Episode Transcript
[00:00:11] Speaker A: Welcome to another alumni edition of the owlcast, the official podcast of ACS Happens. I'm your host, John Papadakis and today we're bringing a candid, unscripted discussion with some very special guests. They are juniors, leaders and the official faces of our global community in the school.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: But above all, the ACES Athens Global
[00:00:33] Speaker A: Alumni Student Team are the connectors.
In an increasingly fast paced world, these students are slowing down to listen to the stories of those who came before them. From the class of 2027, these volunteers are taking on the real world challenges of finance, marketing and event coordination. Not for a grade, but for a cause. Their work funds scholarships that change lives, inspires younger students, raises awareness and helps organize the events that bring our family back home to campus. This isn't a student club. It's a leadership incubator where the past meets the future.
By mentoring younger students and interviewing seasoned graduates, they are ensuring that the spirit of ACS Athens remains vibrant and inclusive for generations to come.
On this episode of the Outcast, Alumni Outreach coordinator Lydia Scampavia co hosts a roundtable with six student global Christos, Amarilies, Michael, Oscar, Caterina and Daphne. We're talking about what it's like to balance the IB life with a mission of service and how they are defining their own why in the ACES Athens Story.
[00:01:53] Speaker C: Well, hello everyone.
I'm Lydia Scompavillas, Alumni Outreach Coordinator and I'm also very proud advisor of the ACS Athens Global team. A vibrant group of students, total of six who are continuing to build bridges between our current students and our worldwide alumni community.
Our oldest member since 9th grade is Mr. Sotiris Athanasopoulos, class of 2027. Who will introduce what is the global team?
[00:02:29] Speaker D: Okay, Mr. Thanosopoulos, my name is Adrisan Azopoulos and I serve as the head of finances for the acsatan's global leading team. My main responsibility is to oversee the budgeting and funding behind behind our projects and to make sure that every initiative we organize is sustainable and well planned.
[00:02:46] Speaker B: So this is the reason we have a budget. Why do you feel you are the. You said you're responsible for the finances and the budget of the team. Why do you think this is important?
[00:02:56] Speaker D: Make a plan for what we do.
[00:02:58] Speaker B: So you make a plan for events.
You're responsible to make sure that the plan and the project is sustainable.
How many projects do you think you were involved in last year? Ms. Kabavia said that you are the oldest team member.
[00:03:14] Speaker D: We had the pizza sales, we had the gala, we had the spring fair. Halloween sale.
[00:03:20] Speaker C: I think you were involved about 15 initiatives just in one year.
[00:03:26] Speaker B: Okay.
So we're going to go around introducing everybody, but I would like each one of you to think not what you did, but why you did it. What is the main idea behind you getting involved? So let's introduce each one of the students. Mr. Thanosopoulos. Who's next?
[00:03:44] Speaker D: Amarylis Christo.
[00:03:45] Speaker E: So, I'm Amarylis Christo. I'm part of the ACS Global Alumni team and as head of finance, along with Soteri.
And I joined this team because I wanted to make a long lasting impact on the school and the community.
[00:04:00] Speaker B: Is this your first year?
[00:04:02] Speaker E: No, it's my second year.
[00:04:03] Speaker B: Your second year? And what's your graduation year?
[00:04:06] Speaker E: 2027.
[00:04:07] Speaker B: So you're in the same. You're both juniors, right?
[00:04:10] Speaker C: Leading team members. Our class of 2027, they all have started as a supporting team from 10th grade. Volunteered their their time by themselves.
[00:04:22] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:04:22] Speaker C: And only so started in ninth grade.
[00:04:25] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:04:26] Speaker C: That's the only difference.
[00:04:27] Speaker B: Who's next?
[00:04:28] Speaker D: Michael J. Michael Chrisos.
[00:04:30] Speaker B: Michael.
[00:04:31] Speaker F: Hi, I'm Michael CROs. I'm the head of projects and events.
I'm with the class of 2027.
The main reason why I joined this club is when Ms. Kabadia first approached us, she asked us to help organize a series of events and sales to raise money for the Global alumni and to support bridging this gap in between the alumni and their school.
