Community

WAB invites all alumni and their families to drop by the school on Wednesday August 6 for a campus tour, mini-reunion and a chance to catch up with all that's been happening as part of WAB's commitment to the Olympic ideals as a Beijing Olympic Education Model School. If you know of any WAB families who have left Beijing but plan to return for the Olympic Games, please pass along the word. Further details to be announced; enquiries can also be made to alumni@wab.edu.

The WAB family extends well beyond Beijing, and even China, with WAB's Worldwide Community. All leaving families are encouraged to sign up through WAB's alumni website as a means for keeping in touch with WAB's Worldwide Community (visit http://alumni.wab.edu/).

Music played an elemental role in the Grade 12 Graduation ceremony last Saturday, with a solo piano performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Jean Ai-Heng, Grade 12 student and Class of 2008 salutatorian, and an orchestra comprised of a wide variety of WAB musicians. The make-up of this year's graduation orchestra, conducted by MSHS Music Teacher Mark Armstrong, truly reflects the talent and diversity of WAB's faculty, staff and students. The main body of the orchestra was comprised of the MS & HS String Ensemble, which has expanded this year by almost half to include many committed young musicians. Faculty musicians included two of WAB's traditional Chinese music teachers, MSHS Music Teachers Jane Hampson and Judith Mann, as well as Grade 3 teacher Lori Rung, and HS IT teacher Greg Sumi, who is the regular conductor of the MSHS string ensemble.

Are you traveling this summer? Does your family have a favorite spot to play in Beijing? Numerous opportunities exist for your family to share travel stories, Beijing adventures and other family-oriented news--be it through Lianxi or local English language magazines such as tbjkids and City Weekend Parents & Kids. If your family is interested in sharing an adventure story, feel free to contact Katharine Mitchell, WAB Journalist, at lianxi@wab.edu for more details.

WAB's incredible success is due in large part to its steadfast and strong community of alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff as well as local businesses and multi-national corporations for their ongoing support of WAB's pioneering programs and events throughout the school year.