ECOLINT MAGAZINE • N°13 • AUTUMN 2013 · 2018-04-04 · 2 echo13 | autumn2013 INTRODUCTION...

In partnership with the Alumni Association

E C O L I N T M AGA Z I N E • N ° 13 • AUT U M N 2 013

Introduction

A word from the DG

INSIGHTS

Brothers and sisters

QUOI DE NEUF?

In good hands

Saving the oceans

Sporting challenges

ESPRIT ECOLINT

Circle of life

Inspired

LES ANCIENS ET PAS SO OLD

Memory lane

A league of our own

COMING UP OR JUST BEEN

Succeeding together

The Ecolint Institute

Getting to know you

A vos agendas

The first Students’ UnitedNations (SUN) in 1953

2 echo13 | autumn2013

INTRODUCTION

Today, I have nine dedicated colleagues working with me, looking after the much-expanded portfolio of work for eight schools and three campuses. We regularly communicate with our alumni (28,500 members in the database) by email, as well as by post, sending out echo magazine twice yearly. We also support the Escalade dinners and other events taking place around the globe and our dynamic alumni website continues to evolve.

I have seen our school community grow from 3,389 to over 4,360 students and their families. It has been a real privilege to develop and lead our Foundation’s fundraising efforts to support our shared goal of “always doing better than our previous best”1. In what feels like my relatively short stay, the generosity of our community has enabled so much, including the opening of our Saconnex site; an exceptional Sports Centre at La Châtaigneraie; the development of our Special Educational Needs Programme across all three campuses; and soon the new Arts Centre opening at La Grande Boissière (LGB). Community support of our Annual Fund, launched in 2007, has permitted the accelerated implementation of key projects as diverse as interactive whiteboards in most classrooms, renovation of the cherished Greek Theatre at LGB and new student infrastructures such as the amphitheatre and play cabins at La Châtaigneraie. The article on this year’s Annual Fund on p.16 highlights what all of our campuses are hoping to achieve during this school year.

We will celebrate Ecolint’s 90th anniver-sary in 2014. Given how much change I have seen in the short time since I have been here, the growth and developments since 1924 seem boundless. The article

on the Students’ League of Nations on p.14 highlights one area of the school’s evolution. The esprit Ecolint remains constant, “based on the principles of equality and solidarity among all peoples and of the equal value of all human beings without any distinction of nationality, race, sex, language or religion.”2

As a school parent, I can bear proud witness to the esprit Ecolint. My daughter has been here since 2005 (Reception Class) and I can see first-hand just how wonderful an Ecolint education is. I often reflect on how different things might have been if I had not come to work at Ecolint: my daughter would not be bilingual, equally at ease conversing with her friends in French as in English; she would not count over 20 nationalities

amongst her friends, might know little about humanitarianism and her outlook on the world would certainly be so much more limited and local. The article about a Year 9 student’s efforts to save the oceans on p.7 shows how our students are not afraid to get out there and try to make a difference. I am grateful to the school, especially to my daughter’s teachers and her friends, for broadening her horizons and preparing her for the future as a fully-fledged citizen of the world.

The articles in this issue of echo bear testimony to the day-to-day manifestations of the esprit Ecolint. For example the Circle of life and Inspired articles about maternal health problems in Ethiopia on p.10-12 show how our current and former students are inspired and go on to act to influence others. I hope that you enjoy the articles in this issue of echo magazine.

I look forward to celebrating our 90th birthday with many of you next year and to welcoming our alumni back to the 7th Alumni World Reunion from the 12-14th June 2014.

Michaelene Stack,Director of Development, Ecolint

1 A vision for an International Education - The school’s vision for its students, June 2008

2 Charter of the Foundation of the International School of Geneva, Art. 4

It is my pleasure to provide the introduction for this issue of echo. As Director of Development since 2004, I have taken part in 9 years of rapid evolution. As the first Director with a remit for development, communications and alumni relations, my department consisted of just 1.7 (!) of us working on behalf of what was then six schools on two campuses. There was no alumni database and there was little contact with our alumni around the world, except for the small number who were members of the Alumni Association. Most of our communications were paper-based and there was no planned fundraising.

The Arts Centre building site

3echo13 | autumn2013

Une nouvelle année scolaire est toujours un moment de renaissance et c’est avec plaisir que je vous écris ces quelques

mots au début de ma troisième année à l’Ecolint. Pendant l’été, nous avons appris les résultats du diplôme du Baccalauréat International et je profite de cet article pour féliciter tous nos nouveaux anciens et leur souhaiter bonne chance pour l’avenir. Le taux de réussite était de 94.8% dont 17.9% au-dessus de 40 points. Parmi les 108 candidats à travers le monde entier qui ont atteint le maximum de 45 points, 6 sont des écolintiens. Bravo à tous, aux parents pour leur soutien et à mes collègues pour l’accompagnement académique et moral.

Les examens sont importants mais notre mission éducative ne finit pas là. Nous avons commencé l’année scolaire 2013-14 avec une réflexion sur l’un des piliers de l’Ecolint: l’éducation pour la paix, défi hélas toujours aussi impérieux et pertinent qu’en 1924 quand l’école a été fondée avec son idéal de paix et de bonne volonté entre les hommes, réalisé par l’éducation et l’instruction des jeunes.

L’éducation pour la paix se manifeste dans plusieurs éléments de nos programmes

et dans l’engagement humanitaire de nos élèves. Dans le cadre de notre 90e anniversaire, nous allons, dans chaque école, réfléchir à l’impact de notre programme, à nos collaborations, aux activités de sensibilisation et aux présentations qui permettent à nos élèves de réfléchir à la façon dont les gens font une différence pour les enjeux locaux, nationaux et mondiaux et de comprendre les caractéristiques de vision, d’énergie, de compassion, de dévouement et de générosité qui mènent à un impact positif afin que, à leur tour, ils deviennent eux-mêmes des entrepreneurs socio-philanthropiques.

Nous avons constaté également que l’éducation pour la paix à la deuxième décennie du 21e siècle devrait inclure l’éducation pour la paix mentale. Ceci fait partie de nos objectifs pour l’avenir: «se concentrer sur le développement du bien-être mental et physique pour préparer nos élèves à la longue vie qui les attend». Les réflexions perspicaces dans l’introduction d’une collection de sa poésie par Celia di Piro, Sleepwalking ont touché une corde sensible dans ce défi. Elle perçoit, «a decline and disorder in contemporary Western society in which millions of men and women are dying of spiritual starvation without feeling the slightest pang of hunger». Elle continue, «the fear of loneliness and boredom in the young and the old has become almost pathological.

The desire to fill every moment of life with noise and image prevents any deepening of self-knowledge and actively courts oblivion. People will do almost anything to avoid silence.»

Nous devons sensibiliser nos élèves à la beauté, à l’introspection, à la paix, et les aider à acquérir les ressources nécessaires pour faire face aux exigences du monde moderne. Notre Directeur de l’Education, M. Conrad Hughes, entreprend un travail important avec nos collègues pour réviser et ranimer les principes directeurs de nos programmes afin qu’ils soient représentatifs de l’apprentissage au 21e siècle. Il vous en parlera plus en détail dans une prochaine édition. Parmi ces principes directeurs est celui de la pleine conscience (Mindfulness) pour promouvoir, chez nos élèves, la conscience de soi, des autres et du contexte. Un domaine important dans cette démarche est sans doute l’appréciation et la pratique des arts et c’est avec un sentiment d’anticipation croissante que nous voyons avancer la construction du Centre des Arts à La Grande Boissière. Je me réjouis de voir nos élèves en profiter et de participer aux premiers spectacles! Bonne année scolaire!

