‘The Elephant Man’ takes center stage
at Regents International School’s Globe Theatre!
Michael Thomas, Drama Teacher
An electrifying performance of the play The Elephant Man was given
to a packed audience of students in the Globe Theatre on Thursday 14th
November by the Performance Exchange Company from the UK as part of their
tour of South-East Asia. The play, based on the book by Frederick Treves and
the Oscar-winning film of the same name, inspired rapt attention from the
young audience followed by searching questions to the actors in the question
and answer session afterwards.
The play, which focused on the story of the hideously deformed John Merrick
and the appalling treatment he received in Victorian England, concentrated
the minds of the young audience on the urgent issues of prejudice and
minorities rights such as that experienced by Roma people and handicapped
children in Eastern European orphanages.
The play was central to the work currently being led by Mr Timothy Spear in
the Enrichment classes and our students will be reflecting on the
performance in their Global Citizenship diaries and with further discussion
and debate already taking place on the Nord Anglia Education Global
Classroom.
Paul Crouch, Assistant Principal - Community and Student Enrichment
commented, “Bringing in outside experts help us to enrich our curriculum and
enables our students to reflect on world issues through the use of the
Global Citizenship Diaries and the Nord Anglia Education Global Classroom.”
One year 8 student said after the performance, “The performance was so
powerful it made me cry. How can people be treated in such an unjust way? We
should never stop thinking about and caring for people worse off than
ourselves in today’s world.
Daniel Foley in the role of
Frederick Treves answers the eager questions from the Regents students.
(L to R) Actors Nigel
Miles-Thomas, Paul Haley, Robin Berry; and Caroline O’Hara.
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Regents International School Pattaya: new name launched
Principal Mike Walton.
Dr Tim Eaton
Head of Admissions & Marketing
The Regent’s School Pattaya has announced that its name has been changed
to Regents International School Pattaya.
Principal Mike Walton commented, “This is a modest change to the school name,
but an important one nonetheless. It offers a far better reflection of the sort
of school we’ve grown into. Regents now has 50 different nationalities
represented on the student body. That’s in part because the majority of our
students come from expatriate families living on the Eastern Seaboard. It’s also
due to the fact that we have a community of over 100 boarders who come from
countries that aren’t otherwise well-represented in this area, like Afghanistan,
Bhutan, Nepal, Armenia, Estonia and Lithuania.”
“Our internationalism goes far beyond the nationalities of our students; it is a
frame of mind. We’re globally unique in being both a member of the Nord Anglia
Education family of schools and of the Round Square organisation. The Nord
Anglia Education link allows our students to connect and exchange ideas with
tens of thousands of students at other Nord Anglia Education schools in North
America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Membership of the Round Square
provides them with potentially life-changing exchange opportunities with the 100
other schools which make up the organisation.”
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Double your money
Derek Franklin
In August this year, and to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the
passing of Father Ray Brennan, the Father Ray Foundation launched a fundraising
campaign to construct the Father Ray Center for Children with Special Needs.
The appeal has been a great success, bringing in almost half the construction
costs, but there is still a long way to go before the foundation stone can be
laid.
Now there is another opportunity to make a donation to the children of Pattaya
living with special needs, and every donation you make will now be doubled.
Each year the UK based Thai Children’s Trust takes part in ‘The Big Give’, a
charity drive where every donation made on a particular day and starting at a
set time is doubled, and this year the money raised will go to the much needed
facility for children with special needs here in Pattaya.
Therefore, if you donate £1, this will be doubled to £2, 50 baht becomes 100
baht, $100 becomes $200, and at no charge to the donor; and if that is not good
enough, if you are a UK taxpayer then your gift will be worth an extra 25%.
You do not have to be in the UK to donate, but you must donate on the 5th of
December, starting at 10am UK time, that is 5pm Thai time.
All you have to do is visit the Thai Children’s Trust website, make a donation
and be happy knowing that your money has been doubled.
www.thaichildrensturst.org .uk/the-big-give
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Jesters aid Special Olympics Thailand
Jesters Care for Kids Charity Drive 2013, Sponsored by Glencore International and Canadian Jackalope Open
(L to R) Bernie, Woody, three winners, William Macey
(PSC), and Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh.
