken farms. It was a wonderful and humbling the centre. Our small contribution to their
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REGIONAL NEWS - AFRICA
Square, a region (the European) held its council meeting in a different region (the African). ELARAKI School from Morocco, a regional African member hosted this special event. For us at ELARAKI School, we would like to consider this meeting to be the between the African and the European continents. The organization went very smoothly, different days. The students were very pleased to welcome everyone at the Marrakech International Airport. They then accompanied our special guests to the hotels where other students were already waiting to take over and help with the paper work when necessary On Friday 25th January, ELARAKI 2 Seniors received a visit from our African Regional Director and Round Square
their guests of the day discover the facilities of the school and shared with of the Round Square IDEALS. After his encounter with the students, about the students is that they had different ways of thinking and they On Saturday 26th of January, the an opening ceremony during which The Schools Solidarity Club presented a movie about the project they are working on in the “Ighalen School” situated in a rural area about 60km Drama Club students also presented a play of their creation about how they view the role of their School as a bridge
between the African and the European continents. On the same day, a trip was planned to visit Baraïm El Haouz kindergarten, village in the outskirts of Marrakech. After lunch, we all went to visit the project initiated by ELARAKI Solidarity Club. The Heads and Reps held their second working session of the day in the After the last working session on Sunday morning, we all went to visit to ELARAKI 1 School. Our Roman Theater became our “Constantine Greek Theater” after His Majesty King Constantine agreed to name it after him. Then we went back to ELARAKI 2 with emotions was held. It was time for us to start saying goodbye. We wanted it to be a fare farewell ceremony. Totally artistic, the atmosphere was typically Moroccan. The speeches given by the Ahmed El Alaoui Talibi, president of the Students Council, Mr. Younes El Araki, head of our School, His Majesty King Constantine, president of Round Square and Mr. Helmuth Aigner, director of the European Region were all very moving.
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We are proud at ELARAKI School to
European Conference our School is intending to organize. of Baccalaureate
REGIONAL NEWS - EUROPE
Box Hill School raises Thousands of pounds have been raised for local charities during the annual Box Hill Day at Box Hill School, in Mickleham UK. More than 400 pupils, aged 11 to 18, teachers and support staff joined together on 6th February to participate in a variety of fun and challenging
We were most grateful to each organisation who took the time to visit the school during our assembly on Wednesday to explain their work in the community and to tell us how the donations will be used.” “I enjoyed walking up Box Hill and raising £100 for charity in doing so”
commitment to help good causes and the community.
Ted Harrison
This year, students and staff paid to wear non-uniform, sold cakes, ran a slave auction and hosted a variety show that saw pupils and teachers performing.
always really fun and the whole school can get involved”
The highlight of the fundraising event was the sponsored four-mile walk up Box Hill. Many of those involved wore fancy dress to trek to the summit. So far hundreds of Pounds have been donated, which will be split Tadworth, Happy Child International, Leatherhead, Wildlife Aid, Leatherhead, and Childreach International. Headmaster Mark Eagers said: “Box Hill Day takes place every year in February and celebrates the anniversary of the founding of the school trust by raising money for charity. This year we decided to raise money for a variety of local charities chosen by the students. It was a fantastic opportunity for pupils to develop their team working and
Meeting at Gordonstoun
Kyra Cook “I dressed up as a tiger in my onsie for today, it matches my face paint” Charliy Dix “We raised a lot of money from the variety show and everyone that performed was so good” Samantha Gray “It was a triumph and great to see so long come to life!”
The Round Square European meeting at Gordonstoun is from 13th-15th September 2013 Chris Ince will be sending out travel and administrative forms later in the Spring and hopes that you can all come up to the most northerly RS school in the world. Chris said” You are also most welcome to bring two senior students for which there will be a slightly separate programme that will involve tents as accommodation. We encourage students to enjoy fresh air here.” Chris Ince E-mail: incec@gordonstoun.org.uk
Marcel Norval “I thought the performers were part of something that can make a difference, great charity!” Samantha Gray
give students a better understanding of the world around them and encourages them to get involved by showing them the importance of helping their local and international communities, which are the key educational principles we want children to learn at Box Hill School.
