Hornbill March 2015

March 2015 • Hornbill

March 2015 • Volume 19 • Number 2

MISSIONThe International School of Kuala Lumpur

provides an exceptional education that challenges each student to develop the

attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a highly successful, spirited, socially

responsible global citizen.

1965 - 2015

I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r A Great Way to Volunteer

In the last article from the Board our Chair, Saif Malik, wrote about embracing change for a brighter future and part of that includes new committee and Board members to join a team that can help ISKL grow and flourish for years to come. Are you an ISKL parent? Have you ever considered getting involved in the non-profit sector? Perhaps you have already served on other non-profit Boards or have the ability, aspiration, commitment and engagement that makes you a perfect fit? Have you ever thought of ways that you wanted to “give back” to the school? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

AbilityOur Directors and committee members

come with a wide range of skills to create a diverse and valuable team. That’s what makes our Board so strong: the diversity that is offered with a number of various and different skills. Our Board strives to have complementary skills so that we share a wealth of expertise.

AspirationDirectors have a passion for education,

want to give back, embrace the unique learning opportunity of a non-profit school Board, are team players and enjoy being ambassadors for the school.

CommitmentBoard members willingly give of their

time. They are dedicated to ISKL and to it meeting its mission of exceptional education including delivering a new campus. As Board members we have to remind ourselves to look to the future and govern for all students rather than advocating for just our own children. There are committee meetings, such as the Finance Committee, Talent Committee, Strategy and Vision, Governance and Compliance, and Project Oversight Committee. These usually meet about once a month. There are also seven Board meetings and a retreat during the year. It does take time and commitment, but the intrinsic value and satisfaction of “giving back to our community” makes it a great experience for those who serve.

EngagementA perfect example of recent Board

Engagement in action is the Head of School, Dr Norma Hudson, hiring our new Director of Strategic Development. This was a springboard from the Strategy

and Vision Committee and based on an identified need: the new campus. The Strategy and Vision Committee was made up of members from the Administration team, the Board and Society members. Their primary purpose was and is to look to the future and project ISKL’s position among the competitive international school market. Using data from around the region, the Strategy

& Vision Committee defined ISKL’s direction. One of the components was to add a Director of Strategic Development to lead ISKL on our journey to a successful development campaign.

We welcome our new Director of Strategic Development, Charles Davis III, who started at the beginning of March. Thinking in terms of Advancement is new to ISKL but not new to many other independent schools in East Asia and around the world. We are confident that he will bring ISKL new perspectives and ideas on alternative sources of school funding, and help spread the “good word” about ISKL throughout our region.

Board members play a key role in ISKL’s present and future. Our present actions are primarily on the new campus while still remembering and concentrating on the efforts of the current campus and how ISKL can better meet its mission of exceptional education.

ProcessBoard elections take place at the

AGM due to be held on August 25, 2015. Nomination forms will be due, August 5, the day after the first day of school so better to prepare in advance. During the coming months we will have a few information sessions for those interested in being

By Kelly O’Hale, ISKL Board Secretaryon behalf of the Board of Directors

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March 2015 • Hornbill elected to a three year term. Please check Panther News and the school calendar for details. Come learn more about being an ISKL Board member, what it entails, and how to apply. Another great way to prepare is to visit the Board website for details on the election process and much more. I will be coordinating the recruitment of potential candidates so feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Serving on a CommitteeLastly, 2015 / 2016 is a great year to put

your name forward for committee work. Currently we know of only two director spots that will be vacant at the 2015 / 2016 Board elections. Serving on a committee will introduce you to Board work and is a good way to transition to running for the Board. As our Board members are on a three year term there will potentially be more opportunities to join the Board for the 2016 / 2017 school year. Committee work continues throughout the school year with committees meeting approximately once a month early morning or evening. Please contact me at [email protected], to make your interest known.

A warm thank you to all past and current Board members, committee members, PTA officers, and all other parent volunteers for all that you have done and continue to do to make ISKL a special school. Together we create a positive environment and that helps ISKL meet its vision for our students. Let’s all continue our valuable work and show our school spirit.

In closing, the Board looks forward to celebrating ISKL’s 50th Anniversary and remains optimistic about celebrating many more anniversaries. As a community, we can make a difference and ensure that ISKL continues to influence students to become highly successful, spirited, socially responsible global citizens; our mission.