[00:05:00] Speaker B: You think there's a gap?
[00:05:01] Speaker F: I do believe there's a gap.
[00:05:04] Speaker C: What is the most important thing you raised? Money for?
[00:05:07] Speaker D: Scholarships.
[00:05:08] Speaker C: There you go.
[00:05:09] Speaker B: We're going to talk about scholarships as
[00:05:11] Speaker F: well as the science labs.
[00:05:12] Speaker C: Yes. You've done so many initiatives, the two of you. What made you most happy out of all? I don't want you to list all of them.
[00:05:21] Speaker B: Yes, Mr. Tarasopoulos, who's next?
[00:05:23] Speaker D: Daphne Raptis.
[00:05:24] Speaker B: Daphne.
[00:05:25] Speaker G: Hi, I'm Daphne Raptis and I'm also an 11th grader. And I am head of marketing and communications for the ACS Global team. And I also am responsible for any projects concerning art or literature.
And for me, like Amalise, it's important that we leave an impact by doing this.
And for me, it's also being able to participate in so many events that have many different areas of interest that I'm able to explore.
[00:05:54] Speaker B: Okay. Are you involved in arts and literature projects? In general. Are you a person of arts and literature?
[00:06:00] Speaker G: Well, in general, I try my best to involve myself through ACS Global because after I graduate, I want to study Art management.
[00:06:08] Speaker B: Perfect. Okay, who's next?
[00:06:10] Speaker D: Mr.
Oscar Gayer. Oscar?
[00:06:14] Speaker G: Yeah.
[00:06:14] Speaker H: I'm Oscar Gaia. I'm class of 2027 as well. I'm also head of events and projects.
And I'm doing this not only because I want to leave an impact, but also because I like connecting with people during the events, and I also like helping setting up stuff and also connecting with the younger people that I. That I teach in my supporting groups.
[00:06:37] Speaker B: And this is your second year involved. Okay. And the last person?
[00:06:43] Speaker D: Katerina Logan.
[00:06:44] Speaker B: Katerina.
[00:06:45] Speaker I: Hi. My name is Katerina Logan. I'm also part of the Global Alumni Leading team.
And I joined this initiative because raising money for scholarships for underprivileged students was truly inspiring. And I think it really.
It really made the entire team feel like we're making a difference through the events that we host.
[00:07:06] Speaker B: So let's go around, and I would like each one of you to give me your definition of ACS Athens Global. What is ACS Athens Global? For people who just know the school and they have nothing to do with this kind of programs.
[00:07:21] Speaker I: For us, I mean, for me at least. The ACS Athens Global Team is created to give students the opportunity to grow as ambassadors, communicators, and leaders, while also forming meaningful connections with alumni who live across the globe.
[00:07:39] Speaker B: So if I come and tell you I'm a global member of ACS Athens Alumni, what comes to mind? What do you think? Who do you think I am?
[00:07:50] Speaker I: Well, either you're an alum or you're a part of a team of students who tries to make connections with alum in order to support the school.
I think that people that are a part of the ACS Athens Global team really care about networking. They care about meeting new people. They care about making finding opportunities to reach out in the different careers that they're interested in.
[00:08:16] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:08:17] Speaker G: I would also like to add that the ACS Global Team is not only about connecting and bridging gaps with students, but it's what Katina said. It's about bridging gaps. And Mikhail said it with the alumni and being able to create a network amongst students and alumni in a way that we're able to learn from ACS alum experiences. And it also extends to parents of students, since they may not have necessarily attended acs, but their students are attending ACS now, and they can still be involved in the events that we participate in.
[00:08:48] Speaker B: Very nice.
[00:08:48] Speaker F: Adding to what Daphne said about parents of students right now, I think it's very important for these parents to meet with former alumni Members because they get a better grasp of how the school works, what comes after you graduate from the school?
Because this school is mostly long term.
[00:09:07] Speaker B: Have you met any alums when they come to visit?
[00:09:11] Speaker F: We have.
[00:09:12] Speaker B: What's a question that you asked an alum that you think made a difference in how you see the whole community of Global?
