Class of 2022
Our Year 13 Leavers mark the 12th cohort to complete the rigorous and rewarding two-year IB Diploma Programme at RIS.
A graduation ceremony was held on Saturday 28th May 2022 to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2022.
In true student-led spirit, the logo for the graduating class was created by Emma and Francesca, and is a beautiful visual demonstration of the different nationalities in the class.
Meet the Year 13s on this page and watch the highlights from the graduation ceremony.
Ceremony Highlights
What's next after RIS?
Working closely with our University Counsellor, Ms MacCallum, the university application process this year continues to show high quality submissions to a range of Higher Education institutions in diverse countries with Italy, The Netherlands, Ireland and the UK being popular destinations.
Our Careers and University Counselling Service is all about guiding students to find the universities that best fit their needs and that look after their well-being. Being in a positive and caring environment is key to personal and academic success.
Meet the Class of 2022
- Yuliya A.
- Jana A.
- Gabriel A.
- Thamadi B.
- Pietro B.
- Francesca B.
- Vittoria C.
- Emma C.
- Pince C.
- Mora C.
- Brando C.
- Silvia C.
- Luca D.
Yuliya A.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to different universities in Italy. I’m applying to two universities in Milan, Bocconi and Università Cattolica as well as LUISS in Rome. I am applying for Economics and Management in English. This is all thanks to Ms El Sheikh who taught me Economics and made me love it!
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most challenging aspects of the IB were the writing assessments but once completed them I felt a sense of relief! The most challenging was the Extended Essay but fortunately after the initial struggle it started to take shape.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I am happy to have spent these two years with you. Every time I think about it, I think that despite the COVID-19 restrictions, we were able to get through it. These two years were hard but we made it, we finished the IB, almost. Now only the exams need to finish!
I think that in the future when I think about my last two years of high school, I will remember all the memories that we created together. At school and outside of school, the difficulties that we had and how we got through them.
Thank you for these two years.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I am happy to have had a really great teaching staff. Thank you for what you have taught me and I am sorry if I wasn’t a good student in your subject but I thank you for your patience and hard work. I still remember my first lesson with each of you, how I could not understand one word of Chemistry, how I was interested in Economics; how I loved the English lessons even if I could not say much; how I thought that French would be easy; how I thought that Italian A could be only taken at Higher Level; how I was interested in Maths and Physics; and how I could not understand Theory of Knowledge even if I tried!
Last but not least, thank you to our CAS teacher who has been really patient with us.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
I will miss my classmates and all the moments that we spent together. I will miss our time in the IB lounge and outside school. The Cinecittà trip was the most fun day ever where despite COVID-19 we had our time to enjoy the end of Year 12; playing cards in the lounge, the table-football on the terrace, the parties outside the school, our hard work for CAS… all these little moments that we spent together, will be what I will remember of these last two years.
Jana A.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
Personally, the most rewarding aspect of the IB has been the completion of the written components of the programme. The process of writing a 4,000 word essay was very arduous, and so were the numerous Internal Assessments that had to be completed for each subject, but finishing the tasks and looking back at my work and what I had achieved was extremely rewarding.
Where are you applying to university?
Some of the universities I am applying to for a Law Degree are the Universities of Edinburgh, Bristol, and Manchester in the UK; as well as Trinity College in Ireland, and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I would like to thank all my teachers for their support and help throughout these years. Ms El Sheikh, thank you
for your unwavering encouragement and expertise in the Extended Essay process and during class – I would
not have been able to do it without you! Thank you Ms Roach for ensuring that I have a thorough
understanding of Physics, constructive feedback on Internal Assessments, and offering your advice in times of need. Thank you Mrs Mongare-Bell for guiding me through the intricacies of analytical writing, and taking time to discuss my writing on countless occasions. Thank you Ms Parnanzone for making Italian a class I look forward to, and enriching not only my Italian skills, but also my knowledge on contemporary issues. Thank you Ms Hetzer and Ms Govender for guiding me through the lengthy, complex Mathematics HL course and IA, and ensuring that I was confident with my understanding. Thank you Mr Paparusso for introducing me to a subject I have wanted to become acquainted with for years, and inspiring me to continue incorporating Philosophy into my life in the future. Thank you Mr Fulgaro and Ms D’Alessandro for your support during the CAS programme, and making Year 12 P.E. an hour that I was happy to attend. Thank you all (and others) for giving me the tools to succeed, and guiding me through a time of great change, and growth.
What have been your favourite moments at school? What will you miss the most?
Some of the best moments at school were during my free periods, when I would get a chance to talk to my
classmates, watch them joke around, and have some laughs between studying. I think that the thing I will miss
the most is trudging into the IB lounge after a content-heavy lesson, and being met with a relaxed, cheery
atmosphere of my classmates joking around. And frankly, I will also really miss being able to complain about
school together!
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I feel very fortunate that you are the group of people I will look back at and remember as ‘my high school
friends.’ You are all truly amazing in each of your individual ways, and I feel blessed to have shared these last couple of years with you, and connect in different ways. I wish you guys the very best of luck in the future!
Gabriel A.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
Working on the Extended Essay was extremely challenging for me due to the hard Physics topic that I chose. I could have easily changed the topic but I wanted to keep going and kept challenging myself. Finishing it after a couple of months and receiving positive feedback from my Physics teacher was extremely rewarding.
Where are you applying to university?
The Netherlands to pursue a Degree in Physics.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
Thank you for not only the last two IB harsh years but also the two IGCSE years. These last four years of my life have been so fun because of all you! I wish all of you a great future and career ahead!
