Welcome to the Alumni Quarterly

Enthusiastic Response to Alumni Survey YIS Memories

Featured Alumni & Former Staff Sohini Kar Elena Huckin (Dil) Lester Yoshinami-Hitachi Ed Bernard

Upcoming Events at YIS

Meet the Headmaster

Sergio Mejia, Maths Teacher

Reunion News

Class Notes

The Quarterly Quiz

This year the City of Yokohama will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Yokohama, recognizing a century and a half of international trade and exchange. YIS will also be marking a historical milestone – the 85th anniversary of the school’s founding in 1924. An appropriate time, I think, to reconnect with our community of alumni, including thousands of former students, teachers and staff who collectively comprise the legacy and living history of YIS.As mentioned in my letter to alumni in February, the school has been remiss for many years in reaching out to its alumni, and we are determined to change that. We had a fantastic response to the online survey that was distributed to those already registered in the online alumni community database and posted to YIS alumni groups on Facebook and LinkedIn (see article in this issue). Since then, traffic on the alumni portal website (http://alumni.yis.ac.jp/) has more than quadrupled, as alums from all over have logged in to the site to update profiles, post news and photos, and utilize the site’s class blog feature. There have also been many new registrations to the online alumni community.Responding to your strong interest in receiving periodic updates on YIS alumni and school news via email newsletter, I am pleased to introduce the YIS Alumni Quarterly, which we intend to publish in January, April, July and October. I’d like to thank my editorial team colleagues Leslie (Harrington) Lorimer (Class of 1980) and Shohei Nishihara (Class of 2004) for helping to launch this newsletter. We hope you enjoy this inaugural issue and welcome your comments and suggestions for future articles. Don’t forget to also check the alumni portal website from time to time for additional news and event listings.Happy reading!

Bob PomeroyEditor

The YIS Alumni Quarterly is published electronically by Yokohama International School for the enjoyment of former students, parents and staff as well as the current school community. We welcome your comments and suggestions (contact alumni@yis.ac.jp).

Editorial Team:Bob Pomeroy

YIS Director of Advancement, Admissions and Communications

Leslie (Harrington) Lorimer (Class of 1980)

President, International Academic Consultants Inc.

Shohei Nishihara (Class of 2004)

YIS Communications and Advancement Coordinator

Welcome to the Alumni Quarterly

Enthusiastic Response to Alumni SurveyIn February we sent out an online survey to alumni who were registered in the YIS online alumni community. We also posted links to the survey on YIS groups in Facebook and LinkedIn, two prominent social networking sites, hoping to connect with even more alumni. The principal aims of the survey were to help reestablish contact, solicit views on alums’ YIS experience, and gauge how much interest there might be in future YIS alumni activities.

The response far exceeded our expectations, both in terms of the number of people who completed the survey and the level of interest and enthusiasm expressed. Some of the survey responses have been incorporated elsewhere in this issue, including the Class Notes section and the highlighted YIS Memories. We also followed up with those who expressed interest in a reunion in New York by organizing an informal alumni get-together

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In this Issue

© Yokohama International School

YIS ALUMNI QUARTERLYVol. 1 / April 2009

Nearly 170 people responded, roughly 85% former students •and 15% former faculty.Respondents represented each decade since the 1950s. •About 42% of the respondents were YIS High School •graduates.Not surprisingly, respondents came from around the globe •– 23 countries altogether – and their college/university backgrounds were similarly global.YIS alums are engaged in a wide range of careers, includ-•ing (to name just some): investment manager, engineer, teacher, librarian, IT security analyst, lab technician, clinical psychologist, naval architect, epidemiologist, designer, journalist, lawyer, translator, homemaker, sports therapist, microbiologist, and aspiring zoo keeper.Nearly 70% of respondents rated their overall YIS experi-•ence as “strongly positive” and 26% rated it as “positive.”

Asked how well YIS prepared them for matriculation to further schooling, the combined percentage of those replying “well prepared” or “very well prepared” was as follows:

To other international schools: 80%•To schools in home country: 72%•To colleges/universities in North America: 74%•To colleges/universities in the UK: 65%•To colleges/universities in Japan: 52%•To colleges/universities elsewhere: 66%•

Over 80% of former faculty responding to the survey said •that their YIS experience had prepared them “well” or “very well” for their next teaching job.More that 125 people responded to the question “What is •the single greatest benefit of a YIS education?” Some of the responses… The fact that you make life-long friends and that the school has a small school setting. When I attended YIS it was truly a diversified school with a great mix of local and foreign school.Small classes with strong student/faculty interaction that promotes a family feel.Involved and caring teachers.Sense of belonging to an international community, becoming a citizen of the world.That you grow up with a bigger worldview and better appreciation for your place in it.