[00:09:19] Speaker F: I asked them, how did ACS impact your future mostly and like, how did the things you do, you did in ACS affect your future and help you maybe in the future?
[00:09:29] Speaker B: Great, great. Oscar, you have done some tours of alarms and you've met some of them, right?
[00:09:35] Speaker H: Yeah, I've done some tours and I asked similar questions to Michael and they all gave me the same answer, that ACS prepared them very well for the future in many skills like leadership skills or communication skills. And they were never really shy and they were always open about talking to other people and learning new people, which I found pretty interesting.
[00:09:56] Speaker C: I'm just gonna pop in and say that from the back to school tours that our team does, which are usually one hour long, we get so much feedback from the alumni community, thanking them because they create a bond, they share their experiences, which university they went, which area did they choose in the end as a career path?
And I have a couple of email responses saying that.
A big special thanks to Oscar for being such a great student guide.
[00:10:31] Speaker B: You think this makes a difference when someone visits?
[00:10:34] Speaker C: Definitely. It's much better to have a student because we started the back to school tours, it was me and always one or two students and we trained.
Now these students have taken to another level because they do the back to school tour by themselves.
[00:10:51] Speaker B: Do you guys feel like ambassadors?
[00:10:53] Speaker F: Yeah.
[00:10:54] Speaker B: What does that mean?
[00:10:55] Speaker H: I feel like we represent the school, our actions also.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:11:00] Speaker I: Also we have the opportunity of being a mentor to younger students that are potential ambassadors for the future. So that when we graduate, we pass on our legacy as ambassadors in the team to younger students. So I also think that being kind of like a. An example, setting an example to the younger students is also a part of being an ambassador.
[00:11:22] Speaker B: Okay, so my question ties in with what Katerina said. Everything that we do in Global has to do with legacy.
So what do you think? Or what would you wish your legacy to be when you leave ACS Athens, when you go away and you say, I wish my legacy is preserved well
[00:11:44] Speaker E: by being here and being a part of this team, not only being a part of the school, but as a team, I want to build like a lifelong network of people that I can rely on and that will help Me reach my goals in the future.
So I want to leave my legacy as someone that tried to reach out to as many people as possible to achieve the goals that I've set for myself and success in my career.
[00:12:10] Speaker B: Okay, but how does that connect with the school? You are going to be a successful individual, businesswoman or artist or whatever it is. How are you going to bring that back?
[00:12:21] Speaker E: Because the school is a fundamental part of.
It's a fundamental step in taking so you can get to where you want to get in the future.
[00:12:31] Speaker B: I would have expected to say I'm gonna be coming back every year, but I assume this is without saying, yeah, of course.
[00:12:39] Speaker C: They're ambassadors. Once they graduate, wherever they are, they will be ambassadors of our school.
[00:12:44] Speaker B: There you go.
[00:12:45] Speaker C: They will have gatherings, reunions.
[00:12:49] Speaker B: Once an ACS, always an ACS.
[00:12:51] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:12:52] Speaker B: Okay, Mr. Athena Sobros, you haven't said anything.
What kind of an ambassador do you feel to be?
[00:12:59] Speaker D: I just present the logistics of the school and the vision statement to be an active, global, conscious citizen. I would like to network with my classmates, teammates for the future. I think we're all going to be very successful in the future, so we're all going to make a end the cycle of the success of AC 1000s.
[00:13:18] Speaker B: Okay, great.
[00:13:19] Speaker G: I wanted to build on what Amarillou said because I completely agree with how one of the most important aspects of our high school experience are the connections that we make not only with students, but also with teachers, with alumni. So that's why I think that the global team is so helpful in us being able to facilitate those connections in a way in which they're going to be long lasting and which are going to ultimately help us in our jobs and university.
So I think that's a really important part to mention.
[00:13:46] Speaker B: And I want to mention that you're not reading what you just said. You just said it. So this is very important.
So thank you for that. Someone else.
[00:13:55] Speaker H: Yeah. I also want to mention that as soon as people graduate from ACS and continue their jersey, the goal of ACS globally is that we always stay connected, no matter what, and always reunite again.
