June 2019
WHAT A TIME TO BE HERE: FAREWELL CHRIS EDWARDS
CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2019 GRADUATION
EXPLORING DIVERSITY AT UWCSEA
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The universal values of UWC—the celebration of diversity, education, the environment, peace, sustainable development, multiculturalism—these are exactly the same as the aspirations of the UN.” Pascale Moreau '79 Director of the Bureau for Europe of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
June 2019
02 THE NECESSITY OF PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING
08 MODELING FUTURERELEVANT EDUCATION
Chris Edwards on UWC's signature dish—its mission
Nathan Hunt on nurturing the next generation of scientists and advocates
04 THANK YOU, CHRIS Farewelling our ninth Head of College
06 OECD EDUCATION 2030 PROJECT Carla Marschall makes connections to the UWCSEA conceptbased curriculum
10 A CAMBODIAN JOURNEY The annual Grade 8 trip is much more than History and Housebuilding
11 BOARDERS DIVE IN
12 GRADUATION Highlights from the Class of 2019 celebrations
14 DIVERSITY: DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE Moving towards a shared understanding
16 SPOTLIGHT ON … Clowning workshop with Artist-inResidence Matthew Godfrey
17 DRIVING THE SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA FIB students investigating our ecological footprint
18 HCA HOSPICE WELCOMED TO CAMPUS PACE coordinates the full 'UWCSEA experience'
20 "IT'S COOL TO BE GOOD." Dave Shepherd reflects on 27 years at the College
22 BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR EYES OPENED WIDE Katherine Short '90 gives some advice to incoming UWCSEA students
24 LEAVING AND ARRIVING WELL Cindy Tisdall-McPhee shares some strategies
COVER IMAGES
Celebrating Graduation 2019 Front: Dover Campus Back: East Campus
Learning a life skill
Dunia is published three times a year by UWC South East Asia. Reproduction in any manner in English or any other language is prohibited without written consent. Please send feedback to dunia@uwcsea.edu.sg.
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Editors: Courtney Carlson, Sinéad Collins, Nabilah Husna Bte Abdul Rahman and Kate Woodford Photography: Sabrina Lone and members of the UWCSEA community Design: Nandita Gupta UWCSEA Dover is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) CPE Registration No. 197000825H | CPE Registration Period 18 July 2017–17 July 2023 | Charity Registration No. 00142 UWCSEA East is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) CPE Registration No. 200801795N | CPE Registration Period 10 March 2017–9 March 2023 | Charity Registration No. 002104 Printed on 100% recycled paper with environmentally friendly inks | MCI (P) 175/03/2019 | 070COM-1819
OPINION
The necessity of peace, love and understanding By Chris Edwards, Head of College When taking my mother out for lunch back in the UK, I often make a point of asking her how many items on the pub blackboard menu (we don’t do fine dining) would have appeared on a menu when she was a girl. The answer is usually zero. Even a humble pasta dish would have been an exotic mystery to a post-war child. How the blackboard has changed since then. Many dishes are now prefaced by a hyphenated history: the fish is pan-seared; the scallops hand-dived; the mushrooms forest-foraged. Sometimes it sounds as if you’re ordering jewellery (a duo of medallions), a sofa (foam-treated) or a demolition squad (deconstructed gateaux). But fads and fashions soon burn themselves up, and so we can also be fairly sure that today’s elaborate compositions au jus will one day be perceived as passé and possibly rather silly. And we can also guarantee—it’s happening already—that some of the old dishes will reappear in retro restaurants. The UWC mission is, to my mind, a classic dish. It needs no extra sauces and spices. It may need heating up and stirring from time to time but little beyond that. There is something pure and, you might say, beguilingly naïve about it. I always equate the problem of the UWC mission with the title of a 1970’s song by English songwriter Nick Lowe: "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding". The song implores us not to forget those things which matter most, even if they often lack the faux-sophistication and appeal of shiny distractions. And it’s a plea for
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us not to get lost in the pandemonium of complexity when simplicity is sitting in front of you staring silently back. But, a newly written menu representative of forces at work in education today might give pause for thought. While we would of course see thrilling new challenges and opportunities being born in this Fourth Industrial Revolution (where schools must acknowledge the meshing of biological, digital and physical worlds), we also see new, less welcome dynamics. We must acknowledge and address the mental health epidemic of children and adults alike in an increasingly connected and pressured world. Our young people are continuously exposed to wonderful possibilities, but also to the malice and manipulation of others. Many adults too cannot escape the cauldron. When I started in teaching, long before the invention of email and social media, there was no formal contact with work colleagues, parents or children from 5pm until 9am the next morning. Unless the school was burning down you’d be unlikely to hear anything about work for 16 hours out of any 24. The equivalent was true for just about everyone I knew. Nobody went to bed with the night’s latest email rattling in their heads, nor did they reach for their phone in instinctive panic the second they woke. The world was, as I recall, still turning. An easy way out of the morass, and a route favoured by many now, is to turn to populism and absolutism. Too often what we hear today is: If I don’t get what I want, or even if you just disagree with me, I will expose you on social
media and call you out for the Fascist (or worse) that you are. UWC’s default position should be never to engage on such terms. We should assume good intent, but with the courage to engage fearlessly if truth is under threat. And we must recognise that truths can be nuanced and conditional. One of those challenging truths for UWC is that if a UWC education is to be truly transformative and inclusive, we need more divergent thought among student and teacher bodies alike. There is, perhaps, less “transformation” in many UWC educational experiences than there is extension and enhancement of what is already there. The makeover is often wonderful, but you can usually spot the original underneath. Like attracts like. Like begets like. Like nurtures like. And perhaps, with this intensification of sameness, there is a looming danger that increasingly we will hear not the liberating call of the mission statement, but the stifling arrogance of dogma. And surely, “UWC dogma” ought to be an oxymoron. Dogma is delivered from a pedestal: the UWC mission should have us looking people in the eye. So, after all that, here I am looking at the menu in my restaurant. Do I recognise anything? Am I hopeful? Absolutely I am. UWC’s signature dish—its mission—remains at the top of the blackboard, written in the largest hand. People still want it. In fact they want it more than ever. I guess there’s nothing funny about peace, love and understanding. From Mostar to Moshi, Mahindra to Maastricht, the message from UWC should be clear
and brave. Yes, things will go wrong every day and provide naysayers with endless ammunition: yes, we must look after ourselves if we are to impact the lives of others: and yes, that means a host of new strategies to deal with the rabid intensity of modern connected life (and one of those strategies is, of course, to reject it). But there are great and wonderful truths to be told. We should all be deeply proud of UWC, the mission, and of the UWCSEA community. Time and time again, UWCSEA has shown what being a great UWC can look like: our remarkable students excel and inspire; my colleagues offer their passion and expertise with selfless dedication; our parents support and engage with verve and energy; and from all around the world people and organisations come to see what and why and how we do it. What stories we have for such people. To have worked for five happy years at one of the world’s great international schools has been an honour. To have lived five happy years at one of the world’s great UWCs transcends even that. It has been a vital, electrifying experience, sprinkled with instances of exuberance and enchantment. Thank you to everyone who made it so. When all is said and done we should present Kurt Hahn’s extraordinary faith in the young as the unadorned truth that it is. It isn’t a message of hope: it is a statement of necessity.
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UWCSEA. WHAT A PLACE TO BE, AND WHAT A TIME TO BE THERE.� Chris Edwards Ninth Head of UWC South East Asia
We welcome Chris as UWCSEA's newest 'alum' and celebrate his tremendous leadership and service to the College and the UWC movement. Thank you for inspiring us to strive to be a great UWC. We wish you all the best on the journey ahead.
FEATURE
Thank you, Chris! "What a place to be, and what a time to be there." Such was Chris’ opening message to our community on his appointment as the ninth Head of UWCSEA. As we prepare to farewell Chris after five years as Head of College, we’ve asked a cross-section of his community for a reflection on his contribution to the College, Singapore and the UWC movement as a whole.
“While Chris was our Head of College, he pushed us to look beyond our two campuses and moved us closer to the heart of the UWC movement, we also became more deeply embedded in Singapore. Chris pushed us to examine our commitment to the UWC mission and pave the way for a sustainable future for UWCSEA. We enjoyed his unique communication style and his self-deprecating sense of humour. His musical talents, and in particular his parodies lifted the spirits of many. Thank you, Chris.” Anna Lord, Chair, UWCSEA Board of Governors
“Chris has impressed and inspired us—with his balanced and considered perspective at International Board meetings, with his way with words (much to the benefit of our UWC Strategy 2018 and Beyond) and with great ideas and impulses he has contributed to UWC International (such as the UWC Impact Study with Harvard University). In short, Chris has done no less than bring UWCSEA back to the centre of the UWC movement, where it belongs. Thank you, Chris, and may this be your lasting legacy at UWC!” Jens Waltermann, Executive Director, UWC International
“There are few people today who try hard to remain so down to earth: Chris is one such person. But he is no ‘common man’—far from it. I have had profound and significant conversations with him and his point of view has always been shaped by notions of fairness and decency. I have also had conversations that have been about poetry, literature, art, history, philosophy—when it was both a joy and a marvel to share his eclectic frame of reference. And then—perhaps most memorably—there have been times when he has made me laugh like a drain and enjoy the rich absurdities of life. And that is Chris: wise, humourous, forgiving. And effortlessly good company. Albeit with a disconcerting habit of playing the piano at the drop of a hat.” Jonathan Carter, Director of Admissions, UWCSEA
“Chris’ passion to see that his students really benefited from the experience of interacting with and contributing back to the Singapore community was evident during his sharing of how the school has been engaging the community. I wish you all the best in your next endeavour and trust that you will continue to leave behind positive legacies no matter where you go.” Dr Andrew Lim 林贤文, Director, Volunteer Resource Optimisation, Fund-Raising & Engagement Group, National Council of Social Service, Singapore
“One of the things I admire is Chris’ willingness to meet people and talk to them about any and all concerns they might have. He truly embodies the UWC mission and has, through his work at the College, promoted the values and strengthened the relationship between UWCSEA and the UWC movement as a whole.” Agnes Bjørn Andersen '20, scholar from Denmark “You tossed yu sheng with gardeners with the widest smile, did not mind getting scolded by the barista as you forgot to bring your mug, poured some wine with gratitude at holiday lunch and chauffeured me to the MRT station. A heartfelt thank you for what I call Leadership Redefined.” Aman Singh Chauhan, Operations Manager, UWCSEA
“Leading UWCSEA must be one of the most challenging and rewarding positions that an educational leader can take on. We have shared some of the challenges and created what I think will be some enduring solutions. You have met the twin imposters of triumph and disaster head-on, with equanimity and resolve; you have kept your virtue and not lost the common touch; and yours, now, is the earth, on a different island. May the soil be soft to turn.” Graham Silverthorne, Head of UWCSEA East “Chris put his heart and soul into UWCSEA and Singapore. He was always the friendliest of people to all local staff while at the same time working with Senior Ministers of State on significant national committees. He treated everyone the same way: with respect. I will miss his humour, warmth and sincere appreciation of the local community.” Aye Thida, Executive Assistant to Head of College
What a time it's been indeed.
OPINION
Taking part in the OECD EDUCATION 2030 PROJECT OECD LEARNING COMPASS 2030
Action
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By Carla Marschall Head of Curriculum Development and Research, UWCSEA Over the past year, Stuart MacAlpine, Director of Teaching and Learning on East Campus and I had the privilege to contribute to working groups as part of the OECD Education 2030 project. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organisation with 36 member countries that seeks to promote global progress, especially in the economic realm. Its Education 2030 project sets out a vision for education and “provides points of orientation towards the future we want: individual and collective well-being” (OECD, 2019, p. 4). Specifically, the project "aims to help education systems determine the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values students need to thrive in and shape their future" and to identify how schools and other educational systems can deliberately develop them. With an interest in both the UWC movement and Stuart MacAlpine’s work with Sky School (a global high school for refugee and displaced youth and UWCx initiative), we were invited to share our perspectives across a number of project areas. As we took part in working groups, made up of educational leaders from across the globe and a variety of contexts, we reflected on the relevance of the UWC mission and the choices we have made as a College in the construction of our learning programme. The aims of the OECD Education 2030 project will sound very familiar to anyone who has spent time at UWCSEA or read about our learning programme. Indeed, when we reflected on how our current and future thinking about education connects to global trends and developments, a few parallels became evident. Here are our conclusions:
Relevance of the UWC mission Firstly, and most importantly, the UWC mission to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future has never been more relevant. One of the
goals of the OECD learning framework, called the Learning Compass 2030, is to develop students’ “sense of purpose and responsibility while [they] learn to influence the people, events and circumstances around them for the better” (Ibid, p. 4). This action-orientation, evident in both our mission and the articulated goals of Education 2030, invites students to use their hands, hearts and heads to meaningfully engage with and inspire change in the world around them. As a result, our learners actively contribute to the sustainable development of local and global communities, doing their part to tackle the myriad social, economic and ecological issues emerging around the globe.
