Arusha Campus News – 12 Nov 2023

UWC East Africa Arusha Campus Newsletter Sunday 12th November 2023

Trinity. Morrill and Mathilde creating two-story mansions.

Upcoming dates

Mon 13th Nov – M5 On-screen Familiarisation Exams

Fri 17th-Sun 19th November – Moshi Sports Weekend

Fri 1st December – School Theatre Production

Sat 2nd December – School Theatre Production

Fri 15th December – Final day of the quarter

Mon 18th-Fri 22nd – TALISS swim training camp for ages 12+/Advanced swimmers/competition level (Contact caitrintrappe@uwcea.org if interested.

Dear Parents

Look at this magnificent piece of art. Tommy Joynson-Hicks (M3) has no doubt seen many a dung beetle but I think this image captures the coleopteran comedy perfectly. His artistic talent is exceptional, possibly a match for the photographic skills of his illustrious father!

For those if you reading this bulletin from far-off lands we can announce that the rains have finally come to Arusha! Water everywhere, including on our playing fields, causing the postponememt of this weekend’s interschool’s athletics meeting.

M3’s Dung Beetles in charcoal have clearly caught my eye this week and you can see the quality of the artwork above and below. Apologies that the images are not named. When I photographed them I forgot to write down the names of the artists. And what an amazing subject to draw. Like our UWC students, dung beetles live on every continent apart from Antarctica. They also can ‘carry’ or ‘push’ over 1000 times their own weight. Akin to a student pushing 6 fully laden double decker buses! Well, metaphorically speaking, we do expect our students to bear the weight of others when they leave UWC East Africa. Its just what we expect.

Have a pleasant Sunday and let’s pray for a stop to the fighting in Gaza this weekend.

Phil

Harry’s Exceptional Achievement

Harry Taylor received his certificate for distinction at Grade 7 piano exam from London College of Music last week. This is the highest grade category and an exceptional achievement at advanced piano level!

PYP News

One of the things I most enjoy about the PYP is the ‘end of unit celebrations’. These are so rewarding and inspiring. They enable students to showcase their learning in a variety of different ways to different community members.

This week P2 shared drama skits about being healthy with their P6 buddies. P3/4 shared the Patterns in Poetry books with their parents. P4/5 shared their chain reaction models during Share time and P6 will present their models, dramas and videos linked to media next week. 

Such creativity and variety.

Amanda

P1 creating patterns in maths

Forest School enjoy digging in the soft earth now that the rain has come!

Abigail having fun creating mud balls during the CCA.

MYP Updates

MYP allows for students to learn in lots of different ways. Pictured above are Ms Hilary’s M2 English students who explored poetry through sound this week.

Well done to our M5 class for hosting a great Assembly! They had the audience consider the meaning of our school values. More specifically, they focused on which opportunities we see to engage with the culture and nature of East Africa and explored what responsibilities we have to care for ourselves, each other and our environment. Each mentor group is tasked to organise one Assembly this school year and the M5 class has set the standard high!

Next week M5 students will get a chance to experience what their final MYP exams will look like as they take their Familiarisation on-screen exams in the IT lab.

Anoek

DP Corner

Dew (D1) lends his inimitable style to his presentation at TEDx UWCEA last weekend

Quarter 2 is yet to slow down for our DP students. Events are taking place each weekend (when not canceled due to the rain!) and assignments, IAs and university applications are indeed piling up. The IB Diploma curriculum is definitely not for the faint-hearted!

The D2 are currently working on their TOK essay. Each student has picked their prompt, and this week, following their first individual meeting with their TOK teacher, the four TOK classes were given the opportunity to interact with each other to discuss their ideas. They also benefited from the ideas that came out of a teachers’ brainstorming session during a collaborative secondary meeting last week: teachers were put in their department and were asked to discuss and tackle each prompt.

In the meantime, the D1 are currently preparing group presentations on the TOK Optional themes, which will also give them a taste of the TOK exhibition, the first assessment in TOK.

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend my first TEDx event to watch and listen to ten of our students (Dhanashree Birajdar, Heena Suleman, Juanita Muigai, Lilian Siegl and Zeynep Dila Avci from Arusha campus; Angel Keziah, Arsine Mkrtchyan, Emily Tacey, Mathieu Dacruz, and Nojus Adote from Moshi campus) confidently take the stage. As Ms Sarah mentioned in her M5 assembly this week, it takes a lot of courage to get up on stage. These students practiced for weeks prior to the event and each speaker was able to captivate their audience during the 10-15 min of their presentation.
Congratulations to Ze and the TEDx team for organising a very successful event!

Here are some comments from some of our TEDx speakers and TEDx team members. 

