The Eagle Review—Spring 2014

A PUBLICATION OF SHANGHAI AMERICAN SCHOOLSPRING 2014

Embracing the Power of Connection

EditorZachary Young

DesignersFredrik JönssonCindy Wang

Director of AdvancementLindsay Thierry

Communication ManagerAbby Torres

A PUBLICATION OF SHANGHAI AMERICAN SCHOOL SPRING 2014

Cover photo: Buddies Katrina Lau (grade 5) and Sophia Zhang (kindergarten) reading together. Read more on page 10. Photo by Prismo.Photo above: Students perform at the Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC) in Beijing. Read more on page 22. Photo by Yvonne Ye.

The Eagle Review© is published four times a year—fall, winter, spring, and summer—by the Shanghai American School Office of Advancement, Communications department. Information in the magazine is primarily about the SAS community. We encourage students, parents, teachers, and administrators to submit articles and photography for consideration to: [email protected]. All sub-missions will be edited for style, length, and tone.

Pudong Campus: Shanghai Links Executive Community, 1600 Lingbai Road, Sanjiagang, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201201. Telephone: 6221-1445.

Puxi Campus: 258 Jinfeng Road, Huacao Town, Minghang District, Shanghai 201107. Telephone: 6221-1445.

The Eagle Review | 3

Spring 2014

INSIDE SAS From the Superintendent

Counselor’s Corner

From the Desk Of...

News and Updates

IN EACH ISSUE

A Closer Look

Edge for Excellence

Student Voices

Off the Shelf

20 Questions

On the Scoreboards

From the Archives

4

5, 17 6

16

24

26

32

34

36

38

46

The Power of Two Whether you say it takes two to tango or two heads are better than one, you can’t deny the power of collaboration. Meet some of the pairs, duos, and two-of-a-kinds at SAS that, when working together, make our school great.

7

Making Headlines SAS alumna Alice Su shares her experi-ences from working as a freelance journal-ist and translator in Amman, Jordan.

18 Mission Possible SAS hosts First Lego League competition in Shanghai.

28

Food for ThoughtStudents help redesign menu in the Puxi campus cafeteria.

14 Big Shots Pudong Girls Basketball team takes APAC championship.

42

4 | The Eagle Review

Claire and I recently had the privilege of attending the final performances of the Asia Pacific Activities Council (APAC) theater event hosted at Shanghai American School. The focus of the event was the art of puppetry. Six interna-tional schools sent students who wrote, directed, and performed original pieces

for their puppets. The plays were imaginative and, by turn, funny, sad, hopeful, satirical, and dramatic. It was another wonderful opportunity to see real-life learning by our young people.

What we noted was that theater work was collaborative, not competitive, unlike some APAC activities. The students worked in teams to create stories and then used puppets to act them out. Neither the audience nor judges awarded scores or picked winners. Instead, students were rewarded by the unique learning experience and the joy of creatively working together toward a common goal.

There is a place in our world, of course, for competition. Sport is a notable example as it combines teamwork with competitive outcomes.

David Brooks, a respected columnist for the New York Times, wrote recently about 21st century abilities young people need to master. The skills the theater students displayed are the same skills Brooks identified as being essential to success: the ability to link creativity to collaborative teamwork. They need to learn loosely bonded teamwork to encourage indi-vidual creativity as well as tightly knit collaboration to bring their ideas to fruition.

Collaboration and creativity are part of our core values at Shanghai American School. They are worth striving for by adults and students

alike. We see many examples around us. The PTSAs work together to support the Eagle shops, they organize spectacular fairs, and they volunteer in the classroom. Parents work together with faculty in a myriad of other ways to ensure excellence in student learning.

Successfully working together on the basis of trust requires many skills. As we all seek to deepen these skills, I encourage our community to:

• Assume good intentions on the part of others;• Understand others’ motivations;• Seek facts from those who have them rather than relying on your col-

league or the internet rumor mill or a chat room; • Consider not just the immediate or urgent, but have a longer-term

sense of what’s important;• Share ideas with others and then work together to realize an

important goal.

One of my favorite quotes about successful schools and student learning comes from Dr. Roland Barth of Harvard University. He says, “The nature of relationships among the adults within a school has a greater influence on the character and quality of that school and on student accomplishment than anything else.”

In a nutshell: trusting, generous, helpful, and cooperative relationships lead to great student learning, just as the APAC theatre students taught us and, in the end, it should be all about our students!

Your partner in educational excellence,

Learning Through Collaboration and CreativityBY RICHARD W. MUELLER, SUPERINTENDENT

INSIDE SAS

From

the

Supe

rint

ende

nt


questions about their mentor’s past, their experiences, and how they got to where they are now. Mentees will then begin to gain communication and networking skills, which are essential for students of all ages.

Students are encouraged to devote their time after school or during holiday breaks to volunteer or intern with an organization or company that interests them. Volunteer work and internships introduce students to various career paths and create well-rounded students who are prepared for the real-world. Learning that takes place when students shadow and gain hands-on experiences allows for authentic opportunities for collaboration and mentorship.

StretchingMentors should be empathetic while also pushing mentees to step outside of their comfort zone and take developmentally appropri-ate risks. Taking on a new challenge may be daunting and can cre-ate self-doubt for some students. However, mentors should display patience, instill confidence, and build self-esteem in their mentees.

Students who commit to extracurricular activities are able to gain a holistic and meaningful learning experience. Involvement in clubs, athletic teams, and other after school activities can also create opportunities to find a mentor. Taking it a step further, a genuine mentor will motivate and inspire their mentee to actively engage in activities that stretch mentees beyond what is easy and comfortable—such as running for a leadership position or creating a service based project.

All students, from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, can benefit from having a mentor in their life to recognize, encourage, facili-tate, and stretch their strengths, talents, and skills. It is important for students to seek out a mentor. And our counselors are available if they have any questions.

The Power of Mentoring BY HERA KIM, HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR, PUXI CAMPUS

As students begin to develop and build meaningful rela-tionships, it is essential that they are able to recognize the qualities of a positive mentor and actively seek out mentorship from others. Mentors can provide an invalu-

able amount of insight and resources beyond the learning that hap-pens in the classroom. Ken Robinson, a well-known speaker and advocate for education reform, identifies four roles that mentors play in helping others reach their full potential. These four roles are recognition, encouragement, facilitating, and stretching.

RecognitionWhile having an understanding of one’s strength is essential to discovering one’s true passion, we should also be aware that we have many blind spots that can hinder us from honing in on a skill. That is why mentors, typically masters in their respective fields, are able to recognize strengths we cannot see in ourselves. With their knowledge and experience, mentors know how to guide and foster a specialized talent that may have gone unnoticed.

Encouraging students to build rapport with the teacher of their favorite subject or the coach of their sports team can lead to a mentor-mentee relationship. However, mentorships can also happen when students least expect it; having an open mind to receiving feedback and critiques allow for an organic connection. Through exploration and engagement in diverse activities, students will begin to find their niche, and ideally, find a mentor who will take notice.

EncouragementIdeal mentors will recognize something special in a student and also motivate them to pursue a talent. Mentors should be there to support a student, allow mistakes to happen, ensure they learn from mistakes, and continue to guide their mentee along the way. A genuine relationship and feeling of care can outweigh the physi-cal resources a mentor can provide. Research shows that students who have a mentor at school have improved academic performance and behavior because they feel connected to the school and have a sense of purpose.

The Puxi campus high school has a peer-mentoring program called Link Crew. Every freshman is linked with two upperclass-men called Link Leaders. The Pudong campus high school will be implementing the same program this coming fall. Link Lead-ers make wonderful mentors to freshmen as they transition from middle school to high school by sharing academic and personal advice and providing encouragement as their mentees navigate through their first year of high school. An older peer who enjoys the same activities or shares similar interests can become a positive role model and mentor to younger students.

FacilitatingThe best mentors do not give answers, but instead facilitate men-tees to ask the right questions. Students should have an inquisitive attitude when interacting with their mentors. Mentees should ask

INSIDE SAS


can have the information readily available, saving time and a likely return phone call.

Don’t Forget Spring ConferencesSpring parent conferences are on April 3 and 4. After 27 years in education, I am surprised to learn that spring conferences have low attendance. Unless your child is graduating, I would assert that the spring conference gives you more full and accurate information on the level of progress your child has made during the year. It also allows you to set goals with your child under the guidance of a teacher(s) that knows your child well.

Get Involved with the PTSAThe PTSA is a great way to get into the school and see what hap-pens during the school day—whether it be through large events like the Fall Carnival, International Fair, or BBQs or through the monthly meetings or volunteering in the classroom. Contact your PTSA divisional vice president and inquire about ways in which you can help out. You can find more information at http://sites.saschina.org/pudongptsa/ or http://sites.saschina.org/puxiptsa/.

Stay PositiveWe all want the best for our students and children. If we keep this in mind we can address even the most concerning issue in a posi-tive way. Working together will also help our relationship with you continue to grow. And it will help our community evolve into an even more supportive environment for our students and children.

The Shanghai American School is not a ship that sails alone. While we take pride in being a top-tier school we also must recognize the many excel-

lent partners we rely on that help us be as excel-lent as we can be. Maintaining our partner-ships with many organizations (from the U.S. Consulate General, chambers of commerce, and local schools to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, The International Bac-calaureate, and The College Board) is essential to keeping us at the forefront of education. But the most important partnership we have is you—our parents.