Developing student agency In order to enact our mission, students need to develop their sense of agency, another core theme of the Education 2030 framework. Student agency goes deeper than choice or autonomy. It relates to the development of identity grounded in, “motivation, hope, selfefficacy and a growth mindset” (Ibid, p. 15). When we invite students to take part in service-learning opportunities at the College, local or global level, for instance, they see how their actions can indeed make a difference. By understanding and recognising complexity through real-life experiences, our students can identify leverage points whilst seeking to minimise unintended consequences of their actions. This realisation that they can influence the world around them in positive ways shapes their identity as a changemaker. UWCSEA’s holistic learning programme provides breadth and balance of opportunity. Throughout the diverse set of experiences it affords, one way we build learners' sense of agency is by developing the Qualities and Skills of our Learner Profile. The Science class that asks students to hone their skills as a critical thinker and the after school swimming session that builds resilience combine to create individuals who can engage flexibly and conscientiously
with the world around them. Designing opportunities for students to develop their agency within our learning programme continues to guide the strategic thinking of the College.
Creating a curriculum that enables transfer of learning Another connection we made to the Education 2030 framework was the idea of explicitly “teaching for transfer” and making transfer of learning an expectation of our programme. The Education 2030 framework acknowledges how, “Teaching to big ideas can lead to deeper learning and more effective transfer of knowledge and skills” (Ibid, p. 51). The design of UWCSEA’s concept-based curriculum, centred around big ideas and significant concepts, enables us to facilitate transfer of learning. We do this in the classroom by inviting students to construct and express their own conceptual understandings and apply them to new contexts. When students can transfer their knowledge, skills and understandings, they can use their learning critically and creatively in new situations. Thus our learning programme actively builds student agency and supports students in enacting the UWC mission both during and after their time at the College. Taking part in working groups as part of the OECD Education 2030 project has granted us the valuable opportunity to look outwards in order to look inwards. Our work at UWCSEA both mirrors global trends as well as provides us with inspiration for future developments. Sources Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 Concept Notes, 2019. http://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/
For more information please visit: https://curriculum. uwcsea.edu.sg/
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FEATURE
Modeling future-relevant Nurturing the next generation of scientists and advocates By Nathan Hunt Director of Sustainability, UWCSEA While members of UWCSEA’s Rainforest Restoration Project (RRP) love nothing more than planting trees with members of our community, their dedication to sharing their work is having an increasing impact in the wider Singapore landscape. As well as sheltering hundreds of often critically endangered tree seedlings, the specialist nurseries on both UWCSEA campuses are helping to nurture the next generation of reforestation scientists and advocates. Our longterm partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and NParks, the Singapore government’s National Parks Board, is providing both excellent opportunities for applied learning for UWCSEA students and exciting chances to contribute to Singapore’s national strategy for biodiversity conservation. A very productive start to the year in 2019 culminated in our participation in a Forest Restoration workshop hosted by NParks at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Headquarters. The workshop was the initiative of Dr 8 | Dunia June 2019
Chua Siew Chin, a lecturer at NUS’ Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) who is an experienced researcher and key advocate for tropical forest restoration here on the island. As well as developing learning modules for her RVRC students, Dr Chua also kindly supervised RRP member and Grade 12 Dover student Naomi Schulberg in her IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) Extended Essay research. The workshop was an opportunity to showcase this learning as well as to develop more community engagement in this important work. Naomi presented her experimental study of the performance of rainforest seedlings in degraded soil from secondary forest sites known locally as ‘Adinandra belukar forest’ for the dominant species that has populated these abandoned agricultural plots. As much of the reforestation work in Singapore will be enriching these relatively speciespoor, nutrient deficient sites, Naomi’s research contributes to much-needed knowledge about the best strategies for ensuring successful regeneration of primary forest species. Her study is currently being considered for publication in one of Singapore’s
scientific journals. This is an exciting development as Naomi prepares to study Environmental Science at Cornell University, USA. Alongside Dr Chua and Naomi, NParks Conservation Manager Zhou Boyi led a discussion on how the audience of educators and students could be involved in Singapore’s ambitious new Reforestation Plan. Introduced by NParks Director of Conservation research, Dr Adrian Loo, the 10-year plan provides for the planting of over 250,000 native trees and shrubs, predominantly in the Nature Parks that act as buffer zones for the more biodiverse Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves. Developing more tree nurseries, using the schoolbased model developed by the UWCSEA RRP, is seen as a key strategy to both engage more young people in conservation and volunteer efforts, as well as to provide the number of saplings necessary to meet this ambitious planting target. UWCSEA was pleased to be able to share our work with a wider audience of other schools at the workshop, and already this year we
education have welcomed visitors from Dulwich College (Singapore), Hwa Chong, Commonwealth Secondary and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) to examine our model and the Lycée Français were due to visit in Term 3. The academic year will finish with us planting out many of our saplings in Jurong Lake Gardens as part of the Reforestation Plan, as well as on the Dulwich College (Singapore) campus and in gardens of some of Singapore’s iconic ‘black and white’ housing estates, thanks to interested parents and friends. On campus, our planting will continue through the highly successful Adopt-a-Tree programme, which to date has seen 304 trees adopted since its launch on East Campus in 2011. Alongside Naomi’s research, Amenech, Grade 12 scholar from Ethiopia at East, also wrote her Extended Essay on adaptation to varying light levels of some of our critically endangered tree species. As a long serving member of the project, her exposure to our research with Yale-NUS meant that she could draw on data she had collected herself over many months in the rooftop nursery on East Campus. And this year on Dover
Campus, three of our Grade 12 RRP members completed their Certificate of Tropical Forest Restoration before graduating in late May. The Certificate is a UWCSEA qualification for which members of the RRP can elect to study. The assessment is based on a minimum two-year commitment to the RRP and evaluates practical skills and theory as well as outreach work. Students learn within the campus tree nurseries, at community plantings and through expert input and advice from NParks and NUS/Yale-NUS staff and researchers. To date 11 UWCSEA students or graduates have received their certification as part of the programme. This opportunity to combine a grand passion with rigorous learning and genuine service is the ultimate ambition of both the IBDP and the UWC movement. With discussions beginning about the evolution of educational pathways to deliver more personalised, innovative approaches to learning, perhaps UWCSEA’s Rainforest Restoration Project could serve as an experimental model as we innovate to deliver future-relevant education.
Now a key part of UWCSEA’s Service programme, the development and expansion of this dual-campus programme was made possible by generous gifts from the Kirtida and Bharat Mekani Environmental Sustainability Fund. To further the work of the RRP and extend its outreach, UWCSEA is constructing a dedicated Ecology Centre as part of the Green Heart of Dover Development.
