Honolulu, Hawaii, USA – The final leg of their journey brought Wells Seniors to the island of Oahu. Nicknamed “The Gathering Place”, Oahu is home to the most populated county, Honolulu, with a population of about 900,000.

In addition to a visit to the University of Hawaii’s main campus at Manoa, some of the students also were treated to a visit to the Hawaii Pacific University system which includes the HPU Oceanic Institute, HPU’s Hawaii Loa Campus, and HPU’s Downtown Campus.

Seniors visit the University of Hawaii at Manoa

On Thursday, a daylong tour began with visit to Pearl Harbor, the site of the famous surprise attack by Japan that signaled the U.S. entrance into World War II. The group then took a scenic drive through the Koolau Mountain Range to Oahu’s North Shore, ending up at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Here they spent the rest of the day and much of the evening immersing themselves in the various cultures that inhabit Polynesia, the largest Pacific island group. Such cultures include Samoa, Aotearoa (aka New Zealand), French Polynesia (Tahiti), Tonga, Fiji, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and, of course, Hawaii.

Senior Alice at the Pearl Harbor Museum

At the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu's North Shore

The group’s last day included an afternoon at Hanauma Bay, an ocean wildlife sanctuary home to some of the best snorkeling available in the state. Prior to entering the refuge, all visitors are required to go through an orientation program with information on how to properly view the reef and its inhabitants.

Finally, after 11 days and over 14,000 miles (22,500 km) of traveling, the seniors returned home with memories that will last a lifetime.

The Wells International School Senior Class of 2010 would like to thank the following people and organizations that made this trip possible:

• Wells International School Chairman Yao-Lang Chang
• Dr. & Mrs. Ramon S. de la Peña
• University of Hawaii at Hilo, Center for Global Education & Exchange
• Imiloa Astronomy Center
• University of Hawaii at Manoa
• Hawaii Pacific University

Hilo, Hawaii, USA – Just a hop, skip, and a jump from Lihue, Kauai lies the city of Hilo on the Big Island where the Wells Seniors began the second stage of their Hawaiian adventure this past Saturday evening.

At the crack of dawn Sunday morning, the group headed up to Hawaii’s highest point – the summit of Mauna Kea. A stop at the Ellison Onizuka Visitor Center at the 3,000 meter elevation was required to acclimate to the high altitude where the air is thinner and oxygen intake is significantly reduced to the much lower atmospheric pressure.  After about an hour, the journey to the top continued. Rising far above the clouds to over 4,200 meters, the summit is home to some of the world’s most technologically advanced astronomy observatories such as the Keck, the Gemini, the Subaru Telescope, and the Submillimeter Array.

Later in the afternoon and through the evening, the seniors drove to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where the longest current volcanic eruption on Earth is taking place. After an informative stroll through the Jaggar Museum, a short walk to the edge of the Kilauea Caldera led to unobstructed views of the Halema’uma’u Crater billowing smoke and ash and, as dark fell, glowing pinkish-orange as the hot, molten lava churned within.

On Monday, the University of Hawaii – Hilo Campus welcomed the group with a day of campus presentations, tours, and activities. Showing the meaning of Hawaiian hospitality, the student guides gave their visitors a taste of college life, complete with lunch at the student center. The seniors were even treated to a special tour at UH-Hilo’s Imiloa Astronomy Center, which is normally closed on Mondays, including dozens of interactive learning centers and a 3D presentation in the dome planetarium.

Exhausted, the group finally headed back to the Hilo International Airport for the final chapter of their journey.

Next stop – Honolulu on the Island of Oahu.

Senior Arm at the summit of Mauna Kea -- Hawaii's Gateway to the Universe.

Senior Ton marveling at the size of a wild green sea turtle on the shore of Hilo Bay.

Wells Seniors -- "Somewhere Under the Rainbow"

At Kilauea Caldera with Halema'uma'u Crater spewing ash and steam in the background.

Red-hot lava glowing in Halema'uma'u Crater.

Khao Yai – Seventy-eight middle school students were accompanied by sixteen teachers and staff to Khao Yai in Nakkon Rachassima province for the annual spring camp held from Wednesday, January 27, through Friday, January 29, at the Greenery Resort.

The adventure started with a service project at the Khao Yai Wildlife Refuge in which students and their group leaders trucked through the wilderness before hiking through the brush to “salt-lick patches”. The group was informed on how the animals in the refuge, despite having access to all the food and water the forest has to offer, still may suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, rangers (and volunteers such as the Wells group) help by “planting” nutrient-fortified salts into the ground in patches located within known wildlife grazing areas.

Grade 8 boys do a PR pose for their "salt-lick" service project.

In the evening, the group headed deeper into the Khao Yai National Park for a night safari. With the moon nearly full, scores of nocturnal wildlife were seen grazing alongside the safari route, including the ubiquitous sambar and barking deer, porcupines, and gibbons.