We work hard not just to support the academics of each student, but in also provid-ing opportunities for parents to be active and engaged with our community. Educational research shows that the quality of student learn-ing is directly related to the quality of the adult relationships within the community. Parents,

faculty, and staff working together in a productive and cooperative way creates a positive climate for a strong student learning—our number one goal for Shanghai American School.

There are a number of ways that parents and teachers and the school’s administration can partner together to support our students. The following are some ideas that can help us all be more proactive and open to building and sustaining our partnership.

Attend School EventsOn a weekly basis I am amazed at the number of events that are happening on our campuses. Don’t be shy about attending some high school events even if your children are not in those divisions. Like all American schools around the world, our athletes, musi-cians, artists, dancers, and other performers appreciate community support. In addition to our student events there are plenty of other events that may interest you. Our principals host monthly parent coffees and our counselors teach parenting classes.

Our communications office, in partnership with the PTSA, sends weekly emails that highlight upcoming events. If you do not receive these emails, log into Powerschool and make sure your in-formation is up-to-date. You may do this through the parent portal on our website at: http://www.saschina.org/parents.

Reach Out and CallAn occasional call to the classroom teacher to check on prog-ress toward a goal or a concern does wonders for your peace of mind. Phone calls and visits to the classroom are also good ways to cooperate with teachers and keep informed about your child’s progress. Worried about interrupting? No problem. Call the school office and leave a message or send an email requesting a return phone call. Remember to state your reason for the call so teachers

INSIDE SAS

From

the

Des

k of

...Building Connections with SAS BY ANDREW TORRIS, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT


FEATURE

Chloe Kufeld, grade 6, selected the sister school exploratory class because she wanted an experience. “I wanted to see what other students in Shanghai did for fun,” she said. Exploratory classes are learning experiences that build upon the skills taught in core classes. This supports the SAS belief that content should not be taught in isolation but applied in the context of real experiences. Besides just the opportunity to discover new interests, the exploratory program reaches out to students encourages them to think beyond themselves and to effectively interact with others.

Chloe, and the four other students in the class, found Zhudi Middle School and formed a sister school partnership with them. Now, the two schools embrace their relationship by taking turns hosting events like scavenger hunts, Halloween parties, outdoor games, or just “chilling and chatting.”

What Chloe discovered was more than just fun and games. “I improved my Chinese,” she says. “And I have devel-oped better leadership skills doing this sister school project.”

Middle school counselor John Everett explains that Chloe’s experience is part of the design of the program. “The hope is we help the sister school with their English and they help us with our Chinese, it’s a symbiotic relationship,” he said. But their learning goes beyond that. “It’s great for students as they learn discipline, how to lead their own activity, and learn how to plan,” he said.

Chloe encourages more students to get involved with the project. “I think it would be a good idea for others to join the sister school project,” she says. “You get to meet other students like ourselves that are very close to our school.”

Sister SisterPUXI AND ZHUDI MIDDLE SCHOOLS


The Eagle Review | 9The Eagle Review | 9

FEATURE

A Dynamic Duet

Being in close proximity with other music teachers was impor-tant when Adam Chapa considered joining SAS. Now, he not only shares a passion for music education with Julie Wild, they share a wall in the Pudong campus auditorium.

In her eleventh year as an elementary school music teacher at SAS, Wild explains that SAS was looking for an educator who, not only could teach beginning band and general music, but could maintain a high performance standard and can keep up with the curricular development and technology expecta-tions. “Above all, we were looking for someone who related well to students and who was passionate about music education,” Wild says. “Adam has proven time and again he was the right choice for us. He’s great to work with and students love him. Who could ask for more than that?”

In just seven months, Chapa says he’s learned so much from Wild. “She has a way of being able to come up with

lessons that really excite the students,” he says. “The way she teaches is so creative and imaginative. It’s fun to watch her.”

The last elementary school production, “I’m Dreaming of a White Shanghai,” was inspired by a casual comment by a stu-dent wondering what would happen if a major snow storm hit Shanghai. That was all Wild needed for inspiration. And Chapa was right there with her. “She’s super creative. Give her an idea and she just runs with it,” Chapa said. “I’m able to think more creatively just being around her.”

For their next major production, the pair is planning a performance that blends music, technology, and themes from the new science curriculum. And they are the perfect match to make it happen. “We are both passionate about music educa-tion,” Wild explains. “In the end it’s all about meaningful col-laboration—with each other and with the students.”

“And I’m glad to be a part of it,” Chapa adds.

MUSIC TEACHERS ADAM CHAPA & JULIE WILD

PHOTO BY TAYLOR HAYDEN


For several years Puxi campus kindergarten teacher Lori Dickinson has adopted a grade 5 “buddy class.” This year is no different. In fact, a few teachers have decided to get involved in the project. Dickinson partnered with Nicole Venema’s class and Koshika Sachdeva’s kindergarten class partnered with Sylvia Hendricks grade 5 class. The buddies meet up to read, play games, write, craft, and more. And it’s popular with the students.

The buddies get together each Friday. “Meeting each week gives both the big and little buddy a solid connection, rather than just meeting once a month or every once in a while,” Dickinson says. “Ms. Venema and I both see the importance in making time for buddies to be together.”

Venema explains that having a buddy benefits both chil-dren. “The kindergarteners have someone to look up to and for

the grade 5 students it’s a great opportunity for a sense of com-mitment and giving back to the community,” she says.

“Grade 5 students also develop patience. It puts them in a teaching role. They have to think about what to say and how to say it,” Hendricks adds. But even more important, she explains, “many of our students are an only child. Having a buddy gives them a sister or brother figure.”

The chance to work in collaboration is perhaps the biggest lesson the children learn. “Both big and little buddies have to demonstrate compassion towards each other as they work together,” Dickinson says. “The children really look up to their big buddy and enjoy having that older child connection. And these relationships help create a sense of community within the elementary school.”

MY BUDDY AND MEGRADE 5 STUDENTS & KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS

FEATURE



FEATURE

High school counselor Rachel LeCoq explains that working with students during their college search is more than just a single partnership—it’s a trifecta of partnerships. “As the counselor I work with the student to learn their strengths and goals so I can properly advise them on their search. The student works with their parents on things like logistics, budgeting, and college visits. I also work with the parents and advise them dur-ing the process,” she said. “The parent-counselor-student trinity works together on the journey to college.”

When asked if a particular student’s journey is notable, LeCoq recalls student XY Lau (‘13) who is now in his first year at American University in Washington DC. “XY Lau and his parents used the college search process to strengthen their relationships,” LeCoq said.

XY’s father, Seng Yee Lau, calls the partnerships a “trinity

of self-discovery.” In a presentation to SAS parents about the college search process he said, “it was important to uncover the role parents could play in the trinity of self-discovery. In our case, this could be best summed up as ‘managing the process, encouraging the heart.’”

XY also offered some advice in the presentation. “Treat this as a chance to get closer with your child and get to know each other better,” he wrote. “Hopefully, you will learn some-thing from him, and he will from you too. This is one of the most important parts of your child’s life”

The presentation ended in a standing ovation from the counselors. “The presentation was incredible,” said LeCoq. “He couldn’t have explained the process and the role we all play any better.”

PAIRED UPALUMNUS XY LAU AND HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR RACHEL LECOQ



MEETING OF THE MINDSMiddle school science teacher Stephen Carozza was search-ing for a way to bring together the power of teleconferenc-ing technology, science, and real-world problem solving. He found a partner in the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology in Georgia, USA. Together they started Global Perspectives in Science.

In this student directed activity, each school selects a panel of 18 students to discuss topics like nuclear power en-ergy or solar panels supplied by China to the United States. Carozza explains that the essence of the Global Perspectives in Science is “basically to bring us together collaboratively to understand other points of view and solve real world problems. They wanted to connect, we wanted to connect. We just needed to find a way to have open discourse.”

Students, in smaller groups, spend months research-ing the topic from a specific viewpoint, like a multinational energy corporation, a government agency, or a not-for-

profit institution. During the debate, or discourse, students represent and advocate for their specific interests as the two sides try to reach a solution. Carozza says that watching the students perform is incredible. “They perform at a level that exceeds all expectations.” Kevin Yang, grade 8, is one such student.

While Kevin says Global Perspectives in Science teach-es the students life-long skills like cooperation, research, and the power to be independent, tactful, and globally minded. He also explains that it helps students across the world learn a bit more about our world, science, and our humanity. “Our roles come with different opinions and perspectives, and so naturally when we got together we learned more about the issues and saw more than one way of looking at topics,” he says. “Culturally, I'm sure it was interesting for both of us. We’re in China, half-way across the world, and we’re not really so different at all.”

PUDONG MIDDLE SCHOOL & GWINNETT SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


FEATURE


FEATURE


A WINNING COMBINATIONAt this year’s Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC) swim competition the Pudong combined boys and girls team won the championship. This impressive win was under the direction of Coach George Carpouzis who has been building his team for years to accomplish his goal of winning the championship.