Visit the Rainforest Restoration Project blog for more: https:// rainforestnursery. blogspot.com
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COMMUNITY NEWS
A CAMBODIAN JOURNEY An immersive experience in our shared humanity By Chris Davies, Teacher of Mathematics and Tabitha Trip Leader, Dover Campus At the end of Term 2, 80 Grade 8 students participated in the 13th History and Global Concerns Trip to Cambodia. This trip embodies all that UWCSEA aspires to be, by giving students a genuine insight into the hardships faced by others and an understanding of the difference they can make in the world through individual and collective action. On the first day in Cambodia, the students learnt about the country’s recent brutal history. The students started by visiting the Tabitha Office where they learnt about Cambodia’s history and the experiences of the Tabitha staff through a briefing from the ever-inspiring Janne Ritskes, the founder and director of Tabitha. They then visited key historical sites: the Tuol Sleng (S21) Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. Both are very harrowing places, but they provide an important insight into why there is a need for the help we were there to offer.
Photos supplied by Susan Edwards
Over the following two days the students travelled out of Phnom Penh to build 40 houses: 20 in Prey Veng Province and 20 in Svay Rieng Province. The students had been looking forward to this part of the trip for several months, working to raise funds to pay for the houses—this year, raising over $80,000. Building the houses in the heat was a very physically demanding job but the handover ceremony, when the houses were formally presented to the families, is a memory that will stay with the students for a very long time.
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On the fourth day, the students visited either the Punley School in Prey Veng or the Ampil School in Svay Rieng, running activities and playing games with the children in the school. This day was quite challenging for many of our students due to the language barrier, but as the sessions went on they learnt the importance of visual cues and everyone had a lot of fun.
On the final day of the trip, our students visit one of our Global Concerns partner organisations in Phnom Penh, learning firsthand about their projects and challenges: Indochina Starfish Foundation Schools, Wat Chann Heimberg Centre, Sombok Chab Slum Young Leaders Centre, or Tiny Toones. Students (and staff) came back from the trip both physically and emotionally exhausted but with a sense of genuine satisfaction about the work they had done, the lessons they learnt about themselves, and what they can do for other people. These are invaluable as many of the students will go on to become the Service and Global Concerns leaders in High School. Said Kate Woodford, UWCSEA's Senior Marketing Manager who joined the trip, "The trip is an immersive journey through the recent history of Cambodia—hearing firsthand about how the country came to be in such desperate need, learning about the horrors they experienced, then creating hope through partnerships in housebuilding and education, and finally gaining personal understanding of our shared humanity during the NGO visits. I felt privileged to observe this happen; one student expressed a high degree of uncertainty and nervousness the morning of the first school visit, asking how she was going to communicate with students who had no English at the village school and hanging back in the classroom there. And yet, the very next morning, she was in tears when saying goodbye to the children who had been in her classroom at the ISF 2 school as she hugged them farewell. She had an incredibly powerful experience. What struck me was how the trip allowed our students to witness the positive impact they can make, and recognise that there are things they can do personally to connect with others in their shared humanity, despite their life circumstances being so very different."
COMMUNITY NEWS
DIVING IN TO BOARDING Peer-to-peer swim coaching Less than a year ago, boarding student and scholar Sylvain Yabre, Grade 11, did not want to entertain the thought of going into a swimming pool—now he proudly calls himself “a fish” in the water. "I was hostile to the idea of getting into the swimming pool, and it was something I kept myself away from for a very long time,” he recalled. “Back in my old school I would resist getting into the pool; I didn't know how to swim and I wasn't interested at all. But within a month here I was able to jump into the water and swim as I wish. Today I can call myself a fish." Sylvain is part of Start to Swim, a learnto-swim programme comprising some dozen students from the Dover Boarding community, not one of whom started the school year knowing how to swim well, or at all. The initiative was kicked off by Sophie Morley, Senior Houseparent at the Nelson Mandela Boarding House and several enthusiastic peer coaches. Later joined by the leader of the Community Swim programme, coach Sarah-Jane Clark, the Start to Swim programme has been taking place consistently every Sunday at the campus swimming pool.
Swimming is a life-skill many who have grown up in the UWCSEA community will take for granted, with PE lessons in the pool and sea-based Outdoor Education trips from a young age. But for some students it is a privilege that involves plenty of discipline and brave overcoming of fears.
This team effort would not have been possible without Coach Sarah-Jane who offers her expertise as a professional swim teacher, facilitating and supervising the lessons. She has allowed Start to Swim to blossom, and strengthens the possibility of its continuation as an annual programme. Sarah-Jane credits the high level of commitment among the boarders to the peer coaches, many of whom consistently swim alongside the learners every week. Said Sophie, "It was a good way to meet people and establish connections. What I was blown away with was that a lot of people weren't helping for the CAS [the compulsory Creativity, Activity, Service part of the IB Diploma Programme] credit. They were coaching because they were available and the lessons gave them a chance to connect with new people." “Start to Swim gave me an opportunity to be immersed in the joy of swimming,” said Shiqi Yang, a Grade 11 peer coach. “Through teaching, stronger relationships were built between me and my friends.” Boarders also learnt survival skills, basic rescue skills, and kayaking. Over the school holidays, when many of our scholars are unable to travel home, access to swimming and other water-based activities keep the students stimulated and engaged—a muchneeded respite from their studies.
Photos supplied by Dover Boarding
Shared Sophie, "At one Boarding House barbecue pool party, I remember seeing a group of the new boarders—many of whom happened to be UWC National Committee scholars—all huddled together in the shallow end of the pool. That was week one. Now they’re swimming lengths and jumping or diving in.”
Said Sophie, “We recognise that when students join this school they may not have had any formal PE lessons, or have had the chance to learn how to swim. We want to give them some tools for self-improvement, and acknowledge the fact that not everyone starts here at the same point. We want them to be water safe and water confident.”