Vicky Tuck, Directrice générale

A WORD FROM THE DG

Last year at Ecolint, 329 students sat the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma exams. Congratulations to the 94.8% who passed, 17.9% scoring above 40 points. Of the 127,000 IB candidates worldwide this year, 108 students scored the maximum of 45 points and 6 of these were from Ecolint!

Exams are important but our educational mission goes so much further, as you know. One of the pillars of an Ecolint education is the pursuit of peace which, sadly, remains as relevant and necessary today as it was when the school was founded in 1924. Our students are involved with a wide variety of humanitarian activities, inside and outside

school with local, national and global reaches, and this helps them to develop socially and philanthropically.

Conrad Hughes, Director of Education, is working with school Principals and colleagues to review and reinvigorate our Guiding Principles for Learning in the 21st Century. Included in this important enterprise is the development of guiding principles on Mindfulness to promote in our students awareness of self, others and context and to provide time and space for reflection.

The physical and mental well-being of our students, both while they are with us and

in preparation for the long lives they will lead, is an important focus of a holistic education. Integral to this is teaching our students to enjoy and practise the arts, so I am happy to report that the construction of the Arts Centre at La Grande Boissière continues apace and the opening of this magnificent space is keenly anticipated.

I wish everyone a happy and successful school year.

Vicky Tuck, Director General

HIGHLIGHTS


This is the second part of the article where we hear from Jonathan and Michael, two of the eight de Guzman family children who attended Ecolint from 1982 to 2006. We will hear from the remaining three siblings, Christopher, Alma and Lisa, in the next issue. Here Jonathan and Michael share some of their memories of their time at school and what they have been doing since.

Jonathan de Guzman,LGB’ 98

What have you done since graduation and what are you doing now?I studied Economics at Cornell University (USA). After realising how annoyingly persistent I can be, my college sweetheart finally agreed to marry me. A few years later, our first daughter was born and things have never been the same. Throughout high school I saw myself driving a silver BMW and working on Wall Street then, suddenly, I found myself pushing a double stroller down Sesame Street!

We have three children and although new challenges come up every day, I love my chosen career as a stay-at-home Dad and I home-school my children. My beautiful wife is an Army Dentist and, as a military family, we relocate every three years. I will let you figure out which formative experience I credit for my being so resilient and adaptable.

Are you still in touch with former classmates?Of course, I have bonds stronger than friendship. My friends are more like family. These relationships were forged as we learned difficult life lessons in kindergarten, traded Gameboy games in Year 4, navigated the awkwardness of Year 9 and valiantly launched into our IB exams (having only feigned preparation).

What are your best memories? Ski week, pony camp, sports day and every class field trip. Looking back, I cannot believe the grief we gave our French and Geography teachers. Yet, year after year, they continued to lead us on wonderful group excursions. When the time comes, I will petition that the lot of them be canonised as saints. The other

thing that I remember is how our teachers cared. The classroom was a safe place to make intelligent mistakes. At Ecolint, I learned to take chances and live with the consequences.

Did Ecolint help shape the direction of the career/life you have chosen? Unequivocally, yes. I am still in awe of the many life lessons I learned there. I carry three or more passports. Yet, somehow, I still squirm uncomfortably when asked, “So, where are you from?” and find it difficult to answer above and beyond knowing there is a school campus that I can always call home.

What advice would you give to students to make the best of their time at Ecolint?One of our favourite classmates, Beni Braun, was diagnosed with leukaemia during our last year. Despite his abundance of optimism and his indomitable zest for life, he eventually lost his brave battle. Naturally, I promised him that if I were ever to be blessed with a son, he would be named Beni. I’ve learned that life is short, and that there are only so many tomorrows. Decide the legacy you want to leave and get to work on it.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS

Insights Krista Clausnitzer, echo magazine editor

Jonathan and his family


BROTHERS AND SISTERS

Michael David de Guzman, LGB ’03

What did you do after leaving Ecolint?I studied Social Work at university in Hawaii. What is your best memory?Enjoying the world every day.

What is your worst memory? Graduation day. The feeling when I thought that everything I knew was over. But now, looking back, it was just the beginning. How well did Ecolint prepare you for life after school?I think the main thing that Ecolint taught me was the “soft skills” for life. I learnt how to get on with people no matter where they are from, how to avoid confrontations and to enjoy learning new things from the people around me. What have you done since graduation and what are you doing now?After graduating, I lived in Hawaii, South of France, then Hawaii again before settling in Geneva with my wife and

two children where I work for a pharmaceutical research company. My teachers would laugh if they knew I was using Chemistry and Maths every day. Did Ecolint help shape you?I think the greatest thing about Ecolint is that it gives you the assurance that you can do anything you set your mind to if you put your heart into it. There was no pressure to think about the future. There was enough diversity, culture and tolerance to allow everyone to be themselves and never feel awkward about who they are. Ecolint positively shaped the way I see the world and how I think about and treat all the different people I meet.

Are you still in touch with former classmates and the school?For sure. When I got married in 2006, my friends from LGB flew in from all around the world. Even ten years after graduating, they remain and will always

be my closest friends, my family. We all got together last year and even though we have not talked for a long time, it was as though we were still just hanging around at the basketball courts at the back of LGB.

What advice would you give to students to make the best of their time at Ecolint?In school I struggled slightly because I did not understand what school was really about. It is not about learning everything the teacher tells you, but rather about understanding how you, yourself, learn best because everyone learns differently. When you know what you want to do, you can then get on with it in the right way.

Highlights will include: Opening ceremony and buffet dinners at La Grande Boissière and La Châtaignerie on the evening of Thursday 12th June. The Alumni Association General Assembly on the morning of Friday 13th, Vintage tram ride in the afternoon and individual class dinners in the evening. Saturday 14th from 11.00am – 4.00pm it will be kermesse day on both campuses!

The Alumni Association Central Committee will organise special events and there will be the usual fantastic food from all over the world!

This year, Sunday will be left open for individual activities or travel.

The latest, most up-to-date information concerning the AWR programme and registration may be found in the Ecolint alumni web pages: http://alumni.ecolint.ch

The International School of Geneva’s Alumni Association organises a World Reunion every five years. This year, to open the 90th anniversary celebrations (to run from September 2014 to June 2015), we invite you to join old friends and revisit well-remembered places at the 7th Alumni World Reunion (AWR), in Geneva from Thursday 12th June to Saturday 14th June 2014.

We are looking for

Class Dinner organisers !!!

Please contact: [email protected] to specify your

campus and the class year(s) your dinner will cover.

Questions? Contact: [email protected]

(your questions will be forwarded to the Central

Committee and managed in a timely manner).

You can have a look at the photos from the 2004

and 2009 reunions online, (Members only, if you are

not yet part of it “Join us!”):

http://sl.ecolint.ch/wr09

Michael and his family

Geneva, 12th – 14th June 2014

This is the year! C’est l’année !ECOLINT 7th ALUMNI WORLD REUNION Geneva, 12th – 14th June 2014


Quoi de neuf

IN GOOD HANDSDans cette chronique, nous demandons à un membre du personnel enseignant de l’Ecolint quelles sont les raisons qui l’ont amené à travailler dans notre école. Ses réponses nous permettent d’en savoir un peu plus sur sa philosophie de l’enseignement.

Dans cette édition, nous avons interviewé Carine Lagacé, professeur en 6e année au campus de La Châtaigneraie.

Depuis combien de temps enseignez-vous à l’Ecolint?Je suis arrivée à La Châtaigneraie avec l’ouverture de la nouvelle Ecole primaire et le début du nouveau programme bilingue en septembre 2011. J’étais alors très heureuse et fière de rejoindre l’Ecole Internationale de Genève.

Comment résumeriez-vous votre rôle?J’enseigne l’immersion francophone en 6e année. La classe 6 est une année charnière car il faut commencer à préparer les élèves pour leur passage à l’Ecole secondaire dès le mois de septembre. Le mode de vie de la classe doit être pensé afin de continuer à encadrer les jeunes selon leurs besoins tout en leur donnant les responsabilités et la liberté qui leur permettront de développer leur autonomie.

