13/09/2026
This week, we also want to use part of our opening to recognize one of the many inspiring stories within our own community. We work alongside colleagues with experiences, knowledge, and commitments that we may not always fully know, and we hope this year gives us more opportunities to be curious about one another and to celebrate the people who make up our Junior School team. This week, we would like to recognize our music teacher, Ms. Truike Boekholt, and the story recently shared about her work in Rishikesh, India.
What began during a visit to India in 2009, when Truike encountered children who did not have access to schooling, became a commitment that has now continued for 16 years. Through Children of the Ganges, the organization she founded, she has helped children access education and provided learning materials, food, and other essential resources. The work has grown with the involvement of local educators, and even while living and teaching in New York, Truike has continued to stay connected to the children and support their learning. One of the stories shared in the article (images) attached to this section is of a former student who began her education through this work and has now reached the final year of her master's degree.
For those of us who know Truike as the teacher welcoming Junior School students into music each week, this story gives us another window into the educator behind those lessons. It also speaks directly to the mission of UNIS. We want our students not only to learn about the world, but also to understand their place in it, recognize their connection and responsibility to others, and see that what they learn can lead to meaningful action. Part of educating globally minded students is helping them understand that they can use their knowledge, choices, and actions to contribute positively to their communities and, in their own ways, to a better world. Truike’s story gives us a very real example of what that can look like when education, care, and commitment come together over time.
And as Truike shared with us:
“Anyone can be the one in someone else’s life who might offer support or inspiration to a student, a colleague, or someone in the wider community. What we do matters.”
Perhaps that is also an invitation for us to continue being curious about one another. Every colleague brings experiences, perspectives, and commitments that shape who they are as educators and what they bring to our students. We hope we continue to discover and celebrate more of these stories throughout the year.
Thank you, Truike, for allowing us to share this part of your story, and thank you to all of you for the many ways your own experiences, care, and commitment continue to shape our students and our Junior School community.
We wish you all a restful weekend.
Kindly,
Alessandra and Pascal
Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal
Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal
