The TASIS Blog
Stories from the TASIS Community
Coach Amy Bloodworth and the inspiring all-female team of Mariaurora Rosso ’24, Maddy Costa Felix ’26, Serafina Ballerini ’26, Olivia Canga ’26, and Diana Xiao ’26 were one of just 108 teams in the world to compete at the 2022 FIRST Championship World Festival in Houston, Texas, over the course of April 20–23. Watch them discuss this journey of a lifetime.
Over the course of the two-week spring holiday in April, 20 TASIS students and six faculty chaperones worked closely with OurLand, a wildlife reserve and education center located at the southern tip of the Western Forest Complex and Salakphra Wildlife Sanctuary. They visited three types of wildlife sanctuaries to learn about ethical elephant tourism, talked to those on the front lines of human-elephant conflict, and helped out locals when and where they could. Read student and faculty reflections from this transformative journey and watch a terrific short video.
Our 48th annual Spring Arts Festival will start with a Drum Studio Recital on Friday, May 6, and conclude with the final performance of the Elementary School Musical, The Jungle Book, on Thursday, May 26. See the full schedule of events and reserve seats for the Elementary and Middle School musicals.
As part of their ongoing efforts to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of university admissions, TASIS College Counselors Conor Fritz and Kirk Mitchell recently visited universities in London, Cambridge, and Paris. They are pleased to share their findings with the TASIS community.
From the end of winter sports and the start of spring athletics to the conclusion of ski trips north and the beginning of adventure trips south, we take a photo-driven look at the past month at TASIS.
Mariaurora Rosso ’24, a member of the all-female TASIS robotics team that will represent Switzerland at the FIRST LEGO League CARGO CONNECT World Festival in the United States in April, offers her perspective on the team’s accomplishments and discusses why she and her teammates are drawn to the cutting-edge field of robotics.
The 2022 Beat the Bells Run will take place on Sunday, May 1, and will include a virtual component for members of the TASIS community who would like to participate from anywhere in the world.
The 2021–2022 winter athletics season featured dominant play from the Varsity Badminton team and a refreshing return to something resembling normalcy for all student athletes at TASIS. Learn about the season, hear from the coaches, and see who won the Most Valuable Player Award, Most Improved Player Award, and Coaches’ Award for the badminton, basketball, and swimming teams.
Congratulations to Director Julie Frazier-Smith, Music Director Eugene Villanueva, and the incredible cast and crew for their wonderful performances of this adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical written by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine.
The TASIS alumnus, a partner at the growth strategy consulting firm Innosight, delivered a keynote address in the Palmer Center on the evening of March 7, marking the third installment of the 2021–2022 TASIS Speaker Series. Mr. Sirén, who previously served as CEO of the biotech company Bioneris and as an across-industries consultant for the renowned Boston Consulting Group, also spent two days visiting with High School students in biology and economics classes.
Ella Budenbender ’23, who just started at TASIS in January, shares her impressions of the International Week Food Fair and discusses how important it is for students to recognize and value the cultural diversity present at TASIS.
More than 200 TASIS High School students spent the long weekend of February 23–26 in Engelberg, where they enjoyed skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, sledding, and other winter activities. The capstone of the week was the Fleming Cup race, a beloved TASIS tradition that was revived last year after a lengthy hiatus.
Into the Woods JR. Director Julie Frazier-Smith and Music Director Eugene Villanueva took the show’s cast to Brescia, Italy, for a theater retreat over the weekend of February 18–20. Ms. Frazier-Smith recapped the experience.
From Academic Travel and winter sports action to International Week and Carnevale, we take a photo-driven look at the past month at TASIS.
This month we celebrate our alumni who are achieving great things in academics, sustainability, and even comedy! We also mourn the loss of treasured teacher, friend, and colleague Horst Dürrschmidt, who lived an exceptional life and inspired so many. We hope you enjoy this edition of TASIS Alumni Notes.
With 60 nations represented in the study body, TASIS had much to celebrate during this year’s International Week, which was held February 14–18. See photos and video content from an inspiring week on campus.
Ella Budenbender '23 interviewed Physical Education Department Chair and Director of Residential Life Mr. Tom Lill, who has been associated with TASIS since 2010 and has juggled these two important roles since 2019.
Chongyi Feng '23 interviewed Athletic Director Mr. Masa Yo ’04, whose long association with TASIS included stints as a student, Summer Program administrator, teacher, coach, dorm head, and duty administrator before he took charge of athletics in 2019.
Alex Gabriel ’23 reflects on how her feelings about the TASIS campus have evolved over the course of her first year at the School.
Mariaurora Rosso ’24, who is seeking to develop her artistic perspective within storytelling, created a graphic feature about her favorite place on the TASIS campus: the M. Crist Fleming Library.
TASIS was honored to welcome CNN congressional reporter Daniella Diaz to campus on February 7–8, marking the second installment of the 2021–2022 TASIS Speaker Series.
Led by Coach Amy Bloodworth, nine TASIS students performed admirably at the Cantonal Institute of Economics and Commerce in Bellinzona on February 5, marking a big step forward for the School’s Robotics Program.
From the return of students and the continuation of classes to theater rehearsal and Academic Travel, we take a photo-driven look at the past month at TASIS.
