This week, we met up with Avae B. (’26), born and raised in Indonesia, before moving to Malaysia and joining ISKL in Grade 2.
Avae is part of the Peer Helpers leadership team that helps student newcomers transition to school life. Described as a bright and positive student by her teachers, it is no surprise that Avae is the cheerful peer helper that will always make newcomers feel welcomed and find friends at ISKL.
An avid sports lover, Avae enjoys dance, gymnastics, and tennis at ISKL. In her free time, she loves sewing and repurposing fabrics to make clothes and plushies!
Here is her story.
“When I first came to ISKL, I had a little tour. My old school was small, with a class size of six and a total of 12 students in the whole grade, so ISKL was way bigger. It was a bit of an adjustment size-wise, but I went to ISKL’s old Elementary school campus, and the facilities were exciting, especially with the swimming pools and fields! I was in awe of the campus, and the people were friendly to me as a new student. I got to experience the old Elementary campus and the new Elementary and Middle School campus.”
Being a Peer Helper and Helping Others Feel Comfortable
‘I’ve been a Peer Helper for three years now. When I was in Grade 5, we were moving to a new part of the campus. It was a big adjustment since we were moving from Elementary to Middle School, but the Grade 6 Peer Helpers came to meet and talk to us. I was in Grade 5 when I first saw them, and they helped answer all my questions and made me feel less nervous. When I got into Grade 6, there was a recruitment of Peer Helpers, and I knew I wanted to do it, talk to the Grade 5 students, and meet new people. I remember making a video where I talked about why I wanted to be a Peer Helper, and I was eventually selected.’
‘As a Peer Helper, it’s exciting to meet new people and see what people think when they first come to ISKL, just like I did in Grade 2. It also makes me feel proud to be one because I’ve gotten to meet so many people in ISKL, and I get to introduce new people to those that I know so that they feel comfortable and at ease coming into the school.’
‘When I go into class, it’s nice if everyone can be happy because we get to have fun. I find that if more people can feel like that, then it will make a better class environment. Happiness is contagious. Even if you do not feel that happy, you can make yourself feel happy and trick your brain into feeling happy. When others see you happy, it can brighten their day as well.’
ISKL Memories
‘There is a lot to choose from, but my most memorable moment at ISKL is the International Festival. When I was in Grade 5, my friends and I got to try out different food, go to the bouncy castles, and have all the fun we could ever have during the festival.’
Source of Inspiration
‘The people around me inspire me, but I would say my sister has inspired me a lot. She’s in Grade 11, and we’re similar because we’ve been through the same experiences, like living in Indonesia and moving here, so she understands me. Being with a positive person like her makes me more positive, and I want to accomplish things as she did.’
‘I have a few ideas on what I want to do after I graduate, but I’m leaning towards teaching because my parents and grandparents were teachers. I don’t feel like I need to be a teacher, but I think it’ll be fun to help younger kids learn. I also like babysitting, so I think being a teacher or involved in the education sector aligns with what I want to do.’
‘If I were in a position of wealth or power, I would try to get basic needs for everyone. I would like to build more schools that can teach people how to farm, prepare food, and sustain themselves, so they don’t have to depend on others.’
What does ‘Be All You Are’ mean to you?
‘To me, it means to do everything that you want. If you have the opportunity to do something, and you feel like you like to do it, go for it. Build your potential with all that you can. You don’t have to tackle every single opportunity that comes up, but If you think it is important to you and want to, you should take advantage of the resources and try it out.’
Do you know a student, faculty, staff, or alumni with a story to tell? Nominate them to be featured in our Panthers of ISKL stories by sending in your submissions here.
To find more inspiring stories of our students, read about musical mentor Jaymin or Alumni lead Kendra!
