ISA Alum Recognised as 2019 Forbes Under 30 Scholar
ISA Alum, Omer Manhaimer was recently recognised as a 2019 Forbes Under 30 Scholar, a programme which selects high-achieving students from top universities to come and participate in the annual Forbes under 30 event. Omer was one of three students from Britain selected to attend.
Having attended the event in Detroit, he was able to connect and network with renowned business and social leaders, AI exports young innovators and entrepreneurs. He gained valuable knowledge from the best of the best, including Tomas Pfister (Head of Research at Google Cloud AI and Serena Williams.
Omer also participated in, and won, the ErieHack competition, tackling the issue of algae blooms in Lake Erie.
#Under30Summit
Congratulations to the Class of 2019!
On Saturday, 8 June 2019, ISA returned to Amstelveen’s Schouwburg Theatre to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2019 and their milestone of completing the IB Diploma Programme. The grade 12 students and their families enjoyed a moving night of inspirational speeches and uplifting performances, culminating in each student walking across the stage to receive their diploma and officially become a member of ISA’s alumni community.
The evening included a range of emotions as students reflected on their memories at ISA and thanked those that helped them through their journey. The ceremony concluded with a reception, giving students, families, and ISA faculty and staff a final opportunity to celebrate the Class of 2019’s accomplishments.
Awards were given to the following students:
Award Winners 2019
The ISA Leadership Award
The ISA Leadership Award is voted on each year by ISA faculty and is given to a male and female student. This year, the award was given to Simone Appel and Jack Marsh.
CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service Award)
In recognition of his commendable effort and commitment to the service of others, Jake Raben was awarded the CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) award.
The ECIS Award for International Understanding
The ECIS Award for International Understanding is presented to a student who has represented their country well, can speak at least two languages. Seohyun Kim received this year’s award.
The ISA Award
The ISA Award is given to a student who personifies the goals of the International School of Amsterdam, has a positive attitude to education across a range of subject areas and upholds a high ethical and moral standard. The ISA Award was presented to Charlène van der Kooij.
Simon Schilp Athletic Award
In recognition of their prestigious talent in the sporting arena for ISA, Ellis Huistra and Celeste van Petegem were presented with the Simon Schilp Athletic Award.
Alumni Spotlight: Wendy Lee Oldfield ’99
Wendy Lee Oldfield graduated from ISA in 1999, having spent grades 6 to 8 at the old A.J. Erntstraat ISA campus, and then grades 11 and 12 at ISA’s current location.
After leaving ISA, Wendy studied graphic design at Chapman University in California, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2004. Since then, she’s co-authored two books on creativity; Caffeine for the Creative Mind and Caffeine for the Creative Team. She has also worked on a number of design projects for brands such as Google, Blizzard Entertainment, Pepsi, Chipotle and the NFL. Two years ago, Wendy joined a tech startup in Southern California as Design Director, allowing her to work with “a wonderful team of fellow designers, videographers and creatives,” a role which she thoroughly enjoys.
It is no wonder that Wendy has chosen to work in a creative industry. “I loved art [at ISA]. I loved the lab and all the paints and pencils and canvases and tools in the room that helped to bring concepts to life. I loved that the art room was quiet and had lots of windows and light, and I thoroughly looked forward to spending time there.”
Wendy has fond memories of her time at ISA including “the great group of friends I made”, which helped Wendy feel welcome and less isolated during her senior year at ISA.
Wendy and her husband, whom she married in 2011, currently live with their adorable Yorkie, Puck, in Anaheim, California where they can see the fireworks from Disneyland in their front yard
Pictured above are Wendy and her husband in the art room during their recent visit to ISA.