Hyun Koon (Thomas) Joo, Class of 2014 alumnus, visited us on the 23 of May 2023 from South Korea and took the opportunity to catch up with teachers who had a profound influence during his formative years. He mentioned that his time in AIS held some of his most cherished memories, and wanted the chance to experience that environment again. We were happy to welcome him back!

What year did you graduate from AIS? And how long did you study at AIS?

I graduated from AIS, where I studied from 8th grade through high school, in either 2013 or 2014 – I’m afraid the exact year eludes me as so much time has passed. All I can say for certain is that I spent five years at AIS.

What is your favorite memory of AIS?

There are numerous fond memories from my time at AIS, but if I were to pick a few, one would certainly be my saxophone solo in front of the Disney Castle, as the wood wind section leader of the concert band in my junior year. It was an experience that went beyond the ordinary scope of school activities, making it all the more special. Another notable memory would be my Adventure Week trip to India. Even now, I find myself longing for the breathtaking experience of beholding the Taj Mahal.

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

There were several influential people at AIS, and it’s a bit challenging to pick just one. Mr. Ho, who taught Chinese, had a profound impact on my current career path. Despite my hard work, I sometimes felt disheartened when my efforts didn’t meet the expectations of my teachers. Mr. Ho helped me realize the importance of consistency and diligence over momentary high scores. Mr. Wing, the High School Principal, was also extraordinary. He took great care in understanding the individual needs and strengths of each student, including myself, and treated everyone fairly. I am grateful to both of them.

What extracurriculars were you involved in? And how did you balance your time between your studies and play?

I was involved in almost all music-related activities in school, often in a leading role. While I don’t currently work in the music industry, I believe that music, whether through instruments or vocals, can communicate emotions more powerfully than language. To me, balance was unnecessary. Sure, it’s essential to study, but it’s through activities like music and sports that students create memorable high school experiences. It’s okay to study hard, but sometimes non-academic experiences can be just as valuable.

What are you currently working as of now? And where are you based?

After majoring in History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and earning a master’s degree in History Education at Seoul National University (SNU) in Korea, I’m planning to complete a Teacher Education Program. Before that, however, I’d love to share my experiences with students at an international school if it is possible.

What lessons did you take away from AIS that helped guide you through your journey?

One of the most critical lessons I learned from AIS is that high school isn’t the end of the world. Many schools in Hong Kong let students continuously compete, often to meet parental expectations or to get into a good college. But looking back, when I was in AIS, I think I had enjoyed my high school life a bit more leisurely. In hindsight, the times I shared with my friends were far more precious than any A Grade paper I received at AIS.

“Enjoy your time in school, try new things, and share experiences with your friends. School should not merely be a stepping stone to college but a compass that guides your life.”

What advice can you give to our current students at AIS, especially during these unique times?

While I believe that the results of study are crucial, I hope that students can be more than just Student A or B. Enjoy your time in school, try new things, and share experiences with your friends. School should not merely be a stepping stone to college but a compass that guides your life.

As you know, we’ve started this outreach to AIS alumni recently. What are you hoping to gain (or contribute) to the network?

I think it would be beneficial if we could gather alumni to observe classes, share their learnings from their time at AIS, and have Q&A sessions.

We’re always aiming to reconnect with our strong alumni community. Please stay tuned for more alumni stories and events. If you are interested in visiting us on campus, or to participate in our Alumni Outreach blog, feel free to email us!

William Wong, Class of 2017 alumnus, recently visited AIS the first week of January 2023 and spent time with our High School Principal, Mr. Mike Wing. William has been with the AIS family since Grade 4 and we’re so happy that he came back for a visit!

What year did you graduate from AIS? And how long did you study at AIS?

I graduated from the Class of 2017. I’ve studied at AIS since I was in Grade 4! 

What is your favorite memory of AIS?

There are too many to choose from. But if I have to pick one from the top of my head, it has to be the drama production during my senior year. As the director of the show, I learned the leader’s responsibilities and had a lot of fun working with my peers in the process

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

If I had to pick one, Mr. Christiaan Dodemont has to be my top choice. I took his class every year during high school. His classes really helped contribute to my interest in History. I never stopped studying it on my own after graduation. I struggled in his class for personal reasons, but he was always supportive, and I made sure not to let him down in the end.

What extracurriculars were you involved in? And how did you balance your time between your studies and play?

I was in the U20 Boys Basketball team, U20 Boys Badminton team, the Fitness Club and The Jordan Leadership Club. I only did those extracurriculars one at a time, so balancing those with my studies wasn’t a great challenge. That said, time management is of the essence. By the time I got home, it’s usually after 7 pm, so I had to ensure I got my assignments done before I head to bed.