One of the team’s star swimmers is making a name for himself. Michael Grenon, who has trained with Carpouzis throughout high school, placed first in all his individual events (50 meter breaststroke, 100 meter breaststroke, 200 meter individual medley, 100 meter butterfly) and also first with his teammates in the 200 meter medley relay. He broke records in three events and now holds the APAC record in six events. “Truly a great feat,” Carpouzis said.

Carpouzis is also an accomplished swimmer. He repre-sented both Canada and Greece in international competi-tion, including representing Greece at the 1976 Olympic

Games. He began coaching in international schools in 1986. Now, as the aquatics director at the Pudong campus, George gets to know each swimmer in his pool.

“George is the most passionate, caring and ridiculous coach I’ve ever had,” Grenon said. “Although he provides amazing training methodology, I’ll remember him for his endless and engaging stories, and his ability to remember every minute detail about every one of his swimmers.”

Carpouzis explains that his coaching philosophy is to“teach students to train at all practices, be a team player, listen to the coach, and to respect all members on the team. Grenon does all of the above.”

When Grenon leaves at the end of the school year for Emory University he takes many lessons that Carpouzis has taught him. “He taught me that swimming reciprocates what you put into it,” he said. “If I’m good to swimming, swimming will be good to me.”

AQUATICS DIRECTOR GEORGE CARPOUZIS AND SENIOR MICHAEL GRENON



COMMUNITY


PHOTO BY ELIZABETH BOWIE


Food for ThoughtOur health is important to us, but sometimes the quality of food we consume doesn’t meet our

nutritional standards. But have we done anything to change the quality of the food around us? Recently, grade 7 students and health teachers attempted to do just that—improve the quality and nutrition of food on the SAS Puxi campus.

The grade 7 health classes started by creating five categories of things they wanted to see improved in the cafeteria. The first category was balanced and healthy choices. Students suggested adding a variety of vegetables to each meal. The second category was portion sizes. For example, the students thought that the portion sizes of the lasagna were too big. They suggested decreasing the lasagna portion but giving side vegetables for free. The third category was pricing. To make prices more reasonable, students suggested free vegetables and fruits with main courses and cheaper drinks. The fourth category was kiosk, snacks, and coffee bar. The students wanted to make smoothies out of fresh fruit, rather than bottled juice. They also suggested having a larger va-riety of fruit for sale. The last category was other suggestions. The students asked for more ethnic food options like different noodles, Korean, and Japanese food.

After making these suggestions to Michael Martin, the representative from Sodexo (the Puxi campus catering company), some changes began to take shape. Martin had a few students do a variety of taste tests to provide feedback. The students sampled a whole-wheat pizza crust, whole-wheat burger buns, and four differ-ent black rice blends. What they liked most was the whole-wheat pizza crust. Students said it was better than the original and unanimously suggested switching out the crust completely. Another sample they liked was the whole-wheat burger bun. The students were surprised that they didn’t notice the difference between the whole-wheat and white-bread bun. Students also suggested adding whole-wheat buns as a choice for the sandwich bar. In addition, Martin had four different rice blends for the students to try. There were blends of white and black rice ranging from 35 percent black rice all the way to 100 percent black. The students mostly preferred the 75 percent black blend.

What changes have been integrated into the cafeteria? On December 1, the cafeteria set a goal to add black rice to meals at least twice a week. One month later, burgers and lasagna could no longer be bought a-la-carte—they had to be bought in sets with vegetables as a side dish to provide a more balanced option. On January 7, the whole-wheat pizza and burgers replaced the original crusts and buns.

In addition, there are new items that have been added to the café bar and they all include fruit; fresh fruit smoothies and fresh seasonal fruit cups are two of the items. To replace the popular slushies, the students came up with an idea to change the ingredients in the slushies from fruit drink to fresh fruit. It’s now a mix of fresh fruit and ice that contains no additives of any kind. Another new item added to the list is the seasonal fresh fruit cup. Usually diced into a cup, the price changes depending on the time of the year and market price. Now, the café is selling fresh strawberries at 12 RMB per cup.

Changes in the cafeteria are still progressing and some future items that may be added are healthier snacks like granola bars, whole wheat crackers, and healthy dips (such as hummus).

Overall, Sodexo is doing a great job by supplying us with healthy and delicious food and listening to suggestions for changes. Go down to the cafeteria and give these items a try, then weigh in with your own opinion.

COMMUNITY

BY LEONARD LEE, GRADE 7, PUXI CAMPUS


New Puxi Elementary Vice Princi-pal Announced Teri Lynn Ferentz will join SAS as the elementary school vice principal on the Puxi campus in August 2014. Since 2008, Teri Lynn has been the Executive Director of the Bright Ho-rizons Family Solutions TSYS Learning Center in Columbus, Georgia, USA. Teri Lynn has been a teacher, teacher-trainer, conference presenter, administrator, board member, executive director, and advocate for the education of young children for over 30 years. Teri Lynn is “over the moon with excitement” and looks forward to working in partnership with elementary school principal, Michael Allen, and the entire elementary school community next school year.

Spring Conferences - April 3 and 4 Be sure to attend this very important meeting with your child’s teachers. These parent-teacher conferences are the best oppor-tunity to get a comprehensive review of your child’s growth in the classroom since the beginning of the year.

School-wide Pre-kindergarten 3 (PK3) Program Begins Fall 2014Beginning August 2014 a pre-kindergarten program for 3-year-old children (PK3) will be offered on SAS campuses. Applications are now being accepted. For details email [email protected].

New Website Launched

The new Shanghai American School website showcases our eagle spirit, and tells the communities in Shanghai and around the world who we are and what is happening at our school. The new website includes a more engaging media experience with lots of photos, videos, and interactive elements for viewing this magazine and other publications.

Summer Programs Enrollment is Open Beginning March 15 applications for the Summer Programs will be offered through the newly named SAS Discovery Program. Many of the most popular summer programs will be offered again this year along with new and unique programs including an athletic pre-conditioning and training programs. To learn more visit www.saschina.org/summerprograms.

Edge for Excellence Campaign

The sixth annual Edge for Excellence campaign will assist Shanghai American School in “making pos-sibilities a reality” by providing new and innovative projects not otherwise funded by the core operating budget. With a successful giving campaign this year we will create teleconferencing spaces in the Library Lecture Hall (Pudong) and the Library Media Center (Puxi).

You have the option of not designating your gift and selecting the general fund, which will provide the financial support for other selected projects that benefit student learning.

Be sure and check out the information inside the packet sent to your home to learn how you can help SAS create amazing new educational opportunities. Students will be hosting a phone-a-thon to answer questions and encourage your participation in the campaign.

“I will always be grateful for the amazing high school education my son Patrick received at SAS. My annual gift helps create unique opportunities for kids and faculty that aren’t otherwise funded by fees. The teleconferencing space will be awesome.”

—Patti Winpenny, Pudong middle school teacher

INSIDE SAS


INSIDE SAS

good examples of being a good friend. It is by showing them what it means to be kind, giving compliments, waving to a friend, greeting, and communicating. These are all skills which are basic in nature; however, these essential skills may need to be taught to your child. Listening to and understanding what others are going through is teaching our children to connect by empathizing. By example, children learn from us how simple gestures help gain friends. By mirroring our behavior, they can develop the skills to talk, be empowered, and form friendships.

Parents can also help children build friendships by creating or finding various opportunities for them to socialize and play with other children. Some examples may be getting your child involved in extracurricular activies (music, sports, drama, etc.), planning play-dates, and signing them up for classes.

Making friends is a lifelong process and will have its ups and downs. We can support our kids through trying times by listening to them and acknowledging their feelings. Children develop into well-rounded, emotionally-healthy people by building friendships. When we give time to truly understand them and when we show them how to be a good friend to the people we know and care about, we give our chidren the skills to be confident and compas-sionate in engaging with a diversity of people. Friendships provide a richness and happiness your child will always treasure as well as a support system to help encourage them to live their dreams.

Helping Children Make Friends BY BENJAMEN FISHMAN, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR, PUDONG CAMPUS

Suppose your daughter comes home from school looking a bit sad. She tells you her best friend is spending more time with another student. Your daughter feels left out and is now crying. What can you, as a parent, do to help support

your daughter and her friendships?It can be hard for you seeing your children getting sad or feel-

ing anxious about not having friends. Although your children do not need to have numerous friends and be popular, not having one or two good friends may be enough to make your child, and you as parents, feel sad and worried. In a child’s world it may be a big problem.

Parents play an important role in helping children gain and keep friends. Like adults, gaining and having friends is also impor-tant to children. Friends provide children with positive emotional well-being and a feeling of inclusion and belonging. Healthy friendships provide children with cognitive skills for problem-solv-ing and acquiring new knowledge. Friends also provide children with social skills, an outlet to express feelings, and daily joy. Finally, friendships provide opportunities for creating future lasting.

Some children may find it easy to make friends at school or in their neighborhood. What makes some children gain friends easily? What makes friendship difficult to some? How can parents help their children make friends?

Children develop a path to making friends starting around the age of three or four. Some children, especially lower elemen-tary age, may need help developing social skills such as empathy, problem-solving, cooperation, and communication before they are comfortable making friends. More importantly, they need under-standing and help when they do not seem to want to make friends.

