MESSENGERSpring 2013

ADVENTURE!

• At School in Navarre • A Family’s Year in Israel • Two Months in Costa Rica

Missoula International School

In this issue:

• A Guatemalan Welcome

Julie Lennox, Head of School

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Adventure is not a foreign concept at MIS. Each day at MIS we approach learning with an open-mind. We know we need to take risks to grow. Adventurous learning happens everyday, inside and outside of the classroom. MIS gives us strong footing no matter where we are or who

we meet.

Sometimes we get lucky and the world becomes our classroom. This issue highlights the many ways MIS staff, teachers, students, and parents learn through adventure. I hope you enjoy these stories from the MIS community.

Ana enjoys wearing the brightly colored, woven fabrics of Guatemala and sharing stories of her trip with her classmates.

ADVENTURE!

Seven years ago, my family and I were on a plane flying back to the U.S. after living in Guatemala for three months and

meeting our adopted daughter, Ana. Over spring break this year, Ana and I returned to Guatemala for the first time since then, not knowing what to expect, or what it would feel like to go back. One thing I did know for sure however, was that my Spanish was very rusty, and I was glad I'd have Ana by my side to help with the language!

Ana and I spent two wonderful weeks together - swimming in beautiful Lake Atitlan, shopping in the mercados, watching the elaborate processions and festivities in celebration of Semana Santa, and even attending Spanish school and doing a homestay with a Guatemalan family.

The warmth and courtesy of the Guatemalan people, the gorgeous colors, crafts, delicious food - all of these things I remembered from our experience there seven years ago. The greatest gift

of this trip however, was something new, something unexpected, and something for which I feel a deep sense of gratitude to MIS and it's community. This time in Guatemala, I had the pleasure of watching Ana immerse herself, with confidence and grace, in the culture and language of the country. The Guatemalans we met were delighted to meet a Guatemalan-American child who could speak Spanish so well and engage so easily. Other U.S. families we met there were amazed that we had a school like MIS in Montana, of all places!

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you MIS staff and community, for all that you do to provide the basis for cross-cultural experience and the gift of the Spanish language to our children! The fruits of your labors were in clear display and helped to foster some wonderful, new, international friendships!

The greatest gift of this trip however, was something new, something unexpected, and something for which I feel a deep sense of gratitude to MIS and it's community. This time in Guatemala, I had the pleasure of watching Ana immerse herself, with confidence and grace, in the culture and language of the country.

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A Guatemalan Welcome Susan Snetsinger, MIS parent of Ana Frederickson, K/1 multiage

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Missoula International SchoolMESSENGER• Spring 2013

Julie Lennox, Head of SchoolJeff Kessler, Assistant Head of School

Joann Magee, Office ManagerGary Cram, Director of Finance

Bethany O’Connell, Director of DevelopmentKristi Havlik, Administrative Assistant

Layout and design by Bethany O’Connell

Rob Fleming President

Doug WebberVice President

Norm WilliamsonTreasurer

Amber SherrillSecretary

Kristen Von Doersten PA Council Representative

Ray AtenBetsy MaierSusan Beck

Sandra SimmonsEmily Richardson

Mike VetterShane Reely

Board of Trustees 2012/2013

curiosidad creativitad conexióncuriosity creativity connection

• TABLE OF CONTENTS •2

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Adventure!Julie Lennox, Head of SchoolA Guatemalan Welcome Susan Snetsinger, MIS parent of Ana Frederickson

A Family’s Year in Israel Keith Jakob, MIS parent of Hannah, Max, and Mia Jakob

Que Vida Tengo YoDessa Lennox, MIS class of 2009, Chronicles two Months in Costa Rica

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Missoula International School inspires principled global citizens and lifelong learners

through a challenging bilingual education from preschool to eighth grade.

MIS Middle School Excels at State Science Fair

MIS Students Shine at International Festival

Middle School Class in Financial Literacy Just Makes Sense

PYP Workshops in LA Highlight Teacher Innovation

Salsa Ball 2013

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Did you know?The Messenger is online, with links to

recent news and videos. Visit www.mismt.org/publications/

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At School in Navarre Interview w/ Toren Garnaas, 7th Grade

My Year Abroad Indigo Ryan, MIS class of 2010

Front cover:K/1 multiage students depicted homes across the globe during a recent group project.

Back Cover:

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Our family made it back to Montana last July

from our yearlong journey to Tel Aviv, Israel. We had a fabulous year full of awesome adventures, but there were significant challenges as well. Tel Aviv is located in Israel’s central

plains on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Tel Aviv is a big city, but Israel itself is a very small country. In terms of land mass, Montana is more than 18 times larger than Israel. In such cramped quarters we gained a new level of respect for the wide-open spaces in Montana.

Since the cost of living in Tel Aviv is extremely high, we rented a very small apartment, and lived without a car for the entire year. We found used bikes for everyone in the family and we biked nearly everywhere. We only rented cars for long trips outside of the city. We all fell in love with biking along the beach and the city streets. Even Mia became an expert at dodging the people, bikes, scooters and motorcycles that all seemed to use the sidewalks as a thoroughfare.

This was our second year abroad in the past four years. It was difficult to yank the kids out of what was familiar to them and plop them down in a foreign place. This meant new friends, a new language and a new way of life.

When we started preschool at MIS, it was for the exposure to a second language. As the children grew, so did MIS. The IB curriculum became an important part of our school dynamic. We saw what MIS had to offer and how it affected the way our children were learning and viewing the world. Over time, our commitment grew and we stayed at MIS. Unlike during our first exchange trip to Spain, where our kids were thriving in school by the second month of the stay, Israel proved to be more of a challenge. The language is trickier and the kids were older and more set in their ways. We found ourselves constantly falling back on the IB learner profile words to encourage them to grow and take risks.

It worked! They all finally found their way to comfort in exploring this new ground. Hannah, Max and Mia were

extreme “risk-takers” who went to public school in Hebrew! The Hebrew language is written from right to left, with a completely different set of characters, and they don’t write with vowels after about second grade. Learning, communicating and studying in Hebrew was a very big challenge, but Hannah, Max and Mia could interact and participate in school and daily life in Hebrew by the end of our stay.

While all three of our children can’t say they loved the experience, they can all agree that MIS is an amazing place to learn and that the school has given them the right tools to deal with unfamiliar landscape of a very foreign place. Everyone agrees it was an amazing journey we will never forget.

Our Year in Israel by Keith & Jody Jakob, MIS parents of Hannah, Max, and Mia Jakob

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Hannah, Max, and Mia, climbing the Ancient Stones at the Port of Caesaria

Mia, enjoying swimming in the Dead Sea

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My name is Indigo and I've been living in Oviedo, Spain for the last 8 months. I

flew away from Missoula, from my family and friends, into something completely unfamiliar. At first I was terrified. I wanted to go home. I thought I wouldn't be able to make friends and I had a hard time adjusting in Spain. I kept telling myself to be patient and wait it out. Now here I am, with only two months left, wishing I had more time. It’s difficult for me to describe what it's like here and how I feel. It's like trying to describe bacon chocolate to someone. Someone may know what bacon tastes like, as well as chocolate, but not the two flavors together. So, I can only do my best to describe the past eight months that have changed me in so many ways. I go to a private school and am in Primero de Bachillerato (junior year.) My life in Oviedo is similar to Missoula- full of school, friends, family and adventures. School, however, can be quite dull for me. My teachers give me less work because they don’t think I can understand as well as the other students. We don't switch between classrooms, the teachers come to us instead so we are with the same people every day. Primero de Bachillerato has three course options to choose from: social studies, technology and sciences, and my schedule changes each day. Although I am not being challenged at school, I still work hard. On many tests, I received better grades than many of my classmates. Every two hours we have recess for 10 to 20 minutes and I get to see my friends. The first few weeks at school I didn't feel like I could talk to anyone. I am shy and the language barrier made it hard to communicate. I eventually met a girl from my science class I could sit with to pass the time. She and her friends let me sit with them during the recesses and they began to include me in their conversations. It made me so happy that they wanted to talk to me, even though at first I wasn’t able to add much to the conversation. As time went on we became closer and my Spanish improved. I began chatting with my friends and they helped me with my Spanish. They began inviting

