From the Beat the Bells Run and the Spring Arts Festival to Graduation Week events and our 69th Commencement Ceremony, we take a photo-driven look at the past month at TASIS.
“Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens”
Guided by Director Matthew Frazier-Smith, Choreographer Julie Frazier-Smith, and Music Director Angela Dusing, the TASIS Middle School Theater Company delivered three outstanding performances of The Sound of Music: Youth Edition in the Palmer Cultural Center over the weekend of May 1–3.
Outdoor Adventures
During the first two weekends of May, High School students had the opportunity to sail the waters off of Sardinia, rock climb near Lake Garda, hike and camp across Cinque Terre, and mountain bike in Ticino.
Beat the Bells
Thirty members of the TASIS community set out from campus at 9:15 on the morning of May 4 with the goal of running to Lake Lugano and back before the Chiesa di Sant’Abbondio bells rang at 10:00.
Laudable Scholars
At the annual High School Spring Academic Awards Ceremony on the afternoon of May 5, Head of High School Dr. Mark Abisi announced that five students from the Class of 2026 have been inducted to the TASIS Cum Laude Society chapter in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements.
The Great Outdoors
Members of the Elementary School Nature and Exploration Club searched for crickets and other creatures in the grassy fields near campus on May 7.
Stellar Student-Athletes
Athletic Director Masa Yo hosted the annual Spring Athletics Assembly on the morning of May 9 and announced this year’s Pride Award and Triple Tiger Award recipients in addition to the winners of the Varsity Tennis and Track & Field team awards.
From Tradition to Tomorrow
On the evening of May 8, Headmaster Christopher Nikoloff presented about the distinctive features of TASIS’s knowledge-based approach to learning and discussed the importance of deep academic knowledge and skills in meeting the real-world challenges of today and the future.
Demonstrating Their Understanding
International Baccalaureate (IB) students spent much of April and May preparing for their final exams, which they took from April 25–May 21.
Putting Their Knowledge to the Test
Advanced Placement (AP) students took their final assessments on May 5–28 after spending the spring reviewing for their exams.
Celebrating the Arts
The 2025 Spring Arts Festival kicked off with an exciting Opening Assembly in the Palestra on May 12.
Confident Conductors
Fifth-grade music classes participated in an Introduction to Conducting Workshop led by Maestro Andrea Cupia on May 12. The students conducted members of the Opera ViVa Orchestra through famous works by Aaron Copland, Maurice Ravel, and George Gershwin.
Gold Medalists
The Girls Varsity Track and Field 4×100-meter relay team executed all their handoffs en route to a first-place finish at the SGIS Championships in Geneva on May 15.
Sunshine and Fresh Air
Sarah Hertig’s 2nd-grade class gathered outdoors to read E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web on May 16.
Talents on Display
Featuring a wide variety of artworks produced by students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, the Visual Art Exhibition was on display in the Palmer Cultural Center on May 14–18.
Wild
The 2025 Spring Arts Festival concluded on May 17 with more than 200 students from all three TASIS divisions taking to the Palestra for Wild, a spectacular performing arts showcase.
Circled Up
After dinner on May 19, a group of 9th-grade students gathered outdoors for a chat before returning to their homes and dorms for the evening.
Spark Awards
The Palmer Cultural Center was transformed on the evening of May 20 for the biannual Performing Arts Red Carpet Event, a magical evening designed to celebrate the many achievements of our High School performing artists each semester.
Magnificent 7
Nine Middle School students were recognized with Magnificent 7 awards during the division’s Spring Virtue Award Ceremony on May 21. The students received the awards for exemplifying the seven timeless values TASIS stands for: Respect, Integrity, Responsibility, Compassion, Humility, Service, and Vision.
This I Believe
On the afternoon of May 21, parents were invited to Mr. Jacob Rose and Ms. Laura Hand’s 4th-grade classrooms to enjoy a podcast listening party that capped off an opinion writing unit in which students learned how to craft their own belief statements and support them with evidence. After revising and editing their drafts, students transformed their essays into engaging “This I Believe” podcast recordings with the help of Mr. Rose, Ms. Hand, and Elementary School Language and Literacy Teacher Ms. Melissa Fogal. At the listening party, parents and other guests moved around the room to listen to the podcasts and leave written feedback for the young content creators.
Language Tour
Middle School students taking Simone Meister’s Advanced German course traveled to Bern on May 22 to put their language skills to the test while touring the city.
Senior Prom
The Class of 2025 enjoyed a spectacular evening celebrating their Senior Prom at beautiful Castello di Morcote on May 23.
Out and About
On May 23, Elementary School students explored a number of exciting destinations around Ticino and northern Italy while on class field trips. The students and faculty chaperones visited Parco Gole della Breggia in Morbio Inferiore, the Contra Dam in Valle Verzasca, Museo del Cioccolato Alprose in Caslano, Museo in Erba, the Safari Park in Varallo Pombia, Swissminiatur in Melide, and Azienda Agricola Ponzio in Sant’Antonino.
Close-Knit Class
Students from the Class of 2025 gathered in the Palestra on the evening of May 23 to enjoy an elegant dinner and reflect on their time at TASIS. Their families and members of the faculty joined them for a special evening that included three senior speeches and many student musical performances.
Presenting the Class of 2025
TASIS honored the 100 members of the stellar Class of 2025 with a beautiful Commencement Ceremony in the Palestra on the morning of May 24.
Junior Awards
Each spring the High School Faculty selects three students in grade 11 who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to service and recognizes them with the prestigious Junior Awards, which were announced at a High School assembly on May 28.
Chinese Calligraphy Workshop
Elementary School students in Caroline Rossi’s art classes, under the guidance of a visiting artist, participated in Chinese calligraphy workshops on May 27 and 29.
A Time for Goodbyes
Middle School students and faculty members convened in the Palmer Cultural Center on May 29 for a touching Farewell Assembly that featured a poignant speech by 8th-grader Alice Marini, performances by the Middle School Choir and Drama classes, and a celebratory slideshow created by Middle School Intern Miha Babic.
As You Like It
High School students in Mr. Bill Dalton’s and Ms. Amy Vander Heiden’s AP Language and Composition classes (and a few special faculty guests) performed William Shakespeare’s As You Like It in the Palmer Cultural Center on the evening of May 29.
