by kfi | May 28, 2020 | Archives |
The Keith and Marcine DeJong Music Award is given annually from their legacy investment in recognition of KIS’ top music students(s) at Awards
Assembly each May. Congratulations to Stuti Susan Jerald James, who received the award in May of 2020!
To Kodai Friends International (KFI),I am honoured to be the recipient of the ‘DeJong Memorial Music Scholarship Award’ for the year 2020. I, Stuti Susan Jerald James, am a native of Kodaikanal. I have been at KIS since Grade 5 and have cherished the many opportunities that have been provided at KIS, especially those pertaining to music. This scholarship award is very special as my parents have been working at KIS for over 20 years now, and have known members of the DeJong family personally including Bruce, Garry and Suzanne. I am thankful to the DeJong family for this prestigious
recognition.
I have always had a passion for music and have been keen on developing my skills in this field. I have utilised every opportunity at hand to exhibit my skills, including accompaniments for assemblies and chapel services as well as performances on several occasions such as my graduation. Music has been a crucial part of my life and will continue to do so. Though I plan to major in psychology in university, I wish to continue learning music. Having completed my ABRSM Grade 6 in Piano, I hope to work my way up to a Diploma in Piano, and I believe that the money that accompanies this award will support me in doing so.
I would once again like to thank you for this appreciation.
Sincerely,
Stuti Susan Jerald James
KIS Class of 2020
by kfi | Oct 18, 2019 | Archives |
Dear Kodai Friends,
Mimi Lindell, Nancy Garrison, Lisa Lindell, Lynn Stoltz, Joe Kessler, Marion Greene, Wendy Riber, Mark Garrison
Marty Grubbs Rittman, Jacquie Hagstrom, Lydia Rittman, Miriam Naumann, Paul Wiebe, Vic Hagstrom, Donna Beth Wiebe, Lu Carman, Bob Carman
On our first day of snow this Winter, we had 29 folks come out for Kodai Lunch. We were honored by participation of Dr. Paul and Mrs. Donna Beth Wiebe from Iowa City. Others who honored us included Dr. Bob and Mrs. Lu Carmen, Rev Mark and Mrs. Nancy Garrison, Dr. Miriam Naumann and Mr. Ken Kaufman with daughters Peggy and Sue, Mrs. Judy Kessler and son Mr. Joe Kessler, Mrs. Lydia Rittmann, Mr. John and Mrs. Faye Naumann, Mr. Vic and Mrs. Carol Hagstrom, and sister Jacquie Hagstrom, Mr, Kris and Mrs. Wendy Riber, sisters Mrs. Mimi and Mrs. Lisa Lindell, Mrs. Marion Greene, Mrs. Lynn Stolz, Mr. Joel Otten, Dr. Steve Zorn, Mrs. Denise Cochran (ex Delhi International), and Mrs. Marty Grubbs and husband Joe Rittmann. Please find two pics attached. Regrets were received from Mr. Paul and Mrs. Margaret Christensen and daughter Elsa and granddaughter, Mrs. Pauline Yardy, Mr. Rob Ramer, Rev. Dale Howard (Woodstock) and Dr. Debby Choi.
Food was plenty, highlighting Coorg Pandi, Awadhi Biriyani, Rajasthani Khad, Murgh Musallam, along with dal with zucchini, tomato curry, and Kashmiri pulao. Along with potluck, Miriam’s dal, Jacquie’s samosas, and other many pots, thanks.
According to the four main themes for funding given out by KIS, a total of $390.00 was donated to KFI for KIS Environment and $30 for KIS Scholarship Fund for a total of $420. These funds were sent to Mrs. Sylvia Trautmann Rogers, administrator of KFI, for handling to KIS. Please also find attached a report of the local huts at Poondi Nature Center that our funds made possible.
Next Kodai Lunch is planned for April 18, 2020, Saturday at noon at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, St. Paul, MN.
Thanks to all for contribution of potluck savories, dal, rice. Thanks to Mart for setting up and to Kris and Wendy for cooking and for tea. And a huge thanks to Carol, Jacquie and others for washing and all others who helped clear (I didn’t get back to the sink to see who all helped, thanks.). And to all of you who are off to India, safe traveling.
Stay warm. Drive safe this winter.
Cheers, Joe (Rittman)
by kfi | Aug 27, 2019 | Archives |
Sophia Mozhui came to KIS, from Nagaland, in search of its multicultural environment where students could interact and learn from each other. Sophia joined KIS with much reluctance from her mother to send her daughter far away from home. Today, Sophia and her family have had no regrets about her decision to join KIS.
Coming from a family heritage of music, Sophia was thrilled to learn about the music program at KIS. She already had a dream to play the violin since a child. “Music has always been a constant force in my life. One day while watching the Tom and Jerry Show on television I saw, Tom play the violin. Ironically it was this scene that inspired me to learn the violin since then,” recounts Sophia.
“Ever since I got a hold of my first violin it has become an extension of my body. Playing the violin always took me to another realm of freedom and expression that words could not provide. Music kept me grounded and rooted. It brought out and improved my ability to articulate my thoughts,” she continues.
“At KIS I had one of the best violin teachers hands down! KIS gave me the experience of playing in a school orchestra. I also became the orchestra master. Through the school’s music field trips, it gave me the opportunity to go to different places. My favorite experience includes performing at the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) music festival in Singapore,” shares Sophia.
Recently, Sophia attained the Keith Dejong Memorial Music Scholarship to use towards her passion for music. “Being chosen for such a prestigious scholarship fills me with deep gratitude. I am thankful to KIS for supporting my passion for music while I was a student here. To be awarded this scholarship has really motivated me to further pursue my hand in music.”
Sophia leaves school with mixed emotions of excitement and anxious anticipation, ready to embrace the new chapter in her college life. Sophia has committed to attend Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, pursuing a Major in Business Administration and a Minor in her biggest passion – Music.
– Manjusha Ninan, Alumni Coordinator
by kfi | Oct 23, 2018 | Archives |
KFI welcomed three new members to the KFI Board of Directors: Jane Cummings (Class of ’57), Martin Messick (Class of ’83) and Jagat Sheth (Class of ’87). Other board members present for the video conference meeting were Bill Martin (President), Vijay Naidu (VP), Mary Coleman Lowry (Treasurer), Akshay Birla, Daryl Miller and David Piet, as well as ex officio members Corey Stixrud (KIS Principal) and Sylvia Rogers (KFI Administrator). KIS Chief Marketing Officer Stephanie Cauvet and KIS Alumni Coordinator Manjusha Ninan also participated as Invitees.
Highlights of the board meeting:
- The board passed a budget with a goal of raising $50.000 in the July 2018 through June 2019 fiscal year.
- The KIS Alumni Office’s current focus is to update its alumni records. Many alumni email addresses are not longer valid and many alumni have no contact information at all. Facebook and class reps are being used to reach out to those alumni.
- The donated hospital equipment to Van Allen Hospital arrived safely. KIS generously funded the in-country shipment and customs clearance expense to bring the donated equipment to Kodai.
- The formation of several committees took place. A Development Office Committee was formed to establishe a Development Office at KIS responsible for fundraising worldwide. Other committees include Finance, Nominating and Fundraising/Communications.
Please contact Sylvia Rogers, KFI Administrator, at admin@kfi-us.org, or any of the board members, click Board, for further information and clarification of the issues discussed.
by kfi | Sep 25, 2018 | Archives, Projects - completed |
We thank you very much for the $8,000 KFI sent last fall to promote environment issues, enabling hiring Dr. Rajamanikam and his wife Lekshmi R. during the Spring Semester this year. They were given an office, worked with the Maintenance Deparment, participated in recycling and other activities, and presented in some classes and assemblies, etc., a big contribution to our functioning as a “Green School.”
As regards extension activities in Kodaikanal community, we had listed some expected quantifiable achievements, and we hereby report on them. Dr Rajamanikam spent full-time as follows:
1) Number of schools, hotels, others, that installed recycle bins and conducted good use training
We have installed sustainable solid waste management systems in 18 schools, 11 hotels, and 3 gated communities in and around Kodaikanal, by June 2018, which are functioning OK.
2) Number of schools, hotels, others, which invited presentations about recycling, showing interest
22 schools, 3 higher education institutes, 13 hotels, 4 NGOs, and 8 gated communities invited our presentations and outreach demonstrations, which were done. These have to be followed up
3) Number of wards or household areas in town that have begun recycling waste
We have been working informally with several individual households; 3 wards of Kodaikanal town are interested in working with us. This should be done through proper channel so Kodaikanal Municipality has to give government order for working with these wards; but as elections have been long delayed (because of death of the previous Chief Minister), there is still no elected Municipal Council Chairman nor ward members.
