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Editor’s Note: After the Quake

YIS Alumni Launch Earthquake Relief Project

Featured Alumni & Former StaffNadia GiffordChris Oakley

Kristin Blum – 5th Grade Teacher

Jose Withoos – Dutch Mother Toungue Program Coordinator

Class Notes

Upcoming Events

Quarterly Quiz

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 Head of School Operations

Shohei Nishihara (Class of 2004)

YIS Communications and Advancement Coordinator

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In this Issue

© Yokohama International School

It has been about a month and a half since the quite literally earth-shaking events of March 11th. The big quake struck on a sunny Friday afternoon just before Elementary dismissal, and after a few seconds it became quickly apparent that this would be a much larger quake than any I had experienced in my 18 years in Japan. Fortunately Japan’s strict building codes and all our practice drills did what they were supposed to; the buildings held together as did staff and students, who stayed calm and took cover under desks or in doorways.

A few things fell over in some of the classrooms, but fortunately there was no structural damage and, most importantly, no one was injured. Everyone acted with great professionalism and care for one another. Particularly memorable was the steadying presence of high school principal Dennis Stanworth, who immediately got on the public address system and offered calm words of assurance and advice throughout the long initial quake and several significant aftershocks.

As news reports started coming in regarding the true extent of what had happened up north, we also became aware of the major disruptions to transportation and communications in the Tokyo/Yokohama area. It became clear that students would have to be held at school until it was safe to release them to their parents, but that many parents were stuck in Tokyo or elsewhere with no way to make it to school that day. Several YIS families and staff who live close to the school volunteered to take in students for the night and thanks to their generosity in the end we were able to place everyone who needed temporary shelter – about 150 students in all – in a YIS homestay. Fortunately, our network stayed up and running and we were able to communicate with parents via email and the website.

In light of the ensuing events, including the incident at the Fukushima nuclear facility, train disruptions and scheduled power outages, we decided to close the school for the week of March 14th. We then had our fortuitously timed two-week Spring Break, which gave everyone a chance to rest and recover. We also used the opportunity to conduct a thorough structural inspection and radiation screening of the campus, which confirmed that our buildings were all safe and that there were no abnormalities.

Even so, with continuing uncertainty regarding the situation in Fukushima and other concerns, some families were reluctant to return immediately after the break, and we started up on April 5th with about 77% of our students. As things have further stabilized in recent weeks, more families have returned and we are now back to over 95% of our pre-March 11 enrollment.

Editor’s Note: After the Quake

School hallway filled with donated goods for relief drive

YIS ALUMNI QUARTERLYVol. 9 / April 2011

YIS Alumni Launch Earthquake Relief Project

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On March 13, 2011, Arisa Safu (Class of 06) and Paris Nakajima (Class of 06) launched a relief effort called “My Japan Earthquake”. Alumni Quarterly spoke with them about their project.

What is “My Japan Earthquake” and how did you get together to start this movement?

My Japan Earthquake started out as something for people like us – who can’t afford to pay millions of yen but want to help the affected areas – to find a way they can really help. We wanted to write about things that were happening around us to keep our friends abroad updated with news that we knew was legitimate.

Where does the name come from?

The name comes from the fact that we thought everyone can relate to those impacted by the earthquake and do what they can do to help.

What projects have you been involved in so far? What do you plan to do in future?

We have been working alongside a local project in Ishinomaki City called Pikari Project, which has been handing out goods to isolated areas that were affected immensely. Two weeks ago we sent 400 candles and 200 batteries to Oshika where there still was no electricity.

Right now we are working with some dentists to send a few thousand toothbrushes, as oral hygiene can help prevent diseases such as pneumonia. We are also looking

to do a ‘Send’r’Toys’ project to collect toys, games, and books for children and also a ‘Brand New Shoes Drive’ to gather new shoes for all the people in the emergency shelters who only have slipper-like shoes and who may want new shoes when moving to new homes or temporary houses.

What can we do to help?

You can check out our website at www.myjapanearthquake.net and order T-shirts, or come to any of the charity events when we will be selling items and gathering donations. Or, when these drives start you can collect these items on your own and then we will set a collection location where you can bring them! The biggest thing you can do is understand that we will need to keep sending aid for a really long time!