me to hang out with them outside of school and now we are very close. I feel so happy that I was able to find such amazing friends. It pains me to think of saying goodbye in two months. My host family is amazing and I really feel like a part of their family. I have Sunday lunch with them at their grandmother’s house with the aunt and cousins. They took me to Madrid with them to visit more family. I went skiing near France with them, too. I love my family. They have helped me so much- with the language, with studying, and comforting me when I'm sick or sad. My host sister is thirteen and likes to dance. Sometimes when I am in the living room after school she comes in and shows me her new fancy dance moves. My host mom is a lawyer and just like nearly every Spaniard, she loves to sing. She is always singing- while she is cooking, reading, or even when she is talking to us! She comes home to cook lunch for the two of us every afternoon at 2 o’clock. In Spain, families eat lunch between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and eat dinner at about 9 p.m. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day. My host mom’s office partner also comes to cook and eat with us and I enjoy listening to them talk. Real life here is like having my own personal TV show. My host dad is a speech therapist and a math teacher. He is helping me learn to roll my R's. He likes to take my sister and me out on field trips to their country club, museums, and tours around Asturias. My host dad took us to a larger city called Gijon to see the aquarium. On the way back we nearly got lost. I had the opportunity to explore Madrid several times and I find it so beautiful. I went to a concert in Madrid and I got to see Melendi, Malu and Macaco, all very popular Spanish singers here. While in Madrid, I found an American

Indigo Ryan’s interest in language and culture remained strong after she graduated from Missoula International School. While in her sophomore year at Hellgate High School, she decided to study her junior year in Spain. Her parents supported her and in September she was on a plane ride to a new life. This experience inspired Indigo to continue studying other cultures as well as Art History. She hopes to go abroad again soon for college; this time to Asia.

My Year Abroad Indigo Ryan, MIS class of 2010

Continued on page 10...

Here's the thing: at the impressionable age of 18, I can safely say, without an

ounce of doubt, that my life has already been turned upside down, shook and thrown about, turned back over, picked up and finally landed centered, grounded and sure on two feet. How do I know? Let me explain. The first night in Costa Rica, my mom and I sat in a deserted Thai restaurant in the small town of Dominical. Watching geckos dance across the ceiling and listening to the distant waves, I proudly ordered something that resembled green curry in a fluent kind of butchered Spanish that results from three years of little to no practice, after eight years of daily application at MIS. I sat back silently, the smile slowly disappearing from my face.... Costa Rica.... We were actually here, breathing in the fresh salty air, the sun already glinting off my snow white, Montana skin. The tears that trickled down my face couldn't be described as expressions of sadness, but rather a sense of panic and unease... Two months in this foreign country... what did we get ourselves into? Quickly though, before you interpret my feelings as cowardly or closed-minded, as long as I can remember,

my life has been destined for a backpack and a passport full of stamps. I have longed for nothing but travel, nothing but seeing the world, nothing but stepping outside borders, across boundaries, and into new lands. In this moment though, I felt so out of place. I had no idea where these two months would take us. We hadn't even planned past the first two weeks in Dominical. Although I am sure she was experiencing similar feelings, my mom saw my tears and nodded, “Dessa,” she said, “This is where we are supposed to be.” And it was. Everyday after that night was a new adventure. Although in the beginning, I took one timid step after the other; by the end, leaps took me from one amazing escapade to another. Everyday I learned ten new things about myself. I learned the grand ability I have to pack and repack a backpack, each time making it seem smaller and lighter. I learned that my fear of spiders must be overcome in order to live (or travel) in any kind of tropical climate. I learned that the

friends I make along the way are some of the most genuine, kindest, grandest and interesting people. I learned how to dance away insecurities and let myself move and be free, because after all, the way bodies move to music is beautiful and inspiring. I learned that my lifelong independence

has paid off for something. I also learned what's out there, what's beyond this valley of Missoula, something that is now making it increasingly difficult to be stationary. After just a few weeks in Dominical, we made several deep connections. A couple from California offered me a job at their bakery in Point Reyes. The director of

Cascada Pozo Azul

Riding in a Tuk-Tuk, backpacks and all.