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r

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Congratulations, ISKL! Over a year ago ISKL began making plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary in true style… which has now become a reality. Our 50th anniversary celebratory weekend is a few weeks away. It is exciting for our community to be a part of ISKL’s 50th Anniversary on April 9-12, 2015. A myriad of activities are slated and we are pleased

to welcome over 200 alumni back “home” joining with our students, parents, faculty, staff, and other invited guests to be a part of our 50th anniversary celebrations!

The excitement around this significant event has been building throughout this academic year as students prepare for the celebrations in April. Each division

wil l hold a special assembly to honor the past with student performances, stories of the history of the school, and birthday cake! As well, nearly 200 students will perform over the course of the 50th Anniversary weekend at Stalls Night and the Gala evening to showcase their talents through music.

T h e I S K L A l u m n i department “Welcome Reception” on Thursday, April 9, invites all alumni to kick off the long weekend celebration. Over 200 alumni have already registered to

attend this welcome event at the Renaissance Hotel.

Friday morning, April 10, there is an “Alumni Welcome Program” at the ISKL Robert B. Gaw Theatre from 10-12 followed by a luncheon for our visiting alumni. The morning program will honor the former heads of school who have successfully lead ISKL through the years and focus on life at ISKL as shared by our alumni. It will also include a pictorial walk through ISKL

The year 2015 is a significant milestone for ISKL as we celebrate 50 years of a rich and varied history and move towards the future with renewed energy and the inception of a new state of the

art campus. With a modest start in 1965 in an old palace on Jalan Maxwell, under the tutelage of the first head of school,

Robert Fendley and with 48 students, the school grew rapidly doubling anticipated enrollment in its very first year. Robert Fendley’s time was marked with start up issues on recruiting suitable faculty, obtaining instructional materials and adapting a viable school calendar. In all these efforts he was ably helped by office manager, Dixie Wai. Dixie’s expertise in many situations helped make the growth of ISKL in those early years a smooth effort.

In 1967 Al Chudler travelled from Los Angeles with his family to take over as the new head of school. Al Chudler inherited from Robert Fendley a school where not only was enrollment rapidly increasing due to the influx of oil companies, but there was budgetary challenges in view of currency fluctuations, termites, snakes infesting some of

ISKL's First 50 Years • From Humble Beginnings to a Bright Future

By Dr. Norma Hudson, Head of School


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history as seen through the yearbooks, give recognition to long term staff and faculty, and provide an opportunity to reminiscence and share memories.

Also on Friday, a group of over 80 alumni will be visiting the original ISKL campus site on Jalan Maxwell and the new campus site on Jalan Ampang Hilir. This is a wonderful chance for our alumni to see the old, the current, and the new campuses all in one afternoon!

Friday evening our entire community is coming together for a Malaysian Stalls Night on the Ampang campus from 7 pm to 10 pm. The Stalls Night brings alive our host country through dance, music, food and other activities, including performances by our current students and an alumni band. Currently, over 290 people are attending this fun-filled night which will conclude with fireworks over the soccer pitch.

Saturday morning, April 11, a group of our alumni are participating in a bus tour to see the KL sights, which is great for those that have not been back to the city in many years. KL has certainly changed over the years with its expanded growth.

On Saturday night, we will be celebrating the focal point of the weekend, the ISKL 50th Gala Celebration at the Shangri-La Hotel KL. Over 680 parents, alumni, faculty,

staff, former leaders, and friends will be present to pay respect to the past, present, and future of ISKL. The program will include a tribute to the ISKL 50th Book, recognition of our honored guests, special music by ISKL Singers, a few speeches, a video highlighting 50 years of ISKL, dinner, and then entertainment that includes many people within our parent community who will wow us on the catwalk with collections from top Malaysian Designers, music and dancing. It promises to be a fun-filled evening for all!

Many, many thanks to everyone who is making this weekend a reality. There is a saying, “It takes a village

to raise a child,” and our “village” has certainly come together in a collaborative spirit to make this event special for all. Everyone who has played a role for the weekend celebrations will be acknowledged in our Anniversary program. Spearheading the efforts for the weekend are Bridgette Miller for Alumni, Anne Baillie and Katie Milton for Malaysian Stalls Night, Emily Salim for the ISKL Commemorative Book, and Anna-Marie Pampellonne for the Gala Evening.

As we celebrate ISKL’s rich history and present achievements, we look forward to the next fifty years of meeting our mission for our students on our new campus!

the school building and the 1969 riots that threatened the school activities with closure. Overcoming these and many other obstacles, Al Chudler saw the first group of five graduate the full school program in 1970.

