Volume 7 Summer 2006 The Alumni Magazine of HKIS - Hong Kong ...

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HKIS...The Early Years: Tensions in China, and the Cultural Revolution Erik Weihenmayer (Class of 1986)visits... Our Students, Our Rising Stars! Artistic Endeavors Move On Return to 1 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam Old and New Volunteen of the Week, Gretchen Jennings (Class of 2006) Back To The Future June 2007: 40th Anniversary Celebration HKIS Spearheads St. Baldrick’s Day in Hong Kong Classnotes & Faculty & Staff News Who do u Remember? 2 3 5 6 7-8 9 10 11 12 13-24 25-39 HKIS DragonTales is published twice a year by the Community & Resource Development Office of Hong Kong International School. Christina Tung Director Sharifah Albukary Alumni Relations Manager Juana Cheung Public Relations Manager James Manning Communications Manager Loretta Fung Secretary Editors Sharifah Albukary ‘94 James Manning Alumni Directory Are you looking for a classmate? Email us at alumni@hkis.edu.hk or check the Online Directory Keep Us Informed To make sure you continue to receive DragonTales, please keep us informed of any changes to your address: http://dnet.hkis.edu.hk/alumni Contact us Alumni Office HKIS 1 Red Hill Rd., Tai, Tam, Hong Kong. Tel. 852-3149 7824 Fax. 852-2813 4293 alumni@hkis.edu.hk http://dnet.hkis.edu.hk/alumni Publications Bubbleyum Creative www.bubbleyyum.com.hk service@bubbleyum.com.hk Keep in touch at: www.dnet.hkis.edu.hk/alumni/
HKIS...The Early Years... Memories of “First” Headmaster, Bob Christian Mounting tensions in China due to the Cultural Revolution resulted in thousands of refugees finding their way into Hong Kong. They lived on the hillsides in squatters huts which were often devastated by fire, in the hastily built high rise government buildings which provided 100 square foot flats for six to eight people or more, or on the junks in Aberdeen, Causeway Bay, and other places. Eight months after the September 1966 opening of the HKIS Provisional School on Chung Hom Kok Road, these problems erupted into six months of riots in the colony creating some “interesting challenges”. China cut off the water supply to Hong Kong during the summer months of 1967, only providing the population four hours of water each fourth day. Furthermore, the devaluation of the US dollar during this time also fueled additional problems. While the Provisional School was established during the 1966-67 school year, the first HKIS facilities were being constructed in Repulse Bay. Somehow the building went up. 35 teachers from all over the world began their ministry at the school, and the K-12 HKIS program opened with over 600 students in September 1967. Keeping with the custom and practice of schools in Hong Kong, which at that time had over 1,000,000 students in primary and secondary education, HKIS students attended school in their school uniforms: “the winter uniforms” were for cool temperatures, featuring a light blue blazer with the “Crusader’s Cross” emblem. That was the picture for the first years, after my wife Arleen and I, with our three daughters and one son, ages seven through fifteen stepped off the plane in Hong Kong in early August of 1966. We said our good-byes to friends in the Bronx, New York, where we had lived for the previous seventeen years, and to family in the Midwest. Yes, there were tears from our children as they left their home, but within several months, they were saying, “Being here in Hong Kong is great, mom and dad”, and they quickly settled into their new school and the new community surrounding them. Their years in Hong Kong became positive life-changing experiences. The opening of HKIS was the result of cooperation among many people and many groups. The Hong Kong Education Department gave the grant of land for constructing the facilities, along with an initial loan in support of this. The Lutheran Church in the US provided a grant and loan for construction, the Lutheran Church in Hong Kong and other Hong Kong church bodies “pitched in”, and the Hong Kong business community and the U.S. State Department provided assistance in many ways. The new teachers gave their all, and parents helped with countless hours of volunteer work. The name for the school, “Hong Kong International”, rather than “The American School in Hong Kong”, or something else along these lines, was chosen because of the philosophical and educational belief that a school in an international setting should take full advantage of the many opportunities it was offered to provide positive inter-cultural experiences. It should bring students and their families from various backgrounds together, fostering international understanding and relationships. HKIS changed my life too, and I continue to have a deep love for this “awesome” school. As I look back, why did my dear wife, Arleen, and I, decide to take our family halfway around the world, to a place that had so many unknowns and so many uncertainties? We really felt that this was a God-given call to serve God and people who were all part of God’s creation, our brothers and sisters. We believed that an “American - type education” in an international setting, with an international flavor and substance was important. From the very beginning, it was our hope and our prayer that in and through the school and its people, all persons who would be in contact with the school, would be touched by God’s love. This continues to be my hope and my prayer for those who currently attend the school and who have attended the school in the past. I also plan, unless there are unforeseen events in the next 14 months, to be in Hong Kong in June of 2007 for the 40th year anniversary and all school HKIS reunion. It will be a joy to be with you. I hope you can make it. The alumni and staff are working so hard to make this a very special and a very meaningful experience. God be with you, Bob Christian 2
Page 1: HKIS Dragon Tales Volume 7 Summer 2
Page 5 and 6: Message From The Alumni Board Presi
Page 7 and 8: Homecoming 2006 was held on January
Page 9 and 10: HKIS “Christmas in California”
Page 11 and 12: Back to the future: Jeremy Evans (C
Page 13 and 14: HKIS Spearheads St. Baldrick’s Da
Page 15 and 16: 1977. Barb and John both live in Te
Page 17 and 18: Lee Terrill left Hong Kong in the s
Page 19 and 20: Erin and her husband at the Repulse
Page 21 and 22: Timothy Gregg (timgregg@hotmail.com
Page 23 and 24: I am also happy to report that Marc
Page 25 and 26: Rachel Koehneke: Rachel will gradua
Page 27 and 28: Bin Lo David Lu Karen Macquarrie Ro
Page 29 and 30: Claudine Michaut Denise Moden Shery
Page 31 and 32: Donn Naito Lorrie Nance Shashi Nara
Page 33 and 34: John Stralnic Tammy Swanberg Sunny
Page 35 and 36: David Dunoye Elly Eng Proctor Flana
Page 37 and 38: Justin Kampa Janet Kim Natalie Koeh
Page 39 and 40: Emily Healy Gregory Hili Brian Ho G

Volume 7 Summer 2006 The Alumni Magazine of HKIS - Hong Kong ...

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