Journeys_2016_Oct_Fall Issue

F A L L 2 0 1 6
R E G G I O
E M I L I A - I N S P I R E D
C U R R I C U L U M
S H A P E S
O U R
Y O U N G E S T
L E A R N E R S

© 2016 Singapore American School
All rights reserved.
F A L L 2 0 1 6 I S S U E
CONTENTS
01 From Passion
to Purpose
33 Classroom
Without Walls
03 Captivating
Classrooms:
Barbara Harvey
43 The Scoreboard
06 Five Minutes with
Jemma Hooykaas
45 Alumni Stories:
Blair Berg
07 Then and Now:
Mr. Ho and
the Hoe Brothers
51 Alumni Stories:
Niket Desai
21 Canvas and Curtains 60 Name That
Teacher
23 Word on the Street 61 Notable Mentions
Featured
17 The Cost of
Comparison
29 Grit or Quit?
Editorial team
Kyle Aldous
Xin Tian Koh
Vanessa Spier
Design team
Haziq Hairoman
Amos Ong
Contact
communications@sas.edu.sg
On the cover
When photographer and Nikon
ambassador Scott Woodward flipped
the switch, it took four-year-old Jace G.
one try to nail his handstand and dive
into a performance filled with fun
poses, moves, and expressions!
The shoot recreated one of our early
learning center activities, where
light and shadow provide endless
possibilities for excited and curious
students. Read more about our Reggio
Emilia-inspired approach on page 9.
Online
sas.edu.sg/publications
Connect
Communications interns
Tara Aggarwal, Class of 2017
Sandhya Bala, Class of 2017
Riya Baphna, Class of 2017
Ana Chavez, Class of 2017
Clara Fong, Class of 2017
Roopal Kondepudi, Class of 2017
Journeys magazine andCrossroads magazine have merged!SAS’s new quarterly Journeys magazinewill have many of the same featuresyou have come to love over the years,and many new ones as well.
Don’t want to receive the magazine in print?
Just email communications@sas.edu.sgif you only want to readJourneys online.

1 2J O U R N E Y S F A L L 2 0 1 6 F A L L 2 0 1 6 J O U R N E Y S
From
PASSION
to
PURPOSEB y
D r . C H I P K I M B A L L
S u p e r i n t e n d e n t
A need in the
world/target/user
PURPOSE
YOur SKILLs/Gifting
What you love to do
What is to be addressed? What keeps
you up at night or makes you angry that
not more is being done about it?
What skills do people compliment
you on that come naturally to you?
Think beyond the resume.
How would you spend your time if
you had no other responsibilities?
This is a pivot year for Singapore American School.
After spending over three years researching,
visioning, planning, and putting infrastructure
in place to create a personalized education for
each student, we have begun to pivot from
conception to implementation.
Many of the pivots we are making—
from standardization to learning standards
for kids; from a system of mass production to
personalization; from frenetic to focused; and from
content coverage to deep work—will continue to
put Singapore American School on the path to
realizing our vision of being a world leader
in education, cultivating exceptional thinkers,
prepared for the future. Yet there is one more
pivot perhaps more personally meaningful in
our students’ lives, and that is the pivot from
passion to purpose.
Research on millennials bears out the need to
find purpose. The business world is finding that
youth are looking for significance early in their
careers and choosing employers that share their
personal values. And anecdotally, I hear more and
more stories about young professionals who aren’t
finding meaning in their work and leave their jobs
to pursue their passion by traveling the world,
writing, or spending time doing something they
are interested in. Yet so often, after a year of
discovery, they find that it isn’t actually passion
that they’ve been looking for, it is purpose.
This might come as a surprise, because we hear
so much about, and I’ve personally talked about
creating opportunities for our students to explore
their interests and pursue their passions. There
is certainly a place for that, and I deeply believe
learning is far more engaging and meaningful when
students are able to study and learn through
an interest. Exploring interests and pursuing
passions will unquestionably continue to be
a pillar of creating a culture of possibilities
at SAS. But it doesn’t end there.
As humans, our deepest satisfaction comes
from feeling that our lives are filled with purpose.
Passion, while interesting and worthwhile for sure,
can be a self-centered pursuit. Purpose, on the
other hand, is others-centered, often expressed
as believing that we have a role in this world that
is bigger than ourselves.
Ultimately, we aim to prepare students to think
beyond themselves to how they can contribute to
their community and the world at large. Passions
can and should evolve to shape students’ purpose.
For me, purpose was found in part by a belief
that relationships and even single interactions
can change the trajectory of a person’s life.
I do this work because I believe that every
conversation I have, every relationship I build,
and every strategy we develop has the potential
to have an impact on kids.
I can think of hundreds of small moments that
inspired me, motivated me, opened me to new
possibilities. It was ultimately a sense of purpose
that led me to SAS. And there is nothing I want
more than to help kids find their purpose and
reach their potential.
Instead of simply asking what students are
interested in, we can also ask what would give them
meaning and purpose, and what impact they would
like to make on others. Knowing what they want
in life and not just what others expect is a start.
So how do we do that?
Stanford University’s d.school, a model for some of
the learning we have introduced at SAS, created
the graphic above as a way to guide students toward
finding purpose. It asks students to identify what a
student is good at, what they love to do, and what
the world needs. The intersection of those three
points is a great starting point to finding purpose.
Our recently launched Quest program for seniors
had students discover their purpose by synthesizing
what they love, what they are good at, what they
could be paid for, and what the world needs. This
purpose was then used to guide discussions about
senior projects. What a great way to begin a year
of immersive, personalized project-based learning!
I am not suggesting that our students need to
know what they will do with their lives or what their
purpose is by the time they graduate high school.
That often doesn’t happen until our twenties
or beyond.
Instead they can start by asking themselves what
they should do with their time. All the while, they
can continue to explore opportunities, learn about
themselves, and change course. But the best way to
begin is to begin: thinking of others, spending a few
hours on a solution or a cause, and then devoting
more time as they find the significance of what
they are doing. I’ve heard from countless graduates
that our clubs provided a great foundation for
finding work that was both meaningful for self,
and consequential to the world.
Finding a student’s passions, and ultimately
purpose, might require trial and error, but it could
be the difference between finding a career and
finding a calling. Understanding one’s personal
vision for the world and how their work could
contribute to realizing that vision—or finding what
is worthy to devote their lives to—could make the
difference that allows our kids to live up to their
full potential.
Our students already demonstrate a deep care for
others and uphold values that will make our world
a better place. Our school is increasingly creating
opportunities for students to learn through their
interests and find meaning through the impact
they have on others. I’m proud that our students
are indeed our future leaders—they give me
great hope every day.

Light it up and let your
artwork shine using the
photo studios. Bring your
masterpiece here to
capture the perfect photo
to keep, send to family,
or to the AP board.
3
3
1
2
6
4
5
Meet Adam, Eve, and Jack Sparrow,
our models-in-residence.
2
You will be hard-pressed to find a time where Barbara Harvey’s
art studio is not filled with students. In her thirteenth year
at SAS, she has a reputation for having an open door
and a knack for connecting with whoever walks through it.
The studio is home to everyone from casual artists
to almost 60 AP art students each year.
Barbara
Harvey
Clean it up! Rinse your
brushes, wash your hands,
and get ready to head out
for the day.
1
Power up with the drop
down outlets hanging
all around the room.
4
Watercolors, acrylics,
oils, and more!
If you are searching
for the perfect color,
medium, or tool—
look no further.
5
Names to remember:
all graduating seniors
create their golden ticket
with their university
and graduating year
to continue to build
a network and community.
6

Originally from the small town of Alexandra in New Zealand, SAS third grade teacher Jemma
Hooykaas has taught all around the world and has been at SAS for nine years. She’s also
a boxing enthusiast and a summer semester jack-of-all-trades!
B y
S A N D H Y A B A L A A N D C L A R A F O N G
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s I n t e r n s
What’s your favorite aspect of teaching third graders?
They are so curious and kind. They are open books
and I learn so much about them as they verbalize
their thinking. They shine in so many areas—I get to
see the whole student all day and their growth over
the year.
In all the places you have lived, what have some of
your most memorable experiences been?
In the Philippines, my school had a scuba club
and we walked five minutes down the road each
weekend to an amazing beach to explore wrecks
and walls together. It’s amazing that I could do
that as part of my teaching job.
In Bahrain, our school went through four bomb
scares in one semester. We had to drop everything,
gather our classes, and run to the nearest school
across the road. Once, we had to evacuate our
school early in the morning, and we were unable
to go back to collect bags, phones, and keys until
the next afternoon!
At SAS, being involved in fifth grade Telunas
trips over the years was magic.
In what areas do you help out during our summer
semester?
I co-teach the summer semester Curiosity class for
third to fifth grade and have the privilege of helping
students go further with any topic they are interested
in. I’ve helped bake, create tables, code, sew, and
3D print! Every student has vastly different interests.
We heard that you’re a boxer! Why did you decide
to take up the sport and what you enjoy about it?
I was a boxer! These days I enjoy physical activities
with less pain. I started boxing when I lived in the
Philippines, continued in Bahrain, and dabbled
in it here in Singapore. When I saw fellow SAS
teacher Ursula Pong fight in her white-collar boxing
event, I was intrigued. A few years later, I had the
opportunity to compete myself.
Boxing makes you 100 percent focused. Its all-round
physicality and the fact that you have to combine
footwork, speed, strength, and punch combinations
while dodging an opponent doing the same thing
felt impossible most days, and the rare moments
they all came together were fantastic.
Did you play any sports when you were growing up?
I dabbled in hockey, netball, and ice-skating, but
I was crippled for years with back and hip problems.
I spent a year on crutches and five years in different
braces. I was in and out of hospital with different
surgeries. I found sports and physical activity later
on in life, which keeps me motivated to continue.
Any day I can move feels like a gift.
Where’s your favorite place on campus?
My favorite place is the elementary school library—
how could anyone not want to read in a space like
that? And twice a week I swim in the mornings and
I get to walk back to my classroom as the sun
is rising. The campus is quiet and beautiful.
Feeling inspired to replicate a Mr. Hoe
classic at home? Find the full recipe at
www.sas.edu.sg/recipe.

