FALCON FLYEr Summer 2015

Congratulations to the Class of 2015!

The AOSR community is like a big family. Many thanks to all of you for making the 2014-2015 school year such a Happy Summer great success! Special thanks go to all of our teachers, staff members and the dozens of parent volunteers including those on the Board of Trustees and in the 2015! PTO, for their endless hours of service to make our school such a wonderful place. It just wouldn’t have been the same without you.

It is also that bittersweet time of the year when we must say “arrivederci” to many of our students, families, and colleagues as they prepare to move away from Rome. We hope that our school will always occupy a special place in your hearts and minds.

Best wishes go to the following retiring and departing faculty and staff members: Ms. Christine Hogan, Mr. Joseph Mancini, Mr. Paul Haskell, Ms. Vicky Collier, Mr. Ken Kunin, Ms. Rhonda AbouHana, Ms. Tracy Arnold, Ms. Melissa Joseph, Mr. L. Mark Kibler, Dr. Jason Schipper, Ms. Josie Tierney-Fife, Mr. Peter Tierney-Fife, and Mr. Isaias Torres. Have a great summer! See you in September! Dr. Beth Pfannl, Head of School AOSR Summer Work 2015

• Parking Lot Project: In large part thanks to a grant from the US government, we will be upgrading the entrance/exit to the school. This project will include a new gatehouse, the creation of a new main entrance to the parking lot and other safety and security measures • Upgrading our Edible Schoolyard garden • New tiling leading to the entrance to the High School and and the gym for safety • Mats installed around the gym walls for safety • Upgrading the Music classrooms to include soundproofing, new furniture and other improvements (thanks in large part to proceeds from Mayfair 2015 - €9,400) • New Villa classroom doors with key card locks • Repair work on the cafeteria patio and stairway that leads down to the Hillside Theater • Adding soundproofing panels on the ceiling in the cafeteria to lessen the noise during lunchtime • Upgrading the Villa science labs (V2 and V4) with new furniture and lighting • Routine painting and maintenance work Buon Estate from PTO

It’s been another action-packed year and everyone is ready for summer break!

Mayfair was a great success! It was a wonderful day spent sharing international foods, playing games, singing, dancing and supporting local artists. A big ‘thank you’ to HS STUCO and to everyone who volunteered time or resources and to all of you who came out to enjoy the event. Mayfair raised approximately 9,400.00 Euro that will go towards updating the music classrooms.

When you return in September, know that your AOSR PTO will be welcoming everyone back with the sale of school supplies and AOSR logo wear! So check the purchase of school supplies off your summer to do list and we will have everything you need when you return!

It’s been a pleasure serving as your PTO President these past two space years. My successor, Kaprial Martinez-Perez, was recently voted in and is eager to get to work with such a welcoming, supportive community! Please give her a helping hand!

Enjoy your summer!

Stacy Mansager, Former AOSR PTO President AOSR Summer Work 2015 From the AOSR Board Chair

I cannot believe that another school year is over! It has flown by and another group of brilliant, talented and beautiful young people have graduated. On behalf of the Board, I would like to congratulate the Class of 2015 and wish you all the very best of luck for the future. To everyone who is moving on this summer, including some of our wonderful faculty and staff members, thank you for your commitment to AOSR. We wish you good luck and happiness in everything you do.

Over the course of the school year, the Board has been working hard on our annual goals not least of which is preparing to build our new Performing and Fine Arts Center.

We have received lots of support for this project from the school community who understand that this state- of-the-art building will highlight AOSR’s vision and enhance its reputation as a world-class seat of education and achievement. In turn, our students will benefit from this enhanced reputation long after they have left school and moved into higher education and employment. Our new Centre will see the expansion of programs that support the development of skills and qualities essential in our changing world. It has been proven over and over again that students of art, drama, music, dance, and public speaking develop the essential qualities of confidence, leadership, and communication skills that are much sought after by future employers and leading institutions. As our school’s mission is to prepare tomorrow’s global leaders, our new Performing and Fine Arts Center will set this in stone.

The final submission of plans for the Center will be made to the authorities in September and we anticipate that approval could be granted as early as summer 2016. If you are interested in helping the Board as we plan for this major building project, please get in touch.