Helping your chidren make friends, therefore, begins with encouraging them to tell you about their daily experiences. This is true whether or not your children show signs of shyness, avoid-ance, and inhibition (avoiding social situations that should be pleasurable, not engaging in positive social interaction, being passive, pessimistic, and/or excessive computer use that is not social in nature). Encouraging them to communicate with you by telling stories, sharing information, and how they feel about their daily experiences is paramount in staying connected with your child; you will learn what they are comfortable with when they try to connect with other children.

Some children are more comfortable with moving about and talking to large groups of kids. They actively seek connections, waving and walking over to a group of children to greet and get to know them. Some children, on the other hand, are more comfort-able in spending time alone reading, playing computer games, and watching others socialize. In a room with other kids they can be seen glancing in initially, as though waiting to be nodded or smiled at, before they walk towards another child and begin a conversa-tion. We can do something about this and are able to help when we spend enough time with our children and when we listen to them without criticism.

We also help our children make friends when we serve as


The mere mention of the Middle East evokes unsettling thoughts of revolution, chemical warfare, and the Arab Spring, but SAS alumna Alice Su ('09) wakes up to a serene peace every morning—or at least, as serene as

living in the bustling metropolis of Amman, Jordan, can get.“Daily life in Jordan can be quiet,” Su remarks. “In Amman,

there are a lot of expats. The street I live on has your typical expat cafes, the kind you would see in Xujiahui.”

But aside from the neon skyline at night and sprawling urban development, the similarities between Shanghai and Jordan end several blocks away.

“Jordan is probably the only relatively stable place in the Middle East right now,” Su says casually. “At least there are no wars happening, or bombings, but Jordan has a lot of refugees because they’re completely surrounded by countries that are in war or conflict, so everyone comes over the border and tries to seek refuge here. From Syria, from Iraq, from Palestine, they all come to Jordan.”

Su works for the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Devel-opment-Legal Aid as the national media officer, training refugees in journalism and translating works from Arabic to English. The program teaches the refugees how to report, fact-check, interview, and make their own news programs. It’s necessary since the main-stream media in Jordan mostly discusses refugees from the angle of “there are too many of them and they need to go away.” Enabling the refugees to report themselves would allow them to report their problems and what people need, explains Su.

ALUMNI

Making Headlines BY YVONNE YE, GRADE 11, PUXI CAMPUS



ALUMNI

At SAS, Su was welcomed into the class of 2009—or rather, the “family of ‘09,” as she calls it—and delved into her passions: theater, choir, Model United Nations, student council, and oc-casionally track. “Student Council was my life,” Su remembers fondly. “We were so into our Winter Formal planning in senior year.”

Travelling with Habitat for Humanity to Bangladesh, Sichuan, and Vietnam also heavily influenced Su. “It was the first time I realized that poverty is real,” she says. “These places that we talked about in Model United Nations, they’re not just random names we throw around. The numbers actually mean something; there are people behind them.”

Su returned to visit SAS during winter break, spending time with her family, visiting old teachers, and noting how the atmosphere of SAS has changed. “I really loved my time at SAS. We weren’t so competitive with each other back then,” Su comments. “SAS taught me how to do things because I re-ally wanted to do them. It taught me to do things that I love. I would throw myself into everything I was doing but only because I loved it.”

Su believes that the high-pressure, increasingly competi-tive environment of SAS doesn’t do any favors for high school students. “When you see other people doing well at something, just be happy for them,” Su advises. “Do your own thing. Do whatever you like. And you don’t have to be the best at it; it’s okay to not be the best. It’s more about you’re doing it, and you enjoy it, and you’re doing it the best that you can. I think that’s enough.” She laughs. “This is all what I’m going to tell my sister.”

Su took this philosophy with her as she graduated. “I don’t want to do things so other people can look at them and go ‘oh that’s so cool’ or do things for prestige—I want to do the things I really, really care about,” Su says. “That’s one of the things I learned from high school that continued with me.”

Su attributes her success not to planning, but chance. She changed her major three times in college, along with many of her friends. “Don’t stress out too much about it,” Su says. “A lot of my friends in high school said, ‘I’m going to be a lawyer or a doctor or whatever,’ but they ended up doing totally different things. You’re probably going to end up changing your mind anyway, and that’s okay. You don’t need to have the entire track planned out right now; you can be flexible, and sometimes you’ll be really surprised. You’ll find something new that you’ll like. I didn’t know that I would like journalism—I also knew nothing about the Middle East—but then I ended up mov-ing to Jordan. It just happens; just do things that you are really interested in and enjoy.”

When asked about her ambitions for the future, Su just laughs. This is not a woman who worries herself over whether or not she’ll be famous in the future; this is a woman who is satisfied with who she is and what she’s doing. “I’ll probably go to grad school in a year or two,” Su says off-handedly. “Maybe work for the Department of State, but the longer I’m abroad, the more iffy I am about it. But we’ll see. That’s in the future.”

She pulls from her own experience as a freelance journal-ist, but Su had never planned to be one. She had joined the University Press Club in her time at Princeton University, where members would write for newspapers ranging from The Princ-eton Packet to The New York Times. Now, her work analyzing the international politics of the Middle East and painting vivid portraits of refugee life has been picked up by high-profile publications like Wired and The Atlantic. “Journalism is easy if you’re good at making friends—which, when I graduated, was basically my only skill,” jokes Su. “And I can write. I kind of just randomly started at Princeton.”

Su majored in policy and international affairs, and wanted to study U.S.-China relations. “Going to the Middle East was definitely not on my radar,” she says.

In her sophomore year at college, the Arab Spring swept the Middle East and dominated the discussions in her politics class on authoritarianism. So, Su decided to pick up a course on Arabic.

“The more we talked about it, the more interesting it got,” Su says. “We Skyped with a correspondent that was in Cairo. She was in Tahrir Square, and that was the first time that I realized that Egypt is a real place—it’s not just a place in the Bible—and it’s amazing.”

Su was hooked. The summer after her sophomore year, she went to Morocco to study Arabic and immerse herself in the culture; during her junior year, she studied abroad in Oxford and researched the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. For her senior thesis, she went to Egypt and compared U.S. public diplomacy (“we love freedom and we’re awesome!”) and Chinese public diplomacy (“we share the history of the Silk Road!”) in the Middle East. Su recounts her studies and confesses that, the more she learned about the Middle East, the more she realized that she really wanted to be there after she graduated.

How does a girl raised in a tranquil town in California end up in the war-torn Middle East? Su shrugs. “To be honest, when I graduated from high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life,” Su admits. She went into college wanting to do nothing but read great books, think big thoughts, and figure out the meaning of life. “That was me when I graduated,” Su recalls with a laugh, “but I also got more and more interested in politics and diplomacy. I think that happened naturally just out of having an international background and really liking history—you want to know about what’s happening. I think growing up as a third-culture kid naturally draws you to more international affairs.”

Before attending SAS, Su went to a local school, where her “not very good Chinese” made her struggle and learn persever-ance and hard work, Su says. But it also helped her recognize that “people who are different from you are still human and still people you can be friends with.” Su smiles while admitting that she came to Shanghai as “a really snobby fourteen-year-old girl.”

“It was really humbling for me to go to local school and realize that I was the one who was failing at everything,” Su reflects. Thankfully, the local kids offered to help her and be her friends. “It was a very humanizing experience.”



In a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, SAS alumnus Joey Krassenstein (‘11) was featured for his “worldliness.” Having grown up overseas Joey has a good understanding of the world. Similar to most SAS students, Joey has lived

in many different countries. He was born in Singapore and also lived in China, the U.S., Mexico, Indonesia, and Panama. At the University of Southern California (USC), where he is a sophomore majoring in journalism and East Asian languages, he is a stand out—not only for his multicultural background but also for his multi-sport background.

We caught up with Joey and found out how this outstand-ing rugby player ended up playing Division I American Football in one of the top college football programs.

Q: How are you following your dream by playing football at USC?

A: I’ve always dreamt about playing a collegiate sport. At-tending a school with a good rugby program was a goal for me. USC has a good rugby team and strong academics so it was a great fit. I began playing club rugby when I arrived and though I love the rugby team and still play on it, the standard that I am used to in Asia is much higher.

In the spring of 2013, someone recognized my skills and recommended that I try to walk-on the football team. I ended up making the team as a punter, a position most similar to the inside center rugby position I am used to. I have been playing as a special teams back-up player ever since.

Q: What is it like to be playing a Division I (DI) sport com-pared to a club sport?

A: The step up to a DI sport from a club sport is huge. The

biggest thing is the level of commitment. With a club sport, you only have practice twice a week and one game on the week-end. With a DI sport, it’s more than just the sport. In addition to practices, you are required to go to tough weight trainings and attend two hour-long team meetings before every practice. As a DI sport, the team also receives full medical and training staff devoted solely to team members. The school also gives DI players benefits such as priority class registration, free gear, ac-cess to tutors and computer labs, free food and nutrition, etc.

Q: What advice do you have for young athletes?A: My advice for young athletes is don’t stop short of your

potential and be realistic with your goals. You have to want it before you go after a goal. If you are doing it for the wrong reasons stop wasting your time. As an athlete, you have to show courage and determination—take risks. You have to be strong-willed, determined, and you must listen to your coaches and mentors. Remember to diversify yourself, be well rounded, and enjoy the best years of your life.

