Newsletter-Friday, 8 February 2024
Photo by student photographer Oscar Yan
Dear West Island community,
This morning, our students braved the cold and a few showers to participate in our annual Sports Day. The sun may not have been shining but Dynasty spirit was radiating, with students creating colourful banners to cheer on the track and field events. A huge thank you to Mr Owen Cobley and the PE faculty, Mr Mike Williams, Mr Blake Harding and the student Dynasty Leaders for organising this fantastic dynasty event. PTA- a huge shout-out to all of you! Thanks to you and the additional parent volunteers, we enjoyed hot drinks, noodles, doughnuts and many other delicious snacks. Sports Day photos will be shared in our newsletter after the Chinese New Year holiday.
Students, teachers and support staff came together to welcome the Year of the Dragon in our whole school assembly yesterday. Our festivities started with high energy, as we welcomed Kennedy School students to the stage to perform the Lion Dance. It was truly amazing to see younger students perform with such skill and confidence. Thank you to Ms Brenda Cook, Principal of Kennedy School, for allowing the students to perform for us and we look forward to more collaborative events in future.
In the assembly, our students spoke eloquently in English and Chinese about the dragon and its symbolism of strength, power, and good fortune. We discovered that this mythical being draws its power from being composed of the best parts of other animals: its mighty claws from the eagle, its powerful legs from the tiger and its agile body from the snake.
Traditional and contemporary dances (from students and staff), songs, Chinese poetry and live music from our orchestra created a festive and joyous atmosphere. It truly was heartwarming to be together and share the significance of this important festival in the Chinese calendar. Thank you to the Chinese department for organising this wonderful celebration, Ms Dalgarno and Mr Jolly for the live music, and William Leung and Michael Tsang for all the technical support. And of course, thank you to all the students from Years 7 to 12 who participated in the event with such enthusiasm.
May the Year of the Dragon bring us all prosperity, unity, and an appreciation for the strength that lies within our differences. And let us continue to celebrate the unique contributions that each and every one of you--students, teachers, support staff and parents--bring to our WIS community.
Clare Haworth
Interim Principal
And finally- Thanks to the community's efforts, we raised HKD21259 for the Hong Kong Shark Foundation.
Table of Contents
Our wonderful PTA and parent volunteers helping out at Sports Day
Chinese New Year Assembly
Photos by student photographer Oscar Yan
History Bee
On the 2nd of February 2024, Nicholas Lo, Ethan Donaldson, King Hin Lau, Adrian Pardoe, Jeffrey Shen and Kevin Lam attended the Hong Kong History Bee & Bowl. In this competition, they achieved fourth place and qualified for the Asian division of History Bee & Bowl. History Bee & Bowl is essentially a buzzer style quiz that contains questions primarily focused on history (and it can be from any time period or geographical location).
Student showcase quantum computing at HKUST
Year 11 student Madelyn Lee took part in the recent showcase for "Quantum Computing for Gifted Students" at HKUST last Saturday. Thank you to Ms Ana Parra and Mr Jerry Barretto for accompaying Madelyn at the showcase.
Inspirational talk by Mount Everest climber
After Sports Day, Year 11-13 students enjoyed a talk by Russell Lamb, a senior lawyer at Cathy Pacific, who had climbed Mount Everest. He talked about the motivation for undertaking this gruelling expedition, including the extensive training involved. Students asked engaging questions and had an opportunity to talk to Mr Lamb about his experiences.
Sports
Table tennis wins
WIS table tennis players had some wins in last Sunday's HKSSF tournament in table tennis. Ryan Panwar, a key member of the School B grade team, recently won the Metro Town competition.
Year 11 student breaks two records in the HK Age Group Short Course Swimming Championship
Year 11 student Duncan Yu participated in the HK Age Group Short Course Swimming Championship 23-24 on 2nd Feb - 4th Feb. He made the New HK Junior Record in the 50m Freestyle. Duncan broke the record twice within the same day. He also won 4 medals for 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke.
Badminton win
WIS C Grade Boys Badminton team won against Cognito College 3 -1. The boys sealed their victory in 4 games by winning three straight games after losing the first one. Ms Vivian Tsui who teaches Math at West Island and coaches the team was very proud of their achievement.
Francophone students' gathering
Our Francophone students have established a heartwarming tradition of gathering during morning breaks before each holiday. This Tuesday, they united around a table brimming with delectable crêpes, exchanging laughter and fostering a vibrant community. The air was filled with the enticing aroma of freshly made crêpes as friendships were forged and stories shared in French. This inclusive event has also piqued the interest of non-Francophone students, fostering understanding and appreciation for French language and culture. Let us celebrate the unity, friendship, and mouthwatering crêpes that bring our school community closer together.
Horizons Week overseas trips info
The overseas Horizons Week website was launched for parents and students yesterday. Please check the letter on the ESF app for more details. Thank you.