This week we celebrated the M5 transition from MYP to Diploma with a ceremony on Friday. It was our largest group ever and while most of the students will be moving to Diploma here, there are a few that are heading off to other locations. We wish them well on their journeys.
As you can see there was a lot more than just the ceremony this week and it was not all just final exams. Please read through to see more about what students have been involved in.
With both the D2 and M5 students finished for the year I am sure the campus will be a bit quieter. However, the next few weeks have a number of activities so it will not be that quiet. Two for parents include the sports awards on Tuesday and the last assembly on the 12th. For more activities particularly see the MYP and PYP coordinator sections as well as the sports section.
This week and next week we are sharing the profiles for our incoming teachers so you know a little about them before August.
As always, I suggest you look though the full newsletter as there are all sorts of things to learn about the school.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Events
Ben’s Corner
As the last D2s disappear into the sunset, you might think you would be safe to assume things would ease off or, at least, slow down towards the end of the school year…you would be wrong! Exams, summatives, SATs, overnight camps, Sports Celebrations and Sports Days, a Sing-along Movie Night, football and rugby friendlies, netball tournaments, a Reefs OP trip, Focus Days, TOK exhibition, the “Week of Giving Back,” the P6 Ceremony and, of course, Friday’s M5 Ceremony. In amongst all of this, there will be fond and tearful farewells and countless planning meetings for all that is yet to come next year and beyond.
At the same time, an enormous amount of work is going on behind the scenes to ready the school for the next academic year, in terms of admissions, recruitment, facilities and so forth. It really is relentless…in a good way…mostly. Remember, success usually comes to those who are too busy to look for it.
For all of us but, perhaps, particularly for those of us who are moving on to pastures new, I encourage you to find a few quiet moments amidst all the activity to be still, look back and appreciate the community that we are all fortunate to be a part of. Despite our flaws and challenges, find the time to acknowledge the people who have made it happen…say thank you…and mean it.
To reiterate something I have written about here before, being busy is all too often an excuse. It is worn like a badge of honour. It becomes a contest. Busy. Busier. Busiest. Find the time to reimagine what it means to be busy. Find the time.
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Student Involvement
Community Garden
The community garden is in full bloom thanks to the wonderful rainy season and the dedication of a small group of D1 students (Deogracious, Hlelelwe, Xiran, Isaac, Ashley, and Vansh). They devoted their time learning about building soil, composting, and planting vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Throughout the year were able to take a tour of Mr. Simon Mtuy’s farm and learn from his expertise. Ms. Tahera also supported our efforts by giving us organic waste from the kitchen two times a week for our compost piles. Applying what we learned, we expanded the community garden and began planting. Come see the marigolds in bloom, sweet potatoes, rosemary, Chia, radishes, hot peppers, green onions, limes, and tomatoes. All herbs, fruits and vegetables are donated to the school kitchen. If you like the peace and calm of being in nature and are not afraid of a little hard work, please consider joining our gardening group next year. This invitation is also extended to any community members who might have a particularly green thumb or would like to share their love of growing plants here in Tanzania.
Mental health walk!
Last week, the WellBeing committee and Peer Support group organized the Mental Health walk around Moshi! The purpose of the walk was to detach from school routine and to connect with each other by sharing thoughts. The 2 hour walk was an amazing opportunity to forget all of the upcoming exams and let ourselves enjoy nature.
The students walked and discovered new yet so close areas of Moshi, talked with one another and saw the beauty of the river. After walking, all of the students met in the community garden for tea and cake, where they reflected on the importance of mental health, wellbeing and taking care of each other.
Here is what some students had to say:
Joshua ‘’it was a great experience to connect with nature surrounding the school and it really helped me start my exams with a clear and focused mind.
Arsine “The walk really was a great idea! My mind was clean after it and I enjoyed the water and nature sounds. It was some type of meditation.”
The walk was a success and thank you to everyone who participated! We are already excited for a new walk in September!
We also want to thank Ms. Frida and Ms. Val for chaperoning us and to Ms. Tahera for the snacks!