Q: What impact has SAS had on your life and your college career?

A: SAS has had a positive impact on my life. Attending an academically challenging school like SAS, prepared me for uni-versity and a heavy college work-load. While at SAS I learned to balance athletics with academics successfully. I played varsity rugby, varsity basketball, and varsity soccer, and also did well in school. This past semester at USC, I made the dean’s list and I attribute the ability to balance everything on my plate at USC because I had to do it at SAS.

Making the TeamBY CINDY EASTON, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ABBY PAN, GRADE 8, PUXI CAMPUS

ALUMNI



INSIDE SAS

Innovation Institute on Puxi Campus BY KENDRICK TAN, GRADE 9 AND SARAH CHAN, GRADE 8, PUXI CAMPUS

Students at our school have seen the mission statement countless times. But merely seeing or talking about the mission statement is ironic as our mission aims to propel our school towards a 21st century education.

English philosopher Herbert Spencer said, “The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.” And this action is key to fulfilling our mission.

Our school has shown action towards the mission statement and students are delighted with progress—first with the middle school Microcampus program, and more recently with the AP Capstone program.

“Having been on the Microcampus trip, and having been told about the Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone program, I am glad to see the school is providing me with even more opportunities,” said Nike Hartmann, grade 9. “But I’m sure they’re not done, and I’m excited to see what they will come up with over the next few years.”

The school is definitely not done. In fact, there is something special planned for the class of 2018 on the Puxi campus.

Students of the class of 2018 have a choice to stick with the traditional SAS high school program, or be part of what is now called Innovative Institute or I2. This new program is a learning community with interdisciplinary courses. All four core teachers will work together to deliver their content through a problem-based approach. Students enrolled in this program will learn the same standards in English, social studies, science, and math as ev-eryone else in the grade. However, they will take a creative turn—they will acquire and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a more independent, hands-on way.

“We believe that this program is best suited for students with a passion, whether it’s for learning or even something not academ-ic related,” said Thomas Musk, a high school teacher involved with the program. “This is especially true if the student struggles with the traditional model.”

The school plans on rolling this program out over two years.

For the 2014-15 school year, only grade 9 students can enroll in the program. It is recommended students also continue the pro-gram through grade 10.

Students who start out with the Innovation Institute may find themselves in a better position when taking the AP Capstone or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. “The AP Capstone Program can blend itself to students continuing on because one of our goals is to help students find a passion. This will help them find their own topic when writing their research essay, which is a component of the AP Capstone diploma,” said Musk.

“I’m thrilled about what our school has to offer with Innova-tive Institution,” Mignon Xu, grade 8, said. “As a student very supportive of the mission statement, I’m glad that we will now be able to incorporate knowledge from all four core classes into one large, real-life problem.”

For students who will be eligible for the program next year, the overall theme is “Sustainable China.” In a country where air quality, food quality, overpopulation, and urban design limitations are all problems we face, students will work with the knowledge and skills acquired from each of their four core classes to develop creative designs and solutions to these problems.

For example, a math class might teach students about the geometric designs, where angle measurements and postulates can be applied. A chemistry class may teach students about the components of polluted Shanghai air, while an English class could teach students about writing persuasive essays to the Chinese government about the environment. A more skill-based Asian his-tory course could be researching how China’s history caused these modern-day problems.

High school principal Dr. Sascha Heckmann explained that SAS students have proven to be exceptionally talented at academic work. “What I2 does is build on our students’ strong academics with depth to their learning,” Heckmann said. “It’s pushes students to a level that is only possible when applying what they know to real-world situations.”


Six unique dance workshops. Five days of Asia Pacific Activi-ties Conference (APAC). Four hours to choreograph a fusion piece. Three countries of dancers. Two final team rehearsals. One last full APAC dance festival.

Dancers of different styles and heritage came together to share their art at the Western Academy of Beijing last November. Composed of workshops, performances, and a night out watch-ing the Guangzhou Ballet Company perform the ballet Giselle, APAC dance became an amazing experience for the Puxi dance team.

“It was definitely challenging because you do so much every day,” sophomore Sandra Leung said, “but you get to meet so many new people that are from the dance community, so it’s re-ally fun.”

The dancers cycled through six unique dance workshops

ON STAGE

taught by professionals from as far away as Brazil, and got together at the end of each day in their fusion groups—formed of dancers from every school—to choreograph a piece to be show-cased in the Saturday performance. Working together in fusion groups could often be challenging.

Each fusion piece pulled inspiration from the workshops the dancers attended every day. With styles ranging from contact improvisation to Yizhu dance (a Chinese ethnic minority), danc-ers were able to experience, and enjoy, styles outside their comfort zone.

“I liked musical theater because it was a time when the stress was just gone,” said Min Young Lee, co-captain of the dance team. “I want to do some musical theater now. I definitely want to try hip hop more, though.”

“I liked the Brazilian workshop—it was really fun,” Leung

LAST CHANCE TO DANCEBY YVONNE YE, GRADE 11, PUXI CAMPUS



added. “And hip hop was surprisingly okay. It was really hard, because we don’t do hip hop.”

This year’s Puxi team was characterized by an unusually strong presence in ballet. Six minutes of the piece, “A Moment in Her-story,” was performed en pointe, a skill set that only serious ballerinas possess.

The theme for APAC this year was “Identity: Past, Present, and Future.” The last three minutes of “A Moment in Her-story” covered the present and future of the dance team as the captains choreographed a contemporary routine of their own.

“It was kind of pressure-y to showcase our own choreography because people from not just our school were coming to watch us,” said Lee. “So we knew we had to make it good, make it showable, and to the standard of Paulina’s [the pointe choreogra-pher] choreography. That was a challenge.”

No future APAC will be the same as this one; APAC dance will now be separated into two divisions.

“I think that would be good for the facilities because with less people, we can get better facilities. Workshops won’t have to be held in random shacks,” Lee said. “But the bad thing is that we get to meet less people, so there’s less variety, and a less variety of dance styles.”

APAC dance continues to change the views of the dancers attending, even the veterans. “Every APAC I go to, everyone gets a lot better than the previous one. This year, I felt like I met a lot more people,” noted Lee.

“Just being on the team in general changed me because you have this urge—almost like a demand—to be better,” Leung said. “I’m still in APAC dance withdrawal.”


ON STAGE

LAST CHANCE TO DANCEBY YVONNE YE, GRADE 11, PUXI CAMPUS

PHOTO BY YVONNE YE


A CLOSER LOOK

Inspired by the graffiti art and social activism of street artist Keith Haring (1958-90), Pudong high school art students brought attention to social issues important to them in several large murals. Not only does the mural pictured here use art to call attention to animal welfare, Doctors Without Borders, world hunger, breast cancer, and lung cancer, it also shows the po-tential we each have to contribute to a better world.

FIND YOUR CAUSE



A CLOSER LOOK



FIND YOUR CAUSE


EDGE FOR EXCELLENCE



Science and Technology Snap Together BY TIM BOYER, LIBRARY AND MEDIA SPECIALIST, PUDONG CAMPUS

FIRST® Lego® League is all about providing middle school students the opportunity to expand their horizons, connect with the real world issues, and work as a team to build, program, and research the world of robotics. Students must work together under the guidance of their coaches. But in the end, the program is all about students and how they work by trial and error to develop their robot programing, research, and presenta-tion skills.

FIRST Lego League has a set of core values. It is not about winning. Instead it is about learning, sharing, and growing. The program adheres to Gracious Professionalism® and Coopertition®—two ideas at the heart of FIRST Lego League.

FIRST Lego League core values: • We are a team. • We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors.• We know our coaches and mentors don’t have all the answers; we learn together.• We honor the spirit of friendly competition. • What we discover is more important than what we win. • We share our experiences with others. • We display Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition in everything we do. • We have fun.Support of middle school robotics at Shanghai American School is possible through the

leadership and support of Dr. Jeff Rosen, principal of the Pudong campus middle school. Over the last three years, Dr. Rosen has been a supporter of the program allowing the coaches (Barbara Boyer, Kevin David, and Tim Boyer) the opportunity to build and develop a Lego elective program as well as an afterschool activity. It is also possible through grant money received from the Edge for Excellence Annual Fund.

This year, the Pudong campus had nine teams and the Puxi campus had four teams (under the direction of Brian Hall). Combined, SAS has contributed more than half of the teams in the greater Shanghai FIRST Lego League Association.

FIRST Lego League coaches have many reasons for coaching. It all comes down to pro-viding students opportunities for real life learning that is embedded in the fun of building with Legos. There are few places that middle school students have a greater opportunity to work together as teams to solve a real problems that require research and presentation skills.

The lessons students learn through Legos are many—math, physics, art, language arts, performance design, and a large dose of cooperation skills. Whether or not a team walks away from the competition with awards, the time and energy they spent preparing for the Lego competition season has made them better people.

The Edge for Excellence Annual Fund is our yearly appeal to raise money for ad-ditional programs and opportunities for our students that are not covered by the core operating budget. These supple-ments help keep SAS on the cutting edge of international education.

Projects that have received financing through the annual fund include the Yun-nan Microcampus, gardens and outdoor learning spaces, artists in residence, LEGO robotics, iPads in libraries and early child-hood classrooms, innovative technology, and more.

