Tara Westover had never stepped foot in a desk-and-chair classroom until she turned 17. Neither had she received her birth certificate until she turned nine. When other sick children are rushed by their parents to the hospital, Tara had never been sent to a government institution, not for broken arms or tuberculosis. When most kids her age wake up in the mornings to an eight-hour day at school, Tara spends her days in the junkyard, gathering scraps and metals and operating dangerous machines for her father. There are many famous groups of religious fundamentalists in the world, who isolate themselves … Continue reading The Sacrifices You Make to Become “Educated”

A student standing outside the recording room nervously taps her finger and hums the melody of Roman Carnival Overture. Inside the room, a student plays a similar tune. When the music inside subsides, she gathers her instrument—the cello—and gets ready. “Wish me luck!” she says, and enters.  Getting in AMIS—the Association for Music in International Schools—is the highest honor a high school music student can achieve. The association gathers passionate students across Europe and Asia who excel in a particular musical instrument to play together as one group. Students in SAS PD have been active participants in AMIS for the … Continue reading A Melodious and Intense Selection: AMIS Selection Process