CHECKING THROUGH THE NURSE’S STATION ON RAINY DAYS
Kindly take note of the following protocols to be observed whenever it rains during school hours:
• The pergola entrance must be used
• The nurse's station will administer alcohol hand sanitizers at the entrance
• The cafeteria shed would be used as a waiting/holding area until the rain subsides after which we shall proceed to our respective classes or departments. Stay Safe!
Observing COVID-19 protocols
Our institution has been successful in maintaining a COVID-free environment since the resumption of offline classes later in 2020. We have invested in the latest technology and medical equipment, enabling us to daily check our community’s vitals including lung condition. Our team has also played a huge role in ensuring that each member is free from the virus.
The Delta Variant
The symptoms of the Delta variant appear to be the same as the original version of COVID-19. However, it seems more severe with people getting sicker quickly, especially younger people.
Vaccinated people are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms if they contract the Delta variant and symptoms may include cough, fever or headache and a significant loss of smell.
We, therefore, entreat all of us to pay attention to the health of our wards and endeavor not to ignore complaints of headaches and aches especially when no physical activity has been done. Stay Safe
Natural medication
We strongly endorse Natural treatment remedies to minimize any possible negative effects of medicines on your child. We often encourage students and staff to consider natural remedies such as fruits and water before receiving drugs from our unit. Drugs are only offered as a last resort when a student or staff member’s minor health challenge does not seem to resolve. We also refrain from performing any invasives on our community members.
While we do our best to care for our community, we refrain from admitting students for periods longer than a day. This includes residential students. However, we ensure to make referrals to relevant clinics and hospitals with the knowledge of parents and important parties.
NEW COVID CDC GUIDELINES
Due to the different variants of COVID now on our shores and also based on
new guidelines from the CDC, AIS is now requesting that all children 2 years and above wear face
masks. We will also provide additional face shields for all our children as an added protective
measure. Each child is encouraged to report with either 2-3 disposable or cloth masks each day.
AIS also has school branded cloth face masks in stock for students who may need some.
AIS Student wins Lucrative Annual Writer’s Award
AIS Student wins Lucrative Annual Writer’s Award
Eugene Akoto Bamfo, 9 years old, was one of the students crowned winners of the 5th Annual Blooming Minds Young Writers and Achievers Awards, on the 1st of May 2021. The initiative which runs every year in Nigeria and Ghana aims to promote African literature and raise young leaders through literature and arts, by recognizing and rewarding children with creative abilities.
Eugene, a grade 3 student at Association International School, was a winner under category B which featured Short stories and poetry. The young, budding writer creatively penned down a 500-word essay on how COVID 19 had affected him and his environment.
“The theme for the competition was ‘My Community; My perspective. My personal experience, How Covid-19 has affected me and my community’. For me, it was an easy choice because even though the virus had affected me (and almost everyone) so negatively, my experience over the period when grandma caught a terrible cold and developed a fever remains the most terrible of all my experiences with the virus. We genuinely thought we would lose her” – Eugene Akoto Bamfo
For Eugene, the opportunity to write of an experience so close to him refined his ability to use knowledge and his exceptional writing skills to effectively communicate. Furthermore, it has fostered a new level of confidence necessary for his development into adulthood.
“Winning this award has exceeded all my expectations, and my expectations were pretty high, to begin with, the outpour of love and support has been nothing short of amazing. Firstly, my mum says I’m a celebrity now (I know she’s joking but I feel like one), but watching how my younger brother Nigel has been so motivated by my win means the world to me, it makes me want to do so much more”
Mr. Alex Mutwiri Kuigu, Eugene’s English teacher, also his favorite teacher, made the competition known to the class as well as Eugene’s mother, with much confidence in her son’s ability. Mr. Kiugu describes Eugene as an above-average student who is very open-minded, confident, knowledgeable, and a risk-taker.
The subtle encouragement from his teacher not only boosted his confidence but opened doors to the opportunity of taking home GHS 750 which Eugene used very adventurously.
