International Parents Reception
August 2022
Every August, the Advancement Office hosts a special reception for all international families. Parents and students get to meet their house heads, deans and class deans, faculty and staff. They can walk around campus, visit their dorms, and get a first glimpse of what will be their home for the coming year.
Mohammed Abu Sheikh Classroom Dedication Ceremony
October 2022
A dedication ceremony took place on campus to recognize the generosity of King’s alumnus Abdallah Abu-Sheikh ’12. King’s Academy dedicated Room 211 in the science wing of the Academy Building as the Mohammad Abu-Sheikh Classroom, named after Abu-Sheikh’s late father in recognition of his commitment to nurturing the advancement of Arab youth through education.
Omar A. Aggad Observatory Dedication Ceremony
October 2022
King’s Academy held a ceremony to dedicate its astronomical observatory, the Omar A. Aggad Observatory, in honor of the philanthropic spirit of the late Omar A. Aggad. Aggad’s son Tarek, a longtime supporter of King’s Academy and former member of the school’s Board of Trustees, generously donated the cost of the observatory.
Launching Samsung Innovation Campus program at King’s Academy
October 2022
Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) is an information, communication and technology (ICT) education initiative offered globally by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the South Korean multinational electronics corporation and one of the world’s largest technology companies. The SIC aims to provide students and youth with core competencies such as AI, coding and programming, in addition to a range of soft skills to foster talented youth, enhance their employment prospects, and help them gain practical education in technologies. Offered as a six-week course in 2022, twenty-six King’s Academy students participated in the first iteration of the program, during which software engineers from Samsung Levant’s Research and Development Center provided them with training and mentoring to develop their skills in coding, programming and robotics.
King’s Rows for Student Life Fund
November 2022
School spirit was the order of the day at King’s Academy’s second annual Row for Funds event, a dynamic fundraising initiative that brought together the entire student body, faculty and staff for an energetic afternoon of rowing for a good cause.
Students and employees were divided into four teams, to take turns on rowing machines for a total of 45 minutes with the goal of burning the most calories (points) for their team. The winning team that gained the most points set the minimum amount to be donated, in cash, by each of the team sponsors to the Student Life Fund. The Student Life Fund ensures that King’s students on financial aid have access to the same opportunities available to other students, guaranteeing an equal educational experience for all King’s students. The fund covers, among other things, the cost of sitting for external examinations like the SAT, university application fees and various extra-curricular activities.
King’s Academy Silent Auction of Student Art Work
December 2022
In collaboration with the Department of Art, Design and Technology, the King’s Academy Silent Auction was hosted online and on campus in December 2022 on the same nights as the fall musical. During the auction, art enthusiasts and supporters were invited to own one, or more, of 15 beautiful pieces of artwork made by King’s students or alumni, by placing a bid through the Silent Auction page on the school’s website. The pieces ranged from paintings, photography, sculptures and mixed media, and were displayed in the Abdul Majeed Shoman Auditorium to be viewed by visitors and participants.
Winter Holiday Bake Sale
December 2022
Every December, King’s Academy parents from every grade get into the giving spirit by baking, making and donating an array of delicious sweet and savory goodies for the school community. Proceeds from the winter holiday bake sale were directed to support the Student Life Fund.
Celebrating the Tawfiq Fakhouri Endowment for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership
April 2023
The Tawfiq Fakhouri Endowment for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership was established in the spring of 2021 at King’s Academy by sTF5 Care, a foundation that works with grassroots organizations to deliver evidence-based health and education solutions to Jordanian and Palestinian communities.
Offered as a semester-long course at King’s Academy during the spring semester of 2023, the entrepreneurship program concluded with a shark tank-like pitch competition at which 21 students, divided into six teams, presented their business ideas to a panel of external judges.
Arabic Creativity Competition Goes National
June 2023
In June 2023, King’s Academy hosted its annual Arabic Creativity Competition, an initiative launched last year with the aim of celebrating Arabic language and culture.
The Arabic Creativity Competition is the brainchild of King’s Academy alumnus Ali Shajrawi ’11, who came up with the idea in memory of the late Atef Abu Sarris, who was a longtime Arabic teacher at King’s. This year the competition was expanded to include students from all over the kingdom. The competition provides students with a platform to express themselves and demonstrate their skills and creativity in the Arabic language in a myriad of forms, including poetry, short stories, short films, literary articles and speeches.
All-Alumni Reunion on Campus
June 2023
Around 200 King’s alumni from Classes 2010 to 2022 gathered on June 8 for a reunion on campus to forge connections, reminisce, mingle with each other and with faculty members, and celebrate achievements as proud King’s graduates.
It was also Head of School Penny Townsend’s first major encounter with alumni since taking the helm at King’s. “It fills my heart with joy to witness the strong bond that connects our King’s Academy family,” Townsend said of the gathering, adding how happy she was to meet them and see what a great example they are to the younger generations of King’s students. She urges alumni to continue to inspire, empower and shape the lives of future generations” so that the legacy of King’s Academy endures for many years to come.