Mr. Ho’s sons, Mr. Hoe Juan Jok (left) and his elder brother
Hoe Juan Sim (right) continue to cater at SAS to this day,
adding American favorites through the decades, including
enchiladas, guacamole, hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches,
and donuts. Altogether, they hire and oversee over 70 staff
members. Aside from feeding SAS students, the Hoe Brothers
cater at many community events, including 500 to 600
Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys every year.
Mr. Ho Tee Jam began catering at Singapore American School
in 1965, preparing favorites from his time cooking for the British
military such as fish and chips, sweet and sour pork, and char siew
noodles. In the beginning, the cafeteria kitchen consisted of two
wooden food preparation tables, a small basin, one wooden front
counter, one domestic gas-run General Electric oven, one General
Electric refrigerator, and one small soda chiller, which was a round
iron tank with a big block of ice.
Then1965
Now2016

9 1 0J O U R N E Y S F A L L 2 0 1 6 F A L L 2 0 1 6 J O U R N E Y S
The classroom hums with the sounds of SAS’s youngest learners busily at work. Some mix cookie dough
to celebrate a friend’s birthday, while others experiment with paints and glue. Students gather around a
projector to explore light and shadow. In one corner, pictures, paintings, and songs reflect activities sparked
by a recent full moon. In another corner, children play on a wooden structure that last year became an
airplane, a doctor’s office, a bus, and a haunted house.
Welcome to the SAS early learning center, where learning is fun, questions become adventures, and student
interests result in class inquiries ranging from guinea pig habitats to airplane design.
Last year, as part of the schoolwide research and development process, the ELC (then the ECC) looked
intensively at best practices in early childhood education. ELC teachers continually came back to the
philosophy out of the town of Reggio Emilia in Italy. It was there that, as World War II ended, mothers came
together to design a new kind of preschool. Since a 1991 Newsweek article entitled “The 10 Best Schools
in the World, and What We Can Learn From Them”named Reggio Emilia’s preschools the early childhood
winner, the approach has gained international recognition.
Reggio Emilia’s early childhood philosophy was a response to the wartime devastation and government
retaliation against resistance activities suffered by the town’s residents. In the weeks following the town’s
liberation, mothers rejected the state-directed, church-bound educational norms they felt had fostered the
rise of fascism. Instead, they created Italy’s first secular, community-centered preschools.
Reggio-inspired schools
include interesting,
inviting spaces
through which
children move
as they pursue
their inquiries.
I n s p i r e d c u r r i c u l u m
s h a p e s o u r
y o u n g e s t l e a r n e r s
B y
C A R A D ’ A V A N Z O
S t a f f W r i t e r
I N
T H E
S A S
E A R L Y
L E A R N I N G
C E N T E R
Under the leadership of Loris Malaguzzi, an educator inspired by progressive educational philosophers,
a Reggio-inspired learning experience came to mean one in which children were encouraged to develop
their own personalities and explore their interests and learning styles, supported and guided by parents,
teachers, and their environment.
How does this philosophy fit the larger SAS culture?
“The beauty of the Reggio Emilia approach is that it’s not a prescribed program, but rather a philosophy
about learning that can be applied contextually to the unique culture, place, history, social diversity, and
institutional reality of each school,” explains ELC director Jo McIlroy.
There are no specific formulas to follow, no boxes to tick. Rather, the original Italian nurseries and preschools
serve as inspiration for other schools’ programs. Those teaching according to Reggio Emilia see themselves
as part of a work in progress—each of them developing a structured and intentional curriculum based
on students’ interests, and facilitated by teachers’ strategic contributions and guidance.

1 2F A L L 2 0 1 6 J O U R N E Y S1 1 J O U R N E Y S F A L L 2 0 1 6
Ice Adventure:
The Evolution of One Hub’s Inquiry
B y
H A N N A H O L S E N
E L C T e a c h e r
Last year, our class became fascinated
with ice, a transient material in sunny
Singapore. Investigating the properties
of ice, the children took it to the playground.
As an ice block slid down the slide, a child
noted, “We could make an ice playground!”
This delighted the whole class, and the
idea grew to an ice city.
Weeks of designing and testing gardens,
houses, schools, and playgrounds followed;
the children considered both practicality and
aesthetics as the ephemeral city emerged.
Next, seeing icebergs in the water tray with
toy polar bears, the students considered
the polar ice caps, asking “But why are they
melting?” They decided to consult experts
like Santa (because he lives in the North Pole),
NASA (because they can see the world from
space), and a scientist (because they research)
for answers. An NTU scientist gave us answers
to our questions in a letter, along with
a challenge: “How can you prevent climate
change?” This led to an investigation into
the greenhouse effect and humans’ impact
on climate, and culminated in a student-
produced video entitled “Save the World.”
From tiny ice cubes, this project grew into
a yearlong investigation in which students
gained knowledge about city planning,
climate change, and responsible choices,
and built skills in communication, social
interactions, literacy, numeracy, science,
art, and geography.
A Reggio-inspired learning
experience came to mean
one in which children were
encouraged to develop their
own personalities and explore
their interests and learning
styles, supported and guided
by parents, teachers,
and their environment.
Students express themselves
through what Malaguzzi called
“the hundred languages of
childhood,” such as drawing,
drama, dance, building,
song, dress-up play,
cooking, and sculpture.
At the heart of the Reggio Emilia philosophy
is respect for young children as unique,
capable, and curious individuals filled
with wonder and potential.
Parents are seen as the “first teacher”
for their own children, and the Reggio Emilia
philosophy encourages parental involvement
and two-way communication.
The “second teacher” is the classroom teacher,
who facilitates the child’s investigations and
carefully documents the learning journey.
The “third teacher” is the surrounding
environment, which should inspire the child’s
interest, provoke questions and curiosity, and
provide resources for research and expression.
342years of combined
teaching experience
112days spent on construction,
including Sundays

1 3 1 4J O U R N E Y S F A L L 2 0 1 6 F A L L 2 0 1 6 J O U R N E Y S
What does a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool
look and feel like? Typically, it includes:
• Interesting, inviting spaces through which
children move as they pursue their inquiries;
• Students working together to investigate topics
and build relationships with those around them;
• Teachers listening carefully to their students,
observing their interactions and encouraging
in-depth engagement with questions and skills
as they arise;
• Students expressing themselves through what
Malaguzzi called “the hundred languages of
childhood,” such as drawing, drama, dance,
building, song, dress-up play, cooking,
and sculpture;
• Proud and visible documentation to remind
children what they have achieved and share
their learning process; and
• Teachers collaborating purposefully with each
other to make class-time meaningful, relevant,
and joyful.
At SAS, inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach has led to a number of changes from our previous
ECC program. Most obviously, summer facilities projects in 2015 and 2016 turned traditional classrooms
into learning hubs, each accommodating two classes that work collaboratively but may also separate into
smaller groups. Instead of solid walls, large interior windows offer light-filled learning spaces that allow
students to observe their surroundings and interact with the greater ELC community.
A central shared space now hosts a cozy library, block area, makerspace, puzzle area, and dress-up corner.
The Move and Groove (formerly perceptual motor) room and Chinese room still function as separate
classrooms, fostering curiosity and exploration as appropriate.
A New Look
B y
L Y N S E Y H O W I T T
E L C T e a c h e r
“What a beautiful learning environment!”
“Wow! What a transformation!”
“I wish I was still in pre-kindergarten!”
These were just some of the parent responses
overheard a few weeks ago at the SAS
early learning center back-to-school
open house afternoon. We welcomed
over 125 new students to the ELC and
the response to the summer facilities
upgrade was overwhelmingly positive
and was received with great enthusiasm.
On the last day of school in June 2016,
classrooms had been packed up, teachers
moved out, and the contractors moved
in. The second phase of the ELC’s summer
facilities renovation was in full swing
and this year it was pre-kindergarten’s
turn for a facelift.
The summer works of June 2015 and June 2016
have, in turn, created two preschool and four
pre-kindergarten learning hubs. Each hub
accommodates 32 students, two teachers,
and two instructional assistants. Traditional
classrooms have been upgraded to beautiful
modern learning environments. What should
you expect to see?
Open, light-filled spaces where learning
is visible, collaborative, and inspiring.
The feel is cozy and welcoming. Inspired by
the early learning philosophy out of Reggio
Emilia, Italy, and guided by our concept-based
curriculum and schoolwide desired student
learning outcomes, these inviting new learning
environments ensure that our youngest learners
feel comfortable and connected to the rich
and meaningful learning experiences
they are encountering.
176students in
the ELC
Those teaching according
to Reggio Emilia principles
see themselves as part
of a work in progress,
each developing a structured
and intentional curriculum
based on students’ interests.
Student work is on display
to remind children what
they have achieved
and to document their
learning process.

