Dunia June 2017

June 2017

UWCSEA

CLASS OF 2017

GRADUATION

page 14

EMBEDDING

CULTURAL

COMPETENCY

page 12

RECOGNISING

CHILDREN’S

MOTIVATIONS

page 22

I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival

of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable

spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self denial, and

above all, compassion.”

Kurt Hahn

founder of the UWC movement

Read more about his life and continuing relevance in UWCSEA classrooms on page 26.

Dunia is published three times a year by UWC South East Asia. Reproduction in any manner

in English or any other language is prohibited without written consent. Please send feedback

to dunia@uwcsea.edu.sg.

Editors: Courtney Carlson, Sinéad Collins, Molly Fassbender and Kate Woodford

Design: Nandita Gupta

Photography: Sabrina Lone and members of the UWCSEA community

UWCSEA Dover is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)

CPE Registration No. 197000825H | CPE Registration Period 18 July 2011–17 July 2017 | Charity Registration No. 00142

UWCSEA East is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)

CPE Registration No. 200801795N | CPE Registration Period 10 March 2017–9 March 2023 | Charity Registration No. 002104

Printed on 100% recycled paper with environmentally friendly inks | MCI (P) 113/03/2017 | 070COM-1617

OF BLOOD AND

NUMBERS

Chris Edwards, Head

of College, on a Forbes

article about UWC

GRIT = PASSION +

DETERMINATION

Frazer Cairns reflects

on the power of

making meaning when

things go wrong

SPOTLIGHT ON …

Dover Grade 5 Expo

‘JUST’

VOLUNTEERING?

Purposefully powerful

learning in Middle

School Service

JAMES DALZIEL

Student Rhea Goyal

interviewed the

outgoing Head of East

Campus

AT UWCSEA, AIR

CONDITIONING

IS COOL

3for2 technology at

Dover Campus

TECHSPERTS

TEACH THE

TEACHERS

Students teaching the

teachers at reThinking

Literacy conference

EMBEDDING

CULTURAL

COMPETENCY

East Middle School

Principal Erin Robinson

shares her research

GRADUATION

Highlights from

the Class of 2017

graduation on 20 May

GIVING BACK

AND GROWING

THROUGH A

GAP YEAR

Kimheang Chham ’16

reflects on returning

home to Cambodia

FRAZER CAIRNS

Students Devki Kalra

and Meera Shoaib

interviewed the

outgoing Head of

Dover Campus

INNOVATIVE

SPACES

Classroom design

influenced by students

CHILDHOOD

MOTIVATIONS

Dover Primary Principal

Brian Ó Maoileoin

unpacks motivational

styles in children

IDEAS IN ACTION

A year at the IDEAS

Hub on Dover Campus

KURT HAHN AND

THE HUMANIST

TRADITION

Ian Tymms, East

Middle School Head

of English, examines

the life and influences

of the founder of the

UWC movement

LEARNING

THROUGH PLAY

Literacy and

Mathematics in the

East Infant School

COVER IMAGES

Front: Dover Campus

Graduation Ceremony

Back: East Campus

Graduation

June 2017

The newsroom of UWCSEA.

Read. Publish. Share. Subscribe.

Visit: https://perspectives.uwcsea.edu.sg

By Chris Edwards

Head of College

UWC South East Asia

On 9 May, Elizabeth MacBride

wrote an article for Forbes magazine

about UWC after visiting UWC

Atlantic in Wales and speaking with

students there. Entitled “Beloved by

Entrepreneurs, A School that Could

be an Anachronism Thrives”, the

article describes her impressions of

her visit, along with her views on

the nature of the UWC movement

and, in particular, its attraction for

entrepreneurs and others such as

Shelby Davis who have committed

large sums of money to supporting

UWC students. Chris Edwards,

Head of College at UWCSEA, writes

below of his reaction to the article

and his pride that a magazine

mainly concerned with business and

investment is drawn in by the ideals

of the UWC movement.

I cannot pretend to be a regular

reader of Forbes magazine. My forays

into the bi-weekly publication on

money, marketing and industry are

unpredictable. I’ll take a look every

now and then to see if I can pass

the dummy’s test on what’s new in

finance, but to be honest I’m more

likely to be checking on the extent to

which Madonna is catching up with

Paul McCartney and Andrew Lloyd

Webber on the annual musicians’

rich list. However, last month saw

Forbes springing a mighty surprise

which delighted and challenged me:

they published an article by Elizabeth

MacBride on UWC.

Now I must say, my initial response

to finding UWC in Forbes was akin to

how I might behave if I saw a lungfish

alive and well on a school library

shelf: it takes a moment to process.

But once the shock subsides, you take

it in your stride and start exploring

circumstances. One of my fears for

the UWC movement is that it has the

unwitting capacity to be seen as an

enemy of, or perhaps an antidote to,

the corporate world. Now while I’m

the first to admit that the corporate

legacy may well be but a footnote to

history in a few hundred years’ time,

I am very concerned that UWC has

been slow to learn from corporate

social responsibility, so I feared that

Forbes might have taken the ‘UWC-as-

Dinosaur’ approach and berated us as

an arrogant anachronism.

I clicked on the article with some

trepidation, and although the dreaded

“A” word was in the title, my fears were

misplaced, for the banner headline

read: “Beloved By Entrepreneurs: A

School That Could Be An Anachronism

Thrives.” So far so good. And then the

article took us on a journey from the

mothership, Atlantic College in the UK,

to UWC-USA in New Mexico. We got

the old joke about Atlantic College once

having been owned by US newspaper

tycoon WIlliam Randolph Hearst (which

it was), who on telling his mistress that

he had bought a Norman castle was

promptly asked “Who’s Norman?” But

for the most part we had a worthwhile

trip around the UWC bay, with Atlantic

and New Mexico as ports of call.

Having briefly described Kurt Hahn’s

vision for UWC, the author quite

rightly observed: “It could feel like an

A reflection on a Forbes article about UWC by Chris Edwards

Of blood

and numbers

2 | Dunia June 2017

OPINION

anachronism in today’s world. Populism

is sweeping some of the most important

countries, from the United States to

Great Britain to Turkey, and the world

seems awash in disturbing headlines

about the Trump administration—which

could hardly seem more in opposition to

the ideals that shaped the 20th century.”

Indeed, this is a valid observation:

UWC is a child of the 20th century,

and now that nationalism is back in the

mainstream, is the movement’s mission

looking like an increasingly tattered flag

around which only a few diehards are

likely to rally? Enter a brilliant soundbite

from incoming Head of UWC Atlantic

College, Peter Howe, who was quoted

as saying: “What UWC stands for is the

power of diversity, not the threat.” Apart

from wishing I’d said that, I suddenly

felt as if the flag was as bold and bright

as ever. The movement has grown by a

third in five years, with five new schools

opened since 2014. How can that be?

