Introduction

Mums and dads, students, friends of Sotogrande International School, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Graduation of the Class of 2011 and Summer Concert. My themes for today are: opening minds, creating magic, learning together and making the difference.

This is always a very emotional ceremony when we recognise the outstanding achievements of our students over the last 12 months and when we celebrate the graduation of the class of 2011. I hope you all enjoy this special day. And now please welcome the most important people for today: the IB Graduating Class of 2011!

Nurturing Excellence - Exam results

I would to start with a look at some excellent achievements in examination results, a reflection of the strong academic standards at SIS.

IB

The IB class of 2010 achieved very good results with 99% passes in diploma subjects and an average score of 29.3 points. That is equivalent to nearly 3As at A-Level! 

There were some outstanding individual results, with Alex Charleson achieving the outstanding total of 41 points (equivalent to 2A* and 3As at A-level) and Alejandro Mateo Arduán achieving an excellent score of 36 points.

Perhaps the greatest measure of our success is that the vast majority of our IB graduates obtain places in their first-choice, top class universities across the world.

MYP

Last June we had our first cohort of MYP students graduating from M5. They truly lived up to their tag as pioneers! They achieved outstanding results, with an impressive average MYP score of 47.4 out of 63. Perhaps the most impressive achievement is that nearly 50% of all M5 students achieved the top subject grades of 6 and 7, (equivalent to A* or A at IGCSE) and 90% achieved grades 4-7 (equivalent to IGCSE A*-C). These are our best-ever equivalent scores. They will tell you it was hard work, but I think they will also admit that they were much better prepared for the IB diploma than any previous class.

There were some exceptional individual results with Mariana Norton Morenés obtaining the maximum possible score of 63 points (that’s equivalent to 9A*s at I/GCSE), our best ever individual equivalent score.

Two other students achieved 60 or more points, with Juan Manuel Cano López obtaining 62 points and Elena Micó Aldeguer obtaining 60 points.

And indeed, nine other students also achieved the excellent total score of 56 or more out of 63, they are: Rowan Charleson, Sebastián Sarmiento Mateo, Dana Tal, Guillermo Valle Pérez, Charles Abrines, Enrique Antolín Merino, Hannah Brown, Ayrton Hoole-Walker, Nicola Ramos Clarkson. (56 points is equivalent to 8A*s at I/GCSE!)

In a very positive indicator for future success in the IB diploma, 18 of the top 20 students from this cohort have remained at SIS for the diploma. This is our best ever retention rate of top students and means we have a very strong group now moving into D2. Expectations are high for the graduation class next year!

Campus development

Those of you who attended the presentations by our architects earlier this year will have seen the exciting developments for our new campus. We have always had the dream to expand our current ‘village in the woods’ into a larger ‘global learning village’. That is beginning to come to fruition! Renowned architects, Walter’s and Cohen, have taken our stunning location, our interesting terrain, our climate, the rich architectural heritage of Spain and Andalucia and merged that with the most modern thinking in educational and environmentally friendly architecture to produce our amazing ‘global learning village’.

Let’s have a quick fly thru to see the new campus

We will start by improving current buildings and facilities; including the pool and air-conditioning; for the new development we will use the concept of plazas as focus points; maintain current plaza, connect all areas with a covered learning pathway; move into second lively plaza where the theatre is at the heart of the campus; and onto the final plaza which is the tranquil, residential area.

As preparation for our anticipated growth there will be new facilities in place for next year. It is an exciting time for the school and we look forward to a promising future.

Other student achievement

I will now focus on student achievement across many different areas. Kurt Hahn, an extraordinary German educator, said, “Self-discovery is the end product of a great challenge mastered, when the mind commands the body to do the seemingly impossible, when courage and strength are summoned to extraordinary limits for the sake of something outside the self – a principle, an onerous task, another human life.” At SIS we exemplify self-discovery through physical activity, artistic endeavour and service learning and through those experiences we nurture active global citizenship and intercultural understanding.

Sporting Highlights

Let’s start with sport

We are committed to PE and sport as important aspects of educating the whole child. In the last 10 months, we have given a particular focus to that. In particular there have been some very important developments:

• The establishing of SIGA, our elite golf programme, has had a huge impact. The SIGA team has competed at the highest level, with our team and individual players winning most of the Andalucían competitions, and making an impact at national level, establishing SIGA as one of the best golf schools in Spain.

Our link with the Jason Floyd Golf Academy has also attracted some outstanding golfers to SIS with two national-level Italian players at SIS. Our golfers are ready to take on any golf team from around the world!

• The addition of Los Pinos playing fields has allowed us to expand massively the range of sports and activities because of these extensive very high quality grass pitches – we have already hosted three very popular events there and the quality of the venue has made us the envy of schools across Spain – and further afield. In the coming year, we will be developing football as an elite team sport and are in the process of registering teams in the local leagues.

