by kfi | Mar 13, 2024 | Announcements, North America Alumni Events |
`Please come and join us at the KIS Labor Day Reunion for hours and days of reminiscing and reconnecting with your classmates, teachers, and other alumni. All ages are welcome. KIS Principal, Corey Stixrud, KIS Development Officer, Kalyani Gandhi-Rhodes, and Alumni Coordinator, Manjusha Ninan will be in attendance to answer any of your questions on the exciting things happening at the school. The KFI Board of Directors will be having an in person meeting on Friday, so please approach our Board Members during the weekend to ask questions about KFI, how to donate, and share your ideas.
There is a Sunday service for those who would like to attend, complete with an always amazing volunteer choir, as well as swimming, zip-lining, rock climbing, volleyball and hiking. The days are spent for the most part sitting about in/outside cabins or at the tables in the pavilion chatting with classmates and alumni, those you know and new friends you meet. You may end up ‘chopping and chatting’ while in the pavilion. This usually involves the chef of the day placing vegetables and cutting boards in front of you to chop while you chat with your old and new friends. All meals are family-style Indian food cooked on site by our own alumni. Meals may include dosai, sambar, idli, tandoori chicken, Kerala fish fry, and various vegetarian dishes, among other dishes. There are also non-Indian kids’ meals available for anyone.
The camp has lots of different styles of cabins that sleep between 4 -20 people, some with attached bathrooms, as well as Adirondack lean-to’s. You will need to bring your own bedding/sleeping bag and towel for these cabins. There is also plenty of space to pitch a tent. All accommodations are first come, first served. If you are not the camping type, higher-end rooms with attached bathroom, provided bedding, towels and AC are available but limited and in great demand. Please contact Mary Coleman Lowry about reservations, lowrymary36@gmail.com. There are also plenty of hotels and motels in the area.
Dates:
Wednesday, August 28 – Monday, September 1, 2024
Where:
Camp Kirchenwald
1 Cut Off Road
Lebanon, PA 17042
For more information, find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @KISLaborDayReunion or email KISLaborDayReunion@gmail.com
by kfi | Mar 13, 2024 | In the Spotlight |
Congratulations to Kodai School alumnus Dr. Kai Bird (Class of ‘69), who was thanked by director Christopher Nolan in his acceptance speech for Best Director for Oppenheimer yesterday at the Oscars! Said Nolan, “Thank you..to Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin for their 25 years that you put into the book that this movie is based on.” (Their book, American Prometheus, The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, won a Pulitzer Prize in 2006.) Dr. Bird recently attended the Jaipur Literature Festival and spent over an hour conversation with KIS students and staff. In one of the sessions at the festival, he talked about the importance of KIS in his development as a writer and a thinker. We’re thrilled at his success!
by kfi | Mar 12, 2024 | Archives |
Please come and join us at the KIS Labor Day Reunion for hours and days of reminiscing and reconnecting with your classmates, teachers, and other alumni. All ages are welcome. KIS Principal, Corey Stixrud, KIS Development Officer, Kalyani Gandhi-Rhodes, and Alumni Coordinator, Manjusha Ninan will be in attendance to answer any of your questions on the exciting things happening at the school. The KFI Board of Directors will be having an in person meeting on Friday, so please approach our Board Members during the weekend to ask questions about KFI, how to donate, and share your ideas.
There is a Sunday service for those who would like to attend, complete with an always amazing volunteer choir, as well as swimming, zip-lining, rock climbing, volleyball and hiking. The days are spent for the most part sitting about in/outside cabins or at the tables in the pavilion chatting with classmates and alumni, those you know and new friends you meet. You may end up ‘chopping and chatting’ while in the pavilion. This usually involves the chef of the day placing vegetables and cutting boards in front of you to chop while you chat with your old and new friends. All meals are family-style Indian food cooked on site by our own alumni. Meals may include dosai, sambar, idli, tandoori chicken, Kerala fish fry, and various vegetarian dishes, among other dishes. There are also non-Indian kids’ meals available for anyone.
The camp has lots of different styles of cabins that sleep between 4 -20 people, some with attached bathrooms, as well as Adirondack lean-to’s. You will need to bring your own bedding/sleeping bag and towel for these cabins. There is also plenty of space to pitch a tent. All accommodations are first come, first served. If you are not the camping type, higher-end rooms with attached bathroom, provided bedding, towels and AC are available but limited and in great demand. Please contact Mary Coleman Lowry about reservations, lowrymary36@gmail.com. There are also plenty of hotels and motels in the area.