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
My favourite moments at school happened during the study periods, where instead of studying sometimes, me and my friends would just have fun and talk for long periods of time. I will greatly miss my whole class as most have been with me ever since I joined this school four-years ago.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
Thank you for teaching and helping me and my classmates on every question we had! All of you had a
great role in shaping our future.
Thamadi B.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most challenging part of the IB is doing and working with all the Internal Assessments (IAs) and the Extended Essay, and similarly the most rewarding aspect of the IB is finishing and handing in all of the Extended Essay, IAs, and CAS.
Where are you applying to university?
I’m applying for Medicine at Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College
Cork, NUI Galway, and University of Limerick. I have applied to Fashion Marketing/Fashion Business/ Fashion Buying and Merchandising courses.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I would like to thank all of the teachers because they have helped a lot throughout these two years. I would like thank Mr Baldoni for helping me a lot during Biology class and helping me understand all the complicated processes, Mr Burvill for helping me in Chemistry, Ms Bell for teaching me how to deep analyse texts, Ms Roach for helping me understand all the maths, Ms Mycroft for helping me in History and being a great supportive teacher at all times, and Ms Parnanzone for being very helpful and understanding and teaching me all the Italian grammar. Finally I also thank Ms Brunet for being a great Form Tutor throughout the two years.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
As a class, during these past two years, we shared many unforgettable and memorable moments. These surely include playing different card games in the IB lounge while we had free periods, walking around the school gossiping about literally anything and meeting up on Google Meet to play different online games when we were on remote learning.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?I will miss all of you and I hope we will meet again in the future. During these past two years, we were able to bond and found common ground in the simple things. This simple fact made our friendship very special throughout the two years. I wish you all the best guys.
Pietro B.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most challenging aspect of the IB was undoubtedly managing to meet all of the deadlines that year 13 required, as the deadlines for the Extended Essay, the TOK essay, the CAS programme and many Internal Assessments were pretty close to one another, which therefore required time management, organisation, focus and commitment to a level to which none of us were formerly accustomed. The most rewarding aspect of the IB was realising that all the deadlines were met on time and that the subject syllabuses were complete and that it was therefore just a matter of practice and exercises from then onwards.
I am applying for an Economics and Business Economics course at the universities of Groningen and Utrecht and International Business Administration at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands.Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I would like to thank each and every one of my teachers for always pushing me towards the best result possible and for implicitly telling me to not rest on my laurels when getting a good grade as there is always room for improvement. All the constructive feedback and insightful criticisms on my work were definitely essential, although not always appreciated at first, in allowing me to understand how to improve every detail of my work and how to make my work match my capabilities. I also have to commend the substantial patience required to work with me as I am fully aware that it is not always easy to deal with me! However, this patience undoubtedly drove me towards all the great results achieved over the years.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
My favourite moments at school were probably just being able to be around people I truly considered as friends, and there was no exact moment to pinpoint as long as we were together. Probably what I’ll miss the most is regularly seeing people I have known since forever and even others whom, albeit we met later, I still have a special connection with
Francesca B.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?The most rewarding part of the IB was probably when I was finally able to turn in my assignments. The moment I
realised I was done with everything was bittersweet. I felt as though one of the most stressful moments of my life
was over but I’m still scared of leaving that behind.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to Padova, Bologna Firenze and Amsterdam to study Psychology.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
Some of my most cherished memories were in this very school. I was shocked by the bonds I created with everyone because I wasn’t used to finding real friends in my previous years of high school. Some of my best memories have been spent in the IB lounge where we either played card games or just did activities to pass the
time. In other moments, when the weather was nice, we would all sit on the terrace talking about anything and
everything until it was time to go to our next class. I will also miss my usual lunch group, even though I know we
will always be friends wherever we are, not having that constant in your life anymore is tough to get used to.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?Thank you for showing me and the rest of Year 13 what real role models should be. I would like to start by
thanking Mrs Bell, you were always so understanding and patient with our assignments and by pushing us to
reach our maximum potential, everyone in our english class will always respect and cherish you. Ms Cope, I
want to thank you for always letting me express myself in your art class. You understood when I was having a
stressful day and were always generous enough to allow me to distract and calm myself by working on my
pieces outside of our normal lessons. Thank you for teaching me new techniques and by creating a safe space for me and the rest of our tight knit group. Thank you to Mr Baldoni and Mrs Roach who always helped me
understand my priorities and pushed me to really work hard. Ms Mycroft, thanks to you and our small History
group I was able to feel listened to and understood. You helped teach us how to stand up for ourselves and were
always willing to grant us a five minute break to relax. Thank you for always letting my classmates and I rant
about silly things and for putting the effort in understanding how we all felt after a long day. It’s a shame you missed the last weeks of school due to your injury, know that we all miss you and our lessons. Mr Marucci, I will miss hearing your many jokes and the long days where you’d let us listen to your favourite songs while repeatedly saying “this is real music, not what you listen to”. Thank you, truly, for being a great teacher. Finally, thank you to Ms El Sheikh, you pushed us to stay on track with all of our assignments and always helped us
remember what was important, while always reminding us to take care of our mental health. Even though you weren’t my teacher directly, you were a pillar through this entire experience. Overall, thank you everyone for
lending us support and guidance, these two years wouldn’t have been the same without each and everyone of you.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I would like my classmates to know that thanks to you I was able to grow and mature into the person I want to be. I love the fact that we all feel comfortable around each other and respect one another, but, I’d like to believe that our bond was created thanks to the gatherings we always successfully organised outside of school. You deserve to be happy and I truly wish that once we leave these four years behind, we will all be ready to take the next step for our future.