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GRADUATION 2019 The world beyond UWC isn’t something to fear, because we must remember that it is our actions that shaped our atmosphere. We worked to create this reality, which means we have the ability to do it again, to extend this bubble beyond 1207 Dover Road. So as you go forward in your life, even if you are scared, even if you’re not sure, because none of us truly are, do not let the expectations you set for yourself hinder you from taking risks. I hope we remember that each of us have something to offer." Teddy Diallo '19 and Ritika Purbey '19 Class speakers, Dover Campus
Societies can only be truly prosperous, stable and peaceful if they include everyone. As citizens, we have rights, but we also have obligations, and you know this because you have had the privilege of learning and living in a multicultural diversity that promotes understanding and tolerance. Please keep this alive. It is one of UWC’s most precious gifts, and each of you can make a difference." Pascale Moreau '79 Director of the Bureau for Europe of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Dover Graduation guest speaker
When I think of our legacy, I can’t think of a better way to set an example for future grades than the way we did: together. It highlighted how far we've come and showed our exemplary levels of cohesion. The journeys we take and the memories we forge are immeasurably better when we have others to share it with. I would urge you all to carry on the spirit of cohesion that we have cultivated." Adhwaith Neralla '19 Class speaker, East Campus
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Whether you are a novelist, a filmmaker, a baker, or a data scientist, it’s all about creative problemsolving. It is a common mission. In all this, what I’ve realised is that to believe, to care, to pursue with conviction together, is what strings together meaningful moments in one’s life. I’m really excited for your future today. I’m excited for my future because you are going to be the leaders in it." Ayesha Khanna CEO, ADDO AI, Founder of 21C Girls, East Campus parent and East Graduation guest speaker
Diversity: different for everyone An individual has not started living until they can rise above the narrow confines of their individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” Martin Luther King Jr
By Elizabeth Bray, Head of Dover Campus and Erin Robinson, Middle School Principal, East Campus Martin Luther King Jr’s quote sits very comfortably within our community-wide conversation about why we value diversity at UWCSEA and we would be foolhardy to ignore important lessons from the past. The diversity of our community is most definitely one of our greatest sources of strength. Around the world, it is not difficult to find communities struggling with the fear and uncertainty of embracing difference versus the illusion of security found by closing the door and protecting the known. Kurt Hahn’s vision for UWC recognised the power of an educational system that deliberately brought different people together for a shared purpose. At UWCSEA we welcome and embrace the beauty of our differences because we know that peace and sustainability will only be achieved through the combined strengths and differences of many. Recently, we have asked ourselves hard questions about the ‘look, sound and feel’ of diversity and inclusion on our campuses. UWCSEA is unique in the world of international school education because we consciously cultivate a diverse student body through our K–12 day students, residential boarders and scholars. In an international school setting, many students will learn how to navigate cultural differences as their social skills develop. However, it is not enough to leave the development of intercultural competency to chance. Supporting students to better understand their identity and the role that cultural differences play in relationships and building strong communities are key themes in our Personal and Social Education (PSE) curriculum. You also see intercultural learning in our Service learning and programmes such as the Initiative for Peace (IfP). A core standard of our membership within the Council for International Schools (CIS) requires us to ensure that our Guiding Statements “endorse the school’s commitment to developing intercultural learning” and from the perspective of the CIS accreditation process, UWCSEA is in many ways a model for embracing diversity. And yet we know that there is more to do. Our mission compels us to strive for intentional and deep intercultural skill building. In turn, this drives our aspiration to have inclusive and equitable organisational learning environments and operational systems. It is because of this, the UWCSEA Strategy highlights diversity and inclusion as a strategic area of focus. As we began to explore how we might support diversity to flourish throughout UWCSEA in the future, our starting point was to engage with the members of our community to learn more about what aspects of diversity matter to them. The ‘world café’ process at the end of Term 2 this year created an opportunity for students, staff, school leaders, parents, governors and alumni to share ideas and contribute to outcomes of an Action for Diversity strategic plan. Structured dialogue provides the means to elicit deep
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FEATURE conversation that is important at both an individual level and a collective level. It also allows the participants to deepen their understanding of one another’s perspectives.
making meaning together is also a powerful vehicle to raise awareness and push towards a greater understanding of one another.
What emerged from the two world café’s was fascinating, demonstrating first and foremost that diversity is valued by our community. Through dialogue, it was clear that diversity is complex. While one might initially think that an international school would focus on visual diversity such as nationality, race and gender, our community extends the thinking to embrace notions of cognitive, ability, language, political diversity and so on. Several of our boarding students also pointed to the differences in experience between day students who may have grown up as ‘Third Culture Kids’ (TCKs) and scholars whose childhoods are firmly rooted in their family’s culture. Our scholars are selected in part because of their ability to contribute to cultural diversity but their cultural identity is different from our TCKs in ways that may not be immediately obvious. This adds to the intricate tapestry of student diversity at UWCSEA.
We know that diversity and inclusion are intertwined in the minds and hearts of our community, and we hope to explore this further in the next steps of our project. In Term 3, parents were invited to complete a community survey that included diversity-focused questions. A similar survey will go to staff and students early in the next academic year. We expect that this will be followed by focus groups and additional community outreach. We are also engaging with experts in the field, both in education and non-educational sectors. Based on this work, in Term 1 next school year we will develop an action plan.
More than once we heard the comment “it’s not about ticking a box” made with reference to the concept of diversity. It is clear that the community values these conversations and the opportunity to explore these ideas through dialogue, with a view to addressing bias and uncovering unconscious bias. There have been numerous requests to hold more world cafés and to further explore and develop opportunities in which our entire community can learn together. Conversation and
The peace and sustainability of our planet has always needed communities operating with a high degree of intercultural competence. With hindsight, all educational organisations should have been prioritising these skills and understandings at least as much as—if not more than—other educational priorities. Intentionally infusing intercultural competence throughout our school culture as well as into the individual actions of our students, staff and wider community is well within our grasp—one action at a time. Diversity has always been a part of the UWC journey and we’re thrilled that through a strategic focus our community will have the opportunity to deepen our individual and collective understanding of the power of differences.
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SPOTLIGHT
SPOTLIGHT ON …
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE WORKSHOPS The Middle School at East Campus recently welcomed back Drama artist-in-residence, Matthew Godfrey for the third time. Matthew conducted interactive workshops with students, teaching them about how to engage an audience through the age old art of clowning.