• We have also signed agreements with the Spanish club Rugby Rocks and the Gibraltar Rugby Association to develop school and club competitive rugby in this area.

• SotoTennis Academy, an LTA-sponsored elite training programme based in Sotogrande, are developing top ATP tennis players from UK and Spain and we have signed an agreement with them to develop tennis in this region.

The future of sport is looking very bright at SIS.

Please have a look at the sporting highlights and our outstanding sportspeople of this year.

A special mention goes to seven students for their contributions and commitment to sports teams and events in SIS and for attaining high sporting standards in and our of school.

They are: Juan-Manuel Cano López, Matt Every, Pernille Johannsen-Pedersen, 

Camilla Moody, Will Moody, Isabella Tom and Elizabeth Waterous

Our sports and activities programme combine to create an enriching and rewarding experience for all. Many thanks go to all our staff and coaches who have made this possible.

Arts Highlights

SIS has always placed the Arts at the centre of the students’ experience to enable them to discover their unique talents and share them with others. The Arts play a key role in developing self-expression and intercultural understanding – and perhaps most importantly allow students to have lots of fun!

I mentioned before the new Theatre & Arts Centre which is the heart of the new campus. It consists of a state-of-the-art theatre, amphitheatre, dance studio and music and art workshops. This superb facility will enable us to expand our Arts programmes, beginning with our new enhanced Arts course, starting in September 2011. This reflects our passionate commitment to the Arts!

Highlights in the arts this year have been many: the intensity and sensitivity of the nine actors portraying sixty characters in the challenging documentary theatre piece, The Laramie Project, stunned us all; and the dynamic and vibrant Sotorox3 lived up to its reputation of being bigger, bolder and braver – and louder! And of course there were also the lovely primary school Christmas shows and Early Years end-of-year celebrations which are special highlights every year.

Please have a look at the Arts highlights and our outstanding artists from throughout this year. 

A special mention goes to six students for their outstanding contributions and commitment to the arts. 

They are: Sandra Beamer, Robert Duckworth, Juan Manuel Pérez Cuenca,

Fleur Webber, Annie White & Lily Williams.

Many thanks go to all the students who have inspired us so much in the arts and to the staff who have helped to make this possible.

Global Citizenship

In line with IB philosophy, SIS aims to develop the attitudes, attributes and behaviours that help develop internationally-minded people who, “recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, to help to create a better and more peaceful world”. Based on the principle of educating students for a life of active, responsible citizenship and community service, we aim to do this through a combination of service learning, development of critical and creative thinking skills and intercultural experiences.

In order to achieve our aims in global citizenship, we established our very own charitable organisation The Kindred Project. The mission of The Kindred Project is “To promote education as a force for good to help create a more peaceful world”. Our purpose is to offer young people a variety of opportunities to explore, discuss and work together on issues relating to human rights and sustainable social change, and to enrich the lives of children in need through education-related and micro-finance projects.

Some committed students are going to tell us about two special Global Citizenship activities at SIS. 

Flora Strauli will talk about the visit to Goa last summer.

Flora Strauli: Goa partnership

Namaste!

Last July, three teachers, six students and I visited Goa for three weeks, taking part in SIS’s third trip to India. We spent our time working with the Seva Trust and the 25 girls in the Aurora house orphanage as well as ten boys in the Chimbel orphanage, where we played games and helped the kids with homework.  Aurora house is a safe and secure home that SIS helped to purchase and renovate completely. The Chimbel orphanage on the other hand is a rough and unsafe place to live and the house is in desperate need of repair. Thankfully, the Seva Trust has been donated a large house in Mapusa, which we cleaned and painted.

As well as working with the Seva Trust, we opened a playground at the Urdu school in Chimbel slum, which houses over 20,000 people. After school hours, the playground will be used by other children living in the slum as it is the only one in the area. The purchase and installation of the playground was made possible by a generous grant from the Sir Peter Ustinov Foundation.

Two laptops for the Seva Trust were donated by SIS, and we spent some time introducing new software programmes to the children, however they are still lacking an internet connection. Funds for renovations in the new boys’ home and the two laptops were generated through another grant, this time from the European Council of International Schools. Overall, dramatic improvements have been made at the Seva Trust orphanages due to the fund-raising efforts here at SIS.  Thank you.  You really have brightened so many children’s lives

One student wrote, “Goa amazes me – worlds of differences with diverse cultures and happy people who often live and work in incomprehensibly impossible conditions.  Words cannot carry the emotion of hugs, smiles, smells, atmosphere, sharing and deep love ... how can I ever tell of my life here in Goa in just a few words?!  Hearts have been opened to us on this journey; I will leave mine here!”

Gabriela Montesino will talk about our Uganda partnership. Bryony Charleson will read a poem she wrote after returning from Uganda and Annie White will sing ‘Where is the Love’.