Finally, we wish everyone a relaxing and enjoyable summer and we look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new families, faculty, and staff in September.

Joanne Martin Board Chair

More from Mayfair! ‘How wonderful you’ve been for AOSR’ You will be missed!

Ms. Christine Hogan, 37 years

Ms. Vicky Collier, 9 years

Mr. Joe Mancini, 19 years Mr. Paul Haskell, 11 years AOSR Welcomes new Secondary Principal ​ We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Robert B. McCarthy, Jr. as the new secondary school principal beginning July 2015.

Mr. McCarthy will take over from Mr. Ken Kunin who is completing his fourth year at AOSR and returning to Portland, Maine this summer with his family.

Mr. McCarthy comes to AOSR after having served as a secondary school principal for the past 18 years in the United States. He will be leaving South Kingstown High School in Rhode Island where he has lived and worked for the past ten years. Prior to that, Mr. McCarthy served as secondary principal at East Greenwich High School in RI. He has had an extensive career as an educator having taught social studies and humanities at high schools and middle schools in Los Angeles, Cartagena, Colombia, and suburban Boston. Mr. McCarthy earned a BA at Emory University in Atlanta prior to receiving a Masters in Teaching at Brown University. After seven years in the classroom, he earned a Masters in Administration from Harvard University. He will come to Rome with his wife, Jocelyn, and two children, Sam, entering grade 9, and Madeleine, grade 7.

Mr. McCarthy is excited to join the AOSR family and do whatever he can to sustain and celebrate the sense of community which is a defining characteristic of our school as he supports students and teachers in and out of the classroom. Elementary News Pre-K Our Pre-K classes enjoyed spending time in the edible garden this year. They helped to plant the vegetables and made observational drawings as the plants grew. They watered, weeded, observed, and in early June they held a harvest party in the garden with the help of our Go Green! Club Coordinators, Ms. Rahm and Ms. St. Onge. They were each able to take some of their fresh produce home to share with their families. What a rewarding experience and a great learning opportunity to be able to plant, grow and eat your own food!

Kindergarten AOSR kindergarteners recently visited Explora Museum. While there, they were presented with a lesson to reinforce all that they had been learning in class about the five senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. One of their favorite activities was listening to their friends’ hearts with a stethoscope!

After learning about all of the important things our five senses do for us, the kindergarteners were free to roam around the museum and put their senses to use! They played grocery store, weighed rocks, rode in the fire truck and played with water. Overall, it was a fun trip and they learned a lot!

Playing IS learning! Elementary News Grade 1 First graders continued the tradition of an end of the year Portfolio Party to share their growth as readers, writers, artists and students in general. Samples of their work were collected throughout the year, and the students had a chance before the celebration to look through and see for themselves just how much they’ve grown. They were amazed and so proud of themselves, some even commenting that they couldn’t read their written work from the fall because it’s changed so much. They also shared their collaborative group dinosaur short-films. They created dinosaur stick puppets with Ms. Joseph in art, and then chose their background and filmed using the green screen with Ms. Waite. They wrote their stories in their classrooms using the information they’ve been learning about dinosuar characteristics, diet and behavior. It was a great celebration!

Grade 2 On Friday, April 24, 2015 we presented our second grade family projects to parents, classmates and first grade students. The family project was a special assignment that explains our lives up until now. Our teachers gave us about one month to prepare our family projects. There were five parts to the assignment. First, we made family trees at home. A family tree shows your ancestry. Second, we created timelines of at least five important events from our lives. We enjoyed looking back at old photos from when we were younger. Third, each of us wrote an autobiography about ourselves. Fourth, we drew self-portraits with Ms. Joseph in Art. Finally, we brought in things that were special to us. The first time that we presented our family projects we were quite nervous, but in the end we felt proud of ourselves!