All became clear very quickly. We met

students from Palestine and Israel living

harmoniously in the same college; we

heard about Syrian students affected

by President Trump’s travel ban and

from those people who fought on

their behalf; we listened to Wall Street

entrepreneur Shelby Davis who has

poured millions into UWC scholars;

and to Amal Clooney whose help with

UWC Dilijan in Armenia especially has

raised the profile of the movement.

There wasn’t time for detail—like I said

we were on a trip around the bay—but

sometimes you really do see more

from the boat: it depends what you’re

looking for. Against a backdrop of

narrow national interests, here-today-

gone-tomorrow-news, and posturing

and preening from world leaders, the

UWC shoreline looked calm, sane

and inviting.

The conclusion was powerful and true.

A student says to the Forbes reporter

that he is thinking about becoming a

journalist. Does she have any advice?

The reply is rooted in the zeitgeist:

you have to chase the blood and

numbers—and do that well—before

you’ll be allowed to write about things

you want to write about. Follow the

violence, the disasters and the money

and, eventually, you may be afforded

the freedom to do otherwise. Or, in

Elizabeth Macbride’s words: “it will be a

long time before you can write the stories

that aren’t driven by blood and numbers.

Those stories, like the things that happen

to kids when they are 16 or 17, are the

more important ones.”

Easy to say, difficult to do. There may

be times, as we read, hear or watch the

news today, when it seems as if that

UWC flag—tattered or otherwise—is

being flown before grotesque peacocks,

infatuated with their own garishness.

But the growth of the UWC movement,

the unwavering UWC mission, and

the passion that same mission instils,

suggest to me that there is another

force at work: quiet, but mighty and

essential. And it’s not frightened

of peacocks. It seeks a peaceful,

sustainable future where social justice

and respect for environment transcend

national boundaries.

As Forbes might say, it’s core business.

June 2017 Dunia | 3

By Frazer Cairns

Head of Dover Campus

It is not often that I write about people

getting things wrong but three things

recently have made me think about how

diverse the conditions for developing

‘grit’ can be and how important the

necessity to stumble or fall from time to

time is. The first was the Middle School

recital, Cadenza, the second was the

Microthon held in the IDEAS Hub, and

the third a young man coming out of an

IB Diploma examination.

First Cadenza: it is no easy thing to

be in front of an audience (albeit

an appreciative one) of parents and

teachers. Cadenza is a chance for some

of our Middle School musicians to stand

alone and last week differing levels of

‘poise’ were on show. Introductions

varied from the self-assured (“Hello! My

name is …”) to the apprehensive (“Umm

right, yes …”) and the complexity of

the pieces ranged from the ‘solid’ to the

‘extraordinary.’ Unsurprisingly, given

that this was the first solo performance

for some of the musicians, and even

though the standard of playing overall

was good, several people made mistakes.

One musician faltered and momentarily

stopped. Importantly, all gathered

themselves together, picked themselves

up and continued on.

The Microthon, held on the same day,

aimed to teach an introduction to coding

for younger audiences. It is an annual

event and this year teams were asked to

either build a story or project to solve

a problem (for younger students) or to

use the time to prepare whatever they

would like to build (for older students).

There were attempts to find solutions to

environmental problems, to control the

tracking of solar panels, and to let you

know when plants were too hot or too

dry. As with Cadenza, projects ranged

from the ‘solid’ to the ‘extraordinary.’

Also as with Cadenza there were

mistakes. There were solutions that

didn’t work the first (or second or third)

time. There were disagreements about

how to go forward. And again students

gathered themselves together, picked

themselves up and continued on.

And finally the young man coming out of

an exam. He and his friend were engaged

in the inevitable post-exam dissection of

the questions:

“What about question 3? Hard eh?”

“Yes, hard … but I’d got one a bit like

that wrong before so I knew I could do it

if I thought about it.”

‘Grit,’ University of Pennsylvania

professor Angela Duckworth’s concept,1

much like Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘10,000

hour’ rule,2 has been propelled to

mainstream popularity. It is often

understood to hold that talent isn’t

the only key to success; hard work,

determination, and perseverance are

what truly count. There is truth in the

importance of hard work but there is,

however, something missing in this

reading of Duckworth’s work that is

in the title of her book and was visibly

present in Cadenza and the Microthon—

passion in what is being done. If one is

tenacious and dogged about a goal but

the goal is not meaningful or interesting

then it is, to use Duckworth’s words,

“just drudgery.” Having perseverance and

a direction that one cares about is what

enables people to keep going.

Makerspaces like the IDEAS Hub, with

the unstructured time and materials

they offer for young people to work

on their own projects, solve problems

together, and try things out over and

over again, are a way to tap into young

people’s passions and to teach them

this kind of perseverance. So are the

experiences that young people have in

music performances, through service,

and on the sports field. All of these have

an extraordinary ability to help turn a

‘ding’ in one’s confidence into a chance

to learn. Like the young man I saw after

his exam, it is a kind of learning that

will have served several members of

the Class of 2017 who walked across

the graduation stage on 20 May well in

answering difficult exam questions. It is

a kind of learning that will continue to

serve them well far beyond their time

at UWCSEA when the finer points of

magnetic induction have been forgotten.

The young person in Cadenza who

stopped in their piece and restarted

would have learned a huge amount

about herself in that moment, not least

because after she finished she received

the longest and warmest round of

applause.

FEATURE

GRIT =

DETERMINATION + PASSION

The power of making meaning when things go wrong

1 Duckworth, Angela. GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. 2016. | 2 Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The Story of Success. 2008.

4 | Dunia June 2017

Students presented work from their unit entitled ‘It’s in Our Hands’ which focuses on the environmental impact of consumerism

and how we can help to protect Earth’s resources. The Expo incorporates a variety of disciplines and may include written and oral

presentations, aspects of technology, artistic interpretations and performances.

SPOTLIGHT

DOVER GRADE 5 LEARNING EXPO

SPOTLIGHT ON …

June 2017 Dunia | 5

By Claire Psillides, Head of Middle

School Service, Chair of Service, and

Teacher of Social and Environmental

Entrepreneurship Development,

East Campus

“Voluntourism almost always involves

a group of idealistic and privileged

travelers who have vastly different

socio-economic statuses vis–à–vis

those they serve. They often enter

these communities with little or no

understanding of the locals’ history,

culture, and ways of life. All that is

understood is the poverty and the

presumed neediness of the community,

and for the purposes of volunteering,

that seems to be enough.”

This quote from The Guardian

newspaper’s article, “Beware the

Voluntourists Doing Good”1 strikes right

to the heart of the Service programme

at UWCSEA East. It is the reason our

students start their service year watching

Ernesto Sirolli’s “Want to help someone?

