By: Brooke Chenoweth
When you first move to Hong Kong one of your main concerns is what school to send your kids to. However, as soon as you do any research Kellett British International School comes out on top! Established in 1976 it has grown to be one of the standout international schools in Hong Kong. To help mark its fortieth birthday this year, we asked a few alumni from recent decades to reminisce and give us some insight into what makes Kellett so memorable.
# 1970s
Simon and Shane Millar
It’s our great pleasure to call ourselves a true “Kellett family”. We both joined Kellett straight out of kindergarten in the late 70s, when the school was enjoying its humble beginnings. Shane’s elder sister and Simon joined reception in 1978 and at the time there were only two P1 classes above us. Shane joined reception the following year and so started our families’ connection to the school. Simon completed all of his primary schooling at Kellett and left in 1984 to go on to high school, while Shane left the school when her family left Hong Kong in the early 80s. Our parents were friends and when expat lives took the turns they normally do, it was their friendship that put Shane and Simon back in touch in our teens. What started as a pen-pal relationship culminated in a wedding and two wonderful children, thanks in part to the initial connection created by Kellett between our two families. When we found out last year that we’d be coming back to Hong Kong in 2015 there was only one school where we wanted to send our sons. So we’re delighted that our elder son Brae is continuing the Kellett tradition in P4 and our younger son Cameron will (hopefully) start in reception in 2016. Would anyone bet against a third generation of Millar’s attending Kellett in the future? We sure wouldn’t!
# 1980s
Matthew Cole
My brother Jeremy joined Kellett when the school was still in Tai Koo Shing. I started the year the new campus opened in Chi Fu. I couldn’t wait to go. My happy memories include being a Circus Ringleader in a class concert; Saturday soccer run by the school dads at Stanley Fort; the amazing library; art with Mrs Lamont; and being able to take the school pets home for the weekend (to a very interested Labrador). I enjoyed it all thoroughly; it’s a wonderful, stimulating educational environment with a caring school community that continues today.
Jo Soo Tang
My fondest memories of Kellett are the free time spent in the playground. The structure of the playground hasn’t changed at all; only the massive sandpit is missing, and the stairs from the reception music room are now closed off. It now leads you to the indoor sports hall that has since been so nicely renovated. Every morning after I drop off my three children, I sit down on the playground steps to soak in a bit of my childhood. I still remember my school friends: Morag, Henry, Nicholas, Erin, Rana, Carley and Elaine. Mr Miller was teaching back then and still is. I remember Mr Marshall – and Mrs Probert! All happy times. I feel exceptionally blessed to have been a part of the school and I’m a proud alumni!
# 1990s
Nicola Bruce
Looking back at the many memories of my time at Kellett, it’s hard to pinpoint one particular favourite. I often still find myself singing songs from assemblies we performed as long ago as Year 1! School camps were also a highlight, especially survival camp in Year 6. It was there that I mastered the skill of boiling spaghetti… something I felt was a great achievement at the time. The years I spent at Kellett were some of the best.
Little did I know then that 15 years later I’d be back, this time as an employee and with my own daughter on the wait-list to start in Reception in 2020!
# 2000s
Cameron Taylor
I’m honoured to be the first student to go right through Kellett, having joined at the age of 3 in 2001. Those 14 years were filled with happy and memorable moments, both inside and outside the classroom, and I owe these to the many wonderful teachers and students who shared my journey through school. My happiest memories come from the Year 13 trip to New Zealand. We spent ten days appreciating the natural beauty and learning about the culture of this fantastic country; but most importantly, for me, was the way everyone got on so well, helped each other out and strengthened friendships at an important stage of our lives. Memories that will last a lifetime – thank you, Kellett!
Kellett is at 2 Wah Lok Path, Pok Fu Lam.
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