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¡Esta sí es vida!Dessa Blue Lennox, MIS Class of 2009Hellgate High School Class of 2012

After graduating from MIS, Dessa Lennox quickly discovered that her passion for wandering did not suit her well in the high school scene. After completing her studies at Hellgate High School within three years, Dessa and her mom, Julie Lennox, began their two months in Central America. Now home and back to the grind, Dessa can't seem to get her head out of the Costa Rican rainforests. The realization that options are limitless has permanently sunk in, leaving her with an incurable form of travelers itch. That being said. She is excited for a moment back on the home turf before beginning her next adventure in California as a Journalism student at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California.

the school we attended took me to get our noses pierced together, and the adventure seeking, Spanish speaking bus driver took my mom and me from place to place, showing us the local hotspots, the hidden waterfalls, and where to find monkeys. My love for these people grows daily as I reflect on my deep transformation there. I never wanted to leave Dominical but we knew our adventure was taking us to new places. Next stop, Montezuma... ah, Montezuma. The sketchy boat ride over was not necessarily a good start, but within a week the ‘Pura Vida’ vibe had officially penetrated into every pore of my being. Here was where I really started to find myself. I learned the art of Poi fire

dancing which literally ignited a part of me that had not existed before. I began a daily yoga practice and I fell in love with life. ¡Esta sí es vida!.. like a mantra, I would almost have to pinch myself, but knew that no dream could be so beautiful. There I met soulmates, life-long friends, roots and connections that I can never forget. Again, I never wanted to leave. In fact I convinced my mom to let me stay a week longer than anticipated. Here is where she let me be free, here is where I encountered myself. Then there was the spontaneous decision to cross the border into Nicaragua and the three day break from my mom. I traveled with a new, close friend to the island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. We climbed the largest volcano in Nicaragua, Volcán Concepción, in ten hours, but couldn't move our legs to full capacity for two weeks afterwards. We hiked to a tree house hostel in the rainforest near Granada, Nicaragua's capital, where we were filmed in a

Backpacker's documentary dancing in outrageous costumes and made pizzas in a brick oven. This is where I saw my first tarantula and was told to shake my shoes before I stepped into them in the morning in case of scorpions. As you can imagine, I slept with my mom that night. She would protect me from the big, scary spiders. Finally, the last leg came, unexpectedly and too quickly. Puerto Viejo is located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The dynamic between the two coasts is completely different. Here the Jamaican, Rastafarian influence is huge. We rented bikes and would venture daily to new beaches and small towns. Ah, ‘Pura Vida.’ It was literally tangible. You could stick out your tongue, letting your taste buds soak in the good life. A few days into our ten day stay here, though, I had to say goodbye to a friend who I will always hold dear to my heart. A British soulmate of sorts, she will stay close to my mom and me, a friendship that crosses the ages... literally. When my brother finally arrived for a few weeks over Christmas, it was weird to see his familiar face. I felt suddenly dislodged from my new sense of being. Constant movement and new faces can become something of a comfort when you are compelled to adapt to them frequently. We returned to the town of Dominical with him, ending our journey where it began, a full circle. Two months. That's all it took. My core was built by growing up surrounded by inspiring, international people. MIS built my foundation. I clearly remember listening to Penelope's stories of traveling around South America with an artistic crew, performing for smiling, cheering crowds. I remember sitting on the edge of my seat while Ted told us about swimming with Piranhas and traveling by Ox cart on precarious roads that led deep into the Amazon. I remember looking at Patricia's photos from a summer in Colombia, and wanting so badly to visit Nova Scotia and Scotland after listening intently to Joann's stories. Growing up inspired is one thing, growing up admiring inspiring people is something totally different. Costa Rica is just the beginning.

Now, with new interests and talents, I can travel knowing that everyday will change bits and pieces of who I thought I was. Roots are the beginning of everything that blooms. So, I will travel. I will seek every opportunity to live. I will broaden every horizon. MIS taught me how.

On top of Volcán Concepción

One of many amazing sunsets in Dominical

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Pura vida is the law of the land in Costa Rica. The expression is used in many forms, from a greeting, to a synonym for “excellent!” Ticos (The nickname for Costa Ricans) follow this lifestyle and are some of the most wonderful people on earth. A synonym of “hakuna matata.” Life is wonderful; enjoy it.

Examples: “Que Me ‘Ice Mae, Pura Vida?” (What’s up dude, all good?)“Pura vida!” (You betcha!)

MIS Middle School Excel in Science

MIS middle school students joined over 600 Montana students in March at the University of Montana to

present their science fair research projects. MIS students excelled at the event, garnering7 gold, 11 silver, and 5 bronze awards. In addition to his gold ribbon, Kevin Johnston’s project on cellulosic ethanol won first place overall in the seventh grade division. He was selected for an additional award from the Montana Energy Education Council and Northwestern Energy for an outstanding project on renewable energy. Kevin also won a cash prize. Hannah Jakob and Ava Kazemi won a gold ribbon for their project on the correlation between self-esteem and cheating behavior, and 2nd place overall in the 8th grade division. Their project has been nominated to compete in the Broadcom Masters, a national science competition that inspires and encourages young scientists, engineers and innovators.