In 1970 Chudler handed over the school baton to Robert B. Gaw. It was under Robert B. Gaw’s leadership that ISKL moved to its present campus. In 1992 the elementary school moved to the current Melawati campus and in 1995 the high school moved into its new wing at the Ampang campus.

The past fifty years resonate with stories, circumstances and personalities that have all helped build and shape ISKL into what it currently stands for, “an exceptional education that challenges each student to develop the attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a highly successful, spirited, socially responsible global citizen.” Growing on our rich heritage, ISKL now looks forward to taking decisive steps into another chapter with a new campus uniting all three divisions, improving facilities and bringing together people who will continue the commitment that started it all; to teach and to learn in an ever-evolving and changing world.


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By Cheyenne Tang '17 “Can I steal your idea?” was the first thing out of our dance

adjudicator’s mouth when our IASAS Dance Team sat down for a post performance debrief and analysis session. Not only was that high praise, but this, coming from Frantic Assembly, the choreographers of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night,’ currently on Broadway and the West End, was a thrilling affirmation for our efforts this year at CulCon.

The Cultural Convention is an annual event that showcases each IASAS school’s high level Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Forensics and Debate. As a second year IASAS dance delegate, I am at the middle of my IASAS Cultural Convention Career. With three seniors on the dance team leaving this year (two of them being 4 year IASAS delegates), I am starting to feel the emotional impact of being a part of this talented community. When you attend the Cultural Convention, you are able to create bonds with students from other IASAS schools through the process of sharing something we are all passionate about, making this experience even more memorable than it already is at our own schools. Seeing this mix of people once a year with such passion for the art they create, whether it be visual art, drama, dance, and even the tech behind each piece, strengthens the friendships created.

This year, our performance piece was inspired by the idea of iconic photos and the emotional impact they have on the viewer. We intended to portray what was behind each photo rather than merely recreate the photo, covering the historical, economic, entertainment, political, and societal aspects of life. The photographs featured included Ellen’s Oscar Selfie, Tank Man in Tiananmen Square, Marilyn Monroe, Afghan Girl, Iwo Jima, and Lunch atop a Skyscraper. Each photograph was referenced in the dance in a creative and dramatic way, while focusing on the emotional impact of our dancing. Our dance ajudicator said “You did a really good job of discovering the stories that pop out of those images, which were great. It’s such a beautiful idea. I’m sure I’m going to steal it at some point in my career. It’s such a great concept. Your choices of photos were very clever.”

Our performance opened with a bang, showing the high energy of our modern society and how it revolves around technology, specifically the ‘selfie’. We also compared the Ellen selfie with the other iconic photos, questioning what makes it so iconic. There is no story behind the selfie; no meaning behind what happened - so why is it the most retweeted photo, destined to be one of the most iconic photos of all time? Our interpretation was that we all related to the photo seeing that celebrities are exactly like us and they are normal people, taking a goofy selfie at a special event. Another dance adjudicator at our session, Karen Lacey, said that the selfie dance was so ‘relevant and current.’ “It was a great opening and really set us up for what was going to come. Such a really wise choice and it had that really unexpected moment when the photo came up in the back. You took us in on this one level and then you gave us that amazing contrast of the tanks, making the audience adjust for what more was to come ”

We purposely contrasted the high energy of Ellen’s selfie with the intensity of the tanks in our Tiananmen Square dance. Heroism and determination was the main idea for this dance.

ICONIC Experience at the IASAS Cultural Convention You Jin Reo, one of the 4 year delegates, was featured as the Tank Man, facing the tanks with ultimate courage and defiance.

Then it was time to reveal the most iconic images of all time: Marilyn Monroe’s skirt blowing above her knees at the train station. We chose to start off with the more vulnerable

side of Marilyn, which our adjudicators said was ‘beautifully done’ by Alexandra Flynn, Isabella Glanznig, and Isabelle Mott. Each dancer embodied Marilyn Monroe’s misery and sadness throughout the progression of her career. They were then joined by the rest of the dancers to represent the bombshell characterization of Marilyn, and how she was able to put on a show when the lights came on, despite her inner conflicts.