Paris wearing the MJE T-shirt

In most respects routines have returned to normal here at YIS. Classes are in session; students are busy with the usual range of academic and other activities; the playground rings with the distinctive noise of energetic children at recess; the seniors are dressing “creatively” and letting off steam just before they head into their IB exams; the weather has turned lovely and Food Fair is around the corner. But of course, life has changed here in Japan and at school.

As we start to fathom the true dimensions of the devastation along the Pacific coast in Tohoku and the long road to recovery ahead for those communities, our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods. The YIS community responded to those in need soon after the disaster, organizing a relief drive within days to send warm clothing, blankets and other supplies to the stricken area. YIS parents Barb and Mark Moehlenbruck spearheaded the drive, organizing transportation of the goods and gathering other parent, student and staff volunteers to sort and pack the huge volume of donated goods that filled the entire lobby and first floor of the main building.

These initial drives were just the start of a wide-ranging and long-term commitment across the school community to support relief and recovery efforts in Tohoku. Head of school James MacDonald announced that YIS would seek

to provide long-term support to those most affected in the Tohoku region, building on its “Schools Building Schools” tradition by ‘adopting’ a school that desperately requires support. “Our plan is to identify a school in the region and provide ongoing support to help the school community to rebuild and reestablish its educational programs. As the idea unfolds, it is envisaged that this partnership would provide significant benefits to both schools and their students,” said Mr. MacDonald.

Gearing up for this partnership, many fundraising efforts are already underway. The student council has earmarked all post March 11 one-yen-drive fundraising to go toward relief efforts and is organizing several special events. This year’s Food Fair will also help raise funds for Tohoku, with the PTSA committing to donate at least 1 million yen from Food Fair proceeds. YIS alumni, including Arrisa Safu and Paris Nakajima of the Class of 2006, have also been active in supporting relief projects, as highlighted in the accompanying article.

A strong sense of community has always been a YIS hallmark, and the generosity, support and unflagging spirit of so many YIS community members on March 11 and since then have reinforced this view.

Bob Pomeroy Editor

Arisa on the radio discussing her recent activity

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How long were you at YIS and what have you been doing since graduation?

I was at YIS for ten years – from third grade to senior year, graduating in 2005. I went on to Waseda University and graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s in liberal arts. I began work as a DJ, hosting a radio show at Tokyo’s Inter FM in my first year of uni alongside Kundo Koyama, a screen writer well known for writing and producing the Iron Chef series and recently winning an Academy Award for “Okuribito” (English title: “Departures”). My producer back then insisted that I try out for a radio DJ/host contest for a station in Nagoya called ZIP FM. After several auditions, to my surprise I was selected as the winner out of 300 contestants. I was awarded my own three-hour live show, which began the next month. After that it was a whirlwind – I would interview foreign artists who came to Japan for PR or tours during the week after or in between classes, then hop on the bullet train to Nagoya for the weekend to do my live show. I got to interview a range of artists like Katy Perry, Flo-Rida, Elliot Yamin, McFly, Glasvegas, One Republic, BIG BANG, just to name a few, which was pretty darn exciting. I also started doing voice

narrations for TV commercials and shows, whilst also doing some singing gigs for PSP games like “Zettai Zetsumei Toshi” (“Disaster Report”) and the Wii game “No More Heroes.”

Now I study product design at Vantan Design Institute in Tokyo and have begun working at an Italian brand management/import company, where we oversee new brands opening in Japan. I’m not quite done with media though – you can catch me interviewing artists on FOX Japan on cable. I am also in talks for a new radio show starting this spring!

What led you to pursue a career in arts and entertainment?

That’s a good question. As far as I remember, it just somehow happened and, before I knew it, I was living a dual life. Doing media sort of became my ‘other life’ that went parallel to my school life. I cannot really remember how it all began, but I recorded my first song at four, released it at five and made a total of three albums and over ten single CDs. My first song was WHAM!’s “Last Christmas,” which you can still hear on the streets or radio when it’s Christmas season in Japan! From around elementary to middle school I was a host for several NHK TV shows, sometimes skipping PE class to go to the studio early. If you know me well, you would know that running was definitely not my forte. So being able to skip those Negishi runs or beep tests sounded pretty good to me back then! Of course, one week consisted of two to three rehearsals after school, and on these TV shoots I would have to sing and dance

Nadia Gifford (Class of 2005)

Featured Alumni & Former Staff

Nadia interviews a dance competitor for a FOX program

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a lot, which was already quite a workout. Most weeks the shoots would even go on till late night. Then I would go home to work on my assignments or study for an exam just like everyone else. I don’t think I ever slept back then!