Vittoria C.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?The most challenging part was being able to respect the many deadlines, particularly throughout this second year of IB which was definitely a difficult year. Deadlines definitely made me stress, however they were fundamental in order to keep up with the work and avoid finding myself having to submit it all at once. Also, finishing the program was greatly challenging, however rewarding at the same time. The feeling after having submitted Internal Assessments and the Extended Essay was extremely rewarding and pleasant.
Where are you applying to university?
I have received different offers from the UK such as Goldsmiths, City University of London and Nottingham, and one from ICE in New York, however I am still deciding on which choice to make. I have applied to Communication & Media at Goldsmiths, City University of London, University of Surrey, Nottingham Trent and Loughborough. Additionally, I have applied for Culinary arts & Management.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?Some of my favourite moments at school have been the Visual Arts exhibition, where I could talk to not only my teachers but of other years too as well as share my art and passions with everyone around the school, including younger children. I also enjoyed playing the piano for my school year during a class assembly, which was very emotional.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?I would like to say that despite our differences and despite not having spent much time together out of
school, we still went through many experiences together, both positive and negative (due to the difficulties encountered during the IB), the reason for which we shared a lot in these two years. We were always there for each other and could count on one another during difficult times of stress, sadness and anger, and this shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?I would like to thank all the teachers who helped us through this challenging two-year path. It was not an easy path and in different ways we knew you were there for us. It was definitely challenging also for you to constantly guide us, remind us and help us and nonetheless you always supported us and accompanied us in both easier and difficult times. Thank you for all those times when we needed help and guidance! Always pushing us to do better. Thank you for the passion transmitted which made us pleasantly attend the lessons and helped us throughout the course. I am grateful for all my teachers and particularly for their support which was crucial to overcome difficulties.
Emma C.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
Certainly, the most challenging part of IB was being able to submit everything and meet all the deadlines, especially for Visual Art. It is a very nice subject but requires a lot of commitment and time. Being able to meet all the Visual Art deadlines was one of the most stressful parts of these past two years, but the feelings after finishing were definitely the best and most rewarding.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute) in Netherlands-Amsterdam, Polimoda in Italy-Florence and the UAL (University Of The Arts London) and UCA (University For The Creative Arts) in London.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I want to thank all of my classmates for how nicely they welcomed me at the beginning of my Year 12. From
the very beginning they have always been very friendly and very kind in making me feel comfortable in my new school environment, among other things helping me to better master the English language. I am also very happy, I would even say proud, of the fact that over the past two years we have managed to bond more and more strongly with each other, no one excluded, spending the best two years of my entire school career together. Of course with the end of the high school experience separating will be sad but I'm sure we will never lose each other because such a strong bond in such a large group of people is not easily found. I love you guys so much!
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I would like to say thanks to all of my teachers for their help and patience in these past two years. In particular to Ms El Sheikh for always chasing me and reminding me every deadline, without her I don't know if I would have made it, and Ms Alves that with her kindness and patience helped me to improve my English day by day allowing me to get my results both in her subject and in the others.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
All the free periods and breaks were the times we got to spend the most time together, consequently they were absolutely the best. I will miss those times when we laughed or even cried together, helping and comforting each other, when we shared all the gossip, played cards, and sunbathed on the balcony after lunch. I will also miss hearing the sound of someone complaining about a test gone wrong, or the joy of someone's success on a college application. But what I will miss most will be that atmosphere of innocence, challenge, and hope that filled our days as high schoolers who had yet to discover the world, unaware that we were growing day by day, ready for a future as college students. This atmosphere has
now become the most cherished memory of the two most important and growing years of my life that I had the opportunity to spend with extraordinary people.
Pince C.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
Doing the Extended Essay and Internal Assessments, university applications and Theory of Knowledge Essay at the same time!
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
Any mathematics lesson.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I have been very lucky to have classmate like you.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
After high density study in the IB under your help and guidance, I really appreciate your tolerance and expertise.
Where are you applying to university?
UK and Italy
Mora C.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
I have grown so much academically in the past two years of IB and it is particularly rewarding to finally be comfortable with the English language. I am especially grateful to have found my passion for biology in the past two years, it was a challenging process but a very impactful one for my future.
Where are you applying to university?
I will be staying here in Italy and applying to multiple universities with the intention of pursuing a career in medicine.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?I would like to thank all my teachers for managing to inculcate their passion for education. I am grateful to Mr Paparusso who introduced me to the complex world of philosophy and tried to share all his valuable knowledge on the subject. I am thankful to Ms Bell, Ms Roach, Ms Mycroft and Ms Parnanzone for their important role on this academic journey with them. I am appreciative of their efforts to make this process very challenging when necessary but rewarding as well. Finally, I want to thank Mr Baldoni for how motivating his teachings were and his impactful role in my appreciation for biology.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I’m glad I had the chance to get to know so many different people that impacted my life in a variety of ways. All of you have helped me grow as a person and have made the time at IB a much more enriching experience.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
My favourite moments at school definitely took place while resting on the terrace during free periods and lunch breaks. The best conversations happened while laying on the benches with my friends under the sun and being able to just slow down and reflect on our futures.
Brando C.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
IB is a course based on seriousness and on empowering the student, without any doubt it is a very difficult path, starting from the time available, not to mention the arguments that are faced in each subject. But in my opinion, if you believe in what you do nothing is difficult, because if you are the first to believe in yourself you will succeed.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to Bocconi (Milan) for Economics, Marketing and Finance.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
The school has given me unique experiences, which will remain etched in my memory. I admit to being a very rebellious guy and I often found myself in trouble, so without a doubt the best moments were the ones I spent with my friends, during the breaks. Starting with all the times we laughed at the canteen at even the stupidest things, not to mention the times we started playing
poker at the IB lounge. I admit that I will miss many things of this school year, but of all my friends they will surely be the most significant ones; through friendships I was able to mature and grow, completing my studies with great changes and immense personal improvements.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
If I have been able to complete my educational program nowadays, it is mainly thanks to my classmates. I really wish them the best, and the only advice I can give, is to pursue your dreams.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
Thank you.