Similarly, Emilie Indreberg took on the role of Afghan Girl, the famous photo of the girl with the piercing green eyes. Emilie mesmerized the audience with her amazing rhythmic gymnastic routine, much like the Afghan Girl did herself when that famous photo was taken. The photos before and after that photo showed the inside of the tented classroom she was sitting in with

several of her classmates. Our dance portrayed the stunning beauty that emitted from that rustic setting.

Teamwork, struggle and victory was shown in our next dance, Iwo Jima. Completely in silhouette lighting, our bodies illustrated the hardships of the soldiers who were so exhausted from the war that it took 6 men to raise the flag in what has become, arguably, the most famous and parodied photo of all time. When we were performing in Singapore, the audience let out an audible gasp when the flag appeared in place. It was such a touching moment. “You did a very clever reveal and construction of your dance by bringing that flag out at that time. Your marrying of the technical elements with the movement was outstanding.”

Lastly, the publicity stunt of Lunch atop a Skyscraper was expressed through the idea of the risks that the steel workers took. During the Great Depression, these workers were so desperate, without any safety equipment, they agreed to be photographed doing dangerous stunts on10 centimeter wide planks 256 meters off the ground. The adjudicators said that we captured this piece perfectly with the combination of stunts and acrobatics as well as capturing the emotions.”.

Although our entire dance was extremely physical, in addition to the five costume changes we had, it was immensely enjoyable to perform. The satisfaction of hearing people comment on how fun and impressive the show was, how well we put it together and how amazing our energy was throughout the dance made our physical struggle worth it. Our team enjoyed performing both in KL and Singapore and we also enjoyed the various workshops and performances from the other schools at CulCon. It was, in a word, iconic.


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technicians began cueing in light and sound to fit the SAS theatre stage. With just an hour to rehearse at SAS, the cast and crew had to quickly familiarize themselves with the SAS stage. The performance received immense support and praise from all IASAS art, dance and drama participants in the audience for Cultural Convention, and can be added to the endless list of unforgettable Cultural Convention experiences that the IASAS Drama team experiences every year.This year’s IASAS piece began

with the script. The challenge was cutting it so as to not exceed the maximum 45-minute time slot for their performance at Cultural Convention. After having done this, the actors and technicians attended multiple rehearsals to practice scenes, confirm blocking, and delve deeper into the meaning of the script. After three showcase nights at ISKL, the team subsequently travelled to Singapore with their performance, bringing the set, props, costumes and light and sound cues on the 5-hour bus ride to cross the border. Upon arrival at SAS, the entire team began assembling the set and the

By Sharifah Selena Jamalullail ‘15This year ’s IASAS Drama

production was “Four Boxes”, a play written by the Iranian playwright, Bahram Beyza’i, in 1967. The story revolves around four characters that represent the different factions of society: the intellectuals, the clergymen, the merchants, and the laborers. In response to a “vague, unknown danger” the four characters decide to build a scarecrow to protect them from an external “danger”, however, it is quickly discovered that the scarecrow turns against the characters, and proceeds to gain control over them through the method of ‘divide and conquer’. The character of “The Author” serves the role of helping audience members follow the fast-paced story and twists in plot. The second act of the play reveals the four characters isolated in separate “boxes”, which the scarecrow has forced them in, however, the scarecrow is absent most of the second act. The author intended to reveal how this segregation was self-imposed by the different factions of society, who were only invested in upholding their own interests, despite being in a time of mutual hardship and oppression.

“Four Boxes” was written as an allegory of the social situation in Iran at the time. Banned from being shown in the country, several playwrights had to write through such means in order to have their scripts be approved by the government. Thus, several “closet dramas” appeared in Iranian theatre, which were coincidentally pieces written during the time of the Shah (leading up to the Iranian revolution), but were never performed on a stage. This year’s IASAS Drama team had the privilege of working with this script and performing at this year’s Art, Dance and Drama Cultural Convention at Singapore American School.

ISKL Performs “Four Boxes” by Iranian playwright, Bahram Beyza’i

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By Kevin Christensen, ISKL Middle School Music TeacherIn 1998, ISKL middle school band director, Lou Davey,

was looking for a way to connect the international schools to the local schools through music. With the assistance of Swee Khim Koh, a Yamaha instrument sales representative, she launched the first Kuala Lumpur Middle School Band Festival. While there are many opportunities for music students to compete, what made this festival different was that rather than being competitive, it was collaborative. Students from many schools would join together to perform as a mass band under the direction of a visiting conductor. Local schools jumped at the chance to take part and a great tradition was born.