“I think last night was a great success and the team showed their love for each other and Box Hill School, excellente, congratulations to all of the performers” Lily Cooke
While we all had immense fun taking part in the challenges, eating cake and performing in the variety show, the important reasons for us participating in the activities were not forgotten.
Gordonstoun School Elgin Moray IV30 5RF http://www.gordonstoun.org.uk
pupils either because Box Hill School has a personal link with them or because they are local to us.
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REGIONAL NEWS - EUROPE
A Box Hill School pupil from Ashtead, near Dorking, has landed a role in a top BBC crime drama. Phoebe Jones, 14, will play a part in a one-off special episode of Jonathan Creek, which stars comedian and actor Alan Davies, and is scheduled to be broadcast at Easter. Auditions for the role were held at the end of November last year and Phoebe got the call a few weeks later to say she had been successful. place on three days during January, on location in Kingston. Phoebe, who is a year 9 pupil said: “I
and started shaking with excitement and nerves. “It is my dream to act professionally both on screen and stage, and to win a role in such a well-known and popular TV programme is an amazing opportunity. I
I hope this part will lead to other great roles.
The days will be really long, but to be successful in the acting industry you have to put in a lot of hard work and that I really love doing. I also think Alan Davies is great and I hope that I will get the chance to have a photograph taken with him.” mistress at Box Hill School, added: “It is recognised at such a high level. Phoebe is very determined and remarkably motivated to act, and she has a huge personality.
keen to get involved and has taken a lead role in our school theatre productions for the past two years.
Phoebe is a gifted actress and teachers at the school have predicted for some time that she would be famous. She is always
We are immensely proud of her and look forward to seeing more success in the future.”
Boronka 2013 Environmental Project in Hungary Boronka, this somewhat exoticsounding name, stands for a nature conservation project in the county of Somogy, Hungary. Boronka actually is the name of a little creek that runs through and feeds a wood- pond area south of Lake Balaton. It was state past up to about 1990 and then taken over by an NGO (Non-Government
This organization had no money of its own for the purchase and so needed the help of NGOs like the WWF Austria and the European Natural Heritage Fund, the Swiss Bird Conservation Society and BUND Salem and Markdorf. Karl Roth, a Salem biology teacher and ornithologist, knew the representatives of this Hungarian organization and had the idea to offer working camps. So we started inviting pupils and staff from Round Square Schools in 1991
be such a success that we have been repeating these camps every July since then. This year will be the 22nd camp! The average size of the group has been around 25 to 30 participants. So far
pupils and staff have been from these schools: Aiglon, Abbotsholme, Appleby, Athenian, Bayview Glen, Birklehof, Bishops College, Boxhill, Gordonstoun, Starehe, Wellington,Indian School Oman, Boxhill, Cobham Hall, Herlufsholm (Denmark) Pupils and staff have the opportunity of experiencing a great variety of wildlife in its natural surroundings. At the same time they can actively help to preserve this biodiversity. They restore habitats for endangered animals like the otter, ferruginous duck, turtles etc. For example they help to repair dams, create new swamps, clear paths and build little bridges, restore observations huts, clear ponds from weeds. They also help to keep pastures open for the original Hungarian grey cattle. At the same time we also offer excursions in the vicinity to other wildlife areas but also to cultural sites. We visit the city of Pecs and see its historic city centre and have a chance to visit its impressive museums. At the end of the project we spend two and a half days in the very imposing capital of Budapest where we get to know Hungary with its urban and cultural life. We live in tents on a beautiful site in
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the middle of a forest not far from the ponds. The infrastructure has improved project. Meanwhile we have wcs and warm showers. Additionally of course one can (and does) still use the original showers consisting of an elevated water tank which is heated (depending on weather conditions) by the sun. The kitchen meanwhile is well equipped and the food is prepared by our own staff. We stay at the camp for 10 days and then all together move to Budapest, where we stay for two and a half days in a youth-hostel. To take part in the project the price will be ¤560. On top of that you would have to bring along money for the two and a half days in Budapest and for excursions to the vicinity at the weekend. (Accommodation in Budapest is included in the price above). So, to be on the safe side, one should take along about ¤ 250 to ¤300 for these additional expenses. The next project is taking place from 1st July to 14th July 2013. For more information please e-mail Rainer: Rainer. Bueb@mac.com
of Schule Schloss Salem, Germany
REGIONAL NEWS - EUROPE
Embedding the ideas also the elements of IB CAS, The Duke
curricular programmes as a whole,
Felsted Philosophy of Learning into the whole school co-curricular ethos. The triangle below neatly maps the different elements that come together through this programme.