MIS Students Shine at International Festival

In March, Missoula International School participated in the annual UM International Food and Culture Festival.

The MIS Children's Choir, led by Katherine Massena, started off the Culture Show with various songs from around the world. The K/1 multiage classes performed original poems they created during their Palabra's en Juego unit (Words at Play.) Together with the collaboration of our K/1 multiage teaching team, the students, and music teachers, they

combined 46 ideas from three classes into a ten minute, enthusiastic and humorous performance. UM President Royce Engstrom shared his congratulations with everyone for a great show. MIS middle school students shared their giant “Alebrije” dragon sculpture, made last October for the Day of the Dead parade in the tradition of Mexican folk art. They helped kids of all ages make smaller Alebrije's at the MIS activity table. Talent and color filled the University Center during this important day dedicated to cultural sharing and understanding.

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Click Here to see highlights from the International Festival.

Students in the kindergarten through fifth grade received a full explanatory tour of the science fair projects. before the State Science Fair. Kevin (right) explains how he created ethanol from lawn clippings.

Ava and Hannah, both in the graduating eighth grade class of 2013 at MIS, hold up their gold State Science Fair awards.

MIS Preschool Teacher Wins Writing Contest

Congratulations to our 4/5 Preschool teacher, Jane Doherty, first place

winner of the Missoula Public Library's 5th Annual Writing Contest! Entries were judged by professional writers, editors, and educators.Jane submitted her original nonfiction essay early in 2013 and was

notified in April of her award. She will be recognized at a gala awards event on May 5th at 2:00 p.m. at the library. All winning entries will be bound in a copy available for check-out at the library.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ezekial Peterson, MIS class of 2010, for helping Hellgate High School take first place at the Montana State Science Fair! Ezekial won a gold award for his research

on acute cytotoxicity of various nanoparticle metal oxides. Ezekial participates in APS (Applied Projects in Science), a science course that allows students to take on an independent science project for the year in any field of science or technology.

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Financial WizardsMiddle School Class in Financial Literacy Just Makes Senseby Bethany O’Connell

David Rosulek and Jeff Twohig are financial advisors for Edward Jones who volunteered their time to develop this class. David is the father of Noah, in K/1, and Jeff is the father of Finley, in the 4/5 preschool. Although they have never worked with clients from Hogwarts, they are very good at pulling rabbits out of hats in a down economy.

Suits and briefcases in hand, Dave whips out a dollar bill with a flash of

light and waves it up at Jeff ’s tall frame as Jeff taps out numbers on a calculator and students wave their hands in the air. “What is money, anyway?” Dave asks, hoping to stump his audience with his opening question. But just like abracadabra, an astute student responds coolly, “It’s just a convenience so we don’t have to carry sheep around on our backs wherever we go.” With a poof! The class anticipates the key lesson on the first day. When I sat down to talk with Jeff Twohig and Dave Rosulek, MIS parents who also happen to be financial advisors,

I asked them about their thoughts on creating this new middle school class on financial literacy. They were literally beaming with delight about the higher-level conversations they were beginning to expect from the middle school students. “These kids are sharp,” said Jeff. “The discussion we can have with them is productive and thought-provoking. The kids already have a good understanding of key concepts such as the value of money, supply and demand, and the benefits and risks of borrowing.” Jeff and Dave explained the core concepts of the class and how they are using the inquiry process to guide students through real life scenarios. They discussed why Halloween candy is cheaper after Halloween. They imagined they were applying for a $10,000 bank loan and developed a list of questions they should ask, including interest rate comparisons. They also imagined themselves as venture capitalists, looking for a partner to finance their lemonade stand. And students interviewed their

family members about the costs of goods over time to learn more about inflation. “Students will be given a final case study,” Dave explained. “They will need to apply their understanding to make financial decisions about buying, saving or investing and looking at these decisions long-term.” “In the end,” said Jeff, students are learning about how to be good stewards of capital; and about needs vs. wants.” “We’re having a blast,” shared Dave. “I hope my son is as smart at their age. What makes these kids extraordinary is their comfort level with the grey area.” Jeff agrees. “At the end of the day, there is no black and white in life or with money. We must always be weighing the risks and benefits of our financial decisions. Our clients often ask for a black or white answer, but that’s just not the reality of our world.” What is so magic about that? To the middle school students at MIS, it just makes sense.