The teachers and the commitment to excellence.“Outside the box,” diverse, flexible.Maybe this has something to do with being located in Japan, but the school’s ability to make working hard seem “cool”. I’ve never experienced that at any other school I’ve attended.A mixture of global awareness, independent thinking, diverse culture, multi-linguistic environment. Put in one word “Global”.

About 38% of respondents said YIS influenced their career •choice. (Note that many of the respondents attended YIS only in elementary school.)More than 100 respondents listed teachers who had •“strongly influenced their further education, career choice or general outlook on life.” Some frequently mentioned former teachers were: Stelarc, Mr. & Mrs. Bernard, Mr. Scrace, Mr. Becker, Mr. Kerr, Madame Marmillot, Mr. Matsumoto, Mr. Riley, and Mr. Jackson. Several current teachers were also listed.About 40% of respondents said they stay in touch with their •former teachers. About 34% stay in touch with former classmates frequently, •while 53% said they do so occasionally.With respect to an alumni newsletter, over 85% of respon-•dents said they preferred the e-newsletter format. Only 20 respondents said that they had participated in a •YIS reunion, but there was considerable interest in holding reunions in the future. 83 respondents expressed interest in attending a reunion in Yokohama, while 99 respondents said they would be interested in reunions near where they live. The most frequently mentioned cities were New York and London (15 respondents each), San Francisco (8) and Amsterdam (7).There was a slight preference for mid-summer as the tim-•ing for a reunion in Yokohama, although responses varied widely:

37 respondents said mid-summer ( July)•29 said autumn (Sep/Oct)•25 said late May/early June•25 said Golden Week (early May)•

In regard to alumni activities, 63 respondents expressed an •interest in college and career networking with other YIS alumni, while 66 said they would be willing to offer college and career advice to current YIS students. Many respon-dents (35) said they were willing to speak to prospective YIS families about the school. Finally, 50 people responded to the last question of the •survey: What can YIS do for you as an alumnus/a? Some of the responses were specific requests (which we will be following up upon) while others were more general, including: Keep making the effort to reach out to alumni because YIS is such a special place, especially for those of us who spent almost our entire childhood there.Keep me in touch with developments at YIS and help keep me in touch with other alumni to remind me of a really influential time in my life.Keep the alumni connected. It is wonderful school experience and a privilege for anyone who has the opportunity to attend.

Thank you again to everyone who participated in the survey!

Enthusiastic Survey ResponseContinued from p. 1

with Deputy Headmaster James MacDonald, who was visiting the Big Apple for a conference (see Reunion News). We will be incorporating other feedback from the survey as we plan future alumni activities and events. In the meantime, here are some highlights from the survey.

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We received many comments about memorable school experiences in the YIS alumni survey. Far too many to list all of them here, but we hope you enjoy this random sampling of some of the responses.

1970sSinging for the United Nations Gathering - I still have the key chain; going to the planetarium; the middle school & high school students’ participation with the elementary school students; the opportunity to accomplish so much with musical instruments so young.

My mom drove into the drainage ditch at YCAC and Mr. Matsumoto held our car with 4 of us in it while she backed up.

Measuring the speed of sound by shooting a starter pistol from the nearby tower!

The speaker at the 8th grade graduation. Forgot who he was, but I think he was from the International School system head office. I remember his last words: “One day, when you are the president of a country - or the wife of the president - and you are in a meeting with another head of state, you can look at each other across the table, extend your hands, and say, “Yokohama International School 1967!”

Too many to mention... the spring fair, art and music classes, science classes with Whitty and Pedlar, math with Scrase, PE at YCAC, ski trips, class trip in the spring, the magnitude of the exposure to different cultures and people.

1980sThe earthquake on my very first day of school - ever.

Grade 12 Field Studies to Sado! Food Fair (it used to be two days). Dances (in the “hall” - the current canteen). Sitting on the bench at the end of the corridor after school with friends, for hours! Going to the “Down Store” during lunch. Lots of great memories!

The wide range of extracurricular activities, having friends of different nationalities. Overall, just fun and enriched experiences.

Life-long friendships that started years ago and span the globe!

Graduation speech, I cried through all the ceremony. I was sad to leave, although I was glad to start my adult life.

The whole experience was memorable. Wish I could be there.

1990sSo many... Field Studies to Sado, lunch at GG’s minimart, ending in joint last place on X-country day, causing chaos by skipping a scene during the school play, senior year ski trip.

Food fairs, sports day, class plays and just the general feeling of attending a great school with great friends and good teachers.

Yokohama International Children’s Relay 1991. Winning the group speech top honors at Kanto Plain Speech Contest 1994. All field studies trips.