MYP News
I would like to begin today’s message with my most sincere gratitude for all the kind words, the tokens of appreciation and beautiful gestures from parents and students. Thank you for everything. I have often been asked why I keep calling MYP a “learning journey” rather than simply referring to it as one of IB continuum programs. I believe Friday’s M5 ceremony can answer that question easily. The whole MYP team celebrated the successful journey of 42 students who walked out of Rafiki Hall as amazing young individuals who possess a stubborn spirit, resilience that knows no bounds, determination, courage, feistiness and an incredible ability to find beauty in the face of adversity and a solid curiosity always eager to explore the world around them to quench an ongoing thirst for knowledge.
Congratulations to our M5 students. We cannot wait to hear the stories of your next chapters of “colorful memories” on campus or anywhere else in the world.
So, yes, it is journey and yes, it is the product of continuous support and hard work of this “MYP Team”: the school leadership, the teachers, the parents and the students. Together is always good, and our togetherness is where our success begins for M5, M4, M3, M2 and M1.
What is Mr. Julien Up to?
Welcome to M4s Casino! As part of their “Reasoning with Data” unit, M4s Math class learned the secrets of gambling! Yes, they used fake money, but they gained real conceptual understanding and knowledge, so no one can mess with this bunch anymore…
MAP Skills!
M1 have been working on their I&S unit Map Skills! Their summative task was to design and create a map skills game targeted towards younger children (ages 6-9). The game could be either physical (board game, card game, etc.) or digital (computer game, app, etc.). The students came up with wonderful educational games and joined their peers in P4-5 to put them into action!
We also learned we need to work on our organization and self-management skills to make this an even more successful experience. We tested it and will definitely do it again.
Thank you, Ms. Debbie, and P4-5 for having us!
Important MYP Dates to Keep in Mind:
June 5th – M1’s Survival Kit for P6 (Students only)
June 8th – P6 Move up Day Spent with M1
June 9th – Parent Meet and Greet (P6 Parents)
June 12th – 14th – Week of Giving Back (Details to come soon)
June 15th – Sports Day
June 15th – Reports issued
June 16th – Last Day of School
Farah Fawaz – MYP Coordinator
Residential Life
As we reflect on yet another enriching academic year, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the remarkable growth and development of our M5 students who have been residing in the dorms.
We have been delighted to witness the exemplary leadership skills displayed by these students, who have taken it upon themselves to ensure a welcoming and inclusive experience for everyone in the dorms. They have stepped up to take responsibility and have been excellent role models for younger students, making sure that they feel safe and supported as they navigate living away from home. These remarkable students have also shown exceptional growth by learning from their mistakes and using them as opportunities for personal development and guidance.
Their dedication to creating a supportive environment for their peers is a true testament to the values and ethos that form the foundation of UWCEA’s mission and vision. We strive to inspire our students to become collaborative, responsible, and ethical global citizens who will contribute positively to the world, and it is heartening to see these values being internalized by our students.
There have been many great memories throughout this year. Karaoke Night before Christmas break was a beautiful night, where the students gathered up in the dorm and sang and laughed. M5 dinner last weekend was an amazing opportunity for all the M5 dorm students to dress up and spend good quality time at a restaurant.
We believe that these students’ growth, leadership, responsibility, and empathy are skills that will serve them not just in their academic journey but also as they navigate their future endeavors. We are proud of the students’ achievements and are looking forward to seeing the continued positive impact they will have on our community.
Thank you for your continued support and trust, and we look forward to another exciting year.
Sincerely, M5 Residential Parents
Diploma News
The focus for D1 this week was the End of Year Examinations. They have had examinations in all subjects except Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. Although the students in School Supported Self Taught did an examination this will not be marked or reported. The students have been asked to find someone to discuss it with and they will look at the structure of it in class next year. For all other subjects the papers will be marked and then returned to the students next week.
It is important to remember that the most important part of this examination session was learning about the structure of the examination experience. They do also help students to identify if their revision strategies worked and help them know how much they know and understand. The structure of IB examinations is often different to that of other systems and finding about that is also part of the learning experience. These grades will be included in the final D1 report, but it is important to consider them within the context of the situation.
For the D1 students the exams are not the end of the year, there is much to come in the following weeks.
Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th – Students will attend lessons as normal except for DSS and TOK. Teachers will be returning exam papers and discussing them with students.
