QSI Quintile Newsletter 2022/06
Connecting the QSI Family worldwide...
June 2022
Graduation Address to the Class of 2022
By Scott Root
Director of School Operations
Congratulations, QSI class of 2022, for your profound achievement of graduating from your respective Quality Schools International (QSI) school! You have deservedly earned your secondary education degree, and our respect for persevering through hard times in meeting the QSI graduation standards. The pandemic and geopolitical situations have made many things difficult during most of your secondary-level education. You have endured restricted travel, quarantines, mask-wearing, limited socializing, and online learning to deserved felicitations. You were born early this twenty-first century, and there has been much discussion throughout your schooling about twenty-first-century skills. Adaptability is at the center of the skills identified as necessary for success in this ever-changing globalized world, and you have learned that through the school of hard knocks. History will empathize with you for the hardships you have faced so early in your life. And, someday, you will tell your grandkids of the trying circumstances under which you completed your secondary level education.
You undoubtedly have plans for the near future that may take you physically away from your home and family. That is an emotional and necessary milepost to pass in pursuit of your goals and a transition for your parents, siblings, extended family, and friends. Tell them how you love them and appreciate their support—that will mean everything to those individuals. Your teachers have shared in your learning and believe in you. Thank them for caring and investing in you. As for you—only goodness knows the future. But, you are ready to embrace the joys and face the challenges of tomorrow.
QSI Class of 2022 University Acceptances Include
- Boston University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Drexel University
- Duke University
- Eindhoven University
- Erasmus University
- Hong Kong Polytechnic
- IE University
- John Cabot Rome
- Loyola Marymount
- MIT
- McGill University
- Princeton University
- Purdue
- Queen's University
- Rice University
- Toronto Film School
- Tufts University
- University of California
- University of Oxford
- Virginia Tech
- Yale University
QSI Class of 2022
QSI Kyiv (KIS) Graduates
When we met back in March about planning an in-person graduation ceremony, we had no idea what the outcome would be. A huge shout out to QSI Bratislava for being gracious hosts and helping us complete this dream! There are not enough THANK YOUS that could be said for what you did for our community. This event was not just a graduation ceremony, it was so much more to our community. Hope, resilience, closure, love and sense of home! Forty-Nine graduates from all corners of the world graduated! (31 in-person & 18 via zoom virtually).
This year's class took their photos this fall in our school colors (Red & Black) and graduated this June in Ukrainian colors (Blue & Yellow)! We could not be prouder of this class and the KIS community as a whole! слава україні!
Words cannot describe how thankful we are that our son was a part of the QSI Shenzhen community for four years. The QSI Secondary culture is one of support and encouragement. As a student you can try anything. You don't have to be a star volleyball player to be on the team. You don't have to be the best instrumentalist to play in a band. You don't have to be the smartest student to take AP or IB. QSI creates an environment that encourages students to explore their interests and abilities so they can find what they excel at. So they can find what they love. Our son found film and drama through this exploration. In his senior year, the QSI drama department produced a play he wrote with two of his friends. He will continue on at university to study film production and keep creating and producing stories. Our son arrived at QSI Secondary having never picked up a video camera. He leaves QSI Secondary with a new passion, dream, and direction. This has been possible because of the encouragement and support of teachers and the community as a whole.
QSI Tbilisi Graduation Letter to the Class of 2022
Dear 2022 Graduates
Thank You.
August 26th was the day I first met you. I had been anticipating and preparing for three weeks to meet my graduating Secondary IVs. That day was full of excitement. I was bombarded with questions and requests about your schedules, college guidance, letter of recommendations, and other ideas. You, and I, were so excited to be back in person to school. The day was sunny, hot, and beautiful. Feeling exhilarated at finally getting to see and meet you, my feelings took a dramatic turn when Mr. Martin quietly informed me that we would be going to distance learning after the next day. My reaction was immediate, with a pit in my stomach, I had the sense that I had lost what I just gained, the ability to help guide and build relationships with you. I can only imagine the disappointment you must have felt - the possibility of having a “normal” school year being taken away from you once again.
Both our daughters attended QSI International School of Shenzhen. The school has been a wonderful part of our life in China. Not only have the girls received an excellent education and enjoyed a wide range of extracurricular activities to broaden their minds, they have also made lifelong friendships and greatly benefitted from being part of an inspiring multicultural community. As parents we too have also enjoyed the wonderful school community via active participation in the Parent Support Group. We have been deeply impressed with the professional conduct of the school administration, the dedication and quality of the teaching staff and the friendly and welcoming environment at the school. It is sad that our QSI days are now behind us, but we look forward to staying in touch via the school alumni program!
In Other News
By Eben Plese
QSI Regional Supervisor
At the end of January, following the recommendations of the US State Department, my family and I took a flight from Kyiv to Tbilisi for a short term stay while things calmed down in Kyiv. We thought we were overreacting, but also thought it was best to be safe, and so we settled into our temporary situation, with our children going to online classes, and us feeling more than a little bit guilty about the fact that we weren’t on the ground helping out during a stressful time.
Transcript of the interview with Andro Chkhvimiani, a student at QSI Tbilisi, author of the book Unchangeable.
Andro: Hi, my name is Andro, I’m from QSI Tbilisi. I just published my second book, but I’m going to be talking about my first book today, which is called Unchangeable.
Nina: Andro, tell us the beginning. How did it all start? When did you write the book, and the idea and the inspiration behind it? Tell us all.
2021 marked an important milestone in the history of QSI - 50 years since the foundation of Sanaa International School in Yemen and 30 years since the foundation of Quality Schools International and the opening of the first QSI school in Tirana, Albania. 50 Years of #SuccessForAll!
QSI Schools around the world celebrated this important milestone with their school communities. Visit the 50th Anniversary page on our website to see photos and videos of the celebrations, and make sure to check out the Anniversary Memory Book (download it before you scroll through as the file is picture heavy.
The QSI Family of Schools will grow by two new schools in the Fall of 2022 - QSI International School of Togo located in Lomé, Togo (Africa) and QSI International School of Guyana located in Georgetown, Guyana (South America).
Congratulations, and we wish all the best to the two new schools!
A Year of Music
Enjoy this compilation of music videos from around QSI schools. Thank you to QSI Almaty for putting it together.
International Day Celebrations
International Day Celebration at QSI Tirana (TIS)
Week Without Walls