Field trips, Food Fair, day trips, Christmas and Halloween decorations and dressing up, senior skip day and so on.

Food Fair, cross country meets, school discos, PE at YCAC... the list goes on...

2000sField trip, eating lunch at the park with friends, hanging out in the bio lab with Mr. Hooker, setting up the multimedia display, playing with snow at the park with the entire school when it snows, Food Fair, Brain Bowl, high school soccer!

Spirit day, where every grade dressed up as something.

Field Studies, graduation, in-terscholastic activity events such as Brain Bowl and Model UN,

writing my IB extended essay, heated arguments in math class...

Art class with Mr McCrory was always something we looked forward to. Field studies was brilliant.

My first day of school. Beating St. Mary’s in football which hadn’t been done in close to a decade back then. Winning Brain Bowl (our first), prom, grad, my last day of school.

YIS Memories

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Sohini Kar, Class of 2000I was at YIS for 14 years—Kindergarten through High School—and graduated in 2000. Since then, I received my Bachelor’s from Columbia University where I majored in Economics and French, my Master’s from the University of Chicago, and am now in my second year of the PhD program in Anthropology at Brown University. My research interests are in the intersections of economy and culture, particularly in terms of the politics of development in India. The international atmosphere of YIS has definitely shaped my work as a socio-cultural anthropologist, making me more attuned to the ways in which individuals relate to various cultural experiences. I feel that YIS provided a unique experience in learning to be an ethnographer through my interactions from a very young age with people of multiple and diverse backgrounds.

While I do miss the old campus—including the old Middle Building in which I spent many years—I am excited to see the new directions in which the school is going and how much it has grown since my years of being there. And as an anthropologist, I must say that I’m always happy to know that students graduate from YIS attuned to and appreciative of a diverse international community.

AQ: How long were you at YIS?

EH: 1979-1981. I only had 2 years at YIS, but they were the best of the 7 years we lived in Japan.

AQ: What have you been doing since YIS?

EH: University of Exeter (Bachelor of Education) and Oxford Polytechnic (Post Graduate Certificate for the Education of the Hearing-Impaired). I worked as a teacher of the hearing-impaired, full time and part-time, in schools for the Deaf and Units in mainstream schools. I currently bake cakes for the local pub (hahaha! What can I say?). Married Matthew and we have 4 children: Alan (19), Harriet and Ottelien (15) and Geor-gia (7). I lived in London, Bristol, Reading (UK), New Jersey (USA) and have settled in Bath (UK).

AQ: What does YIS mean to you?

EH: YIS was like a big happy family! It was great fun being in a small high school and grades 9 to 12 were all good friends; we socialized as easily with our own year group as with others, which was very special. It also meant that I was close to my brother and sister as well as quite often we did things together, so we have many shared memories. I grew up in a very international environ-ment and still have YIS contacts around the world. The few times I have had the opportunity to catch up with friends has

been amazing as it seemed that we just picked up where we left off. I loved the fact that there was no uniform! I liked the relaxed atmosphere at school. I liked the diversity of people. Happy school days!!!

AQ: Who were some of your memorable friends at YIS?

EH: Well, lots of people. Leslie Lorimer/Harrington, Merantine Hens, Kari Anderson, Adrian Ivinson, David Ackers, to name a few. Who can forget Erol? As my sister and I have been organizing a reunion in Amsterdam we have caught up with many of our peers, which has been very interesting!

Some other memories: The hours I had to spend persuading Erol I wasn’t in •love with him.Merchant of Venice, with Mr. Ridout’s great music. Wish I •had that on DVD!Our fantastic school trip to Sado Island! The best school •trip ever, when Mr. Kerr surprised us all by singing an Irish ditty.Mr. Stanworth, best Maths teacher ever! Will always be •grateful to him for getting me through that Maths O’ Level. Mme Marmillot who was so lovely! I was very sad to •lose touch with her.My sister coming home with 16 roses on Valentine’s •Day. I got one from my Freshman Fan Club (Tjardo and Hendrik!).Going to Tokyo and dancing the night away after gradu-•ation.All the laughs in the JV volleyball team when we lost •every single match.Putting a polo mint behind a rat’s kidney (Mr. Kerr’s dis-•section classes). He went and pretended to look it up in some books and came back and said that it was prob-ably a polo mint the rat had swallowed. Hahaha!Spending hours doodling on Jens Velsboe’s geography •books during geography.And who can ever forget Meran’s love life, that took • on a life of its own!Going to St.Mary’s dance en masse and no one danced •until the YIS-ERS took to the floor.Laughing a lot.•

Featured Alumni & Former Staff

Elena Huckin (Dil), Class of 1980

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Elena Huckin (Dil) (left) and sister Harriet

AQ: How long were you at YIS?

