Moshi Campus News – 11 Jun 2022

This is the last full newsletter of the year. There will be a newsletter next week from the secondary school about the year’s service projects so please be on the lookout for that.

While we have said goodbye to the largest group of leavers with graduation, every year we have members of the community that leave us at this time. Some people have been here only a short time and others most of their life. To each and every one of you, please know you will be missed. In the assembly on Monday we will say goodbye to many and the PTA has gifts for the staff members (Julia F, Sanna J, Robin M, Jackie O, Elisha J, Marniel B, Taylor B and Gilbert K)  leaving.

This is an unusual school time in that the D1 students are all involved in either the group 4 projects, IA preparation in science or preparing for the TOK Exhibition on Tuesday. The M1 to M4 are working on various projects around school that are linked to the mission and the guiding statements. For example, one group is working on a special project with Ms Penny for the EC class next year involving some new fun areas. They will be using the ATLs of creative thinking and collaboration and looking at our value of the happiness and wellbeing of our community. We do not want to say too much about this now as I understand it is supposed to be a surprise.

So, as we head into the last week of the year let me say best wishes to all of you. To those leaving, good luck in your future endeavours and may we see you again; to those returning in August, enjoy the break and I look forward to seeing you happy and refreshed in a couple of months. And of course, please be safe no matter where you are heading.

Bob Cofer

Please do not forget that Monday at 10:30am in K-hall we have the end of year assembly. Parents are welcome and we will have performances and awards.

As the sun sets on another year of living and learning together, I would like to revisit the idea of belonging that I have explored in past “Ben’s Corner” pieces. What does it mean to belong? The great Maya Angelou once said, “I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.” For almost four years now, my family and I have called Moshi and UWCEA our home. When we made the decision to move here back in 2018, none of us could have predicted the unparalleled times that we would experience.

As a school, we declare that “We are committed to developing balanced global citizens who are empowered to act responsibly in a complex world.” The world still feels incredibly complex but, perhaps, what we are all striving for is anything but. After all, do we not all strive for a simple sense of belonging? A sense of purpose and meaning. A connection to others, to something significant. As the UWC movement continues to “make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future,” I hope that you all find time over the upcoming break to digest what this really means. In a time when so much rhetoric seems to be about disconnection, separation and inequality, we are all part of something striving to bring us all together. A shared sense of belonging. Of course, we are far from perfect but we are striving to bring the world together and surely that is what counts.

To all the students and teachers that are moving on, please do stay in touch and we hope a little piece of Moshi travels with you. All the very best in your next adventures. At the same time, we look forward to welcoming new faces into the community in August who I am sure will add value and, hopefully, soon feel that sense of belonging too.

Enjoy a safe and restful break. Stay safe and look after each other.

Ben Morley

What a year it has been, and it is difficult to digest that this is my last update for the academic year. There are simply too many things to say and too little words.

To surmise, I want to start by thanking our incredible residential team. For it is their commitment and passion that has made residential life such a success. To be in this position requires one’s mentality to understand that this is not a job, it is a vocation, and we are in essence, ‘de-facto’ parents and respect the fact that you have entrusted us with the care of your child. Yes, there have been hurdles and there always will be, but I am so grateful to be surrounded by colleagues and mentors who go above and beyond to ensure that each child or young adult can overcome whatever hurdle they face.

I am so proud of where we are and how far we have come, and this is a testament to the above. This week I was fortunate to be able to spend more time in our MYP and PYP dorms and was inspired by their enthusiasm and joy. We had our own orientation planning sessions, and this was culminated with our MYP and PYP Friday Fun Day. Seeing students of all ages led by our Diploma students competing in a realm of activities rung true to me about the attributes of family and friendship. In addition to this, finishing the week with our Uja family acknowledgement dinner added another pillar and cornerstone of our residential life, for it is our host families and community that add so much value to residential life. A family away from home.

The following week is busy with preparation for the year that tracks ahead of us and finalising departure plans. Once our school year officially completes, I will begin organising our arrival plans and details of orientation weeks or weekends for all ages.

If you have any questions or queries about the year ahead, I will always be available and I hope you have a wonderful summer break with your loved ones.

From me and the residential team, Asante Sana and see you next year!

Simon Johnston

This week, we will be concluding our class activities in anticipation of the upcoming break.

On Monday the 13th of June, at 10:30am, we will have a whole school assembly in Karibu Hall to end our school year. PYP students from P2 upwards, will be taking part in various musical performances during this assembly. Parents are welcome to attend as we bid farewell to the 21/22 academic year.

There will be no clubs this week and therefore no supervision from 1:10pm. Please make sure that children are collected at this time or are supervised by an adult.

