21 issue 2 14/15 MIC(P) 147/08/2014
CARDBOARD CHALLENGE pg 26
TEAM ADDIE pg 28
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET pg 58
A Singapore American School community service publication
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EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS
By Vanessa Spier Director of Communications Home. It can be a bit of a tricky concept for all of us that lead a somewhat nomadic life. Some say that home is where the heart is, some say that home is where one hangs their hat. The concept of home hasn’t been entirely clear cut for me.
families do. We start a new school year, look forward to new adventures and to welcoming the new friends that have just begun their overseas journeys. It’s an exciting place to be, and it is also home.
Each summer we look forward to going home to Oregon. Not the real Oregon, but to the summer Oregon. When all the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley are brilliantly green, yet the rain has stopped falling (well, for the most part). Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are in season. Mornings are crisp and afternoons warm and sunny. The cousins are all out of school and eager to celebrate the summer holidays together. We hug friends and family a little tighter, a little longer, to close the gap of the previous year’s days.
Aside from going to the US to deliver my firstborn child, I haven’t been home to the US for Christmas in more than 15 years. We are finally breaking tradition and heading back to Oregon. The real Oregon, where chances are greater that we will have a rainy Christmas than a white Christmas. But I can’t wait. I can’t wait to bake cookies with the grandparents, go caroling with the cousins, take my kids to ski for their first time on Oregon slopes, and most of all, to spend Christmas with all of our family. Suddenly, home feels far away, but the paper chain with which we count down the days makes me see that we will be there soon.
We divide our time pretty evenly from one idyllic setting to the next – getting our annual shopping done in Portland, remembering how cold the Pacific Ocean is at Cannon Beach, riding horses along the North Umpqua River in Roseburg, camping at the lake near Florence, and bicycling around Sunriver – all of it, scattered around the state, is very much home.
Wherever you spend this winter break, and wherever you consider home, we wish you all the warmth that you experience when you are truly home. We hope that you will bring your copy of Crossroads along in your carry-on, and on your journey think fondly of home at SAS.
Then one day the calendar turns, and so do our thoughts, this time of returning home to Singapore. Although we leave all those that we truly hold most dear in our hearts, we are always ready to get back to our overseas home at the close of summer. Changi Airport welcomes us with an efficient, friendly hello, and stepping back into our urban condo suddenly feels as refreshing as the summer break did. Everything seems better than when we left it, and we can’t wait to catch up with all of our friends that understand this crazy life we lead better than our own
Happy
holidays!
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EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS
Strategic anchors
From the superintendent
Five Minutes
The learning environment
Advancement
Elementary SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL
BOOSTER club & PTA
Community
CAMPUS SCENE
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Strategic Anchors
SAS 2020 STRATEGIC ANCHORS
Culture of Excellence Student: Every student learns at high levels. Professional: Employees are committed to demonstrating current “best practice� in their work and, as a system, SAS reflects a standard of excellence that sets us apart.
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Culture of Excellence
Strategic Anchors
Culture of Possibilities A world leader in education cultivating exceptional thinkers prepared for the future
Culture of Extraordinary Care
Culture of Extraordinary Care Culture: High levels of trust, respect, and belonging characterize the SAS culture. Relationships: SAS community members care for each other, the community, the country and region, and the environment.
Culture of Possibilities Personalized Learning: Each student has the time and opportunity to explore, pursue, and demonstrate his/her interests and passions. Commitment to Innovation: SAS continually seeks to improve and/or develop new ways to more effectively impact student learning.
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From the Superintendent
TEACHERS:
AT TH E HEART OF W H AT W E D O By Dr. Chip Kimball Superintendent
This month I had the privilege of participating in the Singapore American School production of The Nutcracker. It was a remarkable performance! Our kids are incredibly talented, as are our teachers that work with them. WOW! After the show I had literally dozens of parents talk to me about how great SAS is. They told me about our commitment to great academics and the arts. They told me about how much their children feel cared for. They talked about amazing productions like the Nutcracker, and about the great things going on in classrooms. I was incredibly proud of each of our teachers - for sharing their talents and passion each day to support students and families. In particular, I was touched by a set of grandparents who were here from Florida to see their grandchildren. They had been in the school all day watching what was going on, culminating in the performance. They had tears in their eyes. So did I. As I reflected on this I thought about our strategic anchors - excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities. The anchors are real at SAS. The experiences here are life changing. And it is our teachers that make the biggest difference. We just published a list on the SAS website of the top ten reasons to join SAS. It won’t be a surprise to most of our families that our number one reason to join is for our inspiring teachers.
1 Inspiring Teachers Not only are our teachers highly educated, with the majority of them holding master’s and doctorate degrees, but they are inspiring as well. Students love knowing their PE teacher coached in the Athens Olympics, their choir teacher starred in the La Boheme opera at Singapore’s Esplanade, and their tech-design teacher built his own electric car. Our qualified teachers also stay for an average of seven years, one of the highest retention rates in international schools.
But more than their significant accomplishments and credentials, our teachers care deeply for your children each and every day. We can all remember that one teacher that made a lasting impact in our life. This is the teacher that went beyond delivering curriculum and worrying about what we learned, and truly cared about who we were as students. At Singapore American School, students come across many teachers like this every day. This is a hard, yet exciting time to be a teacher. At Singapore American School, we are blessed to have engaged students that are eager to learn, supportive families committed to the learning process, and resources to provide a great education. But we expect a lot of our teachers. They don’t just deliver curriculum. Teachers at SAS get to know each student personally and do everything they can to positively influence their life. They apply best practices from current research to teach in a way that students best learn. They create an environment where students can take risks, fail safely, and try again. They take ordinary kids and guide them to do extraordinary things. It’s our teachers that are at the heart of everything we do. At SAS, we’ve long made an effort to attract and retain the very best teachers. We know that stability in the classroom and for the school is important. And while we have had a number of changes over the past two years, our teachers stay an average of seven years, a length of time unheard of in most international schools.
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To continue attracting and retaining great educators, we are purposeful in how we construct our compensation and benefits, as well as on going professional opportunities. In being good stewards of SAS dollars, we thoughtfully invest in staff pay, professional development, facilities and programs, and long-term investments. We benchmark ourselves against other international schools to remain competitive and periodically make adjustments as such. This year I have proposed a budget to the SAS Board that addresses some areas that will meet our benchmarks. Our teachers also deserve great feedback. Throughout the last year, we have developed a new professional growth process. This provides teachers the opportunity and time to reflect on their practice using rubrics and indicators written for each of our institutional commitments: •
Great teaching for every student, every day
•
The use of a common, guaranteed, viable curriculum
•
Technology integration
•
Evidence of learning through assessments and the use of data
•
Participation in professional learning communities
•
Contribution to a healthy organizational culture
From the Superintendent
Our teachers have been part of the process to design this system, and we think that a solid communication process about their contributions will make a difference in their SAS experience. Our administrative team is committed to seeing every teacher multiple times each year and to providing feedback for improvement. Singapore American School has a legacy of teachers that change students’ lives. Without great teachers, our students wouldn’t receive extraordinary care and great learning in every classroom, every day. Without great teachers, we wouldn’t be a world leader in education, cultivating exceptional thinkers, prepared for the future. As I have the privilege of leading Singapore American School, I take seriously the responsibility of ensuring a great education for our students by recruiting and supporting great teachers. Our teachers continue to amaze me with their passion for teaching, their commitment to continuing to hone their own practice, and their extraordinary hearts for the students at our school. Our people are truly our greatest strength.
375
exceptional faculty
107
experienced classroom instructional assistants
75%
of faculty holds a master’s or doctorate degree
59%
of our most recently hired faculty had experience teaching outside their home country before joining SAS, bringing incredible diversity of experiences and views into their classroom style On average, teachers stay at SAS for
seven years,
something unheard of at most international schools
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Five minutes
MINUTES WITH KEN SCHUNK
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
Originally from Marshfield, Wisconsin, Ken Schunk has been an important facet of the Singapore American School community since 1990. The current elementary school deputy principal started working at SAS back at the Ulu Pandan campus. Ken is better known to his elementary school students as Shoo-Fly Schunk, a popular puppet character Ken has been playing since 1998 who teaches students about the environment and the school’s core values. Learn more about Ken Schunk down below! How long have you been with SAS? This year I am finishing my 24th year. I started when we were three campuses; we built this campus 17 years ago, so I have been here the entire time this current campus has existed. What’s your favorite part of working in the elementary school? The kids. Until this year, I was in charge of kindergarten through grade 2, and that age group is perfect because they love coming to school, they like everything they do, they come and tell me everything, whether their grandma is visiting or they lost their tooth. Being in the middle of all of that everyday keeps me happy and makes me feel younger than I actually am. Do you have any advice for new families coming to Singapore? Many parents will come by, visit the campus, and tell their kids about all the wonderful things they have seen. But, if you are looking through the eyes of a five year old, you probably don’t care too much about the curriculum, or that they have eight of these and seven of these. You wonder what the playground is like, if the is food good, and how I am going to make new friends. So my advice is don’t over sell anything about the school and its programs, let kids come in and tell them that they are going to see some things they like and some things they won’t like. What’s your favorite restaurant? I have many! I am kind of a selfprofessed foodie so everytime some place opens or something is new I tend to go there. I love everything from good high-end
restaurants to food courts. Actually, my favorite place is the Lavender Street food court off of Serangoon Road. Are you planning to travel anywhere over winter break? I am. Actually, the very first time I left the United States was to come here, and since then I have been to 57 countries in the past 26 years. During the break, I will be in Spain for nine days and then Italy for five days. Who is Shoo-Fly Schunk? When we opened this campus 17 years ago, Mr. Hoss, who was the primary principal at that time, came back from summer break with two ventriloquist puppets that he had taken the heads off. He decided that we were going to make skits for kids with our heads on top of the puppets and teach lessons to kids about the environment, the core values, and things that we think are important messages to get across. Shoo-Fly is my character and Mr. Hoss’ character is known as Hop-A-Long Hoss. Kids love it! Tell us one thing about yourself that nobody knows. I am a twin! I have a twin brother who lives in Colorado. In our small hometown of Marshfield, Wisconsin with a population of 17,000 people, we are the largest set of twins on record. Together we weighed 17.5 pounds! What is the take home message from your puppet shows? There are some big themes. One is about the core values: being honest, respectful, showing compassion, being fair, and taking responsibility for ourselves. The other one is care for the
environment. At this level, we’re trying to get it across to kids in a fun way. The message is to be respectful of the Earth and be good caretakers. Those are the two main take home messages. The other one is just having fun. Find small moments in your day that just make you happy. My personal philosophy is if you’re waiting for the big things to make you happy, you may have to wait a long time, and you may never find those things. Enjoy the small moments and events in your life that happen frequently. Don’t wait for something to happen to you...make things happen. If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be and why? I’d be invisible. Not to spy on people, but I’d love to travel to spots where me being there doesn’t change anyone’s behavior. I like to take pictures when I travel, so if I was invisible I would capture those moments without anyone knowing I was there. I think being invisible would give you a whole different view on things. Describe the elementary school in one word. Why that word? Fun, primarily because of the kids. When the kids show up as kindergartners, they come excited and in wide-eyed amazement. They’re learning about how things work, who their friends are, what their teachers are like, and to them, everything is new. Young kids just bring a lot of curiosity and enjoyment when they finally figure it out. At this level, it’s always just fun. Write up by Sandy Bala and Clara Fong. Read more about these two high schoolers on page 91!
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The learning environment
MANDARIN TEACHERS PRESENT AT THE
2014 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MANDARIN TEACHING METHODOLOGY WORKSHOP IN SINGAPORE By Dr. Susan Zhang Director of Chinese Language
In order to promote the development of second/foreign language education, HSK Centre (Crestar) and Confucius Classroom (Chinese government sponsored organization) hosted the 2014 International School Mandarin Teaching Methodology Workshop on November 8 and 9. Singapore American School served as the co-sponsor. Among the eight presenters at the workshop, three are from our school: Paul Haakenson, Jenny Tang, and Linda Zhang who shared their classroom teaching expertise with the 270 participating teachers. Their presentations received high praise from the audience who are mostly Mandarin teachers from other international
schools in Singapore, but some are from other countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and China. Some teachers shared with me their thoughts after the workshop by saying that they follow all three presenters from SAS and believe that what is going on in the Mandarin classrooms at SAS truly demonstrates research-based best practices in second/foreign language acquisition. The presenters shared with the audience their experience on how to use a rich variety of teaching strategies to motivate students in order to develop their language proficiency, especially the skills of oral communication and reading skills. Our three teacher presenters have inspired so many colleagues in
this field. They are now well known by many Mandarin teachers in the international schools. We are all very proud of them and proud of our Mandarin program at SAS. Last year, SAS co-sponsored the inaugural symposium on Chinese Language Teaching for International Schools — a similar conference for Chinese teacher training. I was one of the two keynote speakers and two of our Chinese teachers, Julie Zhang and Holly Xi presented their teaching experience at the symposium. Their presentations were well received by the audience, too. It was great for SAS to be in the community demonstrating our strengths and providing service to the community.
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The learning environment
By Louise Donaghey Preschool – Grade 8 Summer Semester Director Exciting plans are underway for the SAS 2015 Summer Semester.
Summer Semester Program Overview (Preschool to 12th Grade)
In collaboration with Dr. Tim Stuart ( execuive director of research and development and strategic programs), Dan Skimin (high school director) and Louise Donaghey (preschoolgrade 8 director) have been working to ensure that the summer semester will be a new learning frontier for SAS. The fourweek summer semester aligns with what we have learned through the research and development process, and will extend learning in exciting and innovative ways.
The summer semester will diversify and accelerate learning from the academic school year. It will allow students to explore new learning paths not available through existing course offerings.
Program Dates
World Leading Partners
Session 1 - June 8 to June 19 (2 weeks) Session 2 - June 22 to July 3 (2 weeks)
SAS will be partnering with world leaders in a variety of fields to offer leading edge programs not available elsewhere in Singapore. These partners have designed exclusive programs for the SAS Summer Semester student. Students in these programs will receive a certificate of participation from the partnering organizations and, for some courses, SAS credit for their work.
Students have three attendance options Session 1 Session 2 Session 1 and 2
Students will have an opportunity to select programs from all categories: intellectual curiosity, creative expression, sports & wellness, as well as travel adventures and service.
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The learning environment
Bring your inner artist alive in multiple ways. The creative process is an excellent way to develop the brain and have fun at the same time. Learners can explore new areas of creativity or develop in areas that are already fun and familiar to them.
Creative Expression
Travel to rustic frontiers and experience the world from a different perspective. These two-week travel programs focus on team building, cultural discovery, and service learning.
Travel Adventures and Service
Sports and Wellness Maximize your body and mind through physical activity and sports. Through a selection of team sports and individual activities, the Summer Semester provides an opportunity for you to pursue activities and sports of interest.
Intellectual Curiosity Stimulate your mind by engaging in challenging academic courses and projects. Courses are designed for deep intellectual exploration accompanied by authentic projects developed by students in their areas of passion and interest. Learners will ask and answer questions, discovering relevant and significant information on a range of academic topics.
Registration Registration will be open to SAS and non-SAS students. The application process will be online through the SAS website. More information about registration and course details will be available soon. SAS is looking forward to providing this personalized learning experience for your child. We are excited that each learner will have the opportunity to pursue their passions and create their own learning path through the structures we provide. Questions? Email SummerSemester@sas.edu.sg
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The learning environment
DIGITAL RESILIENCE
WITH ROBYN TREYVAUD By Jason Cone Executive Director of Technology
Over the past four years SAS has been working with Robyn Treyvaud, a global leader in digital citizenship, on developing a comprehensive program to support students, teachers, and parents in the SAS community in navigating the digital landscape in which we all spend a significant amount of time. Treyvaud has coined the term “digital resilience� to help frame and guide the conversations that we have as educators, parents, families, and individuals. The idea being that in order to safely, responsibly, and productively function in this digital landscape we need the tools and skills to be resilient when faced with challenging or unfamiliar territory. At SAS, we feel that it is vital that we approach these sometimes difficult new frontiers in a partnership with parents. We recognize that all families have their own values and unique dynamics that must be considered. We also believe that the foundation for success with students of all ages begins with trust and healthy relationships. Treyvaud uses real life examples and realistic scenarios to engage parents and students in conversations to help identify and develop skills and understanding of the complex social and emotional issues connected with many digital interactions.
Treyvaud works with government organizations, technology industry experts, national education boards, and nonprofits around the world developing tools, resources, and policies to support families in engaging with digital media, including one of the most wellknown and influential organizations, Common Sense Media. SAS uses Common Sense Media’s digital citizenship curriculum, which provides comprehensive curriculum materials and online resources for free to schools and families. Treyvaud is currently working with the SAS educational technology team in developing training courses and materials for other educators and will begin offering workshops for educators in the region at SAS. We are thrilled to have formed a partnership with Treyvaud and are excited to continue working with her and the entire SAS community in the future.
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The learning environment
NEW MEDIA CONSORTIUM:
TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK FOR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN ASIA By Jason Cone Executive Director of Technology
This year Singapore American School was asked to participate in the research and publication of the New Media Consortium’s first ever Technology Outlook for International Schools in Asia. The New Media Consortium Horizon Project charts the landscape of emerging technologies for teaching, learning, research, and creative inquiry. Launched in 2002, it epitomizes the mission of the New Media Consortium to help educators and thought leaders across the world build upon the innovation happening at their institutions by providing them with expert research and analysis. At 12 years and growing, the New Media Consortium Horizon Project is the longest-standing initiative that analyzes educational technology trends. Several members of the SAS faculty, educational technology team, and a parent (and board member) contributed to this project. In addition to engaging in research, critical literature review, and case study analysis, the team participated on a global collaborative team to generate the actual publication. Further, SAS will continue to provide in house action research on some of the key trends identified.
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The learning environment
ANNOUNCEMENTS Julien Carter
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES Julien Carter has been selected as executive director of human resources for SAS beginning in the summer of 2015. Julien will replace Dr. Laurynn Evans who started a deputy head of school position at Francis Parker School in San Diego in August. Russell Cooke has acted as interim director during the 2014-15 school year. Julien comes to us with over 28 years of human resource experience 19 of which have been as a chief human resource officer in the public sector. Julien earned a master’s degree from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri and a juris doctor degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In addition to the standard coursework, Julien focused on courses in civil rights, employment law, labor law, and mediation. He received the James Westbrook Labor Law Scholarship for academic excellence. Julien’s professional work experience includes about 14 years working in public sector state government in Missouri and Minnesota. He also has over 14 years of higher education experience in the State of Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas, and the United Arab Emirates. “Overall, I would classify myself as a human resource generalist. I have worked in almost every aspect of a human resource operation and in a variety of settings. As a result, I can envision multiple paths to help employees and organizations reach their goals.” Julien has two sons, a nuclear missile technician on a U.S. Navy submarine based out of Kings Bay, Georgia and a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin.