So, I would have to say it was pretty hard work, but it was definitely fun and I loved every minute of it. I was very shy at school for a while, so TV work was my outlet where my shyness would suddenly be stripped away and I would become this very confident, vibrant girl who just wanted to shoot a good show. I learnt to be professional from a young age just being around adults all the time, so I knew that you had to work hard to have fun. Media really shaped me into who I am right now.

Do you stay in touch with your YIS teachers and classmates?

Unless the occasional bumping into teachers at Motomachi counts, I can’t really say I have kept in touch with most. I do, however, still talk to my seventh grade Biology Club teacher and mentor, Mr. Hunter. Even

after he left YIS, he never stopped thinking about his students and would send us his delicious cookies of love! He taught me that being inquisitive was cool and that life is all about being curious. Classmates, definitely. I like how even though we are all dispersed around the world now, I can easily call or skype them anytime to talk about the most unexciting things like what I had for lunch and it feels just like nothing has changed.

What are your further career goals?

I have finally started to get a clear picture of what I want to do, which is to make my ideas into tangible products, start my own business at some point, and be involved in media as much as I can. I want to stay creative, energetic and open to any possibility. I think most of my life has been driven by chance and luck: somehow my career in entertainment began at a young age and randomly, the chance to do radio fell onto my lap. But the key was that I took the chance and kept doing it with all my heart. As long as I am constantly challenged and I love what I am doing, that’s all that matters to me. So I say, let’s do all that and more!

grade, 5th grade, a combination 5th/6th grade, 6th grade and a 10th grade English class at YIS. It was a shot in the dark to start with but it worked and I’ve never had the desire to don track-suit, blow a whistle, pick even sides and shout a lot since, and I’ve enjoyed most of my minutes in junior and middle school classrooms over the last 33 years. I must confess, though, to the very occasional voice raise still!

You organized many after-school activities. What were some of the ones you were deeply involved with and why?

When I first arrived at YIS my main expertise was obviously in sports. However Matsumoto-san (whom I was delighted to meet again, looking as fit and strong as always, on my recent trip) was doing a very good job with the football team so John Tanner asked me to inaugurate a cross-country team. This I did over the next two or three years with varying degrees of success. When a sport like this is not a tradition, it does not come easy at the start and we lost most of the competitions. Once, one of our

runners, long after the other schools had finished, hove into sight round the last bend calmly picking some blossom or something from the tree he was strolling past not realizing how close he was to the finish and that everyone was watching! I also inaugurated the track and field team and, eventually, took over the football team.

I produced several plays and musicals (with Frank Becker and later Dan Riley) in the junior school with perhaps the most ambitious and best being a full length Toad of Toad Hall with 5th graders.

How long were you at YIS and which grade level(s) did you teach?

I came to YIS in September of 1978 and left in June 1987. For the three years prior to that I had been the Athletic Director at St. Josephs and was about to leave Japan when John Tanner foresaw a problem with an upcoming 4th grade of assorted, lively characters (including Sarah, his own daughter) and thought they might need a ‘hard man’ so hired me. Over the next nine years I taught 4th

Chris Oakley (Faculty 1978 - 1987)

Chris in Egypt

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Are there any especially memorable experiences that stand out in the time you were at YIS?

My best memories of YIS come from working with the assorted bunch of weird and wonderful characters who made up the staff in my first few years, the late 70s and early 80s (before the Headmaster started to go on recruitment trips!!). Institutions such as Stelarc, Paul Lux, Neil Pedlar, Frank Whitty et al and a math teacher who used to whizz past my room on his way to lessons on a mono-cycle (Mike Burton), created an atmosphere of fun as well as learning throughout the school. And when my son started kindergarten at two and a half, I started to appreciate the likes of Kay, Sachiko, Megumi et al.

Some characters still kept arriving despite the Head’s best efforts, such as the eternal Dennis Stanworth (my squash nemesis) and the thespian, Ian Kerr (my foil in Sleuth).

What have you done since leaving YIS?

Ever since leaving YIS I have been teaching at Munich International School (which Simon Taylor has just joined to strengthen the bond). I could easily and happily have lived in Japan forever but at exactly 40 years of age I thought it was now or never to become acquainted with my home continent! I finished up in Munich mainly because no one else seemed to want me but it couldn’t have worked out better. It is pretty much the center of Europe and most countries can be driven to in a day. Bavaria is just gorgeous, the city with its famous Fest sehr gemuetlich and the beer is out of this world! So I have stayed.