Wednesday 7th to Friday 9th – This time is used for the Group 4 subjects. The students in Biology, Chemistry and Physics are participating in the required Group 4 Project where they collaborate to bust a myth. They then present their findings. They will also have time to collect data for their Internal Assessments. The students in ESS will be going on a field trip, where they will be doing some data collection for their Internal Assessment. There is more information on Life about this trip and we ask that parents give their approval.
Monday 12 and Tuesday 13th – This time is spent working on the TOK exhibition. This is an assessed component (it counts for 1/3 of the TOK grade). Students have picked as prompt such as “What counts as good evidence for a claim”. They then pick 3 objects that allows them to discuss the prompt. They will spend Monday finalizing their written commentary about this and preparing their presentation. On Tuesday they get time to present their ideas to peers and members of the community.
Wednesday 14th – This day is chance to review the year and make plans for what work they need to do over the vacation to be well prepared for the start of the D2 year. There will be a chance to meet with subject teachers.
Thursday 15th – We will have a fun sports day
Margaret Brunt – DP Coordinator
Sports Update
As we approach the end of yet another highly successful academic year, we are excited to announce a few upcoming sports events that will keep us all on our toes until the very last day of school. Our UWCEA students have had an outstanding journey in sports this year, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements at our Sports Award Event in Rafiki Hall on Tuesday, the 6th of May, at 4 PM.
On Saturday, 10th of May we have an exciting Netball U11/U13 NTSAA tournament at Kennedy House. Later on, we have more thrilling events in scheduled for our students, as we prepare to celebrate Primary Sports Day on 7th of May, followed by Secondary Sports Day on 15th of May.
At UWCEA, we take pride in nurturing our students’ physical abilities alongside their mental capabilities. Our approach values well-rounded development and instills in our students values such as teamwork, dedication, and fair play. Such practices are at the very heart of UWCEA philosophy, and we are grateful to our students, coaches, and the entire community for embracing it. Let us all come together and show our support and appreciation for our students’ remarkable accomplishments at these events.
Mostafa Rihan – Sports & Activities Coordinator
PYP News
The P2/3 children enjoyed their camp. Despite the rain, there was lots of laughter – I know, because I live just across the road. The visit to the Blue Zebra Arts Studio was a big success and I saw the children proudly carrying their paintings home on Friday.
The friendly football tournament against Hope school on Saturday was a big success. Many thanks to Coach T, Ms Nadine, Mr Dean and everyone else who made this possible. The U7 team put up a valiant effort and the U9s and U11s enjoyed some successful games.
This coming week is the last week for after school clubs. Clubs will finish on Thursday.
On Monday the P4/5 class will visit the Mwereni Integrated School to learn about the technology that allows blind or visually impaired students to access the curriculum. We are taking along some food donations of beans, rice and oil. I appreciate it is short notice, but if you have any food you would like to donate please send it to Room 16 on Monday morning.
On Tuesday, 6th June, the end of semester sports celebration will take place in Rafiki at 4:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
On Wednesday, 7th June we will have a fun sports day. This will start at 7:40am on the pitch and will finish just before lunch. There will be fun activities before break and organised sports after break. Your child should wear a house shirt if he/she has one (they are available in the Development Office). Otherwise, please try to wear a T-shirt in the appropriate colour.
Thursday is PYP move up day, The children will spend a short amount of time in the class above to learn about some of the routines and activities for the coming school year. Mr. Hywel will be with the P5 (soon to be P6) children for the move up session but will be leaving us at the end of this semester to return to his family in Wales (more about that in next week’s newsletter). Details about the incoming PYP teacher, Ms. Natasha Berri, are at the end of the newsletter. On Friday, we will have the P6 leaving ceremony in Rafiki Hall at 7:30am and everyone is welcome. The current P6 parents (soon to be M1 parents) will have the opportunity to meet with Ms. Farah, theMYP coordinator, over coffee after the ceremony.
Friday, 9th June 4:30pm Student Voice singalong movie
On Saturday, the U11 Netball team will be off to Kennedy House for the NTSAA tournament. We wish them a great tournament.
On Monday, 12th June, there will be the final whole school assembly of the year. This will mainly have a secondary school focus but there will be a slideshow of the PYP children showing their Learner Profile attributes for this semester. The children will receive certificates showing these later in the week. The children will bring their portfolios home during the final week and school reports will also be issued online.
