We have explored the qualities of the friends we would like to have, and now let’s shift our focus to introspection.
This past week, we delved into understanding the kind of friends we are. The boys had the opportunity to hear some opinions from the friends of the ladies in Louis Yung 7, and now their challenge for this week is to seek feedback from their own friends.
We kicked off 2024 at our Boarding Community, with a weekend filled with activities. Despite the remaining snow, we all managed to do something fun and retake our habits once again.
Bryan kept practicing tennis at a high level and Shaokun went for a second time to learn better how to play. Nikita kept going with Horse Riding. Finally, Adam and Kristian went to Laser tag, one of the most popular activities throughout the year and they enjoyed it very much.
This week, we kick off our third pillar led by Ms. Yewande and her wonderful team of Advocates, all the girls from Louis Yung 7. For the first stage, we are identifying the characteristics that you look for in a friend. The boys provided quick words in response; please see the poster below.
Last Wednesday, some of the students and all our boys went to visit the “Château de Coppet,” a wonderful architectural piece just 20 minutes away.
A little bit of history:
The Château of Coppet was founded around 1280 by Humbert IV of Thoire and Villars. Of the medieval fortress, only the south wing of the current classical building remains. The château was stormed and burned by the Bernese in 1536, during the conquest of the Pays de Vaud.
In 1657, the château was acquired by Frederick, Burgrave of Dohna. He and his son Alexander remodelled the château into a classic U-shaped structure. Except for a few later additions, we owe the château’s current appearance to the Genevan banker Jean-Jacques Hogguer. The park was, at the time, a garden in the French style.
Acquired in 1784 as a summer residence by Jacques Necker, a Genevan banker and former minister to Louis XVI, King of France, the château was subsequently completely restored by Necker, who spent the last years of his life there with his wife Suzanne, born Suzanne Curchod. They are buried together in the family mausoleum built in 1793-1794.
Later, major improvements were carried out by Necker’s grandson, Auguste de Staël, who transformed the French garden into an English-style park and created a remarkable Return from Egypt Empire-style library in 1819. His grand-niece, Mathilde d’Haussonville, built a Gothic Revival-style chapel within the château in 1880.
Since Necker, the château has remained in the same family. Necker’s daughter Germaine de Staël inherited it in 1804. She bequeathed the château to her son Auguste, who died prematurely in 1827. His widow, Adelaide de Staël, born Adeleide Vernet, lived there for nearly 50 years. She bequeathed the château to her niece Louise de Broglie, the Countess Haussonville, who was also the granddaughter of Madame de Staël.
Since then, the Haussonville family still owns and lives in the château, ensuring its conservation while keeping alive the memory of this special place for current and future generations.
All the groups were taken through the rooms of the castle, knowing a little bit of what happened there.
Today, our vibrant Boarding community gathered for one of the most highly anticipated events of the year—the first leg of awards. This special occasion served as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate outstanding achievements in Boarding Life, Activities Participation, and Academics.
A heartfelt congratulations goes out to Adam and Kristian, whose exceptional efforts and commitment earned them well-deserved medals in the first two categories—Boarding Life and Activities Participation. Their dedication and positive contributions to the community have truly set them apart.
The entire Boarding community takes pride in recognizing and applauding the achievements of these remarkable individuals. This recognition not only highlights their current successes but also sets the stage for continued excellence in the future. Keep up the fantastic work, Adam and Kristian! Your achievements are a source of inspiration for us all.
This week, our wellbeing meeting was moved to the weekend due to our wonderful concert featuring students.
This time, we focused on understanding people with disabilities, illustrating the challenges faced by kids or teenagers with disabilities. We discussed the need for help, assistance, or additional time. Additionally, we explored the topic of babies born with disabilities.
Some of the boys were touched by the discussion and shared insightful thoughts. Being empathetic is key here.
With this session, we conclude our Pillar 2, and we can already sense the holidays approaching.
Last weekend, even though it was cold, the boys managed to do some activities, Horse Riding and Tennis were the favourites.
We leave some snaps here and well done Kristian who woke up early to play Tennis for the first time in the year.
first time on the year.
Kristian, we wish you a happy birthday.
This weekend, the Concha Annexe’s boys did a few activities. Adam went to try Tennis with Bryan, Kristian continued his Climbing process and Nick went to Andilly Park.
Some snaps for you.