I started in the junior school but have gradually grown out of certain age groups and find myself now mainly involved at the 8th grade level. I still produce a play a year in the middle school and coach the varsity girls football.

I am still trying to keep fairly active. I have been on two fairly gruelling World Challenge trips recently to India and Vietnam/Cambodia. I still play squash, after a fashion, though now find myself too old (and slow) even for the Alte Herren football leagues that abound here.

You recently visited YIS for the first time since 1987. What were some of the changes in school and Yokohama that struck you?

YIS from the main road does not look too different except there are boards up where I used to park! My old classroom seemed exactly the same (first room on the right on the first floor). But there have been dramatic changes elsewhere as Dennis took us round the new, improved campus. There’s a cafeteria where my old theatre used to be. The only food provided in my day was a hot dog on a Wednesday! The two buildings skirting the playground in the 80s were a crumbling piece of concrete and a large wooden shack! Now there are two impressive purpose built structures. The gym is as was but then there are interesting buildings dotted here and there all over the place as YIS gradually devours the Bluff.

The city, superficially, as displayed by the beautiful renovation of the harbour area and the appalling, ugly extensions of the highways, is very different. But as soon as we walked down Yamato-cho or into Yamate station or stood in any of the old places, it was immediately as though we had never left. It was still ‘home’ in a way. All the three places we once lived in, though, were, unfortunately, no more!

Do you stay in touch with any former YIS students?

I have not stayed in touch with any past students directly, but I am still in contact indirectly by virtue of staying in contact with their parents; the Cruickshanks in South Africa, the Masons in the US, Millers in France and Carters, Shepherd-Smiths, Chesters etc. in England for example. One ex-sixth-grader of mine, Tina Hirschbul, once showed up in Munich for a couple of days with husband and children, which was an experience that should happen more often.

And it was a pleasant surprise to be able to spend an evening at Christmas with Tina Miki and George Moosa, who were in my 6th grade class in 1982, on our recent visit. I know the year for a fact as Tina remembered being given our newborn son, Matthew, whom I must have brought in for show and tell and his regurgitating all over her! Also present that night were Hans Spiess who remembered one small detail of my coaching him football and Min Song Cho whose parents were avid squash players at YCAC during my captaincy. It was also good to meet the Vivyals again after all these years and watch my daughter, Michelle, and Vanessa, the new generation, hit it off straight away.

I signed up as an ex-teacher on the YIS alumni website expecting to recontact old work mates as well, but found, disappointingly, only a very few ex-staff on there. Perhaps this will gradually improve or, perhaps they’ve passed on (!) as it was a long time ago, but a wonderful part of my life.

Chris and family

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Kristin Blum – 5th Grade Teacher

exhibition is the culminating project of the PYP. It’s supposed to draw on the experiences of the program and all of the students’ learning. It can be really fun, and students are proud by the time they get to their presentation. This year, for example, students are delving deeper into their passions. They’re also connecting their passions to something in the outside world and how they can pursue their passion over their lifetime. We have students looking at rock and roll, gardens, cartooning, karate and Lego. However, the exhibition is also challenging because some students haven’t been in the PYP program for years. I had a student last year come 2 months before the exhibition presentation, and she was also expected to participate.

You’ve helped to arrange speakers on international cultural identity at the school. Is this a subject of special interest to you?

It is. We have such a unique culture at international schools, and I think we need to celebrate and explore that. Last year, I had several parents talk to me with concern about their children and the language they chose to speak at home, which led me to Elizabeth Solomon, our first scheduled speaker. Personally, I’m also interested in Third Culture Kids as a teacher of all of them and as a mother of a third/fourth culture kid. A future speaker will discuss and talk with students and parents about what that means. It’s something we need to be discussing because it makes up who we are. Raising kids, personally or teaching them, in a third culture (our international one) is what we do every day, and we need to recognize that.

What is your background and how did you come to join YIS?

I came to YIS from a school in Turkey two years ago. There, I taught 1st grade, but prior to Turkey, I had taught 5th grade in Seattle. Japan sounded fascinating, and it was a great opportunity, so we came. I have a daughter in 3rd grade now, and it seemed like a great school for her.

