ISKL Change Makers: High School Service & Sustainability Groups and Grade 5 Red Hats
On Friday, August 30, 2019, the following High School Service and Sustainability groups were invited to talk about their work to the Grade 5 Red Hats:
- ‘Behind the Scenes’ English Activities with Bus Monitors (CAS project)
- Bye-Bye Plastic Bags (CAS project)
- Composting with Elementary Students (CAS project)
- Earth Club
- Gardening Club
As lunch timings differ from one school division to another, the High School students had to dash over to the Grade 5 Commons during their lunchtime. They were prepared ahead of time to make the most of this opportunity. The Red Hats listened and asked some good questions. Some of them wanted to join the High School Gardening Club and Bye-Bye Plastic Bags right away, and Earth Club shared their ‘12 Month Challenge’ with them. The students will become more aware of their food waste at lunchtime, thanks to the composting group, and will try to get to know their bus monitors the next time they see them. The Grade 5 team offered the High School students some lunch and contribution to their projects. This is a fantastic start to their collaboration, and we will look forward to hearing about these Change Makers’ work during the school year!
September 6, 2019
High School Community Partnership in Full Swing Again
Eleven of our High School community partnership clubs interact with different partner communities in Kuala Lumpur on a weekly basis. On Mondays, Monday Tutoring welcomes a refugee learning centre with students from Pakistan and other countries, and Malaysian Karen Organization (MKO) does fun activities with some Karen hill tribe children in Malaysia. On Tuesdays, the Key Club meets with the Zotung Refugee Catholic Learning Centre (ZRCLC) students in the Social Studies wing (see photos below), and another group from the Chin state based in Cheras learn and play with ISKL students. A group of ISKL students visit Tasputra Perkim, a home near our school with children who suffer from cerebral palsy and other severe conditions, and some abandoned cats and dogs sheltered at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). On Thursdays, three refugee schools with students from Somalia, Afghanistan, and other countries nearby enjoy sports, science and arts activities with the Fugee School Club, Middle Eastern Refugee Club (MER-C), and Science4Kids Club. The Special Children’s Society of Ampang (SCSOA), a school for people with Down Syndrome and autism, also visits our school on Thursdays. On Saturdays, Kids4Kids visits the pediatric cancer ward at the General Hospital Kuala Lumpur once a month and two orphanages in town.
Our community partners may be categorized and labeled as ‘refugees’, ‘physically and mentally challenged’, ‘stray animals’, and so forth. When we meet them, however, those labels are forgotten — they are people who enjoy learning, discovering, and good fellowship with others, just like us here in the ISKL school community. When the border separating ‘Us’ from ‘Them’ disappears through our face-to-face interactions, the engagement with issues of global significance becomes authentic. We are indeed delighted with our students’ enthusiastic participation in the Community Partnership Program that enriches our lives and real-life learning.
September 13, 2019
Save Our Planet: World Clean Up Day and Other Actions You Can Take
Saturday, September 21, 2019 was World Clean Up Day, a movement that began in Estonia in 2008. This year, despite the haze, Trash Hero Kuala Lumpur and others united to pick up trash in various parts of the city. One group collected nearly 50kg of trash! See how some ISKL community members participated in this event!
There are many reasons for us to take whatever action we can to help save our planet. Recently, we have been inconvenienced by the haze. This is an example of human activities causing phenomena that make us suffer physically and mentally. Each one of us needs to think about the choices that we make in our lifestyle and their consequences. Do we preference profits, personal convenience and comfort? Sure, we want to live comfortably and well. How can we innovate what we produce to coexist harmoniously with nature? Knowledge and skills need to be invested in sustainable thinking and living. Talk to each other. Seek out organizations that advocate for this in achievable and peaceful steps. Start taking action today!
September 27, 2019
