No two students are ever alike, and each has their own unique needs, aspirations, and inclinations and school should be all about providing the best learning experience for their needs. At The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), we are proud of our wide range of opportunities available thanks to our extensive academic programs and co-curricular activities catered to all of our students’ specific needs and interests.
The ‘Find Yourself At ISKL’ (FYAI) series is an opportunity to hear from our students, faculty, and community members as they share their journeys of self-discovery by exploring or discovering their passions and competencies at ISKL.
We invite you to hear from some of our diverse students and alumni who genuinely represent how the High School (HS) experience is like at ISKL. Their stories define some of the breakthrough moments they have encountered, whether it be through sport, a Global Action Program (GAP) trip, boy scouts, the Life Centered Education (LCE) program, an IASAS activity or club where they learned something new and became a better version of themselves.
Hear from our recent Class of 2021 graduates Thomas Bogacz, Molly Godde, Megan Lim, Zuhayr Sham, and current students Georgia L. (’23) and Brendan VC (‘23) – listen to their insightful and heart-warming stories here!
Thomas Bogacz, Class of 2021 Graduate
“I find it incredible what ISKL can offer you as a student. When I joined Middle School, I had no ambition as I was not interested in many things academically but was really into sports. However, the more time I spent at school, the more I realized that I didn’t have just football; there was also a life to be enjoyed at school and not just after school hours.
Now that I am in High School, I have found myself academically, and I love going to classes! I have opportunities to attend universities that I never thought were possible. I don’t think I would have those options if I had not joined a school like ISKL.
I have even developed myself in sports and athletics such as football, basketball, and baseball and even had the opportunity to participate in IASAS tournaments. I even visited the city of Taipei, which I never thought I would be able to see!”
Molly Godde, Class of 2021 Graduate
“One thing that really helped me find myself at ISKL was joining the softball team. In Grade 10, I made the Varsity team, and it came as a bit of a shock to me – it’s mostly for Grade 11 and 12 students.
‘That’s when this moment happened, the highlight of my time here at ISKL – scoring my first home run! Before that, I didn’t have much confidence in my abilities, but this proved to myself that I could actually do it. In that moment, I was immersed in not just my own but also my teammates’ energy.
‘Through this experience, I got to work with some of the most passionate teachers and coaches that I had ever met and formed some incredible bonds with my fellow students. I hope to leave a legacy at ISKL where my teachers and peers remember the fun times they’ve had with me and know that we were always genuine with each other. The achievements like the home run are great, but this feeling of general happiness with each other is even more important.”
Georgia L. (‘23), Grade 11 Student
“I’ve been here for about two years now, and ISKL has really shaped me as a person. Through the sports, activities, and academics, I’ve been able to flourish here and ISKL’s diversity has played a big role in this.
The amount of opportunities that we have in school really help spark interest within students. Specifically for me, that has really helped me develop as a person. I’ve been able to find things that I enjoy doing and want to continue doing throughout my school life and beyond.”
Megan Lim, Class of 2021 Graduate
“I found myself at ISKL through the positive interactions I’ve had with everyone here, students, teachers, and staff members.
I met one of the girls in 5th grade and the other in Middle School in this picture. We’ve been friends, all three of us, since then until now. We’ve had to deal with some difficulties within our friendship because one friend is overseas now in Canada and the Covid-19 pandemic; however, I think we’ve managed to still bond because of the time we’ve had and all our experiences at ISKL.
During 11th grade, we went to Cambodia on a Global Action Program (GAP) trip. This was such a great experience because we learned about Cambodian culture, got to know and visit a less fortunate community, and helped out people in schools. What was most significant about GAP other than community partnership and learning new cultures were the social interactions. It was more exciting and fun because nobody had their phones with them, and everyone interacted. I enjoyed watching other students have new experiences; for example, one student ate a spider off a stick in a street market! It was fun for me because I didn’t have to do it myself, and I got to enjoy the experience with everyone on the trip together.
Being exposed to multiple cultures will help me transition from Malaysia to the United Kingdom for further studies. I am already accustomed to the cultures and am open to new experiences such as GAP. I’ll have less of a hard time in terms of culture, as being at ISKL, an international school, is beneficial to that cultural aspect. You become more open-minded and more culturally aware, which is essential now as our world is globalized.”
Brendan VC (‘23), Grade 11 Student
“I found myself at ISKL through basketball and joining the Boy Scouts movement. It was not only important for me to learn how to be a leader, but it also taught me the importance of service towards other people.
‘In scouting, it has not only taught me to be adventurous but to also be a good leader to those around me and to lead by example – a value I know I will carry with me throughout college as well as in my future career. In basketball, a sport which I’ve ultimately fallen in love with these past couple of years – I have learned about the importance of teamwork, communication, and team cohesion.
‘Taking what we’ve learned––all the skills that we’ve acquired––and patching that onto the next generation was an important part of basketball and the boy scouts. It was the teaching of younger students about what we’ve learned as well as helping others through our shared experiences that truly spoke to me. This was a key lesson I’ve had to grasp. The community has given us so much here at ISKL, that it’s important that we give back as well”.
Zuhayr Sham, Class of 2021 Graduate
“When I first came to ISKL, I didn’t even have a passion. After many filmmaking classes, I realized that the process of video making was fun, as well as being part of a team and that my interests lay in the entertainment industry.
One of the best teachers I had was Miss Vanessa Weber, who was my life skills teacher. She helped me in other subjects such as Spanish, maths, science and taught me about cooperation which sometimes can be very hard. She did so much, and I’m very thankful because I wouldn’t have learned that much without her teaching me.
The LCE program at ISKL has taught me life skills and about friendship. The students are welcoming and friendly, and I found myself a normal person next to them rather than an outsider.”
At ISKL, we believe that holistic education is beneficial for our students’ development, preparing them with the life skills needed as 21st-century global citizens. These memorable experiences shape our students’ characters, and these stories from our HS student body reflect the many moments for growth to be all they are at ISKL.
Read more about our second FYAISKL story, where we showcase our educational leaders and mentors from the ISKL Community. Next on our FYAISKL series are our Middle School Students, so do stay tuned!
We now invite you to also come on this journey with us to Find Yourself at ISKL. Head over here to watch the series on our YouTube channel.