As for my background, well, I haven’t always been a teacher although somehow I’ve always been connected with education. Just out of college, I worked as a news reporter covering the education beat. During a stint in the high-tech industry, I developed online courses for the construction industry. I also worked as an editor at Expedia.com in its early stages.

Somehow, though, I kept coming back to teaching. I taught high school English to students who had dropped

out of the public school system in America. I also assisted

in a classroom for students with special needs. I taught

college English at a community college and taught ESL to refugees in Seattle, Washington. I taught 1st graders, and of course, 5th graders too.

Grade 5 is the doorstep to middle school at YIS. Are

there any particular challenges teaching this grade level?

I love 5th grade. After teaching a wide spectrum of grades, 5th grade is my favorite. I love their energy, their

enthusiasm and their maturity. It’s the end of their elementary school experience (at least in our school), and they’re proud and excited about it. Challenges…their attitudes sometimes as they approach the end of the year. Hormones begin to wiggle, and students get a bit squirmy. Really, though, at YIS, the students are so sweet and genuine, even by the end of 5th grade.

What is the Grade 5 exhibition?

One of the challenges of 5th grade, the

Kristin and family in Washington

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We understand that you are also an active creative writer. What sorts of works do you write?

I have always loved writing stories. When I was a kid, I used to run after my mom asking her to listen to my stories I’d written. After college, I decided I wanted to pursue writing more seriously and went to graduate school in Creative Writing—fiction. I’ve written hundreds of stories and only published a few of them during college. When I did publish a book, it happened to be a non-fiction one, a travel book about Colorado in the United States. It was fun to write, and I got to try all the restaurants, hike the trails, and go mountain biking and skiing. Now, the creative writing I do is along with the kids in school and in the stories I tell with my daughter. She has taken over story telling. After 8 years of listening to stories she now writes them and entertains people with

them. It makes me smile. I think after teaching for a while, I’d like to write more and teach creative writing workshops to students all over the world.

How do you like living in Japan? What do you do in your free time?

I love Japan. Living in Japan is easier in many respects than living in the United States. Things work on time all the time. I love being able to take the train everywhere, how clean everything is, how safe and polite the society is. Some of our favorite things to do as a family in Japan are riding our bikes and exploring different places in Yokohama. We go swimming in the great pools around the area. We love skiing in the winter and soaking in onsens. We did some hikes this fall and winter, and I’m hoping to do more this spring. There’s so much to explore in Japan.

Jose Withoos – Dutch Mother Tongue Program Coordinator

Could you tell us about the YIS Dutch Mother Tongue program and how it started at YIS?

For over twenty years the Ministry of Education in the Netherlands has been encouraging Dutch expats to maintain education in their mother tongue language for their children. The ministry founded the Foundation for Dutch Education Abroad, which gives subsidy and support to Dutch schools abroad. The parents of Dutch YIS students decided to start a Dutch school in 1998 in order to teach their children Dutch culture and Dutch mother tongue language. In those days YIS was already aware of the advantages of keeping the students’ mother tongue, and with their help the Dutch Mother Tongue program at YIS was founded.

How many students are in the program and what are some of the challenges and benefits.

In the past there was a large Dutch community in Yokohama due to the presence of Dutch companies such as Nedlloyd and Shell. At the moment we have ten students in our program divided into elementary and middle school. We teach them three hours a week on average. The Dutch mother tongue lessons are part of the YIS elementary curriculum and this is a huge benefit because the Mother Tongue teachers know the school, its teachers and the curriculum well. On the other hand we need enough students to keep the program going and that can be a challenge at times, because our student population depends on the number of expatriates living in Yokohama and Tokyo and these numbers fluctuate yearly.

Is it all language instruction or are you also teaching about Dutch culture?

Language is culture, so in that sense we are always teaching language and culture at the same time. In our regular lessons we focus on the Dutch language development of our students. The main goal for our students is to enable them to smoothly (re)enter the Dutch education system. To accomplish this we teach all aspects of the Dutch language and we work with current Dutch language methods that are used within the Dutch education system. To teach our students about their country and their culture we organize “culture weeks” in which we focus on one topic. Last November for example, we zoomed in on the life and work of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. During these culture weeks students from all grades work on the same topic at their own level. This enables us to do certain activities together as a school community. During these activities we also try to get the parents involved. In the case of the Vincent van Gogh culture week we all visited an exhibition on the work of Van Gogh at the National Art Center in Tokyo.