Inside each learning hub, the two teachers and
two teaching aides no longer organize learning
time around predetermined, standardized units.
Guided by the SAS desired student learning
outcomes (DSLOs) and a concept-driven
curriculum, they prompt students to consider
open-ended questions, often based on student
observations, and then design activities and
lessons around the children’s responses. “When
we looked at the tenants of this approach, we saw
they matched very closely with our DSLOs,”
says McIlroy. “All seven—character, collaboration,
content knowledge, creativity, communication,
critical thinking, and cultural competence—can
be satisfied by appropriately guided, in-depth
exploration. This philosophy gives teachers
the opportunity to weave the DSLOs into class
inquiries, resulting in more enjoyable and
authentic learning experiences for students.”
Some parents wonder whether this approach will
prepare our youngest learners for kindergarten
and higher grades, but McIlroy stresses that
ELC and kindergarten teachers routinely meet
to ensure alignment between the divisions.
“We are very aware that we are a part of a large
school system. We changed our name from early
childhood center to early learning center because
that is what we are about. This was very intentional.
What the kindergarten teachers see as crucial to
success is the social and emotional preparation
that the Reggio-inspired ELC program fosters,”
she notes. “Students will arrive in kindergarten
confident in themselves as learners and their
relationships with others, and ready to plunge
into the learning opportunities there.”
Students find learning through open-ended
investigations and inquiry-based activities fun,
exciting, and motivating. Recalling a fascination
with spooky sounds that led her preschool hub to
research the math and physics behind the sounds,
create a haunted house, research bats, and discuss
Halloween traditions, teacher Nancy Devine says,
“The energy and excitement of just two or three
kids who want to explore something fuels the fire,
and suddenly the whole class is on board!”
books in the
ELC library
2,50041walls
removed
6learning hubs building blocks
3,000

In spite of our efforts to help our children focus on
self-improvement, the tendency remains for them
to look outward for inward validation. Case in point:
what’s the first thing kids do after receiving a grade
on an exam, quiz, or project? They look at their
peers’ scores and rank order themselves accordingly.
At some level, all of us rely on comparison as a
means of validation; however, when not put in
proper perspective, comparison becomes a cruel
taskmaster. It teaches Heather, for example,
there will always be someone smarter, prettier,
nicer, skinnier, happier, more athletic, more artistic,
and healthier than her. It teaches Daniel that there
will always be someone stronger, bigger, brighter,
faster, and more muscular than him.
The extremes of comparison can be overwhelming.
Some kids become ensnared by their shortcomings,
believing there’s no use pressing on or leveraging
possibilities. Author of The Comparison Trap,
Sandra Stanley, notes that, “There’s no winning with
this type of comparison.” But, what if comparisons
could be harnessed to promote healthy momentum?
For this to occur, one significant issue must be
sorted: Who or what do your kids look to when
determining that they’re okay? In other words, who
or what do they compare themselves against to
measure their self-worth?
Healthy standards for comparison must be
actively taught and modeled. Without this,
kids face a world with absurd notions of what
being “the best” or “measuring up” actually
means. Be sure of this: pop culture and social
media, for better or worse, are actively feeding
a steady stream of what it means to be
________ (fill in the blank).
Comparing one’s present situation to that of others
can be a catalyst to motivate in healthy ways.
Take, for example, father and wheelchair-bound
son Dick and Rick Hoyt. Together they compete
in athletic events promoting awareness of the
physically challenged. Dick peddles, pulls, and
pushes Rick through the race courses. Together
they’ve completed over 1,000 races, marathons,
duathlons, and triathlons (six of them being
Ironman competitions). When I compare my life
and the challenges I face with what the Hoyts have
accomplished, it reminds me that if I put my mind to
something, eventually I too can reach the finish line.
Comparison in this form becomes both a healthy
metric and motivator. It teaches me to be grateful
and to persevere. Such comparisons can be
a catalyst to spur on additional efforts,
change attitudes, and keep at it.
Healthy comparisons begin by reminding kids
that it’s not what they have or don’t have compared
to others, it’s what they do with what they have.
Sixteen-year-old Kevin came to see me about not
being selected for a position in a school sponsored
activity. For three weeks he wallowed in self-pity and
was beginning to move his heart and head to not-
so-good places. This wasn’t the end of the world,
but it sure felt like it. The conversation that ensued
wasn’t pleasant, but it was necessary. Kevin needed
help retooling his thinking to develop a plan.
B y
D r . J E F F D E V E N S
H i g h S c h o o l P s y c h o l o g i s t
Illustrated by SAS graphic designer Haziq Hairoman
Comparison can sink you or spur you on to
great success—it’s just a matter of applying
the right mindset and metrics

— T h e o d o r e R o o s e v e l t
Throughout the course of the remaining year, he applied himself, worked toward his goals, and eventually
earned (operative word) a spot on the team the following year. This was one of those fortunate endings that
spurred on further aspirations. Unfortunately, not all outcomes end favorably. Does this mean kids should
give up, give in, and resolve themselves to apathy? May it never be! We encourage perseverance because
we hold out the belief there is something better to be had, something better to be gained, all the while
acknowledging present realities. Grit (guts, resilience, initiative, tenacity) is the character outcome for kids
who stay the course. Our focus is on growth, potential, and possibilities; however, none of this occurs when
kids fixate on what others have relative to what they lack.
Some suggestions for helping parents deal with comparisons:
1. MODEL AND ACTIVELY TEACH WHERE VALUE AND WORTH ARE DERIVED
Allow kids to question the standards you’ve set for determining your worth, and provide the rationale as
to how you arrived at these conclusions.
2. VALIDATE FEELINGS
This isn’t about arguing why they feel the way they do. Rather, it’s about acknowledging the hurt in their
heart. Without this, there will be little to no forward momentum. I’ve worked with hundreds of teens with
broken hearts. What I know with certainty is kids need to know, in their hearts, that adults aren’t merely
trying to change their minds. Changing a mind begins by validating a heart.
3. ACKNOWLEDGE PRESENT REALITIES BUT FOCUS ON FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
Formulate new plans and press on. If they persist in wallowing, reach out to their teachers, coaches,
or other mentors who can encourage positive forward momentum. In many cases, kids compare their
weaknesses to others’ strengths, instead of focusing on their efforts and attitude. We must help them
avoid this sort of reasoning.
4. REMIND THEM CONTINUALLY OF THE STANDARDS YOU USE AS A BASIS FOR HEALTHY COMPARISON
(SEE POINT 1)
For many kids, their worth is tied to performance (i.e., academic, athletic, artistic, etc.). This puts them
on a treadmill of anxiety, stress, and negative comparison. Instead, help them emphasize the process of
their growth, not the final product. It’s the process that produces the results, and their feelings are part
of this process. Remember, this won’t be a one-off conversation; it’s active and ongoing.

What makes
the world
go round?
B y
S A N D H Y A B A L A
A N D C L A R A F O N G
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s I n t e r n s
The conservation of
angular momentum.
The sun is so hot that
the Earth just keeps
rolling in circles.
Suparna S., Twelfth Grade
Ushmil S., Ninth Grade
Money makes the world go round because
when you have money, you have the ability
to give to anything and anyone and you still
have enough for yourself. You can do as
much for others as you can do for yourself.
Rishab T., Eleventh Grade
Love.
Lane K.,
Eighth Grade
Happiness.
Tamanna W.,
Ninth Grade
Gravity?
Anish G.,
Seventh Grade
The unicorn makes rainbows that
wrap around the world. They push
the world around the sun.
Minh Khue., Fifth Grade
Friendship!
Ashley P.,
Third Grade
The moon, because
it makes the water
go around.
George B., Third Grade
Julia W., Sixth Grade
People travel a lot and
make it spin around.
The sun, because it shines on everything,
and if there is no sun, then the world would
be dark and we can’t see anything.
Woo Jin C., Fourth Grade
Food, because
we can survive.
Patricia S.,
Third Grade
This year marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between the US and
Singapore. SAS plays an important role between the two countries,
and received a shout-out from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during
his August visit to Washington, DC!
White House state dinners, regarded as one of the highest diplomatic
honors a US president can give, have hosted Singapore five times.
US President Barack Obama has hosted only 12 state dinners during
his two presidential terms, the latest of which hosted PM Lee.
In his address on the White House lawn, PM Lee mentioned that
Singapore American School enrolls nearly 4,000 students to support
the strong business presence of the US in Singapore. How fun it was
to hear SAS alumni cheer and to hear PM Lee recognize them! Class
of 2010 alumni Nihal Krishan, Kathryn Tinker, and Nick Zulkoski were
among those in attendance.
LEE
HSIEN
LOONGMENTIONS SAS IN HIS
WHITE HOUSE ADDRESS
PRIME MINISTER

