This week, we met up with parent Najwa T. a very active member of our ISKL community!
Najwa and her husband Ramzi have been expatriates for almost 20 years and have lived in seven different countries. Their three children joined ISKL in 2014 – their two older children graduated from ISKL in 2016 and 2018 and are completing their graduate and undergraduate programs at Johns Hopkins University and the American University in D.C. while their youngest son, Malik, is presently finishing his 9th grade at ISKL.
Originally Jamaican-Lebanese, Najwa calls the USA her home; however, after living in Malaysia for the last seven years, they have moved onto their next posting and will be missed very much by the ISKL community.
Here is her story.
“We chose ISKL for so many reasons; their reputation worldwide, academics, athletic program, and strong community – I can go on and on! My experience as a parent has been one of a kind – and there is no comparison. We made the right decision and have never regretted it.
‘I started volunteering in all aspects of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and there has not been much I haven’t signed up for. My official roles with the PTA are and have been; Room Parent, Grade Level Coordinator (GLC), Vice President of Middle School, Welcome Committee, and Vice President of Communications.
‘In addition, because all three of my children either played soccer or basketball for the school, I was heavily involved in running the parental involvement aspect in those sports during the seasons.
‘My best memory at ISKL? International Fest, the old Ampang campus, the galas, the soccer matches, IASAS, the teacher/staff appreciation days, and the coffee mornings. There’s just no way I could pick just one memory!
“What do I love most about ISKL? EVERYTHING!”
‘My advice for new parents or those joining ISKL is to jump right in and volunteer! It is a bit hard these days because of the pandemic, but you will find a strong community within the school. Fellow parents quickly become your Kuala Lumpur family!
‘My children inspire me the most – as cheesy as that sounds. They make me want to be the best person I can be as an example of how we, as individuals, can contribute to make our surroundings and environment the best it can be as a whole.
‘Now that we are leaving ISKL and Malaysia, we plan to take what we have learned and apply it to the next school and return as soon as we can for a visit!”
What does ‘Be All You Are’ mean to you?
“It means to be the best version of yourself. To push yourself further and be confident in who you are and your belief that you can accomplish anything. The only way to grow is to keep on learning!”