One of the reasons for the success of this event is that it has been a collaboration between international and local schools, Yamaha Malaysia, and local musicians and music teachers who volunteer their time to lead instrument workshops. It is encouraging to see so many come together with the goal of supporting the development of Kuala Lumpur’s student musicians.

Over the years the festival has grown and evolved, but at its heart is still the same spirit of bringing people together

through music. On May 7 and 8, 2015, ISKL hosted the 13th KL MS Band Festival. Over 300 student musicians from 10 local and international schools attended this year’s festival. With so many student participants a single band is no longer possible, so musicians were divided into two levels of band and a percussion ensemble. Two guest conductors and 15 music tutors worked with the students for a day and a half before presenting a Gala Concert on Sunday afternoon.

As a special touch, honoring her recent retirement and the 50th Anniversary of ISKL, we invited festival founder, Lou Davey, to return to Malaysia to conduct one of the festival bands. Ms. Davey enriched the weekend through the remarkable qualities that have been the hallmark of her career: energy, enthusiasm, high standards, a love of music and most of all, an instant connection with the student musicians.

Through her initiative, Ms. Davey has fostered a collaborative community, one that is focused on mutual support and collaborative music making and learning. This is a legacy that will continue to impact the lives of students at ISKL and throughout Kuala Lumpur far into the future.

The 13th Kuala Lumpur Middle School Band Festival

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Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is an important component of our education at ISKL. The use of ESD varies from place to place but the essence is the same: building change-makers in our students who not only recognize the impact of human interaction with nature but also embrace the opportunity that this provides for a better world. It is the essence of global citizenship to which our mission statement espouses. On a more practical front what it means is that our students have the opportunity to connect to the global issues of the world, to analyze, project and "invent" the future they would like to see.

A case in point would be our Middle School. Grade 8 recently hosted its very first Climate Adaptation Day. This was a simulation day where students represented countries in addressing economically, socially and environmentally integrated issues. It was Model United Nations meets Global Issues Network all in one! On the day of the event students, dressed in their finest professional garb, represented national committees requesting funding for climate mitigation and adaptation projects around the world from organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Expert” representatives from these organizations (e.g. teachers and visitors in disguise) roamed the stands, rubrics in hand, and were given presentations from the country representatives related to climate trends, concerns and possible solutions. Finally, the funds were disseminated to the country representatives to a room full of applause.

Our grade 7 was likewise involved in simulations, but this time of a more specific and authentic nature largely based around their earth science curriculum. They were privy to an Ecology Symposium that included 11 speakers from organizations as varied as WWF Malaysia, Crops for the Future and Tetra Pak. Along with short presentations students were asked to role play situations and make decisions faced by the visiting experts on a daily basis. In any given session the students were treated to a short presentation on a given topic (e.g. sustainable fisheries, or migration of monarch butterflies).

Then, in a change of roles, the visiting expert would ask the students to role play being members of the visitor’s organization. Students in one WWF Malaysia session, for example, had to discuss and determine the way forward between Orang Asli (indigenous peoples of Malaysia), corporations and the government in a proposal to turn parts of the rainforest into a monoculture agricultural model. Other students had to create a marketing campaign to sell locally-produced fruit smoothies. Finally, the visitor provided feedback to the students on the manner by which such events define both what they do on a daily basis, and as part of a bigger picture. It was a great opportunity to connect with authentic and complex issues.

Grade 7 also had a chance to visit the University of

Nottingham (Malaysia) campus Crops for the Future Research Centre. The center's focus is the research of possible food sources in an

increasingly hot world with particular emphasis placed on tropical plants not currently forming part of the

agricultural mainstream. Organic foods were shared and tasted and conversations revolved

around the concepts of temperature and growth patterns and social benefits. These are things normally heard of in research journals and newspaper articles, but here were our seventh graders hearing and feeling it in person! They also had the chance to take temperature measurements of plants and

determine which species were most likely to survive in hotter environments. They did

their fair share of planting seeds as well, just to make sure they did their little bit in helping

things along. Our grade 6 students continue to inspire with

their service learning projects. So far different groups

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

ESD Big & Small in theMiddle SchoolBy Laurence Myers, ISKL Sustainability & Service Learning Coordinator

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have focused on limiting single-use plastic bottles on campus, health concerns regarding the availability of sugary and isotonic drinks, and energy savings while

dealing with dengue on campus. One particular group identified the recent floods on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia as a focus area. They determined that there was a need for support of children in the flood stricken areas and are working on generating funds to support NGOs on the ground with particular emphasis to pre-school children and their families. They were also integral in establishing “Flood Week”, a week-long awareness project on the floods and the damage they have caused.

