eagle march 23 2012

A PUBLICATION OF SHANGHAI AMERICAN SCHOOLMARCH 23 2012

GREAT WALL

WAX MUSEUM

FRINGE FESTIVAL

GIN

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The Eagle | March 23, 2012 1

March 23, 2012 / Volume 3 / Number 12

CONTENT

Get a life Kerry Jacobson 2

Inside SAS Doug Hundley 3

PowerSchool TK Ostrom 4

Annual fund Cindy Easton 4

21st century learning Taylor Hayden 5

The Great Wall Steven Lane 6-7

Fringe Pudong Alicia Li 8-9

Fringe Puxi Betty Bong 10-11

Wax museum Grade 3 teachers 12-13

Robin Hood Juanita McGarrigle 12

Massage for charity Alice Chen, Cynthia Gu, 14and Linden Li

Roots & Shoots David Yang 16

Service Learning Program Linda Li 17

GIN and VAP Alison Li, Emily Vogel, 18-19Fay Leong, and Sharon Voss

Social Responsibility Foundation Luke Kao 20

30-Hour Famine Jordan Ji 21

Conferencing Sarah Toa 22

Photo parade Taylor Hayden 24-25

Aqua Eagles Jon Biros 26

Tri-cities Cup Chris Schuster 27

Menu 31

Upcoming events 32

Content

Upcoming board meetingsMeeting #7: March 26, 6:30 p.m., Pudong CampusMeeting #8: April 23, 6:30 p.m., Puxi Campus Meeting #9: May 28, 6:30 p.m., Pudong CampusMeeting #10: June 9, 8:00 a.m., Kerry Center

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On the cover: Catalina Ginesta's Shadows: Paint and dance mix at the Fringe Festival.

Pudong venue: High School Library Garden Room, Pudong campus

Puxi venue: New High School Building, First Floor Conference Room A103, Puxi campus

Kerry Center: Jun He Law Offices, 32 F No. 1515 Nanjing West Road

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2 The Eagle | March 23, 2012

FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Get a lifeBy Dr. Kerry Jacobson, Superintendent

We had a really good laugh in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center on the Puxi campus after the recent speech by Dr. Yong Zhao. Speaking to the parents of a grade 11 student, my wife Mona and I asked about the messages of the evening. “What struck you the most about what was said?” we enquired. Now remember, Mona and I had heard Zhao’s speech before, but in English. This talk had been delivered in Chinese. Both Mona and I could follow the talk fairly well as we knew the slides, the statistics, the research, and the jokes. But we still found it most interesting to listen in another language. So, what was it that made the biggest impact on us as adults? The parents we spoke to had the

following to say:

“There in the audience, we looked at each other when Dr. Zhao talked about helping our students live their dreams and pursue their passions. He pointed out that one good way to help our kids is to pursue our own passions, whatever they may be. And he really got our attention when he said in the most direct and fun way, ‘Parents, get a life!’ We looked at each other again and laughed aloud because we suddenly realized that sometimes we get so busy raising our kids and working and managing everything for them, that we forget to show that we have real passions, too. I love to paint, but I haven’t painted for years. My wife is a great letter writer. She used to love writing to her relatives back home every week, but she doesn’t make time for it now. I’m sure our son doesn’t know anything about these passions of ours. How do we expect our children to know how much we love these activities if we never do them?”

As we all know, our mission states that SAS inspires in all students a lifelong passion for learning, as well as the courage to live their dreams. This mission is backed up by a core value: “We believe that creativity, critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning are essential to personal fulfillment and to meet the challenges of the future.” Whether delivered in Chinese or English, this is at the core of Zhao’s message. The future for our students is unpredictable, but exciting. They will be able to thrive and to enjoy their lives if they each seek fulfillment in the fields where their passions lie. SAS is all about giving our students deep skills and the broad range of experiences that will encourage them to discover those passions and fulfill their own lives. For some, connections to their passions will happen in the chemistry lab, in the library, or on the soccer field. For others, life will come alive preparing for a robotics competition, or planning for a Habitat for Humanity trip, or performing on the stage. It’s hard to predict. But, it will happen — perhaps now, perhaps later. And, the courage to live their dreams will happen best if they each have us as role models. Indeed, all of our children will be wiser if we each “get a life.”

The Eagle is produced by the SAS Communications Office, based on both the Puxi and Pudong campuses. It is typically published twice a month, although publications schedules may vary due to school holidays. Informa-tion in the magazine is primarily about SAS people and organizations. We encourage parents, students, teachers, and administrators to submit stories and photography. It is often helpful to contact the editors in advance to discuss content, length, and timing. Articles from non-SAS sources are published on a space available basis. All submissions will be edited for style, length, and tone. Articles and stories from the Eagle also appear on our Eagle Online website, at www.eagleonline.org.

The Eagle Production TeamManaging Editor: Liam SingletonGraphic Designers: Fredrik Jönsson and Cindy WangAdvertising Manager: Ji LiuExecutive Editor: Steven Lane

Production Schedule 2012 Apr 20: Copy deadline Apr 5May 11: Copy deadline Apr 26May 25: Copy deadline May 10Jun 8: Copy deadline May 24

Pudong campus: Shanghai Executive Community, 1600 Ling Bai Road, San Jia Gang, Pudong, Shanghai 201201. Tel: 6221-1445.

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

Email: [email protected]

A

Century

of

Tradition

SHANGHAI AMERICAN SCHOOL

Established 1912

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INSIDE SAS

The importance of play, or:How I learned to love the cardboard box By Dr. Doug Hundley, Director, Performing Arts Center, Puxi campus

My six-year-old daughter Olivia had a closet so crowded with toys that its sliding doors had been unable to retract fully for months. So one Saturday a couple of weeks ago we set out to finally clear her closet of all unwanted toys. I explained that the toys weren’t being destroyed but rather donated so other children would have a chance to play with them, but this didn’t make the process any easier for Olivia. When

watching her dramatically ponder over what toys would go and which would stay, I felt I was watching a scene from Sophie’s Choice. However, we got through the process and I was impressed with how many toys she was willing to part with, but there was one item she was insistent on keeping — a cardboard box. It wasn’t just any box, it was one she had cut windows out of, and drawn rainbows and butterflies on, and that had during any given play session served as a car, boat, rocket ship, and house. She explained she couldn’t give it away as she wasn’t done play-ing with it, which I found ironic since it originally served as the packaging for a substantially more expensive computerized toy she had placed in the donation pile. So there I was, looking back and forth from the box to Olivia and all I could think was: My child goes to Shanghai American School, one of the most advanced learning environments in the world, and her toy of choice is a cardboard box. But why? In the process of trying to get to the answer and learn more about my daughter’s play habits, I drew on my ex-pertise as a drama and stagecraft teacher, fields that specialize in the art of play, and what I uncovered was that the secrets to our children’s future success can indeed be found in the box.

The power of playThe act of playing takes on many forms. The most popular in our society are structured play (e.g., league sports), instructional play (e.g., music lessons), and two-dimensional play (e.g., gam-ing, DVDs, and computers). All are essential to a child’s emo-tional, intellectual, and physical development; however, just as important, and increasingly more so, is the form known as free play, or imaginative play. Imaginative play encourages children to play by their own rules, through taking on roles, exploring, and experimenting. Anything goes during imaginative play. A box can be a boat, a stick, a sword, a dirty rock, or a jewel from a lost kingdom. Imaginative play requires no instruction booklet or batteries, only the imagination. To a drama person like me, it sounds great, but the simplic-ity of imaginative play makes many parents nervous. In a culture such as ours, that prides itself on advancement and that insists

on the “best” for and from our children, imaginative play is often considered messy, frivolous, and a distraction from “more constructive” forms of play. But it shouldn’t. It’s hugely signifi-cant to a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. In his book Play, Dr. Stuart Brown explains that children who engage in free play develop the tools needed as adults to adapt to change, reduce stress, regulate behavior, and develop self-reli-ance. He further contends that children discouraged to free play often grow up to be inflexible, closed to trying out new options, and unable to problem-solve. Moreover, free play encourages innovation, a sense of idealism, and a natural curiosity, which are tools now considered essential for our youth who in the 21st century (and a time of rapid change) will be entering into professional fields that have yet to be created. So, what do I do? Get my teenager a cardboard box to play with? No, not exactly. But when you find your older children with free time, get them away from the computer or phone and give them the opportunity to work and create with their hands — encourage them to take courses like Stagecraft and Art, to enroll in cooking classes, or to construct models. Neurologist Dr. Frank Wilson in his book The Hand: How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Lan-guage and Human Culture, makes the point that a person’s ability to work and create with his or her hands is directly linked to the ability to effectively problem-solve. It’s a belief that is material-izing in the real world. As Wilson mentions, NASA and Boeing are only hiring applicants for research and development posi-tions who have experience working with their hands, no matter how good the applicant’s academic record. So if you ever find yourself in a position such as I did, donate the computerized toy and keep the cardboard box. It just might prove to be the secret to your child’s success.