Then shut up and listen!”2 as it serves to

remind them to think about why they

signed up to for a particular service in

the first place. Students are asked to

question what prior knowledge they

have, and what experience and skills

they bring with them into their service

group. Much like in a traditional academic

field, teachers of Service pre-assess

their groups and plan learning activities

that aim to meet a set of clear learning

objectives. This structured learning

journey provides support for students

while they strive for success in the highly

complex field of global citizenship and

sustainable development education.

By following a structured inquiry

cycle, or using the Five Stages of

Service Learning,3 and by developing

an understanding of tools such as the

Sustainability Compass,4 a Systems

Thinking5 approach and exploring

the United Nations Sustainable

Development Goals6 (SDG), our

service groups begin to build a deep

understanding of the issues their

community faces. They also find

themselves asking questions of

themselves, appropriate ones that slow

down the urge to ‘rush in and save,’

by asking, “What have I got to offer,

actually?” and “How can I access experts

that can help me leverage change with

my partner?”

In fact, the very concept of partner

is worth exploring, as often this is

overlooked when designing a service

interaction, or, at least, it was in the

old days of ‘doing service’ for someone,

undertaking ‘charity work’ and giving

one’s time, resources or money to ‘fix

a problem.’ Our service community

partners have been carefully selected

because they want to engage in a

reciprocal service learning relationship

with our students. This takes a lot of

time, patience and certainly requires

a growth mindset,7 on the side of

the partner as well as the teacher!

Facilitating service learning is not a

module in traditional teacher training

courses, and few classroom teachers

come into their role with a background

in sustainable development, social

work, NGO experience or project

management. Few NGOs and

community project leaders have

experience in education and working

with Third Culture Kids,8 or know

much about the day to day lives of the

presumably wealthy and privileged kids

referred to in The Guardian’s article. So,

it would seem an impossible task to

truly partner these two vastly different

communities with each other and hope

to understand one another well enough

to work together to make a difference,

avoiding charity, but empowering and

learning from each other. Yet this is

one of the five elements of the learning

programme at UWCSEA and one that

some would say is truly at the heart of

the school’s identity.

I was one of two service educators who

had the privilege to take a group of

Grade 8 students to southern Cambodia

recently. This group of Middle School

students—what knowledge did they have

of the culture, context, and community,

and who are they to say they could

help these people? Surely the very

concept of a ‘service trip’ is patronising,

neocolonial and culturally insensitive?

Isn’t it better just to send the money? Did

they presume that the people they were

to meet needed them? Did they go to

try and understand poverty and to fix a

problem? No. Not at all.

These students went to interact with

their partners. They went to learn from

them and alongside them. For some

of these students, this was a repeat

experience, which speaks volumes for

the impact this had upon them and

the connection they have with their

partners in Kampot, Chumkriel Language

School (CLS) and Epic Arts. Indeed,

these partners are regular visitors to our

campus, as the exchange programme

flows both ways. We took with us eight

iPads, at the request of CLS, in order to

close the digital divide for their students

FEATURE

1 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/13/beware-voluntourists-doing-good | 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chXsLtHqfdM |

3 http://www.cbkassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/The-Five-Stages-of-Service-Learning.pdf | 4 http://www.compasseducation.org/about/ |

5 http://www.mutualresponsibility.org/science/what-is-systems-thinking-peter-senge-explains-systems-thinking-approach-and-principles |

6 http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ | 7 https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/ | 8 http://www.tckworld.com/

‘Just’ volunteering?

Making deeper meaning in Middle School Service

Photo courtesy of Claire Psillides

6 | Dunia June 2017

and to support innovative approaches

to learning English into their classrooms,

much like we have in ours.

Our Digital Literacy Coaches (DLCs) work

hard to ensure appropriate technology

gets into the hands of teachers

throughout our learning community and

this includes our NGO and local service

partners. A fleet of iMacs recently were

delivered to a local boys home here in

Singapore. Is this digital dumping?9 Far

from it. Our DLCs prepare the tech,

collecting it from the College community

at the end of its cycle, wiping it with

the help of the IT team and students in

various support groups, and coaching

Luddites like myself, so that I could spend

a sweaty hour in a Cambodian classroom

running through the set-up procedures

with the computer teacher and NGO

founder. Twenty-five pairs of eyes

watched over the brim of their dusty,

taped together desktops from another

era, their government issued booklets

with step by step instructions of how to

master Microsoft Word finger-worn at

their sides.

Will these new machines transform

their education? Yes, with continued

support and professional development.

The support work will continue with

the Global Concerns group here in

Singapore learning together with the

nine teachers in Kampot. It was exciting

to brainstorm which apps would best

suit their learning, strategise to set aside

some funds to purchase these apps and

plan to run sessions during our next trip.

Just a few weeks later, a team of Project

Week students were there, sitting in that

classroom with our partners and working

together on those iPads. For sure the first

thing the students would have said was,

“So, what have you learned since you

got them?” and “How is it going?”—not

flapping their superhero capes and flying

in as if the tech has sat idle, waiting for

the saviours to come.

Time is well spent making sure the

students engaging with partners know

why they are motivated to do so. The

Investigation Stage has them look

inward, to explore why they want to

work on a service project and how

they can leverage their skills and

interests. The Preparation Stage has

the student group exploring the SDGs,

the socioeconomic, cultural, political,

environmental landscape of a place

and its people. This theory provides

the background knowledge from which

to begin building a relationship with

people in a different place, leading

different lives, and it is upon this that

the friendship starts. Our students

speak with their communities, plan

to interact outside of the service trips

where they can, and engage in project

planning dialogue to understand the

challenges, interests, skills and needs of

their partner.

And only then would we dare to put

them on a plane to go and ‘volunteer.’

A comment frequently made on the

way back from such an experience

usually goes something like this, “I was

so nervous about sharing my activity

with my partner community, but I

needn’t have been. In fact, I think they

taught me far more than I was able to

share with them.” The students on this

service trip came back understanding the

reasons behind the illegal animal trade

in Cambodia, the inspiring work being

done by young environmental activists

there to protect their flora and fauna,

and the education required to share this

understanding with others. They came

back understanding the skewed global

trade systems that allow people to work

hour upon hour, in hot water, barefooted,

scraping salt, in unforgiving heat and

exposure for approximately a dollar a

day with no personal or job security.

They understood that to be different,

either physically or mentally in rural

Cambodia, was thought to be unlucky,

a result of bad karma, and therefore

was to be hidden away from society.

Yes, they saw these things and tried

to comprehend these challenges. But

more importantly they spoke to people

overcoming these issues, rising above the

poverty and looking to break the cycle

for their children, friends and relatives.

Spending time mixing with activists,

changemakers, upstanders, whatever

the jargon—this is valuable and inspiring

time for a Middle School-aged child.

