News

Bob Huynh Leaves His Mark on Hotchkiss
By Martha Eso, Instructor in Mathematics, Hotchkiss School, CT

Bob Huynh came to The Hotchkiss School from Vietnam. He touched everyone's life on campus and we will never forget his powerful and emotional good-bye in the auditorium. Bob gained a great deal during his year here. He furthered his scholarship, experienced team sports, learned to live independently and had the opportunity to get to know peers and adults of various backgrounds and interests.

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Views of the President

Stories from the Class of 2005/06

The Class of 2006/07 is Launched

ASSIST Summer Programs in Europe 2006

ASSIST Alumnus Makes Generous Gift

Fundraising News and Plans

Internship Opportunities for ASSIST Alumni

Partnership with School for Public Service

Alumni News

His contributions to the community were equally important. Bob has an amazing talent for mathematics. His problem solving ability stands out, and his thematic knowledge, combined with his excellent ability to see his way through a problem were his main assets. He enrolled in some of our highest level math courses and also became one of our most accomplished competitors.

Bob distinguished himself in Multivariable Calculus in the fall semester and then he went on to Independent Study in Advanced Mathematics in the spring. He is very motivated and he covered a semester's worth of college level Linear Algebra in about six weeks.

In math competitions, Bob was the school winner of the 2006 American Mathematics Contests 12A and qualified for the AIME (American Invitational Math Examination). His combined AMC and AIME score took him one step further to the USA Mathematics Olympiad where he finished in the top third. This means that he was one of the best 140 students in the USA and Canada combined! We are very proud of his accomplishments.

While his exceptional abilities in math and science were the most visible, Bob proved to be a formidable scholar in the humanities as well. He was a good neighbor in the dorm, a great team player in sports and on the Math Team, and a supportive friend to many. He was truly a "good ambassador for Vietnam" as one of his teachers put it, as well as for the ASSIST program. Bob returned to Vietnam earlier this month where he will complete his senior year of high school. He will be missed!

Chapel Talk
By Julia Castanys, Spain, Chatham Hall, VA
Editor's Note: This is a talk that Julia Castanys presented to her classmates at Chatham Hall.

The first time that I told my friends I was planning to go for one year to the United States to a boarding school, in Virginia, they though I was crazy. So you can imagine what they thought when I said that it was an all-girls school. Actually, they didn't believe me until a few weeks later

I didn't really know what I was doing either, and I wasn't really sure it was what I wanted. I was going to leave behind all my friends, my family, my team, my house, my language, and the most important thing, my life. It wasn't an easy decision and the hardest thing about it was that I knew the decision was all mine.

So, finally, on August 20th, there I was in the Barcelona airport with two of the biggest suitcases I have ever seen, leaving my family for nine months and 15 days. Actually, I was feeling strong, sure, old and proud of myself until I stepped on the plane, and, all of a sudden, I felt small and unsure. I nearly ran back to my parents! As you can tell, it wasn't a good start at all. So, it was better not to think about it.

My first months at Chatham Hall totally opened my mind to a new type of life. Like moving in the dorm and finding out everybody already knew my name, or getting used to going to chapel three times a week, having dinner at six, or waking up every morning and not looking in the mirror once.

English was another thing that did not help the situation. I remember thinking how am I supposed to make friends if I cannot even have a conversation with them. But I got lucky with my new friends, and even if they enjoyed making fun of my accent, they helped me understand and taught me a lot.

During this year, I have had great moments, good moments, and really bad moments. Starting with my first call home which my mum and Vera will never forget, or realizing that I could play volleyball for only one trimester, or jumping to the banana song with my new team, or my first dream in English, or the diary complaining in our rooms about not having a life, or the good feeling of having new friends, or getting locked out in the middle of the winter, or seeing how my body is ten times bigger than a few months ago. But each of these memories, even if not all of them are great moments, is what defines my little adventure in the United States. It wouldn't be the same without them.

My biggest fear before leaving Barcelona was thinking that during all this time away my best friends would forget about me and that everything would change too much. If I tell you the truth, I'm still not sure about the change to much of this part, but one thing that I do know is that I could not have completed these 8 months without the support and the daily contact of my best friends at home.