PHOTO BY DOUG HUNDLEY

Doug Hundley’s daughter Olivia playing in her beloved cardboard box.

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POWERSCHOOL

Single sign-on enhancement for PowerSchoolBy TK Ostrom, Director of Admission

Parent guide to accessing student information with “single sign-on” enhancement in PowerSchoolWe are excited to announce the release of the single sign-on feature for the Parent Portal of PowerSchool. This new enhance-ment now allows parents to access information for all their children through a single sign-on to control their own username. This functionality is available only for parents. Students will continue to use their current ID and password. This quick reference guide is designed to assist you through the process of enabling and setting up Parent Single Sign-on in PowerSchool. To begin, utilize the individualized email from PowerSchool sent on March 13 with each child’s username and password. If you did not receive an email from PowerSchool, please contact the SAS PowerSchool administrators, Arlette Pimentel (Pudong), and Tim Chan, (Puxi), at [email protected]. Please follow the steps in the guide to create your new ac-count and link all of your children to it. Once you have done this, you will only need to remember your single, self-created username and password to access infor-mation for all of your children. If you forget your username or password, you can retrieve it yourself by clicking on the “Have trouble signing in?” link on the login page. For your added convenience, we have activated the Power-School 7.0 language tool enhancement for those who prefer to read the instructions in Chinese, Korean, or Filipino. You can also find detailed videos on each school division’s blog and on the start page of PowerSchool. The following videos are available: a. How to create your own single sign-on account. b. How to add additional children to your account in case of newly accepted students.

c. What to do when you forget your username or password.

Parent guide to accessing PowerSchool Parent Portal “single sign-on” instructionsFollow the steps below to create your new account with your preferred username and password: 1. Open the Internet browser on your computer. 2. Type powerschool.saschina.org into the address bar. 3. Before you log in, you must click the “Create Account” button.

cannot contain any of the following special characters * & . @ < >).

must be at least six characters long. Re-enter the password for confirmation.

“Link Students to Account” portion, type in your child’s name, Access ID, Access Password, and relationship to each child to link them to your parent/guardian account.

Enter button if all your information is correct, and if the username you chose is available, you’ll be greeted with a congratulations message and the login screen. Note: If there is an error, please read the comments, correct the information, and press the Enter button again. 4. Go ahead and log in using your newly created username and password. Once you log in, you will have the ability to move from one child to another.

Annual fund — connecting your heart to SAS By Cindy Easton, Development and Centennial coordinator

Where you choose to give your money philanthropically is where you choose to put your heart. When you donate money to insti-tutions you are making a conscious decision to be committed to them, to be connected to them. You create a heartstring that ties you to them. Thank you too all of you who have already given to the fund and strengthened these ties. When you chose SAS, whether as a parent, staff member, or corporation, you made a conscious decision to be a part of our community. You became connected to us. These two things go hand in hand — choosing SAS and giving to the annual fund. When you give to the annual fund you confirm your commitment to the school, its mission, and its students. You put your heart with us. You give a gift that provides the financial support for extra programs and opportunities that make SAS “extra”ordinary and keep us on the cutting edge of education. All of the money raised through the annual fund goes directly into providing programs, opportunities, and equipment for our

students. Here are just some of the things we have purchased with our annual fund dollars in the past, which have made a huge difference in the academic lives of our students. Year 1: LCD projectors, document cameras, classroom speak-ers, additional laptops, and other technology to enhance our classrooms and learning spaces Year 2: Kindles, iPads, audio books, additional technologi-cal resources, and special furniture to improve our outstanding libraries. Year 3: iPads for early childhood classrooms, seed money for a Roots & Shoots recycling project, science equipment for high school labs, service learning opportunities, and cultural learning opportunities for our students. By participating in this year’s 100 for 100 Edge for Excel-lence Annual Fund you are confirming your commitment to our school. You are making a conscious decision to be connected to us. Tie your heart to SAS and be a part of this year’s Edge for Excellence Annual Fund.

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Creating a 21st century learning environmentBy Taylor Hayden, Marketing and Communications assistant

Few people are as uniquely positioned as Dr. Yong Zhao to ad-dress the issues that parents and educators face at an American school in China. Drawing on his experiences growing up and attending school in a poor village in Sichuan province and on his current work as an author and researcher in global education at the University of Oregon, Zhao both educated and entertained SAS audiences during a recent week of talks at SAS. On his return to SAS, following his visit to the school as a keynote speaker in August 2011, Zhao spent time with many different groups of parents, students, and staff, discussing a variety of topics from standardized testing to technological ap-plications in the classroom with his usual refreshing honesty and extensive professional and cross-cultural experience. He told his audiences about his childhood experience of choosing education over farming because he wants parents and educators to encourage children to choose to build on their strengths rather than focusing solely on improving weaknesses. He quipped about having to read books quickly before his fa-ther, a noodle maker, wrapped noodles in the pages. He recalled the draw of the ivory towers of the American education system, as his own country was in a state of dramatic change. When speaking to teachers and staff in Pudong, Zhao said, “Forcing kids to spend their free time trying to improve skills that they don’t have can actually be more damaging than allow-ing them to have a new experience or enhance a skill they are good at and interested in.” Zhao also encouraged teachers to cre-ate classrooms and learning environments that foster “digitally, globally competent individuals.” Zhao encouraged teachers to provide plenty of opportuni-ties for students to experience new cultures not just learn about them in the classroom. He cited the SAS Microcampus project, in which a group of SAS 8th graders are spending a month at the Linden Center in Yunnan province, as an excellent opportu-nity for students to be truly immersed in a different culture and experience an alternative approach to curriculum.

PHOTO BY TAYLOR HAYDEN

SCHOOLWIDE

At the parent coffee hours held on both campuses, Zhao discussed trends in college admissions in the US. He contended that colleges are no longer looking for a student with perfect test scores and participation in extracurricular activities. Instead, he said, colleges want students who are “interesting and authentic.” “SAS students need to be prepared to be creative, to be able to go out and create jobs because entrepreneurs are and will be the most successful people in the US,” he insisted. Referring to a list of seven entrepreneurial qualities that parents could focus on to help their students develop in order to succeed, he stressed the importance of confidence, passion, building relationships, creativity, risk taking, and motivation. Based on his research and personal experience, he explained that it is just as important for students to make lasting friendships as it is to have good grades. He told parents that they needed to trust their children to make decisions for themselves and to try hard to wait for their children to come to them when making course choices or trying to decide which colleges to apply for. This approach builds con-fidence and allows children to take risks and focus on their own passions. Zhao discussed unconventional approaches to curriculum design at a staff meeting in Pudong. Encouraging students to pursue their own interests, he suggested, by “incorporating the students into the development of the curriculum, letting them decide what they want to learn from time to time” will help students’ preparation when taking the next step towards higher education, and ultimately into a global workforce. To many, Zhao’s message might come across as a contradic-tion of much of what they have been told or experienced when preparing their kids for college. Zhao’s answer to this confusion and concern is simple — relax. “Being at a school like SAS is a great start and as long as you are providing new experiences where [your kids] meet new people and make friends, and are exposed to different cultures, you don’t need to worry about their success,” he concluded.

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BACKGROUND PHOTO BY LIAM SINGLETON, ALL OTHER PHOTOS PROVIDED BY WILLIAM LINDESAY

‘Wild Wall’ explorer visits SAS By Steven Lane, Director of Communications

One of world’s foremost experts on China’s Great Wall found time to deliver a talk to SAS students — and not once but eight times! William Lindesay, OBE, a British geographer and explorer who has spent much of the past 20 years exploring the wall, and has recently discovered a new section of wall in Mongolia’s Gobi desert, spent a day each on the Pudong and Puxi campuses in early March, telling each class of high school students about his lifelong fascination with the Great Wall of China — travelling along it, photographing it, learning about it, and more recently, leading efforts to conserve and protect it. Since 1999, Lindesay has run Wild Wall, an organization that runs educational trips to the wall and promotes efforts to conserve it. SAS students have gone on China Alive trips with Wild Wall since 2006, when SAS Pudong science teacher Ilkka Bister took the first batch of students. Bister has known Lindesay since 2000, when he and his wife took a trip on the wall with him and began their own longstanding interest in the wall. What appeals to him about the wall is the combination of stunning scenery and the fact that he always learns something new about it’s history or geography every time he visits it. “We have become friends with the Great Wall of China,” said Bister. Lindesay’s fascination with the wall dates from his childhood in Liverpool, England, when he first saw the toothed line across China in a school atlas and vowed to visit the wall one day. He

did an early trial run along the more manageable Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian near the present-day border between England and Scotland. In 1987, Lindesay got to the Great Wall for the first time. There he undertook a remarkable journey, trekking nearly 2,500 kilometers along the Ming Dynasty wall over 78 days, beginning in Jiayuguan in Gansu province, western China, and finish-ing in Beijing. He travelled alone, spoke virtually no Chinese when he started, and relied heavily on the kindness of strangers for food and shelter. In those early days of China’s reopening to the world, foreigners were few and far between, especially in remote areas, and Lindesay was often the first foreigner that the farmers he stayed with had seen. He also attracted the attention of policemen and security officers, who wanted to know why he was there and whether he had taken any photographs. He was arrested nine times, had to make frequent self criticisms, and was even deported once, after he was arrested twice in the same town. He managed to return and complete his journey, however, and discovered new depths of resolve in himself. “Success de-pends on how quickly you recover from heartbreak and depres-sion,” he said. This journey was recorded in his first book, Alone on the Great Wall. The “Great Wall” of popular imagery is in fact quite mislead-ing in a couple of ways, according to Lindesay. For one thing,