We usually have small class parties in the final week of the semester to mark the end of the school year. Class teachers will share the details of these later.
Deborah Mills – PYP Coordinator
EC/P1 Class
This week, we would like to celebrate the student’s work in IT. They have been working in various programs, developing their logical thinking skills, and completing basic programming tasks and coding. All students, at their various levels, enjoy IT time. For EC2s and P1s, when you are able, let them continue their development at www.kidlocoding.com.
This coming week will be the last week for sending reading books home. If you have any books at home, please return them at the end of the week.
On Wednesday, we will have a primary sports day. ECs will complete their activities and will leave for home at their normal time of 11:20. The schedule of events will be sent to you next week.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
We did it! We survived P 2/3 camp! Our field trip began with a wonderful Tinga Tinga history and art lesson at the Blue Zebra studio in Mweka. Every student created their own masterpiece. Then we had the fun challenge of setting up our tents at the Kishari House before walking back to campus for dinner. Afterwards, we enjoyed a campfire and marshmallows. We tested the durability of the school’s tents and found them to be reliably rainproof! When we made it back to school, we were muddy, tired and happy. The whole experience was wonderful for the class and a terrific way to begin the wind down of the school year.
Next week’s homework involves doing a bit of research on a topic that will be assigned on Monday. We are putting together a book about Tanzania with each child contributing a page.
Kacey Buckley
P4/5 Class
We enjoyed 6 cultural presentations on Friday. They were superb! We learned about food, clothing and festivals in the Netherlands, the USA flag, Sega dancing from Mauritius, football matches, theatre and countryside walks in England and Baraka’s truly multicultural family. We will share more presentations on Monday morning (and possibly Tuesday if we run out of time).
On Monday, we will be visiting the Mwereni Integrated School as part of our inquiry into human rights. The children will look at the technology that allows visually impaired children to access the school curriculum. Thank you to everyone who has sent in food donations. The children should wear a school T-shirt. We will follow our normal arrangements for morning snack and lunch. All children should bring a water bottle to school.
On Wednesday we will have a fun sports day. Please can the children wear a house shirt. They will need a sunhat, sunscreen and a full water bottle. You are very welcome to attend. On Thursday, we will have PYP move up day. The P5 children will spend some time in Mr. Hywel’s classroom and the. P4 children will remain with me.
Thank you to Ms. Farah and the M1s for sharing their games and teaching the P4/5 children geography skills. We look forward to playing some more in the coming week.
Please send in a box so that the children can take home their clay creations. This will be the last week for home learning. I hope that all of the children will be in school for the final day but if your child is leaving early, please let me know in good time so that I can make the necessary arrangements.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” is next week’s motto. As part of our, “Humans change physically, socially and emotionally during adolescence” unit, this week we looked at changes they will face during adolescence. A key message was: everyone changes and everyone is different and this is ok. We’ve reinforced this in art by working with portraits by Picasso. His perception of beauty was certainly different, and the children are working towards self-portraits in his surrealist style. In maths, we finished off our successful angle unit, while English saw the children write an abridged autobiography (Volume 1!). We’ve also started planning for their end of PYP gathering next Friday, 9th, parents are welcome to attend. Next Thursday, 8th, as part of the preparation for MYP, P6 will spend a day following the M1 schedule. This year’s M1 students will take them to their classes, lunch from 12-12.40 then more lessons until 3. Please make any food and transport arrangements needed for this. They don’t need to wear a school t-shirt, nor do they need electrical devices. Just two weeks of PYP to go!
Hywel Davies
Outdoor Pursuits
Last week we shared new information about the OP updates for the upcoming school year. Please make sure you watch the “explainer video” from Oli, he emailed all of us the video this week. Thank you, Oli. This very important 27-minute video will help you understand how OP will run next school year. We are very excited about the updates. Please get in touch with us if you did not get the email with the “explainer video”.
In other OP news, Semester 1 OP Trip sign-ups are OPEN!
Head over to LIFE to see the upcoming trip details.