Being away from Barcelona made me realize how much I need it. I would never have thought I would miss my parents' rules or my brother's games. But I would never have given up the opportunity to come here. Not just because I got the opportunity to visit some of the most incredible places like The Bahamas and New Mexico, but also because it has made me grow up and learn things that I didn't know before. I now realize how traveling opens your mind and how important it is to see there is not just one way of life.

Being in another country and not speaking the same language can make you feel lonely and depressed. But all these feelings helped me learn more about my self and also made me want to travel everywhere. It's not that right after Chatham Hall I'm going to go crazy traveling around the world, don't get me wrong, but its something that I'm planning on and coming here has made me understand.

8 months ago if someone asked me to stand here and talk about something in English with all the school looking at me I would probably have laughed at her, or decided not to attend Chatham Hall any longer! Actually I nearly ran back home when I remembered about my chapel talk. But after all, here I am; in front of all of you, in a boarding school, all girls, in Virginia and reading English like I never thought I would.

All I have to say is that you choose how to live your life and you have to use each opportunity to make it better. Don't let the scary feelings decide for you and I promise it will be worth it.

Seniors, we are getting closer and closer to graduation day and it's so weird to think that in a few weeks we will no longer be here. I know that I haven't been at Chatham Hall as long as most of you, but after living like sisters for almost a year, I know it will be hard not to see some of you for a long, long time. I keep thinking this is not a goodbye, and just as my life has changed over the past eight months, who knows, maybe you will be attending the same college as me in Spain, and we will be spending another year together.

Project Week

For my project week in April, I went on a trip to do Habitat for Humanity in Appalachia, West Virginia. It was such an amazing and meaningful trip. During the trip, I had the chance to get closer to people that I had never talked to at school just because of the fancy way they looked. They were amazingly nice and humorous! I realized it was a waste not talking and hanging out with them. We worked during the day and in the evening, after we got back to the camp, they showed me lots of interesting card tricks, we cooked dinner together and listened to each other singing or playing guitar. They also showed me how to bowl. I just held the ball with both of my hands and threw as hard as I could. It went over to another lane one time, but when I got three strikes in a row, my friends shouted so loudly that everybody stared at us!

During the trip, I also learned how much it means to help and give away without expecting to get back anything. We helped build two porches for a poor lady with four kids. The place where they live is not even a house. It looks like the back of a truck! Michael is one of her kids. He is only 5 and he is so cute! We played lots of games with him and it was so sad when we left; he just hid his face in his mom's shoulders and started to cry.

For the rest of the time, we helped a 78-year-old lady who lives in a dilapidated house. She doesn't even have running water. Everyday she has to cut wood to heat up her house. Last year, she cut her leg when trying to use the saw so she was limping when we came. She is the nicest woman I have ever met. She talked and laughed with us.

Each day, before we left, looking back at what we had done and receiving thankful hugs from the people we helped, everybody felt so pleased and happy. I realized how happy I was to help people with all the works they couldn't do themselves or it might have taken them lots of time and money to finish.

I remembered the orphanage near my house in Vietnam, which I saw everyday on the way to school, but I had never thought about all the kids living there. I thought about all the little things I could have done to make them happy; maybe just some candies and used picture books or toys. Nothing much, but they will be happy because they know I think about them and I want to be with them. I will also give them lots of hugs, which I can have whenever I want, but they, for sure, don't. I will go there with them when I return home.

My Year in the U.S.
By Veselin Dobrev 2005-06, Bulgaria, Washington International School, Washington, D.C.
Editor's Note: Veselin has returned to the U.S. to attend Adelphi University in Garden City, NY.

The most fascinating experience in my life is my year as an exchange student in the USA. During that time I became more mature and independent and learned a lot about being tolerant. But most of all I had the wonderful opportunity to conduct a number of experiments in chemistry and biology which changed the way I perceive these sciences.

I came to the U.S. in August 2005 and met my amazing host family, the Kings. They took me in as a son and family gatherings and everyday life taught me a lot about the American life style. During my stay with them I was treated like an adult, I was given their trust and some how this made me more responsible. Although I have been living by myself for 3 years prior as I go to school in a town way from my home, the way my parents have treated me was never the same as my US family. This is probably so because of the cultural difference as in Bulgaria a child stays one until he/she makes a family of his/her own. The confidence the Kings had in me made me feel more respected and I wanted to live up to it. All this made me much more self-assured and developed my character.

