A Happy New Year and warm welcome back to everyone.
This semester, like always, we will also be welcoming in a few new members to our community at both the PYP and MYP level. We hope you feel right at home here as you settle in.
We will have residential students arriving back on January 14th and classes starting on the 15th. This semester is our longer one, but full of activities and a short break at the end of February. Please see the calendar for details on when school and campus events are happening.
Enjoy the rest of your break and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Recycling at UWCEA
Starting the semester 2, UWCEA will be ready to accept recycling again from the community. We have a partnership with a recycling facility in Moshi which accepts all types of plastic (no plastic bags or plastic wrapping). We will take glass jars and bottles. We are also recycling paper, carboard and paperboard (however, nothing with a glossy finish). Please clean and rinse all containers before putting them in the blue bins. We do not accept general waste, organic waste, milk/juice containers, diapers, etc. We are currently improving our labels to clarify what is recyclable and what is not. This is a great opportunity to reduce our impact and make our community more sustainable. Thank you!
Ben’s Corner
I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and restful break and managed to reconnect with family and friends…or just enjoy some downtime. For our D2 students in particular, I trust that you used your time productively but also found moments to relax and sleep! Good luck with all that is to come and, at a time when everyone is full of words of wisdom or advice, be sure you do all that you can to ensure your results are a true reflection of your abilities.
One thing Semester 1 highlighted was the power of the collective over the individual and the wisdom of the crowd. No doubt 2024 will also throw challenges our way. However, if we remember to take advantage of our collaborative expertise and our shared passion and empathy, we will continue to thrive.
As we move into Semester 2, let us not forget to carry on listening to and supporting each other. After all, we continue to embrace a common and wholly positive goal…
With that, I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and offer a particularly heartfelt “Karibu” to everyone who is new to our UWCEA community. We have so much to look forward to, so much to be thankful for and so much to be proud of.
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Residential Life
Towards the end of the last semester, the campus was buzzing with energy due to the Student Government elections. Candidates campaigned virtually as well as in person through speeches and debates. Students and teachers voted and the new Student Government will be starting this semester with Roide (Eugene) and Alina as Co-Presidents and the following students representing the student body in various committees:
Culture and Campus:
Tara
Datong
Ian K.
Leonor
Zhiyi
Kheertika
Gasuza
Wellbeing:
Sharon
Ivy
Chelsea
Polina
Clara Vega
Alexandros
Sarah
Activities:
Aiden
Kwagala
Lyra
Verus
Amador
Olja
We will also be welcoming a few new students to our residential life in MYP this semester. Please extend your support and welcome them as they join us this term.
The new semester is promising just as much activity and excitement as the first one, especially as we kick off the term with the Inerhouse Track and Field Event.
Welcome back and Happy New Year!
Adnan Mackovic – Head of Residential Life
PYP News
Welcome back to everyone. We hope the children had a relaxing and enjoyable break. We are looking forward to having a wonderful quarter full of new adventures. There will be no after school clubs during the first week back. We hope that clubs will start during the second week – Coach Pickell will share sign up information shortly.
This quarter EC/P1 will welcome two new students and a student teacher. Maylinn will be joining the class from the University of Agder in Norway at the end of January. More information will be coming your way as we get closer to her arrival. A reminder that home learning and reading books will be given the second week of school so please return any outstanding class books. The picture shared is of EC/P1/P6 buddy day on Fridays. They enjoyed the day so much and will continue having buddy days this quarter.
P2/3 will continue their study of Rituals, Traditions and Artefacts from around the world. They will kick off the new semester with a look at interesting New Year’s Eve traditions! They will make Resolutions about all the wonderful learning to come in Semester 2 together.
P4/5 are looking at sustainable food production. They have 2 exciting activities planned for the second week back at school : a visit to TPC to learn about sugar production on Wednesday 24th January and an overnight camp at Kahawa Shambal 25 – 26th January. Permission slips for both of these events will be sent home during the first week back at school.