LYH: From September 1963 to June 1965 and from September 1967 to June 1975.

AQ: Tell us a bit more about your life since YIS.

LYH: I have been the Abbot/Executive Officer of Fujisan Jyurinji Temple and Sogadera Temple, both of Soto Zen Buddhism, in Shizuoka Prefecture since August 2001.

I was born in the United States and returned to Japan when I was six and entered YIS. I received my undergraduate educa-tion from the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Sophia Univer-sity in Tokyo in 1979 and graduated with an MA from Cornell University in New York in 1982. My major was Intellectual History/Thought and Religion in the East. I then practiced and studied Zen at the Daihonzan Sojiji Zen Buddhist Seminary in Yokohama from 1983-84.

I worked as assistant to the Director of International Affairs at the administrative headquarters of Soto Zen Buddhism in Tokyo from 1984 to 2001. I work on educational and missionary programs for Zen teachers and parishes in Japan and for the international community, and am involved in the publication of Zen journals and translation projects of Soto Zen texts.

I have also served on the YIS Board of Directors for the past 10 years and on the Board of Trustees since 2006. I have three children at YIS: Calvin Mitsutoshi 9th grade, Robert Yuma 7th grade, and Bernard Noriyoshi 5th grade.

AQ: What does YIS mean to you?

LYH: “We love our school and our friends that are there; In-ternational School is the name we bear. Friends come and go through the years and yet, International School we shall never forget.” When I entered YIS in 1963 we all sang this school an-them with the Headmaster at morning assembly; the lyrics and the heart of this composition still resonate deeply.

I am very proud of YIS, its achievements as an international educational institution, and especially its values, philosophy and mission. I believe my education at YIS cultivated a wish to support human endeavors. I am also happy that YIS is reach-ing out to its graduates and to the students who have studied at YIS. The present school has about ten alumni families, but I hope more and more will join the school and help to transmit the spirit of the Dragons!

AQ: What are some of your memories of your time at YIS?

LYH: Mr. Dehaan our former Headmaster from 1963 was a leader but also a person who had the heart for music and always taught us the joy of singing.

My music teacher back in the seventies was Frank Becker; who introduced me to the world of John Cage. He was knocking on a grand piano from underneath, which opened new doors to appreciate what music or sound meant.

Stelarc our versatile, post-modern art teacher who had the vision and skills I never imagined, including the imagination to hang oneself as an art object, which was more than striking.

Edward and Kyoko Bernard were both very inspiring teach-ers. Mr. Bernard challenged our artistic skills with drawings of the world atlas throughout his geography and history classes; students of Social Studies were very competitive in drawing and certainly the exams. History lessons with pages and pages of notes remain a fond memory. His expertise and depth of experience in college counseling was more than welcome for a novice heading for higher education.

Japanese Studies taught by Ms. Kyoko Bernard guided me to reflect on my own heritage and culture; her wisdom in the course was very encouraging leading to my interest in Asian thought and religion. My deepest appreciation goes to all teachers who have guided the way with heart.

Ed Bernard, Former Teacher, College Counselor and MoreAQ: How long were you at YIS?

EB: I joined YIS as a 6th grade homeroom teacher in September 1968 and after thirty-six years I retired in June 2004.

AQ: When did you become the college counselor?

EB: YIS made the decision to create a High School by adding a class a year and in 1973 I became the College Counselor when YIS graduated its first class with nine students. Our big breakthrough in college admissions came in 1979 when Stuart Harrington was accepted by Stanford. Another milestone was reached in 1985 when Chun Yeong Yang became the first to enter Harvard and a decade later, in 1996, Alex Patient opened Oxford’s doors.

All the while of course, YIS students were breaching the portals of all of the top schools in the US as well as those in Canada, the UK and Holland. In 1980, in addition to my role as College Counselor I became Deputy Headmaster and in the year 1995-1996 I was appointed YIS’s 15th Headmaster. I was very happy to return to my position of College Counselor/Deputy Headmaster the following year.

Lester Yoshinami-Hitachi, Class of 1975

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Ed Bernard (2nd from left) and Lester Yoshinami-Hitachi (center) at alumni gathering.

Upcoming Events at YISHeadmaster’s Trivia Quiz Night at YIS

Who: YIS parents, faculty & alumniWhen: Saturday, April 11, 2009 from 7:30 pmWhere: YIS school cafeteria

The quiz is held in a team format with teams of 4 to 6 people putting their heads together to answer a series of trivia questions on a wide range of topics accessible to all. Register your team in advance or come individually and form a team on the evening. Contact trivia@yis.ac.jp for registration details and to RSVP.