Giving to the annual fund is about making a conscious choice to invest in our com-munity. When you give to the Edge for Excellence Annual Fund your gift makes possible a variety of new programs and opportunities for your child—opportunities that would not otherwise be available. For more information, or to donate to the fund, visit www.saschina.org/giving/ or you can email [email protected].

EDGE FOR EXCELLENCE


COMMUNITY


PHOTOS PROVIDED BY BARBARA BOYER


“I think that I learned to cooperate with others and to be responsible and do my job on the team.”

“I learned that ev-eryone is vital in my team and we cannot succeed by working alone. I also learned to handle difficul-ties and frustrations and how to overcome them.”

“During the robot game we improved greatly from the first to the last one, and we stayed optimis-tic throughout the rounds as well.”

“Our goal was to get more than 100 points on the board and we got 193! Everything was great.”

Middle School MindstormBY TIM BOYER, LIBRARY AND MEDIA SPECIALIST, PUDONG CAMPUS

The Pudong campus was Lego® central this past January. The theme from the FIRST® Lego League for the competition was “Nature’s Fury.” At the event were 21 teams, 105 middle school students from six local schools.

Teams began their preparations for the tournament last October as the competition board was revealed. Their mission was to develop a Lego MindStorm® NXT robot to complete a set of challenging board missions that involved natural disasters. They also had to develop and present research into how robotics could be used to help solve a specific world problem that involved a human crisis caused by nature. To complicate the matter, this presentation required that students identify and share their research with a specific community.

The tournament (coordinated SAS faculty Barbara Boyer, Kevin David, and Tim Boyer) was in full force with many students, parents, and teacher volunteers who were assisting as judges, scorers, and group leaders.

The day began early in the gym on the Pudong campus. The teams, all sitting on the middle school bleachers, were welcomed and introduced. Then it was “3 – 2 – 1 – LEGO!” and the robot game missions, research presentations, and programming presenta-tions were underway.

The teams faced a rigorous schedule that gave them little down time. During the day they made their presentations. On top of this, each team went head-to-head against another teams on the Mission Game Board. Tensions were high in these runs and “crash and burns” where robots failed or went rogue on the mission board. When this happened the teams quickly had to retool and come back for another try.

Once the team mission competitions and presentations were finished, student teams were sent off on a 45-minute race to develop and retool their robot to perform in the Line Dance Presentation to celebrate Chinese New Year. As the teams’ robots paraded and danced, it was evident that they had used their creativity and imagination to instill the “year of the horse” theme into their NXT Lego Robot activities. Who knew that a robot could buck and gallop so well?

It was an amazing day for robotics. Each school had teams that placed in one or more judging categories. SAS brought home many awards. Congratulations to all winners.

The champions of the FIRST Lego League Tournament (top performers in every bracket) were Pudong campus team NXT Generation (students Alex Martin, Kevin Yang, Jonathan Liu, Neal Lim, and Edward Chien).

Component Awards Winners: • Research Project: #SWAGG, SAS Puxi• Robot Design: Tech Monkeys, CISS• Robot Game: Wunderful World, SAS Pudong• Core Values: Wunderful World, SAS Pudong

SAY WHAT?

COMMUNITY


High school students put themselves “on the line” for the Pudong cam-pus’ musical production of A Chorus Line directed by Patti Kearney. The play followed 21 individuals during an audition where they try to sing and dance their way into the heart of the director (Alrik Stromblad). While placing themselves on the line, both figuratively and literally, the audience enjoyed the antics of taxi driver George (Rishi Pant) and Bobby (Jorge Rada). They also watched temptress Sheila (Susan Lim) try to gain the spotlight from the director’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie (Sydney Liu). The married duo of Al and Kristine (Albert Xu and Arcelia Salado) was hilari-ous with Kristine’s inability to sing and Al’s vague memory of his first kiss. Diana (Sam Grenon) and Connie (Lucy Cooper) shared their discourag-ing first years in theatre when Diana was called “nothing” and Lucy found audition notes scoring her a 10 for dance and a 3 for looks. While Maggie (Juliet Cheng) dreamed of being a ballerina, Mike (Ian Chau) wowed the audience with his original hip-hop dancing flare. In fact, there was lots of flare to the dancing from the Pudong dancers, Taite Chan, Jillian Kuo, Joyce Lu, Cody Messick, Vanessa Stephens, Cassie Wang, Wenjie Xie, Stephanie Zhang, Julie Zhao, and Lucy Zhu, under the direction of Ann Gould and Edna Lau. Hats off to the orchestra under the leadership of John Leonard, vocals directed by Reid Blickenstaff, the tech crew guided by Stephen Li and Amox Frayco and production crew led by Larry Kear-ney and Anson Hing. The show was “one singular sensation!”

ON STAGE

ONE SINGULARSENSATION


ON STAGE


Euge

ne C

hang

STUDENT VOICESJa

iden

Xu

JetIn a sparkling daytime

A jetSliced through

The skyVroom!

Like a missileBut

To much pressureThe engine can’t stand

Kaboom!The jet exploded

On the beachOn the beach

hot and burningsoft and quietwaves rolling

around and aroundsea gull flying.

STUDENT VOICES


Ms. Nadine Sumner’s grade 3 class recently opened their Poetry Café. Parents and guests enjoyed coffee and pastries while students recited (or acted, or danced, or rapped) their poems. A few of these budding poets also shared their poems with us.

Kar

in Z

eng

Kel

ley

TuNatureSunbeam trying to shineBirds chirping “CHIRP, CHIRP!”Trees going back and forth like wavesLeaves dancing in the airBuilding standingWaiting for customer’s to comeTalking with friends and walking

The RainbowSomething spreads across the

sky,Red,

Orange,Yellow,

Blue,Green,Violet,

AndIt is

A rainbow!A very colorful

rainbow.

STUDENT VOICES


Picking a WinnerBY KIMBRA POWER, THE BAREFOOT LIBRARIAN, PUDONG CAMPUS

Newbery MedalFlora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Newbery HonorDoll Bones by Holly Black

Newbery HonorOne Came Home by Amy Timberlake

Newbery HonorPaperboy by Vince Vawter

Newbery HonorThe Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

“Who won, who won?” “Did Tap the Magic Tree win an Honor Award?” “How come The Dark didn’t win a Caldecott?” These were ques-tions yelled to me after the American Library Association announced awards last month. The library held a competition to see who could pick the winners. While several students were able to get one right, no one guessed both. Kudos to Chris Shen, grade 5, for being the only student to correctly choose Locomotive as the Caldecott winner. Now, to the winners…and come to the library and check out one today.

OFF THE SHELF

Caldecott MedalLocomotive by Brian Floca

Caldecott HonorFlora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

Caldecott HonorJourney by Aaron Becker

Caldecott HonorMr. Wuffles by David Weisner

You can read more about all of these books here: http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/. It’s a terrific site to have open while you are shopping for books online—great recommendations and book lists.


Playing With WordsBY CAROLYN LAU, THOMAS BRAUN, VARSHA BASKER, RYAN KWON AND RIGEL HAPPER, GRADE 4, PUDONG CAMPUS

Grade 4 students have been studying poetry. The entire grade level recently went on an amazing field trip to the Shanghai Art Museum where we wrote poems inspired by the incredible artworks there.

Poetry has taught us that we can write about anything, anytime, and anywhere. When it comes to poetry there is no right or wrong and you can play with your words. There are a lot of techniques. When we write our poems we close our eyes and

imagine that we are in the poems. This unit was one of the best because the words came from our minds and hearts.

PioneersBy Thomas Braun

HuffPuffCh-klingHard working menDeeply breathingBuilding something that could change the futureHuffPuffCh-klingCould it be worth it?

The Battle of ShanghaiBy Ryan Kwon

Grey fog had comeCovering up theTown.Boom, fire createsSmoke covering theBlue sky it can.Fighting and running fast,But death there wereGloomy eyes they lay.

Running HorseBy Rigel Happer

Chasing, gallopingAcross the plainsNever stoppingEven when there isRain.

WHO is COOL NOW?By Varsha Basker

Oh yeahI’m sitting in my tux,Rocking in my shades.The ladies“Hey ladies!”Can’t resist my stunning paw!Humans think they are so cool,Oh my!But who is COOL now?I am oh yeah!If you were wondering who I amI amTHE CAMEL!

LilyBy Carolyn Lau

A still vaseWith liliesBrings sunshine intoThe dark room

Moving to AsiaBy Noah Hall

Sitting on a plane forhours on end.Rushing through an airportbecause you’re late again.Your ears hurting like crazy whenthe plane’s almost to the ground.And that’s how moving to a foreign country should sound.

COMMUNITY


Are you reading anything good right now?You’re kidding right? I’m a librarian. I’m reading Ying Chang Compestine’s Revolution is not a Dinner Party. And I finished the only Newbery Honor book I hadn’t read, Doll Bones by Holly Black.

What’s the last song you listened to?“Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol.

Most interesting place you have travelled?It’s hard to beat the diversity of the Australian Outback; the varia-tion in landscape, the colors, and the significance of Uluru for the Indigenous Australians create a world-class combination of awe-inspiring wonder.