But just like abracadabra, an astute student responds coolly, “It’s just a convenience so we don’t have to carry sheep around on our backs wherever we go.”

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This past January, while MIS battled the winter blahs,

Patricia Cano, Jenny Ferguson and I had the opportunity to visit several International Baccalaureate and other schools in San Diego before heading to L.A. for our three-day PYP workshops. Our experience generally affirmed that, in spite of the challenges we face, MIS really does offer a world class education. Campus visits allowed us to observe many great, and at times, not so great teaching practices and learning environments. We were reminded that we are not unique in our beliefs nor are we alone in our challenges. Rather, as members of a diverse and growing IB community, we share many commonalities.

Our classroom visits enabled us to observe creative approaches to teaching using cutting edge technology (ever heard of a Promethium Board?) Through conversations with equally dedicated teachers and principals, we gained new insight while sharing ideas and strategies for classroom innovation. During the PYP workshops, we mingled with other teachers and administrators, including some who were in the position we were in four years ago with their IB authorization looming. Once again, the many levels of awareness expressed and the diverse challenges represented there reminded us that we teachers are also students. We know the value of an inquiry-based learning model that encourages

risk-takers like us to keep reaching to achieve clarity in our understanding. And although not the most essential lessons of our journey, we also enjoyed the fish tacos and the bustling freeways of L.A.

PYP Workshops in LA Highlight Teacher Innovationby Ted Muhs, 4/5 Multiage Spanish Teacher

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Students in 4/5 multiage researched a biographical character, then brought that person to life during a recent unit. Be inspired by Diego Rivera, Jeannette Rankin, Harriet

Tubman, and many more past and present heroes with this virtual living museum.Click Here to check out their videos on the MIS Youtube channel.

Heroes Come to Life in 4/5 Multiage

Students in 2/3 multiage shared their poems at a poetry reading in March. Tears, laughter, and surprised faces came out of parents and teachers as our poets read their original poems in both Spanish and English with expression, energy and outstanding enthusiasm. Read some of their poems here: http://www.segundosyterceros.blogspot.com/

Bilingual Poetry & Anatomy Lessons

2/3 multiage students also completed a recent unit on the human body, which included a field trip to Saint Patrick Hospital.

food store and finally tasted peanut butter again for the first time in five months. The food here is delicious. Most dishes have fish in them. In fact, there are a lot of fish shops where you can buy fresh fish and see it get chopped up by a huge knife. A lot of dishes have olive oil, since Spain produces 40% of the world’s olive oil. My favorite Spanish dishes are paella, morros y christianos, and the tortilla de patata. I have changed a lot during the past eight months. I have become so much stronger. When times got tough I told myself that I had to stick with it, express myself, and respect other people’s ways. In September, when I was struggling with homesickness, I told myself that I had to wait until November to go home. In November, I gave myself until January. By the time January came around I was happy here. I am no longer homesick. Saying goodbye is going to be the hardest thing ever, how do you say goodbye to a new family and new friends? In June I will have to pack and say goodbye to everyone I love. I will stay strong. When I get on that plane to fly home to Montana I will be crying, mostly tears of sadness, but also tears of triumph, because I made it. Until then, I have two more months to live in Spain, have fun with my family and friends, and improve my Spanish. I can't say that I am a fluent speaker yet, but I accept it. I'm okay with the fact that I can't roll my R's, or that I still have a nasty American accent, or that I haven't been out to a lot of fiestas. I am in Spain, living a new life. This is all that matters.

“My Year Abroad,” Continued from page 5...

