Education

half term was a little bit different in 2007. There were no family holidays and not a minute of TV from start to finish. Instead, my classmates and I traveled 7825 miles through three flights to San Martin de los Andes; thus representing the first group from the ACS schools in what will hopefully develop into a longstanding and fruitful relationship with the Fundacion Deporte Especial, a three year old charity dedicated to promoting sport, recreation, and contact with nature for the physically disabled.

As the first group, there were a lot of unknowns heading into the trip. Nobody was quite sure what to expect in terms of what was to be done or what exactly the mission of the FundaciÃ³n was. What was certain was that ten days were to be spent in Patagonia with special Olympic athletes from Argentina . Still, 12 people arrived the first morning willing and

excited to find out what the remainder of the break would have in store for us.

What greeted us was a surprise, and surprise quickly became the theme of the trip. The morning of our departure several inches of snow coated lawns, cars, and roads in Hillingdon. A snow day off from school was unavoidable, but somehow we managed, and got ourselves to the airport â€“ the first stop in a seemingly endless day of travel.

After landing at Pistarini International Airport , we discovered that nearly all of our luggage had not made the trip with us. With most of us left without clothing or tents, faith was put in the Buenos Aires airports as we reported our lost luggage along with a long line of other travelers. In the end, we had to move on and continue on our journey.

Finally in San Martin, a back up plan was hatched, and the group definitely made the most of the circumstances. We took the opportunity to hike up beautiful Argentine mountains, catch a sun tan on the beach, go swimming, and feast at a local meat restaurant. Looking back, it was almost a good thing that our bags got lost. Â The time spent waiting for our luggage gave the group a chance to bond a bit before the real work began.

After a few days, we moved out the campsite. We were still waiting for our bags, but were eager to start the work we had come to perform and even more eager to meet the people from Fundacion Deporte Especial we were going to work with. We made the trip to the campsite and t o our great relief, our luggage arrived at the campsite soon after we did. Â Tents were put up and the camp site was prepared for the rest of the week.

The Fundacion's young athletes arrived that evening, each and every one making a striking first impression on the ACS group We played games to remember each others' names, something that proved to be more fun than valuable for the athletes.. Names were only remembered much later in the week, after constant reminders. However, this first activity with the Special Olympic athletes and other students from the disabled school gave a brief insight into what wonderful people they were. Each of them unique: not only having varying levels of disability, but their own personality, interests, and even their own style. We were impressed with them from the beginning, but were continually amazed by their tenacity and optimism as the week progressed.

The next day, through football matches and the tasks set for us by the Fundacion, bonding with the kids truly began. They took pride in everything they did, setting an example for us through their hard work and very passionate football skills. Their individuality shone through more and more as we really found ourselves in their world. We were at their campsite, in their country, doing what they loved to do. Quick to share stories of their athletic triumphs, help clear tables, saw wood, or give high fives all around for a goal; these kids were in their niche. Working with the kids from the Fundacion was just as satisfying, if not more so, than completing the tasks we were assigned to improve their training and camp facilities. We became friends, and worked through the language barrier to tell jokes, share stories, and have a good time. There was a lot of laughter.

The first few days were spent in shorts and t-shirts, caring for sun burns and relishing the heat. However, about half way through the week the weather produced yet another unexpected twist. It rained for over twelve hours straight, leaving tents flooded and all belongings soaking wet. While meeting with the one of the Fundacion's leaders to discuss how to deal with the water problem, we were left speechless as spectacular snow flakes began falling, in increasing size and rate. Both the ACS group and the disabled children were forced to move off of the campsite, but we were able to return each of the next two days so that we could finish the work we had started.

Throughout the week a ditch was filled, tables were fixed, meals for the whole group were prepared, bathrooms were cleared and cleaned, a house was repaired and painted, and the foundation for a greenhouse was put in place. Teamwork and cooperation, within the ACS group and combined with the athletes, were key to our successes. We had a ceremonial presentation of money the ACS group had raised through a staff-student football game and a barbecue fundraiser prior to the trip.

The money is going to be used to buy new tools and better the Fundacion campsite for future groups. We did our best to improve the present and future situation for the kids and the Fundacion was openly grateful for our efforts, but I believe that the time spent with the athletes was equally important. We were also able to practice our Spanish, and learnt words we would perhaps not have learnt in a classroom. No, not bad words, but useful words like “el martillo” (hammer) “pico y pala” (pick and shovel) and “el invernadero y el gallinero” (the green house and the chicken run.)

However, the athletes gave us more than we could ever hope to offer them. Lessons of work ethic were constant; one boy, Chano, ran laps after each meal and wades through the river in the snow while we were warm and comfortable inside. Another, Nico, quietly attended to all of his duties very cheerfully. Lessons of friendship were also given; the girls, the mothers of the group, always looked out for everyone and told people off when they misbehaved; Chano, the leader of the group and captain of their football team, shared tips on how to give a better pass or more accurately cut the log; Arnolfo had an ear to ear smile which never faded, and Ezekiel and Cristian were always on the look out for a game to play or someone to spend time with..

The last day spent with the children was emblematic of the spirit of the trip. Gifts were presented, both from the disabled children to the ACS students and vice versa.Hugs were shared, photos were taken, and memories of the week stored away. Â As the children drove off on their bus tears streamed down several of their faces. Both groups came away having benefited from the week spent together: the athletes feeling renewed and positive, and the ACS students left in awe of their Argentine counterparts, having learnt what being a good athlete, person, and friend is all abou

Thus, many things were accomplished during the trip. While many of our plans fell through or were improvised at the last minute, all of the work that we set out to complete for the Fundacion Deporte Especial was indeed completed and everyone involved took away more from the process of completing them than we could have expected. A ten day school break changed our outlook on so many aspects of life, as much was learned about disabilities, friendship, hard work, and happiness

Diary of a final year student -

"How I chose my dream school"
By Laura Brace, ACS Egham International School

Here is an article from ACS Egham International School final year student Laura Brace explaining her experience

on choosing her university.

With school ending last week and my plans for university in the not-too-distant future, I am finding it difficult to remember the time I spent earlier this school year researching, considering, and re-considering my top six universities to apply to – and that was just in the UK! My name is Laura Brace and, as a final year student, I cannot tell you how great it feels to have all of my applications submitted and my UCAS forms complete.

As I am now poised to begin the next stage in my education – university life – I am eager to reflect on how it all began: deciding the right degree course and university.

Choosing my course

Since my family moved to the UK from America nine years ago, I have attended ACS Egham International School. My parents and I were originally attracted to the school because of the exposure it promised to so many different cultures and nationalities.

Along with meeting friends from around the world, my experience at an international school is what ultimately influenced by choice of degree course. For the last two years, I’ve been working toward an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma qualification, and its global perspective toward history and language is what originally sparked my interest in studying human cultures.

This initial interest was cemented during my experiences travelling over the last two years. Before entering the first year of the IB programme, I spent the summer across the world volunteering for the ORBIS, the international blindness prevention charity. I accompanied a group of ORBIS doctors and ORBIS staff to the Xinjiang province in Northwest China, and was struck by the unique culture and language of the people.

Any lingering doubt about the degree course I would pursue was abandoned during a trip to Sri Lanka with a school friend the following summer. While visiting locals’ homes and participating in native cultural traditions, I was struck with the desire to learn more about human cultures and how they’ve developed over the centuries, so I began researching the range of social anthropology and archaeology degrees offered to undergraduates.

Choosing my university

As I am originally from the states, I had to consider not only which unis to apply to, but in what country I should begin to narrow down my search. Was I was committed enough to cultural anthropology that I wouldn’t regret pursuing a focussed, in-depth UK-style degree rather than the more flexible, liberal arts-based programmes offered by US universities? After talking it over with mum and dad, I took the view that my passion for anthropology was strong, and I was eager to try university here in the UK.

While I did apply to a few schools in America just in case, my focus was on the UK, and my criteria were: a university with an international flavour; but also the opportunity to be part of a tightly knit community; and, of course, a strong reputation for my course was key.

Like most final year students, I went straight to the league tables and searched for the universities with top rankings for social anthropology and archaeology. Using the tables as a guide, I narrowed my top choices to the University of Cambridge, St Andrews, Durham, Edinburgh, University College London, with Aberdeen rounding out my application as an insurance choice.

Cambridge and UCL both offered really interesting combined anthropology and archaeology diplomas, and have strong lecturers and world-class facilities. The appeal of the unis up North was the close-knit campus community and the international student mix, particularly at St. Andrews and Edinburgh. At the end of the day, like so many of my peers around the country, the childhood dream of an Oxbridge education won out, and with a conditional offer to Cambridge, I made sure to study hard so that I will achieve the 38 IB diploma points necessary to secure my place. Exams just recently ended and results are due out in a few weeks, so cross your fingers for me!