Bien sûr, mon rôle ne se limite pas au développement holistique de l’élève. Il faut aussi s’assurer que chaque élève travaille dans sa zone de développement proximale et cela demande beaucoup de planification et une bonne gestion de classe. En parallèle il faut aussi assurer l’acquisition du savoir-être et du savoir-faire. De plus, en dernière année primaire, mes collègues et moi-même devons guider les élèves pour accomplir la fameuse exposition, l’événement culminant du Programme Primaire du BI. En fait, je considère que mon rôle d’enseignante est de préparer mes élèves à devenir des citoyens du monde présent et futur.

Quel est votre style d’enseignement?Lorsque j’ai commencé à enseigner, j’ai appris rapidement, à cause des circonstances extraordinaires de mon premier poste, que le milieu de vie de la classe est très important. On ne peut pas apprendre lorsqu’on ne se sent pas à l’aise. Je crois donc que chaque élève a la possibilité de progresser dans ses apprentissages lorsqu’il est placé dans un environnement favorable, actif et centré sur l’apprenant. Ma salle de classe doit être le reflet de la communauté multiculturelle dans laquelle je travaille. Je cherche à bâtir un espace éducatif où les élèves se sentent à l’aise tout en étant confrontés à des défis passionnants qui mèneront vers un apprentissage réfléchi. Mon but est d’aider mes élèves à devenir de meilleurs apprenants, à développer leur confiance en soi et qu’ainsi ils puissent reconnaître leurs points forts et identifier ce qu’ils devraient améliorer.

Qu’aimez-vous le plus dans votre travail?C’est tellement motivant de travailler avec des jeunes d’horizons différents; il n’y a pas deux journées pareilles!

Ce que vous aimez le moins ou ce que vous voudriez changer?Le temps, le temps, le temps! J’adore l’enseignement mais il s’agit, selon moi, d’une vocation qui demande un investissement considérable en temps et en énergie. J’aimerais évidemment avoir plus de temps pour planifier, partager, discuter et aller de l’avant avec de nouveaux projets.

Que signifie être un enseignant pour vous?…Que je me lève chaque matin heureuse d’aller travailler et de me retrouver dans ma classe avec mes élèves.

Les 3 meilleures aspects d’être un enseignant à l’Ecolint?J’adore travailler dans notre communauté multiculturelle où élèves, collègues et parents d’élèves apportent des perspectives différentes qui me poussent et me motivent à donner le meilleur de moi-même.

L’aspect multilingue est aussi très important et correspond aux valeurs que mon conjoint et moi essayons d’inculquer à notre petite fille.

Enfin, je crois fermement aux bienfaits du Programme Primaire du BI et suis très heureuse de travailler dans une école qui offre ce programme.

Carine Lagacé, Professeur en 6e année,

La Châtaigneraie

The expedition was organised by William Winram, a free-diving champion and the founder of The Watermen Project, a charity combining education and research for the preservation of sharks. Dr. Mauricio Hoyos, a scientist dedicated to the behaviour of sharks, was also on the trip.

When we boarded the boat, never having been on a boat trip before, I was surprised to see how simple and basic the boat was, yet still able to accommodate the 15 people on the expedition and 8 crew members. The boat was relatively old but fully equipped with diving equipment, a decompression chamber and two inflatable dinghies to take us around.

Once on board, we were told that to get to our destination, we had to cross the Pacific Ocean, a non-stop 24-hour trip! We were headed to the Revillagigedos Islands, a group of four volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. These islands are usually only visited by eco-tourists who are keen to scuba dive and explore the magnificence of nature.

The trip felt very long due to the constant rolling of the boat on the large ocean waves, and I felt sea sick. The only cure was taking special sea sickness pills and sleeping! We finally arrived at San Benedicto, a volcanic island that had its last eruption in 1952 which almost destroyed it. I saw the dried up lava that had flowed into the sea and we were told we would go diving there.

Mauricio explained to me that sharks

are important because they regulate both the health and the populations of fish species. Sharks often feed on sick, diseased or old fish, which helps prevent disease or sickness spreading to the rest of the fish population. The loss of sharks in our oceans will have effects beyond our imagination.

Shark tagging is a very delicate process and is not always successful as it must be done with a spear-gun and the tag has to be placed next to the main fin. The spear gun has a camera installed on it to capture the moment this happens and the diver must note what kind of a shark has been tagged and whether it is male or female. To make things even more difficult, the shark tagging happens while free-diving (diving with a single breath of air and without using a scuba tank) as this is the only way to approach sharks quietly enough to ensure a higher success rate. This is where William’s free-diving skills came in handy.

We ended up spending the next few days swimming and monitoring the work of the shark tagging team. We also did some scuba-diving and free-diving along with several manta rays, dolphins, sea turtles, whales, schools of tuna, and other beautiful exotic fish. I enjoyed all these underwater activities as well as diving next to the lava flow.

We were taking a dinghy towards our dive site when, all of a sudden, a manta ray leapt out of the water! It was incredible and very acrobatic. I was snorkelling

around the lava flow and saw a manta ray and swam towards it, since they are harmless creatures. It swam away so I continued my swim. I looked around and there it was again, so I got closer to it and it took off but then came back again and I realised it was playing with me! It is really sad that manta rays are under threat because their gills and fins are popular in soups, so fishing them has become big business.

Did you know that tiger sharks are second only to the great white shark in terms of numbers of attacks on humans? I was swimming around the lava flow and when I turned around, just three metres away, there was a tiger shark! This is the closest I have ever been to a shark! When I tell people about this experience they ask if I was in a cage. I was NOT but, even more surprisingly, I did not swim away and scream but swam towards it. I know this was the wrong thing to do since sharks are predators but luckily it swam away, so I continued swimming. Another swimmer who was in the water spotted the same tiger shark again so it was swimming around us! William said we should get back on the dinghy and return to the boat as it was no longer safe for us to be in the water.

By the last day of our trip, the team had managed to tag 11 sharks. They had initially hoped to tag 20 or more sharks but everyone was happy with the final results. I learnt so much about the importance of protecting endangered animals.

Quoi de neuf

SAVING THE OCEANS

Yasmin Metaxa, Year 9 Student,

Secondary School, La Grande Boissière

To learn more about The Watermen Project, please visit:

www.williamwinram.com/conservation/the-watermen-project

A scholarship programme is currently being developed to ensure that young people from Ecolint can learn about and help promote the message of ocean conservation.

In January 2013, I participated in a shark tagging expedition off the coast of Mexico with the charity, The Watermen Project. I am happy to share some of the reasons why this trip was such a challenging and amazing experience.


Yasmin in Mexico

SPORTING CHALLENGES

Quoi de neuf

Emma Calcutt,La Châtaigneraie

Sport is so important in helping young people to build self esteem, understand fair-play, learn to win and lose, realise the importance of healthy lifestyles and co-operate with others. The list of benefits is endless. I have seen students’ lives turned around due to their experiences in sport, whatever their level. That really is the only incentive we need to strive to continue to develop and improve sporting experiences at school.

This year has seen a dramatic rise in sports participation, with more than 800 students now taking part in either the competitive or recreational sports programme in a wide variety of activities from cheerleading, cricket and volleyball to gymnastics. There is a new module of Primary Competitive sports with football for our Year 3 and 4 students.

I have enjoyed seeing our Primary and Senior skiers join forces with the other campuses this year to produce a fantastic Ski Team. To hear the stories on return from each tournament about the successes, failures and new friendships formed has been great.