the learning value of their diverse experiences in a much more meaningful way. It is also particularly pleasing to see how the programme has helped students tailor their individual portfolios to their personal Employability goals. So for example, aspiring Medical students are now directly channelled towards the Health Committee at Felsted MUN (ID),
Vignoles, Deputy Head Co-Curricular of the Felsted Diploma, a holistic
One year on, an exciting partnership leading Round Square schools in writes: As a new Round Square school in 2010, the challenge for us was to make our global membership real and meaningful for all of our students. Like many, we began by trumpeting the value of conferences, exchanges and service projects, the jewels in the Round Square crown. The students who were lucky enough to go on these returned speaking of life-changing experiences, but it seemed that the 95% of students who had stayed at home were in danger of seeing the Round Square simply as another activity or trip to sign up for (or not), like Music, Drama, Sport or MUN – a bolt on, rather than a core element of Felsted everyday life. We therefore decided to go back to basics and concentrate on developing the IDEALS within our existing Felsted programmes, before worrying too much about external projects. Thus was launched the Felsted Diploma, embedding not only the IDEALS but
The Felsted Diploma was also launched simultaneously with the Felsted Philosophy of Learning. This focuses on the 5Rs that we feel are essential for students to succeed in all walks of life: Responsibility and Readiness – qualities that we would expect all members of the Felsted community to demonstrate, regardless of their status or activity. the process: students are being asked undertake, on how their learning gains can transfer from one activity to the next – how, for example, resilience developed on Maths problem, or how the psychological mind-set needed for a Musical performance could be equally useful in an examination or interview. Students are now being asked to take responsibility for their learning as a whole across all walks of life, and record their thoughts in their It is already clear that the Felsted Diploma has transformed how our students engage with their co-
(DL), the Health Matters group (LS), a regular community service placement in a local hospital (LS) and perhaps a trip to the slums of Mumbai to work with our partner charity Magic Bus (ALS). A further pleasing result? Applications for Round Square trips are suddenly through the roof, with students signing up for these for the right reasons now and commitment to the Felsted Diploma providing a clear rationale for selection. We were fortunate to be able to Diploma activities at the European Regional Council Meeting at Felsted this November, with our conference showcasing our students work in Art, Drama, Dance, Music, MUN, Leadership and Service. From the reaction of our European partner schools, we appear to be on the right track! Excitingly, we are also now collaborating with global schools from other regions who have felt a similar need to develop their own co-curricular system for embedding the IDEALS. Paul Crouch, Assistant Head at
Citizenship Award: The Head Student election speeches of the highest quality, demonstrating for leadership and empathy for others. The two successful students were Gun of the school both Thai nationals, and both have been with the school since Nursery. You could not get two students philosophy and vision of education. This made me step back and think what student. Why do so many alumni remain in contact with the school, come back to visit and also ask to work or
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REGIONAL NEWS - EUROPE that our students are leaving school with high academic results but also with the characteristics and skills for life which we believe a student from a Round Square school should be equipped with.
