Challenges become blessings at ICS

ICS has so much to be thankful for this "Thanksgiving" season. Thank you, Father, for your bountiful blessings and for the precious enduring relationships ICS has forged with teachers, students, parents, and friends. Fifth grade teacher, Patti Hunter, took some time to share about one such relationship sometime ago - when God took a difficult teaching situation and gave it a most remarkable and unexpected outcome.

Life in the Fast Lane

A standout in the pool during her days at ICS, Shannon Cheung (class of 2012) has had an enduring love for swimming since a very young age.  She swam competitively at the collegiate level while attending Pasadena City College and was awarded PCC’s “Athlete of the Year” as PCC’s first ever State Champion for Women’s Swimming. This fall Shannon will be taking her swimming to the next level when she  toes the starting block  as a member of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruin’s swimming team. Congratulations Shannon on your continued success both in and out of the pool. 

Check out the video of Shannon as she took time this summer to stroll down “memory lane” on her time at ICS. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mjliHoQLOU

Making A Difference with Music



Picture courtesy of  ICS Impromptu

International Christian School’s a cappella group Impromptu started as a “Make A Difference” project by ICS student Natalie Lu, class of 2014, as a way “to share their God-given talents to bring joy to those around them.” Three years ago Impromptu was a group of just four students singing prearranged versions of songs. Today the group has grown to 12 students, fully student-led, singing versions of songs that they arrange themselves. “It’s a great opportunity to hone our student leadership skills,” says Natalie, and it also allows them the autonomy to sing songs of their own choosing.

“Wouldn’t it be cool to…” mused Natalie and her friend, Russell Salazar, a member of the Chinese International School’s Enharmonics (CIS) about forming a combined a Capella choir and staging a concert. With the shared objective to make a difference through their singing talents, Natalie from ICS and Russell from CIS, successfully invited student representatives from HKIS (Hong Kong International School), to create the FIRST ACA Concert - a fully student-led performance by three international school singing groups with a goal to make a difference through singing a Capella songs.  

On April 26, 2014 the A CAppella Concert was launched successfully at the CIS campus to a full house attendance. Over HK $35,000 was raised through ticket sales, and the donations will ultimately benefit a needy school in Tacloban, Philippines.  

Following the success of the ACA concert, ICS Impromptu continues to mature and find their identity in an ever-evolving style of music. As Natalie wraps up her last year at ICS, she is pleased by the global revival and growing popularity of a cappella music and excited to be leaving ICS Impromptu in very capable hands for the years to come, that will continue to bless others through great a cappella music. 

click here to Check out Impromptu's rendition of Pentatonix’s “Run to You”



Photo Credits: Jessica Eu Chinese International School