YIS Music Ensembles to Perform May 2, 2009 atRed Brick Warehouse in Yokohama2009 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Yokohama to foreign trade. Helping to kick off six months of special events and celebrations, the YIS Advanced Japanese Music Ensemble, HS Jazz Band and HS Choir will be performing at the Red Brick Warehouse on Saturday, May 2nd. The performances will take place in the 3rd Floor Hall of building number 1 as follows:•YISHighSchoolJazzBand&HighSchoolChoir 1:00-2:30pm•YISAdvancedJapaneseMusicEnsemble 7:00–8:30pmAdmission is free.

Food Fair 2009 – Sunday, May 3, 2009 Do you remember how much fun Food Fair used to be? Yes, it was also a lot of hard work, but I’m sure you have great memories of running a booth with your friends, throwing sponges at your favorite (?) teachers, and of course, eating great food! If you’re going to be in the neighborhood on Sunday, May 3, it would be great to see you at this year’s Food Fair. See the YIS website (http://www.yis.ac.jp/page.cfm?p=1346) for details on food, entertain-ment, raffle prizes and more. And if you have a few hours to spare, it would be especially great to share some old stories while working at the alumni booth together! To volunteer, please contact Tina Miki (Class of 1989) at tina.miki@gmail.com.

AQ: Could you share some of your memories of YIS?

EB: For a span of thirty years virtually all Junior and Senior High students who passed through the school’s gates were obliged to take my History classes. They were, therefore, exposed to Mr. Bernard’s legendary History notes. These were created because textbooks were scarce when I started to teach at the school in the late 1960’s and those that did exist were woefully inadequate. My lectures inspired some students, others suffered in silence and a few, I regret, fell by the wayside! A number of former graduates now in their mid 40’s and early 50’s remain my close friends.

When I think of YIS, I remember a “fun place” with nice students, congenial colleagues, warmth and a great deal of laughter. Certainly, the school will be forever etched on my heart as, I trust, it is for many of the alumni.

AQ: What you’ve been doing since you retired.

EB: In March 2005, soon after I retired, I received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) award from the Queen at Buckingham Palace for service to education. Now I spend my time traveling every three or four months to London and Washington D.C. where we have four grandchildren (a boy and a girl in each city).

Ed BernardContinuned from p.5

Ed on the hockey pitch in 1984

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AQ: How does YIS compare with the schools where you’ve worked before? What makes YIS unique?

ST: I have been lucky to work in some interesting schools. Many international schools share something special. I am proud of the wonderful spirit in my last school and de-lighted that YIS is equal to it. Can YIS go further? Yes, I sincerely believe it can. The relations between staff and students are strong and I believe that there are no real limits to what can be achieved with commitment from both teacher and student. In addition, YIS is steeped in history and we need to acknowledge this while developing further the school’s reputation for innovation.

AQ: How do your wife and daughters like the YIS community and living in Yokohama?

ST: Though apprehensive about coming “all the way to Ja-pan”, they are enjoying life here and busy in their own way.

AQ: What do you like doing in your free time?

ST: Free time? Truthfully, there has not been a lot. I run quite regularly and enjoy getting out on my motorbike.

AQ: You’ve said that YIS is a great school that can be even better. What makes it a great school and what sorts of improvements are you pursuing?

ST: I believe the spirit in a school is critical to its success. To achieve this, you need the right staff. So, recruitment and retention of committed, competent and positive staff is the key. As Head of school, I am expected to be a master of all trades and, in the minds of some, do it all. It is im-portant that I know about every aspect of the school and set direction and standards. However, to use a phrase often heard by PYP teachers, I prefer to be the “guide on the side more than the sage on the stage.” I see my role as facilitat-ing development that draws on the individual and collective expertise of our professionals, and I seek to ensure that this development is focused on the mission, aims and values of the school and is in line with the strategic plan.

Specifically, I am aiming to bring greater coherence to the academic program, with a full review of the middle school program with a plan for change. We continue to develop our IT use with the ultimate goal of IT on demand. In gen-eral terms, I have begun ironing out anomalies and creating new systems where needed. Professional development also continues to be a priority. In short, we are aiming for even higher standards across the board while maintaining or enhancing the spirit still further.

AQ: Do you have any particular message for YIS alumni?

ST: Alumni play an important role in a school. You pro-vide the roots of this tree and thus help support the young growth. I trust that your school days were not only enjoy-able but significant in forming who you are today. YIS is part of you. I hope that our efforts to breathe life into the alumni body – including our recent survey and the launch of this quarterly newsletter – will result in a revitalized group who will play a more active and positive role in the further development of this great school.