On Tuesday, after school, there will be the end of year sports awards in Rafiki Hall, starting at 4:30pm. PYP children are welcome to attend but must leave campus at lunchtime, before returning for the 4:30 start and then be picked up promptly at 6pm.

On Wednesday we have a fun sports day. All children should wear a house shirt if they have one and bring a sun hat and a bottle of water.

On Wednesday evening our P6 children will be having a sleepover on campus to celebrate the end of their time in PYP.

On Friday the 17th, we will have a final Primary Gathering to say goodbye to those children who will not be returning to UWCEA in August. After the gathering there will be whole PYP celebratory activities taking place in various classes. Children will be able to move around the classes and enjoy board games, discos, movies, playground games and so on. We will also be sharing snacks with one another. Please send your child with something to share as we will place items on a long table so every child in primary can celebrate together. The school day will finish at the regular time of 12:30pm.

We wish you all a wonderful break. For those of you returning, we look forward to seeing you on the 15th of August.

For those who are leaving us we wish you all the best in the future. Stay in touch with us. We will miss you all! Ms. Elisha, thank you for bringing so much energy and laughter to our Primary Team over the last 4 years. Your work in all areas has been very much appreciated but, in particular, we would like to acknowledge the huge amount of work you have put into Student Voice. We wish you lots of happiness as you start your next adventure.

Deborah Mills & Mboka Mwasongwe

Thank you Mama Fatma for sharing cupcakes with us this past week as we celebrated Fatma’s birthday. In the words of Luke as he described the cupcakes, ‘I don’t like it, I love it!’

This coming week, we will be winding down class activities. If you have not already done so, please send in library books and bags as well as class readers to school.

On Wednesday, we will be giving the children all their books and class work to take home.

This coming week, MYP students will be helping us with various projects around the class looking towards next year. Also this week we will be taking down work from the walls as we want to store away items as carefully as our class will be painted over the break.

As we come to the last week of school, Ms. Durriyah, Ms. Neema and I would like to wish you all a restful and peaceful break. We have enjoyed growing and learning with all the children this year. We have grown to understand and love each one of our students. We are looking forward to receiving them and more when we open in August.

Mboka Mwasongwe

…and “That’s All Folks”. We’ve made it through another successful year with lots of laughing and learning, new friendships, but also saying goodbye to some special friends.

This week, the M1 students came to the P2 classroom to discuss their usage of water. We compared our learning experiences from our similar activities, and discussed words such as “sustainability” and “pie charts”. This was a great learning experience for the P2 class, and it was lovely seeing the M1s reconnect with their Primary years. Thank you M1 and Mr. Julien for reaching out to organize this lovely experience.

From my end, thank you to the entire UWCEA Community for the last 4 years in Moshi. This school and all of you are special and I can truly say you’ve left me with some very precious memories. A part of my heart will always remain in UWCEA and Moshi. So thank you Moshi, and I wish you all the very best in all your adventures. <3  Go Leopards!

Elisha Jaffer

Market Day was a wonderful success! Students set up fantastic shops with terrific products- purses, perfumes, Apple watches, paper airplanes and boats, jewelry, ninja stars and more!. It was a really fun way to put some of the things we’ve learned about Economics into practice. I think we have some future business owners among P3/4!

Next week will be full of learning and fun. We’ve already made the switch for our Tuesday PE, we will be on the pitch and not in the pool! Wednesday’s Sports Day will be terrific, please send students in their House t-shirt and trainers. Friday will include a Primary party. Your child can bring snacks to share. You child may also need an extra bag for bringing home portfolios, notebooks and all other belongings.

What a delightful year it has been with this fabulous group of kids! Thank you for the many ways you have supported our class.

Kacey Buckley

P5 is drawing to a close and the children will soon be on their way to P6 – where did the time go? The highlight of the week was our visit to the design room as part of our inquiry into forces. Mr. Marsh showed us how machines can redirect forces to lessen our workload. We used the drill and the hammer. He showed us how gears and cams work and also took us to the outdoor gym where we used a pulley to lift weights. It was a great morning! Many thanks to Mr. Marsh for giving his time and sharing his expertise. All of the children have been reminded that they are not allowed to go into the design room without supervision or to use the outdoor gym. In maths we have been having a final push to improve speed and accuracy when recalling times tables and division facts. Book groups are racing to get their books finished over the next few days. On Monday at 10:30 the children will be performing in the end of year assembly. On Wednesday we have a fun sports day to look forward to. On the final Friday we will enjoy a whole PYP party. Good luck to Hana and Ciara as they move on to Wales and Uzbekistan respectively. Don’t forget us! We will always remember you. Many thanks to all P5 parents for the support you have given to Lydia and me this year. We have enjoyed our time working with your children.

