AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABU DHABI SINCE 1972
2020CLASS OF GRADUATION CEREMONY Thursday, June 4, 2020 | 6:00 PM Welcome to the
AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABU DHABI 2020 GRADUATION CEREMONY
MONIQUE FLICKINGER AMY GREENE Superintendent High School Principal
Distinguished Guests
UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR JOHN RAKOLTA JR. to the United Arab Emirates
H.E. OMAR SAIF GHOBASH Assistant Minister for Cultural Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
JOHN W. HACKWORTH First ACS High School Principal
To the 2020 graduating class and families, in this unprecedented year, you truly exemplify our core values. 2 PROGRAM
WELCOME Monique Flickinger, Superintendent FACULTY PROCESSIONAL High School Faculty CANDIDATE PROCESSIONAL Pomp and Circumstance by Edward William Elgar Arranged by Robert W. Smith Wind Ensemble Band directed by Tracey Ramsey PRINCIPAL ADDRESS Amy Greene COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS H.E. Omar Saif Ghobash Assistant Minister for Cultural Affairs EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE Jenin Joumma (Arabic) and Kaashvi Mahajan (English) CLASS RETROSPECTIVE Sophia Rodgers and Sachio Kekati CHAMBER CHOIR Alma Mater for the American Community School Music by Martha Miller and lyrics by Alexander Kim ‘13 Seasons of Love from the musical RENT arranged by Roger Emerson
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS Bobbi Donison, Assistant Principal Jonathan Diaz, IBDP Coordinator Mel Pubil, Service Learning & CAS Coordinator
UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR’S AWARD Hannah Watkins SAIF GHOBASH AWARD Ingrid Ciobanu JAMES M. AMBROSE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Ella Burkett JOHN W. HACKWORTH SERVICE AWARD Hannah Zimmerman CAROL SHIMA SERVICE AWARD Eunjae Jeong FACULTY RECOGNITION AWARDS Maya Avelino, Shubh Dadoo, Eli Dagdagon, Hannah Garbutt, Aleks Haskett, Allie Lopez, Kaashvi Mahajan, Ipek Narbay, Teresa Niederlander, Cassie Pistun, Sophia Rodgers, Hannah Sudarsan, and Anisha Uppal-Sullivan SALUTATORIAN AWARD Hannah Watkins VALEDICTORIAN ADDRESS Samir Ahmed Maarouf SENIOR SONG I lived by One Republic PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS Amy Greene and Monique Flickinger Hanadi Shtayyeh (ACS Faculty 2009-2020) Parents & Family Members of the Class of 2020 INTRODUCTION OF 2020 GRADUATES Amy Greene RECESSIONAL High School Faculty 3 KEYNOTE SPEAKER | VALEDICTORIAN
H.E. OMAR SAIF GHOBASH Assistant Minister for Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. Omar Saif Ghobash is an author, businessman, and diplomat, currently serving the United Arab Emirates as Assistant Minister for Cultural Affairs for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation. Previously, he served as the UAE Ambassador to France (2017-2018) and the Russian Federation (2008-2017). H.E. Ghobash is the author of Letters to a Young Muslim, personal and insightful letters to his sons, a vital manifesto tackling the dilemmas facing young Muslims and everyone navigating the complexities of today’s world. He established the Arabic Booker Prize for fiction and the Saif Ghobash-Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation in memory of his father, the first UAE Minister of State of Foreign Affairs. H.E. Ghobash serves on the acquisition committee of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the advisory body of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College London, and the board of trustees of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi. Ambassador Ghobash studied Law at Oxford and Math at the University of London. CONNECTION TO ACS – H.E. Omar Saif Ghobash has two older siblings, Maysoune and Adnan who attended ACS in elementary school from 1974 to 1977. Their father was a former ACS trustee and parent, who chose ACS for his children because he believed in the school’s principles of tolerance and openness, evidenced by the students enrolled from all over the world. In 2019, ACS posthumously honored his father with the ACS 2019 Community Leadership Award presented by H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, the UAE Minister of Tolerance at the 2019 ACS Gala.