After completing a degree in Biology and teacher training in the UK, Simon began his career in middle schools. After some years, he moved into international education taking up a position in Helsinki, Finland teaching grades 5 to 10. Seven years later, he was offered a position as Director of Studies/Upper School Principal in Basel, Switzerland. In addition to helping establish the upper school and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Basel, he continued accreditation work with the Council of International Schools and New England Association of Schools and Colleges and obtained an MA from Oxford Brookes. In 1997 he became Director of the International School of Lausanne. During ten years at ISL, the school doubled in size, moved to a purpose-built campus, introduced three IB programmes and was re-accredited. Simon took up the position of Headmaster of YIS in 2007. His goal is to ensure that the school reflects its excellent reputation and fulfils its mission and aims.

AQ: How did you decide upon a career in internation-al education?

ST: In my first year of teaching I accompanied some students to Wales on an activity week. Here I met the staff who, being my age, told me how easy it was work-ing in other parts of Europe. You just had to do it. It took me another five years before I plucked up the courage to break away from my home country. I secured a position in Finland and from then on my new life began. That was 24 years ago and I have never regretted the move. I love inter-national life, international schools, international staff and, of course international students.

AQ: After so long in Europe, what led you to consider a position in Japan?

ST: I’ve always believed that life consists of various stages or cycles. These are quite clearly defined when at school but even after university and being in the “real world” there come times when change feels right. And so it was after ten years in Lausanne. If I am honest, Japan was not on the radar of my wife, but neither were Botswana or Washing-ton DC, two other positions that I considered. However, it seemed to me that here was an ideal time to seek new experiences. Why Japan? Because it sounded like a fascinat-ing country and appeared to be a relatively easy step from Europe that would suit the family. Why YIS? Because of its reputation as a sound school with a good programme.

Meet the Headmaster – Simon Taylor

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AQ: You have a very interesting background. Where did you grow up and what were you doing before you joined YIS?SM: I grew up in Guatemala/Mexico and Norway. Before joining YIS I worked at international schools in Hong Kong and Norway. Before that I was working on a scientist degree in Theoretical Physics at the University of Oslo. My dissertation dealt with Cosmic Strings and Unification Theories in General Relativity.

AQ: What subjects have you taught at YIS?SM: Mathematics and Physics at the High School and Middle School levels.

AQ: Which activities have you supervised?SM: I’ve supervised Astronomy and Dance. I was also in charge of the Math Field Day team.

AQ: Are there any classes that have been especially memorable?SM: Well, I must confess that I have the 07’s very close to my heart. I think that that class

made an effort to create community spirit. For instance during spirit day, they made costumes for their tutors too and asked them to be part of their team. It’s the only time this has happened in my teaching career!

AQ: What does YIS mean to you?SM: YIS has been a great challenge for me. When I came to YIS I was surprised by how little technology was used for Mathematics. I have made efforts to help modernize the mathematics department. This has taken time but the administration has realized this need and been very supportive. We even hosted a workshop for other schools in the Kanto Plain last year. Thus we have gone quite a way forwards.

AQ: What are your hobbies and passions?SM: My hobby is salsa dancing, both in pairs and team shows. I have performed all over Japan, in clubs, festivals, competitions and both Disneyland and Disney Sea. I have also performed internationally. I am also an avid diver, and a certified dive instructor. I have also done some work as an underwater videographer. Finally I am a Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiast, and love touring on my bike.

AQ: Is there any news you’d like to share with our readers?SM: Many of them would know that I got married last year. It was the best day of my life, and I am so much in love with my wonderful Japanese wife. The stork visited us last year and left us a toy poodle that looks just like me.

What do mathematics, diving, salsa and Harley’s all have in common?

Sergio Mejia, Teacher of Mathematics

New York Alumni Get-together By James Macdonald, YIS Dept. Headmaster

On March 7th I had the pleasure of meeting with some YIS alumni in New York City: Dexter Thompson-Pomeroy (2000-2008), Laura Beckhard (1978-1983), Melanie Lyons (1966-1970), Rosie Nakamura (1990-1994), Autumn Naka-mura (1990-1994) and Marisa Lee (1997-2007). Even though the alums spanned over 40 years of YIS history, there was a strong connection between people. For me too it was fasci-nating to hear some of the stories bandied about: whether it was how the buildings were used, the jokes Mr. Brown used to tell (and, unfortunately for us, still does!) or how the local neighborhood has changed.

We hope to organize more of these get-togethers in future. We are not sure where and when the next one might be, but it seems likely that we should be able to host a couple more events in places like London and California in the near future. Please stay tuned. We would also like to host a big reunion on campus in at some point, and judging from our New York

Upcoming Reunion Notice!YIS Reunion in Amsterdam: September 11-13, 2009

Reunion for classes 1980-1986

ForthosewhoattendedYISaround1980–giveortakeafewyears–wearegettingtogetherforaweekendinAmsterdam.Program upon request.