2 5 J O U R N E Y S F A L L 2 0 1 6
B y
K O H X I N T I A N
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s W r i t e r
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY AND LIBRARY SKILLS
Last year, tech and library classes’ curriculum
models were completely separate. Now,
instructional coaches, tech coaches, and librarians
will co-teach library and tech skills with classroom
teachers during regular class time to integrate
library and tech skills into the curriculum.
Tech coach Tara Linney explains, “There isn’t
a special time in the real world where you go
somewhere and use technology skills only, or library
skills only. The more students see tech and library
skills as integrated into other skills, the better.”
Tech coach Keith Ferrell adds, “Now, librarians,
tech coaches, and instructional coaches meet
biweekly. We’re now each assigned to two grade
levels. This allows us to know what’s going on
from one grade to the next and work closely with
students and teachers so we’re all on the same
page for curriculum and learning. We have so many
people available as a team to help our kids out.”
COACHES AVAILABLE ON DEMAND
The elementary school schedule rotation used
to have one tech class scheduled every 12 days,
and one library visit or class every six days.
Now, without a fixed schedule rotation or
a fixed number of tech or library lessons,
classroom teachers can book tech and instructional
coaches on demand any time, any day, for lessons
relevant to the topic teachers are teaching at
that time. On top of this, two tech coordinators
each support three grades, along with supporting
specialist and world language teachers, budgets,
and teachers’ professional development.
“Integrated tech and library instruction is about
teaching students integral problem-solving and life
skills or content relevant to what’s happening in the
classroom, so there is equity among the essential
skills all students will learn. All students will be
exposed to the same skills, but it may happen at
different times, just in time when they need to learn
them. Flexibility and timing makes a difference,”
tech coach Kelli Buxton says.
FIXED CHECKOUT DAYS
Previously, students would have 12-day library
rotations with one checkout day every six days and
one library lesson over the next six days. Mr. Ferrell
says, “Previously, as a parent, I never knew which
day my children had to return their library books!
Now, with fixed checkout days, my kids know
every Monday is checkout day: 30 minutes
on the same day each week.”
Ms. Buxton says, “Students now get more
access to books because they come to borrow
library books more frequently. Teachers are also
now more involved with seeing what books their
students like, and match students to books just
right for their level.”
CO-TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY
This semester, Mr. Ferrell co-taught Mrs. Terrile’s
45-minute second grade RLA lesson, introducing
blogging and iPad use. He recalls, “We showed
students, step by step, how to connect their
learning blog profiles to the app EasyBlogger.
Then they wrote their first blog post, which is when
the actual magic happens when we co-taught
as a teacher and a tech coach. We brainstormed
for title ideas and talked about punctuation,
spelling, and digital citizenship, so the lesson
was more than just technology.
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
Students can now build their tech skills, library skills,
and subject area knowledge in the newly renovated
creation stations in The Loft in the elementary
school library, an area created with the support
of the SAS Foundation. Ms. Linney says,
“We’re looking to increase collaboration among
students, teachers, and coaches in finding out
what tools work best for learning in
a collaborative learning environment.”
Whether it is pursuing a passion, building character,
collaboration, communication, creativity and
innovation, cultural competence or critical thinking
skills, students can try out creation stations in
five strands: art, building, coding, engineering,
and filmmaking. Students will get challenge
cards encouraging them to explore, make, and
to innovate. At the beginning stage of a creation
station activity, students may be exploring materials,
then making an item, and finally innovating by
modeling what they learned in creating their own
item that can operate or function.
Ms. Buxton gives the example of a first grade class
visiting the creation stations to learn about circuits.
“First, they were asked to build a circuit by following
a map in a booklet. Next, they could build any
project from the booklet. And thirdly, they were
asked to create their own circuits. That’s how we
had six-year-olds making a little propeller fan fly!
At the coding stations, we’ve also got Dash and Dot
Robots from the Wonder Workshop that students
can code, Bee-Bots, and Makey Makeys.”
And Ms. Buxton adds, “Students absolutely adore
their time learning up here. They grab you by the
arm and tug you to their station saying, ‘Come
look at what I created!’ and beg, ‘When can we
come back to creation stations?’ Their excitement
is palpable.”
Gone are the days when science, library,
and tech classes were completely separate

Singapore American School CPE Registration Number: 196400340R
Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017
Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
REVITALIZE.
PROTECT.
SOAR.Identify a need and dig in to make
a difference. That’s what students do
every day at Singapore American School.
Our unparalleled personalized learning
opportunities allow students to research
topics at university level and engage in
service through academics and dozens
of service clubs. Whether students want
to preserve coastal wetlands, develop
eco-friendly mosquito abatement
solutions, or study tropical ecology,
they can pursue their passions and
excel at Singapore American School.
SINGAPORE
AMERICAN
SCHOOL

2 9 J O U R N E Y S F A L L 2 0 1 6
GRIT
OR
QUIT
?
The only thing I see that
is distinctly different about
me is: I’m not afraid to die
on a treadmill. I will not
be outworked, period. You
might have more talent than
me, you might be smarter
than me, you might be sexier
than me. You might be all of
those things. You got it on me
in nine categories. But if we
get on the treadmill together,
there are two things: You’re
getting off first, or I’m going
to die. It’s really that simple.
B y
K Y L E A L D O U S
D i r e c t o r o f C o m m u n i c a t i o n s

WORK HARD…
If you get on a treadmill next to Will Smith, there
are apparently only two options; you will give up
and step off, or you will literally kill him.
We may never get to test his simple hypothesis,
but the point is obvious and his message
inspirational: never quit. You’ve probably heard
some version of this message before from your
parents, teachers, and other celebrities.
...BUT ALSO KNOW WHEN TO CUT YOUR LOSSES.
But actually, “never quit” is spectacularly bad advice.
Never quit? If I never quit anything, I would still be
folding shirts at the Gap.
If we never quit anything, many of us would be in
dead-end jobs, broken relationships, or trying to
beat the high score in our favorite video games.
The truth is, we all give up at times, and that’s okay.
WHAT IS GRIT?
2013 MacArthur “genius grant” fellow Dr. Angela
Duckworth is the New York Times bestselling author
of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.
In her book, she describes grit as a ‘combination of
passion and perseverance’ in her book. She explains,
“To have grit is to wake up thinking about the same
questions, the same challenges you were working
on yesterday—and to do the same tomorrow,
and the next day, on and on and on for years.
To have grit is to embody the Japanese motto:
fall seven, rise eight.”
For years, Dr. Duckworth has been studying
West Point cadets, and found that grit is a
significant indicator in predicting which cadets will
make it through the first year commonly referred
to as “beast barracks.” She found that students who
scored high on grit had the highest GPAs, but that
these students were also associated with lower SAT
scores, suggesting that among elite undergraduates,
smarter students may be slightly less gritty than their
peers! It’s good to know that lower SAT scores
do not indicate a limit to one’s academic
and life achievements.
In essence, grit is the opposite of quitting,
and Dr. Duckworth’s evidence suggests we should
want as much of it as possible. As a result, there are
plenty of new studies being conducted about the
development of grit, and no shortage of authors
and researchers with answers to questions about
grit. While the word “grit” is currently enjoying
the spotlight, the concept of perseverance has
been around for centuries. Roman emperor Marcus
Aurelius wrote in his book Meditations,
“So remember this principle when something
threatens to cause you pain: the thing itself
was no misfortune at all; to endure it and
prevail is great good fortune.”
CAN A PERSON HAVE TOO MUCH GRIT?
The Greek philosopher Aristotle warned us about
the danger of extremism in the pursuit of character
attributes. He suggested a type of “golden mean”
to guide the pursuit of any virtue. For example,
having no fear at all could lead to bravado that
might end in poor decision-making, while on the
other hand, if you have too much fear, this causes
cowardice and may never lead to any action.
Answers such as “it depends,” and “we should try
to have not too much but not too little,” don’t mean
much on a practical level in day-to-day life. Luckily
there is a “Grit or Quit?” test that you can use to
help you figure out whether it’s time to persevere
or time to pack it in.
Our lives are often made up of a series of goals
like a staircase, each goal leading to the next
until we finally reach our destination.
Take a moment to think of one of your long-term
goals, and you may find that there are many ways to
get to the top. Dr. Duckworth says that when it’s time
to decide whether to quit or to continue using grit,
you should analyze what it is that you are quitting,
and where it falls among your goals.
Are you quitting the idea of getting your dream job
because you didn’t do well in AP Calculus? Or can
you recalculate a new route to that same destination,
like using a car GPS? Look for a path to a dream job
that does not involve acing AP Calculus, and keep
moving forward.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR KIDS AND US?
This is great for professionals, college students,
and high school students, but how does this
information apply to students in elementary
and middle school? Many of them haven’t yet
developed long-term goals, and when things
get hard, it’s easy to quit.
“A child in elementary school should be able
to stick with things for more than a few weeks,”
Dr. Duckworth says. She adds that in middle school
they should stick it out through the entire season or
year, and once they are in high school, it is important
to learn to carry an activity through multiple years.
For your child, this means it’s not the end of
the world if they quit the piano, violin, soccer,
or whatever activity they are currently pursuing.
Plenty of other activities can still help your child live
a fulfilling life. There is a phrase that Dr. Duckworth
uses to help her own children know when to
buckle down and exhibit grit, and when to
wave the white flag and say, “I quit.”
“YOU CAN QUIT, BUT YOU CAN’T QUIT ON A HARD DAY.”
If a music passage is hard, you will continue until it’s
easy. If you’re having a hard time with a basketball
skill, you will keep practicing until you learn it.
“Parents know what a kid doesn’t know. For a kid,
it’s irrational to keep going when they’re
discouraged. Parents know that everyone feels
that way,” Dr. Duckworth says.
While it is okay for a child to quit, it’s not okay to
leave the void empty. If a child opts out of an activity,
it should be replaced with another opportunity to
build perseverance and grit.
The goal is not to force a child to develop grit by
mandating the development of one particular skill
prescribed by you at age three. Instead, give your
children the agency to explore their interests and
learn to push themselves until they ultimately find
a compelling activity that captures their attention,
energy, and diligence.
While empirical evidence demonstrates that more
grit typically beats less grit, remember that there are
many roads leading to your long-term goals. Don’t
be afraid to correct your course along the way. And
should you ever end up on a treadmill next to Will
Smith, let him win. I’m still waiting for Men In Black 4.
FURTHER READING:
How can I measure grit?
Check out the “Grit Scale” at
http://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/
What can I do to teach grit to my children?
Paul Tough, “How Children Succeed:
Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character.”
Where can I read more about grit?
Angela Duckworth, “When to Quit From
an Expert on Grit,” PBS Newshour, May 12, 2016,
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/
column-grit-or-quit/
KJ Dell’Antonia, “Raising a Child with Grit
Can Mean Letting Her Quit,” New York Times,
April 29, 2016, http://well.blogs.nytimes.
com/2016/04/29/when-raising-a-child-with-grit-
means-letting-her-quit/
GRIT QUITor