Without any doubt I recognise that I am not the best student in the class, but I admit that if it had not been for you, I would not have made it, I especially thank Mrs Orellana, because she believed in me, and instead of disheartening me when I was wrong, it pushed me to improve, because as I learned, failure is the beginning of the road to success.
Silvia C.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
One of the most challenging but most satisfying and rewarding aspects of the IB was being able
to end all my Internal Assessments as well as the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge essay. Being able to finish the overall IB Diploma programme was certainly another challenging and stressful aspect of the IB, but finishing it gave me a huge relief.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to Tilburg University in the Netherlands.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
As the year is ending, I would like to thank my teachers for always being there for me and my classmates when we needed help and guidance. Thank you for all the school but also life advice that you gave us throughout the year. Thank you for filling our classes with joy, passion
and dedication, giving us a place where we could openly express ourselves. I always really enjoyed having real life conversations throughout classes, because it gave me the opportunity to become much more open-minded to different viewpoints and real life situations. My teachers did not just give me a solid and strong academic basis to be able to start off university, but opened me to real life experiences and opinions.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
Even though we were not able to spend all of our high school years together we were able to connect in different ways. We all accomplished huge steps together and made it through the IB. We all made it through stressful and challenging moments but as well shared an experience that will always belong to us in our hearts.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
The memories I most prefer and will cherish in my heart were mainly the time spent with my friends both during our free time talking, relaxing, doing school work together , but also during lessons. In most of our lessons we had the opportunity to engage with each other. I will miss being able to see them everyday, but will always look back to these moments with happiness.
Luca D.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most rewarding aspect of the IB was the completion of the Internal Assessments (IA) and the Extended Essay, as I have never done an academic paper where I went in depth on topics that I liked. For example with my Extended Essay I was able to answer one of the questions that always intrigued me in Maths, and in Physics I was able to find a probable relationship between some data. The most rewarding IA has to be the Economics one, as my final draft was much better than my first draft, thus showing my improvement in the subject.
Where are you applying to university?
I decided to go to Sapienza Università di Roma to study Aerospace Engineering.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?I’m really glad the teachers in this school helped me get back into the curriculum, as switching schools made me
lose some of the chapters in the subjects. In fact, it’s thanks to them that my transition both in Year 12 and Year 13 was as smooth as it was.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
Even though I arrived in this school in the middle of Year 12, everybody was happy to welcome me in this new
environment. I’m really thankful to them for all their help and support.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
My favourite moments in school have been during the free periods when I would laugh with my friends for even
the simplest and stupidest things. In Year 12 I used to take the bus home with one of my classmates and we would laugh for hours thinking back on what happened during the day. The best times started when one day I decided to bring the Italian playing cards to school. Every chance we had, during free periods, we would play cards and learn new games. I was really happy that I was able to teach some of the games that I played as a child.
- Fatemeh H.
- Riccardo I.
- Alessandro L.
- David L.
- Alessandro P.
- Grisogono M.
- Karen M.
- Thiyara P.
- Sara T.
- Luisa T.
- Olga T.
- Alessio X.
- Giovanni Z.
Fatemeh H.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most challenging aspect of the IB is finishing all the tasks that IB is expecting us to do in a restricted period of time before the deadline. Doing all Internal Assessments, Extended Essay, CAS; furthermore, studying the whole massive syllabus of each subject in IB one after another were the most challenging experiences that I have ever had. However, after finishing each of them I was really pleased and I think the feeling, which I will experience after finishing IB in my graduation, will certainly be worth all these challenges and hardships.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to Italian universities that teach Pharmacy in English, such as Tor Vergata university in Rome.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
One of the most unforgettable moments was when me and one of my friends were studying Chemistry together and after a while I found myself laughing at dumbbell shaped orbitals and since then we always made a joke of that word. My favourite moments at school were talking and laughing together during our free periods as it always made me release the stress that I have been feeling during these two years of IB.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
When I first came to this school, I was experiencing really hard moments as it was my first time being in an international school and studying in another country rather than my own country. I didn’t know how to communicate with my classmates and I didn’t know how to speak Italian; moreover, I wasn’t used to speaking English in my daily life. I want to really thank them all because they helped me overcome this challenge. Now I am really used to our daily moments at school and I am sure that I will miss these experiences a lot. I hope all of your wishes will be fulfilled and I am sure that all of them will become part of your memory one day because you guys deserve the best.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
These two years of IB were the most challenging part of my life and without the help of my teachers I wouldn't have overcome these challenges in the best way. I would like to thank them a lot as they taught us how to surpass all of the hard moments that are waiting for us in future, as well as their efforts to get us ready for IB and more importantly for university. I really enjoyed all of my lessons with them and I will miss having lessons and being their students.
Riccardo I.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most challenging aspect of IB was organising all the work the Ib needs and especially getting ready for the final exams which have all of the syllabi. The most rewarding part of IB was finishing the final exams and knowing that I have matured as an individual.
Where are you applying to university?