Contact: Harriet Dil: harriet@dilbonazzi.nlElena Dil: elenahuckin@yahoo.com

Or Facebook us! Looking forward to hearing from you!

Reunion News alumni, it seems many of you would welcome ‘an excuse’ to return. And we would be eager to host you!

One final personal reflection: an event like this really demon-strated to me how YIS extends well beyond our campus. YIS is not just a school; it represents a truly global community. I also have little doubt that our alumni will play an increasingly important role in helping to define YIS and making it an even better school.

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This section offers a chance to update fellow alums on what you’ve been doing since school days at YIS, share recent news, noteworthy accomplishments, or send a message to classmates. Entries are listed by class year, that is, the year of graduation from High School, whether at YIS or elsewhere. To submit a Class Notes entry for the next issue of the YIS Alumni Quarterly please email us at alumni@yis.ac.jp. Don’t forget to include your name, class year (i.e., the year you graduated from high school at YIS or elsewhere), and the years that you attended YIS. Please feel free to send a recent photo too.

1960s

1967Rob Ruts (1965-1967)I am working on a documentary. It is about Yokohama in the Sixties. Motive: I want to understand why my stay in Yokohama has had the impact it still has. Why did we, as eleven year olds, think we were in charge of that great city? Why was YIS more than just that school? Why was it ‘headquarters’, a base from which the band of boys I was a member of undertook their ex-plorations of Yokohama? Vietnam, man on the moon, flower power, set in the sixties. Japanese context: it worked wonders. Why?

1970s

1973Jim Benedict (1970-1973)Since leaving Japan 26 years ago I have kept in touch with happenings there on a daily basis. Japan was a big part of my life and I’ll never forget the time I spent there including my days at YIS.

Leslie Helm (1960-1973)After school in Berkeley, Paris, India, New York and Ja-pan, I worked for Business Week in Japan and Boston for 7 years; The Seattle Post Intelligencer in Seattle for 1 year; The Los Angeles Times in Japan, Korea, India and Seattle for 9 years; Received an Abe Fellow to study in Japan for 1 year; Worked on a book on Japan that is still looking for a publisher; redesigned and relaunched a local monthly business magazine called Washington CEO; Left after a fight with the publisher; hired by Seattle Business magazine, the rival magazine when Washington CEO folded.

1974Susan Elliott Saito (1966-1968)I moved back to the US with my family in 1968. After graduating from university I went back to Japan and taught English for 12 years in Tokyo, during which time I met my husband (a Japanese citizen). We had a daugh-ter and in 1995 we moved to the US and have lived in Portland, Oregon ever since. Our daughter is fluent in Japanese and has attended a Japanese Magnet Pro-gram since kindergarten. My husband is self-employed and I’ve worked at a law firm for 12 years now. The time I spent at YIS was not long but the education I received there is one of the most valuable things in my life. I remember many of my classmates and wonder what they’re up to. I’m in contact with Janet Paul Ellison, who left YIS in 1967. Where are you Nan, Lynn, Sissal, Sato, Gavin, Steve, Anna, Martha?

1975Becky Benedict (1964-1975)Graduated with a degree in history, married former YIS classmate Jon Benedict, living in Japan ever since High School graduation and now have 10 children.

Kathryn Nelson Scourby (1964-1969)I attended YIS from 1964-1969 (1st - 6th grades). I graduated from Ridgefield High School, Ridgefield, CT in 1975 and from Allegheny College, Meadville, PA in 1979. I graduated from VCU with a Masters in Business in 1995. I have worked for Hunton & Williams Law Firm for 24+ years and am currently the Business Continuity Manager for all of our 19 U.S. and international offices. I live in Knoxville, TN and have two children (19 and 16) and one granddaughter (9 months). I am an avid run-ner, cyclist and triathlete and would love to hear from other past YIS classmates!!

1977David Boddie (1966-1970)Attended two alumni reunions. Judge, National Small Business Week Awards.

1978Janelle Hays Osbeck (1967-1976)After graduating from seminary, my husband, Roger, and I have served churches in Minnesota and Iowa. Currently we share a call in Des Moines, IA, where we are raising our 2 children. We have a daughter who is a junior in high school and a son who is a sophomore at Wartburg College.

1980s

1981Stephan Kraft (1971-1979)Whenever the subject comes up on education and teaching methods, I end up commenting on my years at YIS and the road it has paved for me. I admit, that is the way I feel and think of it now, back then ...

