We heard that Australian International School’s graduates are making waves around the world in different ways. Read how the school community and offering has helped three of its alumni thrive in their chosen paths.
At HoneyKids, we’re always happy to hear success stories shared by school graduates. It’s heartening to hear how youths are applying the skills they learned at school and thriving in the real world. It also reminds us that the seeds of success are often first sowed in the classrooms.
Australian International School (AIS) recently shared three inspiring stories of its past students, including what they’re doing now and how their experience at AIS played a role in shaping their success today.
Rachael De Foe: “AIS gave me courage to think differently and act fearlessly”
It takes real guts to quit a stable nine-to-five job to start your own company. That’s exactly what Rachael De Foe did, and this leap of faith proved worthwhile as it landed her in the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. Reflecting on her time at AIS, the class of 2011 alumni said, “My education in the Australian system, combined with my formative years at the school, has shaped the cross-cultural perspective I carry with me today.” True enough, this gave Rachael an edge in her role as the founder of Redefy, a public relations and communications company that helps startups tell meaningful stories.
Joshua Chang: “A handwritten note from a teacher 12 years ago made a huge difference to me till this day”
Watching Joshua Chang speak at business events, you wouldn’t believe that he started his AIS journey with very little English skills. A confident speaker and founder of a business platform, Joshua credits his AIS teacher, Miss Morris, for encouraging him to go beyond. “Miss Morris saw the potential in me and said, “You can be so much more than what you imagine of yourself today.” She also presented me with a handwritten ‘Transformed 180° Award’ certificate, and that made such a huge difference to me. 12 years later, I’m still trying to live up to the version of me that she already saw in the lost Year 9 boy that I once was,” Joshua reminisced.
Amelia: “Teachers empower us”
A recent graduate from the prestigious Stanford University, Amelia recalls how her experience at AIS made her feel seen, supported, and encouraged. The class of 2017 graduate said, “There’s no greater lesson than feeling empowered by your teachers.” Indeed, this warmth and openness is something unique to AIS, embodying what the school affectionately calls “the Aussie feel”.
A school that also acts as a launchpad to the world
Rachael, Joshua, and Amelia are just some of the remarkable AIS graduates who are making waves around the world, with the school as their ‘launchpad’. The school continues to equip its students with traits like curiosity, courage, and compassion through its offerings: be it academic or extracurricular, and even service learning.
We look forward to hearing more success stories from AIS’ students in the near future.
This post is in partnership with Australian International School.