FEATURE

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there are actually dozens of walls, built at various times by differ-ent emperors, and for various purposes — to keep out invad-ing Mongols, or to prevent migration of the gazelles on which nomadic trines relied for food and other materials. As well, the sturdy, well-defined stone wall of guidebook photographs actu-ally extends for only a few hundred kilometers. Most of the wall is in a state of crumbling disrepair, brought on by the ravages of the elements and by locals removing its bricks to build houses, or by cutting paths through it for migrating herds. This is the “wild wall,” for which Lindesay coined a term, now in widespread use, in 1998. But the greatest threat to the wall may be tourism. Hordes of visitors to the sections near Beijing have taken a terrible toll on the wall, Lindesay said. Piles of trash extend into the under-growth on either side of the wall and in some popular areas you have to travel several kilometers to find the first stone that does not have someone’s initials carved into it. Spurred on by his wife — “she was sick of me complaining about it,” he said — Lindesay decided to try to do something about it. In 1998 he phoned up the Great Wall Sheraton in Beijing and asked them to help him organize a wall clean-up day, which they did. Hundreds of bags of trash were removed and visitors were asked to sign a pledge to protect the wall. Lindesay has also registered a non-profit organization, the International Friends of the Great Wall, which works with the Beijing Bureau for Cultural Relics and the Beijing Office of UNESCO to pre-serve the natural and cultural landscapes of the Great Wall. He also helped the bureau to apply to the US-based World Monu-ments Fund (WMF) to have sections of the wall listed on the

Fund's "2002 List of the World's Most 101 Endangered Sites." The WMF list now includes the "Cultural Landscape of the Great Wall, Beijing." The lesson for SAS students, Lindesay said, was to realize the power they have to affect the world around them. “Change can start with one person,” he said. “Don’t be afraid of standing out.” Lindesay’s work with the wall has earned him plaudits both in China and in his native Britain. He received the friendship Prize for Foreign Experts from the State Council of China in 1998 and the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace in 2006. In a sign of the changes in China since he first came here, Lindesay was even made an honorary citizen of Yulin, the city from which he was deported in the 1980s.

FEATURE

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ACTIVITIES

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By Alicia Li, Grade 12, Pudong campus

Although the word “fringe” may not appear at first glance to be linked to the arts, it actually embodies decades of theater, music, and dance tradition, stemming from the streetside performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. “The Fringe,” as it has become known, was born out of eight companies’ desire to showcase their own productions, despite not being invited to the official 1947 Edinburgh International Festival. The performers took advantage of the large groups of people already present and enthralled them with their alternative theater on the “fringes” of the official festival, cementing their presence in the area and eventually turning the Edinburgh Festival Fringe into the world’s largest arts festival, which in 2011 staged over 2,500 shows, involving over 21,000 performers. The SAS Pudong Fringe Arts Festival (Pudong Fringe) is steeped in this same tradition. It aims to invoke the original’s celebration of the arts by channeling its intensity into a two-week long period of constant, explosive performances. This year’s Pudong Fringe began on February 27 and ran till March 9, with performances from Pudong middle and high school students occurring in the Black Box Theater, the auditorium, and outside the cafeteria. Performances cover a variety of lengths and genres. Anything goes. Plays range from five-minute to hourlong productions, and dramatic monologues to large-cast pieces. But the performances are united by one factor: Almost all are developed, managed, and performed by students. The organizers of Pudong Fringe believe that these student-led initiatives pay homage to the indepen-dence, drive, and irreverence shown by the performers at the first Edinburgh Fringe. Furthermore, the Pudong Fringe is entirely student-run, with a committee presiding over the booking of venues, logistics, scheduling, and front of house operations. This year’s festival consisted of 35 performances. The open-ing performance on February 27 was Nursery Crimes. Groups of Introduction to Drama students, taught by Mr. Bryan Lee, twisted and reworked versions of beloved fairytales to reveal hidden back-stories, disturbing truths, and hilarious outcomes. Audiences were held hostage by a jail-breaking Gingerbread Man and confronted a not-so-wicked-witch looking for soup ingredi-ents. The Introduction to Theater classes extrapolated upon the concept of “outside the box” performance, in commemora-tion of the newly renovated Black Box Theater, creating two entirely original, social commentary pieces. Lipstick addressed the materialistic tendencies of modern society. An announcer, (Emma Armstrong), perched atop a ladder and announced the “acceptable [lipstick] color for today,” relishing her control, as a girl (Elana Shyong), begged her unseen mother for money to purchase the cosmetic. The Box explored people’s tendency to create huge amounts of conflict over small, insignificant issues, as the audience shared the actors’ anxiety about a small, imper-meable box. Each of the seven IB year one students took on the challenge of producing a 10- to 15-minute monologue on a topic of their choice. Two highlights were Anna Dining’s use of projections of different versions of herself to illustrate the divisions between her

subconciuos and conscience. Brendan Gao presented a humor-ous tirade about the injustices of air travel, denouncing check-in luggage and repeated delays with feverish severity. Aside from their monologues, many year one students also directed pieces independently. Sure Thing delivered a comical in-sight into all the things that could go wrong with a relationship, by looking into our hopes for love. There Was Once addressed what it means to tell a fairy tale and satirized the often overzeal-ous proponents of social change. Almost all IB year two students directed their own pro-ductions, and all students were involved in acting or lighting direction. Pieces included The Wedding Story, Greed, The Game, and Shadows. The latter, directed by Catalina Ginesta, was not a conventional piece of theater, but belonged to the realm of “performance art,” the purpose of which is simply to create and not to tell a story. Dancers glided over long scrolls of fabric with paint on their limbs, creating a map of their movement, render-ing a brief moment of motion into a permanent form. Middle school students were also active participants in the Pudong Fringe, through choral performances (led by Ms. Elizabeth Ross) previews for the upcoming middle school musi-cal Honk!, and selected performances of Shakespearean sonnets (chosen by Ms. Danka Kulikowski). A departure from the theatrically inclined performances, Nanta, adapted from the hit Korean production of the same name, which was a rhythm-based piece that used percussion instruments made from kitchen utensils. Although the content of the shows was vastly different from grade to grade and production to production, audiences agreed on the fundamentals; the high quality of the performances and the positive impact it has had on them. Non-theater student Eddy Kim asserted that “[theater] really shapes [a] student into a more well-rounded person by expanding one’s experience.” Alec Cheung, with regards to the quality of The Game (directed by Charlotte Chang) remarked that “it was amazing that it was produced by students — it looked almost professional.” Finally, Lindsay Hanson expressed that it is “great to see people who are passionate about something, and seeing so many people come out to support them is even better.” This quote is representative of what we want audiences to take from the Pudong Fringe. Fringe is a celebration. It is about passion for the arts and the eagerness to share it with others. Thank you parents, teachers, and students who came to support and partake in our celebration this year, and we hope you will join us next year!

This year’s Pudong Fringe Arts Festival was directed by IB Theater year two students Alicia Li and Esther Wang.

ACTIVITIES

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE PUDONG YEARBOOK CLUB

Opposite, top: A Fringe performance full of color and illumination.Middle: Year 2 IB student production, Greed. Bottom: Dancers from Catalina Ginesta’s Shadows.