This will be an exciting quarter for our P6 students as they gear up for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition. There will be a special retreat at Kishari House on January 18-19, where students will explore the elements of the PYP, consider what constitutes taking action and talk about the importance of academic honesty. It will also be a great opportunity to discuss the topics they have chosen and begin writing their Central Ideas and Lines of Inquiry. Permission forms and further information were sent home at the end of last quarter. Could you please return these to school on Monday 15 January.
We are looking forward to seeing the children on Monday, 15th January, at 7:30am.
Deborah, Kacey, Mboka and Natasha.
From the Counselors
Exploration over the break and planning for the new academic year
Although 1 January 2024 will not be the start of a year in all parts of the world, January will begin a new semester and provide a fresh start for our campus community. Hopefully students will use a portion of the break to reflect on what they learned during the first semester about themselves, their strengths, their areas for growth, and experiences they want to have in the second semester. Then they can use this insight to gain a clearer sense of what they may pursue in the future through exploring careers, interests and creating a plan for “Round Two.” Of course this will happen during their free time between catching up with loved ones and taking time to relax after a demanding first half of the school year.
Benjamin Franklin is often quoted as having said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” These are words that I live by, and have faced my share of setbacks as a result of not taking the time to plan in advance. Proper planning requires knowledge, which is gained through experience and research. Find some time during the break to learn about opportunities to expand your horizons through a range of activities. Here is a list of ideas for your consideration during the break:
Make a list of possible programs to enroll in for during the window of time from June-early August (ie. “Summer Camps”)
Set up or join a volunteer program
Seek out an internship or actual job (especially if it pays!)
Learn a new skill
Find out about entry requirements and college entrance exams
Take an online course
Create your own research project
Think about a CCA you will start next semester
Plan visits to college/university campuses (in person or virtually)
For D2s, you will either receive decisions from your early applications, finalize the submission of applications, start applications with later deadlines, or work on your Gap Year plan. Whichever path you are taking, continue to conduct careful research, ask lots of questions, and talk with people who have previously traveled the direction you are considering in order to gather valuable insights to assist with your decision making process. There is so much assistance available to ensure you are making the best decision for your future, so use it and choose wisely as you plan for a fabulous future!
D1s, I look forward to our first meeting in quarter three where we will discuss the first part of your well thought out post-secondary plan. Keep exploring and discovering a world of possibilities that exist for you!
Topic #2: Reminder – Alumni, we need you!
We would like to welcome back to our campus any of our alumni who are currently on a college/university campus and home/off for their break. If you are a graduate from the ISM/UWCEA classes of 2020-2023 and available (in person or virtually) during the week of 15-19 January 2024, we would love to host you on campus, and gather any expertise you are willing to share with our current students as they explore their options.
Also, when we return from break we will begin planning our Careers Symposium that will take place in March 2024, and are seeking alumni who are willing to talk with current students about your career field, the skills needed to be successful in your field, and your professional journey. If you are interested in either of these events, please reach out to me at Counselor_moshi@uwcea.org.
UPCOMING College and University Events
December – January: Dates and Times Vary This is an excellent time to tune into the virtual programming available via colleges and universities all over the world. Although many institutions will close for a week or two during this time, many will remain available via online and social media resources for your review during this break. Take the time to learn more about the varied options that exist all over the globe, and the scholarships you may be eligible for to pursue your academic aspirations.
Week of 15-19 January: Times vary EAT Wiki ya Wahitimu (Alumni week) – more details coming soon!
Remember to continue checking the UWCEA Careers Website Calendar for information about new events coming our way! Review the list of events and mark your calendars so that you don’t miss important engagement opportunities.
Aizhan Smagulova – University and Career Counselor
Before the Break
Before the break we had an interesting DP and PYP matchup. The D1 History class performed four different puppet shows for Ms. Debbie’s P4/P5 class. Each puppet show was a different version of Mao Zedong’s life, with each embodying a different historiographical perspective. Those perspectives included a postcolonial interpretation of Mao, a Burkean conservative version of Mao, a version that applied Benedict Anderson’s theory of nationalism, and finally Thomas Carlyle’s “Great Man” theory.
In the end, the P4/P5 voted that they liked the Anderson historiographical perspective the most!