Avery S.,
Sixth Grade
Student
The theme for sixth grade Classroom Without Walls was “I Connect”, and I connected
with my environment, my community, and myself this September by getting up close
with nature at Pulau Ubin, meeting a community gardener at a Changi Village park,
and trying new things at a hawker center.
At the Pulau Ubin sensory trail, a friendly, smiling naturalist named Mr. R. Subaraj
led our hike. He was a real expert. I was so impressed with how he picked up a whip
snake and handled it carefully, then put it back safely in the trees unharmed. I learned
that it has black stripes when it is stressed out, and I watched them slowly fade as
it calmed down.
Mr. Raj taught us about an invasive species of plant that wraps itself around a tree,
slowly grows roots around it, and eventually strangles it to death. He showed us one
that wrapped itself around a small store instead of a tree, and the store’s door was
barely visible. We also saw plants that keep mosquitoes and cockroaches away. Mr. Raj
was also good at mimicking animals’ noises: monkeys would respond when he talked
to them, and he made a perfect bird call of an almost-extinct bird.
Staying in a hotel room with no parents was really fun! Three of us felt more
responsible and proud of ourselves for setting a time to go to sleep and sticking to it.
We got to know each other better and played games such as Spot It, Farkle, and Uno.
It wasn’t too hard to wake up the next morning because I was so excited to build
a bridge with our homebase, swim in the pool, and walk along the beach.
Our homebase did challenging team-building activities such as a photo scavenger hunt
and Minute to Win It. It was interesting to see how different people react in the same
situations when working together. We learned about each other and we helped each
other succeed.
I made a new friend who was shy and didn’t talk much in class before Classroom
Without Walls, though she was always kind and hardworking. I learned that we both
like animals, nature, and adventure. I like seeing her even more now and we talk
more in class and in the halls.
At the lively hawker center, the smells made me hungry and made me want to wander
to all the stalls and see what kinds of food there was. There were a lot of people in line
getting food and talking. I ordered rice with pork from a shopkeeper who smiled and
greeted me warmly, and felt proud of myself for ordering and paying for my own food.
I felt independent and can imagine going out by myself now. It was hard to find a place
to sit and eat, so my friends and I found a table and took turns to get food while the
others watched the food and drinks. I felt so much older than I felt in fifth grade!
I can’t wait for Classroom Without Walls in seventh grade. I’m excited to venture further
from Singapore and stay longer. I hope there is even more physical activity, and look
forward to meeting new people and spending time with new friends.
Our middle school Classroom Without Walls program extends student
learning beyond experiences they can gain at school through trips
to Malaysia, Indonesia, and islands off Singapore.
Trust, risk-taking, goal-setting, resiliency, and cooperation are just a few
of the traits that this signature SAS program aims to instill in students,
who also further develop their own environmental awareness and cultural
competence through participating in activities specific to each trip.
Check out a few reflections from our freshly returned students!
New independence

Jake J.,
Seventh Grade
Student
Classroom Without Walls helped me bond with my teacher, classmates, and side.
We competed in friendly tournaments against other homebases, including synchronized
swimming, sandcastle competitions, and relay races. What made us get to know each
other the most was staying in the same room with other boys from my homebase.
This was because at other times, everybody could just go off and play with friends we
already knew, but staying in the same room made us get to know each other.
Just as we were leaving for Malaysia, our homebase teacher said, “It will be extremely
fun and interesting to see what you guys will be like outside of school!” And that’s just
what everybody did. We also saw what the teachers are like when they’re not in the
classroom, which was very different and more fun than they are in the classroom.
I feel like I know my homebase teacher Ms. Olsen differently now. Thumbs up
for Classroom Without Walls!
This Classroom Without Walls trip to Telunas, Indonesia let me see the world in
a different way, and prepared me for the world in a new way. I thought critically about
world issues and learned how some people get around them. Small things such as
no hot water and big issues such as poverty and a lack of infrastructure all have a root
cause. Our trip shines the light on the issues, and revealed the true problem and how
we can solve it.
This trip, I had the opportunity to experience kampung life first-hand. We got to visit
a local community school, walk around the villages, and try some activities essential
to villagers’ daily life. In reality, these are actually happy places, and the people living
don’t have major conflicts to worry about, they are self-sustaining, and live with people
they have known practically all their lives.
Locals also feel a strong sense of home to the natives; many of the villagers have had
their ancestors and elders living in the same place. They are happy people and they
get on with life, but the news cover it negatively by saying they say that they need
a “normal” life in financial terms, and start doing other things with their lives.
Outside of school
Experiencing kampung life
Tim L.,
Eighth Grade
Student

Welcome
SAS family!
to the
Mariel Slater,
Learning Support
Teacher
Jeremy Ritzer,
High School
Social Studies
Zoya B.,
Eighth Grade
Student
Chinmay Agrawal,
Tenth Grade
Student
David Han,
Tenth Grade
Student
Sabrina
Campedelli,
Eleventh Grade
Student
What are you
for in the coming
school year?
MOst
excited
I am excited for all of the technology integration that’s possible here and the support
that comes with it! This is a new adventure for me, and I can’t wait to learn and grow
in my own practice. I also hope this will help me motivate and inspire my students
to be curious, creative, and thoughtful learners. Before SAS, I lived in New York
City and taught third grade in a public school. I loved exploring all of NYC’s vibrant
neighborhoods and I am excited to do the same here in Singapore!
One difference that stands out is between the campus and neighborhoods.
At my school in NYC, we didn’t have a big playground or much outdoor space.
Here at SAS, we have fields and playgrounds galore! I also taught in a busy
neighborhood with lots of hustle and bustle; here we have a rainforest.
The tranquility and open, green space is a unique change.
To get to know a new group of students and teachers within Singapore. So far, so good!
I was actually working in Singapore for five years already at United World College.
There are a lot more things in common than different here, as both schools share
Singapore as a home and a similarly-sized campus and population. There are some
minor differences that I’m getting used to like scheduling and the “sides” system,
but that’s what makes coming to a new school fun and exciting—a chance to
try new things.James Toney, Jr.,
Grade 6 RLA
Teacher
Getting to know the SAS
community, and getting out
and exploring Singapore and
the region. I am also anxious
for winter to arrive!
Making new friends and taking
part in school activities like
sports and clubs. I lived in
Delhi, India for 12 years before
joining SAS. It’s completely
different from my previous
school. This school is larger
and there’s more freedom.
Teachers and students are
more polite here.
Getting to the point
where I feel settled in
and comfortable being
an SAS student. I was in
St. Louis, Missouri before
SAS. The curriculum back
home wasn’t very different
and we even had a similar
four-block schedule system.
Creating bonds with teachers
and fellow students. Before
SAS, I was at International
Community School
(Singapore). This school
is very big and has lots
of different facilities.
The different things we’ll be
doing in PE. I’ve never really
liked PE but here I’m actually
excited to see what we do! I
was in Texas before coming to
SAS and the people here are
much friendlier!
Welcome
SAS family!
to the
B y
R O O P A L K O N D E P U D I
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s I n t e r n

W H Y
I
G I V E
—
SHUMIT AND RITU KAPOOR
PARENTS OF
KAVIN, CLASS OF 2020,
AND KUSH, CLASS OF 2022
How long has your family been in Singapore and part of SAS?
Shumit: We’ve been in Singapore for nine years, having been relocated here twice. We’ve lived in
Germany, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, and Thailand, and our two boys are in seventh and ninth grade.
What brought you to Singapore and SAS?
Ritu: Shumit’s work brought us back to Singapore, a country we’d grown to love in our first stint here.
SAS was a natural choice as our children were in IASAS schools before and were very comfortable
with the academic system, we’d heard positive feedback about SAS from friends with children here,
and our boys had friends already studying at SAS. It also helped to learn that SAS truly provided
the learning environment we wanted our children to grow in.
What excites you about the education at SAS?
Shumit: The holistic learning experience that prepares our children for the future. We’re glad that the onus
is put on students to recognize and take advantage of the tremendous resources and opportunities at SAS.
Our children’s learning environment positively influences them to be confident, articulate, and well-rounded.
All their teachers are deeply attentive to nurturing their capabilities and are very supportive. They inspire
children to be passionate and soar in multiple disciplines, be it nurturing their theater passion through
the International Schools Theatre Association Program, persevering on a BB8 robot project all summer,
or mentoring a film assignment that won a Singapore International Film Festival award. We want our
children to always be the best possible versions of themselves, and to stay positive, content,
compassionate, embrace change, and be lifelong learners. We are heartened to see these
values nurtured at school through the SAS vision and core values.
B y
A N N E D U N C A N
A s s o c i a t e D i r e c t o r o f A d v a n c e m e n t
Why and how do you support SAS?
Ritu: Volunteering at school is a natural progression
of our family’s belief in making a difference in
the community and building the environment
our children grow in—a reward in itself.
SAS offers so many ways to volunteer, so it
is hard not to find something to suit you and
of course meet wonderful friends. I began
as a book fair and used books sale volunteer,
then as a room parent, a welcome buddy to new
families, and at the International Fair 2016. It was
a memorable platform to lead my home country’s
efforts to build our community and make deeper
connections to the SAS community.
I now volunteer with the PTA Welcome Committee
to help new families transition into SAS and will
also lead a new initiative this year called SAS Spirit.
Our boys pitch in at Peer Counsel and Peer Support
in their respective divisions to help new peers
on campus. We also began contributing to
the SAS Foundation last year.
Besides volunteering, giving to the SAS Foundation
is another opportunity to enrich our children’s world
with options to give at any comfort level. Seeing
some of the stellar work our donation monies were
being used for and learning how it directly impacts
students began our belief in making a gift to the
SAS Foundation and joining the Eagle Society.
Ritu: Receiving a personalized thank you note
from a student who had benefited from our
donation was a sweet reminder that we all have
choices to make, and that we can teach our kids
to recognize theirs. As Dumbledore puts it,
“It is our choices, Harry, that show us who
we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
OUR CHILDREN’S
LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
POSITIVELY INFLUENCES
THEM TO BE
CONFIDENT,
ARTICULATE,
AND
WELL-ROUNDED.