Finally our new club, Transformers, was created to address sustainable changes to our physical campus. They researched ways to support our Ampang campus and created an action plan for expanding on the Malaysian Garden by planting more trees and flowers. They

are already working on developing the garden into a more interactive experience and they plan to incorporate planting and gardening across the campus, as well as beautifying the Malaysian Garden space. Perhaps it’s time to rename it into the Student Garden!

So you add that to an already packed list of activities – like the recent trip to Singapore for the MUN group, or the Student Council “Health Month” events in February, or the ongoing service projects – and we’ve got ourselves a constantly growing exposure to

ESD in everything that we do!So what do all of these events have to do with each other? They

are all intended to provide our students the opportunity to recognize the interconnections between social, economic, ecological and political dimensions of sustainable development and how it affects them. But more importantly it allows them to realize how they can affect sustainable development and 'plant the seed' by doing small things that build a more sustainable world.

With every passing year, ISKL is moving a bit further away from the idea of preparing “future” leaders and toward providing leadership capacity to change communities now. There is no reason to wait until our students get “to the real world.” They are already in the real world and an integral part of it. Giving them the opportunity, the capacity and the aptitude to make positive change, as well as allowing them the chance to recognize their personal and collective power to alter the world around them, provides us all with a solid direction and a hopeful future, now.

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of

difference you want to make. - Jane Goodall

Our Jane Goodall VisitIntroduction by Mrs. Wright, ISKL Elementary Teacher

In December the Roots and Shoots Club at Melawati were informed that they would have the opportunity to go and listen to Jane Goodall speak at the British

International School. To say the kids were thrilled, would be an understatement. The Roots and Shoots Club has been running at Melawati since 2008. Roots and Shoots which was started by Jane Goodall herself, is an activity where children can have a voice and choose projects that make a difference for the environment, people and animals. Over the years we have raised awareness about dugongs, supported the SPCA, partnered with the Kachin Refugee Center and campaigned against shark

finning. We were fortunate to hear Jane Goodall speak. Below is a summary of the lessons learned from Ms. Goodall through the eyes of our students who attended.

“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” - Jane Goodall

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March 2015 • Hornbill By: Zoe Beck and Lana Ong (on behalf of the Roots and Shoots Kids)

On January 29, 2015, the Roots and Shoots Club at Melawati and some high schoolers were invited to The British International School to hear Jane Goodall make a speech.

Jane Goodall told about her life, what persuaded her to help, and how it is important that we know that anyone can help, even us. Dr. Goodall told them that it was important to care for the environment because one day, because of all the pollution and climate change, the world as we know it might change forever. She said eventually there will be a day when it’s too late, but for now, the most important thing for us to do is try to delay that time.

Dr. Goodall explained to us that everyone is important, anyone can make a difference to make a positive impact and help the world. No matter how old you are, or where you are from, you can make a difference. Jane Goodall was inspired by noticing the world around her, the damage people do, but also the greatness of the world. She said that curiosity

is the key to understanding. When she was a child, everybody teased her because she asked so many questions. Nobody believed that a girl needed answers, or that even a girl could make a difference.

Jane Goodall said that when she was a child, her inspiration was somebody who always stood up for her. She didn’t scold her when she brought earthworms into her bed, or when she hid in the chicken coup for hours. This person was her mother, Margaret Myfanwe Joseph. When

Jane brought earthworms into her bed to sleep with her, her mother didn’t get even the slightest bit angry. She gently told Jane that the worms wouldn’t survive without dirt. Jane’s mother was the one who always encouraged her to keep trying. Even when it seemed that no one agreed with her. Ms. Goodall kept trying. And look where she is

now. She has helped chimpanzees, made the Roots and Shoots club a worldwide success and is now out in the world inspiring others to make a difference. Anyone can make a difference. Now what will you do?

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By Kevin Brawn, ISKL Director of Athletics & ActivitiesI’m not sure, purely from the standpoint of results, season one

would have been considered an overwhelming success. Yet entering season two there was a different feel around try-outs. The highlight of season one had to be the varsity girls soccer team winning the bronze medal on home turf, the first medal for the team in several years. But lost in the results of season one were some outstanding team and individual performances at both the varsity and JV level. The JV boys soccer team were almost unbeatable, playing against varsity age teams, there were some outstanding cross country results, the varsity boys volleyball team had another tremendous year, and other teams had multiple success through their ten week seasons.