Country you would most like to live in?Sweden…if it was on the Mediterranean.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?Snow White, to have all those tiny men at my beck and call.

What are three things you could not live without?Chapstick, earplugs and my mouth-guard.

What word or phrase do you most overuse?Have you handed in your books?

20 Questions with Kimbra PowerOtherwise known on the Pudong campus as the Barefoot Librarian, Kimbra Power dazzles with her knowledge of all things literary and her ability to track down books in every corner of the world.

What makes you laugh?A family game of UNO, it brings out all of our best and worst qualities and we all end up laughing (and crying!)

Who do you most admire?I admire people who work hard in the health care industry for very little recognition. People such as volunteers who visit the elderly, and of course nurses. I admire parents of children with disabilities; people who look after the very old, and very young.

On the weekends you like to ... ?Eat-Sleep-Read-Repeat.

What is your biggest pet peeve?Overuse and misuse of A4 paper…go digital or go home!

What quality do you most admire in a student?Optimism (because Shaun McElroy took curiosity).

What quality do you most admire in a teacher?The ability to slow down, break some rules, and really listen to their students.

At what age did you become an adult?Well, giving birth can kind of jolt you out of childhood, so 29.

What is your most memorable gift from a student?Kyra Lien (class of 2018) hand-sewed me a selection of chocolates in 2010, and as they are the only chocolate gift I still have 4 years later, they are hard to beat.

The biggest change you would make to the educational system?Stop taking yourself so seriously; children will learn to do what they want to learn to do. Oh, and of course I would abolish home-work, standardized testing, and graded report cards.

If you were not a teacher, what would you have done instead?Have you heard of Tina Turner? I’d be on a very big stage with a microphone, singing my heart out all around the world.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned at SAS?Now is the time: The time is now!

What was some advice a person gave you when you were young that you still hold onto today?I’d rather do it and regret it, than regret not doing it.

What should we ask the next person who will take this quiz?Ben Affleck or Matt Damon?

PORTRAIT BY GILLIAN HEI, GRADE 10

20 QUESTIONS


Highlights of this year’s Summer Academy include:• Teton Science School• Manchester United Soccer

School• Pre-season sport packages• Elementary school literacy

and science

Now accepting enrollment for SUMMER PROGRAMSTo learn more, or to reserve your child’s spot, visit www.saschina.org/summerprograms. For more information email [email protected].

COMMUNITY

At the Puxi campus Chinese New Year assembly, 16 elementary staff members performed a traditional Tibetan dance.


BOYS BASKETBALLHighlights: The team placed second at the Tri-Cities Basketball tournament.

GIRLS BASKETBALLHighlights: The team won their first APAC championship. Read more on page 38.

GIRLS SOCCERRecord (W-L-D): 5-1-1Highlights: The team won the Shanghai Cup Tournament. They are also preparing for the Tri-Cities Tournament in Beijing, SISAC, and Super APAC (the Pudong campus will host Super APAC on April 10-12).

SWIMMINGHighlights: At APAC, the boys swim team placed first and the girls team placed third. At the combined APAC boys and girls championships, the Pudong team placed first.

TABLE TENNISHighlights: This season was spectacular with a victory in the boys’ single’s championship, as well as the girls’ team championship games. At APAC, winning a game was not the most important concern, but having fun was.

Scoreboard: Pudong Campus

ON THE SCOREBOARD


ON THE SCOREBOARD


BOYS BASKETBALL Record (W-L): 13-7Highlights: The team finished first at Shanghai Cup, second at China Cup, and second at APAC (Read more on page 39). Senior Bobby Roche was the MVP leading the team in points, assists, and steals. Senior Richard Wu was the coaches choice award winner by dedicating himself to improving his game and doing anything pos-sible to help the team win and get better.

GIRLS BASKETBALLHighlights: These defending APAC champions placed third at this year’s championship. Read more on page 39.

BOYS SOCCERRecord (W-L-D): 2-1-2Highlights: SAS Puxi were unfortunately ousted from the Shang-hai Cup final following a tie with SAS Pudong. However, the team beat Concordia in two separate games with goals from players Jonathan Hanitio, Chuck Lee, and Kevin Lee.

GIRLS SOCCERHighlights: The girls soccer team replaced nine strong graduating seniors, and we have some real up and coming talent. Emily Tang and Jessica Lu scored our first goals of the season. Samantha Smith and Samantha Tong stepped in as strong defenders and Shinhee Kang and Jessie Dong are ready to score some goals.

SWIMMING Highlights: At APAC, the team placed third in the boys competi-tion and fourth in the girls competition with a combined team overall fourth place. It’s a building year—in two years they will be hard to beat. At the fifth annual Shanghai Swim League Cup Championships, hosted by the Puxi campus, there were 12 teams and 366 swimmers in attendance. Puxi placed first with 654 points.

Scoreboard: Puxi Campus

ON THE SCOREBOARD


ON THE SCOREBOARD

PHOTO BY JERRY KOONTZ


SPORTS

Pudong Girls Win First APAC Title BY TIE AND KATIE WATKINS, GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL COACHES, PUDONG CAMPUS

A year after winning their first SISAC Championship and finishing a respectable fourth place at the Super APAC in Hong Kong, we, the coaches, had high hopes for the Pudong Lady Eagles Varsity Basketball team this season.

Returning players Haley Beebe, Ellie Campbell, Isabelle Lao, Jackie Liu, Samantha Perez-Menendez, Allison Fu, and Vivian Xu joined newcomers, Kasey Ciarletta, Tiffay Gao, Jessica Moh, Kate Vogel, and Katie Stonesifer to set their sights on an APAC championship.

The season began with a few struggles including two losses in the first four games and losses in the championship games of the Tri-Cities Tournament at SAS and the Great Wall Tournament in Beijing. Even after enduring a few difficult results, the team stayed motivated and chose to focus on the positive aspects of both tournaments. The team beat Concordia five out of six times during the season and defeated International School of Beijing on their home floor in a loud, packed gym. These experiences would prove invaluable later in the season.

It became clear that defense would be the trademark of this team. Every player took pride in forcing steals, bad passes, shot clock violations, and poor shots from their opponents. Such strong and oppressive defense requires consistent effort and passion. These attributes are rare for every single member of a team, but our team possessed them in abundance. While combining our

stifling defense with timely offense, we hit our stride after winter holiday. A dominant weekend performance by the team resulted in a commanding SISAC championship. The team was excited to use this momentum as we headed to APAC tournament in Guang-zhou.

After a challenging six-point victory in the opening game against Seoul Foreign School, the team cruised through their next three games, and was the only unbeaten team entering the final day of the tournament. We had to face the host school, American International School of Guangzhou, twice on the final day. The first matchup proved to be a difficult one, with players fouling out, missed shots and not much going well. AISG won by double digits and the girls had five hours to ponder what happened before play-ing them again in the championship game.

Determined not to lose another championship, the team showed up prepared to leave every ounce of effort on the court. Ev-ery time AISG scored, the Lady Eagles had a rebuttal. The defense and shooting that had faded earlier in the day returned to form and in the end, SAS Pudong earned its first ever APAC Champion-ship in basketball, 36 to 34. Celebration of this victory ensued and Haley, Ellie, and Isabelle were named to the All APAC team. This was a particularly unique team that any coaches would dream of working with. Great job Lady Eagles!


Smells Like Team Spirit Tradition, pride, excellence are characteristics of Puxi Eagles Boys Basketball. During the past ten seasons of SAS basketball, only one team has finished in top two places at APAC—the season ending tournament.

After a short regular season the team finished 8-5. The players had to come back from the winter holiday and prepare for our two biggest tournaments of the season, China Cup and APAC. The team would finish in second place in both those tournaments.

At APAC, the team finished 4-1 in the round robin and earned a chance to play International School of Beijing (ISB) in the finals. The game went back and forth with SAS leading by three points going into the fourth quarter. While the team gave it all during that quarter, lack of height and poor shooting down the stretch led to a five-point loss. While the team was heartbroken after the game, both the coaches and the players knew that they represented SAS well and left everything they had on the floor.

There are many life lessons kids learn from playing team sports and reflecting on this team we see these life lessons first hand. This year’s team, more than most, embodied the team spirit. Being part of a team means taking individual talents and using those to make your teammates and team better. The seven seniors on the team led the way by unifying a team that had many underclassmen. Whether it be by picking up the spirits of the underclassman by telling them not to worry about their mis-takes, setting a good example by working as hard as they could in practice to make each other better, or by including the youngsters outside of basketball practice and games.

Also included in these life lessons are how to deal with suc-cesses and failures. In our numerous successes this year the team learned to be humble in victory and cherish these successes while still being respectful of their opponents. Even more important is dealing with failure. It was important for players to learn that any failure can be a temporary setback from which lessons can be learned to increase the chance of success next time—whether on a court, or in life. The biggest lesson learned from losing is learn-ing how to be gracious in defeat. After the final horn blew in the championship game the players stood with their heads high and clapped for the ISB team. The coaches and parents who watched and cheered the boys all season long could not have been more proud of the SAS Puxi boys basketball team than at that moment.