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ACTIVITIES

Puxi campus Fringe focuses on theater

The Shanghai American School Puxi Fringe Festival (Puxi Fringe) opened on the first weekend of March, starting three days of theater and all things dramatic. Hosted by the International Thespian Society (a high school club), the festival drew students, parents, and staff in to see the huge variety of performances. For only RMB 30, audience members could take in over a dozen shows in four different theaters; the Performance Art Center (PAC), Black Box Theatre (BBT), Library Media Center (LMC), and Middle School BBT. Puxi Fringe organizer and high school drama teacher Ms Fintak said, “Plays were of the highest quality, with variety for all ages, and huge support from our elementary and middle school community!” Preparation for the Puxi Fringe began over three months ago, when directors sent out casting calls, and the Thespian Soci-ety gathered into committees responsible for a variety of tasks, from set painting, to obtaining props, to advertising. As head of costume design for the Thespian Society, my fellow committee heads and I received our scripts and organized teams, working hard through the winter — rehearsing, directing, designing, painting, and more. In February, the Thespian Society organized a flash mob (assembling to perform an unusual and unprompted dance for a brief time before dispersing) and chalk drawings in the high school courtyard, in addition to the regular posters, videos, and teasers. The message was getting out there, and it was with a huge sense of excitement when we drew the curtains on the first night. The Puxi Fringe began with the IB year two performance of

The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde’s classic play. The witty dialogue and the farcical comedy in which the protago-nists maintain fictitious personae has helped make this one of Wilde’s most enduringly popular plays. Lead actor and current Thespian President Dae Jin Jeong said, “I think The Importance of Being Earnest was a unique experience for me, as I had to act a British gentleman from a hundred years ago. Everything — from standing posture to an accent — was challenging, but it was all worth it. I was glad, but at the same time sad, as this was my last performance as a senior.” The IB year one play, The Adding Machine, written by Elmer Rice in 1923, is a tribute to American Expressionism. The story focuses on Mr. Zero, an accountant at a large, faceless company, who discovers that after 25 years at his job, he will be replaced by an adding machine, which leads to murder. Traditionally the IB year one performance has been a more avant-garde affair, involving a serious commitment from the high school juniors. “We had to research everything, from costumes, to hair de-sign, to sounds and sets. Also, we had to take photos and make a slideshow,” said Min Chul Seo, who played the male lead, Mr. Zero. The overall feeling of the production contributed to an excellent but more serious production in this year’s festival. The mini-plays provided a blast of humor in the midst of all the serious drama on stage. Each play lasted around 15 minutes, and the audience was kept guessing as to whether the next one would be laugh-out-loud funny, or a little more philosophical. With the minimalist lighting and stage of the LMC, it really al-

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DEBBI FINTAK

Opposite: Lily Luo and Deejay Jeong in Wilde’s classic play. Top:

Glenn Morizio, Oliver Yang, and Doug Morizio in The 39 Steps.

Above: Jessica Fintak in The Adding Machine.

lowed both veteran and first time actors to shine. The mini-plays gave everyone a chance to direct, act, or produce, and the results were terrific. “There was a great variety of mini-plays, from comedies like The Package to serious productions like La Lorona Llora. I had great fun doing the lighting for all the plays,” said junior Megan Tan. “It’s fun getting creative with the LMC lights, as I can do effects such as flickering.” The middle school plays were a combination of Greek The-ater and Commedia dell’Arte, a 16th century masked theater. The students worked on creating scripts, scene blocking, acting out their parts, costume design, props, and other theater require-ments, and they also had to take on the role of the tech crew and follow technical scripts for other plays. One of the most impor-tant highlights of the production was the teamwork. There was an atmosphere of anticipation in the PAC as the audience eagerly waited for the lights to go on for The 39 Steps, a farce written by Patrick Barlow that parodies the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock. The play is filled with references towards Hitchcock’s other famous works, such as Vertigo and Rear Win-dow, and the original script calls for just four actors to portray all the characters. But this production had around a dozen actors, many of whom still managed to play several characters apiece. Backstage, the actors rehearsed their lines and prepared for the lightening-quick character changes by layering their coats, wigs, and hats. Sophomore Glenn Morizio, who took on the challenging task of playing salesman, policeman, paperboy, and crofter, said; “This year’s play is a more physical play, whereas the Matchmaker last year was more verbal comedy. But I enjoyed both of them because I like comedic plays.” The show was filled with fast action sequences, excellent acting, a medley of excit-ing accents, and the versatile use of the lighting, sets, and props,

which reflected the film noir origins of the piece. The thunderous rounds of applause confirmed the success of the show. One of the most unique parts of the SAS philosophy is its support of budding artists, who are encouraged to be creative and inspired students. Puxi Fringe showed the value of this philosophy yet again. After the whirlwind of activity, the festival ended with a last performance of The 39 Steps. From audiences to actors to technicians, we all agreed when Ms. Fintak said that this was the “Best Fringe yet!”

ACTIVITIES

MAR23.indd 11 3/19/12 11:45 AM


Robin Hood — the fabled heroBy Juanita McGarrigle, Middle school drama teacher, Puxi campus

The legend of Robin Hood draws us into the medieval world of castles, county fairs, and clashes between the rich and the poor. At a time when kings jostled for crowns, lords and ladies exploited peasants, and corrupt sheriffs wielded power merci-lessly, it took a hero like Robin Hood to stand for what was good and right. A hero can be defined as one who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. The fabled hero of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood, displayed courage by standing up to tyranny and defending the downtrodden. He is most remembered for taking from the rich and giving to the poor. The legend continues as Robin Hood and his Band of Merry Men bound into the Puxi campus Performing Arts Center later this month with the premier of Robin Hood, the Musical, by Tim Kelly. More than 30 middle school students auditioned for the play and rather than cut some would-be stars, two casts were created. Rehearsing with a double cast requires additional planning, but the advantages are great. Not only do more students have the op-portunity to perform leading roles, but they also get the chance to prepare for a second role as an extra. No retelling of the adventures of Robin Hood would be complete without archery competitions, sword fighting, and clashes between the people of Sherwood Forest and the Sher-iff of Nottingham’s soldiers. PAC Technical Director Xiao Jian brought his professional experience to the production by

conducting combat classes and staging the fight scenes. And no musical would be complete without grand production numbers involving singing and dancing, choreographed by Ann Gould. Add medieval sets and period costumes and what you get is quite a spectacle! Opening performance is at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22. Two performances are scheduled at 3:30 p.m. and again at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 23. Ticket prices are RMB 40 and can be purchased through the Middle School Office, the PAC Box Office, or Mrs. McGarrigle in the Puxi MS Black Box The-ater.

ACTIVITIES

History in the hallways at Puxi ElementaryBy Grade 3 teachers, Puxi campus

March 13 was a big day for third grade students on Puxi cam-pus. For the fourth year in a row, history came to life in the hallway of the elementary school, as third grade students pro-duced their very own living wax museum for fellow students and parents. This was the culminating event for an interdisciplinary unit that satisfied reading, writing, and social studies curriculum standards. The wax museum included a collection of famous and his-torical figures represented by students. Costumed students stood silently, frozen in time while waiting for visitors to press a “play” button. Parents and student visitors would then hear stories of the famous people, which included inventors, presidents, astro-nauts, authors, and athletes. Third graders shared first-person narrations of the people they researched, telling their life story and highlighting achievements and contributions. Halli Huang did an excellent job of portraying Alexander Graham Bell, explaining how he worked as a speech teacher and eventually invented the telephone. Cleopatra, portrayed by Narumi Shuzawa, revealed how she married her younger brother and became Queen of Egypt. Ken Zeng was dressed exactly like Orville Wright and told people how he loved putting things together as a child, eventually leading to building and flying the first airplane.

The students used nonfiction mini-lessons to guide research, reading, and writing. They worked for about a month, research-ing their famous person and preparing for the presentations by reading biographies and searching pre-selected websites. Then they organized their notes, with each student writing one or two paragraphs. Once the paragraphs were finished, they served as a basis for the speeches. Students wrote a one-minute, first-person speech that they would give as their wax museum creations. Finally, students completed a poster about their famous person. Novia Liu commented, “I thought it taught me lots of things such as researching a person and giving a speech. I really liked the wax museum.” Students practiced reciting their speeches before the big day. They worked hard to memorize the words and hone their public speaking skills. When the big day arrived, students dressed up as their characters, brought in props, and standing before their poster, they did an incredible job of sharing the information they learned. Fun was had by all, and most importantly third graders learned that one person can have a significant impact in many peoples’ lives. “I think the wax museum was fantastic, and it gave me a good chance to learn about other famous people,” said Alina Liu.

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MUNACTIVITIES

PHOTOS BY FREDRIK JÖNSSON

Clockwise from top left: Da Min Lee as Joan of Arc, Audrey Yinn as Amelia Earhart, Henry Lee as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Wesley Low as Leonardo da Vinci.

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By Linden Li, Grade 5, Pudong campus

Almost everybody loves to read. Some unfortunate kids, how-ever, cannot afford books. To help those kids, the SAS Pudong library pages found an innovative and fun way to fundraise — we opened a massage shop for students and staff! The people receiving a massage donated money, which was collected then given to a charity called Room to Read. This or-ganization’s mission is to help children from poor backgrounds to pursue a quality education by reading books. “It went pretty well,” said elementary school student Mi-chael Sormilic. “I wanted to help these kids so they could have the opportunity to read. We made enough money to buy tons of books!” The volunteers put in a lot of effort and energy. Everybody pitched in, making boxes for collecting money, and bringing their iPods to play relaxing music and create a comfortable en-vironment. The massages that the student volunteers gave were excellent. They were digging into the customers’ backs with their elbows really hard and using their thumbs to massage the person’s hands with lotion. The customers were relaxed and feeling good. Everybody had a big smile on their face and I could tell that they were having fun! “It was phenomenal — we raised so much money in such a short period of time! I was happy to spend my time to help these kids!” noted elementary school student Ann-Marie Atz-kern.

