How long has your family been part of the Singapore American School community?
We were living in London in 2009 when my husband's job brought us to Singapore. This is our seventh school year at SAS. Tanvi is in tenth grade and Neel is in sixth grade this year.
Why did you choose SAS for your children?
The kids and I stayed in London to finish out the school year, while my husband looked at the international schools and made the decision for our family. He made a great choice on his own! He loved the facilities at SAS and the warm and welcoming community, which he picked up on during the admission process. Those two ideas extend to today: the facilities continue to improve and as we have become more rooted in the culture of the school, we have found it to be even more open. I appreciate having regular, open communication with my children's teachers, which isn't always typical in other schools.
What excites you about the education at SAS?
For my daughter, she found her passion for learning in the rainforest in 7th grade with Mrs. Rabdau-Fox. Through Tanvi's work with Project Noah, a learning tool to explore and document wildlife, she developed a love for biodiversity but also for photography. Tanvi has been very lucky at SAS to have exceptional mentors and teachers and to find academic opportunities that motivate her. The teachers at SAS are exceptional. Both Tanvi and Neel have been fortunate to have fantastic teachers who know our children, treat them as individuals and see their potential. The teachers' belief in our children has helped their confidence grow and encouraged them to try new things.
Why do you support the SAS Foundation?
Our family was inspired to support the SAS Foundation because we took the time to understand the needs and the impact of our gift. We learned that every child at SAS benefits from the foundation's support for support services, professional development for faculty, academic and experiential learning, service learning and many other uses. Over the years and even before we were involved, Tanvi and Neel have been direct recipients of philanthropy at SAS through their participation in TedX, Quiz Club, National History Day, service council, and service learning programs. Someone paid it forward for my children, so we want to do the same. Last year, we directed our gift to the rainforest project because it has been so influential in Tanvi's learning and we want it to be restored and updated for Neel and for all the students who will be learning there in the years to come.
Why do you think it is important for the community to support SAS?
In the Indian culture, we often give to help the impoverished. Our giving has always been for causes like education for those who cannot afford it, disaster relief, wildlife and such. It took us a few years to educate ourselves and to understand how our gifts make a difference at SAS. Our family has created a portfolio of philanthropy so we are still supporting organizations in India but we also want to help in our own community. Our gift to SAS doesn't just help our children but all children learning at SAS today and in the future. We know our gift provides for a margin of excellence to provide more than tuition alone.
Through the organizations we support in India, we visit them regularly and understand the needs. We are stakeholders and we feel connected with those organizations. Similarly, through our gifts to SAS, we are more invested in the school. As donors, we feel a stronger sense of connection to this fantastic institution.
I would encourage other families to take the time to learn about SAS Foundation. Invest in what you love and value (and see the returns some tangible and some not so.) We love and value SAS
from Singapore American School http://ift.tt/2pJySXI
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