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FEATURE
FIB students drive the sustainability agenda By Kirstie Parker, High School Science Teacher, East Campus Our Foundation IB (FIB) programme Science course has always provided students with great opportunities to acquire research and evaluation skills in order to expand their scientific knowledge. This year we concluded our FIB Science programme with a project that not only allowed students to demonstrate their research skills, but also enabled them to learn how science can be used to work towards a peaceful and sustainable future. Sustainability, ecological footprint and climate change are buzzwords we commonly hear, but it was clear to us that many students didn’t understand the true meaning of these words. “Before we started this project I personally thought that sustainability just means the reuse of plastics and not throwing rubbish carelessly, not knowing that it is actually more than that," said student Lusiana Mailakeba. This year we rewrote our entire unit on Sustainability to ensure that students would not only know how to reduce their ecological footprint, but also feel inspired to make change—no matter how small. The driving question was: "How can we help our community to become more sustainable?" Mireille Couture, Head of Environmental Systems and Societies, kicked the project off by sharing about the definition and various models of sustainability. We learned about the interconnectedness of environmental, social and economic factors and discussed whether some were more important than others. Students also calculated their ecological footprint and were staggered to find out that if everybody on Earth used the same amount of resources as they do, we would require at least four Earths. They were realising just how many resources they used and questioning which of their actions were the biggest contributors. Student groups were given the role of “sustainability consultants” and allocated a teacher-client. They diligently prepared interview questions and nervously met their clients for the first time to find out more about their lifestyles. Then, they began researching. At first, they discussed cutting down on air travel, recycling and reusable bags, but as they delved
deeper into research, the solutions became more creative. By the second week they were discussing sustainable credit cards, toiletries, cat products and the differences between the A380 and A350 airplanes (the A350 is much more sustainable!). In their final client meetings, students presented a website containing the culmination of all their research. Collaboration with Digital Perspectives meant that students learnt about the Science behind sustainable choices, and how to create a website which includes podcasts, infographics and a space for client feedback. As the world has seen from student activist Greta Thunberg, to be an environmentalist is no longer a private affair: we need advocates to share their thinking so others can join in for the greater good of our planet. Learning to design media that is accessible, articulate and convincing is a 21st century skill. If technology can amplify our voices, don't we have a responsibility as a UWC to use those tools in accordance with our mission? We could not have been more impressed with the students’ professionalism and articulation of their findings. “The group gave background knowledge and practical steps for moving forward—I can make changes today that will support my own wellbeing, my pocket and local and global sustainability— what a win!” said Cathy Jones, East Campus High School Vice Principal. The students valued having an authentic audience for their learning and it is clear that they haven’t simply learned about sustainability with their brains—the lessons have also snuck into their hearts. The final reflections from the students demonstrated their takeaways from this project and we couldn’t be more excited to do this again next year—perhaps with parents as clients. Explore some of the students' sustainability project websites linked on the online version of the article (via the QR code). Calculate your ecological footprint: http://www.footprintcalculator.org/ June 2019 Dunia | 17
COMMUNITY NEWS
GUESTS FROM HCA HOSPICE GET It was all smiles on Friday, 10 May, as 18 guests from HCA Hospice Care (HCA) were taken on a customised, wheelchairfriendly Sustainability Tour of Dover Campus. The special event was the long-awaited brainchild of parent volunteer group, Parents’ Action for Community and Education (PACE). The PACE volunteers organised a wonderful array of activities and experiences for the visitors which began the moment they stepped onto campus. Throughout the morning, our guests were given the full UWCSEA experience—from being serenaded by our Junior School student-singers and soloists, to traveling to faraway places in the exciting IDEAS Hub green screen room, to getting their creative juices flowing with a fun string-art activity. The tour also took them around the campus, where they learnt about UWCSEA’s sustainability mission and exchanged stories with our students. Looking across the group, the joy from all present was palpable. And for good reason: it was a big occasion for both PACE and HCA—two groups who have worked closely together for a decade.
A long-standing relationship HCA Hospice Care is a registered charity providing comfort and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families. For years, PACE has been volunteering with the HCA Day Hospice, organising entertainment, celebrating many different cultural events, keeping patients company and learning about their lives and stories twice a month.
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It seemed natural then, for PACE volunteers to, bring some of the hospice patients to UWCSEA, to celebrate the longstanding relationship. This time, it would be all hands on deck, with support and contributions for the day-tour enlisted from the UWCSEA Foundation, the Junior School Music Department and the IDEAS Hub. The tour thoughtfully combined four elements of UWCSEA’s goals: sustainability, service, activities and community engagement. When Rachelle Gaa, PACE Local Outreach coordinator, came up with the idea to celebrate the HCA and PACE relationship, she thought, “Why not bring the patients to UWCSEA to see what goes on, and what is so special about this school firsthand?” With the variety of activities programmed for the day, our guests had an all-rounded experience of the uniqueness of UWCSEA. Said Robin McAdoo, Head of Communications at PACE, “The effort toward sustainability is celebrated and shared, the benefit for both volunteers and patients in giving service is received, the creativity and physical movement provides exercise for the brain and memories to come, and finally, the whole of the community coming together to collaborate on this multifaceted event engages people who might not meet or work side by side otherwise. Our appreciation to everyone involved in planning and working toward making this event successful and productive is bottomless.”
THE FULL UWCSEA EXPERIENCE A lasting impact The positive impact of the visit on the men and women from HCA Hospice cannot be understated. It takes a lot to be able to engage with people from all walks of life and the event successfully allowed for seamless and meaningful engagement. Said one participant, “I feel excited today, because this is the first time I have come back onto a school campus after my own school graduation about 60 years ago. This school is, of course, significantly different from my old school. Upon visiting the campus, I find that the campus is not only clean, large and beautiful, but also designed and built in an environmental-friendly style. It is very impressive to learn that students here are learning and practicing energysaving and water-saving on a daily basis. I especially like the students' performances, as well as the way they come to sit side by side and chat with us during lunch time, which show that students in this school are well-educated and have loving hearts. Teachers here have done a good job! Their performances and company greatly cheered up my spirit.” CEO of HCA Hospice, Angeline Wee, said, “These are the types of outings our patients thoroughly enjoy! Thank you very much PACE, UWCSEA Foundation and Junior School Music department and IDEAS Hub! We really appreciate it!” The hard work of community engagement goes beyond the tour. PACE’s regular visits to HCA Day Hospice in Kwong Wai
Shu Hospital leave a lasting mark on the Hospice’s patients. This year, patients from Kang Le, the satellite day hospice of HCA, were even taken on an outing to the Science Centre by PACE volunteers. For many of the patients, the volunteers’ regular visits bring joy to their days. Carol Lam, a PACE volunteer said, “A patient asked me to sit down next to him. He couldn’t help burst into tears, saying that he really appreciates our love and help, while he feels that usually the elderly are the group being neglected. When he sees us, he’s happy. I told him honestly that we enjoy being and helping at HCA. I think it’s a place to celebrate life, to celebrate what the elderly have achieved in their lives, and what they have contributed to the society.” PACE hopes to continue the campus tour annually, with plans to expand its array of activities to include planting rainforest tree seedlings in biodegradable pots out in the forthcoming Dover Green Heart. To everyone who was involved in ways big and small—thank you for making this event possible! Parents’ Action for Community and Education (PACE) is a volunteer parent-led organisation that falls under the Service umbrella of the College. PACE serves the UWCSEA community, across both campuses, via activities and events that provide both a social network and the opportunity to contribute. To get involved, please email pace@uwcsea. edu.sg or visit https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/pace.
