Recent News

Dear All,

Today I would like to share three issues with you:

1. Our 12-day trip to UK ended and we returned home. It was our first vist to our newly-married daughter and son-in-law. It is a wonderful experience to witness the starting of a new collaborative relation. One always wants to see her/his child happy to feel relieved. We are thankful to them for giving us that wonderful feeling. We wish them a long and happy life.

2. The projects for the challenged increased recently. It is fascinating. Last wednasday we participated in a "CircyCircus" show organized by Kabataş High School and TİV (The Foundation for the Deaf Children for 0-6 age groups). The collaboration of High school students and small deaf children was admirable. I congratulate all the participants.

3. 2009 ICT Seagulls Projects have come to the final step. All the participants are supposed to send their web addresses and CDs until the end of today. 25 project circles have shown a great effort on the way of completing their lovely work. I would like to share my sincere feelings with the team leaders and members.

I wish you a very happy and restful weekend. Loves from ıstanbul.

Hayal KÖKSAL

Loves from UK

Dear All,

We have been visiting London since 15th May. It was a nice opportunity for us to visit our children and also some dearesr colleagues working in Kingston University. The weather also has been so nice to walk around. On Monday we were together with Mary, Chris, Richard and Chandra. Tonight we had a nice talk with Mr. and Mrs. Paresh Kathrani at Landmark Hotel listening to music. We love all our friends and feel grateful to God for having them.

Tomorrow we will be in Devon. Tuesday we will fly for Istanbul. With love and peace.

Hayal KÖKSAL

Recent News About Us

Dear All,

I have been in London for a few days. I have to follow the latest news in my country through the e-journals. I feel sad for being away during such important events. Here are some of them. I took them from the English page of daily Hürriyet. According to the headlines of daily Cumhuriyet 19th May 2009 witnessed two important events. One was about the commomoration of great leader Ataturk and the other one was about a great loss_ loss of one of Ataturk's daughters; Prof.Dr. Türkan Saylan. You can see her 2 photos above. She was struggling with cancer since 1990 but she comğpleted successfully very important projects for the education of Turkish girls.

INDEPENDENCE EXCITEMENT:

"...We respectfully commemorate Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, on the anniversary of his lighting the independence torch. The May 19th Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth and Sports Day will be celebrated throughout Turkey, in foreign representations and in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, or TRNC, with ceremonies. President Abdullah Gul, in his May 19th Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth and Sports Day address, said that the pride of having a past full of victories will be felt once again on this day presented by Ataturk to the nation’s youth..."

DAUGHTER OF LIGHT:
"...We have lost Prof. Turkan Saylan, passionate for contemporary values and pioneer of education and science. Saylan, president of the Association for Support of Contemporary Living, or CYDD, who dedicated her life firstly to the fight against leprosy, and then to the education of girls, has passed away. Her last words were; "I completed all of my appointments, I fulfilled all of my duties. Now I am ready to die... ".

My visit to London will last until 26th. Then, I will be back to Istanbul to deal with 2009 ICT Seagulls Projects.

With love and peace.

Hayal KÖKSAL

Lecture, Ceremony & Concert

Dear All,
Yesterday was a wonderful day! First of all, our Village Institution graduate teacher_ Mr. Mehmet Sazak_ gave a lecture to my students at Boğaziçi University about his experiences at the Village Institution in 1940s. Later that very informative and fruitful talk, there was an historical ceremony at the Albert Long Hall of the University. The rector and two deans (Engineering and Educational faculties) presented two honorary doctorate titles to Prof.Dr.Türkan Saylan who is a great NGO leader, a medical professor devoted her life to combatting with Lepra and a wellkown Atatürk daughter. After the ceremony, the famous Turkish pianist Fazıl Say presented a small concert. It was excellent. I will write my blog from London from then on. Have a good time.
Hayal Köksal

Mothers' Day Celebration

I would like to send my love and respect to all mothers of the world.

Hayal KÖKSAL

To the ICT Seagulls Project Circles

Dear ICT Seagulls Project leaders and members,

We are approaching to the deadline of the delivery of 6th ICT Seagulls Projects. Until the end of May, teams are supposed to finalize their projects. They will have to inform me about the web or/and blog addresses and also send me the CDs including all the steps and contents of their projects. After an initial assessment process, all the teams and their projects' addresses will be sent to the other teams to be assessed based upon the given criteria. After the peer-assessment stage, the judge assessment stage will start.
The projects will be expected to be seen by peers and judges on a definite address (school web or a bought address). The videos related to collage, poster, drama, folk dances, etc. should also be placed to the web. The deadline for this is 29th May, Friday.
The National Award Ceremony of the Turkish ICT Seagulls will take place in September in Istanbul. For the International Award Ceremony we are grateful to Mr & Mrs Gandhi and Mrs Vineeta Kamran (City Montessori School, Lucknow, India) for their generous hospitality and special arrangement. It will take place during the "12th International Convention on Students Quality Control Circles" which will be held on 2-5 December, 2009. If you want to get more info about the Convention, please visit: www.cmseducation.org.

Teams and/or individuals, who would like to participate in the above mentioned event from Türkiye, should call me to get the broshures. With love and peace....

Hayal KÖKSAL