Arusha Campus News – 1 Jun 2025

Last week we celebrated the graduation of our Class of 2025! Congratulations to everyone.

Fri 30th May – Fri 6th June – Diploma 1 Exams

Wed 18th June – 1.30pm PYP Play

Thur 19th June – Last day of Q4

The XP Gold cohort from M5 at the start of their Gold Adventure. The students undertake an independent journey over three days where they have to orienteer by themsleves and carry all their own food and camping equipment.

Its certainly exam season at UWC East Africa with M4 upwards sitting either final or practice exams. Exams are stressful and we try to look for ways to make our students and teachers feel at ease. The hard work has been done and all we need in the exam room is composure and calmness.

A long newsletter this Sunday evening, I hope you enjoy catching up with the campus events.

Have a super week.

Phil

Group 1 (above) demonstrate tight collaboration and teamwork as they approach the first checkpoint on the second day.

Below, Group 2 grapple with thorny Acacia woodland as they orienteer towards checkpoint two on day two.

Clockwise from top left: Tom, Jesse and Ranbir demonstrate chronology in different ways.

Chronology is about understanding time and the order of events, from personal timelines to historical events.

1. What is Chronology?
Chronology simply means putting events in the order they happened.
It’s about understanding that things happen in a sequence, with a beginning, middle, and end.
It’s often visualized using a timeline, where events are placed on a line representing time.

2. How to Introduce Chronology to Kids:
Start with everyday events:
Ask your child to list the steps involved in getting ready for school, brushing their teeth, or making a sandwich.
Use sequencing activities:
Have them order pictures of a story or a recipe.
Create a “My Life Timeline”:
Help them make a timeline of their own life, marking important events like birthdays, first steps, or learning to ride a bike.

3. Why is Chronology Important for Kids?
Develops critical thinking:
Chronology helps kids understand cause and effect and how events build on each other.
Enhances reading comprehension:
Understanding chronology helps kids follow the flow of stories and understand the sequence of events in a text.
Boosts historical understanding:
It provides a foundation for understanding history and the development of events over time.
Improves organizational skills:
Chronology helps kids organize their thoughts and present information in a clear and logical manner.

Amanda, Head of PYP

U9 were triumphant at the Braeburn touch rugby tournament (see images above) and U11 came second. Well done Mr Jonny and Mr Frank for coaching the teams so well.

The PYP section of the school were out in force to take on their buddies in the other houses this week in the Inter-house cross country. The image above shows some of the runners negotiating our beautiful, wild cross country course.

Below, we have the teams cheering on their runners in the three teams of Mawenzi (green), Kibo (blue) and Meru (yellow)!

Last week the M3 Class (above) and Miss Christabel organised and presented a super Science Fair in the Matemu Mezzanine. Thanks to a great turn out of parents and teachers.

As well as presenting their projects at the Science Fair, the M3’s also took part in the Kili Kids Climate Festival in Usa River.

The images above and below show the M5 students in the workplace. As in previous years, the M5’s are tasked with finding a shop, office, garage or other place of work to carry out a valuable week’s long in-industry experience.

The M4 boys (Martin, Aidan, Yuvraj and Blake) recently organised an exciting football tournament (see image above) for their community project to raise funds for Ndoto Zetu, a local organization dedicated to supporting youth, families and education. The event was a huge success, bringing students together through sport and teamwork while contributing to a meaningful cause. They would also like to thank everyone who was involved with the organisation and helping the day run smoothly, particularly the M3 girls (below) who ran the PTA shack and contributed immensely to the total amount raised.

Exam season hits Arusha Campus – the picture above shows the Diploma 2 studnets hard at work in a final exam.

It has been an absolute whirlwind of a quarter for our DP students. We all held our breath and tiptoed around campus, supporting our D2 students as they sat through their final exams. It was a true marathon—each time I ticked an exam off the timetable, it felt like the finish line was still so far away.

The D2s have been nothing short of incredible. In the midst of stress and exhaustion, they showed resilience, maturity, and remarkable camaraderie—lifting each other up, celebrating small wins, and pushing through all the way to that final Higher Level Maths Paper 3.

In under 24 hours, the exam hall was transformed by an amazing team of faculty and parents into a beautiful space for our graduation ceremony. I reflected last night on how fortunate I am to work with people who are always willing to jump in, take on the odd jobs, and make sure everything comes together to celebrate our students in a meaningful way.

From teacher tributes to student farewells, awards, and a performance I will never forget, I was once again reminded of the magic of this community. We’ve walked a long road with this cohort, and we are incredibly proud to send them off to their next adventure, each carrying a piece of UWCEA with them. As Dr. Anna Marsden said so perfectly—they will always have a home here.

The next morning, campus felt different. The D2s are saying their goodbyes and completing their final check-outs. It’s always bittersweet—suddenly it feels like it all went too quickly.

Meanwhile, our D1s, halfway through their own journey, are watching their seniors leave and beginning to understand the space they’ll soon fill. With end-of-year exams already underway, their next chapter is already beginning.

To our D2s—congratulations. To our D1s—your time is now.

Jessica, Head of DP

Over five weeks, we organised a waste management project, sourcing bins from Toyota to support a school community that previously lacked proper disposal solutions. Alongside placing the bins, we designed and distributed educational posters to promote proper waste sorting and highlight the importance of responsible disposal.

This project made us appreciate our own school’s established systems and showed us the real impact small actions can have. Seeing the change firsthand was deeply fulfilling and demonstrated how student-led initiatives can influence a community of over 1,000 students.

Following the project’s success, we were invited to collaborate on future initiatives, sparking new ideas for future community projects. This experience developed key skills in perseverance, teamwork, and problem-solving, enhancing our ability to create meaningful change

The people involved in this project are pictured above Ibrahim, Megan, Saana, and Sayan. All students of M5

Mr Gift, Service and Action Co-ordinator

We’re thrilled to announce that UWC East Africa – Arusha Campus will be hosting the prestigious ISTA (International Schools Theatre Association) Festival from March 20–22, 2026.

Open to students from M1 to D2, this festival is a unique opportunity to collaborate with peers and professional theatre artists from around the world in a vibrant, creative setting, right here on our campus!

Since 1978, ISTA festivals have been known for inspiring young people through ensemble-based performances, hands-on workshops, and global connections. Students will explore theatre as a tool for storytelling, build confidence, and celebrate cultural diversity.

To learn more, visit:
https://www.istaglobal.org/events/arusha-upper-ms-hs-festival

For inquiries or to register your child, please contact Mr. Ronald Balugiire, Head of Arts.

Mr Ronald Balugiire Head of Arts | MYP/DP Theatre Teacher

We are proud to announce that the second UWCEA Arusha Campus Escape Room is now open!

Please sign up as a team of 3 – 5 (or maybe 6!) players to try to outwit the fiendish puzzles and escape the vault.

The Escape Room costs 5000 Tsh per person to play and all proceeds go to the scholarship fund.

Please click on the image above to find the link to sign up for a slot or email Mr Rob robertairdrie@uwcea.org for a link. Sign up is currently open for the next two weeks but will be extended soon.

Good luck – and on behalf of the Escape Room Team, thank you for enjoying our puzzles!