Five lucky students from OWIS spoke to the one and only Michelle Obama and learned some pretty important life lessons. Here’s the full lowdown…
Meeting someone you admire can be quite nerve-wracking, especially if it’s someone as inspiring as Michelle Obama. The former First Lady recently visited Singapore as part of her bestselling book tour and, in true OWIS cool-school fashion, five lucky students had the opportunity to attend “An Evening with Michelle Obama” and meet her in person – just one example of the many creative (and awesome) opportunities the school offers its students. Here’s what went down…
Spending an evening with Michelle Obama
“We knew it was an unimaginable privilege to meet Michelle Obama, but none of us understood the full force of her inspiration before the experience hit us,” says Luna Deller, senior coordinator at OWIS. “To each of the five OWIS students who greeted her, she was supportive and gave them individual and meaningful advice. The young people were in awe and were completely speechless as they walked towards their seats, ready to listen to her talk.” Afterwards, the students were asked to reflect on their experiences and how it changed their perspectives on everything from how they deal with self-confidence issues to procrastination.
“At the end of the event, I walked out of the venue with my perspective on life slightly altered. It even opened up more opportunities for me, causing a domino effect, partially contributing to me being invited by a Singapore MP to participate in his workshop. I find that now, when I have to do something I don’t want to do such as chores or homework, I tend to just do it to get it out of the way instead of procrastinating. This great opportunity that One World International School provided me as a student has inspired me a lot, and made me reflect on my day-to-day behaviour and actions.” – Ajani De Roock, Grade 9
“As we spoke, I asked Mrs Obama: ‘What advice would you give to younger girls who struggle with their self-confidence on a daily basis?’ She quickly replied: ‘You should constantly put yourself in challenging situations. Never say no even if people around you are always telling you to give up. Use their doubts and motivation to do better.’ She hugged me and told me to keep working hard. The entire experience felt completely surreal (in a good way).
During Mrs Obama’s talk, she addressed various topics such as miscarriages, her childhood and self-doubt. Another topic she spoke about was her self-confidence. When asked about her confidence, she brought up the question I asked her backstage, which made me feel absolutely ecstatic, as she had remembered me. She repeated the same advice she gave me and reminded the audience, ‘When they go low, we go high.’ Meeting Michelle Obama and hearing her speak are moments in my life I will always treasure.” – Sarah Pegg, Grade 10
What makes OWIS different
This innovative school always thinks outside the box when it comes to giving its students meaningful experiences. Perhaps it’s inspired by their inquiry-led approach to learning, which is also reflected in the curricula that they offer. OWIS offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) in Early Childhood up to Grade 5, the Cambridge IGCSE from Grades 6-10 and the IBDP (IB Diploma Programme) for Grades 11-12.
It’s also home to a diverse community of students and teachers (70 nationalities on campus, people!), which helps promote an understanding of different perspectives, cultures and global awareness – one of the most important messages Obama conveyed in her talk. By breaking down barriers of race, background and gender, everyone is given a voice and the opportunity to have their stories heard. Pretty refreshing stuff, we think!
To learn more about OWIS’s innovative programmes, book a school tour and speak to one of its friendly admissions officers today!
This article is in partnership with OWIS.