Second grade has been studying about the ancient land of Mesopotamia. The Sumerians were very interesting. They believed in many different gods, each one having control over different aspects of life such as the weather, rivers, and family. Sumerians also believed in the afterlife, burying their dead with items they may need in their next life. Education was very important to the Sumerians, although there were inequalities because women did not have the same rights as men. They were a very bright civilization, creating one of the first written languages in the world, cuneiform. They also invented the wheel. Gilgamesh was a well-known Sumerian king in the city of Uruk. We have had the opportunity to read The Epic of Gilgamesh, and we love it! Learning about Mesopotamia has been fantastic and it has been one of our favorite studies all year! Elementary News Grade 3 The third grade students have had a semester full of Greek experiences! In May, they traveled to Paestum to get an upclose and personal view of three of the most well-preserved Ancient Greek temples in Italy; Hera I, Hera II and Athena. This was a two-night and three day trip that also provided the opportunity to visit the Ancient Greek, and later Roman, ruins in Velia. In June, as a culminating activity for all of their Greek studies and specifically learning the Greek myths with Ms. Prideaux, the classes presented Greek Reader’s Theater plays in the Hillside Theater. They presented six different stories to students, parents, and faculty. After the show they atea delicious Greek lunch of kabobs, feta, olives, yogurt and honey. Dressed in their togas and with appropriate humor and props, the show was a fantastic retelling of some of their favorite stories, and a wonderful way to celebrate all they’ve learned.

Grade 4 RISA Music Festival

On April 15th, the fourth graders attended the annual Rome International Schools Association (RISA) Music Festival at Ambrit International School. AOSR joined seven other RISA member schools for a full day of music and dance workshops led by music teachers from each school, as well as some area professionals. Approximately 240 children participated in two workshops each, culminating with a presentation representing each workshop at the end of the day. The workshops included African Drumming, Italian Song, Flamenco, Greek Dance, Line Dancing, Folk Dances, Songwriting, Expressive Voice, Choir, and Ukulele. The children clearly enjoyed the learning process in each of these diverse workshops and made new friends from other international schools in Rome. There were smiles on faces all day long, and an exciting energy of learning and creativity pulsed throughout the festival. These are memories and experiences that our current fourth graders will take with them forever. 5th Grade Has Talent! Contributed by: Ms. Rumsby

This spring, AOSR fifth graders presented an eclectic mix of performances including magic tricks, choreographed dance, gymnastic, and athletic routines, group and individual musical performances and comedy acts. True to the format of the internationally popular TV sensation, Got Talent, there was also a charming host and several students acting as judges, complete with diverse personalities and opinions. Every student in 5th grade benefited from this performance and the lessons of collaboration, preparation, and creativity that was involved throughout the process. They worked as a team, helped each other out and were supportive, never judgmental. We all understand we have gifted friends who can just sing or dance naturally but that doesn’t mean to say those of us who do not have an innate talent cannot improve and love what we do anyway. Music and dance are portals to a world where we can all shine and it doesn’t matter if we mess up sometimes, as our friends will help us out and we will always have a good time. We watched the students hone their organizational skills, their interaction skills, increase their sense of achievement and, well, the list goes on. Everyone did their very best on the night of their last performance and most importantly, they felt great about it! Well done 5th grade, you do have talent!! 5th Grade Has Talent! Elementary News EAL Olive Harvest Contributed by Ms. Collier

Last December, children from grades 3, 4 and 5 collected olives from the olive tree in our AOSR quad. It is both a learning and fun activity in which our EAL (English as an Additional Language) students participate in every year. They learn how to rake the olives from the tree, weigh them and lastly, preserve them in brine (salt and water). They also write the sequence of the process and create a beautiful watercolor painting of the olive branches, paying attention to the symmetry and colors of the leaves. Then we store them in a dark cupboard for at least four months. This year they picked and weighed about three kilos! We tasted them in April and discovered they were still bitter. We changed the brine periodically and tried them again at the end of May and beginning of June. They were finally edible and the children shared them with their classmates and teachers. Yum!

Elementary Students Out and About

Grade 4 students get a life-sized perspective while learning about dinosaurs :) Tanner L. (Gr. 3) at Ostia Antica

Kindergarten friends!

(Left) 1st and 5th grade buddies at the mozzarella farm Grade 2 students get a lesson in making gelato, and they get a taste too! :) ES and MS Sports Day! After School Activities Contributed by: Ms. Hogan and Ms. Mencarelli

This was another successful year of our After School Activities program! We had approximately 200 students participating in the program and we know that they had a lot of fun! We would like to thank all the instructors who have demonstrated enthusiasm and care in each of their specialities, and all the parents who have entrusted their children to our program.