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"It's cool to be good." 27 yea At a farewell lunch for Dave Shepherd in late May, Chris Edwards said, “People who have worked for one organisation for a long time are often called ‘loyal servants’. Now while Dave has indeed been that, the term is somewhat patronising for a colleague who has reinvented himself more times than Madonna.” And indeed it’s true. In his 27 years at UWCSEA, Dave has held a variety of roles, including Physical Education (PE) teacher, Head of Faculty (PE), Theory of Knowledge (ToK) teacher, Director of Admissions and his current role, Director of Advancement. In conversation with Dunia, Dave looks back at his journey in parallel to the College’s. David Watson, then Head of UWCSEA, interviewed Dave for the job of PE teacher, at the UWC International offices in Tavistock Place, London, on a blustery Sunday afternoon in January 1992. Dave had seen the job advertised in Times Education supplement (back when one looked for a job in the newspaper classifieds) and was looking to make a change after three years as a PE teacher in Norwich. Dave says, “Being a PE teacher on the Norfolk coast was a bit wearing. It is freezing in the winter—the winds cut straight through you. And to be honest, I was disillusioned with the mediocrity around me even though I was working at a really good, large school. I saw many kids wouldn’t push themselves hard enough to become excellent. And it wasn’t considered ‘cool’ for staff to take on extra activities or responsibilities. I didn’t know it at the time, but I realise now that I was looking to be in an environment with higher expectations, and UWCSEA fit the bill perfectly.” After accepting the job, Dave and his wife Sue, set off to Singapore from rural Lincolnshire, taking the train to Heathrow, with just two suitcases to see them through the year. Back then, there was no internet or website to research UWCSEA or Singapore, so they moved 20 | Dunia June 2019
to what was then known as the ‘Far East’ with a four-year UWCSEA contract in hand and a sense of adventure. At that time, UWCSEA was relatively small, with one campus and 1,200 students (Grades 7–12)—and staff still enjoyed a daily traditional afternoon tea in the boarding house. As a PE teacher, Dave was instrumental in setting up UWCSEA’s competitive basketball and swimming teams, including regional travel for competitions. He describes the basketball team’s first trip to Malaysia to play against College Tuanku Ja'afar, “I had to ask the College’s minibus driver to stop five miles out from Ja'afar’s gates so that the boys could put on their shirts and ties—you could hardly imagine such a formal practice today.” After two years of teaching PE, Dave was named Head of the PE Department, a post he held for 11 years. During his tenure, he rewrote the PE curriculum, introduced the Sports Awards Dinner (a tradition that continues at Dover Campus), and wrote the IB Sports Science course curriculum; he notes, “My submission was rejected twice but luckily, the third time was a charm and it finally got the nod.” In 2003, Dave became the Director of Admissions. “I was excited to think about how I could contribute to the senior leadership of the College. It was a great time to work in Admissions because we were opening up our Primary School, and I loved the challenge of newly positioning ourselves in the market and also meeting all the families who were so enthusiastic about a UWCSEA education for their little ones.” When Julian Whiteley joined as Head of College in 2005, he introduced the College to the world of advancement. At his previous schools Julian had seen the benefits of engaging alumni, sharing their stories and experiences and bringing in additional resources.
INTERVIEW
rs at UWCSEA In 2006 Dave took on the role of Director of Advancement and in 2008 the UWCSEA Foundation was created. Dave says, “When we had decided to go ahead with setting up Advancement at the College, we recruited some amazing volunteers who joined the Foundation as trustees and they were extremely generous with their time, treasure and talent to help us get it off the ground.” A highlight for Dave was his weekly meeting with Kirtida Mekani, Chair of the Fundraising Committee; they often met in a café at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, brainstorming how to bring the UWCSEA Foundation to life over cups of tea. Founding members of the Foundation included: David Chong, Kishore Mahbubani, Kirtida Mekani, Charles Ormiston, Julian Whiteley and Dave. Over the years, the Foundation has continued to benefit from the generosity of experts in alumni relations and fundraising, from its trustees and donors, and from numerous volunteers supporting giving at the College including the Foundation Parent Ambassadors. As our interview draws to a close, I can’t help but ask Dave for a few parting words. “What I love about UWCSEA is that it’s cool to be good. It's a school where you’re not pigeonholed by one area of expertise; I’ve had students arrive at a basketball try out, running in late in their Macbeth costumes wiping stage makeup off with the back of their hands and hauling book bags full of IB textbooks for their upcoming Maths exam. I have total faith that the world’s problems will be solved by this incredibly inspirational, passionate and talented generation and am so grateful to have had the opportunity to live and work alongside them.” Dave’s multi-faceted career at UWCSEA is a testament to the idea that it truly is cool to be good, and we wish him all the best as he heads back to Lincolnshire for his next adventure.