[00:14:08] Speaker B: Okay. So thinking of the things that you have done in the past couple of years, you said most of you have been in the group for two years now. Yes.
[00:14:17] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:14:19] Speaker B: Which event do you think had the most impact on you? First of all, and to the team in general, what was most meaningful?
[00:14:28] Speaker F: I believe it was the gala because it was a large event.
[00:14:32] Speaker B: That was the 80 years gala celebration that we did last year to celebrate 80 years in the School.
[00:14:38] Speaker D: Right.
[00:14:38] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:14:39] Speaker D: So.
[00:14:40] Speaker F: So we all had to guide in alumni invitees, which was very interesting as we got to network with them and learn about them and their story about ACs and how they came to be at the gala.
[00:14:55] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:14:56] Speaker F: It was also a very interesting event because it was a large scale event. It was more formal than all the other events that we've done.
[00:15:04] Speaker B: Did you feel nervous before the gala?
[00:15:06] Speaker F: Not really.
[00:15:07] Speaker B: Not really. Okay. You knew what you were doing. I mean, we were all there and you were all over the place.
[00:15:14] Speaker H: I think mostly that we all work together to do stuff, and even though we all have separate roles, we all connect what we do and accomplish the stuff together.
[00:15:22] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:15:24] Speaker I: For me, the most meaningful event was the most recent one, which was a soiree with alumni. This soiree was an opportunity for new parents and alumni to come together and learn more about the school.
And I interviewed many new parents and I heard really meaningful things from them. They. For one parent, he said that for once his kid is coming home happy and he actually wants to go to school.
And I think that this really shows, like, how supportive of a community ACS Athens has.
And it actually, it made me realize how people that are new to the school feel. And it just, I don't know, it warms my heart to, to hear that kind of news from a person that only has experience with the school for one month.
[00:16:18] Speaker B: Okay. Okay. So let's. Let's go to this year's events.
I'm pretty sure Ms. Lydia has put you in the mode of organizing different things. Maybe she wants to say something or you guys want to say what you're looking forward to do this year.
Come on, Miss Lydia.
[00:16:39] Speaker C: Don't forget, all six of them are.
This is volunteer work. It's from their free time. They have full schedules, full ib, Very important to say, and it's very demanding.
And that's why I'm very proud of them because they're very dedicated and they always find the time and if somebody misses, the other person will fill in for them.
[00:17:04] Speaker B: I have a question just for you then.
What do you say to them when you recruit because you recruited them.
We have an announcement out, but I know you go one to one and you say you are mine.
[00:17:19] Speaker C: I never put an announcement. I never made a recruitment. They by themselves recruited for the first time, the supporting team.
[00:17:30] Speaker B: Okay, but how do you explain what they're supposed to be doing?
[00:17:33] Speaker I: So the way that, like I was recruited on the team was I got an email from Ms. Pitas saying that you have been selected to participate in helping the office of development.
[00:17:46] Speaker B: So Ms. Pitas is.
[00:17:48] Speaker I: Ms. Pitas is the IB director, but the year before that, she was the vice principal. And so this email was sent to all of us. And then we went to Ms. Kapavia, and essentially she told us about what we do. And then the first event that we took part of was, again, a soiree, but it was for showcasing art pieces from alums. And then after that, we kind of, all of us, we found that this is a really interesting thing to do.
It's volunteer work, and we enjoyed the people that we were doing it with.
So that's how we got in the team.
[00:18:28] Speaker F: I'd like to speak about me and Swatiri and how we were approached by Ms. Kabavia.
So we were originally in ninth grade.
[00:18:37] Speaker B: I see your arm is still twisted, is what.
[00:18:41] Speaker C: No, it's a joke.
I don't.
I don't drag people. They come by themselves.
[00:18:48] Speaker B: I know, I know. I'm joking.
[00:18:49] Speaker D: Come on.
[00:18:50] Speaker F: She came up to us in our biology class and mentioned that we were raising money for the science lab donations through buying a seat in the theater.
And that's how we first got in touch with Ms. Kababi. And we have been along the global team and all the other events ever since then.
