Newsletter-Friday, 3 November 2023

Dear West Island community,

The school musical “In The Heights” is in the air. 

In this week’s newsletter, we continue to celebrate “Strength from Diversity”, our school motto. We do so by presenting to you the behind-the-scenes photos and student voices for a show that is set in a diverse community.  

In The Heights is set in Washington Heights, a New York city neighbourhood. The neighbourhood is home to many people who have immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico. Come and meet the show's central character Usnavi who owns the Washington Heights’ bodega, a small owner-operated convenience store serving hot and prepared food, often open late hours and typically with ethnic market influences. The bodega represents all of Usnavi’s dreams and heartbreaks. 

We encourage you to buy tickets to support our fellow students and teachers in the production, and see how the show ends for Usnavi and the diverse community of Washington Heights. The musical is scheduled at 7 p.m. next Wednesday and Thursday night (8 Nov and 9 Nov) at the auditorium. Tickets can be bought via this Google form that will be closed at 4 pm Monday, 6 Nov. Payment will be closed 9 am Tuesday, 7 Nov. On both nights of the show, some extra tickets will be available at the door, payable by Octopus or cash. All tickets are first-paid-first-served.

Not only are we celebrating cultural diversity, we are also thrilled to see many students achieve their personal best in arts and sports. This past week, we read about a former student who has risen to international stardom from his ongoing commitment to sports over the years. David Muoka from Class of 2018 has been signed to the NBA ‘G League’ as the first player from Hong Kong. 

Always fully engaged in basketball alongside his studies, Muoka's dream was to secure a basketball scholarship. After attending a number of academies in Canada in the past, he worked hard to earn his US athletics scholarship from Lamar University in Texas. Four years later, now, we congratulate Muoka for making it into the NBA– an impressive achievement!

Please continue to read more about how our student community continues to show commitment in achieving their personal best in the Weekly Briefing session below. 

We are delighted to celebrate these milestones in our students’ journeys, and we encourage all of you to keep up the good work in whatever endeavours you have chosen to focus on.

Best regards 

Clare Haworth

Interim Principal

Before Half Term, our swimming team took part in the HKSSF Interschool Swimming Competition. Both the Boys and Girls Swim Teams have great results, and a lot of our swimmers swan new personal bests! 

Highlights are listed below: 

Boys: Division 1

-Came 8th Overall with 76 points

-Jody Lee came 2nd in 50m Butterfly

-Duncan Yu came 1st in 100m Backstroke, and 2nd in 50m Backstroke

Girls: Division 2

-Came 5th Overall with 129 points

-Giselle Lee came 1st in 50m Back Stroke and 1st in 200m IM

-Sue Wong came 3rd in the 200m IM

-Olivia Chan came 2nd in 100m Breaststroke

-B Grade Free Style Relay team came 2nd

-A Grade Medley Relay team came 1st

Well Done Swimming Team! Good luck in the ISSF Championships on November 10th!


Students Ivana Hung and Emil Hung receive the Silver award in the Team Category participated in the FCE Faculty Logo Design Competition that was held by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.



Please continue to vote for the four of our art students’ works that have been shortlisted for The Sovereign Art Foundation Students Prize, Hong Kong 2023.  The public voting will end on 11 November. Link to vote is here.


The students’ works are to be exhibited at Central Market from 6 to 12 November.


Locations:

1/F & Grand Staircase: 6-10 November

G/F Interactive Wall Area: 11-12 November


The social landscape in Hong Kong has changed somewhat and there is a growing number of emerging NGOs supporting children and families in need. 

On Friday, Year 7 and Year 8 students’ donations were collected by the organisation Box of Hope.

West Island School has supported the “Box of Hope” charity since 2008. However, this year, the charity is requesting we collect bags for practicality.  A Bag of Hope comprises a reusable bag full of small gifts for a teenager in need this Christmas.

Congratulations to the B-grade Girls' Basketball team for an exciting win against Island School. The girls carried a consistent game with the help of Ms Ochieng, dominating the court with a final score of 33 to 15.

Photo by student photographer Christopher Teoh 

The WIS A grade boys Basketball team continued their winning streak, this time facing Island School in an ESF competition. The boys started the game falling 10 points behind and showed nothing but determination, ending the game with a brilliant score of 54 to 43. The team has continued to show resilience and proven their hard work throughout this season.

Photo by student photographer Adita Dagur 


Student Haidi Wu (on the right in the photo below) is the individual champion of the HKSSF Inter School Fencing Competition, Girls Epee B Grade. 


A group of Year 7 students were chosen to share their heroic stories with Kennedy School pupils, following excellent work in English this term. The students' stories were designed to reflect heroic characteristics from the students' respective home cultures. 

Student Isabella Chan said: “I learnt many ways on how to improve my reading aloud from the Year 6s and I enjoyed going back for a visit.”

Other students expressed their growth in confidence and courage in sharing their works with others.

Student Grace Wang said:“I have learnt to be a bit braver in front of other people.”

“I learnt that you have to be confident in yourself, and that you believe you can do it and treasure the opportunity of new experiences,” Student Claire Wang said.