The Award encourages every student to be Aware, Able and to Act, and at the same time each student must log their progress and achievements in a personal
It made us go in search of what we already subconsciously knew about the school: we undertook an audit of all the opportunities and learning skills that are presented to our students every day, and that encourage them to go beyond their
one of many obvious parallels with the Felsted Diploma. The 16 attributes are differentiated at each key stage level and therefore there are 6 different Global Citizenship Awards for the students to aim for and progress through, starting with the Global Friend Award in the Early Years and the Global Ambassador Award in the Sixth Form (IB Diploma level). We are even thinking about introducing an Award for all teaching staff to participate in, to encourage and role model more
global citizens. We also wanted to show students, teachers and parents that this is learning experience and was not an addon, that it was embedded in the learning programme and enabling students to reach higher levels of performance in a number of ways across the whole school,
professional and personal development. The six Awards of the Global Citizenship Programme are below:
that we could produce evidence that would track progress and achievement which would also be celebrated, something not always easily related to Round Square or personal development. After a year of INSET sessions,
of Senior Students (Years 10-12) at Ivanhoe Grammar and moves students beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility through, creativity, action, service, international understanding and leadership. Although still a work in progress, much of the preliminary work has now been completed and the Diploma is close to implementation stage. Graduates are not only competing with students from Melbourne or Australia but also with those from Mumbai, Shanghai, New York and France. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to provide not only an outstanding academic program, but to also provide a breadth of learning outside the classroom that prepares students for the ever changing global world of work, study and recreation by creating graduates who are adaptable, creative, environmentally aware. The Ivanhoe Diploma will build upon under development for Middle Years Students. The Diploma also builds upon and acknowledges the many co-curricular opportunities students are already undertaking, either at School or in the community and is a key part development of skills, attributes and experiences outside the academic domain. The Diploma is designed to
ability.
meetings with key stages, workshops with students across the whole school, staff and parents, plus some inspiration from the Oxfam Global Citizenship
Foley, Deputy Principal / Head of the Ridgeway Campus at Ivanhoe
Global Citizenship Programme and
developing along similar lines:
the 16 key skills or attributes to being each and every student on their journey of personal development (and academic achievement) from Kindergarten to Year 13. Below are the 16 skills or attributes of
Our Mission at Ivanhoe Grammar School is to be a community of learning that develops in students the skills and values that will prepare them for the challenges and responsibilities of adult citizenship and in which the development of individual character and personal achievement by all students, is encouraged and celebrated. Following our successful introduction of the IDEALS Award in 2012, where students can attain a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award depending upon their level of involvement in the Pillars of Round Square, an even more comprehensive program will be introduced in 2014/15 to further embed the principles of the Round Square into our School programs and culture. We are in the process of developing an Ivanhoe Diploma that acknowledges the diverse learning
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The Diploma has been deliberately new activities that may emerge either at School or within the broader community, which can easily be incorporated into the Ivanhoe model. To attain the Ivanhoe Diploma all Years 10-12 students must meet the minimum requirement from each Creativity Action Volunteering Intercultural Understanding Leadership
REGIONAL NEWS - EUROPE Importantly, the Diploma provides scope for students to excel and specialise in areas of interest and expertise. Students are able to attain the Ivanhoe Diploma with Honours by satisfactorily completing the requirements of the Ivanhoe Diploma as well as one of the following three areas: IDEALS Gold Award Gold Level Duke of Edinburgh The overriding goal of the Ivanhoe Diploma is to provide an opportunity for every student at Ivanhoe Grammar to develop as a whole person, to understand the importance of giving to others and to develop critical thinking about complex local and global issues. This is something
that 21st Century learners of all ages need, and employers and universities value. Clearly the models and strategies that individual schools use for embedding the IDEALS will vary according to their local contexts, existing activities and practices. Equally clearly, there are themes and challenges that will emerge in any Round Square school that is seeking to do more than just pay lip-service to the IDEALS. Tom, Paul and Gerard are hoping to lead a collaborative seminar on this topic at a future global conference, and would be very keen to hear from any other colleagues who are currently embarked on similar journeys!
Tom Vignoles, Deputy Head Co-Curricular at Felsted School, UK:
Paul Crouch, Assistant Head at @ Gerard Foley, Deputy Principal, Ivanhoe Grammar School, Australia:
REGIONAL NEWS - AMERICAS
This past December, Lower Canada College in Montreal hosted its annual food drive. The food drive has become a major event for student life; it raises awareness about poverty in Montreal, promotes school spirit and encourages students to participate in the season of giving.