What are you currently working as of now? And where are you based?

I graduated from the University of Illinois with degrees in Management and Criminology, Law, & Justice. I’m currently based in Hong Kong and working as a Paralegal at a law firm as I prepare to enter law school soon. I aspire to become a lawyer and one day serve this city.

What lessons did you take away from AIS that helped guide you through your journey?

Failure. The greatest lesson I learned here is failure. It’s not easy to accept it, and it’s not easy to overcome it. I learned from AIS, and I’m still learning today, that failure is the greatest teacher. Accepting failure helps you be humble and know that you always have room for improvement. Understanding why you failed, so you can identify your weaknesses and work to improve on them. At this stage of my life, I’ve learned far more from my failures than I did from my successes.

Our lives are not long enough to experience it all, so don’t just learn from your own failures and successes. Take a look at others, people around you, throughout history, or in social media. Absorb what they did right when they’re successful, and keep in mind not repeating their mistakes.

“One final note for senior students, figuring out your potential careers will put you at a great advantage, as I’ve seen many of my peers in college graduate without knowing what they want to do with their majors.”

What advice can you give to our current students at AIS, especially during these unique times?

It’s important to have motivation, specific goals you want to work towards, and the destination you want to reach is what I learned the hard way from AIS. I didn’t have those for most of my years in high school, and I struggled because I didn’t know what I was working towards and what I want to do as a career.

I’ve been through the same thing, so I understand the difficulties you all face in adolescence. Sometimes it might seem like the end of the world to us when we hit a roadblock but believe it when I say you’ll be fine if you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and work towards. If you don’t know, there’s no reason to be concerned; there are plenty of opportunities to explore your options in AIS and college. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try different extracurricular activities; you might find some answers.

One final note for senior students, figuring out your potential careers will put you at a great advantage, as I’ve seen many of my peers in college graduate without knowing what they want to do with their majors. If you start exploring early, you can choose the schools and courses that can best provide you with the skills for your potential careers. Post-graduate schools and your employers greatly appreciate people who are prepared to take their opportunities. Colleges, especially in the U.S., value your work experiences and extracurricular activities. Take the liberty to explore those in your free time outside of class.

As you know, we’ve started this outreach to AIS alumni recently. What are you hoping to gain (or contribute) to the network?

I’d like to gain/contribute the following to the network:
– Taking part in our Career Day, where we invite alumni to speak to current AIS students about life outside school
– To reconnect with old classmates or teachers
– To share interests or skills with other alumni

We’re always aiming to reconnect with our strong alumni community. Please stay tuned for more alumni stories and events. If you are interested in visiting us on campus, or to participate in our Alumni Outreach blog, feel free to email us!

John Li, Class of 2011 alumnus, came to visit our campus recently with a few other alumni. A well-rounded student, John participated in several extra-curricular activities and was a avid sportsman involved in several varsity teams. We’re glad he took the time out of his busy schedule to take a tour, reminisce old memories, and say hello to old teachers.

What year did you graduate from AIS? And how long did you study at AIS?

I am from the Class of 2011, I have spent 6 wonderful years at AIS when I joined in Grade 7 (which, if I am not wrong, is 2005).

What is your favorite memory of AIS?

There were countless moments in AIS that still holds a deep place in my heart as of today. However, if I were to pick my favourite, it would have to be the moment when our U-20 Boys Volleyball Team won the ISSFHK Championship back in 2010.

Our team had one purpose in our mind, which was to win a championship for our friend Jeffrey Town, who unfortunately passed away a year prior to my senior season.

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

Rather than one, I would like to give a shout out to three of my teachers: Mr. Andrew McLeod, who was my science teacher throughout the 4 years of my high school, was more than a teacher but also a friend. He taught me many life lessons that are still applicable to this day.

Ms. Salma Ben Letaief, who was my French teacher and my supervisor at the Community Service Club. It was because of Ms. Salma’s recommendation that I entered into HKUST’s Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department. She was the most caring teacher that I have had, and it was a great pleasure being her student.

Last but not least, the legendary Mr. Georges Raybaud. I had the honour to be Mr. Raybaud’s student from Algebra 2 until AP Calculus. He has always pushed his students, especially me, to higher standards than what was required. When it came to our AP examinations, we were more than prepared to obtain an excellent score in our exams.

What extracurriculars were you involved in? And how did you balance your time between your studies and play?

I was involved in all sorts of extracurricular activities from sports (basketball, volleyball, and badminton), performance art (drama production), and more academically oriented activities (Model United Nations, Debate, I.T. Club, Student Council, Community Service, Yearbook, and etc.)

It was not too difficult to balance out my hours as the AIS community provides a lot of support, both students and faculty, to help me catch up on my school work whilst allowing me to pursue different achievements in various areas.