So when try-outs for season two began it was no surprise that there was a different feel, a different expectation, and a sense of ‘we’re on the edge of something special’ kind of feel. As with all sports seasons, teams had their ups and downs, successes and failures, but throughout the season, there seemed to be an unshakable belief from teams that we are not just here to play but we are here to compete and there was no reason why we couldn’t be as successful as any one school at the ISAC and IASAS level. As the season began to wind

down, results began to come in. From all four basketball teams winning ISAC, to swimmers breaking ISAC records, to our first touch tournament victories over MKIS, there was a reason for the confidence early in the season and going in to IASAS there was certainly a quiet confidence about teams.

To be successful at the IASAS level a lot of things have to go your way. Having a favorable schedule helps, staying injury free, some breaks within the competition, but ultimately, success at the IASAS level takes perseverance. Teams need to be able to stay focused through the entire tournament and persevere through the inevitable lows a three-day tournament brings. But this season was different, there was a belief in ourselves and belief in each other and as girls soccer, boys volleyball and rugby have proven over the past couple of years, we can be successful and successful we were.

Following the results through the weekend, it became clear early on that the girls swim team was going to be in the mix for a medal. As the results kept coming in, there was certainly a buzz created around the basketball event. This also got players asking how other teams were doing and wondering, "when does rugby play again?’, ‘how is touch doing?’, ‘did Nadia swim today?’ From the gym in Taipei there certainly was a sense that swimming wasn’t the only result we were going to get. Those that followed the IASAS tournaments know there was adversity faced but in the end, the medals came. Beginning with a convincing bronze medal win from the varsity girls basketball team, their first IASAS medal in 17 years, followed shortly after with the girls swim team securing the bronze medal, teams then gathered around the computer to watch the varsity rugby boys take on JIS in the gold medal game which was dominated by a very skilled and confident ISKL team.

Success is contagious. Winning breeds winning. It is great to see weeks and months of hard work pay off and even better to see athletes believe they can win and to see the rest of the school believe in them.

SucceSS iS contagiouSISKL's 2015 IASAS Gold Metal Rugby Team

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Patrick Jonsson, Class of 2002 recently rubbed shoulders with the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton and Leonardo DiCaprio at the Academy Awards this year as composer of the original music for the feature documentary Virunga, nominated for the Best Documentary award. The ISKL community congratulates Patrick on his accomplishments and the high praise his film score generated in Hollywood and around the world. Although his professional music

career took off in a big way after he graduated from ISKL, Patrick acknowledges that the roots were sewn here at ISKL. Patrick's senior memory in his yearbook states, "The biggest things I take with me from ISKL are the friendships I made, and the skills I learned. Hopefullly someday there will be someone who will say, "Oh yeah, Patrick Jonsson, I remember that kid!" His hopes have certainly come true as all of his former teachers and ISKL friends said eactly that when he posted on Facebook about his nomination!

So how did an ISKL student go from our little band room under the tutelage of Jeff Taylor to international recognition for an amazing film score? We recently asked Patrick about his journey.

“When I graduated from ISKL my family moved to Czech Republic, and during that time I took a year off before going to university in order to practice guitar and try to get my performance level up to scratch. Thereafter I entered Berklee College of Music in Boston, where I eventually discovered that I wanted to focus on my main musical passion, Film Scoring, a 4 year BA degree.

While at Berklee I ran into my soon to be wife Lucia Lopez, who also graduated from ISKL. When we were at school together in Malaysia, we didn't really know each other that well, even though we were in the same grade. But as she was also studying in Boston (at Emerson College), we found each other, and after graduating we decided to move to London, UK, because it was closer to both our homes and there seemed to be a strong film industry there.

In London, I started out working as a recording/mixing assistant and later engineer at a music studio, mostly working with bands, while simultaneously working on short films as a composer in my free time. Working in a studio is where I learned the technical side of my trade, and thanks to this I was fortunate enough to be offered various jobs as an assistant to feature film composers. I worked on Thor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Brave during this time, among others. This experience was invaluable in terms of bringing many of the things I'd learned back into my own projects. I learned about workflow on bigger projects, dealing with orchestras, programming, and more.