Wishing you all a lovely summer with your children, Ms. Hogan and Ms. Mencarelli Badminton

Girl Scouts Art ASA Gym Cup In May, ASA hosted the 3rd Annual Gym Cup. There were approximately 70 participants in this gymnastics competition. The events were the balance beam, floor and vault. The participants ranged in age from Kindergarten to 8th Grade and their talent was astounding. During the morning, between events we were entertained by Danika J. (Gr. 10) singing several songs, one of her own composition, Lucrezia B. (Gr. 10) who delighted us with her modern dance performance and Greta G. (Gr. 10) who showed us a beautiful routine of rhythmic gymnastics. Our Coaches were Ms. Chiara Costa, Ms. Chiara Perugini and Ms. Carolina Sforza. We ended the morning with a picnic in the sunshine which was enjoyed by all! We hope to see you at next year’s Gym Cup! Middle School News

Honoring our Veterans Written by: Elinor T-F. (Gr. 8)

On May 25, the eighth grade class took a field trip to the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial site in Nettuno to observe the Memorial Day ceremony, commemorating the lives lost in the liberation of Italy during World War II. This occasion was particularly significant for the us since we had been learning about World War II and its consequences in history class. While at the ceremony, we listened to several speeches about the trials and triumphs of the war and its aftermath. Wealso heard the anthems from both Italy and the United States. After the ceremony, we were able to visit the monument and walk among the many graves of the deceased soldiers. It was hopefully an inspiring and educational opportunity for all in attendance.

Tenth Annual MS Talent Show Contributed by: Ms. Ellyson On April 17, Middle School performers took to the stage for the Tenth Annual Talent Show! The acts were introduced by the charming Tyler T. (Gr. 6) and were observed by special past Middle School talent winners Danika J. (Gr. 10), Tebatso M. (Gr. 11) and Clarissa S-A. (Gr. 10). The audience was super supportive of the acts and were particularly excited about the faculty dance and singing group!

Congratulations to all the performers: Kylie K. (Gr. 7) and Edoardo Y. (Gr. 7), Andrea T. (Gr. 7), Serenity J. (Gr. 6), Kaya and Laura third place, Jack P. (Gr. 8), second place and Josh McH. (Gr. 8), first place.

Following the show, the students enjoyed a fabulous bar-b-que dinner with the assistance of the PTO and then moved on to wrap up the evening with a dance! Josh McH. (Gr. 8), first place

Jack P. (Gr. 8), second place Middle School News MS Theater in London! Contributed by: Co-Directors Ms. Tierney-Fife and Ms. Warlick

In April, twelve of our wonderful middle school actors traveled to the ACS Hillingdon School near London to participate in four days of amazing theater education workshops put on by the International Schools Theater Association (ISTA). AOSR actors joined 120 other theater students from around the world to explore the idea of "Ghosts from the Past," using a visit to Hampden Court Palace and an intense focus on physical theater to create a beautiful performance piece at the end of the weekend. Chaperones Ms. Tierney-Fife and Ms. Warlick were inspired by the students' beautiful work!

7th grade Science Fair ~ rockets, slime and solar ovens!

This year’s 7th Grade Science Fair included a wide range of projects like home-made rockets, slime, boats, solar ovens, cars and even a project that tested the quality of water in Rome’s drinking fountains! The young scientists showcased an amazing day of inquiry that inspired and awed all of their visitors, including the elementary and pre-schoolers as well. Shakespeare Festival ~ Twelfth Night Written by: Theater Director, Mr. Hendry

This year’s spring production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was a thing of beauty and audiences were treated to two evenings of fantastic theater! However, as the director and arts educator, I’d like to share some of the beautiful things that an audience may never see on stage:

~ The full production company of forty-two student actors, running crew, and musicians included students from every grade, sixth through twelfth, working together as equal partners. ~ The live, 16th century music was played by Ms. AbouHana’s music classes, and sung by the AOSR choir, including a solo by Amanda C. (Gr. 12) who also played a stranded sailor. ~ The cast of twenty-five actors represented fourteen nationalities. ~ At the same time as they worked on rehearsals and very challenging memorization, the cast of Twelfth Night took a total of twenty-four IB and AP exams (often coming straight from an exam to rehearse). ~ Student actor, director, and recipient of this year’s Fine Arts award David C-A. (Gr. 12) performed in his sixteenth production at AOSR. ~ Actress Anna T-F. (Gr. 7) did additional work at home to add her talents as juggler and flutist to her interpretation of Feste. ~ Actors Sydney M. (Gr. 7), Sonia M. (Gr.10), and David C-A., all had special rehearsals to learn the theater combat for their roles (and boy, are they fun!) ~ Actress Deniz D. (Gr. 10) who played principal role Olivia came to AOSR this year, having never studied in English before. Her character had over 150 lines in Shakespearean dialect! ~ Anna C. (Gr. 12) who played the cross-dressing Viola, gave special workshops on gender roles in There are few things quite so beautiful as Shakespeare to the middle school classes as her IB a group of people of different ages, from Theatre Independent Project. around the globe, coming together to ~ Actor Henry V.O.. (Gr. 12) also gave workshops to the perform a work of artistic genius, each middle school as part of his IB Theatre Independent adding their own personal touch. Project – in theater combat! He also both acted in and Next time you enjoy a show, don’t forget stage-managed Twelfth Night. how much is going on behind the curtains, too! Collaboaration Strengthens Community Written by: Alice F. (Gr. 12) As the year comes to an end for AOSR seniors, our workload gradually lessens and we are given time to focus on other activities out of our curriculum, such as the one conducted by the AP Art History class. Our teacher, Ms. Le Bail, worked together with Ms. Joseph to come up with an end of the year project for us. As a final project, we were to teach a 5th grade class about a topic we covered in our AP class; considering the amount of content we covered in the last year, we had a plethora of topics to choose from. The class was divided into two groups. We were given the guidelines to teach our topic of choice. We chose to introduce two famous artists: Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. As we gave our presentation, the students were willing to interact with us, and were fully engaged in the activity we had prepared of creating cut-out artwork using pieces of colored paper. They were enthusiastic about learning about cubism and fauvism, and were eager to respond to questions when asked. We were pleased to share an educational experience with our peers and younger students alike. It marked an effective conclusion to the year, and a fond memory for both art classes!

We got to extend our learning and knowledge to other people. That was really great! ~Noa E. (Gr. 9) Contributed by: Dr. Schipper and Ms. Warlick Continuing the AOSR tradition of cross-grade partnerships, Dr. Schipper’s 9th grade Ancient History students read stories to Ms. Warlick’s and Ms. Tausend’s 1st grade students. The stories were made by the 9th grade students who based them on the various field trips to Ancient Roman ruins that they took during the school year. The stories were written for a young audience and included a main character who traveled throughout Rome accomplishing a mission or objective. The stories helped teach basic facts about the ancient Roman people and ancient Roman architecture through a child-friendly format. Both the 9th graders and the 1st graders took away many positive experiences from the event.

Making friends with the first graders Having a chance to work with kids at that was fun. They say ‘hi’ to me now when I age was really fun because it made me remember see them around school. ~Hovhannes J. what I was like back then. ~Brando M.

Falcon Sports High School News It was a GREAT year for AOSR Sports! Congratulations! Scholar Athletes of the Year Dongmin S. (Gd. 11) Sofia M. (Gd. 10) Fiona P. (Gd. 9)

Faidley Sportsman Falcons of the Year Alison C. (Gd. 12) Federica F. (Gd. 11) Alessandro E. (Gd. 12) Jack L. (Gd. 10)

Girls Soccer Contributed by: Captains Alison C. (Gr. 12) and Leona C. (Gr. 11) Congratulations on making AOSR history by taking third place in European Division II!

This season we came in as a mix of veterans and new players, as well as both experienced and inexperienced. At the end of our season we grew to become a strong, skilled, tight-knit family. Coming away from victories and losses, we continued to grow in our determination and dedication to the team and to each other. We have made amazing progress from the beginning until the end. AOSR Girls Soccer team, came to this year Europeans with a strong positive attitude and mentality. Coming together through many pep talks and team bonding, we decided as a team to bring home the 3rd place plaque and make history for the AOSR girls soccer team, as they had never advanced past pool play in Division II. In the final game, Zoe P. (Gr. 10), Alessia G. (Gr. 11), and Morgan P. (Gr. 11) came through with beautiful penalty kicks while goalie Alison C. (Gr. 12) saved three of the seven penalty kicks from the opposing team. We fought each game with absolute conviction and we know that the bond we formed this year is one that will not break. We will miss our three amazing seniors next year, but we are blessed to have finished strong with many great memories from a fantastic team and year! Shoutout to our coaches Ms. Ramos and Mr. Zacaroli! Go Falcons! High School News Track & Field Contributed by: Captain Jack L. (Gr. 10) This year’s AOSR Track and Field team consisted of six girls and eight boys, all underclassmen. However, where we may have been a younger, more inexperienced team, we made up for it in raw talent, courage and strength. This year we’ve had some of our fastest and best runners in recent AOSR history, who as freshmen and sophomores were able to not only hold their own on the team, but could even show up some of the competition from the bigger base schools and more experienced runners. I am so proud of my team for working as hard as they did and succeeding in ways I never thought possible. I would like to credit this to our three great coaches; Mr. Caldwell, Mr. Torres, and Ms. Derian. They led us, motivated us, got us into great shape, taught and trained us in our events, and did everything in their power to help us succeed. I can’t wait for next year, where we hopefully will have even more runners and an even stronger team.

Boys Soccer Contributed by Captains: Alessandro E. (Gr. 12) and Tommy G. (Gr. 11) This season was characterized by sudden ups and downs, as every team in any sport has experienced, but in the end we united in being proud to play for AOSR. The bond between teammates worked out well, especially off the court where we all became good friends. Our strong relationship as a team and as friends helped us to work together through any challeng- ing moments. We definitely had some glorious moments and played some memorable games, which won’t be forgotten. We stood up with honor even against the top teams of the league and we were competitive in every game we played. In the end we are thankful to have played wiht our teammates and to have shared this great experience with them all. High School News The Science of Hot and Cold! An Inspiring Experience Contributed by: Ms. Klug

As our year in chemistry comes to a close it is fun to reflect on the amazing amount students have learned about the world around them and how they have grown as human beings. But of course, no matter how fascinating the phenomena of freezing ice expanding and geckos climbing walls (all through intermolecular attractions between molecules!) or Le Chatelier’s Principle may have been, nothing could top student excitement about two things: fire and liquid nitrogen.

Students in general chemistry had the opportunity during the chemical reactions unit earlier this year to explore many types of reactions. Their favorite? Combustion reactions and the day we made bubbles filled with methane! The reaction between the methane gas (“natural gas” used every day in your kitchen) and oxygen yields carbon dioxide and water according to the equation:

CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) → CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)

Because the methane is so flammable and much less dense than the air we breathe, as the bubbles rise in the air, they can also be set on fire with a little help from a candle. Perhaps even more exciting to the students was being able to set a handful of bubbles on fire (see photo) and experience firsthand the exothermic (hot) nature of combustion reactions!

Towards the end of the year Ms Klug let go of her “no food in chemistry class” rule for one day as the AP and IB Chemistry classes celebrated the end of their exams this year with some liquid nitrogen. At temperatures below -200°C liquid nitrogen is surprising and fun to (carefully) play with! It also makes some great, creamy ice cream because the fat and water molecules get cold and small so quickly that they don’t have a chance to “ice up.” Students saw a rubber racquet ball freeze and then shatter upon hitting the ground, and also saw the dramatic effects of temperature on the pressure inside a balloon!

A joke to send you off to summer break thinking cool thoughts: “Did you hear about the woman who was cooled to absolute zero? She was 0K.”