It allows them to see that they have a

small, but not insignificant, part to play

in a bigger system, which is collectively

working towards reducing inequalities

and empowering people to realise their

true potential.

These students also leave an important

message behind. “See you next

year!”—and they mean it. Sustained

contact between the College and our

communities builds trusting bonds. It

allows us to plan forward and be creative

with our collaboration, to identify

leverage points for change and work

towards them together. Our community

partners know that we care, that we will

be back, that every Thursday at lunch the

corridors are lined with groups of students

and teachers working to learn about,

act for, and work with them to make a

difference. The plans were made together

and everyone feels a part of the work.

So, we didn’t paint a mural or teach an

English class. We didn’t plant veggies

or distribute donations. No—we hung

out. We talked. We played. We learned

together and we did it in appropriate

ways, side by side. And we planned for

next time … which is always soon!

The purpose of these trips isn’t

volunteering. The purpose is to inspire

and educate children—children that

understand the power of teamwork, of

communication, of inclusivity and the

fact that despite all their differences,

they’re essentially the same. The purpose

is to expand our communities of care.

Trudging back through the fields after a

walk to her Cambodian friend’s house,

where her friend’s mum chopped mango

and sprinkled some of the hard earned

salt on it, one student said, “I think my

heart expanded a bit more this year,

because I met so many more people to

fit inside it.” That’s the purpose; and if

done well, it is an authentic and life-

changing part of a child’s education, both

in Singapore and Cambodia.

9 https://gvisionaries.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/digital-dumping-an-inside-look-at-e-waste/

June 2017 Dunia | 7

Visionary. Open-minded. Charismatic. Supportive.

Empowering. These are just a few of the words used to

describe founding Head of East Campus, James Dalziel.

Arriving in Singapore in 1999, James joined UWCSEA as

the Middle School Principal on Dover Campus in 2006.

He was appointed Head of East Campus in 2010, leading

its development from a small temporary school and

massive construction site to a vibrant school community

of more than 2,500 students on a modern purpose-built

campus. What James helped to build goes far beyond the

campus and buildings, classrooms, and roll of students,

teachers and staff. James helped establish a school

culture that is a welcoming community characterised by

an openness to new ideas, a willingness to get involved,

and a dedication to the UWC mission.

Grade 9 student, Rhea Goyal, sat down with James for an

interview which gave him an opportunity to look back on

his time at UWCSEA as he prepares for the next stage in

his career.

Pictured: Each year Grade 2 students have enjoyed the visit from ‘Cowboy

James’ during the ‘From Field to Table’ unit. James shares his experiences of

growing up on a dairy farm in Canada and teaches about milk production.

INTERVIEW

8 | Dunia June 2017

Why did you come to UWC? What was the most

appealing factor?

When I was about 19 or 20 years old, I worked for Outward

Bound. And I remember at the time, being really struck by

the mission and vision of the Outward Bound movement.

Outward Bound is a Kurt Hahn organisation as well, including

the Hahnian ideals. And I’ve always had those ideals lingering

in the background of what I’ve been doing or involved in … So

when the opportunity came to join UWCSEA, I jumped at it

… to be within the UWC movement was the appealing part,

right from the start.

What’s your favourite part of being Head of Campus?

It’s a great job. Best job in the world … I chose education

because I love being connected with an organisation that

has such a strong mission, a mission that aligns with what I

believe is going to make the biggest difference in the world. I

love working with students of all ages … I love working with

my colleagues, who are some of the brightest and best, the

most motivating and challenging colleagues that I’ve ever

worked with. That’s a great reason to get out of bed in the

morning and come in and make a difference.

You mentioned that your colleagues are ‘challenging,’

how so?

They are an incredibly bright group of people who are

energetic and very passionate about education. They want to

make a difference, they don’t shy away from hard work, and

they’ve got lots of good ideas … It’s a great problem to have;

the challenge is deciding what great ideas we are not going to

do, so that we can pursue other great ideas.

What are some of the best ideas have you heard?

I guess the best ideas are the things that you would

experience as a student in everyday life … Look at how our

Service programme has developed from the idea of students

getting on a bus and going to a home for elderly people and

playing bingo with them, to a more entrepreneurial view

of partnering with a group, where students apply systems

thinking to understand all elements of a problem and how to

solve it. That’s a tremendous distance from where we were

even just five years ago and demands a whole paradigm shift

… And I experience these shifts every day, all the time here.

One of the things for me as a student, that we sometimes

forget or sometimes fail to see, is the bigger picture. As in,

how is UWC—how are we—going to change the world? At

times it is hard to see our real impact.

One of my jobs is to remind people of how what we’re doing

is attached to the mission … You’re going to change the

world in a way that I could never imagine, and in a way that

is meaningful for you and your skills and your many talents

… One of the things I often say is, my job is to provide a

narrative for people about how what we are doing right now

links to a bigger picture, something greater than us.

How do you think you’ve made an impact on our school?

Impact is always a hard thing to measure. I hope it’s positive;

I hope that I’ve expressed through my own leadership the

values I expect to see in UWC education, so I often check

myself against the UWC profile, and say, are these the

things that I am encouraging? Are these the things that I’m

modelling? Is kindness at the heart of things?

How has UWC changed you as a person and a teacher?

I’ve worked harder here, and more meaningfully, than I’ve

ever worked in the past. It’s shown me that I can do more

than I would have ever thought possible … I’ve grown

considerably in terms of my own experience and how I look

at leadership and how schools operate. And I can attribute a

lot of that to the people that I’ve worked with across a wide

variety of areas of the school, who are real experts within

their specific discipline and role. I’ve learned a tremendous

amount from them.

Where will you be going after UWC and how do you

expect it will be different??

I will be taking up a job for a global education group called

GEMS (Global Education Management Systems), where I will

be the educational executive director for continental Europe,

so I will have oversight over all their schools in Europe. It’s

going to be very different, because I will no longer be the

head of a school, but I will be the head of many schools …

It’s going to be much more of a consulting and coaching role,

going in and adding value to different schools, and I’ll need to

shift and adapt quite quickly to whatever school I happen to

be working with.

What advice would you have for young people?

A long time ago, actually, when I was about your age, I was

told by someone to remember that your parents are doing

the best that they can do. That they have their own lives and

their own needs and their own heartbreaks and desires … And

they want what’s best for you, and it might not feel like they

always get it right … Remember that they are also human …

You are at different stages of your life, and they’re just trying

to do the right thing for you.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

It’s more of a collective pride, really. The fact that we’ve

designed, built, opened, and filled an entire campus of more

than 2,500 students, is pretty amazing … The fact that

we’ve done it in an environment where I hope we’ve also

created a culture of kindness and humanity, and support, is …

something that we should all be proud of.

As we bid farewell to James, his wife Nancy Fairburn, and

their children Claire and William at the end of the school

year, we extend to them our best wishes and sincere

gratitude for all they’ve contributed to the College.

June 2017 Dunia | 9

When Dover Campus embarked on an extensive building and

renovation plan from 2010–2015 it did so with a clear objective

to ‘walk the talk’ by putting environmental stewardship at

the forefront of the plans. This meant in part developing

(and redeveloping) buildings to have the lowest possible

environmental footprint. As a result, the Administration

and High School Block evolved into a living laboratory that

provides real-time data to a research team at the Future Cities

Laboratory of the Singapore-ETH Centre. This research centre

was established by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

Zurich (ETH Zurich) and Singapore’s National Research

Foundation (NRF), as part of their CREATE (Campus for

Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise) programme.

In a typical building project, air conditioning and mechanical

ventilation systems are selected by the developers (not the

occupants) who have little incentive to care about how much

the machines cost to run or their effect on the environment. In

the case of the Dover Administration and High School Block,

the College already had a relationship with the Singapore-ETH

Centre (having worked together on a tree research project in

early 2011), and they were able to partner on the 3for2 project

from the very beginning.

For the Singapore-ETH Centre, the block has proven to be an

ideal test site for the innovative 3for2 air conditioning system

and an invaluable source of ongoing, real time data as they

refine the performance of the suite of 3for2 technologies.

With over 1,000 sensors in the building, researchers are able to

monitor how the system works on a minute by minute basis,

checking temperature, carbon dioxide, humidity and pollutants.

Whenever one of the sensors (or occupants) logs an unusual

reading or says it is too hot, or too cool, researchers arrive within

10–15 minutes to see what is going wrong and correct the issue.

The collaboration with the Singapore-ETH Centre has given

the College the opportunity to drastically reduce its carbon

footprint and make a real contribution to environmental

stewardship. In the tropical climate of Singapore, air

conditioning accounts for approximately 60% of energy

consumption in a typical building so finding a viable solution to

reduce this consumption has a significant impact. As of 2016,

the new block was consuming only 30% of the energy used by

an average office. It is expected that it will become the most

energy efficient building in Singapore by 2018.

UWCSEA has made a commitment not only to reducing

its own emissions (both campuses are now Green Mark

Platinum certified by the Building and Construction Authority

of Singapore), but also to supporting the research and

development of a sustainable air conditioning solution that has

the potential to reduce energy usage across Southeast Asia.

What is 3for2?

The 3for2 concept attempts to address not only energy

efficiency but also economic incentives by proposing a

holistic design concept for the tropics. It’s premised on the

implementation of three key innovations to:

Split cooling (sensible cooling) and dehumidifying

(latent cooling): Instead of using cold and dry air for

both, 3for2 distinguishes between removing heat from

the building interior and removing moisture from the air

coming from outside. Separating these functions lowers

the amount of electricity required.

Use water instead of air for heat transport: Water has

a greater heat capacity than air, which allows for smaller

pipes and more effective cooling components that can

be integrated into the construction. Large ductwork and

extensive false ceilings become unnecessary.

Use small, decentralised ventilation units instead of one

central unit: Only the required minimum air is drawn into

the building and dehumidified efficiently, using a two-stage

energy recovery process. The decentralised ventilation

units are integrated into the façade and the minimised air

distribution network into the floor slab. The integration of

mechanical and electrical components into the construction

frees up to one-third of the typical floor volume.

At UWCSEA, air conditioning really is COOL

COMMUNITY NEWS

3for2 Beyond Efficiency, Future Cities Laboratory

10 | Dunia June 2017

By Alison Forrow, Digital Literacy Coach, Dover Campus

“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in

actions.” Harold S. Geneen

Imagine walking into a Primary School classroom and finding

no teacher leading the class. Instead, a student is introducing an

activity and guiding their peers through a number of steps. They

confidently give instructions and answer any questions. Strange?

Well, not really, because these students are experts in the use of

technology. They are UWCSEA’s Techsperts.

So who are the Techsperts and what role do they play in classes?

They are a group of very enthusiastic, tech-minded students

who are keen to learn new skills and, importantly, to share these

with their peers and teachers. How does a student become a

Techspert? Students from Grade 2 to Grade 5 are invited to join

the team by the Digital Literacy Coaches (DLCs) in the Primary

School, and commit to attending a weekly session during a

lunchtime for the year. In these sessions, they sometimes create

instructional presentations or video tutorials to share with their

class; at other times they learn a new tech skill. All of these

activities can then be shared with their peers.

Over the weekend of 20–21 May I was presenting at the

reThinking Literacy conference held on Dover Campus. The

conference brought together Literacy teachers from many

different countries to share ideas and learn new skills. I presented

for 30 minutes about our Techsperts and how they have

Techsperts teach the teachers

COMMUNITY NEWS

supported Junior School staff when integrating digital tools

within Writing Workshop lessons. While I was chatting with the

attendees it struck me how similar the two groups are. Both are

choosing to spend their time increasing their knowledge and

then sharing it out to others.

Now I have a confession to make. While I had planned a

presentation for the snapshot session, I didn’t speak for the

full 30 minutes. Instead, I introduced the conference delegates

to some of our Techsperts. The result? I witnessed students

between 8 and 10 years old confidently sharing their experiences

with adults they had just met. The students spoke about the

positives of learning new digital skills and how this has impacted

their work, and that of their classmates and teachers. They

shared personal stories of struggling with a new concept, tool or

situation and how this gave them experience of failure followed

by success. They gave examples of when they learnt skills of

perseverance and empathy for others, and what it is like to be in

front of a class teaching.

The Techsperts activity initially was about having more ‘heads

in the room’—a support system for teachers, if you will, so that

they could focus on the specific content of lessons without the

digital tool being a barrier. In reality it has turned into a group

of closely bonded students who feel valued by their teachers

and peers. They have seized an opportunity to step up and

become leaders by demonstrating a wide array of skills, some

related to technology and others regarding social interaction,

presenting to an audience or being organised. All of these skills

will be advantageous in their future school life and beyond in

their careers. The passion these students have for their role is

wonderful to see, and even better is how it is contagious it is,

spreading to teachers and students across grades.

When debriefing with the students after the conference

workshop they were deservedly excited and proud of themselves

for the great job they had done. The visiting teachers were

impressed by our student Techsperts, their level of interaction

and the quality and thoughtfulness of their comments. The

students wanted to know when the next conference is scheduled

and if they could come to that one too! I am proud of them and

would willingly bring them to speak at future conferences. I know

that the Primary School staff value the contributions made by

their Techsperts, I know the Techsperts enjoy supporting others,

and I know that our integration of technology is stronger for

having them.

“Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact,

influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence

is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have

to inspire team-mates and customers.” Robin S. Sharma

June 2017 Dunia | 11

RESEARCH

Dr Erin Robinson, East Middle School

Principal, examined the relationship

between teacher cultural competency

and student engagement in her

doctoral dissertation. Here she shares

some of her research as well as how it

connects with a UWC education.

We live in a time of both incredible

opportunities and significant global

issues. For the first time in human

history, our world is a shared space.

Globalisation is now entrenched in our

reality, delivering promises of increased

collaboration. Yet, we are faced with

the inherent challenges of bringing

people together in ways they’ve never

experienced before. Today’s social fabric

is interwoven with a rich diversity of

cultures. We live, work and socialise with

an increasing number of people who

are different from ourselves, and in a

multitude of contexts (Banks, 2011).

Cultural competency models seek

to explain complex social dynamics.

Over recent decades, these models

have evolved at a dizzying speed in

order to keep up with significant shifts

in migration, workplace dynamics,

and an increasingly interconnected

world. Advances in technology,

communications, transportation, and

business models along with concerns

around sustainable development have

accelerated worldwide partnerships

and also sparked culturally based

conflicts. Given the UWC mission

and our commitment to diversity and

inclusion, there are strong implications

for culturally competent practices to be

embedded in the College as ‘how we do

things around here’.

To begin to understand what cultural

competency encompasses, we must

start by deciphering culture. A static

view of culture is unrealistic in our highly

interdependent world. Instead, there

has been a renewed view of culture that

takes into account the desire to develop

globally minded citizens (Banks, 2011).

This contemporary perspective highlights

the adaptability and fluidity of culture. In

many regards, culture is now viewed as

malleable and dynamic. It is constantly in

flux and influenced by a variety of social

and environmental factors (Boutin-Foster

et al., 2008).

Adding to cultural complexity on a

global scale, interconnectedness is

growing exponentially and it may be

seen as leading to a kind of global

ecumene1 (Featherstone, 1990). We’re

seeing that previously isolated pockets

of relatively homogeneous cultures are

experiencing a type of cultural disorder

because interacting with culturally

different people is unavoidable. While

there’s an opportunity to grow out of

an ethnocentric perspective towards a

more ethnorelative view of the world,

the media is wrought with examples of

culturally destructive behaviour. In a time

when we’re experiencing significant shifts

in demographics, the world has also

begun to face challenges associated with

a renewed sense of nationalism, which

can be linked in part to a fear of cultural

dissolution. The image ‘others’ includes

dehumanising fear-based factors and are

awash with negative stereotypes. On

the other hand, we see how our students

at UWCSEA challenge ethnocentric

perspectives through a myriad of actions

that include reciprocal partnerships in

service, social entrepreneurship, and

how they express their viewpoints

through the arts. Students across the

UWC movement are also a part of a

growing transnational culture, which

can be understood as genuine third or

cross cultures that are oriented beyond

national boundaries.

Central to both the increase in cultural

integration and cultural destructiveness,

is a personal redefinition of cultural

identity. As Featherstone (1990) points

out, cultural norms may fluctuate but

they also profoundly influence the

way an individual perceives culturally

different people. This requires a new

understanding of culture and strategies

to manage cultural difference.

Scholars have generated models to

explain the negotiation of cultural

differences for as long as diverse people

have lived and worked together. Early

cross cultural adaptation models

were founded on a range of social

imperatives and theoretical backgrounds.

International school educators,

humanitarians, and international

business professionals drove many of

these models because they worked

with people from profoundly different

cultures. Cross cultural adaptation then

evolved into several comprehensive cross

cultural frameworks. Terms such as ‘cross

cultural awareness’, ‘cultural literacy’,

‘cultural intelligence’ and ‘intercultural

communication’ emerged in the literature

as a way to describe how people grapple

with cultural difference.

Pioneers in this work were drawn to

the field because they felt an ethical

obligation to address equity issues and

viewed multicultural training as a noble

cause (Moule, 2012). This more principled

approach soon took a turn towards

a pragmatic path because working

effectively with cultural difference

requires a set of knowledge, skills, and

understanding. Today, a more holistic

view of cultural competency embraces

both a sense of moral responsibility and

a practical need to function effectively in

a globalised society. Since people work,

study and socialise in increasingly diverse

settings, cultural competency is necessary

to function successfully with peers,

clients, and neighbours (Banks, 2004).

The emergence of a cultural competency

framework is a departure from the

diversity training model established in

Embedding cultural competency

1 Ecumene is a term used by geographers to mean inhabited land. It generally refers to land where people have made their permanent home, and to all work

areas that are considered occupied and used for agricultural or any other economic purpose.

Source: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/92-195-x/2011001/other-autre/ecumene-ecoumene/ec-eng.htm

the latter decades of the 20th century.

In more conventional multicultural and

diversity training, professionals learned

discrete cultural characteristics to further

their academic knowledge. The purpose

was to increase the effectiveness of

multicultural interactions through the

knowledge of cultural groups’ distinct

characteristics. However, in many ways

it served to reinforce the dominant

culture. Advances in cultural competency

training and intercultural learning now

embrace an awareness of one’s own

cultural identity, recognising how culture

influences perceptions of the world, and

understanding the cultural history and

identity of people. A key component

of this model involves learning how

historical marginalisation and oppression

still shapes the experiences of culturally

different people in settings of all kinds.

There is a greater sense of urgency to

foster cultural competency within a child’s

educational experience and professional

settings because the environment in which

you grow up has a significant influence on

lifelong deep cultural references. Those

who grew up in culturally homogeneous

environments must acquire the

understanding and skills to successfully

collaborate with culturally different

people. This process can be challenging

because our deepest references have a

high emotional load. The willingness to

examine the unconscious rules we have

for concepts such as relationships, mental

health, cleanliness, gender roles, time,

and success requires an intentionally safe

and secure environment. This is equally

true for students and for the adults in a

school community.

Both social science and business research

suggest that personal and professional

growth are necessary to increase

cultural competency (Boutin-Foster et

al., 2008). This involves introspection,

self-awareness, and the ability to

develop the requisite interpersonal and

professional skills via a two-fold process.

First, an individual establishes a tangible

understanding of how their own culture

influences their actions. Second, they

develop skills that allow them to easily

and respectfully move among and

between diverse cultures (Banks et al.,

2001; Betancourt, 2003; Burchum, 2002;

Diller & Moule, 2005; Lindsey et al.,

2003; Nuñez, 2000).

Cultural competency sits on a

developmental continuum and is

progressive in nature. This is because

an individual’s intercultural sensitivity

is fluid and likely to change over time

(Hammer, Bennett & Wiseman, 2003).