to the cause. There was no student left behind in this initiative, and everyone was glad to play their part in improving the holiday season for many less fortunate families in Montreal. Representative
The food drive is an exciting time of the year because houses compete against each other to bring in the most food based on volume and weight. House heads this year made it their duty to ensure every student in their house participated. The student leaders of the school took the initiative to advertise the food drive, putting up posters around the school with sayings like “Keep calm and bring in food� and drilling daily of students was outside every morning holding up signs to remind parents and students to bring in food. The students braved the cold weather with the warmth of holiday music and cheer. It was an excellent springboard into the holiday season. Even though the quickly picked up over the two-week period. By the end of the two weeks the locker room where the collection was weighing a total of 12,600 pounds; over double the preceding year. Perhaps the greatest part about the food drive was that the whole graduating class came together to lead the collection, and the whole student body became connected
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REGIONAL NEWS - AMERICAS
Multicultural Fair At the end of last year Rothesay Netherwood School held a multicultural fair with the aim of celebrating Internationalism, as well as raising awareness of a local area of need.
The Athenian School is planting an orchard with 125 trees on its campus with the fruit produced to be donated to local food banks to feed hungry people. In February over 100 Athenian students showed up to plant the apple, pear,
Students from Grades 6-12 were all involved in preparing and tasting foods from around the world, as well as educating each other on cultural diversities. Our students were joined by a group of Bhutanese refugees who have immigrated to Canada, and are now living in the Saint John area. A number of our Bhutanese guests put on a wonderful show of traditional dance, even encouraging the students of RNS to join in.
and was done in partnership with local environmental and anti-hunger organizations. Athenian students will help care for the trees, harvest the fruit, and distribute the food. The hillside trees will use water that would otherwise be wasted in run-off. The trees will start producing in 3-5 years. The project is a beautiful combination of community service and environmental conservation.
The event was a great success and all proceeds went to purchasing farm equipment that will be used by refugee families in Saint John, helping to grow crops in a community garden, to feed their families.
Our main community partner, The Urban Farmers, made a nice video about the orchard planting at Athenian YouTube Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpJ31ofpbgM&feature=youtu.be
Rothesay Netherwood School Rothesay Netherwood School is excited to host the 2013 Round Square of the Americas Regional Conference in New Brunswick, Canada. The theme is Embracing the IDEALS through P.L.A.Y (Propelling Leadership Across Youth). The Province of New Brunswick is a playground for Outdoor Adventure. With the Bay of Fundy surrounding our coastline and lush forests lining our surroundings, we will be playing in a The Conference Organizing Committee (COC), consisting of both staff and students, have been challenged to create a conference that pushes the limits and will ask students to live outside themselves, trying to understand what Kurt Hahn meant by living through the IDEALS. With the city of Saint John not far away, many opportunities for service and growth will be presented to delegates and we are encouraging everyone to embrace the concept of “Being a Good Person�. With a series of speakers, activities and personal
challenges, our hope is to share the passion of P.L.A.Y. with every student. See the website for further details: http://www.roundsquareconference2013. org/index.html
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Special mention goes out to RNS student Eun Su Shim, and David and Rhonda Peterson of Dayspring Ministries Inc. for their tireless support in organizing this event.
REGIONAL NEWS - AMERICAS
Community Service in Peru In 2012, we, a group of students and teachers from Lower Canada College, travelled to Peru for two weeks during our Spring break. We began our trip by completing four days of community service. We were shocked to see the poverty in Las Palmas, and were consequently very eager to help. For our main projects we school, since it was inaccessible, and built a roof for the daycare. Throughout our days of service we gained a new perspective to teamwork; having people from completely different backgrounds come together to work until they could barely even stand. We organized several “assembly lines� to pass cement buckets up stairs and ladders, and to transfer bricks from one area to another, one by one. Together we were able to achieve much more than any one of us could done on our own. The jobs we completed were extremely arduous, but together with some Markham alumni and the local community, we were able to complete the projects. Our last day of service Some construction workers and even an LCC student who was on exchange at Markham helped us with the work. We divided the jobs into various groups: shoveling cement, carrying buckets and handing them up the ladder. By the end of our 8-hour day, everyone was experience. Our days in Las Palmas were not entirely devoted to the service. We also spent time with the school children; for many people this was the highlight of the trip. The children were adorable, and were surprisingly very eager to help us complete the work. However, we were even more impressed with their self-pride, their incessant smiles and their excitement to play. Their houses may have been small in size and their belongings may have been few in number, but they were so eager to show them to us, and were happy with what they had. This made many of us realize that material belongings can be replaced with love, happiness and kindness.