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Advancement
Singapore American School
ANNUAL
FUND2014 PEOPLE MATTER
PROGRAMS MATTER
PLACES MATTER sas.edu.sg/giving
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Advancement
WHY I GIVE By Anne Duncan Associate Director of Advancement for Annual Giving
Participation in the Annual Fund is a powerful way to support our school. To explain why some members of the community give and what it means to them to give, we will be featuring a series of articles about community members. For this issue of Crossroads, Dr. Clarice Chia Woodworth, chair of this year’s Annual Fund and member of the SAS Foundation Board, spoke with us about her family and why they support SAS. Q: How long has your family been part of the Singapore American School community? A: My eldest son started kindergarten in 2006 and my younger son started first grade in 2012. Finally, my daughter joined her brothers this year starting in grade five. Q: Why did you choose SAS (for your kids, as a career, etc.?) A: My husband and I were seeking a holistic education with an international perspective for our children. When I looked at the international schools in Singapore, SAS was a no-brainer in terms of fit for our family. It’s a well-established school with a good reputation, a warm and welcoming community, and a nurturing environment. We knew other children who had grown up in the SAS community, and we were impressed by their strong sense of self-confidance and how well rounded they are, and we wanted that for our kids.
Q: What excites you about the education at SAS? A: There are many things to be excited about, but what strikes me most is that SAS is such a progressive school. The school doesn’t rest on its laurels; it is forward thinking and it keeps advancing to ensure high quality learning opportunities and exceptional experiences for all its sutdents. I truly like the fact that the school does not stress solely on academic acheivements but has a deep commitment to providing its students with the best holistic educational experience possible. It isn’t just enough to learn academically; children need to be prepared in different ways to be adaptable to their future world. I am also impressed by the quality of the teachers at SAS and how engaging they are. Their dedication to learning and teaching help my kids make connections to what is being taught and how it applies to the world around them. All three of my children are very different and have differing needs, so it’s wonderful that each of them has found their place at SAS and have made connections to their teachers, friends, and community. These connections have created a foundation for them to be independent, to be confident, and to grow in their learning. My oldest son Ethan came to SAS as a very shy and
quiet boy. He is now active in sports, plays two musical instruments, and has diverse groups of friends. Because of the advancement and creation of the world language program, my youngest son Euan is really benefitting from the new proficiency based daily Mandarin lessons. It’s still early days for my daughter Emma, who is new to the school, but already she’s enjoying the learning environment at SAS, and she’s excited about the various extra curricular activities. Finally, I highly value the service learning that takes place at SAS. I grew up in a family that stressed the importance of service to our community, and in particular, doing this through education and providing oppportunities for others. So, there is a sense of satisfaction and pride for me to see my children growing through these important programs that teach them to give back to their community and their world around them. Q: Why do you volunteer at SAS? A: I volunteer because my kids are gaining so much from the school and this is my way of giving back and in some ways, paying it forward. As a working parent, SAS makes it easy to find small and engaging roles through the various PTA programs and events. Just like every parent at SAS, I have volunteered in the classroom or contributed food for special celebrations. I have also
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participated in the career day for high school students in the past. Recently, I have been involved with Star Appeal and now, I am serving on the SAS Foundation Board. Q: Why and how do you support SAS? Why is it important for the community to support SAS? A: Simply put, we support SAS because it is a great school and our children are very fortunate to be part of this wonderful community. Besides our contributions as volunteers, our family also donates to the Annual Fund. This is because the Foundation supports all of the enriching student programs and experiences that help make an SAS education one that has a transformational impact on the children’s lives and on the quality of learning at SAS. A few years ago, the SAS Foundation gave generous seed money to the world language program to get it off the ground. Currently, SAS is doing wonderful research and development work which focuses on a culture of exatrordinary care, a culture of excellence, and a culture of possibilites. The work that’s being done will translate into changes that can only be beneficial in providing our children with critical 21st century skills, and ensuring that they are on their way to being globally minded, culturally competent 21st century citizens.
Advancement
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Elementary SCHOOL
THE BEGINNING OF LIFELONG
SERVICE LEARNING By Katie Goggins Kindergarten Teacher
For more than 10 years, SAS kindergarten students have been visiting the Adventist Rehabilitation Center (ARC). ARC is a rehabilitation program for stroke victims of all ages who are in need of physical therapy, love, and support. This unique and rewarding experience is the perfect opportunity for kindergarten students to begin their lifelong journey of service learning.
their visits together. We learn new songs to sing with the clients and we prepare fine motor and craft activities that we can teach to our new friends. All these developmentally appropriate experiences are a perfect fit for both the kindergartners and the clients at ARC.
Kindergarten is a year of considerable growth and development. Often, kindergarten students perceive the world to be small, and it is important during this year that our students develop knowledge of the world around them. In class we discover that the world is a big place. We talk about our similarlties and differences, our life experiences, and our challenges. We also discover that it is our role as members of the community to support others in whichever capacity we can.
As a new teacher to SAS, and someone who strongly believes in the power of service learning, I was very excited to visit ARC with my class. In the lead up to our visit, our class read First One Foot, Then The Other by Tomi De Palo. This is a powerful and informative book about a young boy and what life is like after his grandfather suffers a stroke. The book sparked wonderful conversations amongst the students and allowed them to gain an in depth understanding of what this new adventure may be like. It also helped put many of their concerns at ease before our first visit to ARC.
Kindergartners are creative, inquisitive, kind, and respectful. Each day they are learning and developing new skills in writing, reading, math, and fine and gross motor. Their love of learning is something to be shared, which is why visiting ARC is so rewarding. It may seem like this is an overwhelming task for kindergarten students, but with thoughtful preparation, there are many ways that these students can help. Each kindergarten class plans
Now we have returned from our first visit. It was incredibly empowering to see our students interact in this new environment. The children entred the center with compassion and confidance. They demonstrated the SAS core values of respect, responsibility, compassion, honesty, and fairness as they worked with individual clients. I believe that the students walked away that day with pride, gaining a deeper
understanding of people with different needs and abilities. This is something that can only be achieved through participating in this ideal service learning opportunity. It is an honor to be a part of this rewarding experience and I look forward to many more visits in the future.
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Elementary SCHOOL
THE COUNSELING CORNER:
BUILDING SOCIAL SKILLS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL By Colleen Steigerwald and Sarah Farris Elementary Counselors
Elementary school counselors? Just what exactly do elementary school counselors do? There are many aspects to the school counselor role, however, an important part is the guidance lessons taught to each and every student. The elementary school counselors are important members of each grade level, working hand in hand with teachers, administrators, and parents to provide the extraordinary care that sets SAS apart. The counseling team supports the growth of the whole child; academic, social, and emotional. One way the elementary counseling team actively supports the growth of the whole child is by helping pre-kindergarten to fifth grade students understand the school’s core values and desired student learning outcomes. Counselors teach guidance lessons on a twelveday rotation. Helping children recognize real examples of the core values in their daily behavior and the behavior of others is a way of building important life skills. Through these sessions all students are learning information on respect, responsibility, honesty, compassion, fairness, critical thinking, problem solving, digital citizenship, and mental well-being (stress, anxiety, mindfulness, etc.). Just as students don’t come to school knowing everything about reading, writing, and math, they also need our help to
learn how to manage their feelings, make, keep, and share friends, and solve conflicts. It’s important that students receive explicit instruction on social skills and develop strategies to navigate the ups and downs of relationships and school. Each grade level counselor is able to increase skills and knowledge at developmentally appropriate increments. For example, in prekindergarten through second grade, all students learn about TIM, which is a problem solving approach based on a ladybug friend. If someone is ‘bugging’ you, students learn to Tell their feelings (using an “I” message), Ignore, or Move away. In the upper elementary grades this knowledge is enhanced with a five-step conflict resolution plan: 1. calm down 2. listen actively 3. talk (using “I” messages) 4. show empathy 5. create a win-win plan. The elementary counselors are routinely out on the playground for grade level recess. It is during this time that the skills learned are put into action. Counselors are able to observe students proactively solving problems, showing compassion, and modeling fairness as groups work together to make the rules. This is also an opportunity for students to seek help from the counselor when things aren’t going well. This gives counselors an opportunity
to help apply the skills learned in the classroom to real life. Students benefit tremendously from these interactions and become empowered with the confidence to problem solve. The elementary counselors look forward to building relationships with students, teachers, and parents this school year. It is through continued communication and collaboration that counselors can provide strategies and life skills such that each and every SAS student can thrive in the 21st century.
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Elementary SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS COMPETE FOR ART PRIZE By Erin Caskey Elementary Art Teacher
This September, aproximately 100 students from third to fifth grades participated in an art competition. The competition sponsor Allied Pickfords’ theme was “Why I love Singapore.” Students had the opportunity to create 2-D art no bigger than A4 size and had exactly three and a half weeks to complete their work.
great works of art, more art making experience, and more information for when I work towards winning the next art competition.
Students interpreted the theme as they saw fit and chose their own materials. It was fantastic to see their excitement and nervousness; each had to push past it to create a work of art that was to be shown publicly. For three weeks, students showed sketches, and asked many questions: “Can we work together?” “Can I really draw anything I want?” “Can I do collage/painting/photography drawing/sculpture?” There was a deadline, and nearly all students who volunteered to participate met it. Next, the students had to wait for results. Each day at least five students asked, “Any news?” “Do you know who won?” “When will we find out?”
Mia S. (5th grade) Tiffany T. (5th grade) Evelyn T. (5th grade) Anais D. (5th grade)
Of course, the students knew there was a prize, and it helped pull in some unexpected participants. The prize: your art featured in a calendar, a gift certificate to a toy shop, and the right to say you won. I shared my own experience of participating in a competition. I have won and lost some, but I always end up with
A few weeks after submission, the announcement of the semifinalists and finalist arrived: The four semifinalists
The winner of the Allied Pickfords’ calendar art competition is: Ashley P. (3rd grade) In teaching art to elementary students, it is a gift to see their hard work pay off. For each student, the pay off may come in different forms: learning how to draw something they really like, using a new material or technique, trusting themselves, independently finishing a work of art and sharing it with others, meeting a deadline, describing their painting and process in detail, or getting a kind word from a fellow student, teacher, or parent. There are so many great things that come from making art. Some results are for us to see, but many of them are just for the person who made it.
Ashley P. (3rd grade)
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Anais D. (5th grade)
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Mia S. (5th grade)
Tiffany T. (5th grade)
Semifinalists
Evelyn T. (5th grade)
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GUITAR By James Anderson Elementary School (3-5) Music Teacher
Music students in Mr. Anderson’s grades three, four, and five classes are learning how to play the guitar. It’s harder than it may seem. Sore fingers, difficulty changing chords, losing picks in the sound hole - yikes! But the kids know that if they stick with it they may someday know the glory of being a guitar hero. Just picking a single note is where everybody starts. Pluck down, pluck up, pluck down, etc. But add a few more notes here and there and before long a song comes out. And then the day comes when many strings are played at once and chords are formed. Oh joy! Then jamming begins to take place. Jamming! If you are reading this article and you don’t play guitar ask yourself, why not? Maybe you can learn from a student. And by the way, if you see a guitar-playing student from one of Mr. Anderson’s classes, ask him or her this question:
What is guitarface?
Elementary SCHOOL
HEROES!
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Elementary SCHOOL
CONGRATULATIONS MARATHON CLUB FINISHERS!
Just How Awesome Are Our Kids?
By Anne Wenstrom and Annika Ferrell Elementary PE Teachers
The elementary (grades three to five) Marathon Club was a huge success with more than 326 students who became Marathon Club finishers with their success of completing 26 miles (one to two miles a day), the distance of a full marathon. The elementary physical education teachers ran one mile each morning with most Marathon Clubbers, while some students took on the challenge at home with enthusiastic family members. We are proud to know that so many healthy habits were created and maintained for a lifetime of fitness due to this event! We congratulate each grade three to five student who took on this cardiovascular endurance challenge! Our Marathon Club finishers wore their specially designed “Marathon Club Finisher” t-shirts proudly as they ran a victory lap around the high school track and had a celebratory ceremony in the elementary gym on October 15. Well done, Marathon Clubbers, for promoting both individual and family fitness. The elementary division is beyond proud of your accomplishments! Keep up your enthusiasm for running and creating healthy habits - you will be rewarded with healthier bodies! We are already looking forward to next year!
Watch the Marathon Club Video at:
Record high of 312 Marathon Club finishers this year More than one third of all third through fifth grade students completed the challenge
http://goo.gl/oYLhAV
In one month, their combined total is more than the miles between Singapore and Los Angeles, USA
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Elementary SCHOOL
CTT: COMBINING CLASSROOMS TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING By Alice Early and Rindi Baildon Grade 4 Teachers
What does CTT stand for? Some people might think it's "creative thinkers thinking" or "curriculum tackling together.” Or possibly, "crazy teachers teaching" - together! While CTT relates to all of these ideas, it stands for "collaborative team teaching" and refers to the idea of a co-teaching partnership. In our particular case it involves combining 44 students in one space (two classrooms side-by-side) with two teachers, two instructional assistants, and two learning support teachers.
unit we knew that we needed to take this idea a step further.
Having many minds to facilitate a classroom community allows students to interact and connect with different personalities and teaching styles. Co-teaching provides opportunities for small group and one-to-one learning during whole class instruction. It also enables teachers to model and differentiate instruction.
Prompted by the research and development efforts at SAS to support innovation, we applied for an additional innovation pilot to fully implement CTT for the 201415 school year in our fourth grade classrooms. This led us to not only physically combine our classroom spaces, but to start planning the best ways to utilize our individual strengths and passions to benefit student learning.
What led us to consider collaborative team teaching? Team teaching is not a new idea and there are various models of collaboration and team teaching that teachers engage in at SAS. We started by realizing that we worked well together and collaboratively planned an “Out and About in Nature” unit that combined our classes into one class. We were able to get an SAS innovation grant to support our idea. Based on student engagement and learning during this
We then had an opportunity to visit the American Embassy School (AES) in New Delhi for the 2013 iPad Summit, where we observed “teaming rooms” in action. Their rooms combined 40 to 45 students in one large purposefully designed classroom with two teachers and their teaching assistants. We were very impressed with the collaboration of both students and teachers in this unique learning environment.
What have been surprises or benefits in the new approach? From a teacher’s perspective the greatest benefits of CTT have been in the power of collaboratively planning and team teaching. Not only do we capitalize on our own subject area “strengths” and interests, but we are able to plan together with our learning support teachers and instructional assistants in a way to meet different
students’ learning styles in a variety of instructional frameworks. Our co-planning process encourages all teachers to bounce ideas off each other in order to deliver the strongest, most effective lessons targeted for each student’s growth. The different frameworks we utilize are: one teacher leads or facilitates, the others support; co-teaching equally; interactive teaching (teachers “jump in” when appropriate); break away or small group opportunities; and 1:1 assistance on the spot during the lesson. These frameworks also provide a model for students to see successful teamwork in action. On a daily basis, students watch us collaborate, communicate, and interact in positive and productive ways. Another benefit of CTT, as teachers, is the overall increased energy level we feel at the end of the day; coplanning and delivery of instruction make an amazing difference when you are sharing the “load” of being “on” for all subjects in the day! We noticed this from the very first day of school after teaching our 44 students. When we surveyed our students about the advantages and benefits of being in a CTT classroom they had this to say: “...the teachers have strong places... Mrs.Early is strong at word study and Mrs. Baildon is stronger at math. Now I'm not saying that the other is
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not good at it but I'm just saying that Mrs. Baildon’s passion is math and Mrs.Early’s passion is word study.” “I like it because you have two teachers with different brains.” Our students have really gelled as one cohesive group. Students see a larger group of classmates as opportunities to make more friends, have more fun, and opportunities to work in a larger space with different types of working spaces: “...for some weird reason we work amazing together as one whole classroom, we have been complimented by other teachers about listening, quietness, and other nice stuff.” “I also like the fact that we have different furniture. If you like to stand up instead of sitting when you are working, we have two tables for that.” “We also have two rooms, so we have more space to work independently.” “I personally like this classroom set up with different types of furniture so I can find what type of chair and table is comfortable, and that helps me to be more focused.” “When it is time for reading, you could have lots of book choices, because we have two mini libraries.” “Instead of 22, we could socialize with lots of different people, and get more friends, since we have double amount of students than the traditional class.” “I like the way that we can free flow through both classrooms.” “Also, we have lots of classmates to help us. We have lots of people to rely on too.” “The most important reason of all is
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that we have tons of birthdays, so we could eat tons of birthday treats!” What have been some challenges with CTT? Our first challenge was physical! The physical work of tearing down our old rooms and putting together new rooms meant extra time at the end of the school year, sending us on our summer holiday with sore bodies. Using key ideas from the book, The Third Teacher, we collaborated to build spaces to blend our two rooms to provide space to bring 44 students together as well as spaces for small groups and individual work. In place of 22 desks in each room we utilized individual cubbies as a “desk” and brought in various sizes/heights of tables, chairs, coffee tables with little stools, pillows, and bars and bar stools so that students can find and work in spaces that suit them best for various learning activities. We sincerely want this type of learning environment to be successful for every one of our students but realize that it is not the best fit for every child. Involving parent choice, counselors, previous teachers, and administration into student placement in a CTT classroom would be beneficial. Other challenges are wifi access for all 44 students together in one room, and arranging our two different specialists’ schedules to provide maximum time together in our classroom. Also we use a small doorway between our two rooms to move from one room to another, which can be cumbersome. One solution we propose is to bring down the wall between us allowing for smoother flow, to open up the space to be able to design more creative and effective student workspaces. CTT has been a very positive learning experience for us and for our students. We continue to learn, grow, reflect, and revise to make sure
we are providing the best learning opportunities for our students. We agree wholeheartedly with this student’s sentiments: “Most of all, I like it because it makes school super fun!” To read more about our classroom design efforts (and sixth grade teacher Kate Bucknall’s) go to this link: http://www.hsseonline.edu.sg/ journal/volume-3-issue-2-2014/ designing-classrooms-future-now To see a video of our innovation pilots: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=qxUaMLldNs&feature=youtu.be
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Elementary SCHOOL
MAKERSPACE CARDBOARD CHALLENGE By Rachel Adams, Barbara Procida, Alison White, John Larson Grade 2 Teachers
SAS students recently participated in a cardboard challenge through a makerspace pilot project and showcased their work to fellow students and our parent community. As SAS goes through the research and development process, looking at making the education we offer continually relevant and powerful for the future of our children, one of the things that the school is reviewing is the science and technology curriculum. The Next Generation Science Standards as well as other science curricula integrate engineering into science. Engineering is the practical application of the ideas of science. For about an hour a week, the four grade two classes (taught by Mrs. Procida, Mrs. White, Mr. Larson, and Ms. Adams) participating in this pilot project worked on engineering challenges and other creative projects that involve making and tinkering. The first month primarily used cardboard, but throughout the year, the children will also learn about and work with electronics, coding, and constructing with a variety of materials. The idea of a makerspace has been taken up by top universities and industry looking for future leaders
who can create and problemsolve and who are curious, flexible learners. Through this pilot project children have opportunities and structures to develop their creativity, communication skills, collaboration skills, critical thinking, and their character. They will post blog reflections throughout the projects. Want more information? Visit these links! Why creativity? http://imagination.is/why-creativity/ value-of-creativity/ The inspiration for the project that became a global initiative: Caine’s Arcade http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=faIFNkdq96U
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When we were doing the cardboard challenge I was using a little knife. I learned you have to use character a lot. I thought this is going to take such a long time cutting this and I just cut so long and I finally finished! Jacob H.