I finally made the jump from scoring short films to feature films through relationships I'd formed with directors, and now I'm scoring films full-time and constantly trying to improve as much as I can. In 2014 I was lucky enough to be asked to score the feature documentary Virunga by the very talented director Orlando von Einsiedel who I'd worked with on several of his short films. The film went on to be nominated for an Academy Award this year.

Going to ISKL for 10 years and growing up in Malaysia have been such a big part of my life. It's where I discovered my love for music, many of my closest friends whom I'm still in close contact with, and it's also where I met my wife Lucia for the first time (although I didn't know it at the time!). The school and the country hold a very special place in my heart, so it's an honour for me to be recognized for my accomplishments from ISKL in this edition of the Hornbill. I hope by highlighting my journey it helps in some way to inspire ISKL students to go on and pursue whatever it is they love to do. My advice to aspiring artists and musicians is to be dedicated, work hard and follow your passion! If you want it bad enough your chance will come, so it's important that you've put in the groundwork so that you're prepared when the opportunity arrives. Most importantly, work with people you get along with and believe in - whether it's filmmakers or fellow musicians. The networks you build in school and in your working life will serve you for the long run.

Alumni Profile:

Patrick Jonsson, Class of 2002

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Patrick received top billing for his work on the Oscar nominated documentary film Virunga.


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Alumni Update ISKL Turns 50!

We are excited to be celebrating ISKL’s 50th Anniversary this year which culminates on the April 9-12, 2015 weekend. It is so exciting to have so many alumni coming back to campus (over 200) for the festivities! Alumni will be joining us for an Alumni Cocktail reception, Friday day program at ISKL Ampang campus, optional bus tours, and our 50th Anniversary Gala. Please know how much we value your history, stories and time at ISKL! Whenever you attended or taught at ISKL, your contributions are what have helped make ISKL what it is today. Welcome home!

50th WebsiteIf you were unable to join us for the 50th festivities, take a look at our

ISKL 50th website at www.iskl50years.org for a stroll down memory lane and brief history timeline of ISKL!

ISKL 50th Anniversary BookTo commemorate this amazing milestone of 50 years of ISKL, a

dedicated group of faculty alumni have worked tirelessly on a book chronicling the history of ISKL with memories spanning the decades that are ISKL. This book will be on sale for alumni on the weekend of ISKL’s 50th for RM55. Following the weekend, it will be on sale for parents on campus and at all major functions. All that attend the Gala will be receiving a complimentary book (one per family), but stock up on them for family and friends who would like to have this meaningful piece of ISKL history, as it has been issued in a limited edition. Thanks to Emily Salim, Lyn Thompson, Rosemary Chin, Leslie Muri, Joanne Mahendran, Paul Ubl, and Zaini Mohd Arrifin for all their countless hours to chronicle this history of ISKL! Limited books are on sale, so alumni please contact us at [email protected] if you are interested.

Save the Date - Houston ISKL GatheringSaturday June 27, 2015 starting at 6:30 p.m.

Join alumni for an informal alumni gathering at the home of alumnus David Watson '75. All alumni and current ISKL parents that are in Houston over the summer are invited. Address and Directions to David Watson’s home will be given following your RSVP. To RSVP email us at [email protected].

Please connect with us on our “Official ISKL Alumni Fan Page” on Facebook or on Twitter @isklalumni.

The Hornbill is a publication of the Board of Directors of the Society for the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), the organization composed of all parents of ISKL students. All families with students enrolled at ISKL receive it free of charge.

Board of Directors:Saif Malik (Chairman),

Omer Ehtisham (Vice-Chairman),Paul Rusch (Treasurer),

Kelly O’Hale (Secretary),Zahris Sham Abu Musa,

Andrew Davis, Lim Beng Guan, Edgard Kagan, San San Kee,

Helene Seiler, David Thomas, Frank Whitaker,

Dato’ Sri Johann Young

The International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia P.O. Box 12645,

50784 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTelephone Numbers:

(603) 4259 5600 (Ampang) (603) 4104 3000 (Melawati)

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.iskl.edu.my

Fax: (603) 4257 9044 (Ampang)Head of School • Dr. Norma HudsonMarketing Director • Hilda Alposilva

Editor, Design & Production • Paul S. UblProduction • Zaini Ariffin

Copy Editors:Anthony Hemmens & Bridgette Miller

KDN PERMIT NO.: PP 18374/01/2014(033757)

March 2015, Vol. 19 Number 2hornbillthe

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Hornbill March 2015