SAMIR AHMED MAAROUF, Valedictorian Originally from Egypt, Samir has lived in Abu Dhabi and attended the American Community School since KG1. Samir is a well-rounded and hardworking individual who has participated in many events and organizations at ACS. As an active member of the ACS service community, Samir is an officer of both the Kenya Connection Club and the Ukraine Initiative, where he enjoys planning various fundraisers and events. To remain active throughout the school year, Samir enjoys participating in the Varsity Tennis and Badminton teams where he competes in the MESAC tournaments. To express creativity, Samir has participated in multiple theatre performances throughout his life and he is an active member of the High School Jazz Band. Outside the classroom, Samir enjoys debating at different Model United Nation Conferences and serving as the Vice President of the National Honor Society. 4 CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATES
Adrian Maximillian Adams Emad Aleksandar Haskett Janvi Rochlani Mohamed Ismail Jamil Ismail Lina Waleed Hassen Sophia Elizabeth Rodgers Al Ramahi Layan Hmaidan Anthony Shahiem Kayla Alexander Sarah Imran Wendelinus Roessler Maya Danielle Avelino Eunjae Jeong Abdullah Osama Saffarini Basil Akram Ayoub Hyewon Jeong Riad Sankari Dominic Nazir Bechara Jenin Joumma Muskan Sardana Bo Mattias Moffat Boson Porter Hugh Kamerath Audrey Ines Sassi Jule Anna Bramlage Tarek Jamil Kassim Yassine Mohamed Sbai Ella Ayşe Burkett Sachio James Kekati Dana Abdulla Mohamed Leila Samir Bustami Momen Jamshed Khan Ali Selim Francesca Marithe Elizabeth Joy Knowlton Omar Mustafa Shriem Ricohermozo Camato Riccardo Lener Harshdeep Singh Carter Bowles Chartier Tse Wo Godfrey Liu Yousuf Nabil Sleiman Ioana-Ingrid Ciobanu Alexandra Katerina Lopez Aryan Sood Caroline Grace Conner Samir Ahmed Maarouf Anna Spuskanyuk Shreyaansh Dadoo Kaashvi Mahajan Sarah Felicitas Steuber Eli Christian Trinidad Dagdagan Charlotte Ashley Majewski Hannah Sudarsan Andrea Sofía De Barros Rivera Jacob Alexander Marelid Dilara Ann Tansel Jared Daniel De Semple Chloe Rene Mastny Nathalia Tawil Leila Elizabeth Diab Hannah Nicole Medearis Alexandre Castanheira Torres Tristan Picherit Duthler Joseph Eamonn Miles-Flynn Lara Katharina Maria Trinkl Yara Oussama El Rifai Devon Scott Morais Anisha Uma Uppal-Sullivan Adam Khan Fazal Meha Mukherjee Derk Van der Laan James Pearson Fazekas Ipek Narbay Jordan Emory Vens Malise Ocean Foss Amber Elizabeth Neal Thomas James Warner Ruohong Gao Teresa Magdalena Niederlander Hannah Yuh Watkins Hannah Elizabeth Garbutt Graham Jun-Soo Park Katharine Elizabeth Weiler Neel Garnault-Kumar Beran Lake Pelecky Seung-Yeol Yoon Helen Harper Girdner Cassidy Li Pistun Firas Jamel Zarrouk Marley Addison Grimes Francesco Philipp Reuter Hannah Pieter Zimmerman Adriana Lucia Guevara Sarah Joy Rinne Nida Hamzah
GRADUATE RECOGNITION All graduates are wearing a white and green tassel that represents the American High School Diploma. IB Diploma students are wearing a gold tassel that represents the American High School Diploma. Members of the National Honor Society are wearing a white satin collar.