We are particularly excited about our new Primary Rugby Club, affiliated with the Swiss Rugby Federation, which will enable our students to learn this game and play against clubs from all over Geneva and Vaud at weekend tournaments. We also have a new Primary Competitive Gymnastics programme which will enable students at all levels to learn, develop and take part in competitions against other schools.

In the Secondary School, there are now extra cricket, volleyball and netball sessions in our Competitive Programme and we hope to get more age groups involved in these key sports. It is fantastic to see the team spirit growing in both the Primary and Secondary Schools and across the whole Foundation, as more and more students are taking part in sport.

Each of our three campuses has a Director of Sports to oversee all the sporting activities and develop programmes to ensure that all students can (and do!) get involved in sports.

There are many opportunities for students to compete and participate in events with other schools in and around Geneva and further afield. In this article, we get an update about what is going on at our three campuses.

LA C

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TAIG

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AIE

echo13 | autumn20138

Antoine Laffay, Campus des Nations

Avant toute chose il est bien évidemment reconnu que le sport est un vecteur essentiel de l’équilibre psychique et physique d’un enfant et d’un adolescent. C’est un aspect essentiel de son éducation qui lui permet non seulement de s’épanouir au contact des autres mais également d’accroître sa confiance en soi.

L’objectif à Campus des Nations est donc de proposer une offre riche et variée alliant les clubs compétitifs aux clubs à vocation plus «loisirs». Notre objectif est avant tout de permettre à un maximum d’enfants de s’épanouir et de prendre du plaisir afin d’avoir envie de continuer le sport tout au long de leur vie.

Il est difficile pour moi de comparer cette année aux précédentes puisque je viens de terminer ma première année scolaire à ce poste. Je peux simplement dire que l’offre de clubs et de compétitions est en réelle augmentation et qu’il semble que de plus en plus d’élèves s’inscrivent dans nos clubs sportifs extra-scolaires, ce qui est un bon signe.

Il va y avoir beaucoup de changements l’année prochaine avec notamment un allongement de la durée des clubs compétitifs et l’ajout d’un entraînement supplémentaire pour les différentes équipes de football et de basket du secondaire. Un autre évènement important concerne l’ouverture d’une salle de musculation. Cette dernière sera disponible pour les « compétiteurs » durant la période hivernale et pour tous les autres lors de séances à l’année encadrées par un coach issu du monde professionnel. Enfin, en termes de compétition, nous venons de créer une nouvelle association avec 3 autres écoles et nos trois campus afin d’accroître le nombre de rencontres et de permettre ainsi à un maximum d’élèves de vivre l’expérience de la compétition et du partage avec les autres.

Patrick Macazaga,La Grande Boissière

Les titres et les trophées ne sont pas l’objectif principal de notre programme et nous ne faisons aucune sélection pour nous donner des chances d’être plus performants. Chaque enfant est le bienvenu quel que soit son niveau, et il doit se sentir accepté par tous ses équipiers.

Nous avons officialisé la création de la European Sports Conference à Genève début septembre 2013. Cette conférence regroupe 10 écoles internationales et nos écoles vont s’affronter en football, basketball, rugby, volleyball, athlétisme, tennis et golf au cours d’un weekend pendant l’année. Chaque école accueille un tournoi par an dans sa ville et l’hébergement des élèves se fera dans des familles d’accueil. Ces tournois s’adressent aux élèves des classes 11 à 13. A moyen terme, nous espérons avoir une conférence regroupant 16 écoles européennes pour proposer deux divisions de compétition.

Nous avons participé activement à la création de la Ligue du Lac qui regroupe 6 écoles: Haut Lac, International School of Lausanne, Collège du Léman et nos trois campus. Nous avons agendé un bon nombre d’événements sportifs pour élargir notre offre de tournois à l’ensemble de nos équipes.

Nous avons développé notre programme de rugby au niveau des équipes les plus jeunes et nous avons recruté un troisième coach. Nous sommes aujourd’hui aussi une école de rugby qui adhère officiellement à la Fédération Suisse de Rugby.

Nous avons dépassé la barre des 900 inscrits à notre programme des sports et c’est un beau succès. Cette augmentation vient du fait que nous avons repris le sport extra-scolaire au niveau de l’Ecole primaire. Nous proposons aux élèves du Primaire un programme adapté à leur âge et nous leur offrons aussi l’occasion de disputer un ou deux tournois au cours de l’année.

La direction du campus a mis à disposition le mercredi après midi entre 12h15 et 15h00 pour nos cours primaires et moyens. Plus de 160 enfants s’entraînent chaque semaine dans ces nouveaux créneaux horaires. Nous avons ajouté le tennis et le football américain à notre offre. Le tennis a bien débuté puisque tous les cours sont pleins. Il nous manque encore quelques inscriptions pour confirmer le football américain.

Nous avons renforcé notre personnel et, cette année, 30 coachs vont animer notre programme des sports. Cela représente chaque semaine 70 heures de pratique pour plus de 40 équipes. Notre campus participera cette saison à plus de 200 tournois et matchs. Nous sommes toujours heureux de voir un grand nombre de parents qui viennent soutenir leur enfant lors d’un match ou d’un tournoi. Nous les remercions d’avance pour leur engagement!C

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Directors of Sport:Emma Calcutt, La Châtaigneraie

Antoine Laffay, Campus des NationsPatrick Macazaga, La Grande Boissière



CIRCLE OF LIFEIn this article, we hear from two students who attended Ecolint in the 1980s about how they became involved with an Ethiopian not-for-profit organisation called Hamlin Fistula, founded by Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr Catherine Hamlin and her husband.

Elisabeth Perez Esayas, LGB ‘88, and Weynabeba Abate, LGB ‘82, were not at school at the same time but have become firm friends thanks to shared values, common interests and mutual friends. They are both of Ethiopian descent and currently live in Geneva.

Elisabeth Perez Esayas,LGB '88

How did you come to be at Ecolint?We moved to Geneva as my father worked in an international organisation. Ecolint was the natural choice to enable me to have more flexibility to decide where I wanted to study afterwards.

What have you done since graduation?I studied Physiotherapy at Uppsala University in Sweden and continued further holistic paramedical studies in Psychosomatics. In 1995, I moved back to Geneva and worked in a psychiatric clinic in Nyon. I married Antonio Perez in 2001 and we have two children. I opened a holistic health centre in Geneva in 2001 and have worked there ever since. I specialise in hypnotherapy and continue to take courses in Chakra therapy.

What was Ecolint like when you were at school?In spirit, very similar to how it is now but there are a couple of differences. There used to be a boarding school and the French and English sides were more separate. Now they are more integrated and I think it is better.

Best and worst memories of school?Ecolint was our “little world” and it was always a pleasure to go to school. My worst memories were the end of year

exams. I was very nervous before exams, even though I did quite well most of the time. Today, I help teenagers with stress management through self-hypnosis. If only I had known how to help myself back then!

How did you get involved with Dr Hamlin?Dr Hamlin was my mother's doctor in Ethiopia when my mother had a still-born

baby. She later delivered my sister and brother. My aunt was the head nurse at Dr Hamlin's first hospital for many years, so I had always heard about Dr Hamlin. I really got involved after I read the book, The Hospital by the River, written by Dr Hamlin and John Little. The patients' stories broke my heart. I was so touched and had so many emotions all at once. I had this urge to help these poor women

Esprit ecol int

A fistula develops due to problems during childbirth when a caesarean is unavailable. The unborn child (still-born in 85% - 100% of cases) presses downwards during contractions, cutting off the blood supply in the lower abdomen causing the tissues to disintegrate and fall away. This may leave a hole between the vagina and the rectum and/or between the vagina and the bladder – and the patient may becomes incontinent. A fistula is a disease of poverty because it is totally preventable with adequate health care during pregnancy and child birth. It is prevalent in young women, under 20, who are small due to inadequate calorie intake both for growth and for performing the demanding daily menial tasks that life in a less developed country demands of them (like collecting firewood and carrying water).