Have a wonderful, relaxing summer! High School News An Inspiring Experience

Written by: Jacopo S. (Gr. 12)

Meeting Dr. Paolo Sorrentino

It’s true, I must admit it. I did not particularly love the Oscar winning movie “The Great Beauty”. When it was released in 2013, I rushed into the cinema hoping to see a masterpiece, and sincerely, at the time the credits popped up on the screen, I was strongly disappointed. I had greater expectations from a genius such as Paolo Sorrentino, director of successes like “Il Divo” and “The Consequences of Love”, pictures that deeply impacted the global perspective of Italian cinema. However, I had to reconsider my opinions. Having had the unique opportunity of meeting him, I could clarify my doubts upon his controversial film. I was invited by Dr. Pfannl, a member of the AUR Board of Trustees, to an exclusive ceremony at the American University of Rome, in which the Neapolitan director was awarded with a Honoris Causa Degree recognizing his worldwide acclaimed talent. Our head of school personally gave the degree to Mr. Sorrentino, now a Doctor. He explained that his “Great Beauty” is just a huge misunderstanding, telling the audience how he was trying to homage some positive aspects of the modern bourgeoisie’s vulgarity. However, critics from all over the world assumed that he wanted to criticize, rather than to praise it, and thus they awarded him with Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs etc. This definitely pacified my opinion on his work. After the formal ceremony, I even managed to talk to him. At the beginning I was afraid of raising my voice in front of hundreds of people, talking to one of the most important cinematographic figures of my generation. But then my passion overcame me, and I asked him if he remembered the exact moment in which he chose to undertake the path to film direction. Since I want to become a filmmaker myself, I am interested in these kind of details. I believe that everyone remembers the exact moment when he/she understood what to do in his/her life, and I was right: Sorrentino has a clear remembrance of that moment. He told the audience, and later went deeper into details in a one-to-one session with me. He said that many years before, while watching a movie with his friends, he noticed how some particulars should be refined to improve the quality of the picture. As he noticed that his friends did not realize the mistakes, he understood that he had the skills of a director. His personal story further motivated my de- sire to pursue becoming a director, because I related to him even more in that I too cannot help but point out imperfections in most of the films I see. The meeting with Paolo Sorrentino was an unforgettable experience for me, and I am even more proud of having met him now that Sorrentino released his new film, “Youth”, which I consider a real masterpiece and the best among his movies. Therefore, I just wish to thank Dr. Pfannl for her great generosity and Dr. Paolo Sorrentino for his inspiring and artistic simplicity. I know that it was just commonplace, but I will always keep this experience in my heart, and I hope that one day, as a famous movie director, I will have the opportunity to return the favor. High School News Rome & Metamorphosis at the American Embassy Contributed by: Ms. Bloem

YooJeong S. (Gr. 10) AOSR’s Drawing and Painting 1 students showcased their work at the Tri-Mission Art Gallery of the American Embassy in Rome, from the 4th - 29th of May. This event included watercolors of Roman statues and pen and ink drawings inspired by Escher’s Metamorphosis designs. The late artist Maurits Cornelis Escher, usually referred to as M.C. Escher, was a Dutch graphic artist known for his often mathematically inspired art. Students are fascinated with “impossible” paradox Thomas Y. (Gr. 12) figures, a type of optical illusion. HS Art teachers Ms. Di Cesare and Ms. Bloem selected pieces of various mediums for Nicole P. (Gr. 10) the exhibit. Congratulations to all our student artists!