— Mark Hefte, boys varsity basketball coach, Puxi campus

SPORTS

By the Dozens: 12 Girls, 12 WinsEach basketball season is a new story. Three years ago it was a story of the rebuild ultimately making a run to claim the Super APAC championship. This year’s story is a wacky, post-modern story. It is a story of the Puxi girls—a defending championship team with three returning and nine new players. It is a story in two parts–the first part, a six-week season before break where the team goes 5-2.

The second part of this story was a two-week season featuring two tournaments. The China Cup and APAC tournaments took place on back-to-back weekends—ten games in nine days, two countries, and two islands. This team won seven games and lost three. Two of those losses were by one point, which makes this story, at times, heartbreaking. After those two losses on day one of APAC tournament, the team went on to win four games in a row, giving this story a happy ending. In the last game versus Hong Kong International School, we were able to win third place. Every girl played and we were able to bring each senior player off the court, one at a time in the fourth quarter, to celebrate their part of being on the team.

It has been a great story, a great team that finished with 12 wins this year; and all 12 of the girls were an integral part of the success. As with all stories, there are lessons about life to uncover, things each one of us learned by playing this game we love. Some of those were obvious during the season, some have only begun to make sense. Others will emerge weeks or months down the line.

The team loses four seniors—Tiffany Chan, Michelle Xu (winner of this year’s coaches’ award and all APAC selection), Kiah Love-Latzke (team captain and three year varsity starter), and Jessica Lu (three time all-APAC player, three time MVP, and team captain). We will miss these four girls. But we look forward to next season with eight returning players and when we host China Cup and SAS Pudong hosts APAC.

— Michael Branch, girls basketball coach, Puxi campus


The WILL to SucceedAs a longtime competitive swimmer, I’ve never given a second thought to getting in the pool (except perhaps to express reluctance when my coach is yelling at me to do so). So when eight excited little boys that have never swam scrambled to the edge of the SAS Pudong pool, I was instantly touched and humbled. The way they fearlessly approached something they had never experienced before was remarkable. They accepted new challenges, took risks, and were eager to push themselves to an extent that I’d never seen before.

These extraordinary boys arrived from the WILL (Walk Into Life and Learn) Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization that aims to create a sustainable and self-sufficient eco-learning center for disadvantaged children. WILL believes that every child is a gift to the community. The foundation provides resources needed for the boys (many with physical disabilities) to thrive.

This semester, Marney Rosen, Pudong campus high school English/French teacher, partnered with the WILL Foundation, the Pudong Aquatics Center coaches, and students from the swim team, to give the WILL boys a chance to experience swimming for the first time.

It was a remarkable sight: coaches and student volunteers armed with noodles, kick boards, and life jackets, guiding these giggling boys through the water. Within minutes, life jackets were abandoned and the astonishing bravery of these boys became clear. These boys encountered the water with ease and allowed their curi-osity and confidence to drive them to push their limits.

I will never forget the moment I told Hao Hao, the little boy I was helping, that there were only five minutes left in our session. Instead of being disappointed, he exclaimed with happiness in Chinese, “Wow, I get another whole five minutes?” His attitude is representative of all the WILL children; their perspective on life is something that I believe everyone should have.

If you’d like to get involved in our bi-monthly swim dates, email [email protected]. For more information about the WILL Foundation, visit www.willfound.org.

— Carina Seah, grade 11, Pudong campus

COMMUNITY

SAS Student Named Intel Talent Search Semifinalist Last summer senior Catherine Li, grade 12, attended a highly selective program called the Research Science Institute at the Mas-sachusetts Institute of Technology. At the program students were matched with mentors at nearby labs.

Li worked with her mentor on perfecting a technique called Chromatin Immunoprecipitation. “DNA is actually wrapped around proteins in the cell, and chromatin immunoprecipitation is using antibodies to pull down the proteins,” Li said.

Li entered her paper into the Intel Science Talent Search in hopes of being awarded scholarship money. On January 8 a list of 300 semifinalists was released—Li was on the list. All semifinalists were awarded $1,000 USD with an additional $1,000 USD going to their high school.

On January 22 the finalists were announced. Unfortunately, Li was not on that list. The 40 finalists won an a paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the Intel Science Talent Institute where they will explain their research to some of the country’s top scientists and compete for the top ten awards, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 USD.

Li encourages all rising seniors to apply to Intel Science Talent Search. For more information visit: http://student.societyfor-science.org/intel-sts.

— Julia Linder, grade 11, Puxi campus


COMMUNITY

In a surprisingly cold and suit-friendly weather, the 19-student Model United Nations team from the Pudong campus made their way through skyscrapers and sandy streets to the conference venue for four days of debate, negotiation, and hardcore diplomacy.

Chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Parker, this year’s team repre-sented Japan and the Maldives in the third annual session of The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN), which was held in the colossal Qatar National Convention Center in Doha, Qatar. As a collaborative project between Qatar Academy and THIMUN Foundation, the event attracted over 1,300 par-ticipants from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

The four-day conference was kicked off by a leadership workshop. The second day welcomed the international delegates, and lobbying, merging, and negotiating began. Soon enough, our delegates began to realize that the level of debate at this confer-ence was beyond anything they’ve experienced before. After the first day everyone left with a sense of satisfaction, perhaps with a hint of competitiveness, ready to return to the hotel to draft final resolutions and prepare speeches for the next day.

Throughout the entire conference, each committee room buzzed with energy, debates, and furious raisings of the placards. Regardless of the demanding schedule—such as having four consecutive debates without caucuses in-between—all delegates maintained an astonishing level of professionalism. Our team’s hard work before and during the conference paid off. The major-ity of our 19 delegates, with exception of our student officers, were either main or main co-submitters, something that may be considered as the highest honor at a MUN conference.

However, the team did not only travel for international di-plomacy and debates; we were able to explore the local culture and cuisine. The city of Doha, although international, has preserved a strong middle-eastern culture. The actual conference also gave us a unique opportunity to interact with local students.

Our delegation spent our free time visiting the Museum of Islamic Art, exploring the two largest malls the city had to offer, trying the local cuisine, checking out the traditional souq market, and most excitingly, riding on the sand dunes.

— Eri Kato, grade 10, Pudong campus

Diplomacy in ActionA Sense of ResponsibilityThe allocation of scarce resources has always been important in life. Such an example would be microfinancing (lending small amounts of money at low interest to new businesses in the devel-oping world).

The Social Responsibility Foundation (SRF) is a non-govern-mental organization (and a club in the Puxi campus high school) that helps alleviate poverty in rural China through microfinance and an online platform called Yinongdai. SRF encourages young people to develop social responsibilities and a sense of civic en-gagement while helping reduce poverty in rural China.

Recently, a few of our club members travelled to Beijing to visit the headquarters of CreditEase, the company that operates Yinongdai, the platform through which loans are provided. We learned about the basic organization of the platform and the pro-cess by which it operates. Microfinance is a valuable alternative to a traditional loan from a bank that can carry financial burdens.

An investment as small as 100 RMB means a lot to the farm-ers who take out loans and use the money to start new businesses. This capital allows them to obtain resources that they could never have obtained before and helps them build their futures.

We also travelled to Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, to visit Chi-feng Zhaowuda Women’s Sustainable Development Association. With them we visited borrowers of our microcredit loans. It was an interesting experience to stand in the warm air of a greenhouse, enjoy the festive atmosphere of the New Year stocking store, and hover over the plastic-recycling machines of our borrowers and understand how much difference our 100 RMB made to their lives. It has allowed them to become successful in their businesses. It also made me feel that what we did was meaningful, and we should continue to lend.

In addition to the economical portion of the trip, we also had fun in the historical museum of Chifeng and enjoyed skating on the thick ice of the Chifeng river. I recommend this trip to anyone who would like to learn more about economics (specifically mi-crofinance) and relish a few days in a cultural, rustic environment.

— Jessica Pu, grade 11, Puxi campus


From The Archives

Friends indeedThe Shanghai American School cheerleaders were once the vanguard of school spirit with great chants like:

How do we treat ‘emLike oysters, we eat ‘emRaw! Raw! Raw!

These two girls, Dalice Snyder and Mimi Hollister (current president of SAS Association), were the last two cheerleaders at SAS following the change in government in 1949. They eventually left China on the USS Repose—a Navy hospital ship brought to take students back to the U.S. Even though the cheerleaders left the school, their spirit of teamwork, partnership, and sense of community lives on.

A FINAL LOOK


IN THE NEXT ISSUE

IN THE NEXT ISSUEPuxi middle school theater teacher Juanita McGarrigle returns from an epic sailing adventure to Antarctica. Read about her trip and more in the next issue of the The Eagle Review.Photo by Juanita McGarrigle.


Pudong CampusShanghai Links Executive Community, 1600 Lingbai Road, Sanjiagang,

Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China 201201 Tel: 6221-1445, Fax: 5897-0011

Puxi Campus258 Jinfeng Road, Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai, China 201107

Tel: 6221-1445, Fax: 6221-1269

www.saschina.org [email protected]

Shanghai American School inspires in all students:上海美国学校激励并培养所有的学生:

A lifelong passion for learning终身学习的热情

A commitment to act with integrity and compassion 诚信与仁爱的信念

The courage to live their dreams. 追求梦想的勇气。

The Eagle Review—Spring 2014

Documents

Transcript of The Eagle Review—Spring 2014