Arusha Campus News – 4 Apr 2023

Our fabulous catering team organised a special ‘iftar’ dinner last week to celebrate the breaking of the muslim fast on that day. Thank you Mezabine and Abbas for the generous gesture. And all in the most beautiful setting and sunset.

A group of D1 students have got together in recent weeks to develop a project to raise awareness of the stigma that people in Tanzania who live with HIV Aids have to put up with on a daily basis. The students are pictured above after presenting the premiere of their mini-documenetary on the subject, at the Cultural Heritage Theatre.

We have broken up for the April holiday. Many students have managed to get away for the two week holiday, others have stayed on campus to get make the most of the peace and quiet to get on with work assignments and revision. Not long now until the IBDP exams start in earnest.

A shorter newsletter this week as we are on holiday but some interesting pictures of the campus. I was sent an old aerial photo of the campus friom around 1997 showing the school from south of the Dodoma Road. The early school buildings and water tower in place but no admin buildings, performance area or even a single tree! What a contrast to today’s relatively built up landscape.

May I take the opportunity to thank our Arts Department for a fabulous Festival of the Arts this week. Miss Sarah and her team as well as the fabulous performers put on an amazing festival which presented the campus’ arts in a tremendous light. Thank you everyone.

Have a pleasant April holiday

Phil

Above. The campus seen from the south side of the Dodoma Road in around 1997/98

Below. The same campus seen from the west in 2021

PYP Mums and Dads with their students at the PYP Student Led Conference Day

The Student Led Conferences are one of my favourite days in the Primary Calendar. Watching the students share their learning with their parents is so rewarding. The students are so excited to show everything (and I mean everything!) to their parents. Parent feedback to their children is also so rewarding and important. So many parents said, “I am so proud of you.” ‘It’s really amazing to see how you explain what you’ve learned.” “We are so proud of all your knowledge of the world and your enthusiasm for learning.”
Thank you parents for making the time to be with your child. We appreciate that this is a big commitment.

Amanda, PYP Co-ordinator

The PYP students had a fantastic morning with events organised by the Primary Student Council. Thank you to Mr Jonny for supporting the Student Council.

P4/5 interviewed Lea Kimaro, who is the Director of the NGO Right to Play, about the Rights of the Child in Tanzania via Zoom. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with the P4/5’s.

The UWC East Africa Careers Symposium: Building 21st Century Skills two-day event was a major undertaking that led to students having an opportunity to engage with professionals from all around the globe. Our virtual event on Wednesday night (after a lovely campus sponsored Iftar) included panels and presenters representing a variety of professions (see image above), and was an excellent lead into the in person event on Thursday morning. Thanks to community volunteers, staff members with fascinating career paths, and our phenomenal D2 students who facilitated the Post-Secondary Planning Fair, the M5 and D1 students were exposed to a wealth of information that I hope they spend part of the break processing. Our special guest from Luther College (Davis UWC Partner Institution) Mr. Jon Lund, did a session on the Holland Interest Profiler, and gave students some food for thought as they ponder their post-secondary plans. The O*Net website Mr. Lund referenced is US based, but provides some key information for students who want to do more self-reflection prior to finalizing their career path. Please visit this website for more information, and encourage your M4-D1 student to access their Maia Learning account over the April break to continue their career and college exploration:
https://www.onetcenter.org/IP.html

Financial Award Review and Decision Time

For our D2s, this is a time filled with great anticipation as many of them are finalizing their collegiate decision based on the offers they have received. For some, the financial award is the determining factor, and one that needs to be taken quite seriously since all financial packages are not created equally. I have strongly advised students to open the lines of communication with the financial aid team at the institution(s) they are considering, and ask to speak with current (international) students to glean a better sense of their fiscal realities on campus. It is critical to review financial aid awards carefully, and ask lots of questions (ie. cost of living, typical expenses, taxes, etc.) before making a final decision. Creating a budget and determining if it will be realistic for three to four years is an excellent decision making activity. Bear in mind that there is a deadline to respond in order for an offer to remain valid. 1 May is the traditional deadline in the US, and D2 students are encouraged to use the April break to utilize all resources available to ensure they are making the best decision for themselves based on their situation. I wish our deciding D2s all the best, and can’t wait to celebrate their decisions next month as we prepare for their launch to the next level.

There is so much more to share with you, but I hope that students will use this time wisely. Rest, reflect, and come back renewed to partake in the events coming your way:

UPCOMING College and University Events

18 April: 8:00 AM EAT Final D2 Assembly and celebration of admissions offers
23 April: 8PM-1AM EAT NACAC International virtual fair (Registration link: www.nacacattend.org/23VirtualMar19)
1 May: Decision Day (US and some other institutions around the globe) This is the day that applicants must confirm their final choice for enrollment in the fall.
6 May: 7:30-11:00 AM EAT SAT in Moshi (See https://uwcea.org/tests for more information)

May TBD: 7:30-8:30 PM EAT Part II: D1 Parent/Guardian Presentation: Preparing for the College Application Process
May TBD: Pomona College, Swarthmore College, and Williams College (Three Davis UWC Partner Institutions who are finalizing their plans to visit us in May.)
3 June: 7:30-11:00 AM EAT SAT in Moshi (See https://uwcea.org/tests for more information)

9 June: AM Arusha and PM Moshi Amherst College in person visit

Keep exploring and have an amazing April Break!

Cassandra Ford
College and Career Counselor

cassandraford@uwcea.org

To all our presenters, you made this event happen (see pics above), and I can’t thank you enough. Stay tuned for next year’s invitation, and feel free to bring a professional friend along because the more the merrier as we expand the professional prospects of our students.

See also some of the feedback from students below.

Notice to all British subjects in Tanzania OR to other nationals wishing to apply for a visa to travel to Great Britain. There will be a consular clinic organised by the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam on Monday 15th May at the African Tulip Hotel. Appointments will be for a maximum of 15 minutes and MUST be made in advance by emailing beatty@africanenvironments.com