Academic Enrichment

This temporarily restricted fund was originally established to support a Fitness Center at KIS in honor of Sandy Schoeninger, a transformative figure in the lives of generations of students at KIS. She personally designed and equipped the first workout space at KIS, shaping a nurturing community for all. Through her unwavering commitment to physical education she instilled values of self-discipline, teamwork, inclusivity, and integrity. The Program has now expanded to include a state of the art fitness center, a dance studio and a rock climbing/bouldering wall as well as upgrading the bleachers and the sound system at the Covered Courts. This will be a double story facility on the KIS main Campus. The entire facility will be named the Sandy Schoeninger Center – a multi-use facility that will embody her values and commitment to student development and provide an inspiring environment that reflects Ms. Schoeninger’s spirit and fosters personal growth in all students.

The Sandra Schoeninger Fitness Center fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

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Faculty Awards – Alice Edwin (English) Prize and the Martin Engelbrecht (Economics) Prize

Initiated by alumni from KIS, these were instituted to facilitate the renaming of the English and Economics academic Prizes at KIS, to the Alice Edwin (English) Prize and the Martin Engelbrecht (Economics) Prize, respectively. Mrs. Alice Edwin and Mr. Martin Engelbrecht are beloved educators who taught at KIS in the 1970s and 80s. Each Prize will be a certificate of recognition, and each Prize will be awarded annually to the student(s) who is recognized to be the top English and the top Economics student(s), respectively. 

Alice Edwin English Prize:  Recipient Maya Arun, Grade 12

Maya Arun has displayed some outstanding qualities as a learner and more specifically, as someone who has the rare ability to truly see into texts of varying types, observe authorial choices, uncover textual subtleties and express herself in both, the spoken and written form, with aplomb. Her engagement with the subject went far beyond the confines of the classroom. She contributed to the local magazine, the Kodi Chronicle and also chose to do a literature IB extended essay. This piece of work, in particular, marked her out as someone who was enthusiastic to push the boundaries of her knowledge and her attempt to analyse Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale through the lens of post-structuralism was, to say the least, remarkably courageous and testament to her traits of being a risk-taker and an inquirer. It is for these reasons and others that Maya was the proud recipient of the Alice Edwin English Prize, 2023.

Maya plans to attend the University of Alberta, Canada to study Psychology

Personal Statement from Maya

I first joined KIS in the second grade when I was seven years old. When I first visited the school a few months prior, I was most drawn to the library on Ganga campus. Having never been to a library before, my affinity for reading stemmed from my attraction to the Ganga Library and the many hours I spent reading there. Kodai school was responsible for much of my initial development in reading, and my writing skills for what they are now. In middle school, I participated in short story writing competitions facilitated by the school. In high school, my love for English was encouraged by the IB English Language and Literature course. It is through this course that I’ve found the writing I enjoy most is that of analysing literature. While I don’t currently intend to pursue English in university, I hope to find alternative outlets for my inclination towards the subject.

Martin Engelbrecht Economics Prize:  Recipient – Tanisha Dodla, Grade 12

Tanisha Dodla is an intellectually curious and constructive student when it comes to her knowledge of Economics and its mathematical aptitude. Her self-driven interest helps to push herself to be engaged in class and to be able to produce the best of the assignments. Tanisha has the aspirations to look at this complicated subject’s complexity and intertwined system. Her understanding of economics and her ability to apply it to real life is in-depth.

Tanisha is a stalwart among her peers.  Despite facing many obstacles and challenges, she has held unwavering love for the subject. This love is reflected in her choice of economics as one of the subject areas for her world studies extended essay. Her creative and lateral thinking attributes, along with the passion to collaborate with her peers by understanding their perspectives makes her a worthy scholar of Economics. With her calm demeanour, patience and dedication, she has become an inspiration to her peers and juniors.

Tanisha plans to attend Macalester College in Minneapolis, to study Economics and Public Policy

Personal Statement from Tanisha

I was honored to receive the Martin Engelbrecht Economics Award from the head of the department Ms. Sophia. I have loved economics since I was first introduced to it through the invisible hand theory. These past two years have allowed me to explore economics through my extended essay and research paper with the help of my economics teacher Ms. Gandhari. I will study economics and mathematics in college in the United States, and being bestowed with this award made me feel validated in my efforts over the years!

An education from Kodaikanal International School (KIS) remains an environment of continuous learning through hands-on experiences. KIS believes students should be encouraged to explor, discover, invent and build through critical thinking, expert mentorship and collaborative spaces. This funding will help provide student s with the opportunity to bring their ideas to life in a variety of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths (STEAM) forums and competitions.

The Kodaikanal International School Design and Innovation Fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

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Teaching and learning practices are at the core of any educational institution. With the clear understanding that learning takes place in all facets of life at KIS, this fund is directed at making steady headways in educational excellence. In order to help students develop lifelong skills and attributes of learning, reflection, communication, and critical thinking, it is important to enhance and extend the capabilities and capacity of the KIS faculty. It is necessary to consistently expand the commitment to building a culture of learning by ensuring that the school’s pedagogical methods of instruction are impactful, engaging, and successful—both now and over the course of a student’s lifetime.

The Kodaikanal International School Excellence in Education Program is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

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and/or PayPal Donors: