Meet Class of 2022 Graduate: Angie R

Holistic Development

In Angie’s younger years, school consisted only of academics. She praises the benefits of Dulwich’s intentional holistic programme. Angie flourished in the holistic education here which allowed her opportunities to discover and pursue her interests and passions.

Angie reflects, “The integration of academics and activities in Dulwich has widened my horizon and has helped me to find myself. This type of education allows students to venture into exploring their personal interests as well, which offers a balance between school and hobbies.”

Among other activities, she volunteered to pack food for underserved people in the Shanghai community through a service event sponsored by Heinz. “Dulwich provided me with opportunities to not only better myself but also the community I was in.”

After partaking in activities to help the local community, Angie expanded her focus for impact to the global scene, becoming a Creative Hub leader in the Race for Good, which benefitted villagers in Nepal.

“My team members and I collaborated and designed a business plan for an ongoing project,” she shares. “We were later sent photographs of the villagers with the tools and equipment they received from the project. To know that my actions have made a positive difference in their lives was an unexplainably fulfilling feeling.”

Finding Her Voice

Over the past three years, Angie developed her skills in various forms of communication and self-expression.

Angie ultimately realised her dream of becoming a Student Voice Prefect where she benefitted from working alongside other Prefects for various projects and events.

“I am especially proud that I was selected for the role. It reinforced my devotion to being a medium of expression for the student body of Dulwich. I learned valuable lessons in effective communication and teamwork. Undoubtedly, the prefecture uplifted my confidence in both being a leader and also a team member.”

Angie further pursued her passion for self-expression by successfully publishing a poem titled “Elegy” in the Dulwich student literary magazine “Abridged.” She dedicated the poem to her great-grandparents. “I was overjoyed to see my writing published in an official book!” she says.

Outside the classroom, Angie applied her passion for communication in a business context. She entered a blog writing competition co-sponsored by the Financial Times and the World Bank Group. The blog prompt focused on prevailing global issues, including poverty.

“Writing about real-world issues raised my self-awareness of my privileges and fueled my commitment to helping less fortunate individuals and communities,” she shares.

Valuable Guidance

Angie genuinely praises all of her teachers at Dulwich, noting, “They all gave me amazing and helpful guidance which has contributed to my success as a student. I truly had a fantastic experience getting to know my teachers throughout my school life.”

She gained a sense of responsibility and personally matured through the rigorous IB Diploma Programme. “My limits were pushed, which made me realise that my capabilities were far beyond what I had imagined.”

She further highlights, “IB has been a rewarding experience because I came out of it not only a better student but a better individual who is equipped for the world ahead. For IB students reading this—once you graduate, you will look back at your journey and be filled with incredible pride.”

Angie applied her passion for communication in the study of Mandarin. Her growth in learning Mandarin earned her the recognition “Mandarin ab initio” in Year 13.

She was pleasantly surprised to receive the award, saying, “I put a lot of effort and time into learning Mandarin which was a foreign language to me. It felt rewarding to know that my teacher, Ms Yang, could see my progress.”

Aside from Ms Yang, many other Dulwich teachers had a great impact on her including Ms. Thornton, Ms. Rhodes, Ms. Mandy, Ms. Morris, Mrs. Charnley, Mr. Gilmour, Mr. Carter, Mr. Hutchison, Ms. Sonali, Ms. Wert, Mr. Hey, Mrs. Neefs, Mr. Reich and Ms. Ju.

Angie notes Ms Evans in particular. “Through the two years of IB, Ms. Evans broke the cage of the limits that I set for myself due to my somewhat negative previous experiences for the subject of Mathematics. I am forever grateful for her encouragement and tolerance to my unfaltering continuum of inquiries. Due to her efforts, my mindset towards the subject has shifted.

Angie also credits her university counsellor Mr Devlin to helping her navigate the often daunting process and helping her consider her possibilities. “Mr Devlin truly opened my eyes to the possible paths I could take with my interests. I enjoyed every single session with him.”

She sums up, “During the IB, I learned that the limits we create for ourselves are often what we are bounded to. Once I released my self-doubts, I encountered new opportunities which showed me what I was truly capable of becoming.”

A Future in Marketing

Angie is now poised to embrace university life and plans to pursue Management and Marketing. She is excited to embark on her educational journey beyond Dulwich.

“The school has given me the tools to learn numerous core values, which I will bring with me to contribute to making a positive difference in the world,” she shares.

She is looking forward to independence and new experiences at university. “I am most looking forward to meeting new people from a vast array of cultures and backgrounds. And of course, I am also looking forward to learning a subject I am passionate about.”

Congratulations Angie! We know that you will use your voice and talents to improve communities around the world.