[00:19:10] Speaker C: There is a pattern, though, other than Oscar, who. His mom is an alum of our school.
So he's like you. Like me. True.
I don't know. In the beginning, maybe some of them did not know the hours they had to put in this volunteer team, but because it has been interesting, challenging, and exciting, they're still continuing with us.
Students tend to follow the older students.
So. Soirisathenasopoulos. I approached him because I had worked with his brother Andrea, who graduated last year.
[00:19:51] Speaker B: So there's a family tradition there.
[00:19:52] Speaker C: Exactly.
So. And then I observed. I went into classrooms, I made presentations, and I saw which eyes popped up the most and reached out through their teachers.
[00:20:06] Speaker B: Right. So we go to classes, right?
[00:20:08] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: We go to their classrooms and we present what?
Acs Athens Global.
[00:20:15] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:20:16] Speaker B: I guess my last question is if you had an opportunity to talk to students for next year to come and be involved in aces Athens Global.
What's your punchline?
What would you tell them to convince them that this is the thing to do next year?
[00:20:35] Speaker D: I would say that it's the best for your transcript. It's one of the best pieces of paper we can put in a transcript.
[00:20:42] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:20:43] Speaker D: And it's the best type of networking inside the school.
[00:20:46] Speaker B: Great.
[00:20:47] Speaker I: And also to add on to that we had presented to middle school classes last year to try to recruit 8th graders so that when they come into high school they know what this team is and what they can do with it. And we again, what Suthari said, we emphasize the fact that if you have this on your cv, you have a form of like volunteer work, which is what many universities are looking for. And also making a difference in your community and being a leader. So you have all three of those things on your cv and it's a
[00:21:18] Speaker B: really outstanding thing, I'm convinced.
[00:21:20] Speaker F: As well as publications through the ACS Athens global alumni website.
[00:21:25] Speaker B: What do you mean by that?
[00:21:27] Speaker F: Which means that the work you do gets published on the website, which means it's officially recognized.
[00:21:33] Speaker B: Not only officially recognized, but people see it and it's out there. Right.
[00:21:37] Speaker C: How did you convince your sister to join this year?
[00:21:41] Speaker E: Well, she wanted an opportunity to volunteer with something in the school and I kept mentioning that I had all these events to her last year and she was very curious to see what it was.
And when I did the presentation in the middle school, her and her friends were really interested and they all wanted to join with her. Yeah. So they all joined.
[00:22:05] Speaker B: Nice.
[00:22:06] Speaker C: So you lead by example.
[00:22:07] Speaker E: Yeah, exactly.
[00:22:08] Speaker C: Did you have a good time? Me, your sister at the first event?
[00:22:12] Speaker E: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. She was very nicely mentored by Katerina. She helped her do the interviews and she's slowly building the skills that could make her part of the supporting team and even the leading team.
[00:22:27] Speaker C: I think it's very important this group has critical thinking, has built social skills. They're all problem solvers sometimes, you know, we can be, you know, there are challenges, but they all care for each other and they care about the community.
And it reminds us in this fast paced world that we live in that it's not only innovation, it's not only AI, it's social skills. We're all human beings and we all like to be liked. It's okay to give a hug, it's okay to say, are you having a tough day? Or Let me help you out.
[00:23:07] Speaker B: I think that this is a very dynamic team and I think that they all know their purpose and their the effort that actually has some kind of a result, some kind of a outcome. So I would like to thank each one of you guys and you know, the work that you do is very valuable not only for you and your fellow students, but for the school and the alumni community.
So we're looking forward to see what you're going to do through this year and next year. You're going to be seniors. We're going to wrap it up and we're going to have to see who else is coming, you know, following up your footsteps. Thank you, Ms. Lydia, and thank you, everybody here.
[00:23:48] Speaker D: Thank you.
[00:23:49] Speaker B: Talk soon.
[00:23:50] Speaker F: Thank you.
[00:23:51] Speaker D: Thank you.
[00:23:54] Speaker J: You are listening to the owlcast, the official podcast of ACS Athens. Make sure you subscribe to the owlcast on Google Podcasts, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This, this has been a production of the ACS Athens Media Studio.
