Monday Memory: Smile Week
By Sam Wong, ISB Alumni Relations, and Nick Yates, ISB Communications
For 15 years, the Middle School Student Council (MS STUCO) has led a charity campaign to provide corrective surgeries for children with cleft lips and palates from an orphanage near the International School of Beijing (ISB). To date, the fundraising has enabled over 60 successful operations!
Smile Week always brings a grin to the face of long-serving faculty member Jim Fidler (pictured, with Smile Week charity recipients). Over two decades at ISB, “the highlight for me was working with the ISB community as we supported Chinese orphan babies with cleft palates from Holt Ping An Medical Foster Home here in Beijing. It was always such a great community effort sponsored by MS STUCO.”
Each Smile Week begins with students and teachers meeting the babies that they’re sponsoring. Afterwards, students sell smile cards, badges, and event tickets, with all proceeds going to the good cause. Among a packed program of service-learning opportunities at ISB, Smile Week is one of the most rewarding activities of the school year and a tradition that continues to offer the gift of a smile.
In 2020-2021, everyone is invited to join in celebrating ISB’s 40th birthday. Check out the Celebrating 40 web page for more details, and please send your photos and memories of ISB like this one to celebrating40@isb.bj.edu.cn for your chance to be featured here and in the Celebrating 40 Exhibition.
ISB is an extraordinary school, made so by a tradition of educational excellence spanning 40 years. Establishing, nurturing, and growing such an exceptional learning community has been and remains intentional; we work hard to build strong relationships so our learning is at its best.