We're going on a safari!

Day 2 of the camp was dedicated to team building and competition. Mixed teams were put through a series of tasks and challenges, earning rank points by either getting high scores (archery, laser skeet) or fast times (Mix Extreme, Nano-Bikes). The final team challenge was given that evening with a “Dress the King” contest – complete with wild outfits and strutting in front of the judges.

The last day of the camp began with the announcement of the winning teams, including the best scores or times in individual events, and the overall winner. Gift baskets were awarded to winners of the individual events and the overall winner one extra sets of park passes worth nearly B500 per team member.

Donning a pineapple outfit, 8th-grader Marin races across the winding path.

The rest of the morning was spent enjoying the various activities available at Greenery Resort’s Life Park. The entire 8^th grade class was given a special challenge to go on the GX-Swing – a giant swing that hoists up to five people high into the air before dropping them face first toward the ground. Despite the initial fears (and, in some cases, tears), all the members of the Wells Class of 2014 present were able to conquer their fear and experience the exhilaration of “flying” from nearly 70 meters up, dropping to just above ground level in a about two or three seconds.

Exhausted after two days of activities, the Wells group headed hopped on the buses for the three hour trek back home. And, though sad that it all had to come to an end, all that participated in this camp may relish in the memories that are sure to last for many years to come.

In order to qualify for Wells scholarships, secondary students are first screened based on externally administered, norm-referenced tests such as the SAT10 or the ITBS (for transfer students). Final decisions are then made based on performance in the classroom (GPA), contributions to the school community and character assessments.

This year, Wells awarded scholarships to two groups of students: the Wells Scholars (B20,000/semester) and the Wells Super Scholars (B35,000/semester for Middle School, B45,000/semester for High School).

Wells Super Scholars for 2010 are:

• Akhil Shanishetti, Gr. 7**
• Amira Lukens, Gr. 8**
• Praat “Tan” Sukriket, Gr. 8
• Kaori Miyajima, Gr. 8
• Aiyana O’Meara, Gr. 9
• Tsai Chi “Cathy” Shang Kuan, Gr. 9
• Gautham Naganathan, Gr. 9
• Chan Lee, Gr. 10
• Surachaet “Nick” Charaschanya, Gr. 11
• Ju Hyun “June” Song, Gr. 11
• Chi Jau “Kelly” Wang, Gr. 11

**”Wells Family Scholars” – 100% Tuition Award

Wells Scholars for 2010 are:

• Arlindo Borges, Gr. 6
• Joon Young “Peter” Choi, Gr. 6
• Sitibhum “Tenn” Chaiwatanarat, Gr. 8
• Pimchanok “Pim” Chuenkamolpun, Gr. 9
• Daryl Ong, Gr. 9
• Nanthida “Gunita” Anandsongvit, Gr. 10
• Ritika Anandsongvit, Gr. 12
• Yi Tsen “Alice” Liu, Gr. 12

Also recognized were a group of transfer students that, due to their exceptional performance at previous schools, were also awarded scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year. Categorized as Wells Super Scholars, these students are:

• Shir Lee Akazawa, Gr. 7 (transfer from NIST)
• Siradanai “Joseph” Chaomuangbon, Gr. 10 (transfer from Ekamai International School)
• Arada “Darling” Arayawuth, Gr. 11 (transfer from Chiang Mai International School)

In addition to the scholarships, two cash awards of B15,000 were presented to the 2009 Fall Sports MVPs. Selections for these awards were made based on a player’s contribution to the success of his/her team, as well as sound academic performance and school service. For the 2009 Female MVP, senior basketball player Ping “Kieren” Wu Yeh (Class of 2010) has been leading her team for the past two years. Similarly, the 2009 Male MVP, Yueh Ting “Kevin” Han (Class of 2014) has led his team to two consecutive TISAC championships. In both cases, the MVPs played key roles in Wells’ emergence as a major power in TISAC sports in just its second year as a member school.

Wells Super Scholar Aiyana O'Meara with Headmaster Ray D. de la Peña and Vice Headmaster Jared D. Kuruzovich

]]> http://wells-school.com/2009/12/24/wells-awards-over-b1-1-million-in-scholarships-for-2010/feed/ 0 http://wells-school.com/2009/09/23/wells-students-attend-thai-university-fair/ http://wells-school.com/2009/09/23/wells-students-attend-thai-university-fair/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:50:16 +0000 Mr. Jared http://wells-school.com/?p=1447

The Thai University Fair, hosted at Ruamrudee International School

Diligently preparing for graduation and the selection of universities, students from grades 11 and 12 attended the Thai University Fair, hosted at Ruamrudee International School, on September  22nd. Accompanied by Mr. Dan, the Grade 12 homeroom instructor, and Ms. Nicki, the School Counselor, the students met with university representatives and participated in information sessions that allowed them to gain a better understanding of the possibilities of higher education.

Wells students examining the various university booths

The programs being promoted by the universities ensured that students were exposed to a wide variety of possible fields of study and eventual careers. Though many focused on technical areas such as chemistry, engineering and architecture, several other programs comprised an extensive range of the arts. Many such offerings extended from communication arts, language and culture and economics to fashion and design, hotel management and British and American studies.

Mind elicits information from university representatives

Additionally, by interacting directly with the school representatives, students had the opportunity to learn about admission requirements, curriculums, career planning, financial assistance, sports and activities, scholarships, work study programs, ESL programs and tuition costs.

Kamon examines materials from Assumption University

Of the students who attended the fair, 55% are interested in attaining their undergraduate degrees in Thailand. Students wanting to study abroad were asked to collect data on possible majors in order help understand their needs and facilitate the process of individual vocational sessions. An awareness of the different programs and available educational opportunities will assist students in making important decisions for the future and the best possible choices for tertiary education.

Students discuss the various university programs being offered

Universities participating in the fair included the Chulalongkorn University International Program Thammasat University International Program, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Mahidol University International College, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Kasetsart University International Studies Center, Silapakorn University International Program, Srinakarinwirot University (offering a joint program with Nottingham University in the United Kingdom), Assumption University, Bangkok University International College, Rangsit University International Program, Dusit Thani College, Le Cordon Bleu Thailand, Webster University, Stamford International University, Academia Italiana and Raffles Institute.

Tetee and Kelly pose for a photo at the fair

(An additional thank you to Mr. Dan…)

By Ms. Nicki Sehgal

Mr. Dan and Mind face off...

Congratulations again to the entire 85 Magazine staff: Kelly, Nivan, Alina, Nick, Net, Kongwut, Visith, Ji Hae and Mr. Joseph. 85 Magazine is also available in its online form here.

85 Magazine awaits its official release

Mr. Ray opens the ceremony

Nick cuts the ribbon to officially release the magazine to the public

The celebration begins

The 85 Magazine staff raises a toast

Alina presents the inaugural issue to a parent

Members of the magazine staff review the results of their hard work

Awareness…

Exploration…

Decision Making…

Preparation…

On September 17th Grade 10, 11 and selected 12 students received a visit from prestigious New York University. Mr. Steven Houghton, a NYU Abu Dhabi representative, inspired Wells students by providing information on one of the foremost private, global research institutions in the United States—one that has expanded its global network with a satellite campus in Abu Dhabi and through international academic centers.

The new NYU Abu Dhabi campus is a highly selective liberal arts and science college that provides semesters abroad at various locations in NYU’s global network, as well as generous financial aid packages for qualified students. Students enrolled in NYU are able to make progress toward gaining degrees on five continents—Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America—and in cities such as Accra, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Florence, London, Madrid and Paris.

The purpose of ongoing college visits is for high school students to begin thinking about their future interests and education, and also give them a taste of college life. Such visits provide an overview of the colleges, the admissions processes and career programs. Students are able to have discussions that answer their need to plan for their future education.

Post-secondary plans should be a joint decision between parents and students; our role as educators at Wells is to provide the best education possible to help students achieve these goals and to provide career data to allow for informed decisions that will best benefit the students.

“We should all be concerned about the future, because we will have to spend the rest of our lives there.”
Charles F. Kettering

by Ms. Nicki Sehgal, Guidance Counselor

As the first Wells seniors approach graduation, several presitigious universities have courted their attention.

NYU's multicultural approach and global campus system appealed to many Wells students.

The NYU representative explains the system's structure.

Students listen attentively to the NYU presenter.

Nivan begins her presentation on Hinduism

Students must explain the history, beliefs, traditions, rituals and issues of their chosen religions

Others in the class frequently ask questions and complete student-created handouts

Student presenters must also create relevant activities for their classmates

Alina begins her presentation on Buddhism

Students often demonstrate great creativity in their approach to the presentations

Again demonstrating the relevance of the class, presenters explain the modern issues surrounding the religions

In addition to the World Religions course, several other high school electives emphasize the relevance of the subject to the students’ lives. Recognizing the lasting impact of the recent world economic crisis, the Personal Financial Management course provides students with practical knowledge with which to recognize the importance of fiscal responsibility. Environmental Science focuses on the manner in which human beings as a species have misused the world’s resources and, rather than endorse short-term “cleaning” solutions, seeks to find preventive measures that will raise environmental awareness and reduce resource exploitation. These, combined with other courses that will be detailed in future postings, ultimately provide the students at Wells On Nut with a conditioned consciousness and realism that are too often absent in educational settings.

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