Dates:
Wednesday, August 30 – Monday, September 4, 2024
Where:
Camp Kirchenwald
1 Cut Off Road
Lebanon, PA 17042
For more information, find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @KISLaborDayReunion or email KISLaborDayReunion@gmail.com
Here is a brief statement on Covid Requirements for the Kodai Reunion:
“All alumni are more than welcome to attend the reunion at Camp Kirchenwald. Following Pennsylvania state guidelines, attendees will not be required to show proof of vaccination for COVID; however, we recommend that all attendees take the rapid test before they come to avoid the risk of transmission.”
by kfi | Mar 8, 2024 | Announcements, In the Spotlight, Projects - current |
The SEAR Scholarship is presented annually to two deserving students from the Southeast Asian region, initially being granted to students of Burmese origin entering Grade 11 at KIS. These students are recognized for their exceptional personal character, outstanding academic achievements, and unwavering determination to overcome challenges. The scholarship seeks individuals who not only strive for personal success but also demonstrate a profound commitment to making a positive impact on their communities.
This scholarship has been initiated by KIS Alumna Ms. Maureen Aung-Thwin (’66) in loving memory of her mother, Margaret Aung-Thwin, a dedicated educator and former KIS faculty member. It embodies the spirit of perseverance, academic excellence, and commitment to community values that Mrs. Aung-Thwin exemplified throughout her life.
Margaret Aung-Thwin’s legacy as an educator and translator is deeply ingrained in the SEAR Scholarship. Her multifaceted career spanned various countries and cultures, reflecting a life dedicated to education and cultural exchange. She was the first of fourteen children born to John F. Hodgson and Naw Thet Po, and she pursued her education with a BA and B.Ed from Judson College in Rangoon and an M.A. from SUNY Cortland. A Fulbright Exchange Scholar, she taught in various international settings, including schools in Rangoon, Kodaikanal, and Cornell University, and led adult education programs for the Miccosukee Native American community in Florida. Her significant contribution to Burmese literature, particularly through her translation of Ma Ma Lay’s “Not Out of Hate,” highlights her dedication to bridging cultural divides through education.
This scholarship is not merely a financial grant; it is an invitation to join a community that values educational excellence, cultural understanding, and a commitment to improving the world. It is a tribute to the enduring impact of a remarkable educator and a testament to the power of education to change lives.
Criterion for granting the KIS SEAR Scholarship
- The scholarship will be granted to a Burmese origin residing in Myanmar or outside and is seeking an admission at KIS in grade 11.
- The applicant should demonstrate a strong financial need (i.e., family income that is not sufficient to cover all education-related expenses at KIS).
- Applicants should excel academically and exhibit outstanding personal character. The recipient will need to maintain a grade-point average (GPA) above 3.3.
- Applicants should exhibit determination and perseverance in the face of challenges and should possess a strong will to succeed.
- “Concern for Others” is a key KIS value. Applicant must not be involved in activity that affects the peace, decorum or democracy in their host country.
Amount Awarded
- This scholarship is a two-year grant covering full tuition and development fees for two students incoming in Grade 11 until graduation.
Support the SEAR Scholarship
Partially funded by the generosity of Ms. Maureen Aung-Thwin, this scholarship also relies on the collective support of KIS and the alumni community, including former students and friends of Margaret Aung-Thwin. Your contribution can make a significant difference in shaping the futures of these promising young individuals.
Contribute to this important scholarship by going to this link: https://www.kfi-us.org/donate-kfi/
If you are in India, you can also donate directly to KIS through their Website at https://www.kis.in/support/make-your-gift
by kfi | Mar 8, 2024 | In the Spotlight |
“Dr Nora Mitchell: Missionary, Master Teacher, World Traveler, Scholar, Geographer, Naturalist, Good Friend”
– Bob Granner, Former staff at KIS
Nora’s travels began as a young girl, in Great Britain, with day trips to Epping Forest, Burnham Beach, and Westminster. She kept a travel log etched with names of the places she visited over the holidays. No further details are provided, but the worn-out passports and endless lists of countries and towns that span her lifetime from 1920 to 2002. All speak of Nora’s love of travel.
Nora’s collection of photos speak the words she did not write down in her travel logs. Going through Nora’s photos feels as if one had the opportunity to get into a time machine; the places, architecture, faces captured, remain engraved in our minds, and we have insight into who Nora was and how she saw the world.
Check out Nora’s photo albums, gifted to KIS after her death, here: https://sites.google.com/kis.in/kisarchives/special-collections/the-nora-mitchell-collection?authuser=0&fbclid=IwAR2Cy0K2Qlms-Dk5IKVzpfo9a8vCSDTM8xkjXnUh-nS4h8e_4qyBiCFv_lE