Why is mother tongue development important for families at a school like YIS where English is the language of instruction and how can parents support the development of their children’s mother tongue?

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For expatriate children who often travel from country to country it’s very important to develop a sense of identity. They need to feel they belong somewhere. Learning about their mother tongue language and culture contributes to the development of self esteem and self confidence. The development of the mother tongue language also secures the communication between children and their parents and grandparents. Research has shown that students who have mother tongue education develop a deeper understanding of language, be it their mother tongue language or the school language. In practice you can see that learned concepts and skills are easily transferred from one language to another. Teaching mother tongue language in the school alone is not enough to keep the mother tongue language of the child alive. Parents need to do their part as well: at least one parent should speak the mother tongue language at home. They can do this by reading stories to their children, watching television programs together and discussing topics with them to develop vocabulary and concepts.

How large is the Dutch community in Yokohama and Tokyo? What sorts of cultural events are there?

In Tokyo there are around 500 Dutch people. In Yokohama we have 10 Dutch families.

Mona Faulkner (Class of 1993)

The Dutch have a cultural organization called the Dutch Kanto Circle. Together we celebrate traditional Dutch holidays such as: Sinterklaas on the 5th of December (the celebration of the birthday of Saint Nicolas) and Koninginnedag on the 30th of April (the celebration of the birthday of our queen, Queen Beatrix.) Once a year we also get together to practice the traditional Dutch winter sport of ice skating. It’s very important to keep our culture alive abroad so our children can learn and experience their culture and develop a sense of self esteem and belonging.

Class Notes

1980s

1980Michael Ackers (YIS 1972 - 1980)Planning is underway for a YIS reunion to be held in London, England on the weekend of 30 September to 2 October, 2011. There is an Event on Facebook for it under YIS Europeanreunion. If you prefer to stay off there then email me directly at mikeackers@btinternet.com and I’ll keep you posted. To date 17 are attending, 38 maybe, 80 awaiting reply and 29 not attending. I would like to have numbers verified for the end of June so that venues can be booked and deposits taken etc. Looking forward to seeing you all in London.

1990s

1991Susanna Pike (YIS 1990-1991)I’ve eventually found my way back to Japan and am now working as an Assistant Language Teacher with the JET Program in Yamagata prefecture. Japan has changed a lot from what I remember as a 7 year old! The last month has been a horrendous time for Japan but I am so proud, once again, to call this country my home. To see the resilience,

This section offers a chance to update fellow alums on what you’ve been doing since school days at YIS, share recent news and 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 go to http://alumni.yis.ac.jp/?page=CN. 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.

kindness and selflessness of the Japanese people first hand has been inspiring. Yamagata borders all the badly affected prefectures so a lot of ALTs are busy volunteering in any way we can. This country is our home, so it’s now our priority.

1993Mona Faulkner (YIS 1992 -1993)Hello YISers! I live in Sugar Land, TX (suburb of Houston) working for BMC Software as Sr. Manager for our Analyst Relations department (Marketing). I’ve been with BMC for about 9 years now, married to a wonderful and devoted man, Jonathan, and are blessed with two children: daughter Sehva (3) and son Kavan (2). We have our hands full and never have a dull moment at our house! I miss my fellow classmates and wish you all well. Find me on Facebook!

Students enjoy Dutch flag making activity with Jose

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In Memoriam – Craig Rennie (Class of 1993)

Craig Rennie was always a smiling face in the hallways of YIS, where he was a student from 1989 until he graduated in 1993. Craig grew up around the world although he was always a true Scotsman. His childhood took him to Austin, TX at the tender age of seven where he had a great passion for judo. He returned to Scotland where he was anxious for the next fun sport and gravitated to junior rugby. From there he went to Yokohama, and joined YIS where he played soccer.

In addition to sports, Craig was involved in the Speech Club and Drama at YIS, where he proudly performed in “The Boyfriend” his senior year. Craig had a special passion and love for poetry and was particularly enamored by poets who had gone to battle, interested to see what their poetry expressed after such strenuous experiences.

For many who knew Craig, he was one of the most brilliant, brightest individuals we’d met. He was extremely humble about his intelligence, but there was no denying it when he represented the Class of 1993 as our

Valedictorian. All of his classmates were so proud. It was hard not to smile in Craig’s presence. He was enigmatic, charming, and so kind. He accepted people at face value and was always welcoming with newcomers to YIS, making a special effort to take them under his wing.