Martina B. (Gr. 10) World Languages Societies’ Tribute to Mr. Ullman Written by: Lavinia G. (Gr. 10) and Jacopo S. (Gr. 12) The goal that this years’ three honor societies- French, Italian and Spanish- set themselves at the beginning of the school year, was to help sustain the oncological department of the clinic of the Ospedale San Pietro where Mr. Ullman was hospitalized. The reason for such a donation was to commemorate one of our major reference points at AOSR who we lost in September. To start our mission we began organizing events. After our first bake sales we expected a profit of around 1000 Euros. However, after we set up various bake sales and organized our last big event at Mayfair, with great surprise and satisfaction, the three linguistic honor societies managed to raise 3000 Euros, much more than our projected goal. This result became mostly possible thanks to the motivation we had to help people, who were just like Mr. Ullman. Furthermore, within the school Mr. Ullman left us with one last fundamental teaching, namely the importance of keeping faith in ones’ proper commitment, to the end. After his last sitting for his biological and chemotherapy treatments, he could not bring himself to stay home and relax. Therefore, he decided to return to his laboratory and prepare his biology students for their future lives: a clear demonstration of extreme attachment. During the period of the treatment at the beginning of September, it struck all us students that Mr. Ullman did not voice the physical effects of his treatment, but instead underlined the great discomfort he had when sitting on uncomforatable chairs during the chemotherapy sessions. This is why we wanted to interpret what he would have done to improve the conditions for those who still need help in that hospital. It might seem like a simple action, but for us students and friends, it had an important meaning and hopefully impact. Thanks to you Jonas, these new chairs, and hopefully Mr. Ullman’’s mother, his brother Patrick Ullman and a new piped in music system, might make the niece Carolina at the unveiling of the plaque at AOSR excruciating hours at the oncology department less honoring his dedication and passion. The plaque is dramatic. In addition, it comforts us that the future displayed outside the Villa entrance to his classroom. beneficiaries will know who to thank when they read your name on the plaque that will be posted at the entrance of the room:

“Lo spirito, l’idea e l’amore non si possono distruggere. Possiamo cancellare i confini dentro i quali erano racchiusi. Ma essi rimarranno sempre con noi.” ~Albert Einstein

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.” ~Albert Einstein High School News

Aobakwe L. (Gr. 10)

Antonio S. (Gr. 10)

Gaia S. (Gr. 10)

A field trip through Rome surprises us at every corner, and also engages the students in a discussion of what they are observing. I believe the student grew into strong and succesful image creators. The real challenge is always to make the best out of the conditions and lighting that is available at the time of the photo shoot. Valentino Y. (Gr. 12)

OuXi Y. (Gr. 9) High School News Contributed by Ms. Bloem’s Photography Students

Emil J. (Gr. 12)

Rome is Home Nicole P. (Gr. 10) Photography 1 students went on two field trips this school year. On the first we visited the MACRO museum with the theme of portrait photography, afterwards students took pictures with the Villa Borghese as their backdrop. While on the second field trip we visited Ostiense and students learned about street art.

Gabriel S. (Gr. 10)

Aobakwe L. (Gr. 10)

Jee-Ho. Y. (Gr. 9)

Sabrina R. (Gr. 10) Summer Basketball Camp June 22-26, 2015

Join players of the AOSR Div. II European Basketball Championship team for one week of instruction, evaluation and FUN!

Register Today Online: www.aosr.org

Contact Information

Villa Reception and Staff Faculty & Coordinators Villa Secretary: Ms. Manuela Ciocca 06.33438.300 Pre-K Coordinator: Ms. Amy Magazzu 06.33438.330 Head of School: Dr. Beth Pfannl 06.33438.331 ES Coordinator: Ms. Susan Prideaux 06.33438.350 Secretary: Ms. Domenica Losani 06.33438.331 MS Coordinator: Ms. Sarah Ellyson 06.33438.336 Director of Finance & Human Resources: AP/IB Coordinator: Ms. Belinda Fiochi 06.33438.337 Dott.ssa Elisa Bruno 06.33438.338 College Counselor: Ms. Jessica Samet 06.33438.327 Admissions Officer: Ms. Sabine Neumann 06.33438.311 School Counselor: Dr. Simona Reichmann 06-33438-373 Busing: Mr. Kieran Canter 06.33438.372 Nurse: Ms. Lynn Lenox & Ms. Jan Miller 06.33438.321 Secondary School After School Activities Coordinator: Principal: Mr. Ken Kunin 06.33438.326 06.33438.350 (between 9:00-15:30) Secretary: Ms. Chiara Creason 06.33438.326 06.33438.320 (between 15:30-17:00) School Registrar: Ms. Anna Chiara Troisi 06.33438.326 Athletics: Mr. Daniel Zacaroli 06.33438.324 Elementary School Principal: Ms. Melissa Kay 06.33438.395 Secretary: Ms. Pamela Porreca 06.33438.395

American Overseas School of Rome 811 Via Cassia 00189 Rome, Italy http://www.aosr.org Phone: (+39) 06.33438.31 Fax: (+39) 06.3326.2608