Deborah Mills

Monday was our PYP graduation, including the class performing a skit, “How to Survive MYP”- they all did very well. The rest of the day was spent shadowing the M1 class to experience MYP life. M1 also gave presentations on aspects of MYP – like using ManageBac and OP trips. This has been the theme of the week with our unit of enquiry focusing on rites of passage. As P6 move from “big fish” in PYP to the smallest in MYP we talked about coping with the challenges of being a ‘tweenager’, between little kids and teenagers, and they composed a class acrostic.

• Trust yourself
• Wear clean clothes
• Experiencing life changes
• Encourage each other
• Never all the same
• Aspiring to be excellent students
• Growth hormones starting
• Eat enough food
• Ready for MYP.

As said in the graduation, I’m confident they have enough qualities and kindness to thrive in MYP. On Wednesday they have a sleepover at school to celebrate their moving on. Have a great Summer!

Hywel Davies

Netball Friendlies
Our coaches organized netball friendly matches this week. Our U11s played our Under 13s, while our senior teams played a team of adults composed of coaches, staff and community members. It was a fantastic afternoon of sport. Thank you to Ms. Heloise and Ms. Maria for putting this all together, and for coaching netball this year.

NTSAA PYP Touch Tournament
What a great day! What a great tournament! Well done to all the students who participated in the tournament. There was grit, technique, teamwork and sportsmanship in abundance throughout the tournament. The pictures below do not do justice to the tournament. Well done to all the students who participated. A huge thank you to Mr. Marsh, Mr. T and Mr. Foya for a job well done. 

U11 Category
Winners- St. Constantine
Second place- UWCEA Moshi

U9 Category
Winners- St. Constantine
Second place- Kennedy House

UWCEA Under 15 Basketball Tournament
The U15 Basketball was a blast. We had a day of breathtaking basketball from all the teams that participated in the tournament. In the end, Rafiki Foundation won the girls’ category, while UWCEA Arusha took home the boys’ championship. Well done to all the teams that took part.

Upcoming events
We have the U15/U19 NTSAA Touch Rugby Tournament at St. Connies today. Then on Tuesday afternoon, we will host the semester 2 sports celebration from 4.30 – 6pm at Rafiki Hall. All parents and students are invited to attend. This will be followed by the primary sports fun day on Wednesday and the secondary sports fun day on Thursday. Please come and cheer on the students as they experience the camaraderie and thrill that comes with sports participation.

Thank you
We have had a busy year of sports and activities, thanks to the support of many. I would like to thank the maintenance staff, teachers, nurses, administrators, parents, drivers and gardeners. A big thank you to the students, teachers and community members who volunteered as coaches and activity leaders and put their time and effort into organizing the programs. Finally, to the students who took part in the activities, participated in inter-school events and national events, thank you. I hope the life skills you learned and applied carry you in good stead for life beyond UWC.

I wish you all a safe and restful summer break.

Gilbert Kaburu

More and More MYP 
Growth Mindset Episode #27 –The Final Chapter

“I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy- I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” – Art Williams.

In our final chapter of our growth mindset MYP series, we want to celebrate the end! This right here is evidence of grit, resilience and reflection. The stereotype of something ending does not apply here. Our end of this academic year is great celebration of a series of success stories, of how failure led to remarkable achievements, of how confusion led to inquiry, of how creativity shines bright in “surviving” the MYP.

I used the word “surviving” here because I was inspired by what our M1 cohort prepared for the P6 students who will be marching into the first chapter of their MYP learning experience next year: The M1 Survival Guide Fair! On June 8th, 2022, M1 students prepared stations for P6 students to visit and learn about the basic necessities for their move into middle school: homework and keeping a journal, assessments and criteria not grades, Managebac, residential life, OP trips, subjects, timetables, service, academic and community support, clubs and the idea of moving around to classrooms with different teachers. It was a very successful morning to the extent that we think even Mr. Hywel wants to join us in M1 next year!

Personally, watching them speak passionately about the program, seeing their smiles, listening to them respond to questions about everything that was put out there is the best success story, and the perfect ending to celebrating new beginnings next year!

So, thank you all for a perfect academic journey and memorable moments we will definitely be coming back to next year!

Have a beautiful summer and see you soon.

Farah Fawaz

We have come to the end of the university application season. Our UWC East Africa D2 students have left the campus with big dreams of success in university as they look toward the new academic year in fall 2023. We have students attending universities in the US, Canada, the Netherlands, Mexico, Poland, Israel, Cyprus, and the UK. We also have a number of students taking a gap-year. These students will be hiking, traveling, studying a foreign language, working, farming, serving in the military, and sailing across the world. Lastly, we have 40 students who were accepted into US colleges and universities. Accounting for all scholarships accepted, these students will have aid totaling over $10 million.

