Alumni recount their fondest memories from their years at ISD.
CLASS OF 2018
Nissia Benghazi
Class of 2018
Studying International Relations at the University of Lisbon Foreign Languages Program.
ISD has an incredible dynamic culture that is unique. It has a vibe of its own that you can't find anywhere else. It is amazing to see how ISD impacts its community and vice versa. [I will miss] sitting on benches afters chool with my friends and procrastinating together. It was always fun to hang around. I will also miss our library and all the beautiful people inside and out that made it a very special place.
I owe most of my success in IB to Dr. Coulibaly, who allowed me to see my future from different angles and take my studies more seriously.
Cosette Collins
Class of 2018
Plans to major in theater and minor in communications.
ISD is a difficult place based on the academic as well as social challenges, but is considerably impactful, helpful, and, honorable as a community.
I will miss the community and how everyone know everyone. I will miss being close to many people and knowing many people played huge role in my life, or possibly vise versa with myself an others.
[ISD teachers] Gress-Wright, Loria, and Hurst ... taught that hard work, dedication, and passion are important when becoming successful.
Gabriel Dos Santos
Class of 2018
[Teachers at ISD] are devoted to doing their best to help us.
Dlodlo
Class of 2018
Taking a Gap Year in South Africa.
I really like how the non-IB program is run because we are able to do internships and gain experience while being at school.
Adam Hirschson
Class of 2018
I will miss the people and the community.
Noa Hirschson
Class of 2018
[I will miss] the fact that students [at ISD] feel comfortable and safe enough to express their personal styles the way they want to, the fact that students feel safe in general.
With the new administration, the upper school is hiring much better and more qualified teachers, so our level of academics is getting much better than it was a few years ago.
Garry Hugh
Class of 2018
Studying International Politics and Peace and Conflict Studies at Juniata College.
ISD is an intricate and engaging community of cultures, perspectives and people. It embraces balance across all dimensions from academics to sports to STEM and consists of individuals that are immensely supportive.
I will miss the astounding personalized care and attention of ISD displayed by the faculty, particularly Mr. Brown and Ms. Leinbach, and the continually growing and developing VEX Robotics program. ISD's robotics program, which I have had the pleasure of being a part of since its inception, serves as a community model for service and provides a new avenue of education and learning for students both at ISD and in Senegal as a whole.
As a student who attended ISD for five years I have witnessed the progression of ISD's academics from run of the mill secondary education to an up and coming International Baccalaureate school. ISD's IB Diploma Program has developed both in rigor and breadth, two realities that I have been especially grateful for. The rigor of the program develops learners who possess critical organizational skills, whilst the breadth allows for balanced learners able to pursue a multitude of interests and succeed.
Providence Ice
Class of 2018
ISD is Innovative, inclusive, and collaborative beyond comparison.
I will miss most the opportunities and experiences available to students provided both by the school administration as a whole and then by the dedicated teachers. For example, WAISAL tournaments were the most unique in bringing together dedication and school spirit across the entire community, an experience I was so grateful to have as a student athlete. And then teachers, for example Ms. Leinbach, who pushed us every class beyond our expectations. This kind of challenge really led my development as a student and a person over my two years in the IB program at ISD.
I really liked how ISD's academic program pushed every student past their boundaries and to strive for excellence. I struggled in certain classes, but my teachers and the program gave me enough drive to challenge my own limits and take harder classes so I could continue developing as a student and a thinker. Otherwise, I might've remained stagnant. The academics here pushed me to new levels of open-mindness and problem solving, which are invaluable skills in this new day and age.
Racine Kane
Class of 2018
[ISD is] not your typical high school. A school where anything can happen, where you can be someone and succeed. ISD teachers are the best of the best!
Emma Knobloch
Class of 2018
Studying at New York University.
ISD is a community that allows for each aspect of your multi-faceted personality to shine. If you are an athlete who loves musicals, you can participate in both the sport seasons and the musical. If you are passionate about math but also want to perfect your artistic skill set, you can study both through the IB program at an extremely high level. This is a result of the hardworking individuals at ISD and their flexibility and dedication to allowing each student to thrive in the ISD community.
I will miss my teachers and coaches. Over the two years of IB, every teacher has seen me at my best and at my worst. This vulnerability has bonded me with each of them. They helped me achieve what I need to in order to attend my dream university and for that I will be forever grateful.
The teachers that I had at ISD were hardworking, passionate individuals who cared about their students. I think most of all, I appreciate that the teachers at ISD allow students to see their human side. This creates an atmosphere where it matters how much sleep you got the night before or if your support system is failing you. In fact, my AB french teacher spent 15 minutes listening to my french class explain how stressed we were and then he made our homework optional for 5 weeks until other classes had relaxed a little. This aspect of ISD allows students to understand that you don't have to be perfect and asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of self-care.
Camile Kwende
Class of 2018
Studying at Leiden University.
[ISD is] diverse, sunny, colorful. [The academic program is] very rigourous, but will benefit you in the long run. Puts values on more than just grades!
Madison "Jack" Rodine
Class of 2018
University of Gloucestershire.
I will miss bonding with not only my teammates, but also the other athletes from other schools at WAISAL.
Anushka Saraswat
Class of 2018
ISD is a place that is home to students from all over the world contributing their unique ideals and values and coming together as a diverse community.
I will miss my juniors and my teachers the most. As I was enrolled in classes with the Year 1 IB students, I became really close to some people.... These people welcomed me with open arms and I felt like a junior all the time. It saddens me that I'm not graduating with them since I feel at home with those people and feel like I belong with them. I'll miss them the most.
Cheikh Sarr
Class of 2018
[ISD is] the ideal high-school that is not so ideal because of it's uniqueness. [Teachers at ISD] are very diverse in what they specialize in but all share a common goal which is to help the students do well.
Claierose Soriano
Class of 2018
Studying International Relations at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
All of my teachers have helped me become the student that I am today. Thank you to Mrs. Leinbach who asks us to justify our conclusions and explain our thinking. Thank you to Madame Faye who encourages us to do the best that we can and believes in the potential that we have. Thank you to Mr. Bishop who teaches us that studying literature is more than books, that it teaches us how to be better people. Thank you to Ms. Krapfl who urges us to take risks and keep trying even though we don't always know the answer. Thank you Ms. Jen for teaching us to love our quirks and for the random conversations about life. Thank you Mr. Martin for making sure that we understand what we are learning and for all your biology jokes. Thank you to all the teachers who haven't taught me but who have supported during my two years at ISD!
I will definitely miss being able to play multiple sports in the same year and also WAISAL tournaments! I will miss being able to meet other international student/athletes like myself and playing with and against them in WAISAL.
Ma. Elaine Ulep
Class of 2018
I would describe ISD as a place of belonging and a school that opens up to many different cultures. I will miss all of the teachers that helped me through my whole journey at ISD. I love the teachers here. Not only that they are helpful but, they are easy to open up to whenever there is a problem.
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