ISK’s Alumni Association hosted a fun event for the Class of 2014 on May 30. We organized a mock David Letterman show where Mr. Currey along with Alumni guests, Tahir Karmali (Class of 2006) and Nalin Bhat (Class of 2013) provided seniors with a list of must do’s in college along with some great advice on college life in general. Of course there was a "Top Ten List" but we will share that with you the next time you come for a visit. No Letterman Show is complete without a musical guest and Class of 2017's Olivia Fong blew us away with her sweet, melancholy voice. She performed an original piece dedicated to the Class of 2014 titled “Open Arms”.

Tahir Karmali, Nalin Bhat, and Brian Currey make the Class of 2014 smile


Olvia Fong serenades the Class of 2014

At the event, we announced that the seniors would be receiving their graduation present from the Alumni Association during the graduation ceremony the following day. The Alumni Association was honored to have Mr. John Roberts, ISK’s Director present each graduating senior with a Masai stoll that was personalized with each student’s name and graduating year.

We are very proud of the Class of 2014...check out some of their college acceptances and offers:
Mount Holyoake College, Northeastern University, NYU, SUNY Buffalo, University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan, Washington State University, Lancaster University, London School of Economics and Political Science, Queen Mary, University of London, University of Birmingham, University of Manchester, University of Westminster, St. Andrew’s University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Florence Design Academy, Hanze University of Allied Sciences, Queen’s University, University of Toronto, Trinity College and the University of Melbourne.

Congratulations to ISK’s Class of 2014! The sky is the limit! Welcome to the Alumni Association!!!


Africa Goal: ISK Alumni couple the World Cup and HIV Awareness

Africa Goal is a unique traveling HIV awareness campaign coupled with the football World Cup that takes place every four years. The project was launched during the 2006 World Cup by a group of ISK alumni, including siblings Maciej Sudra ('01) and Anna Sudra ('04), Bjorn Everts ('01), Hannah Jones ('02), Tiana Leakey and Chris DeNogales, as well as several other people with close connections to Kenya. The team of ten drove from Kenya to South Africa with all the equipment necessary to show live World Cup games and HIV informational videos on a large screen. At each location along the way, they set up a satellite dish, generator, projector and portable screen in order to share the live match with people in the area. The events often attracted hundreds of men, women and children and provided a unique platform for sharing information about HIV.
 
With only 5% of the world’s population, Eastern and Southern Africa is home to half the world’s population living with HIV and accounts for 48% of the world’s new HIV infections amongst adults and half of all AIDS related deaths. Focusing on areas with the highest HIV prevalence in East and Southern Africa, including border towns, truck stops, fishing villages and rural settlements, Africa Goal events naturally draw huge crowds of most at risk groups which have proven the most challenging to reach through conventional health promotion strategies -including young people and men.
 
The team's enthusiasm and vast experience in the region helped make the project a success, despite numerous challenges like vehicle breakdowns, power outages, muddy roads, and difficult border crossings. They were able to screen almost every match that took place during the one month tournament and reach thousands of people across Southern Africa. The initial campaign proved that the dream could be a reality, but the team did not stop there. They organized photography exhibitions in Nairobi, the United States and London to spread the word about their exciting experience. And, within months, they were looking ahead to the next World Cup.
 
The second campaign, which took place during the 2010 World Cup hosted by South Africa, included several more ISK alumni - Jan Sudra ('07), Matthew Herren ('02) and Jacob Holmsgaard ('01). That year, the team partnered with a number of local organizations in order to provide more than just recorded HIV awareness messages. In conjunction with the live matches, they were able to coordinate interactive HIV awareness events. This allowed for sharing of knowledge and testimonies, dissemination of contraceptives and informational materials and, in some locations, HIV testing. Working with local organizations was an important step in ensuring the appropriateness of the team's interventions and the relevant follow-up.
 
This year, the Africa Goal project will draw on the successes of the previous campaigns and deliver a similar message of soccer celebration as well as HIV information and awareness. The team will travel through eight countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland) and again partner with a number of local organizations in order to spread information about HIV, offer testing and build awareness of, and confidence in, locally available services. Six members of the original team will be taking part, as well as several new faces, one of whom is also an ISK graduate (Matan Segman, '04).
 
Africa Goal harnesses the popularity and excitement around football by screening live World Cup matches and using this platform to support local partners in providing access to life saving HIV information and services. The project brings the live World Cup matches, on a big screen, to thousands of people who might not otherwise have the chance to watch. Simultaneously, the HIV awareness campaign reaches some of the most at-risk populations in Eastern and Southern Africa. During the one month 2010 Africa Goal campaign, over 20,000 people were reached directly with HIV information and services. In 2014, Africa Goal aims to reach even more.
 
This year, the World Cup takes place from June 12th - July 13th and you can follow the team's progress, achievements and challenges on their blog: http://africagoal.com/news-events/
 
If you would like to be a part of this exciting initiative by supporting Africa Goal, please visit:
http://africagoal2014.causevox.com/


We LOVE when our Alumni come to visit....
On May 27, ISK Alumnus Jason Connelly visited ISK after being away from Kenya for almost 20 years! He was in awe of all the changes around the campus and was very happy to be back! When we visited the gym, he remembered how upset he was when his family was reallocated back to the US at the end of his 8^th grade year. One of the reasons he was so upset was that he wouldn’t be able to play basketball for ISK as a 9^th grader. So, we decided to recreate a picture of him playing basketball in the gym he loved so much! Go Lions!

Jason Connelly shooting some hoops in ISK's gym

David Robbins retires after 22 years at ISK
He may have been your teacher, colleague or friend. After 22 years of dedicated service to ISK, 2014 marked Mr. Robbins’ last year at ISK. We are sad to see him go but wish him all the best in his new adventures! If you would like to send a message wishing him farewell, please email alumni@isk.ac.ke and we will forward your message to him.


David Robbins' Medley for the Class of 2014

Summer 2015 Reunion.....European Edition!
Some of you have emailed the Alumni Association asking when the next ISK organized reunion will be and we are happy to inform you that we are planning a European Reunion for the summer of 2015. Please send us your ideas on where you think the event should be and any other ideas you may have. We want to hear from you!

Speaking of reunions, we know that many of you have kept in touch with your friends from ISK over the years and we want to know more about that. When you organize small or big gatherings, please let us know and send in some photos so that we may celebrate them with other ISK alumni.

Wishing you a fantastic summer!

Kind Regards,
Pamela Pappas