I stopped by the E-Space this morning on your recommendation Alison and WOW what a superb display of constructions. It is SO good to see that it really is kids work. I would love to see the students with their work so they could explain the details but I am teaching during that time today. I was impressed with their designs and how different each construction turned out. Congratulations on some excellent examples of creativity, collaboration and critical thinking - I think you've done an awesome job with your students! Susan Shaw Elementary Gifted and Talented Advisor
It's amazing how much time the children were able to put into this project. Since they planned it themselves, they always wanted to work on it. Rachel Adams Grade 2 Teacher
The Imagination foundation (which organizes the Global Cardboard Challenge)
112,105
global participants
41
participating countries promoting creative playÂ
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MIDDLE school
TEAMADDIE By Mark Swarstad Middle School Counselor
Follow the journey of SAS seventh grade student Addison Napierski and her family as they discover she has cancer and her efforts to battle it. The journey, which also includes the SAS community rallying to support Addison, is told by a series of emails shared by Middle School Counselor Mark Swarstad. Elementary school is in for the 18th. High school is on for the 18th. Middle school is ready for the 18th. Counselor email quickly connected our schools as we all agreed – let’s do STAY STRONG ADDIE DAY on November 18. Earlier, on September 29, another email had gone out. Good morning, everyone. I believe that many of you received information today about seventh grader Addison Napierski's health from Mrs. Carrie Gammons. I met with Mr. Cade Napierski and will add to what Carrie has given you. Carrie and others have already shown the Napierskis what a caring community we have here. The Napierskis are new from Utah this summer. There are four kids: Addie in seventh grade, ninth grade brother Austin, a fifth grade brother Mason and second grade brother Holden…. A 3.5 inch tumor has been found wrapped around a section of Addie's small intestine. There will be
exploratory surgery today to learn of the damage to the small intestine there is fear that it may rupture and this would complicate treatment. A biopsy will be done to determine if the tumor is cancerous. The family will know by this evening if this is the case. Addie's tumor was cancerous – Burkitt’s Lymphoma - and she departed to Utah for treatment. The family hoped for her to do the first two rounds of treatment in the US and then to return to family and school in Singapore. On October 8 this message arrived from Cade Napierski. It (Addie's SAS sendoff) was exactly what she needed. She is wearing her SAS autographed shirt with pride. We made it back to Salt Lake City without incident. Upon landing, we went immediately to Primary Children's Hospital for a direct admit. They performed the lumbar puncture on Saturday morning to check for signs of cancer in the spinal fluid (found no trace) and injected some chemo while they were in there. On Sunday they began pre-phase chemotherapy. It is a "light" dose to see how the tumor will react. She is incredibly strong and is in such good spirits. Because of the aggressive nature of her tumor, they will be using the heaviest chemotherapy regimen available. This regimen is scheduled to begin on Monday and we expect that it's going to hit her really hard.
She is nervous, but ready to go. During her first few weeks at SAS Addie’s personality helped her build a lot of early friendships. As she left, these friends wanted to do something to help her stay involved in school. Before the October break 250 photos of Addie were given out so kids traveling could post on Instagram the photo of Addie with them in different parts of the world. Cade wrote this on October 14. Addie started her first heavy dose of chemo about 3 days ago. The doctors continue to be amazed at her attitude and the way she is handling the chemotherapy. There is no doubt in my mind that the thoughts and prayers of our SAS family are aiding in the healing process. I asked her how she was feeling this morning and her response was "Happy, and sad, and tired." They are giving her medications to help calm the nausea and pain. She is not fond of the now frequent bloody noses, but she is not a complainer. She has reached out to "Locks of Love" to donate her hair to someone that can use it before it falls out. She has her brothers sending pictures of cute but short haircuts for her. She said she has been wanting to see what she looks like with short hair and now shares that it won't matter if she doesn't like it because it will fall out anyway. Friends of Addie met to see what more could be done to support and enourage her. We learned that SAS mom, Becky Daynes, the Napierskis’
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neighbor, was already selling shirts and wristbands to raise money. This is when we learned that insurance does not cover all of the costs of Addie’s health bills. Becky was glad to connect and lime green shirts and wrist bands have been showing up all over SAS. October 24 brought this from Cade. I know that some of the faculty and students keep up with Addie's progress on social media, but I just had to pass this picture along. I know that I'm biased, but I think she is beautiful!!! She and April are hanging in there. Her next chemo round will begin around October 30th assuming that her counts are where they need to be. She was septic earlier this week. Her blood pressure dropped and heart rate increased to an unusually high level. They pumped her full of 5 antibiotics and things are now under control. She is as positive as ever and is not complaining of her situation. The boys and I are doing well. We miss the girls immensely, but we are so blessed they are getting the best care in a location that is familiar to Addie. We continue to be amazed at the goodness of people and their genuine desire to help. We appreciate the continued thoughts and support from our SAS family. Shirt sales, emails and talk led to a solitary idea – STAY STRONG ADDIE DAY at SAS on the 18th.
MIDDLE school
Through the events of the past few weeks, the boys and I have continued to experience the overall goodness of people. There have been countless hands extended to me personally. I have been knocked down many times, and each time, at the needed moment, I have had a hand extended to lift me up. The hands have come in all shapes, forms, and sizes. They have patted me on the back when I needed momentum. They have embraced me when words couldn't comfort. They have messaged me when I needed a lift. They have knocked on the door to spend time with my sons. They have taken time to lift my sons up when they have a difficult day. They have served and they have done countless other acts of kindness. I remain in awe at the caliber of students, faculty, and staff that we associate with at SAS. I thank you and all of the faculty for their willingness to work with Addison as she is slowly getting back into the swing of things. I look forward to having her back in Singapore with our family. She is equally excited to be back in the classrooms at SAS. At time of wrting, Addie continues with her treatments. It has been decided that doing all four treatments in Utah will be best for Addie’s progress.
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STAY STRONG ADDIE DAY
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Two elementary classes that Addie’s younger siblings are part of purchased Team Addie shirts for every student to enable their whole class to show support to their classmates’ sister. The siblings explained to their class how they would be supporting their sister in spirit. We earned almost $15,000 ($14,906.95 to be exact) for the Napierski’s • We’ve sold 1,100 lime green TEAMADDIE shirts. • We’ve also sold 1,100 green bracelet/bands • $1,759.30 came from the middle school collection for wearing green on TEAMADDIE Tuesday
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ALL STRINGS ATTACHED By Olivia C. and Madeline C. Grade 8 Students
Inhale. We breathe in, and with an unspoken agreement, we begin. Being a part of a quartet isn’t just about the performances, but more about the process leading up to the big event. The bonds created along the way come from our passion for music. A passion started long before we met. Mrs. Pelletier had seen the love for music in each of us, and it was she who brought us together in a way that we had never experienced before. First came the naming of the quartet: Dolce Vita, ‘sweet life,’ which came from the happiness we shared the very first time we played together. None of us had ever played with such a small select group, and the experience gave us a unique perspective of our instruments and the extraordinary sounds they can create. It takes a lot of rehearsing for us to be able to play together without a conductor. The connections between us need to be strong in order for us to create music in the way that the composer would have wanted. In the Dolce Vita quartet, we know when to look up, when to hold a note longer than is written, when to crescendo, and when to slow down; all are indicated with quick glances across the stands. But in reality, the glances communicate hours worth of conversation and practice before the actual event. So how does a group of four girls play together in absolute harmony?
In order to tell the story of the song, we must listen to each of our voices. Every note has been written for a reason and it is important that we understand that. The cello’s deep tone offers a strong base for us to build upon; the violins’ youthful sounds are pure and raw; and the viola’s soulful voice brings the strings that tie it all together. We often have to pause in between phrases during practice to perfect our interpretation of the music. The beat is defined by the voices of our instruments, rather than the conductor's baton. Our ears act as the guidance for our pieces, and through multiple trials we are able to find the ‘sweet spot’ in which all of our ideas have been compiled to create a rich sound that none of us could have imagined the first time we picked up the music score. Mrs. Pelletier has given us a collection of music, and song after song, we progress through it. We use these songs as the repertoire for our events, and have been able to see the growth of our playing from the relatively simple “Regal Overture” to the highly complex “Five Hebrew Love Songs.” And after all of the practice, we are ready for each new event. It’s a little shaky at first, like learning to ride a bike, but within a few songs, we are at full speed. The momentum builds until we reach our peak, and from there it’s a smooth ride. Except
it’s not always an easy ride up. There are always going to be bumps in the road, the bike is going to wobble, and we are bound to fall at some point. But it’s a good thing we never travel alone. With the support from each other, we brush off the dirt, help each other up and somehow always find our balance. In all the concerts and events we have experienced, there is always one moment that we treasure the most. It’s the moment where no matter what’s going on around us, whether it’s a flowing crowd or an attentive audience, our eyes meet at the center of our small semi-circle and we complete our piece. And even as the notes hang in the air after our bows have stopped moving, we breathe together. Exhale.
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Testimonials from previous quartet members “It felt like a second family. Meeting up and practicing endless hours together that resulted in memorable performances.” Sae Jing Jang from the Vivace Quartet - 2012
Photo taken at a private home in Sentosa where Julio Iglesias was also a guest performer
“I gained a fine amount of leadership skills from having to “conduct” the quartet during my solo parts. But among all of the traits that developed MY playing, the most amazing thing about playing in a quartet was realizing how much music brings people together. And that’s what’s so beneficial about playing in a quartet. The intimacy of a quartet, how close we were as a team defined how we each performed. We learned to love music in a way you can’t necessarily get in an orchestra or just playing a piece solo. We learned to support each other through music.” Sarah Du - Gelato Quartet 2014 Photo taken at the opening of the Singapore Student Film Festival
Photo taken at the opening ceremonies of the Singapore Student Film Festival
“Being in a quartet was such an amazing experience. I have learned and developed so much through quartet playing. Through memorable experiences, listening and supporting each other was what I learned the most. Playing in a quartet is not just about each individual, but it is also about coming together as a group and listening to one other to produce wonderful music. The quartet experience is something that musicians are not able to get through playing in an orchestra. The relationships and memories I have gained through quartet playing are not able to be put into words. The talented musicians that I was fortunate to work with, all had a bursting passion for music. The rich music we produced together was all through the hard work of each individual. Because of my involvement in quartet playing, I have grown very fond of my instrument, the cello.” Sarah Choi - Gelato Quartet 2014
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MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH AND AN EXEMPLARY PARENT COMMUNITY By Felipe Herranz-Sanchez Middle School Spanish Teacher
I have just finished watching SAS Parent Yamile Sain conclude her presentation (in Spanish) about “Foods of Puerto Rico.” What is more, students have just finished eating samples of her delicious arroz con gandules, sorullos de maíz, and tostones! Yamile, a native Puerto Rican, has shared with us an authentic cultural product. While we eat after her presentation, SAS Parent Margarita Gonzalez enters the room and joins us. Yamile and Margarita have prepared the food together and they explain that the particular gandules from the dish can only be found in Puerto Rico. Margarita will be presenting to our students next week (in Spanish) on the topic of “Current challenges of Puerto Rico.” A native Puerto Rican, she will be sharing with us a cultural perspective. One text message and a call later, SAS teacher and parent Maria Bassiri takes a quick break to join in the action. Maria can’t help getting a bite of the food prepared by her fellow Puerto Ricans at SAS. She presented yesterday about the “The beaches of Puerto Rico” and she will present again later on this week (in Spanish) on “The school system in Puerto Rico.” A native Puerto Rican, Maria will also be sharing with us a cultural perspective. What’s going on, you may wonder. A celebration of Puerto Rico is going on!
SAS Parent Andrea Stauffer was the first presenter in our Middle School Spanish Puerto Rican series November 10 to 14. In her “Tourism in Puerto Rico” presentation, Andrea, a native Puerto Rican, presented (in Spanish) about both domestic and international trends of tourism in Puerto Rico. Through her presentation, interactions with students, brazo gitano and pastel de coco treats, she shared with us both a cultural perspective and cultural product. Two more presentations are coming up later this week by fellow SAS teachers Ana M. Gach (“Music in Puerto Rico”) and Maya McCoy (“Baseball in Puerto Rico”). Both of Puerto Rican background, their presentations (in Spanish) will close this culturally fascinating week in the middle school. As you know, in 2014-15, Puerto Rico is the Spanish K-12 overarching theme around which students will advance their proficiency in levels B and C (or equivalents). In the Middle School Spanish Department, we feel very lucky to count on such an exemplary, collaborative parent community that continually adds value to our work with students. Whether they are native Spanish speaking parents presenting to students, non-native speakers of Spanish volunteering in our program, or such parents offering support from home during parent teacher conferences, we are always surrounded by a very supportive parent community.
Dear SAS parents with children in the middle school Spanish program: thank you so much for all you do for our program to remain so strong. One of the reasons our students obtained such exemplary internal and external results last year (see the November issue of Crossroads) is your amazing support and interest in our program. ¡Muchas gracias! Finally, once again, to all the SAS parents and faculty who have presented about Puerto Rico this week: ¡muchísimas gracias y que viva Puerto Rico!
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ONE
SMILE
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AT A TIME
By Amelia L. and Megan C. Grade 8 Students
How much does a smile cost? For most of us, other than the use of a few muscles, one smile costs us nothing. A smile has the power to cheer up someone’s day and make them feel welcome. However, for others, without SGD$300, they wouldn’t have a smile. They may even be one out of ten kids who die before their first birthday due to cleft lip or palate. Approximately every three minutes a child is born with this facial deformity and if untreated, the child could be looked down upon as an outcast for being born without a smile - something most of us take for granted. Cleft lip and cleft palate forms when a child is developing in a mother’s womb. Cleft lip is when there is a split in the child's lip, and cleft palate is a split on the roof of the child’s mouth. Cleft palate and cleft lip are closely related to each other for having cleft palate can result to cleft lip in some cases. Having this deformity often causes speech, feeding, and hearing difficulties, as well as dental problems. There are many people who want to assist those affected with this malformation. Operation Smile, one of the largest worldwide organizations, provides free surgeries in developing countries to help those born with this deformity. Their goal is to transform lives by giving simple medical aid for those with cleft lip and cleft palate.
At Singapore American School, dedicated sponsors Patricia Makatsaria, Cathy Martina Casey, and Pamela Tan, brought together a group of middle school students to make others aware and take action concerning the issue of cleft lip and palate. This year, the students are determined to raise at least SGD$1,500; enough money to pay for five cleft palate/ cleft lip surgeries, therefore healing five children’s smiles. Though the club was only introduced this year, it has been a huge success. The kids had fun making posters to send to Vietnam, brightening the surgical rooms, and participated in many fundraisers including a bake sale in late November to encourage others to take part and to raise money for more surgeries. Singapore American School Operation Smile is just one out of many groups who are helping to change lives. For only SGD$300, you can help give a fresh smile to one of the many people who can’t afford the surgery they need to fix their cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Though many children today are outcast from their community because of deformities, every child deserves to be accepted in their community. Small scale organizations such as Singapore American School Operation Smile have the opportunity to make others aware of serious issues such as cleft lip and cleft palate. Additionally, these organizations are taking leaps to
try and provide for those who are unable to help themselves. By doing something small or big, whether it is spreading awareness, donating, or creating your own organization, you too can change other’s lives. One smile at a time. If you want to learn more about SAS Operation Smile, contact: ccasey@ sas.edu.sg or ptan@sas.edu.sg
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PEACE POSTER ART CONTEST 2014 By Jeff Koltutsky Middle School Art Teacher
For the first time since joining this competition in 2007, SAS had four winners at this year’s Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest, including the Singapore grand champion. April Yoon (grade eight) won the grand prize of S$500.00 for her peace poster, and Ji Woo Bae (grade seven) won first runner up and second cash prize of S$300.00 for her entry. Lauren Rodee (grade seven) and Sophia Horn (grade seven) were both finalists in the competition and each won S$100.00 for their entries. Lions Club International is the world’s largest service club organization, with 46,000 clubs and 1.35 million members. Lions Club was founded in 1917 by a Chicago business leader, Melvin Jones, who wanted to reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of his community and the world. The peace poster competition is an annual event. It is an art contest for students who are 11, 12, and 13 years old. The contest encourages young people worldwide to express their visions of peace, and for more than 25 years, millions of students from nearly 100 countries have participated in the contest.
This year’s peace poster theme was “Peace, Love, and Understanding.” Each poster was judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme. This is the first year a student from Singapore American School has won the competition and is the Singapore champion. April’s poster will go on to the next round of judging and compete in the district final between Malaysia, Sabah, and Brunei. If April wins the district final her work will move on to New York to compete in the international finals. We would like to thank Lions Club Chatsworth and Lions Club Changi for sponsoring our entries in this year’s competition, and Lions Club International for giving our students an opportunity to participate in such a worthy cause. We are very proud of April, Ji Woo Lauren, and Sophie, as they represented our school incredibly well at the award ceremony. We wish April luck in the next round of judging!
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QUESTIONING MORE By Brian Arleth Grade 8 RLA Teacher
Sean Michael Thomas experienced quite an academic and professional learning journey from his formative years at Jakarta International School to his current role as news anchor at Russia Today in Moscow. During the final week of October, Thomas visited SAS, an international school not so different from his middle school alma mater. He taught eighth grade reading and language arts classes for five days as a journalist-in-residence and shared lessons on researching, questioning, and diving into heavy world topics with a critical lens and healthy amount of curiosity. The personal and professional examples he shared inspired students and started the journalistic wheels turning. Josh, an eighth grader and budding journalist, reflected that he plans to, “stay educated on important topics instead of being ignorant.” A big takeaway for Josh was to “always collect more and more information.” At the end of our week together, I sat down to question Thomas about the experiences that prepared him to break top news stories around the world. He also made important connections between skills learned at SAS and the importance of applying those skills outside the classroom. When questioned about how to support our learners with more than just classroom “know-how,” Thomas
encouraged teachers and parents to “allow them (students) to question and dig deeper.” He added of our students that “the sooner they start that idea of critical thinking, the better off they will be at every point from here on out…if we can get them thinking critically, which is the first step, and then get them interested enough to do something about it, then we can be proud of what we’ve done.” A look ahead to an unpredictable future when it comes to aspects like the economy, environment, and global politics left me wondering further about how educators prepare students for the ever-changing world outside of school. Thomas’ final words during our interview left an encouraging perspective on the SAS experience. “It’s been refreshing to see what kids at this school have been able to come up with...even though we were talking about heavy stuff; to watch their minds work was inspiring for me as a journalist and that makes me happy about the way things will turn out.” Sean Michael Thomas’ international school education and Third Culture Kid background helped prepare him to travel the world, meet presidents and important policy makers, and report on issues vital to our future.
