This weekend we said goodbye to another graduating class. On Friday night the graduating students hosted the staff for an appreciation dinner that was a lot of fun. On Saturday, after more than a few pictures (to be shared with parents in a separate email), we had the full graduation where we celebrated the efforts of these 80 students.
This event does not happen without the combined effort of many people. Like many years we had a devoted group of parents leading the decoration of K-Hall, and like every year they transformed the place for the students. Thank you for this great work. From the school side, a lot goes into this weekend, and we must thank Margaret, Agnes, Emmanuel, and Grace for their planning and hard work dealing with unexpected issues. Our student and teacher photography team captured both Friday night and Saturday so that we have photos like the one below to share. Behind the scenes we have our kitchen staff working on both the appreciation dinner and graduation food. Thank you also to our cleaners and gardeners who worked so hard getting everything set up and cleaned.
Thank you as well to all the teachers, residential parents and everyone that helped students get to the point where they were on stage yesterday.
And lastly, but certainly not least, thank you to the parents. I am sure it can be hard to send your children away to a school you do not know, thank you for your trust and support.
While Graduation was the main focus this week, please see below for other things going on.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
The UWCEA Moshi Graduating Class of 2024
Upcoming
Ben’s Corner
Our community has been a place of mixed emotions over recent days as we celebrate our graduating Class of 2024. With one eye on all that is yet to come, we also look back on all that has gone before and reflect on the many tribulations and celebrations of the last two years (and more). It was lovely to see our graduates looking so resplendent (and a bit hot!) on the stage and, of course, to see so many proud faces in the audience.
I also wanted to echo the thanks to the many people across the community who put so much time and effort into making Saturday a success and giving our D2s the send-off they deserved.
On Friday evening, the D2 students organised and hosted an “Appreciation Dinner” for the staff. It is fitting that this event took place on the eve of the final exams and the day before Graduation. In the midst of celebrations, it is all too easy to get lost in the occasion and forget the people who have worked so hard to help us. After all, no duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks. It was a lovely event and I know the teachers felt appreciated.
I hope that all our graduates realise what a special community they have been part of during their time at UWCEA and take the Mission, Values and many lifelong friendships out into the world beyond this campus.
As Lyra sang so beautifully:
“You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas I am strong, when I am on your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be”
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Diploma News
The journey at school has now ended for D2. It has been a hectic week. The last few exams were Geography, Biology, Spanish, Economics and French. The last exam was Friday morning and then we had graduation rehearsal.
On Friday we had the staff appreciation meal. We had musical performances, a Kahoot with fun facts about teachers and a delicious meal. There were speeches to thank the leaving teachers. It was a lovely evening.
Then Saturday was the main event – Graduation. Before the ceremony we had group photos of the full class, like above in the newsletter, then broken down into different groups, for example, by student residence and by geographic region. The students looked amazing. Then we walked in pairs of students with a teacher. Each student was introduced and presented with their High School Diploma. Videos of these will be shared soon. There were more speeches, performances and awards. It was a lovely day.
D1 are now the senior students and have a week before their exams start. After the exams they have the collaborative science project and the TOK exhibition.
See the end of the newsletter for some Diploma activities.
Margaret Brunt – Diploma Coordinator
Sustainability Committee
We hope this newsletter finds you well and inspired to make a positive impact on our environment. We are thrilled to share some exciting updates from the Sustainability Committee regarding recent events and future initiatives. We apologise for the lack of our feedback in the last campus newsletters, however we have exciting news to share this week!
On Wednesday, May 15th, we streamed the World Species Congress in room 6 for 3 hours in order to raise awareness about Endangered Species Day, that happened on May 17th, and current world environment affairs. This event served as an opportunity for our community to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and preserving biodiversity.
Moreover, on Friday morning, May 17th, the Sustainability Committee collaborated with the PYPs for an engaging and impactful activity. Together, we raised awareness for endangered species and sustainability, while conducting a trash sorting and recycling activity in front of their classrooms. The Sustainability Committee had a very pleasant surprise with all the knowledge and awareness that our young students have in regard to sustainability and recycling, knowing exactly which type of waste goes in which bin. Furthermore, we were delighted with the nominations of our PYP sustainable advocates or “super-heroes” for their dedication to promoting sustainable practices within our community. The event was a major success, thanks to the enthusiasm and participation of our PYPs.
On another hand, to continue our effort at promoting sustainability and reducing waste, we are collaborating with Miss Jamie’s initiative to reuse other people’s unwanted clothes, especially now that our M5s and D2s are graduating. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to minimize waste and encourage responsible consumption habits, so we encourage you to check it out when hosted.
Lastly, as we approach graduation on May 18th, we urge everyone to be mindful of our waste and recycling practices during the event. Let’s work together to minimize our environmental footprint and ensure that our celebrations are both memorable and sustainable.