For now, I am going to take a leap year but I was considering going to Spain as I would also be able to practice my Spanish.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
My favourite moment of the school year was when I would learn about evolution in Mr Baldoni's class. What I
will miss the most is playing cards and football in the IB lounge while having a free break. I will miss the
friends I made during the short period I was here.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I want to thank the teachers for the extra help that they gave me after the 1-month quarantine. They helped me enough to feel comfortable with myself and my grades. I also want to thank them for the dedication they gave me to help as much as possible. I want to especially thank Ms
Sheikh for the help she gave me and how she pushed me to excel.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
That you guys made staying in the school just a bit better to help me wake up every morning with the will to go to school. Hopefully, university will be a positive experience that will help you grow.
Alessandro L.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
After 15 years at RIS, I must admit the school’s community is more than a second home. I’ve seen the school grow and change, students come and go. I always tried my best to leave something behind in a community that gave me so much, I continuously tried to be involved in creating the Middle and High School Eco Council, restarting the Chess Club, organising conferences or joining the Prefects Team. It was a wonderful journey that I will never forget that defines who I really am today. I will miss all the moments with my professors and my fellow classmates, the passions inherited from teachers, the endless chats at the bar [RIS Cafe] and the initiatives to have the students' voice be heard.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
What I found most rewarding was writing my Extended Essay. Once completed it was incredibly fulfilling as it put an end to an extremely tough, yet entertaining and engaging philosophical journey in the political realms of our present world. On the other hand, the most challenging aspect of IB was managing all of my deadlines whilst carrying out CAS, and all of the volunteering activities which have marked my IB years and which I hope to continue at University.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to Sapienza University to study Law, as well as Kings College, University of Edinburgh, and Queen Mary in the UK.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
We met during COVID-19, it was hard, but in the end, we somehow managed to be united, have fun and get to know each other in a way we never expected. I will miss you all, especially those I consider my extended family, not only those I have seen daily since my childhood, but also those who have become my closest friends in the last couple of years.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
If I had to thank all of the amazing teachers from transition to high school, an extended essay would not be enough. I will start thanking all of the teachers in elementary school, especially Ms Maria Palma, who guided me on the right educational path (since via Panama). I also want to thank Ms Vanneste, which besides being a great History teacher in Middle School, became, during High School, the companion of many fights and struggles for shared values and beliefs. How may I forget Ms Chapman, whom I need to thank for my public speaking abilities and love for Drama, as well as Ms Orellana, Ms Alves and Mr Thompson who have constantly sustained me through the years.
I would like to thank Mr Baldoni for the fun we had during the four years he taught me Biology and for being an extraordinary and passionate teacher for whom I have immense respect and whose tenacious and fervent spirit has always been a model for me. I also wanted to express my gratitude to Mr Paparusso who enlightened me with his knowledge and insights through his passion for Philosophy giving me the tools to comprehend reality and our identity; thank you for making me a 'lover of wisdom’. Finally, I wanted to thank one of the cornerstones of my schooling and RIS, Mrs El Sheikh; the teacher who, with her great experience and determination, transmitted me a passion for economics and supported me tirelessly in all my endeavours by being of inspiration and reassurance in the most difficult moments; never ceasing to inspire and helping students discover who they really are.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
What I found most rewarding was writing my Extended Essay. Once completed it was incredibly fulfilling as it put an end to an extremely tough, yet entertaining and engaging philosophical journey in the political realms of our present world. On the other hand, the most challenging aspect of IB was managing all of my deadlines whilst carrying out CAS, and all of the volunteering activities which have marked my IB years and which I hope to continue at University.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
We met during COVID-19, it was hard, but in the end, we somehow managed to be united, have fun and get to know each other in a way we never expected. I will miss you all, especially those I consider my extended family, not only those I have seen daily since my childhood, but also those who have become my closest friends in the last c
David L.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
I think my favourite moments were spending time with my classmates in general, which I’m sure I will miss a lot. In particular I had lots of fun playing Chess with my classmates, playing football but also all the fun activities that we had in class with our teachers.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
Being in this class I think I am very grateful of how inclusive everyone has been, not only towards
me, but also all the other students, something which is not always given in many other schools and classes. I think it has taught me to also be nice to everyone, a trait that I will hopefully continue to implement in my following academic years.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I am thankful for all of my teachers, I think it has been an amazing experience and journey only thanks to the support of our teachers, with Ms Roach pushing us to our limit, Ms El Sheikh with her detailed explanations in Economics, Ms Parnanzone with how caring she has been for all of us Italian B students, and Ms Bell, who somehow has made English lessons something I looked forward to even though I previously hated the subject. It’s clear how all of our teachers are so passionate about teaching and their teaching subject, which I think translated into an exceptionally engaging learning experience for all of us students.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
I feel proud of all of the Internal Assessments I wrote; I would have never thought I could write thousands of words on subjects that at the beginning of the IB I felt so unsure about. Writing my Extended Essay (EE) in Maths was the biggest challenge, since I deliberately pushed myself out of my comfort zone to do it on a subject that I was afraid of. When I finished writing it, after weeks of non-stop research and calculations it just felt so good, and all of my hard work felt like it had paid off. New IB students are probably afraid of their EE, but I think once they finish it, they will be so fulfilled and proud of themselves through all the hard work they put into writing it.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to Leeds, Exeter, Loughborough and Aston University.
