An SGS senior has used the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to explore a topic of particular interest to him -- vegetarian weight lifting!

EE Highlight: For his Extended Essay, senior Nico Morales wanted to test how a vegetarian diet affects his recovery time in an area of sports.  His research question is: Will a vegetarian diet improve recovery time during a weight lifting program?  In the time of COVID-19, he was able to find a subject matter that interested him and occupied his summer when he was missing summer basketball.  We can’t wait to read about his findings.  Remember the EEs live in our school library for our full diploma students from 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.  Please talk to Sara Smith or Elizabeth Tender if you want to read any of them.

CAS Project Highlight: Junior Alyssa Zhao is helping Qingqing Ji teach classes for her CAS project.  She is just starting this.  She says she "will create several lectures and activities for the SGS IB Chinese learners.  The purpose is to help them have a better understanding for Chinese and provide some useful tools, materials and additional help.”  When asked what new skills or skill levels she hopes to develop, she responded with "Public speaking, leadership, and event organizing ability."

CAS Experience Highlights: CAS experiences for all of our Upper School students (in the US and in China) this week included making “SGS obituaries and impact plans” (where students think about the things they have done and the things that they would like to do in their remaining time at SGS), having a weekly yoga meeting for mental health, participating on the Blood Drive Committee, annotating classical Chinese literature, skating, clearing yard waste, participating in a fellow IB student’s IA for Psychology class, playing tennis, creating a self-care menu, making letters and helping with Everlasting Envelopes, running in a 5K, learning the 4x4 cube, volunteering at LIVE House, practicing yoga, donating blood for the blood drive, teaching basic English to persons in China, and starting an Etsy shop.  

IB Question of the Week: How has the IB as an organization adapted its requirements for COVID-19?  The IB Organization is addressing the loss of instruction time through targeted removals and/or amendments of assessment components or submission requirements.  These adaptations aim to empower teachers to address each subject’s aims and objectives with flexibility and fairness in preparation for the May and November 2021 session.  Learn about all of the ways the IB is responding to the extraordinary challenges ahead at https://www.ibo.org/covid-19-support/  

IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.  

Three SGS seniors have used the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to explore topics of particular interest to them -- Cryptography and 3D Printing!

EE Highlight:  Senior Jake Gliniak wrote his EE on the topic of Cryptology.  His research question is, "How does RSA encryption use math to secure information?"  RSA encryption is a system that solves what was once one of the biggest problems in cryptography: How can you send someone a coded message without having an opportunity to previously share the code with them?  More about RSA encryption (until you are able to read Jake’s EE) can be found here on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA_(cryptosystem).

CAS Project Highlight:  COVID has created some challenges for students’ CAS projects.  We have students who wanted to do a basketball skills clinic or spearhead the 2nd Harvest Food Bank Drive, but have had to change their plans.  However, some students were able to stick with their plan.  This week we highlight Jake Gliniak, Alec Bunn and Tristan Krzyzanek.  Alec, Tristan, and Jake are creating 3D printed masks to help immune-compromised cancer patients stay safe when it's necessary for them to visit hospitals.  These seniors spent many hours designing and writing up the proposal, recruiting help and support, prototyping and improving the mask, manufacturing and assembling, and distributing the end product to cancer patients.  

Alec and Tristan coordinated the 3D printing, "however, finding strapping or sealant strips for the masks proved difficult due to extreme shortages in supply and limited access," the students wrote in their project proposal.  "We attempted to solve these issues through a number of unconventional solutions including: silicone caulk, elastic shoelaces, weather stripping, etc.  We settled on a combination of elastic shoelaces and weather stripping, which we felt provided the best seal, comfort, and ability to be sanitized."  Jake completed the assembly, with help from senior Sydney Bledsoe, and delivered the first nine prototypes to Summit Cancer Care in Spokane, where "the masks were a big hit."  Their goal is to supply 100 masks to local patients.

CAS Experiences Highlights: CAS experiences for all of our Upper School students (in the US and in China) this week included Everlasting Envelopes, painting pumpkins, pumpkin carving, Knowledge Bowl, National Novel writing Month, wiring letters to family members in Spanish, making signs for the blood drive, playing the ukulele, picking up branches and leaves, developing a Performance Management Chart (Tracking Tool) for Athletic Training, and painting poster for the food drive

IB Question of the Week:  How can you find other IB schools around the world?  Follow this link: https://www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/

IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.  

SGS seniors have used the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to explore two timely topics of particular interest to them -- the SGS Food Drive and National Elections.

EE Highlight:   In the time of our election, we thought we would highlight a research question that was at the center of an election… in India.  Senior Chaitanya Nalluri wrote his extended essay topic on Hindu Nationalism.  His research question is: How has the election of Narendra Modi caused a surge in Hindu nationalism and how has this affected religious minorities in India?  We can’t wait to read this Extended Essay once it’s complete!  (The school makes all EEs available for everyone to read.  These live in our library, so please talk to Sara Smith or Elizabeth Tender if you want to read any EEs written by our full diploma students from 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.)  