We thank him for his visit to SAS and will remember to “question more” as we prepare to send our students out beyond our guarded gates. Reporting from Grade 8 RLA at Singapore American School, this is Brian Arleth. Back to you in the newsroom.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
TECH CHALLENGES & TEAM TEACHING By James Diebley and Anthony Selley Middle School Technology Teachers
Remember those cool arcade games from the 1980s like Pacman, Donkey Kong, and Mario? Now our SAS grade eight students can enjoy games like them again too! Students in the newly offered course called Tech Challenges 8 - team-taught by James Diebley and Anthony Selley - are designing, building, and coding their own retro styled arcade games. The course provides a great opportunity for students to learn skills from IT class and Tech class through an authentic project based format with a topic that appeals to students. Last school year during one of the newly formed middle school tech professional learning community meetings, Selley and Diebley casually discussed their observations over the years that many of their semester students went on to become the other teacher’s students the next semester. The noticeable trend is that students that are visual and kinesthetic learners, or just plain ‘makers,’ tend to gravitate to these types of hands on classes. As Selley and Diebley read current educational literature, looked at programs around the world, and listened to feedback from our colleagues returning research and development trips, it became clear that students at SAS needed more opportunities for designing, building, and coding.
In one of their regular ‘Subway lunch sessions,’ Selley and Diebley discussed ways they could consolidate/collaborate/innovate within the existing schedule, between classes, and grades of different content areas to implement the newly created desired student learning outcomes (DSLOs). They decided to “innovate wildly” as SAS Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball suggested to faculty and proposed merging one semester of Selley’s IT8 and Diebley’s TECH 8 classes and call it Tech Challenges 8. The idea was proposed to the middle school administration and they liked it so much they added a team taught Tech Challenges 7 course as well!
and teaching experiences. Students enthusiastically embraced the merged course because it enabled them to get the best of both worlds in IT and tech when in many cases they would have had to chose one class or the other due to time constraints in the schedule. The project based learning of the retro arcade game enables both teachers to cover the content knowledge and skills of our respective courses as well as easily cover the school DSLOs. The course has been a win-win for both students and teachers because it offers: •
Was it difficult to merge courses or team-teach? The content merge and fit between the two classes has been very easy. The people fit has also been very smooth. Selley and Diebley taught grade six computer classes next door to each other several years ago, and became personal friends during that time. It helped that they both have similar teaching styles, philosophies, and middle school humor! Diebley brings years of project-based design and build experiences to the course along with a nicely equipped hands on lab space. Selley brings a wealth of coding knowledge to the course from his IB Computer Science background
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More opportunities for students that are really keen to design, build, and code to have a more complete learning experience through project based learning. Great opportunities for professional collegiality like planning and assessment that have typically been absent in isolated single person departments. Vertical articulation with the high school project based learning courses.
In the past year, both Diebley and Selley have set up Instagram accounts and document where they see instances of the DSLOs in action. You can see students from all their classes in action by following them at @aselley and @jdiebley.
Here is what students said about the course in a mid-semester survey: Matthew
It allows peer learning, and teaches us how to design real-world objects in a classroom environment. It teaches us how to make one finished product.
Vivek
Tech Challenges is a fun, innovative course that should definitely be taken if you have an interest in building or coding.
Sebastian
Tech Challenges is a combination of Tech Ed and IT, both extremely fun and filled with imagination.
Luc
I think this course combines two electives in a fun and educational way
Ethan A
I wanted to do Tech Ed and IT but since I couldn't because of strings so I took Tech Challenges.
Lauren Fielding
I loved Tech Ed so I wanted to try something different but still with the building, and Tech Challenges fit that description perfectly. I think that making the game was a very good idea! It’s really fun and we have to learn to link the gaming with the building.
Mateus
I like how it requires both IT skills and the building we do in Tech Ed. In one semester it combined both courses which gave an extra elective; both go hand in hand and the arcade project is a very fun one.
Roohi
They both specialise in different things and both teachers can therefore help us if we need help with any of the materials.
Sebastian
I like how there a two teachers that can help you if you need it. It combines the two classes for the people that want to do both.
Yash
I like that we get to work with different software and test our knowledge. I prefer the fact that all of us do some work like build the console or wiring. I think we get to work on a building project which is something new to me and a very fun experience.
Bryce
It give kids the chance to build what they desire.
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INTERVIEW WITH CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVOR, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, AND AUTHOR LOUNG UNG By Nicole W. Grade 8 Student
Students tend to analyze public leaders as political figures who drive change at a national level. We tend to focus on famous or infamous names that come with impressive titles and big followings. There is, however, an alternative paradigm. In the case of drastic social upheaval, a country’s rebuilding process cannot be limited to simply reinstalling effective government structures or the rule of one overriding personality. The presidency of Nelson Mandela, for example, could not alone transform South Africa from Apartheid. National rebirth and healing required grassroots initiatives to establish trust in the new society while at the same time creating a process for acknowledging the past. Few people may be familiar with the quiet individuals on the ground who drive this local dynamism. But they exist. They are, in fact, true leaders of the people. In the case of societies, destroyed by genocide like Cambodia in the 1970s, the role of grassroots leaders in reconstruction is even more crucial. The horror of the past obliterated not just a government system, but the culture itself. Restoring faith in a new country and government inherently requires a public reckoning with the past so that new generations understand that “the past is the past and the future is yours to write.” These words come from Loung Ung, a human rights activist and Cambodian genocide survivor. Ung was six years old in 1976 when the Khmer Rouge killed her parents and four year old sister
and forced her to move from Phnom Phen to a rural labor camp. The Khmer Rouge harnessed her hatred and anger and forced her to become a child soldier. Like her country, Ung was left traumatized and rootless. Hers is a story of coming to terms with her experience and harnessing anger for the general good. She has dedicated her adult life to putting voice to the atrocities and to leading NGOs relating to landmine victims, education, and human trafficking. As a leading voice of instilling memory of the past in new generations, Ung has been active in pushing the slowly moving Cambodian War Crimes Tribunal. She is also the author of First They Killed My Father, Lucky Child, and Lulu In The Sky, a trilogy based on her childhood under the Khmer Rouge and subsequent journey. I interviewed Loung Ung on November 2 at the Singapore Writer’s Festival. I was fortunate to have her attention for forty-five minutes, during which time we spoke about the role of grassroots activism in Cambodia and the significance of recognizing past trauma as a prerequisite to national recovery. I truly found Loung Ung to be the most admirable and authentic person I have ever met. I left our discussion inspired by the power of what she said and the leadership she offers to a whole society. Q: What happens when the animosity that motivated you and others to be active in rebuilding Cambodia dissipates with the next
generation? How do you keep the flame of remembrance alive while moving forward in reconstruction? A: I think it is really important to be educated and a conscious human being. It’s not only because we need to remember Cambodia, but we need to live in this world. Through education, through broadening of your mind, through learning of other people’s stories, you need two things. One, you are taken outside of yourself. A world where we are all living within ourselves – where it is all about me, me, me – is a world that is disconnected to the rest. And it is ultimately a world that is boring and sick. There is only so much you can do and care about you, before it all just becomes monotonous. So education allows you to get out of yourself and allows you to be more consciously aware. Not only outside of yourself, but really being able to connect your stories to others. So it is not just Cambodia, but it is the Holocaust, Rwanda, Sudan, El Salvador, it is Bosnia. I know when I remember Cambodia, it is very isolating. But when I put it into the context of all around the world, I put it a part of a community of people who care. So education is very great, being a conscious traveler, and learning to be appreciative of valuing the story as a survivors. Hopefully what traveling and education will teach you is that, when we're reading and watching the news, there is a slogan that says, "If it bleeds it leads." And what happens that you're only getting the dark side of the story. And until you travel and
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see the light and beautiful side of the story, then you're not getting the full human story. If you're only getting the dark side of something, I think you do one of two things. You either ignore it and shut down, or you transfer your thoughts to the dark side. How do we keep positive light and energy in the world? And I think it is important when you do that, you have to remember that in war there is also love. In traumas, there is also healing. In being a victim, there are also survivors. In tragedies, there are cases of heroes. When we see the fullness of it all, I think we are more willing to remember our human history. We can see the beauty in humanity. When you hear dark, terrible news, you pity someone. And pitying means you want to rescue them. And rescuing them means you are not a partner in their investment of themselves and the society. And in partnering, you are supporting them to support themselves. Or, other people just shut down. You turn the TV off. And that’s why I think a lot people in America say, I don't watch the news. I don't want to know what's going on. If you don't want to know what's going on, then you are also not doing anything.
hard to silence us. They silenced my father in execution. They silenced my mother, my four year old sister. Then they silenced 1.7 million Cambodians who died. And after they all disappeared, their trauma continued to silence so many people. As an activist, it became very clear to me that was what they wanted to happen. That was how they kept their control over people. They silenced us, whether it was through isolation, taking us from cities where we were together and congregated, to living in isolated villages where there were soldiers paraded around the streets and watched our every move and listened to our every word. Then they made it illegal, during the Khmer Rouge, for more than three people to gather together in one space at any one time. So if you cannot gather how do you share information? If not more than three people can gather, how do you plan a protest? How do you plan to fight? It was a form of control, and I decided, after the war, I was not going to be controlled by them. I was not going to allow the soldiers to win. The best way for me to do that, to take back my power, is to speak up. I wanted to be heard and stand tall.
Q: I know that Pol Pot once said, “To keep you would be no benefit, to destroy you would be no loss.” How does this evil thought process connect to your message about not being silent and keeping memories alive?
Q: What is your view on the slow progress of the War Crimes Tribunal and what the slow progress means for keeping memory alive?
A: I understood, because of quotes like that, that the soldiers tried really
A: The collation and process of the War Crimes Tribunal started in 1997, when the two prime ministers went to the UN in America and asked
them to help them to put together a system to try to put the Khmer Rouge leaders War Crimes in humanity and genocide. That was the first year I protested as an advocate for the tribunal. Then I went to congress and testified for congress in support of tribunal, and then I did some work for the collation for national justice. I went on and on, breathed and worked and studied. Over ten years later, the first tribunal finally happened and now we’re in the second tribunal. Of the five people that were originally indicted, only three have gone to trial. I started in 1997 with a lot of hopes and dreams that we would find some kind of justice. In my hearts of hearts, I know there will never be any kind of
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justice or tribunal process that would amend for the two million lives lost. But I hoped for at least some kind of justice. Now that the process is so watered down, and because I have gone through the years of also meeting young people who are learning about the tribunal because of the process, I have kind of switched my thought process of just being grateful for the opportunity to centralize the information in Phnom Phen. When the Khmer Rouge took over, they again evacuated people from the cities, then forced them to live in villages in different parts of the countries. The country was then separated into different zones. We have the Western zone, zone A. And each zone was controlled by a Khmer Rouge, per se, warlord. And in each zone we don't really know half of for example in you live in zone eight. And then somebody may live in zone two, which is maybe an hour or couple kilometers away, you don't actually know what was going on in zone two. You didn't know if your family was taken from zone two to zone three, or if they were going to be killed, or kept alive. Information was never accessible. After the war, because there was no technology, and the Khmer Rouge left, information continued to be scattered. When you have scattered information how do you gather to teach the next generation? How do you teach them when you can't get the information? The process of the tribunal, with programs like DCCAM, which is run by Yuk Chang.
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Yuk Change went to Cambodia in 1996 and sent out all these students into the 35 provinces, and started gathering information and physical documentation. Because of that, with the information over ten years, they are close to a million pieces of documentation gathered in Phnom Penh. In 1996 it was dangerous to have the information gathered, they were afraid the Khmer Rouge would be threatened by this and would bomb the center and destroy the information. So in the first wave of information gathering, they would then videotape or photograph it on microphase, and then they would save the original document in Phnom Phen, and have the copy of the documentation sent to Paris, some even to Harvard University. So it was dangerous to have information. Now, as a result of their work we have centralized information, which allowed us to use it to write curriculum, teach students, to teach teachers. I have come to see that the tribunal, if nothing else, allowed us to gather this information so that the next generation of people will not forget. Q: How is it important to leadership to spread awareness about the Khmer Rouge wiithin and outside Cambodia? A: It is important to share information about our history, because that is a part of who we are. We can't ignore or pretend that it did not happen. With that said, Cambodia is a also a country with a 2,000 year old history
of arts and cultures and music and architectures and the largest religious complex in the world. The Khmer Rouge was a span of four years of actual, physical years, and there was many more years in the aftermath. But still, in the time frame of 2,000 year old history, its barely a blink of an eye. It is important to put that into context, because the devastation committed against Cambodia was so large and collective, that we all suffered from it. Thus, it became apart of our history. It is important to let people know, but it is also important to know that we are not defined only by what happened to us. We are defined by what we do from now on and by how we are for each other. And when you go to Cambodia, you see this. You see people who have suffered, but then they are really great with the next generations of kids. They are working on their land, they are growing their food. Like many other people who have gone to traumas, they are still struggling and still working on their healing journey. But there are joys. There are people cooking great food. There are people learning how to rap. There are new emergence of artist and singers and musicians. We are also that. When I share my stories, I always make it a point to look well and rested. When I talk about Cambodia I also talk about the love of family. I also talk about the love of food. I also talk about the love of culture. This is so people don't forget that we are all these as well. For the people that went through the genocide, you know it happened. Wars may be silent to
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other people, but it is never silent to us. The question comes to the people who are surround by the people you are friends with. How are they able to be there to support you? One of the best things for them to do is to know something about what happened. They don't have to be experts, but when you have people from a post-genocide country show up in June, you don't take them to the 4th of July fireworks. Our world, in general, especially in the US, is still lacking knowledge about what goes on outside of the US. It is important to know the history. Q: What type of legacy are you hoping to build for you and Cambodia? A: For me, I don't really think in terms of legacy. I am really not that interesting, I don't see myself as anything special. I am just someone who is hoping and sharing their story with people. I hope that my legacy is that, yes you can choose to do hard work. You can live in a world, whether as a lawyer, doctor or activist, and still find room and space in your life for activism and involvement. And it is okay to be a businessmen or CEO, but in the process you can still make some space in your life to be involved and know what is going on. I went from being a full human rights activist, to being a businesswomen and I continue to be involved and care. You can also have fun! Sometimes people don't want to be involved because they think it is going to be sad and take over, and not be able to enjoy themselves. But
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I go dancing with my friends, I go crazy, I go shopping, I do all the fun things as normal women. Then I do difficult work. There is space for all of that in my life. Personally, I hope to leave that legacy. For the country, I hope to the legacy that your past does not determine the future. The past is the past, and the future is yours to write it.
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THE
MIDDLE school
SECRET
RAINFOREST
By Kattina Rabdau-Fox, Tanvi Gupta and Avelina L. Grade 7 Teacher, Grade 9 and Grade 8 Students
One of the best-kept secrets about Singapore American School is that it has its own native rainforest. This gem is a rarity; just three or four schools in the entire world have this kind of ecosystem within short reach. Just a quick walk from the middle school cafeteria, a small staircase leads into this world of biodiversity and place for investigation and inspiration. A few weeks ago, students from grades five, eight, and nine got to take board members Cynthia Sung and Catherine Poyen along with SAS Chief Advancement Officer Michael Kingan on a walk to share their experiences and their reflections on how this space inspires them. Tanvi Gupta and Avelina L., who are in grade nine and grade eight respectively, share their personal stories: Tanvi: Even two years after the seventh grade ecology unit, my wonder for this place has not disappeared. But till seventh grade, most of us didn’t even know it existed. I will never the forget the piercing shrieks of girls in my class on our first visit as they discovered that sanitized SAS did, indeed, have bugs. Today is only my second visit to the school rainforest in over a year and a half. I have missed it dearly - a strange thing to say about what is, technically, just a group of trees and shrubs, but the discovery of a Malay Viscount (a butterfly found only in rainforests), as well as a tree with
fruits we have never seen before, and a seemingly dull tan moth with beautiful purple-and-orange patterns on the underside of its wings within the space of ten minutes all serve to refute that description: this ‘group of trees’ is also home to some of Singapore’s most precious biodiversity.
and driven out rare native plants, whose problems also include the obstruction of their roots by the concrete pathway winding its way through the forest. Renovations though somewhat of an oxymoron for a rainforest - are vital if this space is to instill a love of nature in a new generation of SAS students.
Avelina: After being away from the forest for the summer months, I was amazed to return in September and find the transformations that had taken place. At every twist and turn there was a surprise. Branches bursting with brilliant leaves crept into the path. Creatures fluttered through the leaves. Little baby plants had sprung up, passing some of the older grannies with determination to be the tallest. Home sweet home! With us is Ms. Fox, Ms. Baildon, Mrs. Began, Mr. Early, and Ms. Early, whose passion for this small space is the reasons we are here today: Sharing our interests with members of the SAS board. I was amazed that some people had never been to the forest even though they had been at SAS for a long time. We wanted them to know about this treasure in SAS’s backyard. We were privileged to share our experiences, and let them soak in the beauty around them.
But that’s not all planned. In partnership with the Botanic Gardens, the area behind the band rooms is destined for conversion to a nursery for endangered and endemic species of plants, which then will either be transplanted in the rainforest or donated elsewhere in an effort to boost Singapore’s declining biodiversity. Members of the National Biodiversity team at NParks will teach students how to care for plants and pass on the knowledge to the rest of the SAS community.
Tanvi: The school rainforest, due to its surroundings of cafeteria and highway, is experiencing immense degradation as weak trees on the periphery bear the brunt of the wind. In addition, invasive species such as the African Tulip have taken root
And the rainforest is something we need to know about. It isn’t just the residence of icky bugs. It isn’t just a black (well, green) hole draining away space and money that might be used for another block of classrooms. It isn’t a meaningless void behind the cafeteria we can forget about. It is a valuable heritage with the potential to transform a generation of children permanently attached to a screen into mature individuals with an acute awareness of the natural world around them and their potential impact on it. It is as a direct result of the SAS rainforest I am the person I am today.
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Tanvi Dutta Gupta is in ninth grade at SAS and an avid (though amateur) wildlife photographer, birder, and naturalist. She maintains two blogs: one, Saving MacRitchie (savemacritchie.wordpress.com) raises awareness of the biodiversity of MacRitchie Reservoir, and the other, Somewhere Up A Tree (somewhereupatree.wordpress.com), details her experiences in nature. In addition to being featured on Project Noah’s Spotting of the Day and National Geographic’s Great Nature Project’s Pic of the Day, she has won a Consolation Prize in the NParks Trees for Life photography competition and has had her photographs displayed across the island. Avelina L. is an eighth grader at SAS who fell in love with the forest last year in seventh grade science. Since discovering the SAS rainforest, she has eagerly volunteered with giving tours and sharing her love and knowledge for the forest with others. She looks forward to being a part of the restoration and preservation of rainforests at SAS, in Singapore, and across the world.