Bernie Tuppin
The Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives
by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and
without intellectual disabilities. Through year-round sports training, athletic
competition and other related programs, the Special Olympics has created a model
community that celebrates diverse gifts for almost 2.5 million children and
young adults in more than 170 countries. Over 15,000 special athletes in
Thailand now have the opportunity to develop their physical fitness and become
socially integrated with their communities under the Special Olympics umbrella.
In particular, the Special Olympics track competition was introduced to athletes
in the eastern region of Thailand for the first time in Pattaya City in 2007.
Furthermore, it has become the only Special Olympics event in Thailand that has
the full support of its host community, and unlike other events, which are
rotated around the country, Pattaya has an annual event because of this support.
Jesters Care for Kids has provided tremendous support to the Special Olympics
Thailand Eastern Regional Games over the past 5 years enabling young adults and
children with intellectual and physical disabilities to experience new
challenges and meaningful inclusion in Thai society. Along with the other
sponsors that make all of this possible, the Jesters Care for Kids and their
supporters look forward to this annual event with great anticipation, as for two
days it provides us with the opportunity to view close up the tremendous courage
displayed by the contestants and the sheer joy that is evident in their smiles
as they compete. Fist pumps are the order of the day whether finishing first or
last.
This year around 200 athletes from nine schools, or centres, competed, assisted
by 60 coaches and teachers, as well as over 100 volunteers from the Institute of
Physical Education Chonburi, Pattaya City, SOT staff and Mattel Thailand. Many
of the athletes and their teachers who traveled long distances to compete from
Lopburi, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Bangpakong, Chantaburi and Suphanburi were
all represented along with Chonburi Special Centre Garunyawet Orphanage and
Father Ray’s Maha Thai group.
Athletes resting and posing for the camera.
This year’s proceedings at School #7 began with the official opening by Deputy
Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and the presentation of sponsors’ cheques to Ms
Rachaniwan Bulakul, the National Director of SOT. Visitors were then entertained
by the School #7 band before a display of cricket, a demonstration sport that
has recently been introduced to the athletes and one that they seem to have
adopted with great enthusiasm.
Then it was time to for the official games to begin. The morning’s programme
consisted of preliminary competition in athletics, bocce and more of the same in
the afternoon. The disciplines involved were running jumping and throwing. The
foot races were run over distances from 50 to 800 metres. What was particularly
noticeable was the energy and enthusiasm of all competitors and the seeming
disregard for the result, no glum faces anywhere; just smiles all around. What
was particularly noticeable was that each competitor was encouraged to complete
his or her given challenge even though they were completely outdistanced; the
finish line was the goal. Those of us who enjoyed the privilege of presenting
the medals witnessed this attitude in all competitors in all events. Those that
finished last smiling as broadly as the winners.
A runner in action, smiling all the way to the finish
line.
Finals of all competitions were conducted on the second day including the bocce.
And the winners were? Everyone! The organizers should be proud of the programme
and of the work they do in giving these severely disadvantaged children, and the
few young adults that competed, the opportunity to experience the joy of
displaying their courage and tenacity amongst their peers. The coaches, carers
and volunteers that make it all possible deserve a vote of thanks as well.
Jesters Care for Kids has seen great value in this programme and hope to be able
to continue support in future years.
If you would like more information about this event and/or the charity drive,
please go to www.care4kids.info
and
www.facebook.com/jesterscare.forkids and
[email protected]
After awarding their medals, Bill poses with some of
the winners and their coach.
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SOS Rice Appeal 2013 begins around Pattaya
Derek Franklin
For seventeen years the annual SOS Rice Appeal has been collecting
donations of rice from the generous people of Pattaya, all of which goes to help
feed the 850 underprivileged children and students with disabilities living and
studying at the Father Ray Foundation.
The Father Ray Foundation uses 75,000kgs of rice each year, but as food prices
continue to rise they need your help more than ever to ensure the children and
students of Pattaya continue to receive a nutritious and well-balanced diet.
In early December, on the 5th, 7th, 8th and 10th, you will be able to purchase
and donate rice at the following stores; Villa Market, Tops, Big C, Tesco Lotus,
Central Festival, Foodland, Makro, Friendship and selected 7-Eleven stores.
More information about the Father Ray Foundation can be found at
www.fr-ray.org of email
[email protected]
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