TAISM students celebrate the graduating class of 2019

Muscat: On May 23, forty-eight Grade 12 high school students from The American International School of Muscat (TAISM), representing 22 nations, graduated in the presence of Ambassador Marc J Sievers, US Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman. More than 500 parents, faculty, and students attended the event which was held in the school’s Bosch Center for the Performing Arts.
The 48 graduates have been accepted and plan to enroll in universities around the world including the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, the GCC and Oman.
Fawzi Mushantaf, Chairperson of TAISM’s Board of Directors, and Kevin Schafer, TAISM Director, awarded the diplomas to the graduates. The students were lauded for their outstanding achievements and their representation of the school in Oman and in their home communities. The Class of 2019 represents the 19th class to graduate from TAISM, which has been providing educational services to the American and international communities in the Sultanate of Oman since 1998. The school currently enrolls 730 students from Early Childhood through Grade 12, representing 59 nationalities.
Richard Petersen, High School Principal, presented two special awards to the graduates. The award for Academic Excellence was given to seniors Janan Behjoo, Elisa Camero, Julio Castiblanco Guzman, Raj Hamlai, YuJin Jin, Mark Kluknavsky, Austin Macfadyen, Casper Pauw, Gwyneth Pearson, and Rafa Saa Rodriguez who ended their academic record with Highest Honors (GPA greater than 4.0).
The Outstanding Senior Award, selected by the High School faculty, was given to a student who best embodies the mission of the school. This year the award went to Rafaella Saa Rodriguez. Julio Castiblanco Guzman was selected to present the Graduation Address. Janan Behjoo was selected by the faculty to be the Master of Ceremony for the event.
The TAISM Concert Band, under the leadership of Band Director Tim Willson, performed the prelude and processional music, including Edward Elgar’s popular “Pomp and Circumstance.” In honour of the graduating seniors, the TAISM High School Choir, directed by Mrs. Melanie Brink, performed the school’s choral anthem, “Like an Eagle.”
Earlier that day, TAISM held an Awards Ceremony to recognise the High School students who were named as the most outstanding in the following areas for the 2018-19 school year:
Arabic as a Foreign Language: Laith Al Abri (Grade 11), Art: Sama Al Sulaimi (Grade 9) and Varvara Smirnova (Grade 12), Choral Music: Raj Hamlai (Grade 12) and Julio Castiblanco Guzman (Grade 12), Drama: Reem Al Yafaey (Grade 12) and Hamda Qaiser (Grade 12), English: Carrieann Jilan (Grade 12), French: Rania Mullen (Grade 9), Instrumental Music: YuJin Jin (Grade 12), Mathematics: Keaghan McWilliams (Grade 12), Physical Education: Ewan Cosker (Grade 12) and Julia Little (Grade 11), Life Science: Dori Pethes (Grade 10), Physical Science: Shreya Sharma (Grade 11), Social Studies: Mark Kluknavsky (Grade 12) and Ewan Cosker (Grade 12), Spanish: Nathan Allison (Grade 11), Technical Theater: Eric Varoli (Grade 11) and Hamda Qaiser (Grade 12), Technology: Nathan Allison (Grade 11), Yearbook: Eliza Richard (Grade 12), Community Service Leadership Award: YuJin Jin (Grade 12) and Amani Al Zawawi (Grade 10), Outstanding Student Athletes: Ewan Cosker (Grade 12), Trent Balestri (Grade 12), Debbie Esho (Grade 12)
Principal’s Award for contributions to the school: Sharon Effioing (Grade 12).