What are you currently working as of now? And where are you based?

I am currently in the wealth management industry but I will be attempting my qualification as a Barrister of the HKSAR High Court this coming year at HKU. I hope to finish my studies in 2022-2023 and be qualified in 2024 in Hong Kong.

What lessons did you take away from AIS that helped guide you through your journey?

The greatest lesson AIS has taught me is the ESLR principles that are embedded deep into my life. AIS has given me so many different opportunities to explore my interests and to develop my talent.

I strongly echo the concept that a person should be a well-rounded individual and take their chance to try different things during their time in AIS. Speaking from personal experience, trying something new has often given me positive surprises and opened a new door for me once I enter the society as an adult.

“I urge all students to enjoy every last minute of their time in AIS before they depart or graduate. AIS is one of the best safety nets for you to fall back on. Try different things in school. Learn about yourself.”

What advice can you give to our current students at AIS, especially during these unique times?

Despite the constraints and uncertainty during this unfortunate pandemic, I urge all students to enjoy every last minute of their time in AIS before they depart or graduate. AIS is one of the best safety nets for you to fall back on. Try different things in school. Learn about yourself. And most importantly, form strong bonds with your friends, peers, and teachers in school. These bonds will get you far in life.

As you know, we’ve started this outreach to AIS alumni recently. What are you hoping to gain (or contribute) to the network?

I am more than happy to give back to AIS after all the great things it has done for me.

We’re always aiming to reconnect with our strong alumni community. Please stay tuned for more alumni stories and events. If you are interested in visiting us on campus, or to participate in our Alumni Outreach blog, feel free to email us!

We recently got in touch with former alumnus, Justin Xiao who graduated in 2000. Justin is the former President of the Student Consultative Council during his senior year, and was also a member of the Basketball Team that won the Hong Kong International School League Tournament. Justin also joined us at our 25th Silver Jubilee Anniversary in 2011 as a guest speaker. We are grateful for Justin’s continued support as an active member of the AIS community.

How long were you at AIS for?

I was at AIS from 1994 to 2000.

What was your favorite memory or moment from AIS?

It had to be working on the first version of AIS.edu.hk and the encouragement of the teachers and classmates to see it through in 1999. And we won an award for it.

Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

I cannot single out one person. There were many influential teachers and administrators at AIS. Mr. Raybaud, Mr. Ebner and Mrs. Policarprio stand out. When teachers take personal interest and give that extra energy, students respond and their influence is often indelible.

What extracurriculars were you involved in? And how did you balance your time between your studies and play?

SCC (Student Consultative Council) throughout where I was Vice President in 11th grade and President in 12th grade. And of course the Basketball team. Balancing time meant cutting computer games and watching TV altogether.

What are you currently working as of now?

I am the Chief Operating Officer Asia for Railsbank, based in Singapore.

What lessons did you take away from AIS that helped guide you through your journey?

When I was at SCC, I distinctly remember complaining to my mother one day on the way home that it seemed like I was doing 80% of the work and everyone else was there for Free-Dress-Fridays. Bringing people along with you on the journey is something I am still working on today.

As you know, we’ve started this outreach to AIS alumni recently. What are you hoping to gain (or contribute) to the network?

I want to be connected to the school, the alumni, its staff and students with the hope to help cement AIS as a well-recognised, lasting institution in Hong Kong.

“From my experience, the friendships I gained at AIS is much deeper than friends from college and graduate school so spend as much time as you can with your friends.”

What advice can you give to our current students at AIS, especially during these unique times?

Hopefully you will find some time to pursue your passion and side projects. Don’t chase getting into the best college. It’s okay to spend a gap year after graduating. Lastly, from my experience, the friendships I gained at AIS (during my teenage years) is much deeper than friends from college and graduate school so spend as much time as you can with your friends.

If you have anything else you’d like to add about your connection to AIS, please feel free!

I feel I gained a lot from AIS and am still proud of some accomplishments however small. I was reminiscing with a classmate a while back and after 20 years, he still appreciates the SCC changing the school uniform design so students didn’t have to tuck in shirts. And when I think back to the teachers, it’s as if it was yesterday, hearing Ms. Salma demanding “Maintenant ou!” after giving instructions, Mr. Gurr yelling “Can Change!” across the courtyard at the end of his class, Mr. Stammie barking “Turn-off!” to get the class to be quiet and Mr. Raybaud dismissively saying “Pah pah pah pah pa…”(does he still do this? (AIS: Yes, he does!)) and it makes me smile every time!

As we approach our 35th anniversary, one of our goals is to reconnect our strong alumni community. Please stay tuned for more alumni stories and events. If you are interested in connecting with our network, please email us.