Massage for charityIn the Pudong elementary school library fish tank area, library pages could be found giving massages for 1 kuai per minute. We were doing this to raise money for Room to Read, an organization that helps build libraries and schools. When we donate money, we are helping other children in the world share in the love of reading. Through giving massages to staff and students, we col-lected RMB 643.20! That’s over USD 100! This money will go towards supporting libraries in underprivileged areas. Ms. Boyer, head librarian, said: “This project was com-pletely student generated. I had only mentioned to the students that I wanted us to do a fundraiser for the Room to Read Organization. Within a week, I am walking into school reading posters that are advertising ‘Massages by Library Pages and Ms. Boyer.’ I was quite surprised and proud of the students for rallying their cause by inspiring others to help. We always seemed to have more students ready to give massages!” We want to thank Ms. Boyer and the library pages for hosting this event. We also want to thank the people who helped give the massages, as well as all the customers who received them, because you were the ones who made this event successful. The library pages involved in the event were Mia Filipe, Betty Chen, Maggie Chiu, Lily Cai, Linden Li, Lucas Hwang, Claire Huang, and me. A special mention goes to Michael Sormilic for organizing money and music.

By Alice Chen and Cynthia Gu, Grade 5, Pudong campus

ACTIVITIES

PHOTO BY LIBRARY STAFF

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MAR23.indd 15 3/19/12 11:46 AM


ACTIVITIES

Roots & Shoots aim for carbon neutralityBy David Yang, Grade 11, Pudong campus

We at Roots & Shoots (R&S) would like to thank all SAS com-munity members who have donated to the Million Tree Project (MTP)! Many members of the SAS community were able to help offset their carbon emissions from holiday travels by buying trees that will be planted by Shanghai American School students in Inner Mongolia. Over 150 students and staff members have pledged, meaning we were able to raise RMB 18,150, enough to pay for 726 trees! In October 2009, R&S vowed to help make our school’s air travel carbon neutral. When students and teachers go on school trips, a corresponding donation of two trees towards the MTP would be made to help offset the carbon dioxide produced by the their travel. Officers from both Puxi and Pudong R&S clubs proposed the plan to the SAS Board. It was unanimously approved, allowing SAS to join the community of international schools taking large strides in reducing their carbon emissions, this time by tackling carbon emissions created from flying. Ac-cording to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change, “carbon neutral means that – through a transparent process of calculating emissions, reducing those emissions and offsetting residual emissions – net carbon emissions equal zero.” During its lifetime, each tree will be able to remove about 250 kg of carbon dioxide from the air. This means that with all the trees that the community has generously donated this year we will be able to filter approximately 181.5 metric tonnes (200 US tons) of carbon dioxide from the air in addition to combat-ing the forces of desertification and providing economic wellbe-ing to farmers. Overall, the plan has been a great success. In a gesture of environmental goodwill, we expanded our goal to include personal travel, not just trips sponsored by the school, and make all SAS trips carbon neutral. We started this endeavor with the Zero Emissions Family Travel initiative, an initiative asking the SAS community to donate money for trees in order to help fight against desertification. All donations to SAS Family Travel campaign were used to buy and maintain trees. With the 726 trees that the community donated, we will be able to help further the cause of the MTP, coordinated in SAS by R&S. The MTP is an initiative that was started by Jane Goodall in 2007 to help reforest Inner Mongolia and plant 1,000,000 trees by 2014. Inner Mongolia is one of the eight key protection areas chosen by the Chinese government for conserving water and land, and has been involved in ecological reconstruction since the 1960s. So far, the MTP has been making substantial progress with over 600,000 trees planted. Trees are planted in Kulun Qi, which borders a desert, so it is especially important to protect this area to avoid the desert slowly enveloping the city. By planting trees on the loess soil (which has a sandy, unstable composition), it is possible to help stop the encroaching desert, and ecologically rehabilitate the area. The reforestation efforts have had a significant impact on the area, with forest coverage rising from 3% to 34.1% since the 1960s, a percentage that will keep rising with our continued efforts.

Reforestation has brought benefits to Inner Mongolia, with sandstorm occurrences dropping from 15 times each spring in 1990 to an average of four to five times. In addition to blocking the winds from the sandstorms, dampening their strength, the trees from the MTP provide economic benefits for those who live in and around Kulun Qi. Yellowhorns, a species of tree that have been planted before, provide fruit that can be used by the farmers to create oil, and the trees themselves allow for other plants to be intercropped. This allows farmers to expand their farmland, planting watermelons and beans to help further their economic wellbeing.

The SAS forestThe coordinates “N42 47.221 E121 20.366” may not mean much to most — unless, of course, you are a tree in the “SAS Forest.” Two forests have been planted so far by SAS, and we have seen great results from our previous tree planting trips. According to Xiao Ting Hui, the MTP forest manager currently monitoring our trees, over 90% have survived since we planted them three years ago, meaning the efforts of the SAS community have been making a noticeable impact on the local environment. This spring, students will be going back to Inner Mongolia to plant the new trees that the community has generously donated. For four days they will be digging holes and planting trees, while also taking care of the trees planted in the past. If you have not yet donated money to offset your family travel and would like to, please drop off an envelope at the high school offices with your family name and donation amount. One tree costs RMB 25 (a carbon calculator is available on the MTP website, www.mtpchina.org). The SAS Core Values include this one: “As global citizens we have a duty to care for the earth and its inhabitants to ensure the well-being of humankind.” The MTP helps us all to fulfill that duty. Without the community’s help, we could not have achieved all that we have, and we thank you for your ongoing contributions and spirit of giving!

All of our efforts are certainly taking root!

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Raising money for trees in Inner MongoliaBy Linda Li, Grade 5, Puxi campus

This year the new Service Learning Program has provided many opportunities for students to be involved in community service activities. Third grade teacher Ms. Doud and fourth grade teach-er Ms. Zingales are the coordinators for the program. According to Ms. Zingales, “The Service Learning Program is dedicated to helping students build connections within communities and become engaged in authentic action service, and to encourage everyone to promote responsible environmental practices.” During the first two weeks of March, you may have seen a lot of elementary school students walking or running the track. This is because one of the Service Learning Program activities was the Walk-a-Thon, which from March 5 until March 16 raised money for the Roots & Shoots Million Tree Project. “The aim of the Walk-a-Thon was to encourage students to participate in service learning, raise money for trees, help our environment and enjoy the outdoors,” explained Ms. Zingales. “We are very excited to help support Roots & Shoots in funding the Million Tree Project.” Each student was sponsored for each lap they walked around the track. They could walk the track before school, during recess and homeroom, and PE teachers let students walk during class time too. All the money raised went to buy trees for the Million Tree Project. Using the money raised, trees will be planted in Inner Mon-golia, where climate change and intensive farming is causing the land to turn into desert, which causes sandstorms and other problems. These sandstorms engulf villages and make people leave their native land. This project aims to reforest and improve the quality of human life in Inner Mongolia, both economically and ecologically. It also helps fight global warming. Even though the weather was not great during the first week of the Walk-a-Thon, meaning many indoor recesses, students still managed to find time to go out and walk the track. Most enjoyed walking while talking or playing with friends. Kindergartener Victoria Lai said she liked the Walk-a-Thon

ACTIVITIES

“because we can run the track,” while Isabelle So, grade 4, said, “I like the Walk-a-Thon because it is fun. At the same time you can talk to your friends. But mostly, you can help the planet.” Neither student cared if it was cold or wet. Ashley Chang, grade 5, wanted to raise a lot of money for the project so she asked many people to sponsor her for the Walk-a-Thon, and they did. If you’ve been to the Puxi campus elementary school foyer re-cently you may have seen a tree covered with green leaves. Each leaf represents one tree purchased with the money raised from the Walk-a-Thon. I asked Kindergartener Sophia Johannesen if she knew why we put leaves on the tree. She said, “I know! It means we put trees in Inner Mongolia.” It feels like every elementary student is supporting the Walk-a-Thon!

PHOTOS BY SOPHIE NICAULT AND JANET CLAASSEN

Top: Students show their enthusiasm for the walkathon. Above: Hae Sung Chung with Zoe and Hudson Chung and Victoria Lai on the track.