Alessandro P.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
It’s been seven years since my first day at Rome International School. I have endured multiple changes in head teachers and principals, and have since been taught multiple teachers. Being in this school has basically completed the second half of my experiences in life up until now and cherry-picking one of the moments between these seven years is surely a tough decision. With no doubt, moments that persistently made us have fun were shared between me and my class in the IB lounge. The place is special, and we constantly laugh and enjoy moments together. For the rest, each little event that occurs is eventually something I wish I could relive, though their rarity is what makes all these my favourite moments.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart. They’re all truly special. In school, one thing surely necessary is to surround yourself with the best people that would not make it difficult for you to get your work done or that would help you keep levels of possible stress down. Because of my class, this choice was not to be made. We all shared the same senses of being a successful class, and that’s what I am most thankful for. Additionally, I just had incredible fun, that’s the main point.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
There’s a lot to say to the teachers. Some of them I’ve known since many many years, some just from
the moment I started the IGCSE or the IB. Regardless, they’ve all been impeccable. Part of the necessary characteristic for being a teacher is to know how to divide the same spaces and relate to children and grown students, as Year 12s and Year 13s. Each singular teacher has always been impeccable and have always put me in the position to succeed in their respective classes. But there is more to their contribution: from excellent teachers, you learn about life and about necessary lessons which will help you in future years, and of these lessons I’ve received countless. That is by far what I’m mostly thankful for, and this is referred to all of them.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
Internal Assessments by a mile. They require 10 times the amount of work that anybody might expect and it is
important to make sure that you put the work in and on time. Also expect nothing back from these because the first drafts are always awful.
Where are you applying to university?
As of now, I am seeking a spot at “Sapienza Università di Roma”.
Grisogono M.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
What has been the most challenging for me is first of all, the subject in which I wasn’t the best. It was hard to
catch up with what I didn’t fully understand and practise while at the same time continuing the syllabus and
learning new things. Then, it was also challenging to meet deadlines set by teachers like Internal Assessments (IA), Extended essay, or TOK, although when finished and turned in, these were the most rewarding aspect of the IB.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to Bocconi in Milan, LUISS in Rome, as well as UCL, Queen Mary, King’s and City University in
the UK.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?I thank all of you for helping me in all my subjects whenever I needed assistance. I had a lot of fun in class
activities and learned many new things each time. I also want to thank the teachers that taught me but left the
school, they too were always there for me and were always very kind. I am very happy and lucky to have been
one of your students, you all managed to make me like the subject you taught by coming up with fun group
projects, activities or interactive classes. Again thank you so much, these four years were the best.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
What I enjoyed the most in these four years of IGCSE and IB is spending time with my classmates. I have had so
many memorable moments with them! Playing football-tennis together, cards or just talking are a few
examples of these memorable moments. I will miss the most those times as I think that never again will I have
the opportunity to see for 4 years the same people every day and have fun with them throughout all this time.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I really only want to say THANK YOU! Thank you for helping me whenever I needed help in school or outside
school, thank you for making me laugh, thank you for making these 4 years more fun and enjoyable. I have
created some really close friendships that I hope will last for as much time as possible. It will be hard to accept
that I won’t see you all again each morning whenever I wake up.
Karen M.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most rewarding aspect has been being able to watch everything fall into place. What started as a frenzy with a seemingly endless string of tasks for CAS, the Extended Essay, TOK and Internal Assessments progressed into a mildly calmer stage once the halfway mark on deadlines was reached, followed by the feeling of absolute contentment once all the final drafts were sent in.
Where are you applying to university?
I have applied to study Law at King’s College London, Queen Mary University, University of Bristol, University of
Groningen, Tilburg University and Business Management at Ashesi University.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I’ve had the pleasure of being able to share uniquely different experiences with each and every one of
you. I can say without a doubt that all of you have contributed to both my personal development as
and my high school experience. I wouldn’t have done it any other way. We’ve laughed together, cried
together and most important of all, complained together. The placement of such distinct and dynamic personalities in one small IB lounge is what contributed to making our journey so unique. You guys have been amazing to work with, learn with and laugh with. Some of you have been my greatest
confidents amongst the hustle and bustle of the IB and life in general. Thank you for always being
there for me. In moments when I’ve needed a push to help me go through with something or voice my
opinion, I’ve always had a supporting voice in the class guiding me through. I’ll miss you all a ton. I
wish you all the best in the future and I hope you all achieve your wildest aspirations.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
Thank you all so much for helping me grow. Thank you to my language teachers, Ms Brunet and Ms
Parnanzone who took the time to help me grow out of my shell and develop confidence in my
speaking abilities in both French and Italian. Walking into Italian class and smelling the scent of
freshly baked pastries was always a delight. Ms Parnanzone, thank you so much for being such a
calm and peaceful person. Your classes were always serene and relaxing even amidst all the hubbub
of preparing for exams. IGCSE French classes also played an immensely large role in helping me break out of my shell. Ms Brunet’s words of encouragement while I fumbled to think of the right vocabulary made me feel at ease and okay with making mistakes. Thank you for making the French classroom such a comfortable learning environment.
Thank you to Mr Baldoni for making Biology lessons fun and enjoyable whilst talking to us about real life issues to prepare us for our futures. Your brief banter with Alessandro was always something to look forward to and I’ll always remember hunting you down after every exam to get a sneak peak of my grade before you gave us back our papers. Thank you for being patient and bearing with me and Alessandro over the past few years and being a role model. Thank you to Ms Roach for bearing with me and giving me feedback on my Internal Assessments even though they were not in your subject range. Even though I did not have you as a teacher for the last two years of my time in the school I always felt comfortable coming to you about any issues I had.
Thank you for all your help. Thank you to Ms Bell for constantly pushing me to do my best in English
and helping me realise my potential in English writing. You helped to make the process of writing my Extended Essay an enjoyable one because of all your help and advice. You’ve always been a teacher that I felt like I could come to about anything, from advice on my TOK essay to help in writing university application essays. I couldn’t have asked for a better English teacher. Thank you so much!
Thank you to Ms Mycroft for making History lessons so dynamic and free spirited. Being able to relate a lot of the things we learnt to pressing issues in today’s age made classes far more enjoyable. Our casual talks before the start of class and after were very needed after the stress of everyday classes. I’ll miss our talks about Cook and Freddie!
Thank you to Mr Burvill for always finding a way to crack a joke into an otherwise tedious lesson on periodic trends and atomic structure. Our Chemistry experiments never went as planned but we always had a good laugh at least which eased the stress of the IB for a moment. Thank you to Mr Dweik as well for helping us get through the math program in lightning speed to prepare us for the final exams.
Thiyara P.
These past four years were nothing compared to what I expected, the pandemic was a change for
all of us, students, teachers and parents. I want to thank all the wonderful friends I have met on this journey. I will miss going to lunch out with my friends after school, laughing during lessons, and our mental breakdowns in the lounge. I have shared my daily life with the people I have met. Our IB journey was definitely a rollercoaster, and I believe, we all must be proud of where we have arrived. I must thank our teachers for this, who have seen me grow, improve, fail and succeed.
Firstly, I want to thank Mrs El Sheikh for motivating me to improve since the first year of high school, believing in me and always standing by my side even during the most stressful moments.
I would also like to thank Mr Baldoni for making me become a determined biology student through your hard work and humour. Also thank you for supporting me during IGCSE Biology where all I would do is talk, I don’t know how you did that. Mrs Bell, I would like to thank
you for always being so easy to talk to since the first day of school in Year 12, for having accompanied me through my Extended Essay and for helping me understand how IB English is.
I would also like to thank Mrs Martini for being so kind and she has also seen me grow up. I want to also thank Mrs Orellana for helping me improve my Spanish so much, believing me and expanding my knowledge about Latin American culture through education. I would like to thank Ms Cope for helping me improve and expand my creativity, for all the wonderful conversations in class and for always motivating when I would always whine saying “Miss, I can’t do it.”
Mrs Wilson for being so open and generous to us, students, Mr Dweik for running a race in
order to help us finish the syllabus and making mathematics favourable.
I would like to thank Mrs Maglio for being a wonderful form teacher the first two years whom I have bonded so well with. I miss those days in year 10 with laughter and joy. Then Mr Fulgaro for not only being such a motivated and hard working PE teacher but also a friend. Thank you Mrs D’ Alessandro for leading our CAS years, being helpful and by our side. I also want to thank Mr Allard for his humorous interruptions in biology class about the grass fairies.
Thanks to Ms Brunet also, for letting us learn ways to improve our studying method, encouraging us, letting us express our opinions and being so supportive. Not to forget, Mr Paparusso for teaching us the complexity of TOK into depth resulting in our minds being more open to perspectives and analytical.
I had to name a lot of teachers, however I want to thank every teacher for coming along with us in this journey of life – words are not enough to describe my gratitude and respect.
I have received offers from UCAS and I am currently deciding whether to go to UAL in London or ESMOD in Paris.
I wish all my classmates and teachers the very best,
Thiyara
Sara T.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
I would say that the most rewarding and challenging aspect of the IB was completing and submitting my
Extended Essay and all of my Internal Assessments, especially the oral exams. Being able to choose a
topic and then develop it into something elaborate and well organised to submit to the IB was a long and
difficult process, but it is however the part of this programme that probably gave me the greatest
satisfaction.
Where are you applying to university?
I have applied to University College Dublin, University College Cork and the University of Galway in
Ireland, as well as the University of St. Andrews, the University of Warwick and the University of Stirling in
the UK.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
It’s difficult to sum up everything in just a few lines, but the main thing I would like to say is a big thank
you for the endless support you gave me (and us) throughout these two years. Mrs Mongare-Bell, thank
you for always being someone I could rely on and thank you for always being understanding. Thank you
for teaching us how to analyse even the strangest of texts, and for always pushing us to do our best. Mr
Baldoni, thank you for making me discover my passion for biology, if it weren’t for your teaching I would
have not made the decision to pursue a biology related career. Thank you for making biology class something
to always look forward to, and for supporting me during every moment these two years. Ms Orellana, thank you for always looking out for all of the students in Spanish B. Thank you for the tips and corrections of the Extended Essay, and thank you for giving us the chance to discover your culture with hands-on experiences. Thank you Mrs Wilson for always being such a kind teacher and for getting us through the first bit of our maths programme, and thank you Mr Dweik for finishing the programme in
such a short time. Thank you Mr Paparusso for allowing me to continue to study a subject I was really interested in, and for always being so passionate about every philosopher you spoke to us about. Thank you Mr Marucci for always making our Italian classes unique, either due to the musical accompaniment, or because of our discussions about your ‘sheep’. Thank you Mr Fulgaro and Ms D’Alessandro for guiding me through the CAS programme and for always being available to give us a hand with anything we needed. I also want to give a huge thank you to all the teachers that I didn’t personally have, but who nonetheless helped me get through these two years of IB with their support and kindness, Ms El Sheikh, Ms Brunet, Dr. Roach, Ms Alves and Ms Parnanzone.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
You’re all amazing and I’ll really miss you. When I came to RIS I was very nervous about making friends, but you guys made me feel part of the group from day one. I am so grateful to have found such a great group of people to share these two years of my life with, starting from the joys and difficulties of the IB all the way to meeting up outside school to hang out and have fun. The best memories I have of my school years are with you, and I’ll always be grateful for all of the support you gave me and all of the time spent together. Thank you for everything guys, you’ll always be in my heart. I really hope that in a few years time we’ll still be able to meet up and remember these days together, and possibly make new memories to cherish. I really wish you all the best of luck for your future, both with university and with everything
else, and good luck for your IB exam results!