Elisabeth (centre right) with Dr Hamlin (centre left) and other hospital staff in Ethiopia


CIRCLE OF LIFE

Krista Clausnitzer, echo magazine editor

Weynabeba Abate, LGB '82

How did you come to be at Ecolint?My family moved here in 1975 to work in an international organisation and, as the children of close family friends were already enrolled at Ecolint, it seemed the most logical choice for my secondary education in English.

What have you done since graduation?I went to university in the United States and spent a couple years in telecoms and pharmaceuticals before joining the banking world (investment and private banks).

What was the school like then? It was a real community and there were about 70 nationalities. All students were treated as equals, regardless of race, colour, religion and sex, which allowed us all to blossom as individuals. It took me some time to get used to being taught in English, having just arrived from Ethiopia, but it did not take me long to make friends. There was an incredible school spirit.

Best and worst memories of school?I can only remember it being good and my memories are countless. A sunny day meant that we would all spend our lunch time sitting or lounging on the lawn; playing soft ball on the field; listening to or singing in one of the bands playing in the Greek Theatre. School plays were fun, rehearsing, putting on the actual show and celebrating when it ended.

How did you get involved with Dr Hamlin?Some 8 years ago, Elisabeth and I shared with each other our common wish to help improve the lives of those less fortunate than us back home in Ethiopia, but the cause was not really defined yet. She mentioned Dr Hamlin, whom I knew of already, and gave me the book to read and the movie (A Walk to Beautiful) to watch just before my Christmas trip to Ethiopia and that “cause” was defined.

It is the severity of the fistula problem that got my attention. There are 50,000 - 100,000 cases each year, according to WHO studies. In addition to the lack of treatment and the consequences, the sheer fact that babies and their mothers are at risk because of extreme poverty, malnutrition and lack of any medical care is atrocious.

Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia has not only been curing, caring and restoring the lives of these young women for free but it has also built Fistula Centres in five other Ethiopian cities to provide training for medical professionals across the developing world. It is also investing in midwifery training as a preventative measure. The Hamlin College of Midwives is crucial to reducing the mortality rate by bridging the gap between rural communities and health facilities.

What are you doing now?I am a volunteer for the Geneva Fistula Campaign 2013, reaching out to as many people as possible to raise awareness and the funds necessary to run the hospital, the centres and the college (for training midwives).

How did Ecolint help shape the direction of your life/career/philanthropy?Ecolint helped bring out the best and allowed us all to feel comfortable with ourselves as individuals. I was always out-going, open-minded and very tolerant of my friends and classmates from all over the world. This was instrumental in helping me deal with different cultures, environments and situations in both my professional and personal life.

The education I received at Ecolint, especially doing the International Baccalaureate, prepared me really well for my university years. Philanthropy is not on everyone's agenda but it has been on mine since I was eight years old and I am glad that I can give back in some small way.

What makes you feel proud about Ecolint?Ecolint gave us all academic excellence, a sense of belonging and citizenship. The bond and memories are priceless. No matter where I go in the world, if I happen to meet another alumni, the connection is instant.

while, at the same time, admired their strength and courage for enduring such extensive psychological and physical trauma.

Dr Hamlin's love, compassion, human kindness and her spiritual approach to treating the poorest, most rejected women in Ethiopian society is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I have so much respect and admiration for Dr Hamlin and everything she and her husband have done in Ethiopia.

I felt so strongly, “This is what I want to do!” so I went to Addis Ababa to visit the hospital and Dr Hamlin. We kept in contact and last year Dr Hamlin asked me to join the Hamlin Fistula International Foundation as a Board Member and I gratefully accepted. Being Ethiopian, my heart calls on me to help women and girls in my country, in the same way I would help my own sister or daughter.

What are you doing now?We started a Geneva Fistula Campaign in 2013 to spread awareness about fistulas and to raise funds to educate Ethiopian midwives who, after completion of their studies, will return to work in their villages of origin. This is one of the key elements in preventing fistulas in the future and the best way to improve maternal health and decrease infant mortality.

How did Ecolint help shape the direction of your life/career/philanthropy?Ecolint taught me about people's cultures, religions and beliefs. We were naturally taught to respect and understand each other's differences and we learnt how to communicate and find solutions to any given problem.

What makes you feel proud about Ecolint?The spirit at Ecolint encourages personal development, helping students feel confident, out-going and giving them the confidence to remain true to themselves, unique as individuals and help them make their dreams come true.

Weynabeba at school

Weynabeba (left) and Dr Hamlin


Esprit ecol int

INSPIRED

Edward McKenzie, Year 13,

Secondary School,La Grande Boissière

Dr Catherine Hamlin visited Ecolint in March 2013. Following her visit, Edward McKenzie, a Year 13 student was so touched by her work that he felt inspired to act.

Dr Hamlin invited me to join her to speak at a World Health Organization (WHO) lunch seminar co-hosted by WHO’s department of maternal health and the department of reproductive health. I hope that my speech helped raise awareness about fistula problems and the need to do something to eradicate the problem in the 21st Century.

I received a standing ovation for my speech and here is an extract:

“I am 17 and in my final year at the International School of Geneva. Only a few months ago I knew very little if anything about a fistula, what it was and whom it affected, I barely even knew it existed. It is not taught at school and is greatly ignored by the rich world - with the last Fistula Hospital closing in New York in 1895. Yet, still a shocking 2 to 3

million women suffer needlessly, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and in India from this awful condition. It is true I was ignorant. It was only when Dr Hamlin came to speak at our school in March about fistulas, whereby the blood supply to the tissues of the vagina and the bladder is cut off during prolonged obstructed labour, which results in incontinence, that I became aware of the problem. As a result, women are ostracised and live a life of isolation,

some living in silence for years, having to face the physical and mental trauma that comes with this.

This inspired me to base my IB Diploma Extended Essay, a 4,000-word research paper, on how the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa has helped achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, to reduce child mortality by 66% and maternal mortality by 75%.

Since the opening of the Fistula Hospital in 1974, Dr Hamlin and her team have not only cured over 30,000 women but have given them back their lives, given them a fresh start and given them hope.

In this day and age, the biggest danger is ignorance, when people continue blindly to ignore what they do not know. The more people find out about fistulas, the more they want to help in any way possible, either through donations, events or simply by word of mouth. The smallest act of kindness will help give someone their life back and the biggest reward is knowing that you helped make it possible. Living in the 21st Century nothing has become impossible.

We are living with the most advanced technology and healthcare of our time. So it has become our duty to give these women their lives back, return their dignity and it is no longer an option to allow others to suffer. Would it not be great if fistulas became a condition of the past?”

Dr Catherine Hamlin, an Australian obstetrician and gynaecologist, co-founded the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital and the Hamlin Fistula organisation with her late husband Dr Reg Hamlin.

The Hamlin Fistula hospital provides free obstetric fistula repair surgery to poor women suffering from childbirth injuries in Ethiopia. In recognition of her work, Dr Hamlin was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 and in 2010 received the Lifetime Achievement Award, “People to People”, in Ethiopia and the Achievement Award, International Women's Day, given by the President of Ethiopia in 2010.

For more information please visit www.hamlinfistula.org

Dr Hamlin in Ethiopia


Les anciens et pas so o ld

It is a pleasure to hear from John Moorhead, LGB ‘82, who is an interpreter and sustainable business consultant in Geneva and Michael Jad Azkoul, LGB ‘09, an aspiring Hip Hop artist, rapper, sound producer and performer.

