AISG is pleased to announce the return of our Speaker Series! Our Speaker Series invites speakers from all over the world to AISG to share their captivating stories and inspire, enlighten, and transform learning for our students and when possible, our AISG community. The Speaker Series started three years ago in 2018 and since then, 12 different speakers have presented all sorts of workshops, such as writing, music, tai chi, drama, climate change, and capoeira. Workshops are targeted towards specific age groups and interests and allow students to learn beyond what is taught in the classroom.

The Speaker Series Program is entirely funded by AISG’s Annual Fund, a year-round school-led fundraising effort where donations are received by the AISG community. AISG's Annual Fund celebrates the Chinese New Year with its annual Hong Bao Campaign, which is its largest fundraiser. Hong Bao means 'red envelope' and it is a tradition to place a donation in the envelope and gift this to friends and family. The AISG Annual Fund embraces this tradition as a fundraising campaign, but also celebrates 'giving' in other ways, such as showcasing our student artwork that is used to design the Hong Bao envelopes, and having our community participate in our tradition of writing their new year wishes on the Hong Bao envelope and hanging them on the peach blossom tree.  The AISG Annual Fund and its Hong Bao Campaign truly exemplify our strength as a connected community.

We are very excited to announce our four upcoming speakers during the current school year with some of the speakers hosting parent-only workshops. We are confident that our AISG community will truly benefit from these visits: 

 

Considered a postmodern collage artist, Huang Feng Rong has developed his own unique twist of bringing together music, art and dance in an innovative way to create unique masterpieces. He has journeyed around the world with his unique artistic style with some of his works are exhibited in several European art museums.  Huang Feng Rong will present his art to students in order to enhance their sense of space art and enlightenment.

 

An author and illustrator of four award-winning science-history books for kids, an illustrator of more than 20 children books, a former illustrator for NASA and National Geographic and a long history of teaching illustration and the IB class, Theory of Knowledge, in many schools around the world, Bryn Barnard shares his expertise on the creative process that goes behind an illustration.

 

A certified Lead Trainer in Positive Discipline, Susie Zhang has 12 years of experience working with schools to implement SEL/Positive Discipline school wide. Susie will host parent workshops to discuss the long-term goal of family education, and reveal what Social Emotional Learning is, as well as its importance. 

 

A communications consultant and author who works with educators and others in schools on new teacher and employee support, being generationally savvy, effective collaboration skills and having hard conversations, Jennifer Abrams will talk to our Secondary School Students about how to advocate for themselves and a special session for parents on how to have effective conversations with the school. 

 

Made possible through the donations to our AISG Annual Fund, we are excited to bring these extraordinary speakers and look forward to the many more who will come to touch the minds and hearts of the members of the AISG Community.

Click here to read more about our Speaker Series and the details of these visits.