ISF at 20 Years: Jam-Packed and Overflowing!
Nov 24, 2023
On Saturday, November 18, under stunning blue skies and a gentle autumnal breeze, we gathered in our thousands at ISF for our 20th birthday. In a memorable return to the scale and spirit of Jams in the past, we danced and dined, gamed and gamboled, sang and strummed through more than five exciting, exhausting hours. It is so fitting that at this point in our history – the celebration of 20 years of learning – the ISF Jam came back with a shout and a roar this year!
With so many events taking place around the Kong Sin Wan campus at the same time, it was difficult for individual to experience the entirety of the Jam. However, among the many events, games, activities, and performances staged to celebrate our 20th anniversary milestone, some stood out for their importance and solemnity. The centerpiece for the day was the formal ceremony hosted in the auditorium. Attended by founders, governors, principals, teachers, parents, guests, students and alumni, the ceremony opened with a highly skilled and spirited Wushu performance, the largest ever staged by the ISF Wushu team. For those in attendance, the Wushu performance was a highly moving embodiment of ISF spirit: strength and elegance, poise and power, balance and collaboration, all brimming with experience and excellence! Other elements in this remarkable event included two combined ISF Academy and ISF Pre-School choirs who led the full-house in an energetic rendition of the National Anthem and the ISF School Song and a dramatic Dragon Dance, complete with a formal ‘eye-dotting’ ceremony! Our student ‘masters of ceremony’ led us with confidence and polish. Students also contributed through skillful musical performances and a dramatized recitation of bilingual poetry written specifically for the celebration. An organ recessional, played by an ISF student ‘organ scholar’, concluded the ceremony.
Our two featured speakers, founding governor and current Chair of the Academy’s School Management Committee, Ms. Frances Wong, and founding parent and current Chairman of the Foundation Board of Governors, Mr. John Yan, delivered inspiring reflections on our humble origins, rapid development, and our unrelenting pursuit of excellence over two decades at ISF. Ms. Wong noted the evolution of a multi-faceted culture and community of learning and research excellence that has resulted in the publication of hundreds of academic papers and posters on fields as diverse as classics and molecular biology. Mr. Yan reflected on the pioneering spirit of those parents who chose ISF in the early years on the promise of an inspiring vision of the future.
At 20 years, I believe ISF has now reached an age of maturity, fortified by years of experience and a strong track record of excellence. As we reflect back on our first two decades, using a physiological metaphor, it is clear that we have adopted the spiritual DNA of our founding vision to nourish the growth of bone and sinew, muscles and nerves, to develop the vibrant health of our school today. The ‘brains’ of our school – the many keen and insightful intellects that guide and shape our learning – have grown in number and quality over the years. The ‘heart’ and ‘soul’ of ISF was abundantly evident in the spirited celebration of our birthday at Jam 2023.
This remarkable journey of institutional and personal growth and accomplishment has only been possible through the combined contributions of so many over the years. My sincere thanks goes out to all who have taught a lesson, signed a cheque, enrolled a child, baked a cake, sung a song, read a story, led a meeting, supervised an activity, shared an idea, or just showed up when it counted – it is your achievements that we are celebrating this year!
The images accompanying this short reflect on Jam 2023, offer compelling evidence of the sentiments shared above. We should take pride in this milestone – it is hard-earned and well-deserved – and look forward to the next 20 years with confidence and anticipation. The best is yet to come!
Dr. Malcolm Pritchard
Head of School