In particular, we had three distinguished scholarship winners. Andre L was a recipient of the Lester Pearson Scholarship Award. This award covers all expenses for him to attend the University of Toronto in Canada. The other person who received a distinguished scholarship is Emma E. She was awarded the Semester at Sea Davis Neptune Scholarship Award. This scholarship covers all travel, class, and excursion expenses during travel to 12 countries. Ivan D is a recipient of the Rise Scholarship award. This award covers college-related expenses up to $500,000 per year.

The rising D2 students are busy making their ‘considering list’ of colleges in Maia Learning. They have established their college criteria and continue to research colleges in their selected countries that fit their criteria. As a parent, you should be able to review this information in Maia Learning.

Over the summer they are tasked with beginning application materials for any US and UK universities, including working on a draft of their personal statement. If students focus much effort on completing their research and drafting their IAs and EE essays; then, staying on top of deadlines for college applications and internal deadlines for fall will be easier.

Our M5 students (rising D1) recently completed their Career Education Plans. This document full of data on the students’ interests, skills, strengths, and possible career fields will be used to begin conversations in the fall about university. For incoming D1 students, assessments will begin in the fall.

M4 students, spent time this year exploring career and college major options through research and participation in the Career and Skills Symposium that took place in quarter three. They were also introduced to concepts around work. Students learned about resumes and cover letters.

I look forward to the upcoming school year where we anticipate having in-person university representatives visiting our campuses well as continued virtual university readiness sessions for students to participate in.

Andrea Kitomary

Reflection has been a key feature for the D1 students this week. On Monday and Tuesday they received the papers from the end of year examinations. They need to reflect on their study techniques and how they prepared for the examinations.

Then on Wednesday and Thursday they busted myths by combining the skills from Biology, Chemistry and Physics. They looked at if wearing an eye mask is as useful as pirates believed, if you can ride a bicycle in a swimming pool or does water conduct electricity and many others. There are more details elsewhere. At the end of this they reflected on the process. The ESS students went to TPC on Thursday to see some of what they have learned in action and to collect data for their Internal Assessments. On Friday students were able to do pilot studies for their Science Internal Assessments. Not all pilot studies worked, so this was a chance to rethink their plans.

While this was all happening, they had their second CAS interview. Over the two years they need to participate in experiences that fulfil the three strands of Creativity, Activity and Service as well as two projects which are collaborative in nature. 

They were able to talk about how they have developed communication and leadership skills. Working with others who also have strong personalities was a common theme as was the sense of community that the CAS experiences develop. Most CAS experiences are student led so it might be easier to miss them, and students acknowledge this can be both good and bad. Time management as a challenge came up frequently but generally with the acknowledgement of strategies to overcome this.

Students had to submit their first reflection on the Extended Essay on Friday and this is part of a series of deadlines that will be shared with them this weekend.

On Friday evening we had a dinner to thank the Uja Families and this was after the fun day for the MYP students. These are some of the many events that happen in school which are organised by our students, all of which may be acknowledged in their CAS portfolio.

Margaret Brunt

While others did experiments we counted Zebras… An ESS experience

“Imagine you were in the Savanna and you had to do some wildlife sampling…” the ESS textbook said, well what if I told you that in our school we actually have the opportunity to be in the Savanna and do wildlife sampling instead of just reading about it? This Thursday the ESS class had a field trip to TPC wildlife conservation area. We went with the aim of starting our first practice IA’s. We did things from soil sampling to getting close enough to a pack of zebras and wildebeests to count them all. Going there not only allowed us to collect data for our research but gave us the opportunity to understand the topics we study in class. It is one thing to be told that types of soil change vegetation and another to be walking in the Savanna and knowing that if the soil feels crunchy is because there is sodium carbonate and that means that it allows some invasive plants, which are in fact brushing your arm, to grow. Believe me, while reading about mutualism I was about to fall asleep but when I saw that the Wildebeests smelled us approaching and alerted the Zebras who used their great eyesight to spot us and let the pack know where to move I could not be more interested in mutualism. We got to see a variety of wildlife from snakes to crocodiles, ask a ton of questions to our guides and get a grasp of how our subject plays out in real life, a truly unique experience that made us thankful for taking what some jokingly call the “fake science”.

Regina, D1, ESS student

Clay Petit Fours by Mithra (M2) and 

Spaghetti Bake done in oil pastels by Malikia (M2)

Dosa Platter done in oil pastels by Mithra (M2) and Chocolate Dessert done in oil pastels by Natalia (M2)