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GIN Manila 2012 By Allison Lee Grade 12, Pudong campus

The Manila sun blazed fiercely above as we huddled into our respective groups for the Global Issues Network (GIN) iCare trip, and I did not know what to expect from the day. “Berde-saco; concerning education well being” was all that was stated on the information sheet; these five cryptic words were offered little reassurance. Not knowing anyone in my group and clueless as to what the trip would entail, I found it difficult to truly look forward to the day. But my forlorn mood soon passed as our bus pulled up to its destination. Our Berdesaco group of 16 students came from all over Asia, from Vietnam to Taiwan. We briefly got to know each other and learned that our group would be spending the morning playing with children from an orphanage. For the next hour and a half, we thought little of our destination, as we attempted to squeeze in some sleep in the hot, crowded bus. Upon entering the orphanage, crowds of children came rushing towards us, trying to see who their visitors were and eager to greet and befriend the newcomers. Their milk teeth were revealed as radiating smiles spread across their faces. Our group arrived with one mission; to have fun with the children. Our iCare group split into two subgroups; one setting up equipment for games while the other began mural painting. The painting task got off to a rocky start, as the team struggled to even open up the paint cans, but soon everything was proceed-ing smoothly. Soon enough, around the walls at the orphanage, students and visitors can now enjoy a panel of artistic abstract painting, consisting of splatters of different colored paint. I must admit, out of all the social services I’ve done involving little kids, this bunch was the most welcoming and friendly. The children had few inhibitions or feelings of insecurity towards strangers like us, and their contagious energy and excitement quickly spread. We gave out jump ropes and basketballs, and they were more than satisfied. Western children nowadays com-plain about not getting an iPad for Christmas; it was amazing to see the happiness that such gifts can bring when living a simpler life. The trip to Manila reminded me of the Giving Individuals a Future to Succeed (GIFTS – our school club that participates in and supports the GIN network) visit to the Liming Migrant School the previous year, when we established a mobile library for the kids; the pure happiness from receiving such simple gifts that many take for granted. This is why I joined the GIFTS club, to help make a difference in children’s lives, to take action and address the issue of illiteracy. From simply playing games with the kids in Manila, to actually giving underprivileged school-children a chance to discover their joy in reading, the feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment is indescribable. At GIFTS we dedicate our time to this worthy cause, so next time you see one of our fundraisers, please feel free to ask how you can help make a difference too!

ACTIVITIES

Voice Against PovertyBy Fay Leong, Social studies teacher, and Sharon Voss, ESOL te

When: Saturday, March 24, 2012Where: Shanghai American School, Pudong campusTime: 8.30 a..m-4.30 p.m.

SAS Pudong High School’s Giving Individuals a Future to Succeed (or GIFTS) club is holding the first ever Voices Against Poverty (VAP) conference. President and founding leader of GIFTS, Emily Vogel (grade 12), and her team of advisors decided to initiate the conference when they learned that not everyone was able to attend the Global Issues Network (GIN) conference in Ma-nila last month. VAP is a way for GIFTS to share their work on building literacy. It is also a great opportunity to see how many other schools and students in Shanghai are involved in community activities. All participants in the club are involved in some aspect of fund raising, plus supporting The Library Project (http://library-project.org/) in building libraries for local Chinese schools, and finally providing access to books. So far, we have raised funds, donated enough books to fill five classroom libraries at the Liming Migrant School, and sent another do-nation of books to help build the Ballou Senior High School

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GIN Philippines 2012By Emily Vogel, Grade 12, Pudong campus

ACTIVITIES

I have been attending the Global Issues Network (GIN) confer-ence since the 8th grade, and it has always been an inspirational experience. It has given me the opportunity to interact with other students from all around the world. On this occasion, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the Filipino culture and give back to the community through iCare, a program that enables students to work together in collaboration with organi-zations dealing with combating global issues. My iCare trip was an experience I will never forget. When we first got to the Philippine Christian Foundation School, we were told to mingle with the students. As I stood up, a girl darted towards me and hugged me with all of her might — we became instant friends. Her name was Juvilyn, and at age 11, she was the young-est student, but despite her small stature she was very sassy. She sat me down and we began to discuss our interests. After a few minutes, we found that we both love to dance, and through this we were able to communicate and open up to one another. Juvilyn first taught me how to do the dougie, and after we shuffled to “Party Rock Anthem” and I taught her Soulja Boys’ “Crank That” dance. We goofed around, took pictures, and laughed a lot. She loved to have her picture taken, and she would order me to do certain poses with her as if we re-enacting a modeling shoot. We even came up with a secret handshake! The day was very hot, so to escape the heat, we went inside where she drew pictures of volleyball nets, the sun, and hearts. At the bottom of the paper, she signed her name and gave it to me to take home. It was a lovely gesture. Later she took me around the school. First we stopped by the playground, then the computer lab, and finally her classroom, where she showed me her books. Soon after exploring the class-room we were called downstairs for a group activity. When it was time to go, we were both sad to say goodbye, but instead of being upset, we did our secret handshake and gave each other big hugs. I will never forget my friendship with Juvilyn. She was probably the sweetest and most adorable girl I have ever known. The iCare trip was such a fulfilling experience, and to know that these children will look back and remember that day in such a positive manner and that the GIN representatives visited their school makes the experience even better. Giving is truly conta-gious and it is events like this, and people like Juvilyn, who make me want to continue the hard work towards making a change in the world.

OL teacher, Pudong campus

library collection in Washington DC. The VAP conference is intended to share information from participating schools on what we are doing collectively to eliminate poverty. Tom Stader will speak on the work he has done in building The Library Project, and putting books in the hands of children across the most remote areas of China. There will be student workshops offering advice on setting up a community club, building a love of reading through a community readathon, and giving English lessons to Chinese support staff. Other highlights of the day will be the work-shops presented by the students and the student bands playing at the VAP concert. This conference is about giving back to the community. We look forward to meeting you at VAP on March 24! Find out more about VAP at http://vapoverty.squarespace.com. For further information, please contact Fay Leong ([email protected]), Noedmarie Santana ([email protected]), Emily Prager ([email protected]), Sharon Voss ([email protected]), or Emily Vogel ([email protected])

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY FAY LEONG, ALLISON LEE, AND EMILY VOGEL

Top: Noedmarie Santana and Faline Lin at the Liming Migrant

School. Bottom left: Alison Lee with the Berdesaco children in

Manilla. Bottom right: Emily Vogel and Juvilyn at the Philippine

Christian Foundation School.

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ACTIVITIES

By Luke Kao, Grade 10, Puxi campus

The Social Responsibility Foundation (SRF) club recently organized a photo exhibition in the Puxi high school building, focused on the microfinance project and its impact on under-privileged people in rural China. The SRF was created and is maintained by a group of dedi-cated high school students with great intentions, who work towards providing microfinance services to financially insecure workers and farmers in rural China. So far, SRFs 300 registered volunteers have invested about RMB 100,000 through the Yinongdai peer-to-peer online lending platform, which is helping 788 rural families escape poverty. Microfinance is loaning money to underprivileged people at a low interest rate in order to support their goals and dreams. Philanthropic microfinance is different from dona-tions, in that the investors receive 2% annual interest. The rural borrowers use the money to engage in agricultural pro-

ductions or start up small businesses. In general, rural microfi-nance enables the poor to change their own lives by providing access to credit. Participating in microfinance is just like making an invest-ment, except with every investment, people’s lives are changed for the better. The photos presented at the SRF photo exhibition depict the daily life of rural Chinese farmers. The photo exhibition had a profound effect on the SAS community, with students becoming more aware of microfinance and its importance. “I feel like this is something that will make a deep impact in people’s minds,” said Jonathon Lau, grade 10. “People will definitely recognize the SRFs effort.” For more information about the SRF and microfinance, visit www.srfchina.org or contact the SRF at [email protected].

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LUKE KAO

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ACTIVITIES

30-Hour Famine raises over RMB 200,000By Jordan Ji, Grade 11, Pudong campus

It was the morning of the famine. We had already been fasting for over 12 hours when I arrived at school. But when I saw the leaders had only colored in the fundraising poster to the RMB 20,000 mark, I began to worry. Our fundraising goal was the highest it’s ever been — RMB 150,000. What if we didn’t meet it? Would our fasting be in vain? On March 2, SAS Pudong held its fifth annual World Vision 30-Hour Famine. Every year, a group of students and teachers fast, raising awareness and money to help World Vision combat world hunger. This year, a record 142 students took part in the event, participating in various activities throughout the evening, which taught us about limited resources and tainted water sup-plies. Later, we watched videos that gave us an insight on what life is like for the truly hungry. Going 30 hours without food didn’t seem bad at all after that. Just before midnight, students completed posters on what hunger meant to them, using only their non-dominant hands to simulate having to make do with a lack of resources. After completing these thoughtful messages, the doors to the cafeteria opened, and famished participants finally got to eat. The best part was not only enjoying the delicious food so gener-ously donated by our sponsors, Pistolera and California Pizza Kitchen, but also the fact that no one seemed to mind that the line-up and last-minute thank you’s meant waiting a few extra

PHOTO BY MICKY WONG

Top: 142 hungry high school students thanking sponsors and

donors after participating in the 30-Hour Famine.

minutes to “officially” break their fast. A few people even men-tioned that they wouldn’t mind fasting for a few more hours! As for fundraising? It turned out that everyone was just waiting until the afternoon to turn in their donations. When the total was added up, we were shocked, then ecstatic. Not only did we greatly surpass our goal, but we also collected the largest sum of money that any student-run organization on campus has ever raised! This year, 30-Hour Famine collected a whopping RMB 200,000 (and counting), enough to feed over 1,000 starving children for an entire month. None of this would have happened without the dedication of our 30-Hour Famine leaders and supporters, and the positive guidance from Mr. Gould and Mrs. Rosen. We also owe our thanks to the teacher chaperones and food sponsors, Pistolera and California Pizza Kitchen, for truly making this event a community one. But most of all, thank you to our participants and donors — you’ve helped us make a mark in the fight to end world hunger.