Peaks Adventure: Upper to Meru – 17 Aug to: 20 Aug Plains Discovery: Lower to Monduli – 9 Aug to: 20 Aug Reefs Exploration: Upper to Fish Eagle Point – 30 Aug to: 3 Sep Peaks Discovery: M1 to Campcraft – 2 Sep to: 3 Sep Rides Adventure: All to Namalok – 15 Sep to: 17 Sep Peaks Discovery: Upper to North Pare – 16 Sep to: 17 Sep Reefs Adventure: All to Scuba Diving – 27 Sep to: 1 Oct Plains Discovery: Upper to Makuyuni – 1 Oct to: 3 Oct Peaks Challenge: Upper to Kilimanjaro – 6 Oct to: 11 Oct
Baden Dowie – Experiential Learning Coordinator
This weekend students and staff joined the World Cycle Day event which involved cycling from Moshi to Kilimanjaro followed by a tree planting activity. Congratulations to all involved.
From the Counselors
Inquiring Minds Want to Know Burning Questions
As the school year draws to a close, we are finding that students and families are asking lots of questions in preparation for the long break. Your questions are welcome, and I will do my best to answer those that are related to career and college planning in a timely manner. Thank you to those of you who have been doing your homework by attending virtual fairs, in person presentations, scouring institution websites, utilizing Maia Learning, contacting me, and a host of other ways to get accurate answers to the questions you seek. Please keep the questions coming, but also utilizing resources that have been developed to assist you along the way. In preparation for the D1 Parent Meeting that was held on Thursday evening, some parents submitted questions that I thought it would be helpful to share the answers to with everyone. Here are some Frequently Asked Questions and answers for your consideration:
1. How much is the Davis Foundation Scholarship? The money provided by the Davis UWC Scholar program is in the form of a grant that is given directly to the institution, and not the individual student. The amount included in the student’s financial aid package is dependent upon how many UWC alumni are enrolled on the campus. More information can be found on this website: https://www.davisuwcscholars.org/
2. Are “Day Students” eligible for the Davis UWC Scholars program? Any student who graduates from UWC East Africa and enrolls in a Davis UWC Scholar Partner institution is eligible for the grant.
3. Can I earn an athletic scholarship? This is very institution specific and involves a recruitment process that may or may not happen before a student matriculates to an institution. For US sports scholarship consideration it is important to become familiar with the NCAA Eligibility process (https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/). Also, note that not all institutions offer sports scholarships (ie. US Division III schools, and most other countries).
4. What financial documents do I need to submit for need based financial aid? Although many US institutions require the CSS Profile for international students, there are a large number of institutions that require a different form, including their own institution specific form. It is important to visit the Financial Aid section of the institutions website to see what form they require, and what supporting documents are also necessary (ie. tax forms, bank statements, home/rental payments, etc.). Please make sure you are looking at the requirements for international students if you are not a national of that country because many times there may be a different form required for international students.
5. Is it advisable to apply early to highly competitive institutions? Applying early is only advisable if you are certain about the institution and you have a competitive application ie. grades, Anticipated Grades, test scores (where necessary), well written essays/personal statement, and for Early Decision, you know without a doubt that if you are admitted you would attend. The early round is for students who have done their homework and know that there is no part of their application package that will substantially improve if they wait until later to submit.
6. Where can I find information about scholarships outside of the US? On the UWCEA Careers website (accessible to individuals with a uwcea.org email address), there is a section called “Scholarships” where we continue to list scholarships that we are aware of around the world. In addition, there are some country specific scholarships that students have learned about through local organizations, government entities, and alumni of institutions living in their home country.
This is just a small sampling of the wide range of questions that have been asked throughout this year. During Thursday’s presentation, and some of the other events held throughout this week, many questions were answered in the form of presentations by us, as well as by college/university representatives. We encourage D1 parents to review the presentations from this week.
There is so much more to discover, so continue to exhibit the skills of the IB Learner Profile of Inquirer so that you can become more Knowledgeable in the pursuit of a world filled with post-secondary possibilities.
UPCOMING College and University Event 15 June: 4:45-6:00 PM EAT: US Liberal Arts Colleges Presentation and mini-virtual fair. June focus: Us Application Essay Writing, making an impact. Link to register for this event:
UWC East Africa Finance Committee
If you have some financial acumen and feel you could contribute to our Finance Committee then we are interested in hearing from you. We meet on Zoom about four times a year.