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MUSIC FESTIVAL WEEK The middle school and high school bands in November filled the SAS Auditorium with the sound of music as part of Music Festival Week, which also featured performances by middle school and high school choirs and strings. Justine de Jesus and Suparna Samavedham, SAS students who are in the Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program, captured the bands' concert with their respective cameras.
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High school
BEYOND CLASSROOM WALLS:
INTERIM SERVICE By Kelly Chung
Kelly Chung, a junior at Singapore American School, is in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. She has been at SAS for six years and is interested in photography, journalism, economics, and various social studies.
The belief that learning happens most efficiently in classrooms with the most extensive resources and credible teachers is a lie. In classrooms, students may learn how businesses work, or how to write sophisticated essays for college. But at the end of the day, true memorable learning happens outside the classroom walls. By stepping outside, we expose ourselves to new unique learning experiences that cannot be taught through textbooks.
Through process of individual selection, each student picks a trip out of 60 to 26 different countries under three different categories: eco-adventure, global studies, and community service. Just like our student body, the trips are diversified and the program is committed to creating equal chances for everyone to experience all categories; however, since 2012, there’s been a particular emphasis on the service aspect of interim.
Every February, high school students of Singapore American School leave our classrooms to participate in the Interim Semester program for a week. Since 1973, with the goal of enhancing standard curriculum by providing students with extraordinary opportunities for cultural enrichment, experiences in the arts, adventure activities, and service to others, Interim Semester is without a doubt the most popular activity among students. Certainly a week away from home with just friends and no homework is a great catch for us, but what interim has to offer is more than a “vacation.” Interim is a trip to Bhutan to hike to the hidden temples, or to Fiji to do marine service - every interim trip offers a valuable learning experience to deeply understand the world around us, contribute to the global community, challenge ourselves, and build a sense of community.
To reinforce importance of community service in our education curriculum, the Interim Semester program now requires all students from the Class of 2016 owards to participate in at least one service interim trip before graduation. Along with this requirement, numerous new service trips including service in Bhutan, Fiji, and homeland Singapore, were introduced. “We are striving to provide students with a well rounded experience at SAS and in particular with Interim Semester,” said Dan Skimin, director of Interim Semester. “Adding a service requirement helps us provide students with experiences they may otherwise not have. Thanks to this exposure, we hope that students become more involved in services.”
Some may have initially been hesitant to do involuntary service, but the interim service requirement has brought students closer to the true meaning of service. By pushing us to step out of our comfort zone, go to less developed countries, interact with societies very different from ours, interim service trips have let us discover the value of service beyond the purpose of filling up our interim service credit. Kaelan Cuozzo, president of Executive Service Council, agrees: "One advantage of the required service interim trip is that it exposes students to a number of global issues and solutions to those issues,” Cuozzo said. “I think a number of students are surprised by how much they enjoy their service trip(s), which then inspires them to come back and get more involved with the service clubs at SAS.” Singapore American School has a big supportive service community that encourages students to get involved in community service. With more than 30 service clubs and a student led service council, SAS’s passion for community service is incomparable.
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Nevertheless, finding a purpose to do meaningful service and discovering a cause we are passionate to advocate for is still not easy. But slowly, interim service trips are linking those barriers of understanding service. Through my interim service trip, I gained true meaning and realization of what service can give back to us. I went to the Philippines my sophomore year to fulfill my service requirement. It was definitely not one of my top choices and I wished I could go somewhere else new and exciting. Unlike my freshman interim trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge in China, the flight to Philippines was quiet, dull, and unexciting. But on the last day in the Philippines, to my surprise, none of us wanted to leave. In fact, everyone wanted to come back on our own time: not for interim semester credit, but for ourselves, because we simply wanted to experience those memories helping kids in the Philippines again. Even if I was given an option to be exempted from the required service credit, I would still choose to go to Philippines. Beyond classroom walls, in an unfamiliar place, on a trip I initially chose to fill up a “credit,” was when I learned the most valuable lessons of service, family, and myself.
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Along with myself, vast majority of other SAS students would agree that through interim service trips, we created unforgettable memories, incomparable to our experiences at school. It’s those memories that inspire us to be a better service activist and a student. Service is not just a way to help others but a way to discover beauty of giving, learn more about ourselves, and break closed minded views of the world around us. Interim Semester, recognizing such values of learning true meaning and benefits of service, supports students to participate in service even if it’s involuntary. Mr. Skimin foresees the growing impact of interim service trips on our student body. “For interim 2014 we had 11 service courses,” Skimin said. “This year we have 19 and I see that number continuing to increase as more and more students are looking for an opportunity to give part of themselves to help communities around the world.”
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High school
VARSITY BOYS VOLLEYBALL
SEASON SUMMARY 2014 By Jared Bildfell and Zach Evans Boys‘ Varsity Volleyball Coaches
This season began with extremely high expectations for the team. With a senior laden squad and a proven track record at IASAS, this team felt that they would be successful. And they did not disappoint. From the first practice, the team was focused and looking forward to getting things underway. We stressed the importance of preparation, going through the process of improving and coming together as a team, and of course the essential “Eagle Way” for our athletes. The guys bought into the team concepts and worked their way through the season. We amassed an impressive 18-8 record throughout the season, and showed that we could compete with any team out there by winning the IASAS Exchange hosted at SAS in a very thrilling five set final against International School Manila (ISM). As the IASAS Championships approached, the guys became anxious for things to happen and lost a bit of focus prior to the tournament. However, we went undefeated in the round robin of the tournament and entered the playoffs as the number one seed. The competition was fierce as all teams showed promise and talent making the tournament challenging and entertaining for the fans and teams involved. The Eagles defeated International School Bangkok in the semifinal handily and looked ready for the finals where a prepared, hungry, and talented ISM team awaited.
In the gold medal match, the fans were treated to a spectacular final. All of the sets were incredibly close and both teams fought for every point. Being at home, the Bearcats played with confidence and spirit pushing the Eagles to the brink. In the end, the Eagles pulled off the win with a 15-12 fifth set victory a well deserved win, and the realization of their goal from the beginning of the season. The victory gave the Eagles their fourth IASAS championship in a row. While winning gold is wonderful, the Eagles volleyball program is successful because of the quality people that play the game. All of our athletes are true exemplars of The Eagle Way, and play the game with integrity, character, and respect. It is a pleasure to be involved with the program in any form. The Eagles were led by captains Kory Sansom (The Eagle Way Award), and Gabriel Zink (Coaches Choice Award) throughout the season and at the championships. They will be missed next season as they are part of an 18-match winning streak at the IASAS Championships and the owners of three straight gold medals — an impressive feat to be sure. All tournament players at IASAS were Cole Derksen, Gabriel Zink, and Kory Sansom. However, all of the players contributed to the success of the season, and we would not have been successful without them. We will miss the eight seniors next year, but we have a nice group of returning players as well as great talent at the junior varsity and freshman levels to
bolster the squad next year. Well done, Eagles! The Eagles are: Kio Underwood, Sean Lau, Brian Ford, Cole Derksen, Robert Edwards, Robert Yuan, Michael McClearn, Jeremy Seow, Sam Speciale, Rohan Singh, Gabriel Zink, and Kory Sansom. The Eagles are coached by Zach Evans and Jared Bildfell.
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VARSITY GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
IASAS VOLLEYBALL SUCCESS By Tony and Susan Greaney Girls’ Varsity Volleyball Coaches
As Tess Nelligan, one of the four captains said, “The girls’ varsity volleyball team this year can only be described through one word: adaptable. No matter what the obstacle or situation, the team was able to adapt in order to overcome it.” From day one, they worked with the single goal of always improving their performance. The fact that they also won IASAS gold is a bonus, a reward for the focus and determination to be the best team they could be. Twelve players were selected at the beginning of the season to represent SAS varsity volleyball. Of those 12, eight were seniors returning for their final year. But for these eight, they were not returning to the team environment that they had experienced before. All 12 players were faced with a steep learning curve they would have to ascend if the team was to be successful. Fourth year varsity player and captain Rachel Wallace summed up the feeling well when she commented,“During the first few weeks of practice, I didn't really know what to make of the upcoming season; so much of what I had known as SAS volleyball for the past three years was changing, from the basic tempo of our offense, to new teammates and coaches.” The SAS girls’ volleyball team was not going to play or be like teams of old; instead the plan was for them to bring something new and exciting to IASAS girls’ volleyball. The goal was to equip our girls with the skills and
game understanding that will serve them well as they move on from high school. It is a credit to the players that they recognized the value of the new style. Rachel Wallace said, “I knew these changes were definitely working for our team, and that final point of IASAS really put all our hard work into perspective, as we left Manila knowing what we had worked towards for the past few months was completely and utterly worth it.“ But the game of volleyball is more than skills and tactics. It is a team sport like no other. The dependency on your fellow players means that the bonds formed are like no others. Claudia Krogmeier, the third of the four team captains, identified the strength of the friendships formed through this sport when she said, “The automatic bond formed over the season through trainings, morning practices, long tournaments, and IASAS remains with us as we see each other in the halls or outside of school.” Of the 12, only ten could travel to IASAS, a decision that is always hard on the team as two players who have trained hard all year cannot finish the season with the group. When Claudia Krogmeier was asked about the IASAS tournament, the importance of the occasion is clearly communicated: “Just before the final game at IASAS, it was hard to not feel like it was a big deal. Not because we had a hard team to play against, but because it would be my, and seven other seniors, last time on the court together. And for me, Tori, Rachel, and Tess, it was the end of a
three or four year era.” During the tournament, the team only dropped two sets out of twenty. They sailed through the round robin, comfortably beating each of the teams. In the semi-final, Taipei brought their power game with their experienced senior players doing their very best. They managed to wrestle one set off us, in what many thought of as the toughest match of the year. In the end, the girls persevered with a 3-1 win. This put them in good stead for the final against the well supported home team whose drums and chanting were deafening at times. The team maintained their composure throughout, losing the second set to a scrambling Manila who never gave up on a single ball. The final score, 3-1, was hard fought and deservedly won by SAS after such a dedicated and focused season. This year has been amazing for reasons that span from the harmony between the team members, the leadership of the four captains, the growth that occurred, and the calibre of the play exhibited on the court. Parents have also been phenomenal this season with dedicated support at our home games and tournaments.
Go Eagles !
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2014 SAS GIRLS’ VARSITY SOCCER
BACK-TO-BACK ACSIS AND IASAS CHAMPIONS By Geoffrey Rodocker Varsity Girls Soccer Coach
This year’s girls’ varsity soccer team had another successful season. The team put in a lot of hard work and each and every player contributed greatly to the team’s overall success. We were champions of the Women’s Super Cup, defeated the Under-19 Singaporean Women’s National team 4-0, and won back-to-back ACSIS and IASAS championships to bring home another set of gold medals. Due to our pace and power going forward we were able to score 89 goals as a team, while our stingy defense only conceded 12 goals over 21 games played. As a result, we completed an undefeated season with a record of 17 wins, 0 loses, and 4 ties. During the season the team had to overcome many obstacles, especially at IASAS where temperatures were as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit that caused dehydration, headaches, muscle cramps, and heat exhaustion. The team also had to overcome a head injury, two knee injuries, our keeper having to be replaced in goal by a field player, and very tough competition from the other IASAS schools; but in the end, we were able to put ourselves in the final of the tournament. In the IASAS championship game, we faced a very tough Taipei American School for the second year in a row. We were able to get the first goal of the game to go in at half time leading 1-0, but Taipei came back
in the second half to score an early equalizer to set up a very tense last 25 minutes. The game went back and forth and with three minutes left on the clock, Taipei had a breakaway that was saved by our goalkeeper. This save was then quickly turned into attack and with less than two minutes left, we scored to go up 2-1. Even with so little time left in the game, Taipei was able to create three good scoring chances that our keeper saved to preserve the 2-1 win for the gold medal and cap off a tremendous season. The coaches are very proud of the team’s accomplishments this year. We would like to thank each player for their contribution and wish our seniors all the best in the future.
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GOING
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THE EXTRA MILE
By Serena Sung-Clark Grade 12 Student
The cross country runners were out there every day: on the track, on the road, and in parks; they showed up after school and, once a week, before the sun had even risen. This sport might not be for everyone, but nearly 50 high school students participated in the team this year. Though we have four teams (boys varsity, boys reserve, girls varsity, and girls reserve), cross country feels like one large team; we train together and run our races at Bedok Reservoir together. The reserve teams experienced a lot of success this year. Freddie Shanel and Ryu Morita won the Most Improved awards and Alana Grant and Fiel Dimayacyac won the Eagle Way awards, a new award given out to a member from each team that shows leadership and sportsmanship, on and off the race course. The girls’ varsity team, captained by Sophia Eristoff, Olivia Whittaker, and Serena Sung-Clarke, had many returning runners. On the other hand, most of last year’s boys’ varsity runners graduated, so this year was an important rebuilding year for them. As a result, the team, captained by Jack Devins and Justin Peterson, had many young runners; five out of 11 varsity boys were freshmen. This year’s IASAS tournament was in Manila. Both teams ran the 5km on Friday and the 3km time trial on Saturday.
In the 5km, the placings of the top five runners from each team are added up and the lowest score wins. The girls came first by a narrow margin with 41 points, beating Taipei American School by only two points. The boys also had a close race with 78 points, coming second only to International School Bangkok and just beating International School Manila by three points. In the 3km, the times from the top six runners from each team are added and the lowest time wins. The girls came second in the 3km with a time of 1:11:43, coming after Taipei American School by only one second. The boys came third in the 3km with a time of 1:02:37. Because the 5km takes precedence, the girls clinched gold and the boys came home with the silver. All tournament winners at IASAS are defined as the top seven runners in the 5km. SAS all tournament runners were Jack Devins, Sophia Eristoff, Vanessa Smiley, and Serena SungClarke. All around, it was another great season for the Eagles.
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SLAVERY:
A MODERN PROBLEM By Saif Kureishi Grade 11 Student There are more slaves today than there have ever been before in human history. For this year’s annual Peace Initiative slideshow, we brought light upon the seemingly invisible practice of forced labor. We often hold the belief that slavery is either a thing of the past, or a problem for only those in third world Asian countries like Thailand and China. This is wrong. Slavery permeates every corner of the globe: it is in Canada, Australia, France, England, the United States. Six students, Vibhav Jagwani, Sean Yoo, Aditi Mahesh, Mila Escajadillo, Rohan Singh, and myself, as well as Vi Doduy, outreach coordinator from Blue Dragon, an NGO that works to eradicate human trafficking through education in Vietnam, shared statistics and stories to highlight how prevalent the problem is and how we can help. The following is my speech for the Peace Initiative slideshow about why slavery is still such a problem and what we can do about it:
most profitable business models in the world. Our purchases indirectly condone slave labour. For instance, we want our iPhones to be cheap, so companies like Apple outsource production to companies in China. One of these factories, Foxconn, has rampant human rights violations. Often mass suicides are committed in protest of the harsh conditions, like 65 cents an hour wages and smoky, soot-filled rooms averaging 90F. Why do these crimes against humanity exist? Because slavery is so profitable. Two centuries ago, in the American South, the average slave price was roughly equal to the average price of a house - $400 or approximately $11,000 in today's currency. According to the organization Free the Slaves, the cost of a slave today, in 2014 dollars, averages around $90 - far less than half the cost of your new iPhone depending on the work they are forced to carry out.
Greed, this is no supposition: we all have it. We all want more: that new game, those new shoes, that new dress, and we want it cheap. Even if that means the exploitation of another human being.
Two centuries ago, the average slave cost generated 1520% annual return on their exploiter’s investment. Today, the average slave generates over 900% return. This is the reason why slavery is still so rampant. Slavery makes money for the oppressors.
According to the International Labour Organisation, forced labour generates over $150 billion in profits annually, three times as much as Google, making slavery one of the
Siddharth Kara, a world expert on modern day slavery and human trafficking, stresses the need for an improvement of the education, health, and security sectors to
prevent the further abuse of people who are chewed up and spat out by the global economy. The sad part is that if modern day slavery remains profitable, it will continue to exist. Now more than ever, we as an international community need to stand up and make a change. According to Kara that means: “[We need to] punish offenders, empower victims, and alter the system of labour so that people can earn a living wage, because it’s the absence of [these things] that [perpetuate slavery].” Together, we can put a stop to modern day slavery. We need to inform ourselves of where our consumer goods come from and whether or not the supply chain has been tainted by a forced hand. When the greed is finally revealed, corporations will change. We need the entire world to know that people are not and should not be for sale. Slavery will continue to exist until it is no longer economically appealing. Together, we need to take a stand and walk hand in hand down the path to a freer tomorrow. For more information on how to get involved in helping to stop modern day slavery in our communities, please visit Blue Dragon (bluedragon.org), Stop the Traffik (stopthetraffik.org), or Free the Slaves (freetheslaves.net).
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CHEMUN By Rhea Jain
Rhea Jain is a sophomore at Singapore American School and an intern in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. She enjoys activities such as debate and MUN after school, and her favorite classes are math, science, and history.
Since it was the first time that SAS students were attending CHEMUN, we went in expecting a trip full of excitement and surprises. I think I can safely say that our expectations were met. The sound of dust, traffic, life, and energy welcomed us, as we landed in Chennai. This November, I, along with about 20 students went to CHEMUN VIII, an a model United Nations (MUN) conference in Chennai. This conference, being the “JV� of MUN, helped all of us grow in many of our abilities, and was a great stepping stone to someday soar to levels we had never reached before. The three-day conference consisted of one day of lobbying (meeting the other delegates, discussing solutions, and coming up with resolutions to the issues we were debating), followed by two days of debating those resolutions. The overall topic of the conference was minority rights - a topic applicable to all parts of the world and all parts of our lives. Being in the Special Conference Committee, we discussed issues such as contemporary slavery, and more specific issues regarding minorities in India and Sri Lanka. Debating with people from all over India and Asia representing countries from all over the world opened my eyes to the different perspectives of these pertinent issues.
This MUN trip, like all others, has changed me as a person. It has helped me in my speaking and research abilities, made me more aware of the world as a whole, allowed me to improve on my collaboration and leadership skills, and just helped me grow as a person. Our three chairs, Ashley Shin, Alexis Mountcastle, and Vibhav Jagwani, guided us through this, and grew as chairs as well. It was a trip where friendships were made, and both the conference and the overall experience of the trip made it one of the most memorable MUN experiences of my life.
Out of the 16 delegates that participated, 13 received awards either honorary mentions or best delegate awards. It was a highly successful conference, and I look forward to returning next year!