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Conferencing — a game everyone can playBy Sarah Toa, Elementary school literacy coach, Pudong campus

As the literacy coach, I am in the fortunate position to be able to see many of your children, and their teachers, at work and play on a daily basis. Recently I went into a teacher’s class where students were all reading, and I whispered to one child, “Where is your teacher?” “She’s on vacation” he replied, and then pointed over his shoulder. There was the teacher sitting on the floor with a Ha-waiian style lei, or wreath, around her neck. “Vacation!” I exclaimed. “What do you mean?” To which he replied, “She’s conferencing, we are not allowed to interrupt her!” Another teacher in our school puts on a cowboy hat to show that she is conferencing. Her five-year-old students are very seri-ous about not interrupting during this special time; they keep writing independently. Conferencing is an important part of the Readers and Writ-ers Workshop. It is essential for all students to know when a teacher is conferring with a student, that student will get the teacher’s full attention. It is also an important reminder to the rest of the class that reading or writing time is dedicated to just that — reading and writing. A number of our teacher assistants have been attending staff development sessions to investigate best practices when confer-ring with students during Readers and Writers Workshops. Learning how to begin conversations, complimenting the child on what he or she is doing well, and teaching certain skills and strategies, are all essential skills. During the sessions, the TAs discussed how to decide the best approach for an individual child, how to think about the next step(s), and what specific language to use. The teacher as-sistants were enthusiastic in their learning, which they found to be a challenging and empowering process. Congratulations to our hard working elementary staff: whether they are wearing a lei or a cowboy hat, they are there for your child, and that is what really matters.

ACTIVITIES

PHOTO BY SARAH TAO

the com-pleted Readers and Writers Workshop staff development sessions.

PHOTO BY SARAH TOA

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ACTIVITIESShanghai American School Performing Arts Center presents

Shanghai Dance Company

TWO STAGE SISTERS

Tickets available:HS, ES, and PAC offices, Tel: 6221-1445 ext. 2551, www.tinyurl.com/puxipac

RMB 200 (adults), RMB 100 (students)

SAS Puxi Campus, 258 Jinfeng Road, Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai

FRIDAYAPRIL 20, 20127:30 p.m. A Century of Tradition


Established 1912

Two lives torn apart by revolution

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PHOTO PARADE

Summer reverieBy Taylor Hayden, Marketing and Communications assistant

The longer I’m in Shanghai, the less homesick I feel. However, with all of these dreary not-quite-winter and not-quite-spring days, I find myself looking back at photos from warmer seasons in one of my favorite places on Earth. If you’re from Michigan, you probably know all about the culture of “Up North.” For Michiganders it can be as close as 45 minutes away or as far as eight hours, but Up North means your vacation spot on one of the many inland lakes or, if you’re lucky enough, a spot on one of the Great Lakes. These photos are from St.

Ignace, where my family has a cabin on Lake Michigan, and if I look at them long enough I can almost feel the sand between my toes.

Photo Parade is a regular feature that presents images from students and other members of the SAS community. If you’d like to submit

and a short introduction (around 200 words) explaining the context and selection of the images to [email protected].

Families gather at the sand dunes for picnics and swim-ming in Lake Michigan.

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The Eagle | March 23, 2012 25the Lower Peninsula to the UP, a nickname used by locals for the Upper Peninsula.

The tree-lined driveway leading to the cabin is always a welcome sight after the four-hour drive it takes to get Up North from my hometown of DeWitt.

Michigan.

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ACTIVITIES

Puxi Aqua Eagles are Shanghai championsBy Jon Biros, Aquatics Director, Puxi campus

This is as tough as the competition gets in Shanghai, with China International Schools Sports Association and Shanghai International Schools Activities Conference schools (13 teams in all) fielding up to 12 of their top swimmers in each of the five age groups. This was the largest Shanghai Swim League Championships yet, with 420 swimmers involved. SAS Puxi captured first place overall and first place in both boys and girls. Well done Puxi Aqua Eagles … you are the champions! The day had countless nailbiting heats, in some cases tenths of seconds was all that separated 1st and 6th place. The relay match ups got the swimmers and spectators off their seats and cheering wildly. Puxi’s greatest competition came largely from SAS Pudong. In most cases, only seconds separated our two teams. So closely matched were the 8 & under boys that it was too hard to call with the naked eye. In the midday medley relay, Pudong edged out Puxi 1:25.54 to 1:25.98, so we headed into the meets final event, the freestyle relay, with great anticipation. And true to form, a finish too close to call. When the waves subsided, analysis of the touch pad time, button time, stop watch time, and visual placement took place. Pudong’s 8 & under boys had edged out

Puxi by 3/100th of a second (1:12.58 to 1:12.61). What a race to cap of a fantastic day of racing. Eighty-five percent of our Puxi swimmers place in the top six in their events and scored points for their team; that’s a superb achievement considering the level of competition.

Combined Team Scores 1. SAS Puxi: 7232. SAS Pudong: 590.53. Shanghai Community International School HQ: 216.5

Congratulations to all 60 SAS Puxi swimmers and season 3 coaches Jon Biros, Tony Cao, Corry Day, Vera Day, Andy Jin, Emilia Pelone, Bogdan Sorica, and Maria Velasco. And a titanic THANK YOU to the 65 volunteers and officials that help run the meet. Coming up is IS Bangkok, SAS Spring Sprints, and Hong Kong Mantas to close out season 3. For all swim meet results and details including our Candy Cane Puxi-Pudong meeting in January, check our blog at http://teachers.saschina.org/sasaquaticscenterpuxi.

PHOTOS BY ALWIN BERGMANN

. Top: Left to right, Fabien Ma, Chris Chen, Tristan So, and Ray-mond Song (15 and over freestyle relay team) placed 2nd just 2.5 seconds behind SAS Pudong. Above: Isabelle Lee, Madison Yeung (SAS Puxi), and Phoebe Yeh (SMIC) collecting medals in 8 & under events.

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Tri-cities Cup — Puxi Varsity girls triumphantBy Chris Schuster, Varsity girls soccer coach, Puxi campus

Game 1: SAS Puxi vs. British International School Shanghai Puxi The first game of the Tri-cities Cup started with two SAS Puxi goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Puxi Eagles came out flying when sweeper Kiana Miller scored her first of the sea-son from a direct free kick outside the box. Her shot went over the wall and came down just under the crossbar. Freshman star Marina Siu, who plays central midfield, set up striker Melissa Krassenstein a few minutes later with a sweet through ball that Melissa hit first time into the back of the net. Things calmed down a bit after that but the Puxi Eagles controlled the entire game. The second half offered multiple scoring chances but none came to fruition. Goalkeeper Manasi Menon remained largely untested as the defense held up strong. What a way to start the weekend! Final score: 2-0 to the Puxi Eagles.

Game 2: SAS Puxi vs. GuangzhouPlaying against a largely unknown team is always a challenge, and in the first half against Guangzhou it appeared to be a fairly balanced match, with the teams sharing control of the game. Goalkeeper Manasi made her best save of the season and the defense proved it has the ability to stay strong under pressure. The Puxi Eagles, however, were able to strike first when the left midfielder, Jessica Lu, put Melissa Krassenstein’s cross into the back of the net. Jessica nearly added her second of the game a few minutes later when she made her patented move around the defense and shot upwards in the goal, but the Guangzhou goalie came up huge and made her best save of the game. The second half proved largely unproductive for both teams. Manasi made another great save to keep the Eagles in the lead but the feeling after the game was that the whole team could have played better. “I feel like we played at about 60% of our potential,” Coach Van Dijk said after the game. No one disagreed. Final score: 1-0 to the Puxi Eagles.