Congratulations
CLASSOF2016

Boys’ Volleyball
Record: 4-2
Our boys varsity volleyball team showed a lot of grit as they
pulled off some close victories and ultimately won the final
in the fifth set against Taipei American School in a rematch
from last year’s IASAS championship.
Girls’ Volleyball
Record: 5-0
The girls varsity volleyball team dominated the competition
all weekend and defeated International School of Manila in
three straight sets to win the final.
Boys’ Soccer
Record: 3-0
The boys went undefeated and had a fantastic game against
International School of Kuala Lumpur in a 7-0 victory.
Girls’ Soccer
Record: 4-0
The weekend began with a 2-1 win over International School
of Kuala Lumpur and the girls just kept improving as they
finished off the weekend with an 8-1 victory again over ISKL.
Boys’ Cross Country
Second place overall finish
Junior Eric Silva had an incredible race and finished first
overall leading the boys team to second place overall.
Girls’ Cross Country
First place overall finish
Senior Vanessa Smiley finished third guiding in a group of
four SAS runners behind her to help the girls team capture
first place overall.

G:
Blair B
er
he
T
Court
Com
in
FullCi
rcle
g
On
G:
Blair B
er
he
T
Court
Com
in
FullCi
rcle
g
On
The last time Blair Berg was here, he tri-captained his second IASAS volleyball
championship team. With bleach-tipped hair, standard late 1990s puka shell
necklace, and the bravado of a three-team varsity athlete, Blair helped sweep
the gold out of the hands of the International School of Manila (ISM) Bearcats
in three straight sets.
Thirteen years later, the bleach gone, sporting a beard, and donning his Bearcats
polo, International School of Manila’s Coach Berg now sits across the court from
his alma mater, hoping to pick up right where he left off.
28-26. ISM grabs the first set.
25-23. SAS pulls back and equalizes.
25-20. SAS finishes strong and looks poised to win.
Next, ISM primary hitter John Ma attempts a spike. Two tall SAS defenders send
it hurling back at him. John turns, expecting to see his coach’s disappointment.
Instead Coach Berg laughs, “Whoa, you got absolutely stuffed.”
25-19. ISM rallies back and levels it out to force a fifth and final game.
Going into the final game, Blair told his players, “This is what we have been
preparing for all season long. Trust each other and leave everything on the court.”
But SAS has won 12 out of its past 16 volleyball championships for a reason,
and that day was no different. SAS pulls off a late 15-13 win to move into the finals
against Taipei. After post-game high-fives and congratulations, the Bearcats exit
the gym to do their own analysis of the game and season.
B y
K Y L E A L D O U S
D i r e c t o r o f C o m m u n i c a t i o n s
How SAS alumnus and IASAS champion
Blair Berg (‘02) found his way back to the court
Illustrated by SAS graphic designer Haziq Hairoman

Far away from the cheering crowds and polished
courts, the emotional Bearcat team sits and
discusses the highs and lows of the game.
Choking back tears, they celebrate the
individual efforts of each member.
With nine IASAS tournaments to his name, Blair is
familiar with how these tournaments work. But as
a coach, this was the first time he witnessed the
effort that goes into crafting a seamless
experience for the players.
“Being on the other side of IASAS as a coach,
having to call for curfew checks, meet up
with other coaches, and witness the behind-the-
scenes work of a perfectly run tournament
was awesome,” he said.
International school teaching is in Blair’s blood.
His parents Bill and Cathy Berg were long-time
international educators, including 14 years at SAS.
Bill taught high school business and consumer
law, while Cathy taught kindergarten and second
grade. The Bergs had also lived in Kenya, Zaire
(now the Democratic Republic of the Congo),
and the Russian Federation. His brother Andy Berg
(SAS ’98) and sister-in law Nina Fraizer (SAS ’98),
also teach internationally at the American
Community School in Amman, Jordan.
Blair got his social sciences undergraduate
degree from Colorado State University. It wasn’t
until he decided to try teaching English in Taiwan
at KOJEN English Language School that he
understood the gratification possible in education.
“I liked the daily grind of the job and seeing the
growth of individual students. So I went back to
the States to get my US teaching license,
and the rest is history,” Blair said.
After earning his secondary teaching certificate
from the University of Northern Colorado in 2009,
he stayed local and began his career in the heart
of Fort Collins at Rocky Mountain High School as
a geography and history teacher and volleyball
coach. As a rookie teacher and coach, he focused
on developing the same attributes he remembered
from SAS teachers and coaches who influenced
him as a student.
“My English teacher, Mr. Brian Coole, had the ability
of bringing in outside influences such as music, art,
and current events, to make language and literature
approachable to a wide array of students. Ms. Mimi
Molchan inspired thousands of athletes to become
better students and people by encouraging them
to always remain respectful to everyone, no matter
the outcome,” he said.
While at Rocky Mountain, Blair met and began
dating Ms. Holly Walker, and the pair soon decided
to kick off their international teaching careers at
American School of Kuwait. The school spurred
tremendous professional growth as they found
themselves surrounded by colleagues with years of
international school experience, while the Middle
East offered wonderful surprises and solidified their
desire to remain abroad indefinitely.
“The international teaching scene is a dream come
true. If it was up to me, I would stay abroad forever.
The pros of teaching at an international school
are amazing. You are surrounded by the best of
the best in education, your students come
from unique backgrounds that enhance learning
on a daily basis, and your quality of life is
improved drastically,” he said.
In 2015, 13 years after graduating from SAS,
Blair took a spot on the International School
Manila faculty, teaching AP US History, AP Human
Geography, IB Environmental Systems and Societies,
and a freshman geography course. After school
he began coaching two sports he excelled
in as a student: volleyball and softball.
It didn’t take long for him to gain the trust and
respect of his students and athletes. “Mr. Berg is
one of those teachers who would be a good fit
for any student,” said ISM junior, Claire Stevens.
“He’s very approachable and always makes
you feel welcome.”
For Blair, there is one principal responsibility he feels
each year as he greets his next group of students.
“In the classroom, on the court, or on the field,
I want my students and athletes to know that I truly
care for them. I will encourage them, help them,
and push them every chance I get. I want them to
have a space where they can feel safe, supported,
and trusted to be themselves,” he said.
It’s been almost a year since that semi-final loss to
SAS, and Blair can’t wait to have another chance to
square off again with the Eagles.
“SAS is well coached and has a long history
of success. They are always the team to beat
at IASAS,” he smiles.
The pros of teaching at an international
school are amazing . You’re surrounded
by the best of the best in education,
your students come from unique
backgrounds that enhance learning on
a daily basis, and your quality of life is
improved drastically .
amazing
drastically

4 9 J O U R N E Y S F A L L 2 0 1 6
#
saseduWanttoseeyourInstagramphotos,Facebookposts,ortweetshereinJourneys?
Start using #sasedu in everything you post about the school!
@ajzuber
Long weekend
reading sorted!
@pgreensoup
#SASedu
@petergcuthbert
Spectacular
swimming hole in the
middle of nowhere
#jungle # hike
#education #cww
#outdooreducation
#sasedu
@DrMichaelRClark
#sasedu #ethon
Cheer chosen!
@ms.ramani
Finding a resting
spot... And a
teachable moment...
While we wait to visit
The Kampung House.
#cww #sasedu
@jeffpabatoy
Welcome back day
@SAmericanSchool
celebrating everyone
especially new
students and staff.
#celebration #sasedu
@samericanschool
At the International
Coastal Cleanup!
#SASedu
@SAmericanSchool
“I don’t want kids to
be entitled, especially
my own kids.”
#SASedu #edsg
#edchat
@jdiebley
After a stimulating
morning walk on
the beach, of course
we need to cool off!
#sasedu #SAS_cww
The bonds of friendship. The mentorship of teachers
and staff. Memories made in moments big and small.
The learning that shines through perseverance.
Every interaction, every pursuit, every class,
and every activity at SAS weaves the fabric
of our community to make us who we are.
We want to celebrate all things SAS. Share your story
with us, and we may share it with our community
online or in Journeys.
Connect with us at communications@sas.edu.sg and
help us tell the story of what makes SAS a special place.
What’s your story?