After graduating YIS, Craig went on to attend Durham University and then on to Glasgow University. He worked as an IT consultant in England, then on to Zurich, Switzerland for a few years before moving back to Glasgow with his family.

We lost Craig on April 1st in Glasgow, his passing sudden and unexpected. He was survived by his parents, Tony and Olwyn Rennie, his wife Christine, and their two daughters, Erin (5) and Lena (3). Craig’s family were deeply touched with the outpouring of emotion and love from all of his YIS friends. They received flowers on behalf of YIS through Mr. Stanworth and a heartfelt message through Adrian Chesters on behalf of his classmates. It meant so much to them.

Craig was a bright light in our lives – he was energetic, involved in many activities, and a great friend to all who knew him. He will always be remembered by his classmates and friends as the happy, charming, poetic Scotsman.

By Mona Faulkner (Class of 1993)

2000s

2000Patricia Gibson (YIS 1985 - 2000) Greetings! I am currently living in NYC, recently completing a Master of Education and will be starting my doctoral degree at Teachers College, Columbia University – a dream I have been working towards for a very long time. My research will focus on teacher education in post-conflict and disaster affected areas. Class of 2000, I hope you are well and in great spirits!

2009Danielle Werner (YIS 1995 – 2009)Hi everyone! I’m currently finishing up my second year of Occupational Therapy on placement in a medium secure mental health hospital with teenage girls, and

while it’s a little intense and sad at times, it’s a lot of fun. I’ve also been given offers to study Biological Science at the University of Sussex and Warwick, but alas, with the recent increase in university fees, who knows if that’ll pull through. Otherwise, I’m doing well, and I’d love to hear from all my old friends! (You may recognize my brother, Jason, in the photo at the right.)

Faculty

FacultyAnne Lamers (YIS 2005 – 2006)Hi! After 5 years in the Netherlands we are happy to move back to Asia again. We will be in Beijing for the next couple of years. My children will attend Western Academy Beijing. Unfortunately it means I have to say goodbye to my students and colleagues at the International School

of Rijnlands Lyceum in Oegtsgeest, but hopefully I can pick up teaching again in China. Japan and YIS have been in my mind a lot lately with all the disasters going on. I wish everyone all the best.

Jason (Class of 2012) and Danielle Werner (Class of 2009)

Craig (second from left) and family

Craig Rennie, Valedictorian of 1993

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Upcoming Events

Food Fair 2011

Food Fair 2011 will take place Sunday, May 1st from 10:00 am. Organized by the PTSA, it is the major fundraising event of the year, with proceeds helping to support a broad range of programs and activities for our students. This year, the event will also be an opportunity for the YIS school community to support the reconstruction of the Tohoku area. The PTSA plans to donate at least one million yen from Food Fair sales to benefit the recovery efforts in the areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

ICJC MS/HS Japanese Music Program Spring Concert 2011

Date and time: Friday, May 6 @ 7:00 PMLocation: Kenmin Kyosai Mirai HallAdmission: Free

This year, the Middle School and High School Ensembles will join to perform an evening of traditional and contemporary music.

Head of School’s Annual Trivia Quiz Night

Alumni are warmly invited to Head of School’s annual trivia quiz event on Saturday May 14th from 7:00pm in the YIS Cafeteria. The format of this year’s event may be a bit different from previous years, and all proceeds will be donated to the relief efforts in Tohoku. Please check the YIS website for details.

When: Saturday, May 14 @ 7:00 pm Where: School Cafeteria

Natsumatsuri 2011

Date and time: Time: June 18 @ 10am ~ 4pm Location: Nishimachi International School Admission: 500 yen

Hosted by the International Alumni Council Japan, Natsumatsuri is an annual event hosted by several international schools in Japan. On the day, there will be food, music, raffle and lots of fun! This year, the event will be hosted by Nishimachi International School and profits will support relief efforts.

Quarterly QuizThe cherry blossoms were truly spectacular this year, including this tree that now stands next to the flagpole in front of the YIS Main Building (Hint: it was not always located there). The person to correctly identify the class year that donated this tree to YIS will win a YIS original tote bag. Send responses to alumni@yis.ac.jp with the words “Quarterly Quiz” in the subject line.

Please check the YIS school calendar at www.yis.ac.jp/calendar for the most up-to-date information and details.