would come over and offer to share them with us. They would also come help us out by pushing the wheelbarrows across the sandy terrain with all their might, and attacking us with hugs as we sat down for breaks. In spite of their exposure to poverty and hunger, the joy outstanding. We thoroughly appreciated every moment with them! The rest of our trip was spent in and around Cusco, with a hike along the Salcantay Trek to Machu Picchu. This was an experience that has truly impacted our lives, and has left us with memories that we will cherish forever. Luckily, two of us are returning again this trip to Peru. We look forward to visiting again, and especially to returning to Las Palmas.
In some respects, they seemed happier than the more privileged children their age in North America. The generosity of the children was outstanding; their ability to share what they had truly made an impression on us. During their recess the children bought popsicles and other snacks, and often times they
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REGIONAL NEWS - SOUTH ASIA & GULF
Round Square makes difference with a difference The inspired members of the Social Service League [SSL] and the Round Square Committee of The Assam Valley School, Balipara, Assam, India took up the herculean challenge of renovating Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Trust [KGMT] School located in Harchurah Tea Estate, a neighbouring tea garden. Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Trust [KGMT] School is a primary school up to class four catering to 140 children largely from economically disadvantaged communities. On scheduled activity days, the pupils committed to the Literacy Programme Activity visit and teach the pupils at this school. The members of the Social Service League planned and organised 16th September 2012 and the fund generated was used to renovate the KGMT School. The Round Square delegates from fourteen participating schools in India, Bangladesh and Dubai assisted in masonry work,
carpentry work, painting and mounting of the study material on the walls of the school during the scheduled Service Day on 14th December 2012, of Senior Regional [South Asia & Gulf] Round Square Conference.
The members of the Round Square Committee at The Assam Valley School are committed to the cause of Service and are keen to make a difference in the lives of local community.
Best from Waste First annual Peace Day for King’s The concept of service got a new dimension at the DAIS primary core of Round Square when the children initiated the activity of making useful products from discarded articles in an effort to do
Peace Day on November 13 2012. The a special two-day event in a collective effort to promote positive change “both in the region and in the world.”
household wastes. Children collected several such items and discussed ideas Once decided they set about making these into products like a shoe box into toy car, jewellery pieces into wind chimes, old vests into shopping bags, chocolate boxes into a jewellery case, packaging foam into stationery holder and many more.
– were created and hung in the Dining Hall. After dinner, some 40 students and faculty headed to the Spiritual Center for a candlelight vigil at which students sang and Director of Extramural Programs Ms. Tessa Fairbairn led the group in a reading of the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi.
The learning that you can recycle and reuse house hold waste was deeply imbibed as evident from their creative output.
The following day the campus was a sea of white, red, black and green as each class dressed in one of the colors of the red, sophomores in black and freshmen in green. The color-coordinated crowd assembled across Commencement Lawn to form a a photo of which was taken from aerial view to commemorate the event. During school meeting in the Abdul Majeed Shoman Auditorium, guest
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speaker HE Senator Akel Biltaji began his Peace Day address by quoting from Muslim and Christian prayers, explaining that “peace is in the prayers … it is the passes.” But his discussion shifted to the harsh reality of the present. Recounting the turbulent history of the Middle East – with special reference to the Balfour Declaration and the Israeli-Palestinian
peace in the face of injustice. He concluded by donating a copy of school library and by encouraging the audience to acknowledge and listen to the inspiring albeit limited voices that do exist in the Arab world. “The only thing you can do is to be a positive element in the process,” he said. “Try to understand what is behind a philosophy and a policy so you may move forward.”
REGIONAL NEWS - SOUTH ASIA & GULF
Bus Ho Gaya Project at DAIS One thing we have learnt as a student of this school is that no man is an island. Waking up to the reality of the environment that surrounds us, we, thirteen students of the 12th grade in Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS), decided that it was time to let our voices be heard; time to make a change. And so, the Bus Ho Gaya (which translates to “Enough Is Enough”) project was born, a project in which we busied ourselves with coordinating and organizing the painting of Brihanmumbai local buses in Mumbai with messages promoting GENDER EQUALITY.