R E L U C T A N T
M I D D L E S C H O O L E R
T U R N E D
E N T R E P R E N E U R
D E S A I —N I K E T
B y
A N A C H A V E Z
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s I n t e r n
Niket Desai sat down in the same chair he used over
15 years ago.
Taking off his sunglasses, he scanned the middle school
library hung with colorful flags from around the world
and filled with neat rows of bookshelves. For the young
teenagers hanging around the middle school library,
it was hard to ignore Niket’s nostalgic smile as his mind
raced through memories of friends, teachers,
and life-changing experiences.
“There was a 50/50 shot that if you put your backpack
down in here during break,” he laughed, “that it’d just
all of a sudden be tied to 30 other bags.” He shared
stories of little pranks students would pull on one another,
Interim trips, and balconies that we both agreed were
good study and relaxation spots. “This feels like a second
home,” he reminisced. However, that ‘second home’
wasn’t originally what Niket thought about Asia.
“I wanted to leave,” recalled Niket. For any middle
schooler trading their hometown for a small and
shockingly humid island like Singapore, these words
aren’t unusual. After growing up in Cupertino, California,
best known as the heart of Silicon Valley, the cultural
melting pot of Singapore shocked him. “Everything
was foreign,” he said. “You’re not used to it, so your
first reaction is, ‘Well, if I leave, it’ll just be easier.’”
To Niket’s dismay, leaving Southeast Asia wasn’t an
option. Yet, amongst the ruffle of pages and giggling
sixth graders, it was obvious the formerly frightened
middle school student had moved beyond shock.
With the type of clarity that comes from over 15 years
of experience, serial entrepreneurial success including
a business deal with Google, and a close call with death,
he remarked, “It isn’t until you leave SAS that you truly
understand the impact an experience like that will
have on the rest of your life.”

“Why do you go to school?” he asked me as we began the
interview. Bewildered, my only answer was that my parents
and I wanted myself to learn.
His response was fast, as though he anticipated the need for further
commentary. “Your parents just want to see you fundamentally
happy,” he started. “Education gives you the opportunity to be
happy because you advance in society. More specifically, that you
do things you like, and that make you happy.”
“If the purpose of school is to show you what you actually like based
on who you are and how you grew up,” he continued, “then the
reason you have an affinity for certain people is because they’re
the ones who revealed that to you.” For Niket, that person was
Mr. Jim Diebley.
Mr. Diebley, a middle school technology teacher, was among
the people Niket met at SAS who had a lasting impact on him.
Although moving in middle school was frustrating when Niket was
beginning to settle into classes, Mr. Diebley helped him answer
the question that all curious and growing middle schoolers ask
themselves: “What do I want to be when I grow up?”
“When I met Mr. Diebley, I had taken advanced electronics and
robotics, and it happened that those were stuff I was interested
in,” Niket remarked. “He provided my earliest exposure to
mathematics and engineering in a way that I could understand.”
A common interest in space and exploration further solidified
their growing mentorship when Mr. Diebley gave Niket a piece
of an Apollo 1 Mission patch.
At 12 years old, he had found his calling. Engineering soon took
hold of him and he began to see a future. After graduating from
the University of California Berkeley in 2009, Niket worked with
companies such as Google and Motorola. Niket joined Google
when it acquired Punchd, his co-founded company that strives
to connect customers to their favorite shops.
At Google, Niket worked in the GeoCommerce
division across products such as Maps, Wallet and
more. And at Motorola, Niket developed phones
and watches, specifically the Moto X and Moto 360,
which at the time were groundbreaking. Eventually,
Niket started Flipkart, a platform which sells goods
online in India.
Mr. Diebley wasn’t the only individual that offered
him perspective.“Think about the people you’ve
met in this room,” he gestured around us. “Look
at all the flags of the countries. You just don’t find
this type of stuff in US education systems. And the
problem is that most people don’t realize what they
have here at SAS until they leave.”
“If some event were to happen somewhere,
I wouldn’t read about it on BBC,” Niket explained.
“I probably have a friend on Facebook who lives
there, and they’d just tell me about it. There’s
a difference between reading about the world
and knowing people in the world.”
It wasn’t until after Niket graduated from SAS that
he realized how broad his perspective had become
compared to many of his peers in university.
“A big challenge for third culture kids is appreciating
the fact that they understand something that most
people don’t, while not judging people who haven’t
yet come to that stage so harshly.” It’s up to the
third culture kid to understand that a xenophobic
person, who’s only been exposed to one type of
perspective, can’t “sit there and all of a sudden
become a worldly person.”
The homogenous communities inhabiting many
parts of the world that Niket describes lacks a
distinct “mix of people from different places and
different attitudes colliding,” may be shocking for
third culture kids at first. However, Niket believes
that SAS kids or any other third culture kids are
“used to being around people who aren’t like them,”
he said. “You learn that your way is not the only way,
and it makes you humble enough to be open
to the way that probably isn’t the best.”
Although the perspective from his invested mentor
and global peers shaped the direction he took,
Niket’s greatest shift in perspective came when
he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2013.
“There are statistics on how many people get cancer
each year. Someone has to make those statistics,”
he explained. “When you’re young and you have
cancer, most of your life is affected by it, and you
have to keep an eye on it. You can’t let those kinds
of things own you; you gotta just keep doing what
you’ve been doing.”
With glasses propped on the top of his head,
and a watch around his wrist indicating the date
of his last chemotherapy session, Niket said,
“SAS takes a bunch of people who are in many
ways orphans of the world and puts them together,”
he explained. “You’re given this perspective at
SAS that is actually put into you—and the only
way you ever see it working or manifesting is
by going somewhere else.”
Although third culture kids may depart from
Singapore, Niket says, “The archetype of the person
who ends up at SAS was probably someone who
was not meant to just go back.”
A big challenge for
is appreciating the fact that
they understand something that
most people don’t,
while not judging
people who haven’t yet come to
that stage so harshly.
third culture
kids
and
in the world.
knowing
people
There’s a difference
between
the world,
readingabout
Think about the people
you’ve met in this room.
You don’t find this
type of stuff in US education
systems.

5 8F A L L 2 0 1 6 J O U R N E Y S
SAS
CamelBak
bottle
SAS
sweatshirt
The PTA
NEEDs
YOU!The Parent-Teacher Association is a volunteer-based group
focused wholly on building a spirit of community here at
Singapore American School. We host a variety of events
each year and we need your help to make them successful!
Check your eNews each week for the latest events and
volunteer opportunities available. We can’t wait to meet you!
Book fair
November 30 –
December 2, 2016
Elementary school library
Used book sale and
holiday vendor fair
December 7 & 8, 2016
Riady Performing
Arts Center
International
Fair
February 25, 2017
Schoolwide

Susan Shaw,
Elementary School
Deputy Principal
ANSWERS:RachelProffitt–7;PatrickGreen–4;SusanShaw–8;WendyWindust–2;RhianMurgatroyd–5;MiriamSim–3;JamesMcMullen–6;LynseyHowitt–1
Was it this person that said that? Or that person that said this?
Turn the magazine upside down to find out if you matched the quote to the right faculty!
I graduated as part of the SAS Class of 1996,
and now I teach here and am a parent of two
SAS students.
1
Singapore Airlines
brought my
husband and I
together 25 years
ago through our
work in the travel
industry.
3
My family and I traveled for a year, living in an ultralight
17-foot trailer. We explored the Baja Peninsula,
paddleboarded standing up with gray whales, swam with
whale sharks, and volunteered for 10 days to hatch
sea turtles.
2
5-foot 9-inch, two-time
NBA Slam Dunk Contest
Champion Nate Robinson
(New York Knicks)
posterized me (dunked
on my head) during a
basketball game.
4
I grew up in Botswana.5
I’ve built over 60 boats ranging from Eskimo kayaks to
custom power cruisers, mostly using traditional techniques.
Over the summer, I travelled 351 miles over 27 days
aboard Rowan, a sail and oar open boat based on a
Shetland Islands fishing vessel.
6
My freshman year of college,
I auditioned for Biloxi Blues
at the University of Iowa and
was cast! Since then, I have
been in over 15 plays.
7 Our family weekends and
traditions center around
our intense love of rugby—
our whole street could
hear our family cheering
for Fiji when they won
gold in the Olympic rugby
sevens competition!
8
Rachel Proffitt,
High School
Social Studies
Patrick Green,
Technology
Integration Specialist
Wendy Windust,
Grade 8 RLA
Rhian Murgatroyd,
High School Math
Miriam Sim,
Principal’s Secretary
James McMullen,
Middle School
Maker Studio
Lynsey Howitt,
Pre-Kindergarten
Nepal, Uganda, India, Thailand, China, Singapore, and Cambodia—these are just some of the locations
where kids at SAS provide service. Service clubs and activities can fall into one of five key categories:
global issues, poverty eradication, education for all, help for the disabled and ill, and SAS-centric.
Here’s a peek at what service looks like in each division.
In high school, the year kicked off in August with the packed service fair where more than
55 clubs showcased their cause and recruited new members. Some clubs are active already,
such as TASSEL which skypes with children in Cambodia weekly in order to teach them English.
Friends of Genesis is helping out weekly at the Genesis School for Special Education in
Singapore. September saw the SAVE club participate in the 25th annual International
Coastal Cleanup Singapore. SAS has been there for every single one! The numbers?
Sixty-five volunteers gathered 407 kilograms of trash in 46 bags over a span of 150 kilometers.
In addition to supporting the SAVE club’s International Coastal Cleanup Singapore initiative,
the middle school is starting up their own after school service clubs: Roots and Shoots, Caring
for Cambodia, and Care Corner. The Nyaka Orphans Support club, which will help orphans
in Uganda due to HIV/AIDS, is brand new in middle school this year thanks to the initiative
of grade seven student Ayla M.
Elementary students in each grade level participate in experiences tied to curricular learning
which provide opportunities to give, to receive, and to grow. In September, fifth grade students
visited the Christalite Methodist Home in Woodlands to work with senior citizens. Look out in
November for a school-wide initiative to support Caring for Cambodia by preparing hygiene kits.
B y
J O D I J O N I S
S A S C o m m u n i c a t i o n s V o l u n t e e r

MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY ASSISTANT PREMALA
SEKARAN EARNS PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL
SAS middle school library assistant Mdm Premala Sekaran received
the Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat) at the National
Day Awards 2016 for her service to the community. She is also the
chairperson of the Boon Lay Community Centre’s Indian Activities
and Executive Committee, and is pictured on the right (in blue) with
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The Public Service Medal may be awarded to any person who has
rendered commendable public service in Singapore or for their
achievement in the field of arts and letters, sports, the sciences,
business, the professions, and the labour movement.
1
SAS TEACHERS CO-AUTHOR
“CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
IN THE DIGITAL AGE”
Former SAS teacher Heather Dowd and high
school technology integration specialist Patrick
Green co-authored Classroom Management
in the Digital Age published by EdTechTeam Press.
The book discusses how K-12 teachers can harness
technological tools to maximize collaboration,
creativity, and communication with students in
the classroom, and is available for purchase online.
7
BIOLOGY TEXTBOOK AUTHOR PROFESSOR
JOSEPH LEVINE VISITS SAS
RIYA AHUJA WINS GOLFWEEK
MIDWEST JUNIOR INVITATIONAL
SAS STUDENTS WIN AWARDS IN 2016
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY FINALS
Professor Joseph Levine, Ph.D., co-author of the SAS molecular biology
textbook Miller & Levine Biology (Pearson North America) and a
foundational contributor to the Next Generation Science Standards,
visited our school in August.
Professor Levine joined SAS life science teachers in professional
development sessions and held four public talks which complement
SAS’s focus on environmental sustainability: Evolution and Climate
Change; Welcome to the Anthropocine; Miller and Levine Biology:
New Science, New Media; and Ecology and Evolution.
High school junior Riya Ahuja won the
2016 Golfweek Midwest Junior Invitational
at the Cog Hill Golf & Country Club at Lemont, IL
in June. Travelling the US and playing in various
golf tournaments and qualifiers, Riya also finished
fourth in two other tournaments and had a top 10
finish in another!
In June 2016, 14 SAS students traveled to the University of Maryland,
College Park in the US to compete in the National History Day finals.
Each SAS project competed against approximately 100 other projects
from across the United States, which were the top two from each state.
Sanjo R. and Jack W. created a junior group documentary titled, “Music in the
Holocaust: Encountering Hope within the Horror.”
Christine Y., Chloe B., and Evelyn Z. created a junior group exhibit titled,
“A Unique Cultural Exchange: The White Rajahs and the Sarawakians.”
Meera P. created a junior individual documentary titled, “Japonisme:
The Artistic Exchange Between Japan and France.”
Sarim A. created a junior individual website titled, “The Potsdam Conference:
An Exploration, Encounter, and Exchange Between Nations.”
Lauren L., Jenny P., and Joy J. earned the prize of best Junior Division project
from South Asia with their group documentary project “Jewish European
Immigrants to America: A Critical Exchange in U.S. History”.
Mehek J., Trinity Y., Callie E., and Tara A. created their junior group exhibit
on “The Apollo-Soyuz Mission: Launching a Unified Exchange.” Their project
earned first place among the junior group exhibits.
ROBOTICS TEAM REPRESENTS SINGAPORE
IN MATE INTERNATIONAL ROV COMPETITION
SAS finished 32nd in the 15th annual MATE International ROV
Competition from June 23 to June 25, 2016 at the NASA Johnson
Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston, Texas.
The competition challenges K-12, community college, and university
students from all over the world to design and build remotely operated
underwater vehicles (ROVs) to tackle missions. The SAS team—led by
teachers Bart Millar and Meredeith White—are Colin Clark, Aaron Cruz,
Alyssa Garner, Sohit Gatiganti, Vijayendra Jagtap, Sae Jin Jang, Alex
Lem, James Quek, Rohan Sahu, Dalen Ward, and Natalie Weinrauch.
6
5
CONSTELLATION ACOUSTIC
SYSTEM AT SAS AUDITORIUM
WINS AWARD
The SAS auditorium’s Constellation acoustic system
from Meyer Sound have won the 2016 Commercial
Integrator Integration Award for Best K-12 Project!
3 SEVENTH GRADER CAST
IN THE ANNIE MUSICAL
Seventh grader Sarah D. was cast as an orphan
in the Singapore tour of Annie that premiered at
Marina Bay Sands from August 24–September 11.
4
8
2
*While in Washington DC, our
students also got to meet
Representative Tammy Duckworth,
an #SASedu alumna herself!

11 SIXTH GRADERS COMPETE IN THE RAFFLES INSTITUTION INTER-PRIMARY
SCHOOL DEBATE TOURNAMENT
A sixth grade team debated in the Raffles Institution Inter-Primary School Debate Tournament in August.
This was the first time in recent memory that Singapore American School entered a national debate
competition held at this level. The team comprising Kevin H., Leyton S., Gaurav G., and David W. debated
motions regarding changing Singapore’s national language from Malay to English; prioritizing student-
led discussions over teacher-led ones; and banning fast food advertisements. Kevin and Gaurav won
Best Speaker during the rounds of debate. The team was coached by high school teacher Devin Kay.
14 SAS JUNIOR WINS INTERNATIONAL VOLLEYBALL COMPETITION
Junior Kilani Daane and her teammate Yupa Phukrongploy won the Hock Seng Heng Singapore Beach
Volleyball National Series. This is the third tournament the pair have won together. They beat current and
former national team players and teams from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau. The win moved Kilani
into the number one ranked position here in Singapore.
CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!
STUDENTS INVITED TO HEAR UNITED NATIONS
SECRETARY-GENERAL SPEAK
High school students Liam Galey, Janvi Kalra, Aditi Mahesh,
Nigel Li, Leland Jones, Jacqueline Routhier, Lilian Wilson,
Hayden Reeves, Armando Gabriel Di Cicco, and Harri Gascoigne
were invited to attend the Ho Rih Hwa Leadership in Asia Public
Lecture Series held in August with SAS teachers.
United Nations Secretary-General, His Excellency Ban Ki-moon,
graced the event as distinguished speaker.
18
ONE IN TWO MILLION: ALUMNA WINS
USA GIRL SCOUT NATIONAL YOUNG WOMEN
OF DISTINCTION AWARD
Recent graduate Hanna Chuang has been named a National Young
Women of Distinction recipient. The National Young Women of
Distinction award is an honor awarded to only 10 registered USA Girl
Scouts every year—10 out of nearly two million! The National Young
Women of Distinction award is given to USA Girl Scout Seniors and
Ambassadors whose Gold Award projects demonstrated extraordinary
leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact, and addressed
a local challenge related to a national and/or global issue.
For her Gold Award project, Hanna co-founded a Rural Education
and Development (READ) service club at Singapore American School to
help fundraise and increase awareness of the READ Global program in
Bhutan. Thanks to Hanna’s project, a READ Bhutan center was opened
in Yangthang Village, reaching 12,000 villagers with educational and
training resources. The service club at #SASedu will continue to help
provide resources to READ Bhutan which makes the project sustainable,
a requirement of the Gold Award.
19
SAS HOSTS FIFTH EDTECHTEAM
SINGAPORE SUMMIT FEATURING
GOOGLE FOR EDUCATION
Singapore American School hosted the fifth
annual EdTechTeam Singapore Summit featuring
Google for Education in September. Participants
discussed personalized learning, blended learning,
makery, coding, and computational thinking.
16 FOURTH GRADER WINS BRONZE
IN SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING
Fourth grader Ella Se-ryung Y. represented SAS at
the seventh Singapore Sports Association National
Schools Synchronised Swimming Championships
in Singapore in July and came in third place in the
open junior solo free routine finals.
17SOPHOMORE WINS TWO GOLDS
AND TWO SILVERS AT ARTISTIC
GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
High school sophomore Sara Arora won two gold
medals (floor and vault) and two silver medals
(balance beam and uneven bars), coming in in
the overall first place in level five at the June 2016
Singapore Gymnastics Open Championships’
Artistic Gymnastics competition.
9
SECOND GRADER WINS SILVER
AT 2016 PASTORELLI CUP FOR
RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS
Second grader Reika L. won a silver in her age
category at the Pastorelli Cup 2016 International
Tournament in Rhythmic Gymnastics in Nuremberg,
Germany this past June.
12
SEVENTH GRADER WINS TWO
RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS
CHAMPIONSHIP GOLDS
Seventh grader Sarasa N. won two gold medals
(hoop and clubs) at the 2016 Singapore Gymnastics
Open Championships’ Rhythmic Gymnastics
competition.
10
CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHER
GUEST ON MORNING NEWS SHOW
Elementary school Chinese language teacher
Mr. Pauli Haakenson was featured on the Mediacorp
Channel 8 Chinese-language news and talk show
Hello Singapore in August. He shared his approach
to teaching Mandarin and his life in Singapore
with the audience.
13

40 woodlands street 41 Singapore 738547 Phone: (65) 6363 3403 WEB: WWW.SAS.EDU.SG
QUESTIONS? EMAIL US AT COMMUNICATIONS@SAS.EDU.SG
CPE Registration No.: 196400340R
Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017
Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
© 2016 Singapore American School
All rights reserved.

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