Celebrating the Arts this Saturday

IASAS Schools from left to right: Taipei American School, International School of Manila, 
International School of Kuala Lumpur, International School of Bangkok,
Singapore American School, and Jakarta International School. 

Our school is part of the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asia Schools (IASAS). IASAS schools  host sports, cultural and other competitions throughout the school year. Pre-Covid IASAS teams travel to host schools for competitions and conventions. Now, of course, we do not.

There is no traveling now. This year marks our second virtual Cultural Convention. Through videos uploaded to a shared drive, teams from each member school showcased the arts: music, dance, drama, debate and forensics. The best part though was what happened on campus this year.

Our amazing athletic and activities director coordinated live performances for social distanced audiences on campus. We were able to sit in six-feet apart, every other row in our drama theatre and auditorium. 

Forensics speakers shared the stage with flautists and opera singers and violinists and dancers. Goosebumps, tears, laughter -- we got to experience audience feelings-- all of them yesterday, so good.

Incredible.  

The convention continues for dance and drama today. One of my tenth-grade boys dances for the IASAS team--his performance, the way he articulates and moves across the stage with the team-- amazing! He reminds me of all I need to learn and know about the kids in my room in order to best reach and teach them. That's a story for another day. 

It was a gift and a privilege to be able to sit in the audience yesterday,  as a Forensics coach and as an arts lover. Fun too, winning silver and gold in Forensics.

The original oratory  (OO) team had speeches about death, about words and about ordinary pleasures and about names. Such talented writers and speakers. It is an honor to coach them. 

We are not allowed to post speeches online (yet?). Hearty congratulations to our OO logophile who took first in finals yesterday!   

Thanks to the team  from Two Writing Teachers 

for hosting the Slice of Life Story Challenge every day in March.