Gabriela Montesino: Uganda partnership

Throughout the Easter holiday earlier this year, 15 students, teachers and parents worked at the William’s Hill school in Masaka, southern Uganda. Masaka lies at the epicentre of the AIDS pandemic in Africa – in this area 1 in every 5 children is an AIDS orphan.  The William’s Hill school serves 250 AIDS orphans.

The SIS team painted virtually the entire school, taught, shared ideas and explored new activities with the children and staff  ... and introduced the Ecopodmobile microfinance project – an initiative developed by M4 students here at SIS. The Ecopodmobile project will help the boys to earn money to pay for their secondary school education – a dream that was once impossible.

The future is exciting!  In just four days, I will be in Uganda with five other SIS students, one member of staff Judy Harris and a parent Tim Lewis.  We will visit the Williams Hill School to continue our work on the microfinance project. Then we may travel to Gulu in northern Uganda, for a few days where we will introduce the microfinance project to former child soldiers to support work that is going on to help repatriate former child combatants.

It is good to lend a hand up ... not just to give a hand out! While this work is just a drop in the ocean ... as Mother Teresa once said, “Without these drops there would be no ocean!” Thank you all for most sincerely for your support in making positive change happen.  You are remarkable!

SIS student quotes
“Uganda is so different to what I thought it might be – it was just beautiful in so many ways!  How on earth do these people who have literally nothing - and barely know where there next meal is coming from - get up so early to work so hard in their fields and then always greet us all  so warmly with smiles and invitations ... are we missing something!? When I got back to Spain, I returned as a different person with one important mission ... to return to Uganda!” “Meeting all these new people has opened my mind. Friendships have been formed that will never be forgotten.  I can no longer go through life as a passive bystander.  These life changing experiences will live with me forever ... they have convinced me to have a career with an aid organisation.”

Live the Experience and Remember the Memories
By Bryony Charleson

Memories are created from experience
Experience is created from journeys
This journey is one that will never be forgotten
The memories will stay with me forever

Smiles of hope and happiness
A chain of long lasting friendships
A bond of trust, with a touch of a hand

The hard hitting reality is unbearable to imagine
But now they are safe and have a future
We are teaching them but most importantly they are teaching us

The goodbyes will be silenced because we will be seeing them again
Emotions are pounding inside
Thoughts are running through my mind

A country of beauty and poise
Vast spaces of endless grasslands, full of exotic wild life
Welcoming people and adorable kids

Life has changed and the journey will continue
If someone asked what it was like, I would say,
“Amazing, unforgettable, life-changing!”

A special mention goes to five students for their contributions and commitment to making the difference to the lives of others.

They are: Charlie Abrines, Bryony Charleson, Rowan Charleson, Gabi Montesino and Flora Strauli – they truly exemplify a passion for helping those in need and show the dedication to make things happen.

The SIS community has been very generous in supporting all the children we work with both locally and globally. I am delighted to report that we have contributed nearly €27,000 to help change people’s lives for the better. I would like to thank everyone for supporting these projects and for helping us to make friends and change people’s lives across the world.

Other activities that reflect the diversity of achievement at SIS

Our aim is, through diverse activities, to give students the opportunity to find their unique talent and be able to share that with others.  What takes our breath away is the way our students continue to inspire us with their talent, commitment and amazing ability to excel. 

Please look at the many other highlights from throughout this year. 

Staff

The students are the most important people in the school – they often move us to laughter or sometimes tears. However there are some people who nurture that talent, guide the students through the sometimes difficult journey from childhood to adulthood, maybe give them a shoulder to cry on or a comforting arm of support, or perhaps a word of praise or a cheer of acknowledgement. They help to open the minds of our students, create magic, inspire our students, and importantly help them have fun in their learning!

Many thanks go to a very special group of people – the SIS staff.

Thanks

Finally, I would like to thank the many parents and friends of Sotogrande International School who have supported us throughout the last year.

IB Graduation

I would like to make special mention of two long-serving students. We have two students who between them have been at SIS for 30 years. 

María Cano Francis – 14 years and Mark Smith – 16 years! Together they have contributed a huge amount to SIS: they take with them fond memories and great learning and leave behind a lasting impression.

We now come to two very prestigious awards.

ECIS Student Award for International Understanding

The first award is the ECIS student award for international understanding. This goes to a student who has, “a positive attitude toward the life and culture of others, is a contributing force in the life of the school, and has the ability to bring differing people together into a sense of community and international understanding.”

I am very proud to present the ECIS Student Award for International Understanding to a very worthy winner: Alex Martin

ECIS Adult Award for the Promotion of International Education

The ECIS adult award is in recognition of exemplary contributions to the promotion of international education and an understanding of world cultures. The award recipient is someone who exhibits a positive attitude towards others; seeks to promote an understanding and appreciation of other cultures; and demonstrates the ability to inspire others.

I am very proud to present the ECIS Adult Award for the Promotion of International Education to a very worthy winner: Mireille Isaac

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all students, parents and staff a very enjoyable summer holiday. I look forward to seeing you in September ready for another exciting year at SIS.