May 7: Nick Laveris '79 was on campus today, in the middle of a 16 day trip that will take him through four countries. He started in Japan, where he visited Tokyo for the first time. After three days in that amazing city, he was excited to tell us about his travels, and showed us pictures of the incredible design, beautiful buildings and delicious food! Development Assistant Emi used to live in Tokyo; she and Nick had a lot to talk about as they scrolled through his pictures!

 

Nick has visited Singapore and Hong Kong every year for the past four years, so he was not surprised to see the stunning facilities on the Woodlands campus, but he was continually amazed at opportunities SAS students have, and the talent those opportunities foster. We had lunch in Mr. Ho's cafeteria, and then toured the new gym, which just opened April 15th. We took a photo of Nick from the second floor of the gym overlooking what will soon be the SAS Memory Garden. We then walked to the site of the future Riady Center for Performing Arts, which will break ground this summer. By the time Nick visits next year, the performing arts area and Memory Garden will be completely revamped.

 

 

 

We stopped into two music classrooms on the way back to the alumni office. In one, Theatre Engineer Paul Koebnick was setting up the recording studio--the middle school cast of Guys and Dolls Jr. is making a CD of the musical score. In the next music room, we watched Mr. Darrell Townshend work with three budding violinists.

 

Nick remembers Singapore in the late 60s and early 70s, when he attended SAS with his brother and sister. He was on campus when the first indoor gym was built at King's Road. Before the large, non-air-conditioned space was built, all sports activities were played outside, rain or shine. He keeps in touch with a number of SAS alums in New York City, where he lives and works as a lawyer. Nick met several SAS friends at the IASAS reunion in February.  

                 

 

Above is a photo of Nick's first grade class in 1968. Nick is circled on the far left. Thanks to Nick for coming back to see us, and we'll see you next year!

 

May 20: David Nelson '76 came in this morning with teacher Linda Clarke. David is on an epic adventure to celebrate his 50th birthday. He had just come from Shanghai, where he had visited his brother, whose children attend Shanghai American School. David planned to spend the week in Singapore before travelling for three weeks in Malaysia, ending his trip on his birthday in KL, where he was born. David attended SAS from kindergarten to grade 10, when his missionary family moved to Kuala Lumpur. David fondly remembers teachers like his kindergarten teacher, who he intended to marry when he grew up, his sixth grade teacher Mr. Cooper, Mr. Baker, and Coach Kasi. David planned to have dinner with Jim Baker during his week in Singapore, and hoped to capture video of Mr. Baker admitting that David was the smartest of the seven Nelson kids he taught. The large Nelson family will be featured in the June 2008 issue of SAS Journeys alumni magazine, so check out that issue for photos of David as a child! Thanks for coming in David!

 

May 30: Alumni mom Muriel Chometsky, who spends part of her year in Singapore, brought in the McGuire family today.

 

Larry and Sue McGuire lived in Singapore during the mid-90s, and their son Mark '95 left before his senior year to play football in the US. It was the first trip back to Singapore for the family since their departure in 1993, and they were amazed at the changes.

 

Larry and Sue brought their daughter Mandi, a recent high school graduate, and their niece with them on this trip, which was a graduation present for Mandi. Mandi was born in Singapore and was three years old when the family moved stateside. Mandi will return to the US to Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana in the fall.

 

We walked around the new Woodlands campus, marveling at all the changes, buying souvenirs at the Booster Booth, and saying hello to Mr. Ho's staff, who the McGuire's remembered from the concession stands at the football games at Kings Road.

 

Muriel was pleased to show off pictures of her grandchildren to Activities Director Mimi Molchan, and visit with Superintendent Brent Mutsch at the Booster Booth.