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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER
THE EYE, REVAMPED By Jeane Khang and Jenna Nichols Grade 11 Students
The number of views for The Eye, our online student newspaper, shot up from 351 views per day on November 3 to 1,884 views on November 4. In just two days, we reached 29 different countries. Our secret: a complete redesign. Five years ago, The Eye decided to adapt to the increasing dependence on technology by switching from a print newspaper to an online publication. But as time passed, the staff realized that simply publishing online would not be sufficient. The site needed to be interactive, easy to use, and visually appealing - features the original Eye website lacked. At the end of the 2013-14 school year, a revamped Eye website seemed to be a far-fetched goal. The staff had generated a list of possible new designs and ideas, but as the year came to an end, the ideas were pushed aside. However, as the new 2014-15 school year began, a new group of 32 students in the journalism class, as well as a new journalism teacher, Robin Worley, started fresh and ready to take action. Working as a team, we set out to establish a redesigned site. The first step of the process was purely research. The staff spent several weeks looking at other online news sites such as CNN, Vice, New York Times, and even BuzzFeed, to compile a list of website design features we liked. After everyone
created and submitted their list, our website manager and design editor, Emma Gammons, condensed the hundreds of features into one list that included only the most popular. This led to the next stage of the process - searching for the perfect template to provide a foundation for the site. The first template we found had everything we wanted: crisp lines with a clean, modern look, a very image heavy front page, a layout that was busy but not too cluttered, and a large carousel for top stories. The staff took a vote against two other possible templates and came to a unanimous decision. Unfortunately, the template crashed our site, and it was once again back to the drawing board. A month of problem solving and headaches followed, as we transitioned our old content to the new site, resolved tech glitches and customized our site to meet our needs. “There were hundreds of little details that you don’t think about until they become a problem,” Worley said. She spent several weekends overcoming the technical glitches that arose from the transfer to a new website and hosting company. However, even after the new template was uploaded, there were still more setbacks. Staff members needed to update their profiles, reupload their stories, fix broken photo
links, all while simultaneously working on their current stories. “Though a lot of hard work went into creating it, it was all worth it to see it published,” Gammons said. This new site is like my newborn baby, I want to show it off to everyone I meet!” It was hard work, but the anticipation and excitement helped us pummel through the stress. Because of this tenacity, we were able to focus on increasing our use of social media. According to the Pew Research Center, 30 percent of adults in the United States get their news on Facebook. This percentage is even higher for the SAS community, and so, establishing a social media team for The Eye was imperative. On Halloween night, exactly 60 days after beginning the process, the revamped SAS Eye went live. Video Editor Chris Khoo created a promo video which we shared on the following Monday’s Morning Show. That’s when we started to get real traffic. “Seeing the site up for the first time was so new, fresh, and exciting,” Photo Editor Sid Iyer-Sequeira said. “This is a great first step for our newspaper, because it’s revolutionary for The Eye as well as news at SAS. I’m really proud of this new direction we are taking - it represents us as a class and as a community.”
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The Eye has expanded on all levels. Now our stories cover more than just SAS news. Staff members have covered the Hong Kong protests, the impact of Ebola on Interim Semester, potential video game scholarships, haze in Singapore, and even ISIS. SAS Eye journalists are now going out of their way to take global news and make it relevant to the student population.
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Libraries must choose evolution or extinction Freshmen and sophomores cluster around tables on the first floor, chattering away with a volume that rivals the high school cafeteria. Dozens more are camping out in the sheltered aisles of nonfiction.
As co-editors-in-chief, we couldn’t be more proud of the team. Seeing the old site transform to the new layout is something we have been looking forward to since we were sophomore reporters for The Eye last year. We eagerly await even more good news for The Eye, as this is just the beginning of our story.
GS25: A Change of Perspective – North Korea Interim sign-ups are closed for this year, but it’s never too early to start planning for next year. Here’s one possibility: a seven-day global studies course with an integrated service component.
For these stories and more, visit The Eye at http://saseye.com
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RETURN TO
THE FORBIDDEN PLANET
What do you get when you mix Shakespeare with rock and roll? The musical comedy Return to the Forbidden Planet! Singapore American School students took on the production and shared their gifts and talents with a packed theater each evening on October 9, 10, and 11. Below, students share what it was like and more importantly, what they learned - by being a part of the show.
By Thomas Schulz High School Theater Teacher
“This was a show like no other that I've ever been in...and I've been in a lot of shows during my 16 years of life. We were not a cast in the sense that we were actors working together, but I feel that we were truly the crew operating in tandem to power the space ship. It was magnificent working in this ensemble surrounded by people who breathed life into the story, even if they did not have any lines. Whenever I entered the stage it really felt like I was stepping onto a bona fide spacecraft. I will never forget the unity that we all shared together in that auditorium.”
Return to the Forbidden Planet was such an amazing experience. I can’t believe it all ended so quickly. “
Zelda Kimble – Dancer, Grade 11
I grew as an ensemble member in terms of creating a character, reacting to the story, and being involved onstage. I formed better relationships with the other cast members than I have in many of the other plays I've been in.
“I have definitely grown as a performer from my experience in Return to the Forbidden Planet. From the audition process through to the actual performance, I was expected to do things and push many of my personal boundaries. I was exploring way out of my comfort zone, for example with the St. Vitus dance. It was very hard at first. After getting used to it, I felt a lot less awkward and out of place; I was surprised at how much more easily it came to me, and how much more comfortable I was. I’ve never been part of show that was anything like this one; it was like being in a completely different world. Five years from now, I will definitely remember the feeling of being up on stage, amidst all of the smoke and flashing lights; just being completely immersed into that other world.
always so high on energy and so thrilled to have people at last see what we'd poured so much sweat, blood, and time into.
Athena Zecha – Dancer, Grade 12 “For me the best part of the process was being able to work hard. It's all I've ever wanted to do in theater, and with this show I was given the chance. I got to throw myself into the show and give all of my energy and effort. It was amazing to be a part of a piece that meant so much to me because of the huge amount of work put into it.
I loved the collectiveness we formed as an ensemble. We would start forming little rituals with each other because we were so in tune with each other and with the story. “Gloria” was our hardest number, and when it came close to the time to go on for the song, we would commence "pre-Gloria stretching," which was our way of getting each other pumped up for the number. At one point Jane and I would make faces at the actors onstage trying to get them to laugh. I loved the euphoria of the curtain call every night and the excitement of meeting friends afterward. I was
In 20 years I'll still remember the high quality of the show. The tech department utterly outdid themselves with the lights and set design. I was blown away. For a high school production, you just don't get that level of technical advancement combined with good performers and insightful directing. It's not something you'll see just anywhere. I am convinced that our theater department is very unique because of it.” Samantha Daynes – Chorus, Grade 12 “Return to the Forbidden Planet was such an adventure. Not only was it a great ride, but it also taught some great lessons. Not until being part of this production had I ever truly realized how important the chorus is. I was honored to get casted as a rockette, and while I wasn't technically part of the chorus, the dancers did do much of what the chorus did. Whether it was whispering to one another about a fight that was about to go down, or dramatically gasping when we found out who Gloria really was, it was a blast. "Gloria" was easily the most fun number to perform, and I'd imagine for the audience to watch. It was so great getting to interact with the
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audience and freak them out. Since the whole story was quite fluffy, it was exciting to switch things up a bit. I know everyone had a blast with that number, even if we were all barely able to breathe by the end of it.” Fiona Galey – Dancer, Grade 12 “The most significant thing in this show and what I'll remember about it is the way the cast and the crew connected. I feel like we're usually separated by the proscenium arch, or the legs on the wings, but during the performances and the cast party, the vibe was so great, the energy so positive, and I walked away with such strong bonds, that I won't forget Return to the Forbidden Planet.” Juan Granados Borreguero – Tech, Grade 12 “I learned that even if you're not good at something (acting and dancing for me), as long as you're willing to try, and are open to suggestions, you can improve greatly. And hey, you may even get a lead role.” Noah Thomas - Captain Tempest, Grade 12 “The entire rehearsal process, for me at least, is the fun of the show. Of course, performing it is the 'point' and is also exciting and bringing stories to people's attention is great, but the togetherness of the cast during the months before the show is what makes the show great and
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is always what I remember most. I remember freshmen becoming friends with seniors, and dancers with singers, students with directors, leads with ensemble members. I remember the frustrated, exhausted looks from those on stage when someone forgot that same line again, throwing off the entire build from that scene. I remember the sea of smiles and sighs of relief from finally getting that transition perfect after about a thousand runs. From the first rehearsal where you only sat by the people whom you shared nervousness with during auditions, to the second before the queue that the show has started on your last show - I remember the backstage giggles and the mic checks and the vocal warm-ups that made this show so enjoyable. For it is the chemistry between all those on stage that make the story so memorable and believable, and without the backstage bonding, there would not be such chemistry. I remember it all now, and I'll carry it all with me in five years, five years after that, and beyond.” Amelia Rasekhy – Gloria, Grade 11 “At the beginning of the process, when hardly anyone in the crew knew the plot of the musical, I felt lost. It felt like we worked on different sections of the show with no real order. Later on, however, as we began to connect the dots, I understood further the way the musical was supposed to go,
and also understood further my responsibility of representing my character, Cookie. Being new to the acting scene, I realized a few things about drama. As actors, our duty is not to ask the director about every single thing we have to do, but understanding what sort of person our character is, and representing that character ourselves through the actions that we exaggerate on stage. Being an actor is also always fully understanding our character's interactions with friends, acquaintances, enemies, and strangers. Acting is not just memorizing lines; it is so much more than that. I can certainly give more credit to actors and actresses from now on, for I myself, through this one show, experienced the type of work they have to commit to.” Jose Gabriel Dimayacyac – Cookie, Grade 12 The most amazing thing about Return to the Forbidden Planet was how, miraculously, there came a turning point where all three elements of the show - dance, drama, music - combined successfully and created a piece that everybody involved felt proud of. Working with the whole cast, including people I knew and people I didn't, was something I'll remember for a long time; pre-stage nerves aren't half as bad when they're divided between forty passionate people.” Fleur Oostwal – Miranda, Grade 12
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ROBOTICS
SCIENCE
By Bart Millar and Meredith White High School Robotics Coaches
Do you remember the scene from the Apollo 13 movie when the astronauts dumped all spare parts on the table? They knew their lives depended on making a connector and air filter from what they had and nothing else. Our Robotics Science competitions are a lot like that. Students receive a ‘kit of parts’ from the central office of the worldwide competition - just like several thousand other teams worldwide. But it is not a kit in the sense you might think - a model car or airplane with assembly directions. No, the kits are more or less a random jumble of motors, wires, metal frames, wheels, tracks, sensors, wireless receivers, and so on, numbering in the thousands of parts. No hints, pointers, ideas, or instructions are provided. They must rely on their own skill and creativity to create a working robot.
At the same time as the kit is received, a challenge is announced worldwide. All teams have 45 days to complete their robot and ready it for shipping to the competition. Shipping crates are received and sealed at the deadline, so no team accidentally works past the target date. Failure to meet the deadline means disqualification. Late work is not accepted!
Not at all. Our class is about evenly split between boys and girls, ages ranging from grades 9 to 12, and have experience levels from zero to expert. But they do share some very important traits - innovation, perseverance, self-directed learning, and an incredible work ethic. They experience the intersection of science and applied technology: engineering.
Our Singapore American School Robotics Science teams compete in these types of events in Taipei, Sydney, and Hong Kong every year. The Hong Kong event involves submersible robots that simulate real-world underwater engineering tasks.
For this complex undertaking, no one person or skill set is enough to get the job done. Meredith White taught STEM problem-based learning classes and computer networking in the 1990s. Bart Millar has been coaching robotics since 2006, and grew up working on old Fords. Together, they provide the complementary skill sets necessary to lead the class.
Who signs up for this class? Are they all brainiac guys who have spent their lives immersed in computers and programming?
The class relies on students who take control of their learning, after some direct instruction from the teachers in
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areas as diverse as Autodesk Inventor Pro CAD (Autodesk is one of our team sponsors), EXCEL spreadsheets for mathematical modeling, and concurrent engineering techniques (courtesy of Peter Thomas, an SAS parent and engineer from Pratt & Whitney, who is also a sponsor). After using design thinking techniques to arrive at a tentative plan, student plans are reviewed by a Form, Fit, and Function panel consisting of working mechanical and computer science engineers from companies such as Pratt & Whitney, Global Foundries, SilkAir, and 3M. Only then does building start. Failure is frequent, as systems undergo testing and must be rebuilt after encountering the real world. Don Gi Min, 2014 SAS graduate and current Georgia Tech student, told younger team members last year, “Every failure is a step closer towards success.� Students are working in
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an atmosphere that is adventurous, often represents unmapped territory, and embraces failure as a possibility. As they are capable, they know that each failure is indeed just another step on the way to success. Students demonstrate a great deal of growth during the class, and leadership emerges as challenges are met. Graduates are already bringing back stories from their universities about offers they have received because of their Robotics Science background. Bharath Srivatsan (SAS Class of 2014) is a new member of the Autonomous Automobile club at Princeton, and Don Gi Min at Georgia Tech was offered an internship at Texas Instruments on his second day of school. The class is not just about the machines. Both during the class and at competitions, Robotics Science teams are assessed through a mandatory combination of technical
paper writing, digital technical posters, engineering interviews that assess presentation skills, and finally, how the robot itself performs in the competition. The Robotics Science engineering standards and desired student learning outcomes are taken directly from the real world. The Robotics Science course is a realworld application of design thinking that leads to great opportunities.
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PAYING IT FORWARD AT THE TOY BUFFET By Serena Sung-Clarke Grade 12 Student
The large, multi-purpose room had been converted into a carnival. Music played over the loudspeaker. Booths covered the walls, adorned with gold and purple balloons, tinsel, and streamers. Children chattered and ran about with brightly colored tickets that could be hole-punched in return for any of the toys wrapped up in the booths. These kids were registered with Food from the Heart, a Singapore-based NGO. This Toy Buffet event allowed children in the Food from the Heart program to select two toys, which had been donated by schools and companies. In preparation for the Toy Buffet, SAS’s high school chapter of Food from the Heart worked with our second graders. Donation boxes in the division offices collected a few toys, but the second graders, through their Toys for Treats campaign, collected an enormous amount of toys. The high school students then wrapped up the toys and handed them out on November 7 at Punggol Primary School, where the Toy Buffet was held. Stephanie Ellsworth, the president of the SAS chapter of Food from the Heart, recounted one child who
showed up to the Toy Buffet: “This one boy came in, saw the booths with all the toys, and started running all around the room, yelling, ‘This is the best day of my life!” The toys ranged from teddy bears to board games to plastic dinosaurs, but they were all received with wide grins and graciousness. Even after they had finished selecting their own two toys, many children continued walking around helping their friends and siblings select toys. Besides being involved in this annual event, the SAS high school Food from the Heart chapter goes twice a month to the Food from the Heart warehouse to pack essential food items, such as rice, canned goods, and cooking oil, that will later be distributed to Singapore’s lowincome families. Next semester, they will be involved with the Birthdays from the Heart program, which throws small celebrations for kids, many of whom have two working parents who can’t afford time or money for a birthday party. To some living in Singapore, the idea that poverty exists here comes as a surprise. After all, Singapore is a wealthy country and we rarely see the symptoms of poverty as we would in many other cities of the world. Just because we don’t see it, however, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Throughout working with Food from the Heart for the past few years, I see what we do as a way not only to give back to the community in which we live, but to pay it forward.
12 years ago, Food from the Heart was founded here in Singapore by two expats: Henry and Christine Laimer. It started as a small organization that collected and distributed food donations to low-income families and welfare homes. Though it still delivers food packages and serves over 4,000 beneficiaries, the NGO has grown quickly and now includes more programs. One of these involves volunteers collecting unsold bread from bakeries around the island and allocating it to over 150 selected residences. In its other programs, the organization also collects toys and throws birthday parties for the children in these programs. You can find out more at: http://www.foodheart.org
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SOar
Don't Just leap. soar.
Colton West chose Singapore American School as his stage. Arriving as an already accomplished dancer, the school's dance program offered him an opportunity to do more than tendu, pirouette, and tours en l’air. At SAS, students like West – who last year won the superior boys category in the International Competition du Grasse – learn how to choreograph, fundraise, problem solve, collaborate, and mentor young dancers – all the skills needed to lead a show and soar. Mentor Opportunities
The dance program gives high school dancers an opportunity to serve as mentors and instructors to students in preschool through grade eight. Currently, the high schoolers are teaching younger students dances for The Nutcracker.
Behind the Scenes
Theater techs, makeup artists, and ushers. With a variety of courses and after school clubs, there’s a place for every student in our performing arts program – both on stage and behind the scenes.
apply now for 2015-16 at www.sas.eDu.sg/aDmissions Singapore American School CPE Registration Number: 196400340R Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
singapore american school
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High school
IN
ART EXHIBITION 2014
65 The artwork of the following Singapore American School students were featured at the IN Art Exhibition at the Australian High Commission from November 14 to December 11:
HGH school
Hayley Sparrow Xiang Li Ye Jin Jeon Bianca Antonio Clemence Morin Avantika Khanna Michelle Lu
Anna Sorokina Bea Basilio Sofia Syjuco Jessica Allen Isla Myles Sophia Houghton Naomi Stock
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BOOSTER club
A NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY
By Lan Fisher Booster Club President
All was not quiet in the Khoo Teck Puat Library on Saturday night, November 15 where Booster Club hosted its 4th Annual Trivia Night. Instead, the area was filled with plenty of laughs, cheers, and high fives throughout the lively night. More than 85 parents, faculty, and administration gathered for a casual evening of fun, food, drinks, and friendly competition. The event began with a Mexican buffet followed by a scrumptious dessert bar that was a feast for the eyes laden with exotic delicacies. Homemade by our generous Booster volunteers, the dessert bar richly showcased the international community at SAS. Shortly after dinner, the games commenced as SAS’s very own high school social studies teacher, Michael Harvey, reigned as the master of ceremonies. It is therefore no coincidence that Mr. Harvey is also the sponsor of the SAS High School Academic Quiz Club, which he established three years ago. Since then, the club has grown and has won numerous tournaments in the region as well as in the United Sates. As of
this writing the Quiz Club is currently ranked as the 27th best team in the US. As for the trivia format, there were six rounds of categories and each round consisted of ten questions. Working her magic, Patsy Patrick - PowerPoint master - involved the audience with an interactive audio and visual component that set the stage for spontaneous outbursts of sing-alongs and group dancing. Each team worked together navigating through questions in pursuit of the trivia championship title. Lucky draws, fun school spirit giveaways, and raffle prizes added entertainment throughout the evening. At the end of the sixth round, prizes were awarded to the top three teams. All in all, it was a fantastic funfilled evening for all who attended. Booster would like to warmly thank all of our wonderful sponsors for their generous donations. A very special thank you goes out to our Social Fundraising co-chairs, Sonia Kureishi and Huma Vaqar, who
worked incredibly hard over the last few months and did an amazing job organizing this big event. Planning involved soliciting donations, organizing the raffles, arranging food, coordinating with facilities and the MC. And last but not least, Booster Club would also like to thank SAS facilities crew, Mr. Tan and his team from Hoe Brothers Catering for their tireless work; thier efforts and commitment to the community are greatly appreciated. As a parent-led organization, the Booster Club mission is to promote parent and community involvement in support of extracurricular activities and programs for our high school students. What makes this fundraiser different from our other events is not only does it help raise money to achieve our goals but it also brings all aspects of our school community together in a fun and informal setting. Thank you to the SAS community and friends of SAS for coming out to support the Booster Club. We hope to see you again next year!