Thank you everyone, Sustainability Committee
MYP News
…And that’s a wrap to a long period of examination on campus! Our M5’s completed their last eAssessment on Friday, and I do not think we could witness more excitement or smiles (including mine!). When something ends, it creates space for new opportunities and experiences. This cycle of closing one door and opening another is a natural part of life, encouraging us to move forward and embrace change. Each ending gives us the chance to reflect, learn, and begin again with a fresh perspective.
If we look at the bigger picture in MYP, it’s all about endings and beginnings. One unit ends, another begins, suggesting new opportunities. One assessment ends, the preparations for another begin, leading to fresh chances to improve and excel. This continuous cycle of learning and growth shapes the MYP framework and is clearly reflected in each of our students from M1 to M5 as they continue to be engaged and motivated. As they each embrace these transitions individually and collectively, they build resilience and adaptability, skills that will serve us well beyond the classroom.
So, here’s to endings! May they keep coming our way!
M5 Week of May 20th, 2024
M4 and P2-P3 M4 has been exploring various perspectives in storytelling and how this allows individuals to empathize with diverse experiences and understand the complexities of human interaction within different cultural contexts. Their summative assessment was to rewrite a children’s book from the perspective of a different character. After they finished, they tested their stories with the wonderful P2/P3 students. Thank you M4s, P2/P3 students and Ms. Kacey! We had a lot of fun!
M4 Design: The M4’s did such an amazing job with their “Designing for the Community” project. The students each identified a design need within our community. Using the design cycle, students devised a plan to create a solution to a problem that a customer had. For example, Scarlet worked closely with the school cafeteria and designed a new “Duka” sign for the school’s cafeteria. Congrats on the successful project.
Thank you M4s and Mr. Baden!
MYP Dates to Remember:
May 20th to 23rd – M5 Workshops
May 24th- M5 – Ceremony
June 6th – P6 to M1 Move Up Day
June 10th to 13th – M1-M4 Week of Giving Back
June 14th – Last day of Classes
Farah Fawaz – MYP Coordinator
SAMO Competition
Last Thursday, our mathematicians in Moshi and Arusha campus took part in the 2nd round of SAMO (South African Math Olympiad). It is highly competitive, with the participants vying for the top 100 to qualify for the 3rd and final round. In past years, we have had no more than 4 qualifiers for this round. Let’s wait and see if we can beat the record this time!
This is a sample question.
From Mr. Julien and Zhiyi
Sports Update
Leopards on the Move!
Saturday the U11 netball team traveled to Kennedy house for an 11 team NTSAA tournament. There are a lot of games, and our players will definitely improve from being a part of this tournament. Good luck team.
On May 21 the U11 touch rugby will be heading to Kennedy house for their NTSAA tournament. They have one more practice to work on their game plan.
On June 8 there will be the U16 and U19 netball crossover championship for our teams.
Coming up for U13 netball, on June 13 they will travel to Kennedy house for the tournament. Players on this team, make sure you get your parents’ permission on Life.
Coach Pickell
PYP News
On Wednesday, the Brownies visited KCMC to deliver homemade weights (bottles filled with sand) to the spinal unit. The patients will use these to develop their upper body strength (see photo).
On Friday, the secondary school, Sustainability Committee visited the primary classrooms to explain to the children how to use the waste, compost and recycling bins (see photo). MAP assessment results were shared with parents on Friday.
P6 returned from a very exciting camp near Lake Manyara. See Ms. Natasha’s newsletter for the full details. Many thanks to the Dodhia family for facilitating a wonderful visit to African Galleria. In the coming week P2 have a camp to Kishari House to look forward to.
The U11 netball team went to Kennedy House for a tournament on Saturday, 18th May. The sports department will share the scores at a later date. The U11 Touch Rugby team will travel on Tuesday – Coach Pickell has shared details on Life.
Thursday, 30th May, is our Gathering of Gratitude. Please join us in Rafiki Hall at 7:40pm. Refreshments will be served at the end of the gathering.
Deborah Mills – PYP Coordinator
EC/P1 Class
The picture shared is of Keita explaining his drawing of a Japanese Shinkansen bullet train. He had spent an afternoon and an evening working on it. He explained how it worked, how many cabins he had drawn, and what was happening in each.
Thank you Bibi Alisa for letting us meet and play with your kittens. We had a lovely time. Some children who had not experienced kittens before had a chance to rise above their fear of them. We learned how to take care of them and that kittens have different personalities. Some of us liked Luna best and some of us liked Daisy most.