Another important lesson I got during this year was about tolerance and understanding. About accepting the different in the other person and how important it is to be accepted by the others. The school I went to, Washington International School (WIS), has a large foreign student population. We came from different cultures and religions and we wanted to learn all about each other and our traditions. I had never had the opportunity to talk with people from so many countries. This enriched me and made me treasure my culture more, as I know it is, in many ways, unique. As I had the chance that many people in Bulgaria don't to get to know people from many ethnicities, I became aware even more of how wonderful it is to grow up in a diverse environment. This made me more broadminded and accepting of others and now I often get almost offended when people employ stereotypes just because they have watched something on TV or read it.

Yet another benefit from my US experience was the fact that I was finally able to conduct many experiments and to gain practice in the field of sciences that interest me the most. While studying at WIS, I attended a lecture by Sam Rhine on genetics. It was a stirring and enriching talk that made me even more determined to work in the field of medicine. All my science work gave me the chance to employ my knowledge and better understand the theories I had previously studied. This helped me understand and get even more involved with biology and chemistry, which I have always loved. I felt the importance of actually conducting the experiments you have only read about and am currently working with my teacher in Bulgaria on finding a sponsorship for a Biology and Chemistry Laboratory.

My year as an exchange student taught me the benefits of the American education and how advantageous it can be for me to go to college in the USA. Also, I got the chance to get to know not just one culture, but that of all my international friends.

Saying Goodbye to Lola
By Sue Moerer, Host Mom to Lola Berbiela, ASSIST 05/06, Spain, Catlin Gabel School, OR.

Lola has returned to Spain safely. We had a very sad goodbye at the airport when she left. Lola hugged us so tight and long that I joked our souls may have merged and I should be speaking fluent Spanish by the afternoon. That was a very sad day for us. I reread chapters 17 & 18 in the 'Host Family Survival Kit' and could relate to the content. I was relieved to know my feelings of loss and intense emotion were not out of the ordinary.

During her last day with us, Lola had many calls from family and friends. My joke in the last week was that she would be up packing until 2 am and, unfortunately, I was right. We actually got to the airport on time and were able to sit with her at the security entrance. Of course, as luck would have it, she got the random pull for the pat down and extra security check. Lola hates that stuff.

I can hardly go into her room. I know I should not be sad that she is gone and that the acute loss we feel will go away with time. I'm so glad that she is going home to a huge family and lots of friends and that makes it a little easier. I think it's hard for me because unlike when a kid goes to college, she will never come back and live here again. We really didn't experience any of the hard times that you hear can happen with some exchange students.

This was really one of the best experiences we have ever had. I cannot express my appreciation for what Catlin did for Lola and our family last year. Thank you a million times!


Christ School D.C. Trip

A Christ School Faculty Member with Manuel Theil (Germany), Amadeus Haux (Germany) and Dimitri Staicov (Moldova) in front of the Supreme Court


L to R : Amadeus, Dimitri and Manuel with their teacher in front of the Washington Monument


ASSIST students from Christ School, NC, enjoyed a trip to Washington, D.C., prior to returning home at the end of the school year.


Felix Pastor Tennis


Felix Pastor (Spain) emerged as a strong player on the tennis team at Cranbrook-Kingswood School, MI. Felix Pastor, left, pictured here with his coach at Cranbrook-Kingswood School.



Jacobo Gomez from Spain spent last year at Kents Hill School, ME.

Jacobo with the 2005 commencement speaker, Dr. Saeb Erakat, Dr. Erakat is the Chief Palestinian Negotiator and Head of the Negotiations Affairs Department in Palestine.


Knowing how much he likes cookies, Jacobo's host family made him a giant cookie for dessert on his last evening with them. It had the words Buena Suerte Jacobo on it (Spanish for Good Luck!).


Jacobo, flanked by his mother Ana, on left, and his host mom, Joanne, during graduation ceremonies at Kents Hill School.


Waiting for 'Tomten' • STORY