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
My favourite moments in school have probably been the ones I spent during my free periods with my classmates. Besides actually doing work and helping each other out with coursework, it was always great to be able to laugh and joke together about pretty much anything. I think that the thing I’ll miss the most will be having the possibility to see them everyday, as well as the atmosphere of chaos, anxiety but also joy that was always felt every time I walked into the IB lounge.
Luisa T.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
It has been a challenge living and enjoying life whilst attempting to meet the rigorous expectations of IB. I hope to make up for lost time at University. It was however rewarding to see our Internal Assessments come together, and the Extended Essay, since it pushed me to work harder and to build up on research to create much higher quality academic work than I had ever had to. It was also liberating in a sense as I was given the choice of pursuing the topics most important or interesting to me, which made the entire Internal Assessment writing process much more fulfilling.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to the UK and Ireland with the hope of pursuing a degree in Law. Specifically, I’d like to focus on social and political humanitarian causes, and look into legal reform as a means for systemic change.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
The last day of our first year, in 2021, where we had requested the ability to not wear the uniform. Instead we dressed up in formal wear and held a class party in the IB lounge. It was really a great experience that brought us closer together as a class, moments of laughter and fun.
I will miss those moments on the terrace in the sun laughing and not stressing out over exams. Especially when we made paper airplanes and tried to throw them and get them to fly up onto the highest terrace, sadly we didn’t succeed, but had a fun time trying.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I’d like to thank Ms Mycroft for being a warm, reassuring and kind escape from the stresses of the IB and school. I knew that whenever I encountered a particularly difficult situation I could rely on her support and British sarcasm encouragement to feel better. I couldn’t have done it without her. I also appreciated Mr Baldoni’s fun quips over veganism and animal rights, it was great finding an ally of sorts. Of course also a huge thank you to Ms Parnanzone who appreciated the fun of me having dyed my hair pink, and introduced me to a new language and new culture. Thanks to Ms Cope I had some form of escapism from the rigorous academics and got to spend some time in silence working on artistic pursuits. And to Ms Bell who encouraged me to push myself and develop as an essay writer but also writer for the school newspaper.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I am happy to have met this group of people and gotten closer over our struggles with IB. It’s been an eventful two years and I am proud that we’ve managed to survive it, and look forward to seeing what life holds for everyone in the future. I am incredibly proud of everyone’s efforts and the fact that no one dropped out ;). We’ve survived IB, nothing can stop us now.
Olga T.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
Moving past my resentment towards the level of academic difficulty it presented, I thoroughly
enjoyed the research that went into my Extended Essay, and to see it complete was particularly
gratifying.
Where are you applying to university?
I am applying to the U.K. and Netherlands.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
Most importantly I would like to thank Ms Mycroft for always knowing what words of encouragement to share during tough times, and providing me with constant support despite my particular lack of skill for History. I am very thankful to Ms Brunet and Ms Bell who provided me with continual work and support to build on the respective skills required in French and English. I am very grateful for the unique and challenging style of teaching provided by English, Mr Baldoni and Mr Paparusso who introduced me to different perspectives and communication of information. I am also appreciative of Ms Roach who has kindly taught me the last year of mathematics with vigour and dedication that I had never before encountered in the respective subject, sparking my interest in it. Finally I am also very thankful for Mr Fulgaro and Ms D'Alessandro for being so encouraging for us to be active during the quarantine and to work on our C.A.S.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
Meeting new people is always different, however I am glad to have been welcomed and accepted so easily, with the chance to grow as a person. I never would have thought my years in IB would end up like this so I am thankful for the novel experience.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
Some of the most memorable moments at school took place out in the sun, where one could escape the stuffy classrooms and obligation to wear masks. Enjoying nature and the beautiful scenery is a remarkable experience, even when it’s cloudy or raining. I’ll miss spending time with friends in and outside of the IB lounge where one could get away from the stress of schoolwork.
Alessio X.
What's been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
I personally believe that time management skills has been the most challenging as the IB is filled with tasks and deadlines and therefore this helped me to develop this skill further.
Where are you applying to university?
I have applied to UBC and University of Toronto in Canada as well as University College of London, University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, King’s college and University of Bristol.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
I enjoyed every bit of school as the several parts of the academic life made it so entertaining and enjoyable, from challenges to teamworks, and to building bonds with teachers and classmates, and I am going to miss every part of it.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
You were a wholesome class, although I was new to the class and I am a test re-taker nobody seemed to make fun of me or isolate me, instead the class was very friendly which made me feel very comfortable.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I have attended classes for 5 years in high school for
most of the teachers this year, and I must say thank you to all the teachers as you really helped me out to
achieve my academic goals during this period.
Giovanni Z.
What has been the most rewarding or challenging aspect of the IB?
The most challenging thing about the IB for me is how to manage my time; balancing the time between subjects and personal life. The most meaningful thing is for me to start a life different from the past.
Where are you applying to university?
I am planning to stay in Italy and I’ve applied to Politecnico di Milano.
What have been your favourite moments at School? What will you miss the most?
I am very happy to be here at RIS, where I started my IB life. During my two years at RIS, I enjoyed building relationships with my classmates and teachers. We got along like family. I will miss this time very much.
What message would you like to share with your classmates?
I am very happy to meet you and become classmates and friends. We are good classmates and friends now, and we will certainly be in the future! I wish everyone the best.
Would you like to say anything to your teachers?
I would like to thank them all. In these two academy years all teachers have been helping me to achieve my goals and improve my weaknesses. Thank you for your help and I wish you all the best!
Year 13 Wishing Wall - Please add your name at the end of your message.