CAS Project Highlight: Senior Dana Mogensen and junior Beth Swartzwelder are running the annual 2nd Harvest food drive this year from November 2-20.  Grades 6-12 each have their own donation boxes with a competition between grades.  The Lower School will be collecting as one unit with bins inside ESAC.  Dana and Beth will be down at ESAC on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to meet parents and grab any donations from them.  These food donations go directly to local families that are unable to afford food.  In Spokane alone, 1 in 8 people, including 1 in 5 children, are food insecure.  “Saint George’s food drive is the biggest donation that 2nd Harvest gets from any organization,” according to Dana and Beth.  Families choosing to social distance can donate directly to 2nd Harvest at: https://2-harvest.org.  Every $1 donated equals 5 meals. 

IB Question of the Week:   What are IB subject briefs?  IB provides short, two-page summaries of many of their most popular subjects including an overview of the topics, a teaching hours distribution and a sample assessment question or two.  While not intended to provide a complete picture of the course, they do give some insight to the teaching philosophy and structure of both SL and HL versions of the course.  Complete subject guides for actual teaching of every course are available to authorized and candidate IB schools.  There are also many other resources available to IB Diploma course teachers; both online and in training sessions.  Here is a link to a page with the available Subject Briefs.

Got a question about the IB?  Send it to Elizabeth Tender and she'll answer it in a future IB Highlights.

IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.  

Three SGS seniors have used the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to explore topics of particular interest to them -- an online literary magazine and the effects of US health policy on South Africa.

CAS Project Highlight:  Paul Darnall and Chaitanya Nalluri are working together on their CAS project of producing the SGS Literary Magazine.  "The Literary Magazine is a production created by Paul and I in order to bring various forms of literary writing to the school," says Chaitanya.  "The magazine will feature works of fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry. Within these categories, the writers will get some flexibility to write funny, serious, relevant, and other types of articles.  There will also be illustrations.  The magazine will be primarily web-based, but we may end up printing it out and distributing it around the school.  We aim to get an issue out by the end of the semester.  We have a solid group of writers right now, but anyone is welcome to join." 

CAS Experiences Highlights:  CAS experiences for all Upper School students (in the US and China) this week included splitting wood, painting Nike shoes, Everlasting Envelopes letter making, Little Spokane River float, school workouts, biking excursions, hiking excursions, learning to hip hop dance, and taking a puppy for a walk.

EE Highlight:  Senior Addy Lennemann’s research question is "To what extent does the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy negatively affect access to health resources in South Africa?"  When asked what prompted her to choose this question, she said, "I chose my research question because I believe more people should be made aware of the changes the Trump Administration has made and the impacts they have.  I think policies that restrict important funding to the point that lives are being lost is a topic that should be written on.  Because it deals with abortion, my topic can be considered taboo, but it is that mentality that places the repressive policy on NGOs in the first place.  I strongly believe that when given the chance, one should advocate for themselves and their community, and this EE is my chance to do so."

IB Question of the Week:  How many schools worldwide offer the IB program?  
On 14 July 2020, there were 7,002 programs being offered worldwide, across 5,284 schools in 158 countries.  The IB publishes a range of statistics and information about its programs.  For more information, you can Follow This Link.

IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.  

Two SGS seniors have used the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to explore topics of particular interest to them -- winter sports and scavengers!

CAS Project Highlight:  Senior John DeForest centered his CAS project around something he loves… Nordic skiing.  For his project, he helped Mr. Tuck plan and set up the Middle School Nordic Day last winter.  “CAS has both encouraged me to extend my learning into projects I enjoy," says John, "and at the same time reflect on my extracurricular activities more deeply.”  Full diploma students, such as John, complete a CAS project that includes an 18-month portfolio and multiple reflections.  His project's learning outcomes included demonstrating initiative, planning, developing skills, and working collaboratively.    

CAS Experiences Highlights:  CAS experiences for all of our Upper School students this week included a self-care diagram, styling an old hat, geocaching at Otis Orchards, helping at a food bank, writing for The Round Table, selling old clothes, creating a group of people to play strategy games with, pumpkin carvings, and working on SGS community nights.  All Upper School students (pre-IB grades 9-10, full diploma candidates and course candidates) complete CAS experiences with reflections.

EE Highlight:  One of our seniors, Erika Piotrowski, has picked an Extended Essay topic involving condors.  Her research question is, “What role do different scavengers play at a carcass and how do their different roles lead to the overall dynamic at carrion site?”  For those of you who don't know, a carrion site is the location where she places all the meat to attract the scavengers.  Seniors spend a year researching and writing a 4000-word essay on a topic of their choice.

IB Question of the Week:  Who is the head of the IB?
Dr Siva Kumari. She started her tenure as the seventh Director General of the International Baccalaureate (IB) in January 2014 and is the first woman to hold the post.  Read more about her at This Link.  Email elizabeth.tender@sgs.org with any IB questions you'd like answered.

IB Overview:  The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum for grades 11-12 is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay (EE).  (Please refer to our IB webpage and to the IB Resources page in PowerSchool Learning for detailed IB information.) 

Seniors returned to campus over two days to work on their Extended Essays, a requirement for the International Baccalaureate Diploma.  SGS seniors are working on essay topics as diverse as the effect on climate change on Hawaiian coral reefs, the impact of Italian immigration on Argentina, how RSA encryption uses math to secure information, and the diet preferences of turkey vultures!  See a Photo Gallery of them writing drafts of their essays and talking with advisors.  A 3,000-word draft is due soon!