MEMORY LANE

John Moorhead, LGB ‘82 How did you come to be at Ecolint?My family had moved back from California (where my father was working at IBM on a sabbatical from CERN) in 1974. What did you do after leaving Ecolint?After reading Biology at Cambridge

University and doing an International MBA in Madrid, I worked for many years in the health care industry in the US, Basel and Mexico city. In 1994 I married

Deirdre Dimancesco, an Ecolint alumna on the way to our posting in Mexico City, where our first child Alexander (who now attends Campus des Nations) was born in 1996. Upon returning to Switzerland in 1998, I had a brief stint in the luxury watch industry before starting my consulting career. I also attended the University of Geneva in 2004 to become a conference interpreter and in 2011 to study sustainable management on which I consult today. Where are you living now and what are you doing?Our family of “Ecolintians” lives in Arzier, a village of 2,000 inhabitants at 900 metres altitude in the Jura, with magnificent views of the Alps and Lake Geneva. My other two children, Emeline and Nicholas, attend La Châtaigneraie. I work at a sustainable management consultancy called BSD Consulting where I advise our clients on how to run their organisations sustainably. I am also working on initiatives with Earth Focus, WWF and others to decrease private sector carbon dioxide emissions and prevent catastrophic climate change. I teach sustainability reporting at the University of Geneva. Did your time at Ecolint affect your choices in life?Absolutely! Living and learning in such a multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-lingual environment shaped my outlook and choices in life tremendously.

What are your fondest memories of Ecolint?My fondest memories include pouring down the sink, by mistake, Enrico Mantovani’s and my Chemistry experiment which we had been working on for days, the Saturday School ski trips, the England rugby tour and hanging out at the cafeteria, the senior lawn, the Auberge and Le Molard debating “where is everybody?” and “where are we going next?” A tradition which I understand students carry on today. More seriously though, Biology and Chemistry classes, living in an international environment with friends who were at least as rootless and multinational as myself, all mixed up together in a fantastic melting pot. We would discuss endlessly whether it is better to be from one place or several. Who were your favourite teachers and why?We were very privileged in the teachers we had. Rather than focus on one or other teacher I would say that all our teachers were committed, extremely knowledgeable and they encouraged us to develop our spirit of enquiry, think on our own and develop confidence in ourselves, whilst remaining humble. I particularly appreciated how the sciences were taught. Today, at the different Ecolint gatherings it is a pleasure for me to see so many of my former teachers, many of them, now, old friends.

Michael Jad Azkoul, LGB ‘09

How did you come to be at Ecolint?My mother worked for the International Organization for Migration and, when she was posted to Geneva, we took advantage of the rare opportunity for me to attend a school of such repute.

What did you do after leaving Ecolint?I graduated from Kingston University, London, with a BA (Hons) in Art, Performance & Digital Media.

Where are you living now and what are you doing?I am currently back in the Geneva area getting my career started as a Hip Hop artist, principally through rap but also other forms of sound production, film, performance and more. As co-founder of World Wide Connects (www.worldwideconnects.org, a global platform for connecting and promoting the positive values of Hip Hop culture worldwide), I am very active in the global underground scene thanks to internet networking and strategic traveling. I have always been passionate about creating positive change in the world and, mainly through artistic expression, giving individuals and their communities the tools to self-improve.

What are your fondest memories of Ecolint?The final years, when friendships and projects began to get serious.

Who were your favourite teachers and why?Amongst others, Preece, Melnick, Power, Wack, Roux, Rozelle, Bouchon, Hamzavi.My favourite teachers are those who believed in me, accepted my differences, and encouraged me to do my thing.

Did your time at Ecolint affect your choices in life?Undoubtedly. We are made up of our experiences, and I spent most of my education there. As well as gaining innumerable contacts from different cultures and a greater understanding of social stratification and globalisation, some of the people I met (staff as well as students) encouraged me to evolve into who I am today. I am grateful.

If you could go back and do it again, is there anything you would do differently?No.

What qualities do you think an Ecolint education encouraged in you?Being in the midst of so many cultures and realising the disconnection between wealth and happiness are the things that serve me in the street and everywhere else I go.


Les anciens et pas so o ld

The 60-year existence of the Students’ United Nations (SUN), later known as the Students’ League of Nations (SLN), has been a very successful educational experience. This article looks back over the history of this event and some former students share their memories

A LEAGUE OF OUR OWN

Today there are thousands of United Nations (UN) General Assembly simulations by students throughout the world. But back in 1953, the concept of a model United Nations was virtually unheard of. It took the visionary genius of a History teacher at the International School of Geneva, Mr Leach, to set up the Students’ United Nations (SUN).

The first session of SUN in 1953 was hosted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and was presided over by Mr Leach and the distinguished philosopher Jeanne Hersch, who also taught at Ecolint at the time. Since 1953, generations of Ecolint students have realistically and knowledgeably represented countries other than their own (a fundamental principle of the exercise) at SUN. SUN has helped our students to develop the sensitivity for others’ perspectives, as well as honing their diplomatic and questioning skills.

Whilst the existence of SUN/SLN has been a very successful educational experience, there were turbulent episodes in the 1970s and 1980s when the event became the victim of its own success and other schools flocked to take part in the proceedings. Some of these schools brought with them a different approach to SUN and gradually the earnest, scrupulous simulation gave way to provocation and caricature. In 1978, SUN delegates were evicted from the Palais des Nations mid-conference, following a complaint from the Soviet ambassador. Interestingly, this episode caught the attention of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which referred to it in its May 1985 Report. The SUN General Assembly had to move to Geneva’s Centre International de Conférences which remained the venue.

By the early 1990s, SUN had degenerated into frivolity and, at this point, our Director General at the

time, George Walker, gave the other participating schools one year in which to collaborate with Ecolint and restore the SUN’s original purpose and spirit, failing which we would pull out and re-launch the event independently. As no effective collaboration measures were taken, with the UN’s support, Ecolint resurrected SUN in the Palais des Nations and renamed it the Students’ League of Nations (SLN) in honour of the entity that had given birth to our school.

Since then, SLN has been run exclusively by Ecolint with selected schools (currently about 15) from around the world being invited to take part. The General Assemblies are inaugurated by the Director General of the United Nations Office in Geneva each year and approximately 300 student delegates, representing some 150

countries meet to propose, debate and adopt resolutions. They are also addressed by prominent speakers.

The hallmark of SLN today is its blend of well-researched plausibility and lively debates. It is serious without being unduly solemn or staid. There are clashes of different perspectives on world affairs but with respect for diplomatic courtesies and the rules of civilised debating. Most importantly, the delegates come to identify so intensely with the countries that they represent that they rarely forget the experience and their understanding of other points of view is permanently broadened.

Here, some of our former students share some of their memories of their participation in the SLN:

The Students’ United Nations

A LEAGUE OF OUR OWN

Isabelle Gilliéron, LGB ‘82

Quel pays représentiez-vous? Le Burundi

Un souvenir marquant de cette expérience?Nous avons été éjectés des Nations Unies à cause d’une proposition de vote des étudiants pour l’URSS qui n’a pas été appréciée par la mission permanente de l’URSS car cela ne correspondait pas à leur point de vue! Le lendemain matin, nous nous retrouvions tous dehors de l’ONU en attendant de savoir où nous irions passer la journée!

Comme quoi, bien connaître l’histoire des pays est aussi important pour ne pas faire de “gaffes diplomatiques”!

Qu’est-ce que votre participation vous a apporté ? Une meilleure connaissance des pays et de leur histoire respective.

Sandra Mullins and Paul Robinson, LGB ‘98

Which country were you? China

Striking memories? Getting our resolution passed and using the runners to exchange cheeky notes (not always SLN-related!) with other countries.

What did taking part teach you? Amongst other things, it taught us the reality of how much work goes into getting a resolution passed and how important strategic alliances can be in the real world.

Anything else you would like to add? We are now married and have two beautiful children.