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HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB
I joined the Booster Club not for my kids, but for myself. After playing chauffeur for the kids for years, suddenly they did not need me to give them rides. They were old enough to take the MRT, bus, or – funds permitting – a cab. Instead of going out for dinner with me on a Friday night, they wanted to meet their friends on Orchard or go 'Lanning.' The movies I waited to see with them, they had already seen. There were no more requests for help with field trips or ice cream socials or holiday parties from the school either. I never thought I would say this but, quite frankly… I missed it. So I decided to join the Booster Club. I put my name down to be a substitute for a shift at the Booster Booth. The wait list made me think it would take forever to get a permanent slot but within a few months I was offered a regular shift. From my front row seat at the booth I have seen several batches of eighth graders come for a tour of the high school. They seem a little unsure, a bit scared of high school, and a whole lot excited about Subway sandwiches. Within a few months of starting ninth grade these same kids are old hands at all things high school like the seniors occupy the upper level while the freshmen stay on the lower level of the “caf.” They know that it’s good to buy food during free period to avoid the long lines at lunch. They figure out quickly that if they’re in a rush, they can grab a Cliff Bar or Snyder’s from the Booster Booth. If they want a calculator or batteries for their calculator, they know they can find it at the booth. When their buddies participate in sports, and they want to show support by making posters, the booth is the place to buy supplies: poster boards, pens, mechanical and color pencils.
BOOSTER club
By Garima Lalwani Booster Club Parliamentarian
Volunteering with the Boosters is more than just working a shift at the booth. Booster parent-volunteers organize opportunities to socialize with other parents at events like Trivia Night, Booster luncheons, and home tours. It is the Booster volunteers who are willing to grill hundreds of burgers and hot dogs to cheer on our kids before major sports tournaments and cultural convention events. During exams, Booster parents are out in full force popping popcorn that is handed out free to every SAS high schooler. At every dance, drama, and music performance, Booster volunteers host beautiful receptions with drinks, food, and flowers. It is the Booster parents who design, source, and sell SAS spirit items - be it at special events on campus, off campus, or every day at the Booth. They work hard to bring the best materials, manufacturing, and pricing for the school uniforms: a herculean task. Where does all the money they raise from social fundraising events, uniform sales, and spirit item sales go? It goes to support the sport teams and drama groups, dance troops, and art banners, team bags, and t-shirts, clubs that need startup money like Robotics or Quiz Club, Interim scholarships, and senior scholarships, honor recognition lunch for high school students, and senior lunch for graduating class. Did I mention the free popcorn? The Booster Club is constantly evolving. The booth has been expanded. New shelves and bins have been added. Booth merchandise has gone from only stationary and spirit items like sweatshirts, blankets, hats, and seat cushions to full-fledged uniforms. The convenience of online shopping has been added. One thing that has stayed the same through all the change is the quality of volunteers, their dedication to the kids, and their desire to serve the SAS community. I want to encourage you to try volunteering for one of our events. If you are a parent who can only help sometimes, join our BBQ team or help with special events like the open
house (one of my husband's favorite jobs each year). My advice? If you are on the fence and holding back because your kids have said they don't want you hanging around school, join the Boosters. Before you know it, your kids will be coming by to see if they can borrow money for Baja Fresh or asking you to bring the notebook they left at home when you come for your Booster shift or requesting that you front them a burger during a “BBQ sesh." If you are not sure that Booster volunteering is for you, buy a ticket and join us for one of the events: Social Fundraiser lunch on January 30, Booster Bingo Night on March 15, or Home Tour on May 8. As a Booster volunteer I have helped with BBQs (in spite of being a vegetarian), sold spirit items at events, cooked for and served lunch to scholar's list students, and organized bake sales as Bake Sale chair. I was Booster secretary for two years and am parliamentarian this year. For 13 years I have walked onto the SAS campus feeling that SAS is as much my school as it is my kids’. With one child having graduated from SAS in 2013 and another ready to graduate in 2015, I am sure I will miss the school. But the memories and friendships I have made here, I will take with me for the rest of my life. Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!
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PTA
By Monique Hirsch PTA Vice President As I write the PTA column for Crossroads, the spirit of the holidays is displayed around Singapore. Lights are strung on Orchard Road, Christmas trees are decorated in stores, and I even saw a motor scooter with reindeer ears! I’m ready to jump start the holiday season, put up the Christmas tree, and start gift giving. It’s my favorite time of year and wish it could last longer than the month of December. Luckily, the PTA’s spirit of giving lasts all year long and doesn’t end in December. In May, the PTA donated over $235,000 for fund spending for the 2014-15 school year. Fund spending sponsors the artists and authors in residence program campus wide, Pumpkin Patch, displays for student artwork, and many other important parts of our school community. This donation was a direct result of your continued support of PTA events such as Food Fest, County Fair, and Book Fair. Did you know that the PTA awarded $19,150 to five SAS high school students in October for Interim scholarships? That’s five students who may not have taken an Interim trip this year. In May, the PTA gives $30,000 for senior scholarships. These scholarships benefit six amazing high school seniors.
In the spirit of giving, many PTA volunteers play priceless roles and give countless hours of their time to organize fun events for the school community. The PTA greatly thanks Jodie Stone, chairperson of Food Fest and her team of tireless volunteers for a terrific International Food Fest. The event offers delicious food from all over the world served by parent volunteers from 14 country booths and 44 student service clubs. A big thank you to Heather Hoffman and Carrie Gammons, the high school PTA representatives, for organizing the student service clubs during Food Fest. The PTA warmly thanks Monika Clark for organizing a fun and festive Pumpkin Patch for our youngest elementary students. Thank you to Lauren Krepsik, Book Fair chairperson, and her team for another successful Book Fair. As you can see, the spirit of giving is abundant within our community. Our community is a proud example of Winston Churchill's advice: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Thank you for all that you give to the SAS community and help to the PTA be successful! Happy Holidays
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Many Thanks, Volunteers ! Food Fest was a fantastic day this year because of the hard work and effort of many people. Country Booth Coordinators asked fellow parents to prepare for thousands, and coordinate the decoration and operation of the beautiful country booths. High School Students spent their free time operating booths, helping run audio visual equipment, and managing many other tasks essential to the success of Food Fest. Committee Members organized teams of volunteers to sell coupons, buy food and supplies, obtain sponsors, create theme baskets, organize vendors, coordinate entertainment, put together copy and graphic design or publicity and much, much more! Many thanks to these people and their committees. Regards, Jodie Stone, Food Fest Chair 2014
THE SAS PTA WARMLY THANKS OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS: *Prep
Zone *American Club *Swiss Butchery *Espresso Essential *Yeap Transport (SAS School Bus Co.)
*Asian Tigers Mobility *The Providore *Dunkin’ Donuts *Subway *Outback Steakhouse *Room Service *Partyworkz *Baja Fresh *MVO Marketing *SAS Eagles Booster Club *Hoe Brothers Catering *Ms. Hellgeth’s 1st Grade Class
COUNTRY BOOTH COORDINATORS
Australia/New Zealand– Dimitie Kendall, Bangladesh– Shaila Ahmed, Canada- Nicki Aleong , China– Doris Yang, India– Tejal Pandya, Vaishali Shah, Indonesia– Elina Ciptadi, Nancy Menayang, Cynthia Risjad, Japan– Michiko Kanomata, Tomoko Welker, Korea– Amy Kyoung, Latin America– Isabel Urrutia, Pakistan– Huma Lodhi Palestine- Dina Fuller, Isreal– Hamutal Bar, Jordan– Rana Karadsheh, Philippines– Ellen Dacaret, Thailand- Sommart Maloney, Ruethaichanok Scott,Da Wilai USA-Jennifer Long, Cindy Kamphaus
Food Fest Committee
Devy Farial, Vinika Rao, Heather Hoffmann, Carrie Gammons, Kim Studenka, Christine Miyasaki, Jodi Jonis & Jodie Stone
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Community
THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW By Glenn Jones Grade 10 Student and Eagle Scout
In order to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, a scout must plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community.
BEFORE
The project must benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting. A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, and the council or district before you start. In May 2014, Eagle Scout Leland “Glenn” Jones from Boy scout Troop 07, collaborated with HEB-Ashram and carried out an Eagle Scout community service project as a part of his journey to Eagle Scout. Glenn, 15, and his team earned funds for the cost of the materials and worked tirelessly over two weekends to construct a concrete pathway from Ashram’s car parking lots, a wheelchair friendly concrete ramp and wrapped the project up with a beautification project making a wooden plant stage at the side of the ramp. Ashram’s management and residents extend their sincere appreciation to Glenn and his team for choosing the HEB-Ashram to be his beneficiary.
Durng
After
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Community
SACAC SPORTS:
DEVELOPING PLAYERS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH BASEBALL By Andrew Loh SACAC Assistant Sports Director
Established in 1974, SACAC Sports is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the local and expatriate community by providing extensive and varied sports programs to athletes of all skill levels. One such program is SACAC Baseball, which offers three pillars of baseball for ages ranging from five to18 years old: Recreational League, SACAC Baseball Academy, and Tournament teams (who compete within Singapore and internationally). Not only does SACAC provide various services and programs for its members, it also extends its programs to include community outreach. Over the summer, SACAC reached out and supported a program in Muntinlupa, Philippines, whose mission is to promote baseball in less fortunate communities. This mission was in collaboration with Alabang Baseball and Softball Club (ABSC). The ABSC was established in 2002 by a group of families living in Alabang and the greater Muntinlupa area who share a passion for baseball and softball. Under the supervision of the Junior Baseball and Softball Foundation of the Philippines (JBSFB), ABSC has provided the Alabang and Muntinlupa communities with a youth baseball and softball program that is educational, safe, fun, and competitive for children ages five to 18 years.
Through the help of former MLB International Coach Envoy and SACAC Baseball Head Coach Oscar Marcelino, SACAC donated assorted baseball equipment and uniforms to be used for the Grassroots Program of Muntinlupa City. Among the barangays (sub districts) that will benefit from the program are Alabang, Poblacion, Sucat, and Tunasan. With this overflowing support seen from international organizations such as SACAC, as well as other local organizations, the founding groups of the Grassroots Program are looking forward to making the most out of their players and extending the program to other barangays in the future.
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SACAC VS THE AMERICAN CLUB TENNIS FRIENDLY By James Roberton Grade 9 Student
Last spring, I participated in a friendly tournament that was hosted by the American Club and SACAC. This event was put together with the help of the American Club Tennis Committee and the SACAC Tennis Council. The friendly took place at the American Club. Before this event, I had never had the chance to play in what one would call a friendly tournament. There was the usual gentle persuasion to take part from the parents and coaches, but I was not looking forward to the tournament. In the other tournaments that I’ve taken part in, there has always been a lot of stress and pressure to win, so I had mixed feelings about playing in this event. This tournament was different. There was more of a focus on having fun, rather than winning. It was a round-robin type tournament, but no one seemed to be keeping the scores. Consequently, the players felt more relaxed, and you could often hear friendly chatter from the opposing sides. There was the usual on-court bickering, but no big tantrums. The event incorporated themes of a competition, with a friendly, social atmosphere. About 30 players from both teams competed in the tournament, but many of the players knew each other from school or tennis training. This aspect
of the tournament created a fun environment, which was relatively stress free. The gallery was full of friends and family, and it had more of a party atmosphere than usual. Sports drinks, burgers, fruits, and snacks were provided. This type of tournament really helps boost player enthusiasm for more competitive play, and it’s also a chance to get to know new players. I played with the players that I usually train with, but also with people from the SACAC group, some of whom I wasn’t so familiar with. I have canvassed some of my friends’ views, and we all shared similar attitudes, basically that the event was fun, and they would all do it again. Opinions from both teams were similar. “This friendly tennis social was one of the best organized events,” Elysia Chang from SACAC's Junior Team said. “It had great players, yummy food, and was lots of fun!” I would recommend this tournament to all ages and skill levels, because of the fun atmosphere. You also get to play with people of similar, and different skill levels. I am definitely looking forward to the next tournament, and everyone else that participated, or wants to participate should feel the same.
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Community
SACAC FOOTBALL By Jason Batt SACAC Sports Director
Cheers to 40 years of the only American Football League in Singapore! The Singapore American Football League (SAFL) and Singapore American Community Action Council (SACAC) would like to say thank you to all for a great 2014 season. Along with celebrating the 40th anniversary the SAFL made large strides in the growth and development of football in Singapore. This year marked the return of the flag-football program, which was coached by a very a dedicated group of high school student volunteers. The program combined fun with fundamentals and
left all participants eager for the start of another season. The cheerleading program also attracted many particiapants and was even able a to form a high school sqaud, which has not been done in over ten years. A group of these cheerleaders even travelled to Okinawa, Japan, to show their support of the football team. With flag-football being the foundation of this league and cheer as the pride and spirit, we are very excited to have these two programs back in action. Since 1974, the SAFL and SACAC have been fortunate enough to
offer this great game to the youth in Singapore, but could not have done so without the help of its community. The volunteerism and support from everyone has been the real reason for the success of the league. We must say thank you to all our volunteers: referees, booth support, field operations, team moms, water boys and girls, and all the other fans who help support! A special thank you goes out to all the coaches for their time and efforts day in and day out, rain or shine, lightning delay or crowded field space. Thank you for your huge commitment and dedication to coach these young men and women to become better athletes and better people overall.
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GETTING KIDS BACK INTO NATURE By Ian Coppell High School Social Studies Teacher
Every two weeks my daughter, along with a group of friends, bash their way through the jungle and other remote parts of Singapore as members of Singapore’s Hash House Horrors, a fun, non-competitive running club. Based upon the adult Hash House Harriers, it is basically a paper chase as kids 12 and under follow a trail laid by hares through Singapore’s well and lesser known green spaces. False trails are laid, there are choices of short and long runs, and running isn’t even compulsory… the older runners race through the trails, while families with younger children will enjoy the scenery at a more leisurely pace. The trails are laid with flour, chalk, or toilet paper, and are cleared away afterwards by the hares. In an age when children spend a lot of time facing a screen, this is a chance for them to explore rural areas, battle through the jungle, wade through streams, and climb over obstacles. Recent runs have taken place near Dairy Farm, Labrador Park, East Coast Park,
Mount Faber, and Venus Drive. The group meets on alternate Sundays at 4:15 p.m. at a publicized location, with the run starting at 4:30 p.m. after the hares have explained the length of run, and the potential challenges the runners will face. The runs can range from 3km to 7km, and are expected to last between 45 and 60 minutes. After the run the kids will have something to eat, cooked by SAS’s own Mr. Hoe, followed by a refreshing and well-deserved ice cream. They then form a circle to sing some songs, discuss the run, and give out some fun awards. If time allows a game may be played, such as tug-of-war. The club has been in existence for more than thirty years, and has completed almost 800 runs. Middle school teacher Vicki Rogers ran with the club as a child. She says: "My siblings and I have fond memories of trekking (sometime bush whacking!) through the hidden corners of Singapore. We were part of the first cohort of kids who
completed their 100th run and still remember the party that Mr. Hoe and his crew threw for us after our run that evening. 'On! On!' will forever be a familiar chant in our home. Very soon we'll be inducting our five year old son Kasey into the family of Hash House Harriers and be shouting, 'On! On!' once again." "Hashing is a great antidote to a sterile Singapore and overprotected 21st century childhoods," says high school teacher Erik Torjesen whose daughters have run the hash for the past six years, “the kids get muddy and dirty, and explore corners of this island that most never see." Several SAS families already take part in the Hash, along with kids from many other international schools in Singapore. For further information about the Hash House Horrors, visit their website: http:// hashhousehorrors.com/ or contact Ian Coppell, a high school teacher at SAS and member of the Hash Committee, at hhhorrors@gmail.com.
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SACAC Counselling offers a wide variety of resources including: counselling and psychological support for individuals, children, adolescents and adults; couples and families; workshops; adoption services - adoption home studies and adoption support group; psycho-educational assessment; career assistance & guidance; a comprehensive mental health library and community liaison groups. SACAC Counselling’s main focus is to help people gain a better perspective on life’s problems and identify alternative solutions. SACAC Counsellors have a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds. Our team includes Clinical Psychologists, Social Workers, Counsellors, and Marriage and Family Therapists. SACAC Counselling’s high standard of professionalism has been a trusted resource in Singapore for nearly
Areas in which counselling is offered include: Low Mood/Depression Anxiety Reduction Relationship/Marital Concerns Parent/Child Relationships School/Academic Problems Stress Management Anger Management Adoption/Home Studies
Cultural Adjustment Children/Adolescents Issues Divorce/Separation Grief/Loss Substance Issues Trauma Eating Disorders Conflict Resolution
40 years.
For Appointments please call 6733-9249 10 Claymore Hill, Singapore 229573 Tel +65 6733 9249 Fax +65 6733 9321 Email admin@sacac.sg Web
www.sacac.sg
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NOTABLE MENTIONS By Kristina Doss Communications Specialist
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SAS STUDENT LAUNCHES TRANSLATION BUSINESS TO HELP PARENTS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Linda Sun, a senior at Singapore American School, is one of 45 students who took the senior project course this school year. Also known as capstone, the course provides students the opportunity to choose any project that they are passionate about and work on it for a semester or longer. Sun decided to start a business that provides translation services from English to Chinese and Korean for parents of international students in Asia. Below, Sun – who recently presented her project to the SAS community – reveals the inspiration behind her company and the journey to launch it. Q: Hi Linda, could you tell me a little bit about the business that you are starting? A: With a group of nine others from Singapore American School and the Overseas Family School we’re starting a social company. This social company focuses on promoting, or enhancing, education, especially for parents of international school students
all around Asia. We have two services: our first service is translation of e-newsletters or other school documents from English to either Chinese or Korean. What they would do is they would send to translate@ lckconsultingsg.com (LCK Consulting is our company name). They’ll send us the e-document, and then we will reply within two days with a fully translated version into the language that they want. That’s our first service. Our second service is American education workshops; we hold them biannually in China and every month in Singapore, and we talk about the different components of the American education system, focusing specifically on opportunities provided from SAS, so in a way we’re also promoting SAS to other people. Our components are: transcript and GPA, standardized testing, extracurriculars and the importance of them, as well as the college application process and specific colleges. Q: What was your inspiration for this? How did you get the idea, and why is this something you are passionate about? A: I’ve always been passionate about community service, as
well as business, and specifically, entrepreneurship. I went on a really business enhancing summer camp over this summer. It was held at the Wharton School, and there I really learned how to draft a business plan, what to do, how to start a business, etc. I’ve always had two really firm beliefs: one is that education is invaluable, and that every person should be able to get the most out of their education. I join a lot of education-service clubs, so that belief has really grown over the years. The second is that business can truly have an impact on the world, and I guess I just wanted to prove to myself and the world that it is possible for businesses to be beneficial, and to combine service and business together. Q: I know you’ve just started this, but so far what do you think is the main thing that you’ve learned from this? A: Probably the importance of teamwork, because I’m Chinese, and I speak Chinese fluently, but I can’t speak Korean, for example, and we have some Korean clients, and that’s when I really need other of my employees to help, and I just really think that it’s from this as well as my other extra curriculars throughout the years,
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2 I’ve learned that it’s honestly impossible to do something really well without the support, encouragement, and help of those around you. So definitely, teamwork is the most important, and with teamwork obviously comes communication, because in order for teamwork to work well, you need to be able to communicate fluently with other people, and also leadership. Sometimes, leadership can be me saying, “This is what you have to do,” and other times it can be just maybe an employee saying something like, “Linda, I don’t think that’s right, this is another, better way,” and just that employee completely shooting me down, and pointing out a flaw that I so evidently didn’t see.
explain. It’s just something that I really kind of always wanted to do, and combining two things that I’ve always been really passionate and really loved doing. Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add about your project as a whole? A: Well, maybe I can clarify what a social company is. So, a social company is, well, there are two main goals of a social business, one is, obviously, like all businesses, to earn a profit, and number two is to enhance a social cause within the community, and in this case my social cause would be education. Thank you!