This coming Wednesday, we will be having our annual day camp. We will meet in the classroom as normal and pick-up will also be at the classroom. On that day, EC and P1s will all leave at 1:10 pm. A letter and an email will be sent to you on Monday concerning the day. As most events will depend on whether it rains or not, we will keep you updated right up to the day.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
Our week was busy and productive. Students have enjoyed our focus on fractions and show terrific comprehension. We’ve also had fun with basic money math and pretended to be workers at a coffee shop taking orders and telling customers their total.
There is a lot of talk in class about the upcoming camping trips. The P2 class will go after school on Thursday and return to school by break time on Friday. (P3 will have class as normal on Friday morning with Mr. Emmanuel leading the lessons.) The following week, P3 will leave for their camping trip and return on Friday. P2 will have class as normal on Friday with Ms. Zitha or Ms. Catherine leading lessons.
P2 parents have received permission slips and camp details. Please return these slips with the money on Monday. We will be checking out any needed equipment from the OP department on Monday. If you feel that your child is not ready for the campout, please let me know.
The photo this week is from our Thursday PE session. This is Coach T giving the class a pep talk after their intense game of touch rugby. He has such a great way of communicating and teaching!
Kacey Buckley
P4/5 Class
This week in maths we have been working with mixed numbers and improper fractions. Ms. Catherine and I have been very pleased with the effort the children have made. On Tuesday, we visited the train station as part of our unit on buildings. Mr. Jackson, the station master, explained some of the history of the building and the railway. Due to flooding on the line, a train had terminated at Moshi station. The children were very fortunate and were allowed to explore the stationary train – they even tried out the bunks in the sleeper car! In class we watched a video that explained how skyscrapers are constructed. The children have also practiced drawing a street scene with a vanishing point. Please note that on Monday we will be visiting the mosque. It is important that the children wear clothing that covers their arms and legs. It would be helpful if the girls could bring a headscarf to school but some of the children are going to bring spares so don’t worry if you do not have anything suitable.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
This week, P6 had an exciting camping trip at Haven Nature Campsite in Karatu. Along the way, we saw the Great Rift Valley and stopped to admire Lake Manyara from the lookout. We then spent an incredible afternoon at African Galleria. We are very grateful to Ms. Sisca and Mr. Punit Dodhia (Mama and Papa Devraaj), who showed us around and provided a delicious afternoon meal. While we were there, we participated in a painting workshop with Gasto, a talented self-taught artist, and watched artisans carving intricate designs from ebony wood. P6 especially liked the ‘Tree of Life,’ a symbol of family and community in the Makonde Tribe. We also learned about Tanzanite mining and grading; and explored the Benin Gallery which linked to our previous Unit of Inquiry.
At night, we enjoyed toasting marshmallows over a campfire. The next day, we went on an exciting morning hike.
It was a fantastic camp, and P6 were awesome. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Ms. Zitha, Mr. Isaac, Mr. Elisha, and Ms. Tahera. Please remember to return all equipment borrowed from the OP store on Monday.
Have a restful weekend! Natasha Berri
Service and Activities
KCMC Service
Last Wednesday, on the 8th of May, our Service students, currently all in D1, organized the very last KCMC for this academic year.
To make this event memorable, we baked some cookies, prepared games, collected art supplies, and enlisted the help of the school canteen, which is playing an increasingly significant role in providing well-appreciated cakes and juices to the young oncology and burns unit patients.
In contrast to our previous visits, we adjusted our plans to the patients’ current energy levels and tried to create a calm afternoon, each of us focusing on an individual child, encouraging them to exercise their soft motor skills or just chatting with them as much as our Swahili skills allow us to.
Over the past year, this service has personally taught me a lot of valuable lessons. It took me a while to realize that this is not just a usual school project, where your goal is to show some results and fulfill assigned criteria. We are working with patients and doctors, people under constant stress and pressure from their daily realities, and it is not always easy to see the changes in the patient body makeup as months go by. Nonetheless, we are incredibly lucky to be able to bring joy to these very patients and enable them to create lasting memories with their parents and guardians.
What have we changed then? We have successfully brought the service out of the school, where it is supposed to be, in the community, and I could not be prouder of what we have achieved.
Anne KCMC Service Leader
Residential and Design
Last weekend D1 students Kyrre and Mohammed, design teacher Mr Dowie and fundi staff member Mr Josephat embarked on an ambitious one-day build. The goal was to design and fabricate what South Africans call a Braai but known to the rest of the world as a BBQ grill for the residential student house. We started at 10:30 and finished at 17:00 that afternoon, cutting open the barrel, welding the square tube legs, and bolting on the hinges. It is amazing when a plan and teamwork come together. We are looking forward to the first BBQ at the end of the year. Karibu nyama choma.
Garden Mandala
D1 Students Siima and Nabia designed a “Garden Mandala” in the community garden. This year the D1 Environmental Service group planted flowers, but next year we hope to plant herbs, flowers, and vegetables. Come to the garden and check out their beautiful design!