Therefore, the continuum describes an

individual’s intercultural development

from an ethnocentric to ethnorelative

stage of cultural understanding (Bennett,

1993; Cross et al., 1989). More recent

literature suggests that developing

a culturally competent skill set is an

antecedent to effective practice with a

culturally diverse people. This is because

it is not enough to simply possess the

knowledge and skills. Once we have the

skills in place, we must act upon them

in a responsive manner. It’s an area of

personal development that is in need of

continuous attention and cultivation.

For educators, cultural competency

is the ability to successfully teach in

cross-cultural settings. Jean Moule

(2012) describes cultural competence in

schools as “[the development of] certain

personal and interpersonal awarenesses

and sensitivities, learning specific bodies

of cultural knowledge, and mastering a

set of skills that, taken together, underlie

effective cross-cultural teaching.” The

importance of incorporating cultural

competencies into learning experiences

is particularly significant in international

schools (Heyward, 2004). Schools like

UWCSEA seek to educate a diverse

community of students who identify

with a variety of cultures and subcultures.

As UWCSEA community members,

staff, students, parents, and alumni are

exceedingly conscious of the need for

culturally competent skills, knowledge,

and attitudes.

The mission of the UWC movement

makes cultural competency fundamental

to all that we do. We see how aspects

of cultural competency are embedded

into the UWCSEA learning programme.

In particular, students gain a greater

awareness of themselves and how to

effectively work with those that are

culturally different through the personal

and social education (PSE) curriculum.

Students also learn culturally competent

practices through learning in service,

as they come to understand what a

reciprocal partnership looks and feels like.

Beyond the written curriculum, students

also move towards ethnorelative

practices through their social

interactions. Simply being in the home

of a family who is culturally different and

learning how to value a different way

to enjoy a meal together prepares our

students for their lives beyond UWCSEA.

Though cultural competency is

unquestionably a large and complex

construct, it is central to successful

interactions between culturally diverse

people. We believe that it is a pivotal

factor in our success with delivering

our mission, and therefore in individual

student success. At UWCSEA, from our

admission policy to our teaching and

learning practice, we take into account

students’ varied cultural perspectives

and incorporate that knowledge to

develop rapport with and deepened

understanding of and between our

culturally different students (Zoller Booth

& Nieto, 2010).

For the full list of the in-text citations,

visit: https://perspectives.uwcsea.edu.sg

June 2017 Dunia | 13

“The important thing is that we never let ourselves as a

community and movement become indifferent or apathetic.

We cannot become accepting of nor apologists for

structures, or institutions or systems when they are clearly

broken. You may—from time to time—wonder whether your

efforts are making any difference. The problems are big and

they are complex. At those moments, it may be helpful to

you to reflect upon the thoughts of one freedom fighter,

Vaclav Havel—a playwright—who became the first president

of the Czech Republic. He wrote:

‘Anyone who claims that I am a dreamer who expects to

transform hell into heaven is wrong. I have few illusions, but I feel a

responsibility to work towards the things I consider good and right.

I don’t know whether I’ll be able to change certain things for the

better, or not at all. Both outcomes are possible. But there is only

one thing I will not concede: that is, that it’s meaningless to strive

in a good cause.’”

Sumi Dhanarajan ’90, Dover Graduation guest speaker

“… I think it’s important to recognise just

how incredibly lucky we are to have been

students of a school that looked beyond grades,

achievement, and personal success. We’ve learnt

to think critically, and fostered the UWC values

by engaging with communities, both local and

global, through Service and Global Concerns.

While our education may feel normal and usual

to us, I don’t believe it is normal: it stands out—

we’ve been packed a phenomenal tiffin, and it

is now up to us to share this delicious meal with

everyone around us … But remember, this tiffin

would have never reached you without our tiffin

wallahs [our friends, family, teachers, parents,

houseparents and countless more supporters] …

… We as a group of people have achieved some

truly spectacular things over the past few years,

and I have no doubt that we will continue to do

so in the years to come. As our dear old friend

Kurt Hahn once said, ‘You are needed.’ From

seeing the unbridled energy and passion that we

bring to everything we do, I truly do believe that

our futures are as bright as a shiny stainless steel

tiffin box on a sunny day.”

Arjun Krishnan

Class speaker, UWCSEA Class of 2017

GRADUATION

“… We have so many global crises, from climate change to

global financial crisis, from pandemics to global terrorism,

all these are happening … And this is why it’s very

important for graduates of the United World College to try,

to strive to achieve global leadership positions. Because

while you are in college, as you look around this room, you

accept the different nationalities, you accept the different

costumes—effortlessly—and you know that at the end of

the day we live on one small planet, planet Earth. And if

we screw up planet Earth, we don’t have planet ‘B’ to go

to. So I hope that after you leave the school and as you

progress in your life, you will always remember the values

of the United World College. Take them with you and

when you achieve positions of power, please take care of

planet Earth. And with that, let me offer you my warmest

congratulations.”

Kishore Mahbubani, East Graduation guest speaker

Dean of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Former Chair of the UWCSEA Board of Governors

“… I’m a bit hesitant to [talk about entering

the ‘real world’] because I don’t think there

genuinely is a dichotomy between what we had

here and the real world. This is also real. And

if ever anyone ever tried to convince you that

the experience that you had in this school was

like a cocoon or a bubble, that it was rampant

idealism, that it was so good that it couldn’t

possibly be real … just remember that that

was because we actively shaped our reality

to be that way. And if we did it before, we can

do it again; we are well-equipped to respond

to situations that we may find ourselves in

that we recognise need fixing. We know how

to listen without prejudice. We know that

empathy is not a weakness, but passivity is. We

know never to simply acquiesce but to think

carefully about why we do the things we do. So

… Class of 2017, I am sure that you will all go

on to do great things. But, and perhaps more

importantly, I hope that we also do good things.

And kind things. And things that we may not

necessarily be obliged to do, but that we do …

because they are the right things.”

Kavya Deshpande

Class speaker, UWCSEA East Class of 2017

576

Graduates 42

Scholars 64

Nationalities

Don’t wait to make a difference

An excerpt from Kimheang Chham’s

speech at the East Graduation in May

“ … [Through my time at UWCSEA] I

learned that there is so much that every

individual can do to help make the world

a better place and every single person

has the power to do that and I am one

of them. I got to learn so much about

myself and the world like many of you

through IfP [Initiative for Peace], Round

Square and even just taking care of

each other as a family in the boarding

house, where we all come from many

different places and cultures. And this is

Kimheang Chham ’16 recently

completed a gap year before she

begins her university career as a

UWC-Davis Scholar at Luther College

in Iowa, USA. A five-year UWCSEA

scholar from Cambodia, Kim joined

UWCSEA East as a Grade 8 student

the year the campus opened in 2011.