5 CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2020
“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind.” - Lilo and Stitch
6 7 CLASS OF 2020 UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES
Aeres University Almere Hofstra University Allegheny College Hollins University American University Hong Kong University of Science and Technology American University of Beirut Illinois Institute of Technology American University of Sharjah Indiana University Bloomington American University Paris Iowa State University Anglia Ruskin University Ithaca College Appalachian State University John Carroll University Arizona State University, Tempe Campus King’s College London Arts University Bournemouth Lakehead University Barnard College Laurentian University Baylor University Loyola University Chicago Belmont University Loyola University Marymount Berklee College of Music Loyola University New Orleans Birmingham-Southern College Maastricht University Bishop’s University Macalester College Boston University Manchester University Bournemouth University Manhattan College Brandeis University Marist College Brigham Young University Marquette University Brock University McGill University Brown University McMaster University Brunel University London Michigan State University California Lutheran University Middle Georgia State University - Macon Campus Carroll College Middle Tennessee State University Chapman University Mount Allison University Cleveland State University Mount Holyoke College Coastal Carolina University New York University College of William & Mary New York University Abu Dhabi Colorado State University New York University Shanghai Columbia College Chicago Newcastle University Concordia University Nichols College Dalhousie University Northeastern University DePaul University Northern Arizona University Drexel University Nova Southeastern University East Carolina University Pace University Elon University Penn State University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott Penn State University Altoona Emerson College Pratt Institute Emory University Purdue University Erasmus University College Queen Mary University of London Fordham University Queen’s University Franklin University Switzerland Ravensbourne University London George Mason University Richmond The American International University The George Washington University in London Georgia Institute of Technology Rollins College Goldsmiths, University of London Royal Holloway University of London Grand Canyon University Ryerson University The Hague University of Applied Sciences St. Louis University 8 High Point University Saint Louis University Madrid Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta University of Hong Kong Sheridan College University of Houston Smith College University of Illinois at Chicago Southern Illinois University University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Stanford University University of Kentucky State University of New York at New Paltz University of La Verne Stony Brook University University of Maine Susquehanna University The University of Manchester Sweet Briar College University of Maryland Temple University University of Massachusetts Amherst Texas A&M University University of Massachusetts Boston Texas Christian University University of Miami Texas State University University of Minnesota The American University of Paris University of North Carolina Greensboro The University of Edinburgh University of North Dakota University of Hong Kong Main Building University of Oregon University Of Tampa University of Ottawa The University of Texas at Dallas University of Pennsylvania The University of Texas at San Antonio University of Pittsburgh Tufts University University of Richmond Tulane University University of San Francisco Ulster University The University of Sheffield UMass Boston University of Southampton Highfield Campus Universita Bocconi University of Southern California University College Utrecht University of St Andrews University of Aberdeen University of Texas at Austin University of Alberta University of Toronto - St. George Campus University of Amsterdam University of Vermont The University of Arizona University of Washington University of Birmingham University of Waterloo University of Bristol University of Westminster The University of British Columbia University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Calgary Utah Valley University University of California, Davis Utrecht University University of California Irvine Vassar College