The sharing opportunity was a chance to demonstrate the ways in which West Island School and the ESF more generally value our students and families' diversity throughout their time at school. 

The WIS PTA is excited to bring to you a series of panel

discussions - 'Fireside Chat' - for parents by parents. The first in the series

is one of the most discussed topics which is aimed at Year 9 to 13 parents.

 

Topic - How do I support my child in their examination years?

The panel includes experienced parents and teachers whose

children have gone through key examination years like GCSE/IB and are willing

to offer time to share insights and parenting strategies that they have used to

support their children during these crucial years. We also have two current Year

13 WIS students and one student that has graduated who would bring in a student

perspective. 

 

DATE: Monday, November 6th, 2023

TIME: 6 pm - 7:30 pm

VENUE: G & A Area, 5th Floor, West Island School



Upcoming University Visits @ WIS: Open for students only  (only for the Year 11s, 112s and 13s)


1. Mini Fair with the following universities:

Savannah College of Arts and Design, USA

Full Sail University, USA

Middle Tennessee State University, USA

IE University, Spain

Date: 09 November 2023 | Time: 10:45 to 11:05 | Venue: MPH


2. HotelSchool - The Hague

Date: 10 November 2023 - Time: 10:45 to 11:05 | Venue: TBC


*For more details on University Visits and Webinars, please Click Here


Year 13s 

Year 13s are now in the process of submitting their applications to universities. All Oxbridge applications that were due in October and Common App ED/EA that were due on November 1 have now been submitted. 

Students are in the process of submitting their applications for Hong Kong Universities (the early round). 


Year 12s

The Higher Education team met with Year 12 parents this week during the parent consultation evening.


University Visits 

On October 31, 2023, we were delighted to welcome representatives from HKU to deliver a talk and to help our students through the HKU application process. The session was interactive, providing an opportunity for students to have their queries addressed. 

Hong Kong University

On November 1, 2023, we were delighted to welcome Ms. Nicky High from the University of Manchester to deliver a taster lecture on Viruses and Bacteria. The session was interactive, providing an opportunity for students to participate in insightful discussions and have their inquiries about studying bioscience-related courses addressed. 


We are thrilled to invite you to ESF CoCo 2023, the most anticipated computer conference of the year! Taking place from November 25th to 26th King George V School, this event promises an unforgettable experience for students passionate about technology, innovation, and collaboration.


ESF CoCo 2023 offers an exceptional opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the cutting-edge world of computer science. With a lineup of captivating presentations delivered by industry-leading tech companies, attendees will gain valuable insights into the latest trends, breakthroughs, and advancements shaping the future of technology.


But that's not all. ESF CoCo 2023 is not just about listening; it's about actively participating and pushing the boundaries of innovation. Brace yourself for an adrenaline-pumping hackathon where teams will compete head-to-head, tackling real-world challenges and showcasing their problem-solving skills. The stakes are high, as the grand prize awaits the team that demonstrates the most ingenious and impactful solution.


Whether you're a budding tech enthusiast, a seasoned programmer, or simply curious about the fascinating world of computers, ESF CoCo 2023 is the event you don't want to miss. Connect with like-minded individuals, expand your network, and engage in thought-provoking discussions that will inspire and elevate your passion for technology.


Mark your calendars now and secure your spot at ESF CoCo 2023. Stay tuned for further updates regarding registration, speaker announcements, and hackathon details. Get ready to experience a conference that will shape your future in the world of computers.


General Sign-Up: https://forms.gle/tDw44jYYEnhrxcWb6 

Hackathon Sign-Up: https://forms.gle/VX9xwGb48PwFYD316 


To know more about us, check out our website or Instagram. If you have any questions, clarifications or concerns, feel free to email Anna (labha1@kgv.hk). We look forward to seeing you at ESF CoCo 2023!




West Island School is proud to support the annual Weez Walk which runs from Saturday 20 January 2024 - Sunday 25 February 2024. In collaboration with our community partner, the Kely Project, the mission of the Weez Walk is for there to be help and support for young people in Hong Kong who are facing mental health challenges, especially those who have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. 


The Weez Walk is a 62km trail walk around the perimeter of Hong Kong Island and can be completed in one go or in stages. Net proceeds will go to support Kely in developing and delivering preventative mental health programmes for Hong Kong's youth.

Following this, West Island School will hold our annual mental health and wellbeing week, Monday 26th Feb - Friday 1st March. The theme this year is 'Mindset Matters', supporting students to consider their everyday activities as beneficial for their wellbeing, rather than thinking they have to make huge lifestyle changes. They will explore the 5 ways to wellbeing: tuning in; connecting; activity; learning and service through class activities and whole school events. There will also be a parent workshop so look out for the details and check out the wellbeing website. 


The Weez Walk is a fun physical challenge that can be completed competitively and socially. Our target is to get 20 teams enrolled from the West Island School community and would love WIS family and friends to sign up to support this incredible project. You can register your team using the details in the poster provided; the early bird discount is available until the end of the month. We hope to see you on the 2024 Weez Walk.