After a 19-month pause due to the pandemic, season 33 of the popular American adventure reality game show resumed in St. Gallen, Switzerland, with contestants eventually making their way down to Ticino.
As we enjoy the holiday season and hope for the best in the new year, we take a moment to look back at some of the many highlights from the past 12 months at TASIS.
Students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through five performed beautifully at the annual Elementary School Christmas Concert in the Palestra on the afternoon of December 17. Watch the full concert, see photos, and learn who was involved in this year’s performance.
Eight Khan-Page Master Teacher Award recipients answered this question at a dinner hosted by Headmaster Christopher Nikoloff and Chairman of the Board Lynn Fleming Aeschliman in Casa Fleming on the evening of December 3. See their responses.
TASIS Foundation Board member and distinguished educator, literary critic, and scholar Dr. Michael D. Aeschliman explains why he recently chose to hand-deliver an 1896 edition of Washington Irving’s The Alhambra (1832) to the TASIS Portugal Library.
This year's beautiful Christmas Service was held in the Palestra on the afternoon of December 3 and featured musical performances and readings from students in all three divisions. Watch the full service, see a gallery of photographs, and learn who contributed to the annual community-building event.
From Academic Travel across Europe and experiential learning on campus to first-rate performing arts shows and impressive athletic achievements, we take a photo-driven look at the past month at TASIS.
Dancers from the TASIS High School, Middle School, Elementary School, and Faculty performed in front of a packed house in the Palmer Cultural Center on the evening of November 23. Watch the outstanding concert.
High School Theater students and faculty members delivered two wonderful performances of Shakespeare’s classic comedy of romance, madness, and mistaken identity on the evenings of November 19–20 in the Palmer Cultural Center. Enjoy their excellent work.
A record number of alumni and friends attended this reunion in New York on November 19 and rekindled a bond as if no time had passed at all.
Chairman of the TASIS Board of Directors Lynn Fleming Aeschliman was delighted to announce on November 19 that the two highly accomplished professionals will join the Board immediately.
Wexler Brodie ’24 interviewed College Counselor Conor Fritz, who was the Associate Dean of Admission at Claremont McKenna College prior to coming to TASIS in the fall of 2021, to learn what lessons he can share with students as they approach the college admissions process.
High School students trekked to a remote Alpine hut, abseiled from a bridge, scaled a climbing wall, and more over the course of five days in Baad, Austria, in early November. Watch a video to see how the annual Outward Bound trip helps TASIS students find their growth zone.
Middle School students challenged themselves on hikes, high-ropes courses, and bridge swings; learned how to build igloos and snowshoes; and dined on traditional Swiss cuisine and chocolate over the course of five days in Gstaad in early November. See video highlights from the amazing trip.
As part of an initiative to expose TASIS students to more leadership training, Headmaster Christopher Nikoloff met with High School Student Council representatives on the evening of November 10 and delivered a module entitled "Leadership as Service."
Susanna Campbell ’23 traveled to Florence with her fellow IB History 1 students, who have examined the causes, events, and consequences of both World Wars this fall and relished the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the walls of the classroom.
Alex Gabriel ’23 wrote an excellent recap of the AP/IB Art History trip to Munich, where students had the opportunity to see some of history’s most celebrated pieces of art.
Jane Wilson ’22, who has been traveling with TASIS since grade five, provides a pictorial account of the IB Biology II HL trip to Zurich over the long weekend of November 3–6.
Honors World Literature students spent five days in Florence furthering their studies of the illustrious Italian poet Dante Alighieri. Mariaurora Rosso ’24 chronicled the action.
From Founder’s Day celebrations and fall festivities to Swiss athletic championships and Ticinese field trips, we take a photo-driven look at the past month at TASIS.
Alex Gabriel '23 interviewed AP Calculus and AP Computer Science Teacher Mr. Isaac Carey, who has worked hard to grow the School’s Computer Science Program since starting at TASIS in 2019.
Susanna Campbell ’23 interviewed High School Biology Teacher Gillian Sawyer-Price, who completeda Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow and taught pharmacology and anesthesiology at several European and American universities before coming to TASIS in 2011.
Wexler Brodie ’24 interviewed High School Science Department Chair Alec Ogilvie, who teaches IB Chemistry Higher Level and Standard Level and has seen the Science Program grow tremendously since he started at TASIS in 2008.
Elizaveta Semasheva ’22 interviewed Mr. James Shields, who has served as the High School Math Department Chair for more than 20 years and believes that students shouldn’t be overly reliant on technology as they build a solid foundation in mathematics.
Jane Wilson ’22 interviewed Elementary School Science Teacher Laurent Carsana, who cultivates a love for science in his young students by empowering them, encouraging them to slow down and think deeply about what they’re doing, and building a learning environment defined by honesty and trust.
Olivia De Souza Carneiro ’24 interviewed High School Math Teacher Deborah Tompkins, who started at TASIS in 2018 and currently teaches IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Standard Level and Honors Precalculus.
Mariaurora Rosso ’22 interviewed Anthony Panontin, who started at TASIS in 2019 and currently teaches IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Higher Level and IB Theory of Knowledge to both juniors and seniors.