Scaled sketches of the bus were measurement of each and every letter of the slogans, stencils were carefully designed for all the logos, and a few of us had begun whitewashing one side of the bus with spray paints while the other was being covered with white vinyl. The white areas of text were masked with the help of art students from the middle school and students from all over the school helped us spray the exterior of the bus. While we toiled in the sun for almost 12 hours, batches of students issue at hand – female infanticide. Every student walked out feeling a sense of responsibility towards the women of our society.
In the context of recent disturbing events
5-D model, we felt the need to address this deep rooted patriarchal construct Ho Gaya project aims at completing a requirement of the IB program – the Make A Difference project, which requires us to combine two or more of the Creativity, Action and Service components. We felt that this project tied in all three, as everything from designing the website to the logo, from painting the posters/murals to sensitizing others on a social issue was done by the students in this project. Acquiring a best bus as well as permissions to paint it were among the biggest hurdles we faced. After months of drafting and mailing proposals,
bus and peeling off the masking tape, the rusty red bus looked somewhat like this: covered in radiating triangles of loud, attractive colours; with the left side featuring the English slogan “She could be the PRESIDENT – Stop Female Infanticide”; the right side showing off the Hindi slogan “Maa bhi kabhi beti thi… Stop Female Infanticide” (a mother was once a daughter); and the back of the bus boasting our logo with the Marathi slogan “Mulgi majhi molachi” (my girl is invaluable) as well as our main cause “Promoting Gender Equality”. Each side of the bus also showcased a gender a boy and a girl balancing on a weighing scale. The outcome was stunning.
Dadar-Borivali route (Bus No: 40). At 8.30 a.m. on 22nd January 2013, a rusty From the moment we spotted it on the lane, we were at it. The spray paints were laid out, cutting of the stencils had begun, and measuring tapes were stretched out.
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After months of hard work and hours of something more spectacular than we had imagined. People who spotted our bus on the roads tweeted pictures of it and joined our Facebook page to show their appreciation and support for this cause. It was a proud moment for us when the bus into the city of dreams – because we were truly making a difference. http://www.facebook.com/ BusHoGaya?ref=hl
REGIONAL NEWS - SOUTH ASIA & GULF
King’s host third Round Square Regional Conference instead of only for others,” Round Square embraced the spirit of giving as it hosted some 100 delegates from Jordan, Palestine, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Kenya for its third Round Square Regional Conference under the theme “Think of Others”. The conference kicked off on December 1 with a special opening
Round Square International Service (RSIS) Project Manager Liz Gray, the
history and evolution of RSIS projects which, she explained, are the “ultimate to serve and to think of others.
representing the 17 schools in attendance were displayed above the stage in the Abdul Majeed Shoman Auditorium. According to Director of Extramural Programs Tessa Fairbairn, the hanging coming together” and is reminiscent of traditional Bedouin weddings in Jordan as people gather in front of tents to “celebrate unity.” Taken from the poem by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, the theme centers on empathy, an emotion “so much stronger than sympathy” in that it is “the ability to feel with others
Two more interactive keynote discussions were held on campus. Faculty Member Moamer Khalayleh traced the roots of “one of the biggest world” – the Palestine-Israel struggle – while fellow Faculty Member Tristan Chirico took his audience back in time to ancient Greece and the Peloponnesian War to explore the origins of human rights and the concept of “fundamental equality”.
Mount Nebo, the Dead Sea and an overnight trip to Petra. “The people in Jordan, especially at Anahita Sachdev, a junior at Vivek High School in India said. Despite the different languages spoken, it has been easy to feel comfortable in a new environment, she explained. “Everyone is smiling at each other and we know we are welcome here.”