1992 The new sports centre and performing arts studios open Dave arrives as PE teacher
1994 The air-con fountain remains as a central feature on campus Dave is appointed Head of PE
2003 UWCSEA expanded to K–12 in 1998, requiring repositioning of the College Dave becomes Director of Admissions
2006 The College expands its focus on alumni relations and fundraising Dave is named first Director of Advancement
2008 UWCSEA East opens in the temporary Ang Mo Kio campus and the UWCSEA Foundation is launched
2018 UWCSEA celebrates 10 years of East Campus and 10 years of the UWCSEA Foundation
ALUMNI STORIES
BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR EYES OPENED! Katherine Short ’90
A lifelong nature lover, I am now a passionate marine conservationist. I was one of the few lucky students in my graduating class to go through the whole seven incredible years at UWCSEA. Since completing the IB Diploma, I have done a Bachelor of Ecology at Victoria University of Wellington and Master of Conservation Science at Imperial College London. I worked with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the conservation organisation for nearly 17 years globally to grow healthy and well-managed fisheries. Returning home to New Zealand in 2011, I created and now own F.L.O.W. Collaborative (Fisheries. Livelihoods.Oceans.Well-being) Ltd as well as co-own Terra Moana Ltd. 22 | Dunia June 2019
My key inspiration for being a professional conservationist is my inherent love of nature. Ecology was a legitimate ‘in’ to that in career terms. Growing up, nature was a big part of my life as in my garden in Singapore, there were big rhinoceros beetles amongst other wondrous tropical wildlife; I dove into tropical waters on the east coast of Malaysia at Pulau Aur, when I was only six years old; David Attenborough was big of course, and my mother always encouraged my love of nature and that girls can do science, too. I first met WWF when my class visited Endau Rompin. I remember there was a huge panda on the wall in the forest research camp there because WWF began and ran the
national parks in Malaysia for many years. That there was this organisation, caring for the rainforest that I loved in such a practical way, made a massive impression on me when I was 13. I wanted to work for WWF from that moment. It took me another 13 years, but I got there in the end! Since leaving WWF, in the last five years, I’ve been a business owner and partner in a sustainability consultancy called Terra Moana Ltd. It’s called Terra Moana to deliberately illustrate how we combine earth and sea, and Western and Polynesian paradigms in our sustainability consulting. We are very fortunate to be sustainability advisors to the largest Māoriowned seafood company, Moana New Zealand. We also have other projects and contracts on fisheries’ and oceans’ sustainability and health in New Zealand and around the world. Day to day, this job includes running projects for Moana, for example, we are doing an ecosystem service review of their oyster operation and its catchment in the far north of New Zealand this year. I’m also the secretary of the sustainability team, so it’s everything from day-to-day implementation to the strategic planning and design of the sustainability strategy. Moana’s sustainability strategy encompasses all of its business and operations to identify and progress ongoing improvements that can be made to treat the Earth more lightly as well as working across the bigger picture issues through careful conversations with Māori, civil society and the government. The most impactful UWCSEA learning experience for me is epitomised in just one event. I learnt self-reliance. We were up in the Himalayas when I was 15 and I got very, very sick from the altitude. The healthy ones were walking in front and the walking wounded were plodding on behind. I was put on a pony, and at the top of the pass, the guide said, "Alright, you can walk now!" They told me to follow the footprints in the snow. Before I knew it, I was up at 16,000 feet, alone, doing just that, following footprints in the snow. I had no other choice but to do so. It was an incredible test of resilience and courage. It’s so clear in my memory, I’ll never forget it. Studying at UWCSEA had a profound effect on me, shaping me for the seven years I attended and my life ever after. It taught me that peace and international understanding are necessary and possible, and how to live that way. It gave me a strong educational foundation and a phenomenal love for the planet. I am thankful to Mr Gibby who took us on adventures and taught us biology, to Julia Hodgetts who taught me History
and Ms Meisel who inspired a lifelong interest in her ceramics class. All have shaped who I have become; I still do pottery as a hobby and it is a great joy. I’m really rather good, having started at age 11! While UWCSEA helped to fan my interest in a career in conservation, it was also instrumental in shaping my view of a better world, which is one where people understand that caring for the planet and caring for themselves are intertwined; that our healing is inter-dependent and where everyone has access to the peace and tranquillity of nature regularly in their lives. While at the time I attended UWCSEA we weren’t exposed to thinking or discussion around gender and personal relationship choices, it did encourage us to examine the world with a mind primed to be open which helped me onto the path I have followed. I find myself now in a place where, following a 25-year journey through wonderful partnerships with some wonderful women, I understand that the human condition is to heal. Heal our relationships with ourselves, heal our relationships with each other and heal our relationships with those we share the planet with, so that the planet can heal too. And that all of that is a virtuous circle of regeneration, love and, ultimately, peace. I am now a huge fan and proponent of Māori healing approaches. The better, more sustainable world that the UWC mission aspires to help create is well encapsulated in the WWF mission, “People living in harmony with Nature.” I spent nearly 17 years working for WWF with this ambition in mind. There is a growing body of scientific proof of why and how a healthy environment supports healthy people and healthy communities, and how people caring for the environment helps them and the environment. These intertwined elements are things that indigenous people the world over have known for eons, including indigenous European societies. We’re beginning to creep our way back to those wise roots of how to live more lightly on our Earth. We’re beginning to feel that doing so helps us help ourselves too. What would I say to a prospective student of UWCSEA? Be prepared to have your eyes opened very wide!
Explore more alumni stories at https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/mystory
What is your alumni story? #myuwcsea Our alumni are an amazing global community who remain connected to our UWC mission throughout their lives. Maintaining connections is a cornerstone in strengthening the bonds of our united UWCSEA community. If you have a story about yourself or another alum you'd like to share, reach out to us at communications@uwcsea.edu.sg.
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FEATURE
Leaving and arriving well By Cindy Tisdall-McPhee Chair of Counselling K–12, East Campus
experience feelings of ‘homesickness’ and a desire to return to where we felt a sense of belonging.
As another school year comes to a close, our community inevitably begins to consider the impact of transitional stress and strategies to support our wellness. Whether we are moving to a new country, new school, new grade level; saying goodbye to friends; or have recently joined the UWCSEA community, we are all experiencing transition.
Transition can be a rollercoaster with the highs of joy and excitement, and the lows of emotional challenges. This can also be a time of vulnerability as we take risks to build new relationships and settle into our new environment. With patience, support and time, the uncertainty begins to shift into a sense of belonging once again.
In realising that our place of safety and comfort will soon change, self-protective behaviours might kick-in to help us make this change as painless as possible. We may notice that we begin leaning away from some relationships, responsibilities and commitments. It is also common at this time to deny our feelings as another way to protect ourselves. We may do this by only focusing on the excitement of our new adventure, without giving ourselves the time to acknowledge the losses associated with change.
In the final stage of transition, we begin to integrate into our new community. Whether it is a new class within UWCSEA, new school or whole new country, our vulnerability would support the establishment of new friendships, supports and routines. We develop strategies to cope and adapt to our new setting and as time passes we embrace and accept the differences.
Transition is often associated with a sense of chaos as we work to find a new sense of belonging. This stage is often initially characterised by strong positive emotions and excitement around the new adventure. Shortly after, the realities of the new environment begin to surface. These can range from small differences within the environment and culture, to situations that cause frustration or sadness. At times we may meet these with curiosity and adaptability, while at other times we may
The desire to support our families through the transition of leaving, saying goodbye to friends and arriving at a new place, can also add some additional transitional stress. Transition takes time and patience. Resources Transitions Expat Teens Talk by Dr Lisa Pittman and Diana Smit The Expert Expat by Melissa Brayer Hess and Patricia Linderman The Global Nomads Guide to University Transition by Tina L. Quick Third Culture Kids by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken
As you consider the journey ahead you may wish to refer to ‘Transitions’ in the Resources for Parents section of the UWCSEA Counselling and Wellness Centre website for additional tips and information. Visit www.uwcsea.edu.sg/counselling-and-wellness-centre 24 | Dunia June 2019
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GRADUATION 2019 This year’s graduating class of 569 students included 37 scholars from 34 different countries. Pascale Moreau '79, Director of the Bureau for Europe of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had this to say about UWC’s singular mission for education, "This College changed my life and the world would be in a better place, in my view, if all children on the planet could have the opportunity to study in UWC. "