1982Tjardo Jensen (Braaksma) 1969-1982After leaving Japan I moved to CA, USA, and attended college there. Then moved back to Europe and attend-ed a European University in Antwerp Belgium. Got my BBA and BIS degrees there. After working for various companies in Holland/Belgium/Luxembourg I immi-grated to Denmark where I live now. Am divorced but have 2 kids, son of 7 and a daughter of 2.

1983Alison Young (1979-1982)I went to school in the UK to study for A levels, then Leeds University to study history and politics. I worked for a Member of Parliament at the House of Commons for a few years, taught English in Matsumoto for a year, then returned to UK and trained to be a lawyer. I work for Airbus.

1987Paulo Hideo Takaki (1979- 1983)I left YIS in ‘83 and returned to Sao Paulo, Brazil. I graduated in Naval Engineering from the University of Sao Paulo and went on to a Management Associate Program at Citibank where I worked with consumer banking and credit cards for over ten years, from 1995 to 1998 I worked in Ft Lauderdale, FL. I then worked for Amex and ABN-Amro bank before deciding to work on my own. I now work as a Portuguese English sworn translator and I am also active in Real Estate and con-sulting. Along the years I have had contact with some 70% of YIS alumni and in all occasions I found people very warm, friendly and sincere. The internet is here to keep the bonds unbreakable. I am now 41 and single, my elder brother Pedro passed away all of a sudden in 2004, my younger brother Daniel also lives in Sao Paulo and is a tax lawyer for Ernst & Young, both also went to YIS. Whenever in Sao Paulo please look me up and I wish you all a great 2009 !

1990s

1990Yuichiro Kato (1976-1990)Too much to mention since YIS...but now I’m a married man, staying healthy both physically and mentally!

1992Christian Tao (1991-1992)I finished university in California, moved to Dallas, TX for grad school and now work here. I just married in June 2008. I currently work in IT, but cooking is a seri-ous hobby, and possibly something more in the future.

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Class Notes

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Taro Rasmussen (2003-2005)The grad gowns in High School Musical the movie are shockingly similar to ours—but the difference is that while they needed singing to brighten their HS lives, I just needed to sweat a jog up the hill to be happy about seeing my friends in the morning. (Was that cheesier than the movie?)

2007Alex Dalby (2002-2007)I spent 5 years in YIS and didn’t regret any moment of it... Basically YIS rocks. I found it to be a great place to learn and meet new people and it also prepared me for furthering my education in Australia. I am currently studying Graphic design in Sydney and grabbing free-lance work where I can. I am often back in Japan and hopefully will pass by YIS again soon!

Esther van Praag (2001-2005)After having lived in Japan for four years, I moved to Vancouver (Canada) with my family. I completed my 1.5 years of high school at an IB school in Vancouver. I’m currently in my second year at the University of British Columbia (www.ubc.ca), studying Psychology. At my time at UBC I’ve already caught up with three of my old classmates from YIS. I’m an avid scuba diver and recently became a certified PADI Scuba Diving Instructor and I teach via my university. I also take part in many volunteer opportunities, including being a peer supporter via my university, and scuba diving at the Vancouver Aquarium to clean the exhibits and

1993Craig Rennie (1989-1993)Now living back in Scotland after eight years working in Zurich. Married to Christine with two girls: Erin (3), and Lena(1).

1994Christiaan Breen (1985-1994)Hi all! 14 years in 150 words: went to university in Hol-land, took a little longer to graduate than expected but I really developed myself, got a job at KPMG which to my surprise I’m still doing, got married last year and have a baby son, currently back in Japan on an 18-month sec-ondment. All you guys in Japan: let’s meet up!

Chris White (1984-1994)Made the first LinkedIn YIS Alumni Group.

2000s

2001Ai Tsutsumi (Kitamura) (1998-2001)Gonna be a mom this coming May!

2005Laura Kerwin (2003-2005)I decided to study veterinary nursing last year and I am now in a two-year zoo keeping course.

The Quarterly QuizLook familiar? The first three people to correctly identify the event, location and year shown in this photo will win a YIS Dragons baseball cap. Send responses to alumni@yis.ac.jp with the words “Quarterly Quiz” in the subject line.

do underwater shows. I absolutely love Vancouver and wish to send out a big hey to everyone from my class (year 2007). You’re always welcome to come visit! Cheers!

Faculty

Anne M. Lamers-van Kessel (2005-2006)After leaving YIS in 2006 I took up teaching again in 2007 at the International School in Oegstgeest (The Netherlands). I’m currently teaching MYP and IBDP classes. One of my current colleagues was able to visit YIS during his visit around Japan, which was a great opportunity to get in touch again with former col-leagues.

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