Delegates spent the remainder of the week engaging in barazza groups, helping out with community service projects throughout Jordan and exploring
RS ‘HEROES’ Conference at CGS The conference activities included: across in the conference and Nazifa Tabassum age 13 years, won the logo design competition for the conference. The conference was attended by 1463 delegates between 12th and 26th January 2013, in 11 groups. spoke to delegates and motivated them to volunteer their time and collect funds to support the underprivileged in Bangladesh. Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury gave a presentation on the life and struggles of Rokeya Bagum while Musa Ibrahim took us through his journey to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Nasrin Baqui spoke on how she established
developed by the CGS IT team
Art with underprivileged children at Play Park Adventure trek at Kumira The conference also celebrated our culture with performances by CGS students and our community partner the Islamabad Balika Orphanage.
poor in Bangladesh, also one of our community partners. Sabrina Sultana explained her struggles after she was partially paralysed due to muscular dystrophy and setting up B-SCAN an endeavour promoting rights for education, employment, access and social recognition for the handicapped in right and powerfully motivational for the delegates.
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REGIONAL NEWS - SOUTH ASIA & GULF The village of KHONDA is located exactly in the middle of two mountains, Prabalgad and Matheran. In terms of access to facilities such as hospitals, police stations and markets, the village is between six and seven kilometers away, with no electricity supply. Placed around the village are solar panels, giving necessary light to the community during the night. The majority of the community relies on farming as their livelihood. Until recently, the major challenge faced by the villagers was a sustainable water source. The river that the village community uses for cleaning lasts for around two months after the monsoon rains. For drinking purposes, they had to trek to a higher point in the river situated around 3 km away from the village, which provides pure, clean water. Singapore International School,
Mumbai, provided manpower and
their own tents and arranged their belongings.
Students volunteered their service and helped raise funds for the project. The work on the project started on 31st Jan 2013 and was completed on 4th Feb 2013 with digging of trenches, laying the 1.3 km pipeline and installing the water tank.
Day 2 - Students were divided into groups and responsibilities divided amongst groups. A student group was given the task of making breakfast and lunch for the rest of the group. They would switch the task over the following day with the other groups.There were two more groups, one carrying the pipe to the source of water, digging trenches and laying the pipeline. The other group would collect sand from the river bank and make the platform for the installation of water tank.
Day 1 - Students trekked for almost two hours to reach the village. On reaching, they were served refreshments and lunch. They had lunch cooked by the village people and all sat down to lunch together. After the lunch, there was a little interaction with the local villagers where the students tried to communicate with them to understand the exact nature of their problem. Thereafter, they were shown the local village and the ground just in front of it where they were instructed about tent pitching. The students in groups pitched
Day 3 - this continued with sieving, sand and rock collection, cement work for the platform to install the water tank and laying the rest of the water pipeline. Day 4 - Installation of water tank, distribution of solar lamps to individual houses.
ALUMNI UPDATE The European Alumni Group is up and running! Please look for us on the Round Square website under the Alumni Europe page and you will
From the point at which this exciting initiative began, the African Alumni have slowly begun to build the foundations of what promises to be an extensive,
encourages past and present students and staff to get involved.
network here, on our beautiful continent.
http://www.roundsquare.org/index. php?id=794
Please could I also take this opportunity to ask you to do 3 things: 1. Add the European Alumni (EA) to your own School website. There is a form on the Round Square Alumni page to invite Alumni to complete and return to me. As I write I now have 9 ex-students and 3 ex-staff who are
at http://tinyurl.com/be3zy93 3. Send in any stories or adventures with Round Square and the IDEALS or ask them to contact me. It is always interesting to learn how the philosophy of Round Square continues after school. I look forward making contact with all the Round Square Schools in Europe very soon. Jennie Martin E: jenniemartin14@gmail.com
Progress has begun on spreading the word about the new Initiative and the network has grown-not only on the database but on social networks such as Facebook. Through these networks, alums are able to get involved in a variety of activities. The events that have already occurred include an Alumni braai and a service event at a trauma centre. In the near future, we hope to see alums take a leading role in their own network and coming up with ideas for events throughout the region. In addition to these events, different sorts of opportunities will become available. ups between alums from all over the globe. Additionally, the idea of keeping alums involved in RS central activities (such as Alumni RSIS projects) has been well received. As the network continues to grow, even more exciting opportunities will present themselves to alums. The Round Square Alumni is still a
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new concept in Africa and, as it is with most things; it is going to have to start small. But I like to think of these small beginnings of various aspects of the initiative as grains of sand and to imagine these grains eventually forming an Alumni as strong and resilient as a mountain. Tessa Ware E: acafrica1@roundsquare.org