Q: What else do you hope to get out of this personally? How do you hope this will help you grow as a person? A: I hope it will make me a better entrepreneur, a better social entrepreneur specifically, because I don’t this to be just a project, or a capstone project, and not continue it, or never do it again, for the rest of my life. I do want to continue it the second semester, and also in college. So I guess from this, I really want to… I don’t know. It’s hard to
By Rhea Jain Rhea Jain is a sophomore at Singapore American School and an intern in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Program. She enjoys activities such as debate and MUN after school, and her favorite classes are math, science, and history.
SAS STUDENT AWARDED CONGRESSIONAL BRONZE MEDAL
Claudia Krogmeier, a senior at Singapore American School, recently received the Congressional Bronze Medal Award, according to an article in Singapore American Newspaper. Krogmeier committed to completing goals set out by the Congressional Medal Committee and was commended for “her willingness to give of herself to voluntarily help others in the community and her achievements in personal development, physical fitness and expedition.”
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SAS CHINESE TEACHERS IN STRAITS TIMES
Three SAS faculty - Pauli Haakenson, Sally Lean, and Robin Pearson - were highlighted in the Straits Times. The Singapore newspaper also featured Haakenson in a video.
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SAS STUDENT FEATURED IN MERLION STAR
Cara Cirilo, a sophomore at Singapore American School, was featured in the Merlion Star – a publication for members of the US military community in Singapore. According to the article, Cirilo was selected to serve on the Boys and Girls Club of America Navy Teen Council. Cirilo, a US Navy teen, is among 14 teens on the council who represent 12 Navy regions.
SAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NAMED MODEL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY
The Singapore American School’s elementary school division in December was selected as a model professional learning community (PLC). Solution Tree — a provider of educational strategies and tools that improve staff and student performance — recognized the elementary school as a model PLC after it demonstrated a commitment to PLC concepts for at least three years and submitted clear evidence of improved student learning over that period. PLC is a collaborative process that helps teachers move from focusing on teaching to focusing on student learning. “While a majority of your student population represents children that have traditionally excelled in school, your staff demonstrates a learning-focused school culture that does not take this for granted, and instead strives to maximize every students potential,” said Solution Tree’s Rick DuFour, Becky DuFour, and Mike Mattos in an email announcing the honor.
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CHAPTER IN NEW BOOK PENNED BY SAS LEADERS
Solution Tree published a new book called It's About Time featuring a chapter written by Dr. Tim Stuart, the executive director of research & development and strategic programs at SAS, and Dr. Darin Fahrney, the high school principal. The chapter is called "Compassionate Response to Intervention."
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DESIGNING CLASSROOMS OF THE FUTURE NOW
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SAS FACULTY CELEBRATE FAMILY ADDITIONS
Ron Starker, SAS middle school library media specialist, and Dr. Mark Baildon of National Institute of Education Singapore (NIE), published an article called "Designing Classrooms of the Future Now!" The article appeared in NIE’s Humanities and Social Studies Education (HSSE) Online Journal. They hope to write a second article on designing school libraries for the future.
Hilda Huang welcomed her first child Ziyi on October 13. Ms. Huang is a high school Chinese teacher at SAS.
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Didi and Simon Gustafson welcomed their first child Cyrus Khyan on November 8. Mrs. Gustafson is a middle school secretary and Mr. Gustafson is an elementary school music CAMPUS SCENE teacher at SAS.
2014 ISLANDER GETS GOLD MEDALIST CRITIQUE
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) awarded the 2014 Islander, a publication produced by the SAS high school yearbook journalism class, a Gold Medalist critique as well as top All-Columbian ratings in all three categories of reference, verbal, and visual. CSPA – a department of Columbia University in New York, US, which was established in 1925 to help improve student publications – awarded the 2014 Islander 974 out of 1,000 possible points. Gold Medalists are given for total scores from 800 to 1,000 points; Silver Medalists, from 600 through 799 points; and Bronze Medalists, 599 points and below. In addition to medalist ratings, All Columbian Honors are given within a scorebook section when the sectional total reaches 95% or more of the possible points.
Ruiting and Kent Knipmeyer welcomed the birth of their first child Elayna on November 27. Mr. Knipmeyer is a high school social studies teacher at SAS.
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SAS QUIZ CLUB CLIMBS THE RANKINGS IN US
Singapore American School’s High School Academic Quiz Club rose to 27th from 38th place in the US, according to High School Quiz Bowl Rankings. The website ranks the top 200 teams amid thousands of quiz teams in the US and about 100 international school teams. Currently, there are 30 high school students who are members of the quiz club at SAS and about 12 members are on the new Middle School Quiz Club. The high school team has already been invited back to the US National Championship in Washington, D.C., said Michael Harvey, SAS high school social studies teacher and quiz-club coach.
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NATIONAL ENGLISH HONOR SOCIETY
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IASAS MODEL UNITED NATIONS
Hadley Ackerman Soo Min Bae Kiana Baghaie Stuart Baker Sandhya Bala Hong Bin Jeong Martha Cabaero Hyun Do Cha Kyle Chan Katharine Chua Kelly Chung Kaitlin Crawford Sheyna Cruz Alexander Cuozzo
Aline Damas Stephanie Ellsworth Mila Escajadillo Clara Fong Nadine Fuller Liam Galey Nathan Gunawari Pakhi Gupta Vibhav Jagwani Se Hwan Jeon Cosette Koh Nadia Koolina Angela Lee Amalia Lee
The following students are the first inductees of the new Singapore American School Chapter of the National English Honor Society (NEHS). These sophomores, juniors, and seniors have demonstrated outstanding achievement in English as well as in all of their courses during their high school careers.
Nicholas Ataru Lee Sophie Lim Angie Lin Aditi Mahesh Kaho Monica Matsubara Nikita Mehta Brett Moody Hayden Mountcastle Alexis Mountcastle Caitlin Murphy Meera Navlakha Issabelle NguyenPhuoc
Zoe Ong Fleur Oostwal Jennifer Osborne Alexi Paglinawan Ashvita Prabhu Michaela Santillo Jeremy Seow Freddie Shanel Shreya Shankar Ashley Shin Sadie Smith Ariel So Hayley Sparrow Sunita Srivatsan
Lauren Stolz Tom Sun Gunnar Suranjan Sofia Syjuco Micaela Tam Isabelle Tan Hope Tanudisastro Jamie Gabrielle Uy Natalie Weinrauch Olivia Whitaker Michael Young Elizabeth Zhang
SAS students in November were selected on merit to be chairs of committees at IASAS Model United Nations (MUN) in Jakarta, Indonesia: Varun Bindra and Sae Hun Jang. In addition, three delegates won awards within their committees: Nikita Mehta won Most Diplomatic Delegate in Security Council, Mark Schoen won Best Delegate in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, and Liam Galey received an award for Best Speaker in the Disarmament and International Security Committee. IASAS MUN is the only IASAS event that includes other non-IASAS international schools. The six IASAS members, plus ten other schools known to have strong MUN programs, met in Jakarta. IASAS MUN is a relatively small yet high-quality conference that allows delegates plenty of opportunities to speak in an environment where the nations are represented by students who are well prepared in terms of research and position papers, and are fluent, persuasive, and knowledgeable speakers.
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HIGHSCHOOLERS INDUCTED INTO CHINESE HONOR SOCIETY
A group of SAS high school students were inducted into the Chinese Honor Society at a bilingual ceremony on November 11. The society’s mission is to foster a love and passion for Chinese among its members, and to inspire new learners with the beauty of the Chinese language and culture. The society also works to encourage academic excellence in Chinese. In order to apply for acceptance, these 27 students must have among other things maintained a B+ or higher in all regular Chinese classes and in AP Chinese, according to the Chinese Honor Society website. Ella Cheng-Bradshaw Jong Hyun Cha Ziyi Lim Oliver Chen Stephanie Ellsworth Michael Young
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Kenneth Fu Cindy Qiu Claire Freeman Momoe Kubota Ashna Lalwani Cosette Koh
Anna Kawachi Ji Sue Hahn Rhea Singh Katharine Chua Anna Kitamura Richard Law
Amalia Lee Sunita Srivatsan Freddie Shanel Elizabeth Zhang Hongyi (Will) Lee Erin Jung
Vincent Liu Janvi Kalra Kiana Baghaie
TRI M (MODERN MUSIC MASTERS) MUSIC HONOR SOCIETY
On November 12, fourteen music students were inducted into the SAS Tri M Music Honor Society Chapter 1352. The purpose of Tri M is to inspire music participation, create enthusiasm for scholarships, stimulate a desire to render service, and promote leadership in the music students of Singapore American School. To be considered, the candidates must exhibit leadership and integrity in an SAS curricular music ensemble as well as in their daily life. Once inducted, each Tri M member is expected to uphold the purpose of this international society. Here are the inductees for this semester: Mikka Vapor Talya Thomas Anna Kitamura
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Natalie Gault James Song Joshua Sohn
Yoon Namgoong Alicia Kurniawan Ashley Hyun
Liam Stanton Caitlin Murphy Philip Jung
Susie Kim Jae Yong Ju
AMIS INTERNATIONAL HONORS ENSEMBLES
The following students have auditioned and been accepted to the prestigious AMIS International Honors Ensembles: Jayg Dimayacyac Tiffany Ang Natalie Gault Mika Martin Keshav Jagannath Band: Jenny Chang
Sam Oh Ashley Shin Justin Choi Chloe Shin-Gay Jae Yong Ju Sean Park Zoe Ong
Seoyeon Kim Yoon Namgoong Ashley Hyun Vincent Liu Ji Sue Hahn Dana Lim Stephannie Yi
Marissa Coombs Aleksi Solorio Jina Sung Hanna Chuang Sae Jin Jang Sarah Choi Ben Mendel
Isaac Ooi Lizzy Ferrell Madeleine Kingan Rory Vine
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NATIONAL ART HONOR SOCIETY
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IN ART EXHIBITION
The artwork of the following Singapore American School students were featured at the IN Art Exhibition at the Australian High Commission from November 14 to December 11: Hayley Sparrow Xiang Li Ye Jin Jeon Bianca Antonio Clemence Morin Avantika Khanna Michelle Lu Anna Sorokina Bea Basilio Sofia Syjuco Jessica Allen Isla Myles Sophia Houghton Naomi Stock
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TEACHER SELECTED FOR ‘UNDERSTANDING SACRIFICE’ PROGRAM
Matthew Elms, a grade eight social students teacher at Singapore American School, landed one of 18 coveted spots to participate in the American Battle Monuments Commission's (ABMC) Understanding Sacrifice program. (There were 128 applications for the program.) Teachers who are part of this program study the experiences of America’s World War II soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coastguardsmen, and Marines across Northern Europe, according to the website of National History Day, an organization that is partnering with ABMC for the program. The Understanding Sacrifice program will also allow teachers to study this phase of World War II, engage in scholarly readings and discussions with experts and peers, and develop lesson plans to help teachers and students around the world understand the service and sacrifice of America’s armed forces. Established by the US Congress in 1923, the ABMC commemorates the service, achievements, and sacrifice of U.S. armed forces.
SAS CHOIR TEACHER IN MOZART’S REQUIEM Kristin Symes, a SAS middle school choir teacher, performed as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23. The performance took place at the performing arts hall of the Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) in Singapore.
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20 COOKING FOR A CAUSE BAKE SALE
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Sixth grade students sold the end product from their final cooking assignment at the Cooking for a Cause bake sale, raising $1,400 for Gramshree. All baked goods at the sale were 100% student made and all money raised will be donated to a nutrition program for the woman artisans of Gramshree (www.gramshree.org).
PINKTOBER
The SAS community embarked on a month of charity and celebrations, organized by Kindergarten Teacher Leah Hevey, to support the fight against breast cancer. Every Wednesday in October, elementary students, high school students, and teachers sold items with pink flair in front of the middle school cafeteria. Everyone's efforts raised SGD$3,200 for breast cancer research through www.breastcancer.org. Also during the month of Pinktober, Kim and Anna Criens were able to raise over US$1,375 for www. barbellsforboobs.org through the SAS EagleFit crew. For every $80 donated, another person will get free access to early detection services. Mr. Criens is the high school director of activities and athletics and Mrs.Criens is an elementary school (3-5) music teacher.
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SECOND GRADE SERVICE LEARNING: TOYS FOR TREATS
All 288 second grade students came together to donate toys for children in need. Working with partner organization Food From the Heart, the students collected over 300 toys that were then distributed to children in need at the Food From the Heart annual Toy Buffet at Punggol Primary School. SAS high school students also collected toys and wrapped all of our second grade donations. The high school students also worked at the Toy Buffet helping children to pick out a toy. Smiles were on everyone's face - those giving and those receiving!
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STAY STRONG ADDIE FUNDRAISING
Over $15,000 was earned by sales of Stay Strong Addie t-shirts and wristbands at SAS along with donations made during Stay Strong Addie Tuesday in the school’s three divisions. Addie Napierski is a seventh grader at SAS who has lymphoma. She is in Utah for cancer treatment while her three brothers continue to attend SAS. See page 28 for more
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GAWAD KALINGA CHILL AND GRILL DINNER AND AUCTION
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The high school service club Gawad Kalinga on November 23 hosted the Chill and Grill Dinner and Auction to raise awareness – and money – for their cause. The fun night included live performances by The Cans and The 7th Grade Band, and a silent auction where SAS students were able to donate their time and expertise as auction items. With around 200 people in attendance, the club raised about SGD $15,000, which will go entirely to their goal of building an SAS GK Village. The club plans on using this money to continue building the preschool that it started on the club members’ recent trip to the Philippines.
FRENCH IDOL 2014
A musical duo comprised of SAS juniors Janna Agustin and Emma Gordon won second place at French Idol – an event hosted by Tanglin Trust School and sponsored by Senteurs de Provence, L’Alliance Française, and Singtheatre, on November 7. Agustin sang while Gordon played guitar. Also performing was 2013’s first place winner Amelia Rasekhy who sang as Keith Chen played piano. Rasekhy and Chen are in grade 11.
REKNOWNED PHOTOGRAPHER FEATURES SAS Scott Woodward - whose work is featured in notable publications such as The New York Times, National Geographic Magazine, and Travel+Leisure highlighted Singapore American School’s latest advertisement campaign on his blog. The campaign, photographed by Woodward, features how the school home of the Eagles - helps students soar academically and beyond.
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SAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WINS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE SAS Elementary Principal David Hoss and Analu Kewelar, a SAS grade one teacher, on November 13 attended a Seng Kang Primary School ceremony to accept the Partners Award for Excellence. The award honored SAS grade one and grade two students’ service work with Seng Kang Primary School. The service project – called One Singapore, One Day – focuses on building partnerships with kids from the Singapore community. For the past four years, SAS students have partnered with students from Seng Kang Primary School to enhance students’ cross-cultural understanding, providing an opportunity to form new friendships across cultures, and help students appreciate diversity while acknowledging commonalities.
W.O.W. 30-DAY WELLNESS CHALLENGERS A total of 114 SAS faculty and staff participated in the 30-Day Wellness Challenge organized by Elementary School PE Teacher Anne Wenstrom and the Working on Wellness Committee. Individuals in the challenge set health habits within wellness areas such as fitness, nutrition, and emotional/social health. The division with the highest average points was the high school, which enjoyed a celebratory breakfast hosted by Russell Cooke, the executive director of human resources, and the rest of the human resources department.
SAS HOSTS PROJECT-BASED LEARNING WORKSHOP Singapore American School hosted a Project-Based Learning (PBL) Workshop by Buck Institute from October 8 to October 11. The PBL 101 training session engaged SAS teachers and leadership in learning the principles for designing, assessing, and managing standards-focused projects as well as using performance assessments to judge the relevant work generated by 21st century learners. Through a combination of direct instruction, video analysis, and hands-on collaborative work, participants had the opportunity to plan, design, and receive peer feedback on an engaging and rigorous project using the Buck Institute for Education model and tools.
DR. KIMBALL PRESENTS SAS INNOVATION TO THE SINGAPORE MINISTER OF EDUCATION The Singapore Ministry of Education recently invited Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball to their November Ministerial Committee to share our school’s educational leadership journey. Chaired by Minister Heng Swee Keat and attended by more than 25 members of the committee, Dr. Kimball was invited to speak for 30 minutes. The minister and committee were incredibly engaged and took part in an additional one-hour question and answer session about our research and development process, personalized learning, advisory programs, and the evolving skills that universities seek in students they admit.
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SAS VOICE
By Sandy Bala and Clara Fong
What are you looking forward to in 2015? MATTHEW C. PRE-K
JOAQUIN D. 7TH GRADE
NADIA H. 9TH GRADE
“Christmas! I'll get a lot of presents.”
“Finally visiting the set of Harry Potter in London.”
“Not being a freshman anymore.”
ALISON P. 12TH GRADE
ARIA C. 5TH GRADE
LILY S. 3RD GRADE
“Graduating!”
“Traveling around and going to different classes more, and I want to be able to decorate my locker.”
“Being in 4th grade because 4 is my lucky number.”
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Sandy Bala is a sophomore at the Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Sandy enjoys writing, photography, and visiting new places with the hopes of joining the active journalism field in the future.
Clara Fong is a sophomore at Singapore American School and is currently involved in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. She is outgoing, athletic, and also likes to work alongside with others.
KRISTI T. 11TH GRADE
PAYAM R. 4TH GRADE
JENIFFER P. 8TH GRADE
“Being done with the SATs.”
“Health class because I want to be a doctor when I grow up.”
“Going to high school.”
PARKER D. 6TH GRADE
ARJUN J. 10TH GRADE
CHARLIE C. 2ND GRADE
“Making friends with the new kids next semester.”
“I’m looking forward to new opportunities.”
“Learning division because math is my favorite subject.”
SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL
40 WOODLANDS STREET 41 SINGAPORE 738547 PHONE: (65) 6363 3403 WEB: WWW.SAS.EDU.SG QUESTIONS? EMAIL US AT COMMUNICATIONS@SAS.EDU.SG CPE Registration Number: 196400340R Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)