Michelle Dang, LGB ‘04

Which country were you?1st year: I was a messenger2nd year: Iran3rd year: USA

What did taking part teach you?I participated in the SLN for 3 years in a row. My participation at Ecolint’s SLN exposed me to the whole concept behind the United Nations and I understood how an organisation like this operates in today’s world. There were other elements that strongly contributed to the excitement of this event. As a young student, the SLN was really the ideal platform to take students off school grounds and directly into the UN itself, an environment where real things happen, life-changing decisions are actually made and where game-changers have once stood. You met students from other campuses and other schools, you shared thoughts and perspectives and, for once, school textbooks were far away and shut! The SLN was one of my favourite school experiences altogether. Thank you!

Daniel Stanton, LGB ‘02

Which country were you?In Year 12, Palestinian Authority (PA). We submitted a resolution to the Assembly that the PA be restored to its pre-1967 (Six- Day War) - Israel boundary, that Jerusalem be given over to the PA and that it shall be known henceforth as Al-Quds, as the city is known in Arabic. In Year 13, China.

What did taking part teach you?I did not know anything about the Arab-Israeli conflict or the Six-Day War before SLN but I learnt quickly! Everyone seemed to wake up and have their say and it was a thorny issue. We lost the resolution but it was perhaps the only time at Ecolint where I acted out an opinion just for debate. I began to see that my own point of view needed to grow if I was to look out for the big issues.

As China, I learned what it meant to look after self-interests. As Palestine, there was exciting debate, but China was about listening to others and interpreting current events through a historical lens and was more about avoiding debate and change.

Alejandro Rodriguez-Giovo,Foundation Archivist and

Member of the Students’ League of Nations (SLN) Steering Committee

Ecolint delegates at SUN

The Student’s League of Nations


Coming up or just been

SUCCEEDING TOGETHER

Last year’s Annual Fund 2012-13Campus des Nations: Thank you to everyone for enabling us to improve the performing arts facilities. CHF 18,471 was raised, making the purchase of additional sound equipment for Pregny and a new music practice box possible.

La Châtaigneraie: We are extremely grateful for the CHF 86,000 raised for the new outdoor learning space with play cabins for the Primary School playground and a mini-amphitheatre to provide a venue for Secondary School students to meet, socialise and host events and performances.

La Grande Boissière: LGB campus continued to focus all of its fundraising efforts on the Arts Centre community campaign and an amazing CHF 157,453 was raised.

A very big thank you to everyone who contributed.

It is a pleasure to provide an Annual Fund update and introduce the aims/targets for this school year.

Looking ahead to this school yearMission(s) accomplished! Campus des Nations(Target CHF 55,000) Improvements to the outdoor space for learning, playing and socialising

At Pregny, a protective canopy is wanted to cover the main terrace so that students can play, learn and socialise outside whatever the weather.

At Saconnex, we would like to furnish the terrace by the basketball courts to help maximise the potential of this outdoor space.

La Châtaigneraie(Target CHF 90,000) Continued improvements to the campus

At the Primary School, an indoor garden and a sound system will transform the atrium and create an amazing learning and general assembly space for the whole school.

At the Secondary School, continued improvements in the performing arts facilities, with new seats for the theatre creating space for recitals and a recording studio upgrade for students.

Michal Sela, Development & Communications Associate,

Ecolint

How to make your gift to

Campus des Nations and

La Châtaigneraie?

www.ecolint.ch/annual-fund

IBAN CH22 0024 0240 2899 4622 Z

Questions? Get in touch!

Michaelene Stack Director of DevelopmentTel: +41 (0)22 787 26 63 [email protected]

Michal Sela Development & Communications AssociateTel: +41 (0)22 787 26 19 [email protected]

LA GRANDE BOISSIÈREThe new Arts Centre construction is well underway and the

building will open its doors from April 2014. LGB campus will carry

on fundraising for the Arts Centre community campaign to ensure

the funding gap of CHF 4 million is met.

How to make your gift to the Arts Centre?

www.ecolint-arts.ch/en/donate

IBAN CH45 0024 0240 2899 4620 F

echo13 | autumn201316

SUCCEEDING TOGETHER

The Foundation is in the fortunate position of having welcomed, over the years, many very talented teachers to work in its schools. One of the most important aims of the Institute has been to build on this wealth of experience within our community and to facilitate teachers working together and sharing their expertise and good practice with their colleagues. Indeed, this is at the centre of the work of the Institute. By opening various avenues of professional development we can all explore pedagogical ideas further, thus ultimately benefiting our students, who remain at the heart of all we do.

The Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE International), our initial teacher

training programme run jointly with Durham University UK, had already been running for a year when the Institute “opened its doors” and it is one of the programmes which now comes under the “umbrella” of the Institute. Other programmes open to the public and offered through the Institute include part time Masters Programmes in International Education: in English, in collaboration with Durham University UK and in French, in collaboration with the University of Geneva.

Cette année, grâce à notre collaboration avec l’Université de Genève, nous avons pu mettre en place une Maîtrise en Education Internationale et Recherche. Les enseignants de l’Université de Genève

donneront leurs cours au Campus des Nations - Grand-Saconnex. Un des modules de cette maîtrise s’intitule «Education à la Paix par la pratique du dialogue». Il sera animé par Michel Sasseville de l’Université de Laval. Cette maîtrise est ouverte à tous ceux qui veulent continuer de se former en sciences de l’éducation.

The Ecolint Institute also publishes a research journal once a year. This journal has attracted articles by leading academics in the field of education and, equally important, it includes a resume of some of the educational research being undertaken by those working day to day with our students.

Surely no one would disagree that, in the words of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile, all teachers are “Lifelong Learners” and the role of the Institute is to be part of the infrastructure that allows that to happen here at Ecolint.

If you would like to know more about the courses or work of the Ecolint Institute, please email [email protected] or [email protected].

The Ecolint Institute of Learning and Teaching was launched in September 2011 and is now entering its third year. The aim of the Institute, working alongside Principals and teachers, is to provide and facili-tate professional development opportunities and further strengthen our Ecolint learning community.


THE ECOLINT INSTITUTE

Alison Ball,Frédéric Mercier,

Co-Heads of the Ecolint Instituteof Learning and Teaching


AlisonBall

FrédéricMercier

«Students» at the Ecolint Institute.


I have four nationalities and work in the field of conflict prevention and resolution. I first became a Board Member in May 2009. I wanted to somehow give

back to the school what it had given to me and my family. I went to LGB from 1970 to 1984 and my brother and sister also spent 13 years here. I continue to benefit from the outstanding education that I received at Ecolint. I have one daughter at LGB in Year 12 and another who graduated last year. My father was also an active Board Member in the 1970s. Together we have over 75 years of wonderful combined experiences at the school, and are grateful not only to the teaching staff who inspired us, but also to our fellow students who provided much of our education.

My family moved back to Geneva in 1998 so that my daughters could experience the rich and diverse education that Ecolint has to offer. The school has been a pioneer and an innovator in international education, including the creation of the International Baccalaureate. It was only natural for me to run for the Board once we were back in Geneva.

The Board’s role is to govern the school, not to manage its day-to-day operations. We will soon be celebrating our 90th anniversary, and it is our duty to help ensure that the Foundation is successful and thriving for its 100th and 180th anniversaries as well. Our job is also to liaise with the local governmental, political and administrative

authorities. Ecolint is a complex, not-for-profit and democratic entity that belongs to us all. The Board’s ultimate job is to ensure the school adheres to its charter and fundamental goals, that the school’s values, charitable purpose and long-term vision are maintained.

We meet on a regular basis, often in committees, where much of the detailed work is done. We are accountable to all stakeholders within the Foundation’s community. Our role is to independently appraise, review and assist the Foundation and its management, and ensure there is transparency and accountability at all times.