University of California, Los Angeles Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University University of Calfornia, Riverside Wake Forest University University of California San Diego Webster University Geneva University of California, Santa Barbara Wellesley College University of California, Santa Cruz Wesley College University of Central Lancashire Western University University College Utrecht Wilfrid Laurier University University of Colorado Boulder Worcester Polytechnic Institute University of Connecticut Wrexham Glyndwr University University of Denver Xavier University University of Edinburgh Yale-NUS College University of Exeter York University University of Florida University of Glasgow List as of May 31. Acceptances are still pending from University of Guelph application systems in other parts of the world. 9 STUDENT SPEAKERS AND PERFORMERS
SPEAKERS (in order of appearance) Introduction of Keynote Speaker: Anisha Uppal-Sullivan Expression of Gratitude in Arabic: Jenin Joumma Expression of Gratitude in English: Kaashvi Mahajan Class Retrospective: Sophia Rodgers and Sachio Kekati Introduction of Seasons of Love: Harper Girdner Introduction of Alma Mater: Ipek Narbay Introduction of Senior Song: Omar Shriem Valedictorian Address: Samir Ahmed Maarouf
WIND ENSEMBLE Maximus Anise, Trumpet Rachel Hwang, Violin Elizabeth Spuskanyuk, Flute Maureen Bowen, F Horn Celina Jayendran, Flute Hannah Sudarsan, Flute Taylor Campbell, Trumpet Hyeseung Jeong, Violin Dilara Tansel, Tuba Abbey Girdner, Trumpet Sophie Jones, F Horn Sebastian Villa, Alto Saxophone Harper Girdner, Clarinet Mus’ab Khan, F Horn Dahnia Zarroug, F Horn Giovanni Grandi, Trombone Abby McColgan, Flute Daniel Zerrusen, F Horn Ellie Grobmyer, Viola Rania Mullen, Alto Saxophone Andy Zhu, Clarinet Sharif Hassen, Bassoon Eva Prouty, Flute Ariana Holmes, Percussion Karim Shami, Bass Clarinet *Bold Indicates a Senior
CHOIR Esi Amoah Bela Koshy Joshua Rowberry Ella Burkett Tse Wo Godfrey Liu Logan Settle Brianna Dempsey Joanne Macaulay Antigoni Slicher Juliana Diab Chloe Mastny Mariya Vahanvaty Tristan Duthler Lavinia Neal Sanaa Zaidi Harper Girdner Ipek Narbay Serene Zuhdi Hannah Garbutt Sarah Rinne Layla Hassen Coleman Rowberry *Bold Indicates a Senior
SENIOR SONG PERFORMERS
Ella Ayse Burkett Hannah Elizabeth Garbutt Chloe Rene Mastny Ioana-Ingrid Ciobanu Helen Harper Girdner Sophia Elizabeth Rodgers Eli Christian Dagdagan Charlotte Ashley Majewski Hannah Sudarsan
10 ACS LEADERSHIP, HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY & STAFF
SENIOR LEADERSHIP Monique Flickinger, Superintendent Victor Guthrie, Assistant Superintendent Amy Greene, High School Principal Karl Poulin, Middle School Principal Jonathan Johnson, Elementary School Principal Kenny Macaulay, Director of Athletics and Activities Jennifer Ricks, Director of Learning
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Leslie Bellas, Chair Omar Asfour ‘96 Matt Ayoub ‘94, Vice Chair Damon Hewlin Philippe El Bacha, Treasurer Eric Hilgendorf Christine Belanger, Secretary Jodi Lefort Scott C. Bolz, U.S. Embassy Representative Adib Mattar ‘95 Salem Al Noaimi Muhannad Qubbaj
HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY & STAFF
Phil Abraham Jonathan Diaz Deepthi Jayarayan Sumera Muhammad Ola Al Samaraie Michael Dickinson Valia Jimenez Françoise Nedellec Kristin Bond Bobbi Donison Suzanne Khoury Lisa Paterson Nathan Bowling Jasmine Elshear Dimple Kirtikar Melisa Pubil Christopher Brown Debrah Emery Mary Lawson Evelyn Ramirez Gretchen Burch Todd Emery Jane Lowery Tracey Ramsey Brian Cadogan Samar Farhat Alexandra Macaulay Eric Richards Matthew Carroll Matthew Foss Kenny Macaulay Jared Rodgers Jason Charles Casie Gaebler Kip Mapstone Aaron Shelby Robin Chartier Fatma Ghannam Rebecca Mapstone Elizabeth Shrestha Stephanie Chisholm Andrew Gibson Loretta Mazzuchin Hanadi Shtayyeh Carolyn Clark Randy Girdner Christina McDade Josh Silverman Jason Collette Neil Griffiths Matthew McGrady Rebecca Swanson Michele Curley William Harris Hanya Mikati Peter Syrenne Amy Daraiseh Angela Hood Martha Miller Hope Teague-Bowling Melissa Dertian Naveen Jamal Jordan Moog Randa Zuhdi Nina DeSimone
SPECIAL THANKS AIM Films Tony Murray Photography 11 “A country's greatest investment lies in building generations of educated and knowledgeable youth.”
- Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan UAE Founding Father
AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABU DHABI SINCE 1972
T +971.2.681.5115 • P.O. BOX 42114, ABU DHABI, U.A.E. • WWW.ACS.SCH.AE