4) Quantity of recyclables collected and processed, and its estimated percentage of all town waste
Around 27 tonnes of dry-waste has been recovered through KIS initiative from these schools and hotels in Kodaikanal, which is only some 2% annual waste generation rate. But the Municipality still has no policy or budget for separating recyclables from trash. We are awaiting elections for the Municipal Council to be elected, and meanwhile we deal with the state-appointed Commissioner. Fortunately, he has assigned an old building and location where recyclables are now sorted by an agreed agent working with us.
5) List of environment-related projects undertaken by KIS students with advice of these experts
– Composting bins on the campuses now where they can bring home and dorm organic trash
– Sorting of recyclables in the 2 Recycle Centers—many students do this for their service hours
– Cleaning up around different parts of Kodaikanal
– Distribution and sale of cloth shopping bags to replace plastic
– Asking tourists in vehicles to give over their throw-away plastic junk
– At school student functions, use of drinking fountains or good bottles instead of disposable cups
– All students now have good water bottles, and throw-away plastic bottles are banned on campus
6) Number of KIS classes or groups in which the 2 experts made presentations and advised
Frequently worked with Grade 5 to 12 students on solid waste management and biodiversity conservation.
7) NGOs and other civic organizations in which KIS and the experts made substantial contribution
Worked frequently with Kodaikanal Rotary Club, Kodaikanal United Christian Youth Federation, PCK Women’s group, Kodai Smile Group, and Palani Hills Conservation Council
Ms Lekshmi R. was assigned by the Principal to write environment curricula for grades 6 through 10, which has taken considerable research and consultation. This now has to be integrated into the already busy Middle Years IB program and other activities. Also, Ms Lekshmi has been working to generate overall ideas about Environment for KIS, as requested. And lately she has worked on identifying laboratories, greenhouse, landscaping, etc for the proposed Environment Education Center.
This school year Dr Rajamanikam and Lekshi are regular KIS salaried staff, and the new KFI funds requested and sent are for helping to set up educational aspects of the new Environment Education Center.
Budget:
KFI gave $8,000 for Dr Rajamanikam and Lekshmi for last semester. Lekshmi has been working to finish her PhD in Pondy University so was absent for some time, so there is a balance, which has been added to the new KFI funding for this semester:
New KFI fund for Environment Center etc ($12,050) Rs. 808,675
Balance from KFI fund for last semester 96,558
Total for Environment Center this semester Rs. 905,233
Clarence Maloney
KIS Volunteer for Environment
August, 2018
by kfi | Aug 22, 2018 | Archives |
Dear Members of the DeJong Family,
I would like to thank you for your generous award, which I received last week and am grateful to have been one of the recipients of the award this year. Not only will this greatly impact my future financial investments, but will also be used as a stepping-stone towards my aspirations in music. In regards to my experience in music, I did several ABRSM exams throughout my time here at KIS. I passed the Grade 5 theory exam in 2011 and also passed the Grade 8 piano exam in 2015. As a student here, I was privileged to be given various opportunities that have strengthened my musicianship and passion for music. I was part of several choir groups for the past 6 years, one of which I served as the Choir Vice President, as well as a student section leader and conductor. I also had the honour of being part of a prestigious choir festival in Muscat this semester. Along with these involvements, I’ve also performed at school assemblies, Rock Concerts, in the Chapel praise and worship group, house concerts, springs concerts and winter concerts. During my senior year, I received a distinction in Grade 5 Voice and passed the Trinity Diploma Exam in Piano Performance, which was another solidifying block in the development of my musicianship.
I hope to carry on with my ambitions in music at Moody Bible Institute, where I will be doing a B.A in Music and focusing on piano performance, performing in choirs and writing arrangements. I will use this scholarship as a foundation for my investments for my education abroad and also as a way to help me move forward with my future in music. This award will also significantly benefit certain financial aspects of my college education, which will contribute to my overall expenses for my education abroad.
Once again, I would like to thank you for this award and knowing that this award will greatly help me in my future endeavours in music; it continues to give me hope that my aspirations in music will be achieved. As a recipient of the DeJong award, I will remember to uphold the honours of this award and acknowledge it as a reminder of how far I have come in music and how much more I will learn and grow in the future.
With warm regards,
Jane Jaikumar