Laura Brace is 18 years old and recently graduated from ACS Egham International School. Laura lives with her parents in Egham, Surrey. She is an ACS International Schools Foundation ORBIS scholar, and is working toward the International Baccalaureate Diploma qualification.

An overview to ACS International Schools

ACS International Schools comprises a family of three very distinct and individual schools, each providing an inspirational international education for both overseas children residing in the UK , and children from local communities adjacent to the three campuses.

The schools offer places for boys and girls and, a rarity in UK independent schools, are non-

selective, welcoming children of all abilities from 2½ years through to 18 years of age (pre-K to grade 12).

Inspiring students to become successful lifelong learners is central to each school's philosophy and high standards of scholarship, in accordance with American and internationally recognised educational principles and practices, are provided at each campus.

Much emphasis is also given to the development of global citizenship with all pupils challenged to fulfill their potential as responsible, caring and socially aware human beings. Students participate in many local and international activities including Habitat for Humanity, Model United Nations, and Mission Antarctica, as well as ongoing projects to India, Zambia, Kenya and Namibia.

A visit to the ACS international Schools website www.acs-england.co.uk will provide more detail on each school or allow you to book a visit to the three campuses which are within easy reach of each other.

The selection of the right school is one of the most important decisions parents make and, within the provision of a full and rigorous education, each ACS International School has its own particular personality:

* * *

ACS COBHAM, a day and boarding school for some 1300 pupils, lies deep in leafy South West London and combines the country-side setting typical of English independent schools with the vibrance of its international community, modern, open campus, and proximity to the capital.

Perhaps reflecting its strong sporting culture (the school recently opened a £10m sports complex) the campus is within easy reach of the cosmopolitan Wimbledon Village, Twickenham, world famous as the home of English rugby, and Henley, site of the renowned Henley

Regatta on the river Thames.

ACS Cobham enjoys an enviable reputation for academic achievement, in addition to its sports credentials. Delivered through an educational programme that emphasises development of the whole person, the school's teaching excellence starts with its Early Childhood Development programmes, which embrace learning from the highly respected Early Years Education Centre in Reggio Emilia, Italy , right through to the International Baccalaureate Diploma and Advanced Placement (AP) courses which precede university entrance.

ACS Cobham pupils' successes are demonstrated through their impressive IB results with recent graduates securing places at some of the world's most prestigious universities including Oxford , Cambridge and Harvard.

Book a visit to ACS Cobham by calling the admissions team on +44 (0)1932 869744.

* * *

ACS EGHAM - is a day school of 500 children aged between 2½ and 18 years. Representing some thirty countries, the school is widely renowned for its friendly and caring international community which values a truly holistic approach to education.

Located in an especially charming corner of England , quite literally across the street from the Royal Windsor Great Park , and near the Royal Savill Gardens , the school's beautifully landscaped campus belies a fiercely energetic and dynamic community where students are enthusiastically engaged and challenged on a daily basis.

ACS Egham is one of the very few schools in the UK to offer the full International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, for children from 3 years old to 18. Inquiry-based learning, central to the school's philosophy, starts with the IB Primary Years Programme right through to IB Middle Years Programme and the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

ACS Egham prides itself on ensuring that every child is recognised as an individual and encouraged and challenged accordingly; the school also embraces high academic and behavioral expectations which are rooted in the belief that every child can succeed.

Book a visit to ACS Egham by calling the admissions team on +44 (0) 1784 430611.

* * *

ACS HILLINGDON - Moving over to West London , ACS Hillingdon , also a day school, is located on the Hillingdon Court estate, a Grade II-listed mansion house with beautiful period architecture and grounds. The estate has played an important part in Great Britain 's long history, and it is fitting that these facilities now play a role in educating tomorrow's international leaders.

ACS Hillingdon has grown from just fifty students, when it opened in 1978 to its current enrolment of approximately 550 students. Although the school has increased in size, its warm community spirit remains and is nurtured through strong partnerships between parents, teachers, and students.

The school's most recent acquisition has been a state-of-the art music centre which includes a digital recording studio, a computer lab for music technology and rehearsal and practice rooms. Considerable emphasis is also given to all forms of art and the school's corridors showcase impressive artworks including painting and sculptures produced by pupils.

Academically, the curriculum in ACS Hillingdon's High School meets the needs of all of its international students through an American High School Diploma, including Advanced Placement (AP) courses and, of course, the International Baccalaureate Diploma where its IB scores rank it among the amongst the highest achieving schools in the UK.

Book a visit to ACS Hillingdon by calling the admissions team on +44 (0) 1895 818402.