Celebrating 30 Years of Southbank

This week we welcomed Milton Toubkin, founder of Southbank International School, to our 30th Anniversary Town Meeting at Southbank Hampstead.

It was wonderful to welcome all members of our community to this special gathering and listen to Milton Toubkin reminisce about the early days of Southbank and his vision for a “school without walls”, where London is used as a classroom, students have a voice and take action, and all learn a musical instrument. Milton’s guiding principles continue to be sustained in our school as was evidenced by all the contributions to the Town Meeting.

The event included a Suzuki demonstration from our young musicians and we listened to action taken by the student council, who were awarded the Milton Toubkin award last year, and their decision to adopt animals at London Zoo. These include a giraffe, tiger, meerkat, komodo dragon, gorilla, pygmy hippopotamus and a rockhopper penguin!

Phyl Clancy the Creativity, Action & Service (CAS) coordinator from Southbank Westminster spoke about how the action taken by the Southbank community in Tanzania is being honoured through the naming of a road in Moshi as “Southbank International School Road”. The road leads to Mwereni Primary School where Westminster CAS students have visited and worked since 2004. A former student of Southbank Hampstead, Emily, shared with us an account of her independent action in making a difference by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

Principal Helen O’Donoghue said: “All of these actions clearly show how our students feel empowered to make a difference, to take action, and to make the world a better place.” Teachers, parents and students also reflected on what it means to be a Southbanker. And the students made up this description of the school:
S: Southbank is super!
O: Options- Southbank gives us lots of options to teach us how to be independent
U: Understanding: We are all understanding towards each other
T: Talented: Southbank helps us to find and develop our talents
H: Hilarious: We get many laughs and giggles at Southbank
B: At Southbank we are balanced because we have time for rest, work and play
A: Southbank is an amazing school to be part of!
N: At Southbank we have made new and old friends
K: Students at Southbank are Knowledgeable.

Helen O’Donoghue added: “t was a memorable town meeting for all and we look forward to welcoming Milton Toubkin back in the Spring when we will have completed our 30th Anniversary mosaic in the garden.”