“I’ve bought loads of storybooks from my cash price, a couple of toys, I had a photoshoot with my family featuring my prize, I took my cousins out for lunch and we continued to the Achimota playgrounds. My mum is organizing a vacation for the family in honor of my win and surprisingly she’s opened an account for me with the same amount!!!”
The Blooming Minds Young Writers Award aims to nurture a writing culture and promote arts in our youth community, providing children a platform to explore their creativity. They are motivated by our belief that creativity in children is a skill that builds a basis for a lifetime of clear communication, self-expression, and analytical thinking which will shape a huge part of every child’s future, and the future of our great country.
“This win is proof that when you put in the work, it will pay off, I encourage my peers to keep working hard and putting themselves out there because this world has a beautiful spot for each and every one of us” – Eugene Akoto Bamfo
AIS Easter Concert - Drawing Attention to the True meaning of Easter
AIS Easter Concert - Drawing Attention to the True meaning of Easter
While COVID-19 has made it almost impossible to celebrate Easter to its fullest, Association International School students did everything possible to visually illustrate the meaning of the season. Students and teachers managed to put up a 2 hour virtual Easter concert for public consumption.
The virtual concert commenced with a speech by Mr. Sammy Nakitare. He clarified the importance of the holiday and why AIS observed it.
“Easter season is important because this is the time we remember the death and resurrection of our Lord; it is through this that we gain eternal life” – Mr. Nakitare, Head of the English Department.
Students both in school and at home joined in the different facets of the concert through visual recordings. While AIS faculty members took charge to ensure each student on campus participated in the event, parents did their fair share of recording their children at home as they performed their dues.
The virtual concert consisted of scripture verses, orchestral music, dance shows, and a skit visually depicting the motive behind the celebration.
Excellent student involvement
“Our students played a huge role in the concert production. We had a song written and composed by one of the students Tsemi Lawson (Song title: Forgiven). The easter play was scripted by Anna-Clarissa Arlyn Lawson and performed by her peers” – Ms. Elsie Srodah; Head of Drama and Performing Art
A visual from Tsemi Lawson’s music video “Forgiven” where she featured some of her peers as well
Middle school students re-enact the “Passion of Christ” crucifixion scene
“Our goal was to draw attention to what Easter means–the death and resurrection of Christ. We wanted to sensitize the students and raise them as ambassadors of Christ” Adds Ms. Srodah
Students were also involved in the execution of the virtual concert. They were in charge of videography, editing, and hosting. Faculty members made the event possible by organizing their students for the event and making a special appearance through choral music.
Ms. Elsie Srodah facilitates the skit production
Mrs. Maria captured during a self-choreographed dance performance for the virtual concert
At the end of the concert, the Head of school, Mrs. Doryumu thanked the faculty members and students for such a wonderful show. She also urged each one to keep the faith and proclaim Christ to the rest of the world.
“I want us to go out there and share the good news of Jesus to everyone. Keep Jesus in your hearts and your minds” – Mrs. Doryumu, Head of School
Visual Activism through Urban Architecture with Fiona Azumah
“I have always had a desire for Architecture and that is what I want to do” — Fiona Azumah. IB Diploma 2 student at Association International School.
Fiona Azumah is a current IB Diploma 2 student at Association International School. She is part of the batch that will be leaving for tertiary education in a few months, with the hopes of studying Architecture. One of the requirements granting her a safe exit from high-school is her Art exhibition which she had been developing since joining the IB Diploma programme in August 2019. For Ms. Azumah, the desire to create better spaces began at a tender age when she would drive with her parents and notice shelterless individuals begging by the roadside.
A faculty member interacting with Fiona about her pieces
Interestingly, such memories were carried over to her IB Diploma art course when she finally found an avenue to speak of what she saw as a child in an attempt to have more people join the movement.
Visual art has become one of the most effective ways to draw attention to a social problem. It allows viewers to reason with the creator and imagine their idealized world. The architecture of inequality, for instance, is one form of visual activism that illustrates a social decay and inherently compels the audience to move towards change.