Game 3: SAS Puxi vs. SAS PudongThe first inter-SAS match-up of the season was an intense but

goalless battle. Both defenses stepped up and for the most part, shutting the other side down. Our forwards struggled to find the net and too many touches resulted in goal kicks and corners. Notable attacks included multiple shots from center midfielder Jocelyn Chen and scoring opportunities from vice-captain Emily Zhang. The story of the day was our defense, where Marilyn Cheong showed she can play sweeper with the best of them. In defense, Yurina Roche, Carolyn Chow, and Yi-Ting Lee all marked Pudong out of the game and continued to clear the ball up field. Manasi came up with two huge saves, including stop-ping a bullet off an unmarked player from a corner. When the final whistle blew, we knew we had unfinished business in the finals the next day. Final score: 0-0.

Game 4 (final): SAS Puxi vs. SAS PudongThis game started well before our squad even crossed the river. The portable speakers on the bus began blasting “Titanium,” the team song, on the outskirts of Zhudi town, adding to the games, serious strategy talk, and excitement that already filled the bus — we were energized and ready to play. And when the whistle blew to start the game, that is exactly what we did. Our attack was determined to put more pressure on the Pudong goalkeeper in the first half, and the result was another Jessica Lu goal. We nearly added a second in the closing minutes of the half after a direct free kick from Kiana Miller proved difficult for the keeper. Unfortunately, the pressure came late and Pudong escaped the half down by only one. Our defense continued where it left off the day before with strong performances from the entire back-line. Manasi was again solid between the posts, and managed to keep a clean sheet despite a few testing shots from Pudong. The team played its heart out and the coaches were impressed with the intensity and level of effort from the entire team. Keep it go-ing, we only get better from here! Final score: 1-0 to Puxi Eagles.

Final result: SAS Puxi are Tri-cities Cup champions!

ACTIVITIES

PHOTO BY ZELDA LIM

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A Century of Tradition


Established 1912

Lucky draw tickets will be given out at the door.Formal attire required.

This is an adult only event.

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SAS Puxi PTSA

2nd Annual Garage Sale

Are you moving? Want to revamp your wardrobe? Then come to the garage sale on Saturday, May 19,

big cafeteria. SPACE IS LIMITED! Registration is on a

would like to donate items without having your own booth, stop by and drop off your items at the River of Hearts booth on the day of the event.

Entrance fee: RMB 100 for an individual tent with two tables. Please contact Christine Koh at 1366-189-3932 or [email protected] if you have any questions.

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MENU

MON, APR 9 TUE, APR 10 WED, APR 11 THU, APR 12 FRI, APR 13Pan fried chicken breast with cheese and tomato

Pork teriyaki¸ spinach rice, carrots and corn in butter

Vegetarian

Spring rolls with steamed rice

Dessert

Fruit pudding

Spaghetti chicken meatballs in red sauce

Beef stripes in creamy soy-ginger sauce (ES mini beef steaks), seamed rice, sautéed bok choy

Vegetarian

Spring onion and veggies jiao zi

Dessert

Butter cake

Pork roast with crispy onion and brown sauce

Chicken schnitzel, potato salad/mashed potatoes, mixed butter veggies

Vegetarian

Cabbage rolls

Dessert

Popsicle

Beef goulash

Chicken in black bean sauce (ES herb plain pan fried chicken breast), steamed rice, sautéed green peas

Vegetarian

Veggie burger

Dessert

Brownies

Salami pizza

BBQ chicken wings, steamed rice, seasonal greens

Vegetarian

Eggplant and tomato lasagna

Dessert

Apple tart

MON, APR 16 TUE, APR 17 WED, APR 18 THU, APR 19 FRI, APR 20

Chicken teriyaki

Grilled pork sausages, jacket potatoes/steamed rice, mixed vegetables

Vegetarian

Fried vegetable udon noodle

Dessert

Coconut pudding

Sliced pork sandwich melt

Hash steaks with mush-room sauce, steamed rice, sautéed green beans

Vegetarian

Spinach quiche

Dessert

Marble cake

Chicken marinated in cumin and garlic

Pan fried beef steaks, black beans, steamed parsley, mixed vegetables

Vegetarian

Bee hoon fried w/ onions and peppers

Dessert

Profiteroles au caramel

Fish sandwich on ciabatta and coriander mayo (ES fish fingers)

Fried rice noodles stir fry with chicken¸ oven roasted potato wedges, cauliflower and carrots

Vegetarian

Fried rice with lentils and curry

Dessert

Triple color Jell-O

Shepherd's pie

Chicken Parmiggiana in chunky tomato sauce, jacket potatoes/steamed rice, roasted pumpkin

Vegetarian

Pizza-salad

Dessert

Apple and cinnamon strudel

Eurest Food Technologies, cafeteria phone extensions: Pudong campus – 3293, 3290; Puxi campus – 2561

MON, MAR 26 TUE, MAR 27 WED, MAR 28 THU, MAR 29 FRI, MAR 30

Country sausage sand-wich w/ fried onions and home made ketchup

Crispy chicken with teriyaki sauce, rosemary roasted potatoes/steamed rice, sautéed spinach

Vegetarian

Curry lentils

Dessert

Sago milk pudding

Egg and garlic beef fried rice

Sweet and sour pork, sautéed soy sauce bok choy, steamed rice

Vegetarian

Veggie mapo tofu

Dessert

Carrot cake

Chicken fillet in basil butter and sliced toma-toes

Beef sautéed in cumin and onions (ES breaded beef fillet), steamed rice, mixed veggies

Vegetarian

Bell peppers stuffed with rice

Dessert

Crème caramel

Steamed fish fillet with lemon (ES fish and chips)

Fried chicken noodles¸ steamed rice

Vegetarian

Vegetable curry

Dessert

Jell-O

Hash steak topped w/ fried onions in brown sauce

Chicken mushroom pasta, oven roasted potato slices, seasonal greens

Vegetarian

Spinach cheese pizza

Dessert

Apple pear strudel

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ACTIVITIES

Upcoming EventsPUDONG

March

23 James Gurney visit (author-illustrator)

23 Quiz night 7:00-10:00 p.m., Kerry Parkside Hotel, Jinqiao

29 John Jacobson (PD Days keynote, visiting practitioner – Service Learning, composer/choreographer), LLH

29-30 Dr. Trish Lindberg, visiting scholar (PSU)

30 Tom Schimmer, (PD Days keynote, visiting practitioner – Assessment), LLH

April

2-6 Spring break

12-13 Half day school for students

19 ES Treat Day

21 Centennial Gala, Peace Hotel

23-27 Student council elections

23-27 Earth week

25 PTSA spring luncheon, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Lost Heaven (The Bund)

26 Spring concert, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

30 May break

PUXI

March

23 EARCOS supported Faculty Literacy Coaches Institute (ES), 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

23 MS drama performance, Robin Hood, 3:30-5:00 p.m., and 7:00-8:30 p.m., PAC

23-24 Shanghai Student Film Festival, 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. and 9:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m., PAC and various campus locations

26-28 James Gurney visit (author-illustrator)

29 Tom Schimmer, (PD Days keynote, visiting practitioner – Assessment), PAC

29-30 Dr. Trish Lindberg, visiting scholar (PSU)

30 John Jacobson (PD Days keynote, visiting practitioner – Service Learning, composer/choreographer), LMC

April

2-6 Spring break

11 MS principal coffee, 10 a.m., LMC

12 MAP testing (grade 6,7,8)

12 MS parent conferences, MS Gym

12-13 Half day school for students

12, 17, 18 MS ERB testing

13 MS parent conferences, MS Gym

18 PTSA general meeting

20 Shanghai Dance Company, Two Stage Sisters, 7:30 p.m.- 9:00 p.m., PAC

21 Centennial Gala, Peace Hotel

26-27 HS Dance Concert, Passion, 7:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., PAC

30 May break

Four seats on the SAS Board of Directors will be up for elec-tion from April 19 to May 9, 2012. An additional seat is up for appointment at the end of May. School Board members serve a two-year term with an optional one-year term exten-sion. Refer to Policy 2.204 online for details on the optional term extension for elected and appointed seats. The filing deadline for the School Board election is Thursday, March 29, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. Applications received after 5:00 p.m. on March 29 and incomplete applica-tions will not be honored. If you are interested in becoming a candidate you will need to download a 2012 School Board Candidate Filing Packet. You may also request a hard copy by contacting Kim Lange, assistant to the Board, at [email protected] or 6221-

Call for self-nominations for seat on the SAS Board of Directors1445, ext. 2255. Please also contact Kim with any questions about the application process. Persons seeking more information or wishing to discuss the role further are invited to contact any of the current sitting Board members or to send an email to [email protected]. In order to become a candidate for election, one must be a current Association member, expect to be an Association member for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years, and be recommended by two other current Association members. Candidates for appointment are not required to be Association members. To download documents, and to find more information, please go to www.saschina.org and click on the self-nomination item under Latest News.

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eagle march 23 2012

Documents

pudong venue

pudong campusmeeting

fringe pudong alicia

pudong campuspuxi venue

wife mona

real passions

puxi campuskerry center

life kerry jacobson