The most important issue for the Board is ensuring an optimal educational environment for the current and future generations of students. We have a diverse and non-selective population which means that we have to provide a tailored education to meet the needs of each child. Many of our students only attend Ecolint for a few years before moving on to other countries and, even if they only stay a short time, the school tends to have a profound influence on who they are and their vision of the world. Thanks to Ecolint’s committed and motivated staff, our children enjoy coming to school every day. We are fortunate to have excellent management, policies and guidelines to assist us. The Board is a multidisciplinary group of individuals that represents our diverse community, benefitting from additional local input and support from Cantonal and Federal appointed representatives who contribute greatly to our meetings.

The Foundation is facing many new challenges, including a worldwide economic recession and new issues

regarding how to educate effectively in a rapidly evolving technological world. We have grown by more than 30% in the last ten years, and our student population is ever-transient and spread out over our different campuses. The new digital era also raises challenging new questions about the use of computers in education and e-learning. We are committed to providing a bilingual, multicultural and tolerant education and we have to adapt to new health and safety issues, special needs, and retain and attract talented staff in an increasingly competitive world. These challenges raise constant new issues for the Board, which has to decide on the allocation of scarce resources, recognising that our fees are already high and most parents cannot afford a further increase.

The best thing about being a Board Member is witnessing the school’s constant evolution. We are regularly informed of the rich and varied activities of our exceptional student body, staff and management. The most challenging part about being on the Board is keeping up with the amounts of information and documentation we have to absorb before every Board meeting. We work by consensus, taking into account the very wide (and at times irreconcilable!) range of beliefs and positions regarding what is “best” for the Foundation and its students. I am grateful to my fellow Board Members who come to meetings so well-prepared (no mean feat given the volumes of reading materials received), and ready to share their views and have their recommendations reviewed, pried apart, and re-assessed by other Board Members, with patience and good humour. I am very grateful to Ecolint for all it has taught and continues to teach me to this day.

Coming up or just been Jeremy Lack,LGB ‘84,

Member of Ecolint’s Governing Board

GETTING TO KNOW YOUWe often hear about “the Board” but unless we know someone personally, the Governing Board can seem a little elusive. In this article, Jeremy Lack explains more about the Board and Members' roles.

Ecolint is a not for profit educational Foundation created in 1924

We depend on your support to continue providing the highest quality international education, please consider: Leaving us a legacy or making an endowment gift.

Make a difference. For more information, please contact:

Michal Sela, Development & Communications Associate [email protected] / Tel : +41 (0)22 787 26 19


Coming up Each year on our three campuses, many events are open to all community members. Why not come and join us? Please check the school and alumni websites for more information about dates or call the schools directly.

Chaque année sur nos trois campus, de nombreux événements scolaires sont ouverts à nos alumni junior et senior. Vous êtes cordialement invités à y assister.

Dates and details will be updated regularly and are available on our websites:

School website: www.ecolint.ch

Alumni community at: http : // alumni.ecolint.ch

Alumni Office: +41 (0)22 787 25 55 Reception telephone numbers• La Grande Boissière:

+41 (0)22 787 24 00

• La Châtaigneraie: +41 (0)22 960 91 11

• Campus des Nations: +41 (0)22 770 47 00


A VOS AGENDASFOUNDATION

16 - 17.12.2013 Students’ League of Nations - Palais des Nations

18.01.2014 Ecolint Annual Education Conference “What we really mean by a child-centred education”, at the International Labour Organisation. For further information go to http://www.ecolint.ch/education-conference

01/03/09.04.2014 Meet the Candidates to the Governing Board - Campus des Nations / LGB / La Châtaigneraie

07-10.04.2014 “ecolintannuelle” Open Art Exhibition

27.05.2014 Consultative General Assembly (2014 election to the Governing Board - results)

SCHOOL EVENTS27.02.2014 La Châtaigneraie Careers Evening:

If you are a parent or alumnus and would like to share information about your career, please contact [email protected]

24.03.2014 La Châtaigneraie International Baccalaureate and Maturité Vernissage

28.3.2014 Campus des Nations International Baccalaureate Art Vernissage

07.04.2014 La Grande Boissière International Baccalaureate Vernissage

PTA EVENTS 30.11.2013 La Châtaigneraie Marché de la St Nicolas

07.12.2013 Campus des Nations Festival of Lights

04.04.2014 La Châtaigneraie Primary Spring Festival (provisional date)

04.05.2014 La Châtaigneraie Car Boot Sale

14.06.2014 La Grande Boissière Kermesse

14.06.2014 La Châtaigneraie Kermesse

21.06.2014 Campus des Nations Kermesse

ALUMNI EVENTS22.11 - 14.12.2013 Escalade dinners in Singapore, Tokyo, Geneva, US Midwest,

Dallas, Rocky Mountain, Atlanta, London, Boston, New York, and Washington, DC.For details please visit Upcoming Events on the alumni website.

12-14.06.2014 Alumni World Reunion 2014 organised by the Alumni AssociationFor further information please check the alumni web site: http://alumni.ecolint.ch

Dates and details will be updated regularly and are available on our website:Alumni community at http://alumni.ecolint.ch

Michaelene Stack Director of Development – Catherine Mérigay Development & Communications Associate – Marie-Christine Muller Development & Alumni Assistant – Francis Poncioni Graphic Designer – Michal Sela Development & Communications Associate – Nicolas Smiricky Development & Information Officer – Christophe Tournaire Web Commmunity Manager – Sandra Venturini Assistant to the Director of Development

Edited by Krista Clausnitzer – Designed by Francis Poncioni – Printed by PCL Presses Centrales S.A. – Production 13,800 copies

International School of Geneva – 62, route de Chêne – CH - 1208 Geneva – www.ecolint.ch

Alumni community : http : // alumni.ecolint.ch [email protected] – Tel : +41 (0)22 787 26 19 – Fax : +41 (0)22 787 26 35 [email protected] – Tel : +41 (0)22 787 25 55 – Fax : +41 (0)22 787 26 35

The International School of Geneva does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion or national origin in its admission policies or in the administration of any of its programmes. Submission of articles, letters and photos from staff, current and former students and their families is welcomed. echo is published twice a year by the Development and Alumni Office, International School of Geneva and is also available on the school and alumni websites. For more information about echo or to submit information for publication, please contact the Director of Development. If you would like additional copies of echo, please contact Nicolas Smiricky the Development & Information Officer. The Development and Alumni Office has made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this edition is accurate and complete. However, despite our sincere desire to avoid errors, they do occur occasionally. © Copyright of the International School of Geneva, October 2013.IM

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU


HumourUnder water A student came home from school seeming rather depressed.

“What’s the matter?” asked her mother.

“It’s not fair, Mum” said the girl, “there’s a problem with my grades. They’re all wet.”

“What do you mean ‘all wet’?” asked the mother, mystified.

“I mean,” she replied, “they’re all below C-level.”

Fortune - tellerA teacher asked one of the boys in her class, “Do you think people can predict the future with cards?”

The boy replied, “Yes, definitely, my mother can.”

The teacher replied in disbelief, “Really?”

The young boy explained, “Yes, she takes one look at my report card and tells me what will happen when my father gets home – and she is always right.”

Advertising in echo

Where are you now?Please join our alumni community http://alumni.ecolint.ch

Update your online profile or send your contact details to [email protected]

La Grande Boissière - Class 11 - 1967

echo magazine is published twice yearly (in the autumn and spring). It has a print run of 13,800 and is distributed to current and former students and their families, our staff and corporate and institutional partners. The next issue is due out in spring 2014.

If you would like to advertise in echo magazine, please contact [email protected] or call +41 (0)22 787 24 31.

Got an article idea ? Please email the editor: [email protected]

ECOLINT MAGAZINE • N°13 • AUTUMN 2013 · 2018-04-04 · 2 echo13 | autumn2013 INTRODUCTION...

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