“What I wanted to do was explore different structures, especially in this part of the world (Ghana). I started with how structures were made at the beginning (huts) and developed these into modern architecture. I also wanted to emphasize the connection between the three socio-economic divides; lower, middle, and upper classes, and how hard it is to move from the different distinctions”
“My pieces intend to make my viewers aware of these socio-economic divides and hopefully have them help solve the problem in any way”
A faculty member views one of Fiona’s intriguing 3D pieces
Students and a faculty member visit Fiona’s exhibition to learn more about urban architecture and the economic divisions it speaks about.
Economic disparity is revealed through housing. According to Fiona, there are better ways society could mitigate the issue of economic disparities. Moreso, it is a call to each architect to meet individual needs when attempting to create affordable, habitable spaces–something she hopes to do at the University.
Fiona hopes to come back after tertiary education and implement some of these changes within her Ghanaian community.
College Counselling for 10th Graders
College Counselling for 10th Graders
The college-counseling department organized and executed an informative session for 10th graders from the 15th-16th of March 2021 at the school’s lower primary library. The aim was to equip students with sufficient tools for making an informed decision on where and what to study within the IB Diploma and Tertiary education.
The school counselors Ms. Abigail Opare-Oboubisa and Mr. Emil Frempong opened the session with an engaging activity to warm up the students to the session. The tenth-graders then wrote down lessons they hoped to learn by the end of the two-day session.
Expectations penned down by the tenth-graders at the beginning of the session
The activity was followed by an introduction to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme that begins at the 11th grade. The introduction to the IB Diploma courses was facilitated by the head of the Programme Mr. Stephen Bempah. He made clear distinctions of the various IBDP assessments such as the Extended Essay, Internal Assessments, and the Theory of Knowledge. He also highlighted the academic timelines for each.
Various IBDP subject teachers and departmental heads gave detailed explanations of each IB subject and its core requirements. In addition to one-on-one sessions with their prospective subject teachers were tutorial videos by the counseling department on how students can identify their talents, skills, and abilities, which come in handy when selecting courses.
Mr. Grant, the Community, Action and Service Coordinator (CAS) gives the students an overview of what is expected of them
Students proceeded to apply what they had learned into generating their mind-map of career profiles. They were put in groups and asked to brainstorm on various career profiles and identify what it would take to achieve such.
Creating a career profile to map out their prospective academic ventures
The two-day session was concluded by the IB Diploma 2 students who gave counsel to the younger students. They shared their past experiences, challenges, and how they overcame them. Consequently, students become better informed about the IBDP. Each one had an idea of what they were getting into and how to maneuver through it.
IB Diploma 2 students give tenth-graders an overview of what to expect in the program and how to navigate through it.
CNN - Freedom Day @ AIS
CNN My Freedom Day Project
History
The CNN Freedom Project is a year-long humanitarian news media campaign launched by CNN and CNN International in 2011 to end modern-day slavery and related illegal practices, including human trafficking.
Some of CNN Freedom Project’s documentaries includeOperation Hope, voted Best Social Awareness Program at the Asian Television Awards, which tracks down a seven-year-old Bangladeshi boy who was viciously attacked, castrated and left for dead because he refused to be forced into begging. Every Day in Cambodia, which had a tremendous international response, documents the appalling plight of children sold into sex slavery – sometimes by their own mothers – and the people fighting to stop the practice.Death in the Desert and Stand in the Sinai were a combination of two documentaries over the years of 2011-2012 that came out of CNN’s Fred Pleitgen’s visit to Sinai. Both documentaries expose traffickers – mostly bedouin gangs who track down refugees fleeing to Israel – and grim evidence of organ harvesting, human trafficking and sexual abuse in the Sinai desert. Cocoa-nomics and Chocolate investigates and exposes child labor, trafficking and slavery on the cocoa plantations of the Ivory Coast in West Africa, an industry that produces some of the world’s best-known brands.
Mission
The CNN Freedom Project hopes to end modern-day slavery by shining a spotlight on the horrors of modern-day slavery, amplifying the voices of the victims, highlighting success stories and helping unravel the complicated tangle of criminal enterprises trading humans.