Just one year following graduation,

she was invited back as the

Young Alumni speaker at the East

Graduation ceremony in May. In her

introduction of Kim at Graduation,

High School Vice Principal, Cathy

Jones, had this to say: “Her story

before coming to UWC is one of

determination. When some tried to

sow seeds of doubt in her future, she

did not give up hope. Once at school,

she always made opportunities where

others might have seen obstacles,

persevering in a new and unfamiliar

environment … In her year since school,

she has continued to demonstrate her

resilience, her values, and shown how

you can make a vision real.”

Here Kim shares some of the

experiences and personal growth

that have taken place during her

multi-faceted gap year.

I was lucky to do many different things

during my gap year. I helped with

UWCSEA’s Outdoor Education trips to

Malaysia and Thailand as an assistant

instructor. I volunteered with Green

Umbrella NGO in Cambodia, teaching

English to their staff, assisting teachers

with reading times in classrooms and

library, running a weekend workshop

about environmental awareness, and

a few other things relating to English

translation. I also got to spend some

time at home with my family, which

gave me the opportunity to integrate

back to Cambodia, and I started

up and organised an Initiative for

Peace programme in Cambodia (IfP

Cambodia) with the help of a team

of Grade 11 and 12 students from

UWCSEA East.

IfP Cambodia

IfP Cambodia was definitely the biggest

part of my gap year. It required lots

of preparation, funds, and resilience

to make it happen. It was also the

highlight of my gap year because the

impacts (I can see) will last even when I

leave Cambodia for college.

Our first IfP Cambodia conference

focused on Youth Empowerment and

an Introduction to Service. I had many

hats to wear: I had to get the message

out about the purpose of conference

and recruit a group of potential helpers.

Then I had to form a group of volunteer

facilitators from UWCSEA East, and

work with them online over three

months to prepare for the conference

in April 2017. I was also in Cambodia

reaching out to different NGOs

who might be interested in helping,

meeting with them and communicating

with them. I had to find our venue,

accommodation and manage other

logistics. I also had to work out all

the costs and see what we had and

what we needed to raise to meet our

needs. The team helped to launch a

fundraising campaign, which was very

successful, thanks to the generosity of

the UWCSEA community. I also had to

reach and recruit potential delegates.

Overall, I played the roles of project

leader, logistics person, conference

COMMUNITY NEWS

Giving back and growing through

16 | Dunia June 2017

why I took a gap year. I returned back to

Cambodia to initiate an IfP conference

to empower youth in Cambodia to bring

about change to our country through

service. I want every single one of you to

know that you can make a change. But

don’t do it because you’re told to, do it

because an issue is concerning you or

bothering you or because your heart just

wants to help those in need …

Every single time I went back to

Cambodia for a visit from UWC, it was

never easy. I experienced culture-shock

in my own country …

But don’t walk away.

You can find a way to integrate back.

Your home and your people need you.

They need someone who got to see what

is outside of their community and bring

back new experiences. But to connect or

reconnect with family, friends, your new

or old community, it all takes patience,

understanding and effort before you can

make that difference …

So … Class of 2017, I have learned two

important lessons that I hope resonate

with you:

First, you’re never too young to start

making a difference that your heart

desires. You don’t have to wait until you

have a house, a car or a well-paid job,

you will find a way to make it possible.

Do it while the fuel is burning in your

heart to make that change! Because if

you don’t, it will fade.

And second, we often glamorise global

service, but you can make a difference in

your home communities as well. And in

order to make that difference you need

to connect or reconnect. It won’t be

easy, but all obstacles can be overcome,

if you keep working hard, keep being

hopeful and remember why it is so

important to make that local impact.”

facilitator, and the supervisor during the

conference whom everyone could go to

for help.

We had 27 youth participants

(one Vietnamese, one Thai and 25

Cambodians) and 10 facilitators from

UWCSEA East, including myself.

The conference focused on identity,

empowerment and service. We had a

service day where the delegates and

facilitators went to Tiny Toones NGO to

run workshops there about what we’ve

learned from the first few days of the

conference. On that day, we got to see

what our delegates understood from

the topics, the confidence they’d gained

and how empowered they had become.

Some of them even learned that they

love service from the experience.

That was when we knew that the

conference had been a success. It was

so hard and sad for everyone to leave

the conference as we all bonded very

closely through the five days together.

The conference was very successful

and through feedback we can see that

many of our delegates want to go on

and run another similar conference

for other Cambodians. That was one

of our biggest dreams, to see that it

doesn’t stop when we leave and to

see Cambodian youth become leaders

and initiators tackling issues they are

concerned about and working together

to help their communities. That is the

impact we had on the delegates.

Personal growth

Through my gap year, I learned and

gained skills in commitment, patience

and also pushing myself out of my

comfort zone. I got to experience work

life. I also got to experience working

as a team to take care of students and

many new lessons about the outdoors.

Through IfP Cambodia, I learned to

be a leader. I must say I got to live my

dream through this gap year project.

I got to share back to Cambodia what

I had learned from UWC over the

previous five years about identity,

service, leadership and more. I learned

that at some point along your journey,

to create something new or big you will

have a time that things don’t work out

and you feel like giving up and that it

is impossible. There were times that I

doubted myself. I didn’t know how I was

doing, didn’t know who I could turn to

for help or if any of my plans were going

to work.

Now, I am glad that I got to feel that

way because through that, I had to

do something about it. I learned to

pick myself back up, find people who

give me courage, and try again. Those

lessons will stick with me for the rest of

my life. I’ve learned to be okay with self-

doubt sometimes, because that means I

will find a way to deal with it and it will

make me stronger. All the stress, hard

work and hard times I’ve had have been

very worth it. My gap year didn’t only

give me new experiences and mature

me as a person, but it is helping to

spread the UWC values.

Kimheang’s Gap Year experience

was made possible by the Kirpalani

Family. Since 2012, they have funded

21 scholar gap year experiences. Gifts

to the College, through the UWCSEA

Foundation, enrich the unique UWC

learning experience and bring the

College closer to achieving its mission.

a Gap Year

June 2017 Dunia | 17

INTERVIEW

After six years as Head of Dover Campus, Frazer Cairns

is leaving UWCSEA at the end of the 2016/2017 school

year to take up a new position as the Director of the

International School of Lausanne in Switzerland. During

his time at Dover, Frazer has seen the completion of

the new Middle School and High School blocks, the

establishment of East Campus, and has welcomed

countless new students, parents and staff, as well as a

new Head of College, to UWCSEA. Throughout the years

and the inevitable transitions and changes, Frazer has

served the community as a thoughtful, kind and above

all visible leader. He has involved himself in every aspect

of campus and College life and the community will miss

the familiar sight of him walking across the tent plaza in a

pristine white shirt. As Frazer began to say his goodbyes,

Grade 11 students, Devki Kalra and Meera Shoaib, caught

up with him to reflect on his time at the College.

18 | Dunia June 2017