What an incredible journey we experienced at TEDx UWCEA Youth on November 4th under the dynamic theme of “Building Bridges”! The atmosphere was nothing short of electric as a diverse group of speakers took the stage, each weaving a unique story and perspective. From thought-provoking insights to jaw-dropping experiences, the event was a vibrant celebration of the power of ideas to create connections and understanding. The theme echoed through every talk, performance, and interaction, reminding us that bridges aren’t just physical structures but profound symbols of collaboration and empathy. TEDx UWCEA Youth proved to be a melting pot of innovation, diversity, and shared dreams. As we reflect on this unforgettable day, let’s carry the spirit of building bridges forward, breaking down barriers and embracing the endless possibilities that lie ahead. Thank you to everyone who made this event a resounding success, and here’s to the bridges we continue to build together! 

Ammar Anwarali D2

What an insightful event! Not only did I gain the satisfaction of sharing my experience and knowledge on intersectionality and the health care system, but I was also inspired by the confidence and motivational talks by the other speakers. We all helped each other along the way!

Heena Suleman D1

From being a fan of TED talks to doing one, it was definitely an experience. I loved every bit of the process encompassing from formulating my idea to presenting it. It was interesting dealing with a sensitive concept of ‘mental colonisation’ but I am glad that the audience took some learnings out of it. I am grateful for the opportunity.

Dhanashree D2

Mental Health with Maddie Hacias (M2)

Counselor Corner

Sharing is Caring

One of the best things about the UWC community (see images above) is how we exhibit our value of “A shared responsibility and collective duty of care for ourselves, each other and the environment.” The embodiment of this value was on full display throughout the week, including at the M5 assembly where they illustrated this value in creative and informative ways. In addition, DP students took time out of their busy schedules to provide valuable insights from their various journeys to life after UWCEA, takingtime to reflect on the lessons learned along the way. On Tuesday, DP2 (and one DP1) students shared their experiences during the long break where they participated in summer/specialty programs or designed their own project to serve their community. Each panelist explained the importance of spending time exploring their interests and passion projects while away from school. Some of the key takeaways from the session included:

Vivek’s summarizing the importance of communication, connection, experience, and exposure when considering your options. Neema emphasized that this is the time to try something new and possibly find out what you are actually interested in pursuing later in life, and Sarah encouraged the group to,”Just go for it!” after she talked about the three major endeavors she participated in before returning to school in August. The long break will be here before we know it, and now is the time to consider a multitude of options to create a balanced and productive break.

Other experts who graciously shared their worldly wisdom included Heena (D1) and a group of D2 early applicants. Heena encouraged her peers to take a chance and compete for the Rise Foundation award that she recently won. Students who are between the ages of 15-17 are eligible and welcome to submit an application for this significant scholarship program. On Friday in DSS a group of D2s reflected on what they gleaned from submitting their first applications, and advice they have for their peers finalizing applications during “NOWvember.” With just a little over a month until we begin December break, this is a critical period for members of the Class of 2024 to gather all required items needed to submit compelling and competitive applications in pursuit of their post-secondary aspirations.

Calling all Class of 2025 Parents and Guardians

Please note the date change for the first post-secondary planning virtual meeting this school year for parents and guardians of students in our IBDP1 class.

D1 Parent/Guardian meeting about Career and College Readiness
NEW Date: Tuesday, 21 November
Time: 7:30 PM EAT
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81354192532?pwd=WmFsOWFadkJHbUh1VCtiTm8vT1Nidz09

Stay informed about other events coming your way by taking a look at the events below and please mark your calendar so that you do not miss anything…

UPCOMING College and University Events

12 November:  8:00 PM EAT NACAC International Virtual Fair
https://www.nacacattend.org/23VirtualNov12

15 November: *5:45-7:00 PM EAT 15 on the 15th: US Liberal Arts Colleges Presentation and mini-virtual fair. (13 of the 15 are Davis UWC Scholar Partners) November focus: SEVIS, 1-20, F-1 Student Visa and Enrollment
LAST EVENT OF THIS YEAR (*Note start time change)
Link to register IN ADVANCE: https://www.davidson.edu/admission-and-financial-aid/visit/international-visit-programs/15-15th-liberal-arts-colleges-across-united-states

18 November: Throughout the day Virtual open house events taking place from Japan to Canada and across the globe (Minerva University) See UWCEA Careers website calendar for more information and registration links

21 November: 7:30-8:30 PM EAT D1 Parents/Guardians: Introduction to Careers and College Readiness (virtual)

Remember to check the UWCEA Careers website for additional information about other events hosted by institutions from across the globe.

Take care and enjoy your weekend!

Cassandra Ford
College and Career Counselor

cassandraford@uwcea.org

UWC East Africa Recycling

Calendar

November

December

January