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At School in Navarre An Interview w/ Toren Garnaas, 7th Grade

Toren Garnaas has attended MIS since preschool, so

when his family suggested he spend a half-year abroad with a Spanish family, he was more than ready to go on an adventure. Here he answers some questions about his experience and school life in Navarre, Spain.What was your school like during your stay? I was at an

all-boys school, so obviously the biggest difference was the fact that there were no girls. But we also had to go to school until 5 p.m. each day. It was tough but at least we got all our homework done during the extra hours at school. We didn’t eat dinner until 9 o’ clock!Did you find yourself lonely at times? Not really. The family I lived with had recently visited our family in Missoula so I felt comfortable with them. I made lots of friends at school and met my best friend, Miguel.Was there a moment where you experienced culture shock? I was really surprised at Christmas because it was so different from home. Everything there is much more simple: no decorations except for a Nativity scene, and no presents are exchanged until Ephiphany in January.Is there anything you brought with you from MIS that proved useful to you?I would definitely have to say that without my Spanish, I would have been lost so many times. It helped me make friends and feel secure about where I was going. My family and most of the kids my age spoke some English, but I learned more about the culture because I could speak and understand Spanish. Do you have a favorite memory?One weekend I was invited to a friend’s birthday party and they had organized a huge soccer tournament. It was a blast!

Students in the middle school and the 2nd/3rd grade created these self-portraits inspired by the artist, Modigliani

Click Here to read more MIS art news at Loryn’s Art Spot blog!

Who says high fashion isn’t affordable? Students in the eighth grade created their own fashion show using recycled materials.

ART IMITATES LIFE

Students created a beautiful mural together during the Earth Day celebration at MIS on April 20th.

Created by MIS students, these colorful flying birds brightened the Wild Walk Parade in Missoula on April 28th.

THANK YOU!

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! The Messenger welcomes your writing, art and stories related to MIS, alumni news, and international education. Contact office@mismt.org

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING

SALSA BALL 2013!

Thanks to all of you who supported the 2013 Salsa Ball, Iguana Lounge- 12 Board Members, 30 teachers, 48 dedicated volunteers, 4 jazzy musicians, 107 auction items, one large iguana trophy, 1000 poker chips, and one glass overflowing with pledges, we raised over $33,000! We are now over 80% of our 2012/2013 MISsion Forward Fund goal of $262,500. You help MIS expand opportunities for MIS families today and tomorrow. A complete list of gifts to MIS will be published in the Fall 2013 Annual Report. Thank you for making MIS aware of any corrections.

TO OUR SPONSORS,AlliegianceAmerican Mortgage, A Division of Network Funding, LPAnderson ZurMuehlen & Co., P.C.AnonymousBoyle, Deveny & Meyer, P.C.First Security Bank

Good Food StoreLoopy Knit CrochetMerrill LynchMissoula Veterinary ClinicNoteworthy Paper and PressTwin Cranes Dental GroupWarm Springs Productions

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Ace HardwareAesthetic Plastic Surgery Eden AtwoodThe BadlanderMyra BaumesBe Your Own FarmerBed, Bath, and BeyondBenevolent Linden, Lindsey & JohnBetty’s DivineBig Sky Brewing Co.Big Sky Natural BeefBiga PizzaBitterroot Flower ShopBlack Coffee Roasting Co.Boom SwaggerBuffalo Wild WingsCaffe DolceCafe Rio Mexican GrillCanvas Studios, Sarah SchaferCaras Nursery and LandscapeCarino’s Italian RestaurantCarla CrossCarmike CinemasChildren’s MuseumCity Brew CoffeeCracker Barrel Old Country StoreColdstone Creamery

Jakers Bar and GrillKindermusik with KristiLa Bella VitaThe Learning TreeLe Petit OutreLewis and Clark AdventuresLisa’s Pasty PantryChristine and Marco LittigLoopy Knit CrochetLoose CabooseMackenzie River Pizza Co.Joann MageeMagicCaryn MiskeMISMO GymnasticsMissoula Country ClubMissoula Osprey’sMissoula Textile ServicesMomentum Athletic TrainingMontana Radio CompanyMustard SeedNatural GrocersOutback SteakhousePearl CafePet SmartPink GrizzlyPlay Gr8 Golf

Real Deals Home DécorRockin’ Rudy’s Roemer’s Tire FactorySalinas and McElroy FamiliesSalon CandelariaSa Wad DeeSBS SolarLance SchelvanSecure FenceSelvedge StudiosSorella’s Salon and Day SpaNicole StimacSummit BeverageSean Kelley’s Stone of Accord The Trail HeadV-TecMishel VatoussisWalking Stick ToysWest Side Lanes and Fun CenterKim West, Smells Funky CeramicsWheat Montana FarmsWhippersnappers & TwistYour Garden Coach, Kari Brittain