News From Us
Janury 21, 2022
Serving the Community: Main Tenet of TAC's Educational Philosophy
Community service work and social service projects are the most fundamental aspects of the school ethos. At TAC, home to community leaders for many generations, awareness raising and community service activities are the foundations of skills which prepare students for real life. The 130-year old service learning culture is being maintained during the current school year through various projects in many areas.
Cleaning the Historic Gözlükule Mound
In collaboration with the Municipality of Tarsus and Boğaziçi University, TAC’s grade 11 and 12 IB students organized a cleaning campaign at the Gözlükule Mound in the beginning of the year to emphasize the importance of forest areas and the need to protect this historical and cultural legacy which is located right across from the school campus.
Tarsus Gözlükule Excavations Research Center is located in an old cotton gin factory near the Göztepe Mound, where excavations are conducted under the auspices of Boğaziçi University. The senior academicians which are a part of the Center and TAC students have been working to preserve this historical heritage which is right next to our school.
After the visit to the Research Center, the students cleaned the litter in Gözlükule Mound under the supervision of TAC’s IB CAS Coordinator, Mrs. Fatma Yiğitoğlu. As part of this awareness raising campaign which will continue throughout the year, the drivers of the vehicles parked around the school campus were also informed and warned about not throwing garbage in this historic area, which is also a natural park. TAC thanks all students who have contributed to the campaign.
Visiting Tarsus ZİÇEV Teachers
TAC has a long-time partnership with the Tarsus branch of ZİÇEV, Education Center for Children with Mental Disability, for various awareness-raising and community service projects. This year, we visited the teachers and students working in this valuable educational institution in advance of the Teachers' Day and thanked them for their dedication. At the end of the visit where TAC students spent time with the students, other events were planned for the year as allowed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the plan, TAC’s IB students will organize a campaign called "Lesson to Share" for families of students at ZİÇEV with limited financial means to make sure that these students will be involved in more lesson hours in the second semester. We would like to thank our students for their care for their community.
TAC Students Help Remove Barriers
TAC’s IB students started to learn sign language as the first step in creating awareness in the school community about visual impairment. Sections with sign language interpreting were included in our national day ceremonies drawing attention of the school community to the disability. The students who translated TAC’s promotional video to sign language aim to sustain this project as their legacy for TAC. TAC community is determined to build awareness among the school community on removing such barriers faced by individuals with disabilities, helping with their reintegration into society. TAC is appreciative of its students who take action about social issues.
Campus Overcoming Barriers: Tarsus American College
TAC’s IB students took the lead in the awareness activities as part of the “White Stick” Visual Impairment Awareness Week. Promoting the educational philosophy of TAC which is inclusive of all every individual in the society, TAC’s 9th graders with grade 11 and 12 IB students led awareness activities with the slogan "We Do Not Turn a Blind Eye to Barriers". Visiting the Tarsus Center for the Visually Impaired, our students held events in the classroom and in the school garden, taking the idea that “TAC tried to remove barriers” outside the campus boundaries through street interviews. TAC thanks students for the activities which had the supervision of Ms. Fatma Yiğitoğlu, the school’s Community Service Coordinator.
TAC’s Field Trip to Eshab-ı Kehf and Tarsus Museums and the Olive Harvest
Driven by the school motto "Leaders for Turkey, Leadership for the World", TAC’s students resumed their onsite learning in the city of Tarsus, following the interruption with the pandemic, which helps students to get to know about their local community and culture and to interact with it. To reinforce learning in IBDP’s ToK and CAS components, the school organized an field trip with grade 11 and 12 IB students to the historic cave of Eshab-ı Kehf, where we explored the source of knowledge, its reliability, and the link between language and culture. It was exciting to know that such ancient caves exist so close to the TAC campus.
The most important part of the trip was the conversations with the locals, finding out more about olive and its production. It was exciting for students to listen to the mythological and cultural background of the olive plant from them in an environment they had never been before, led by the questions "What is carob plant”, “how are molasses produced?" On the other hand, it was a bit upsetting for the environment-minded TAC students to see the dirty and neglected state of the area of their visit.
Community Service Partnership with Tarsus Alzheimer's Association
With the support of their families, a group of TAC students take the lead in the school’s partnership with Alzheimer's associations, from which they took a forced break during the pandemic. The fact that the activities hosted by the TAC campus has returned is pleasing for all. The students have been involved in various projects in cooperation with the Tarsus Alzheimer's Association since September under the supervision of Fatma Yiğitoğlu, TAC’s CAS Coordinator, including discussions on the importance of the Republic Day of October 29, preparing a video towards Alzheimer's awareness in Mersin, and supporting a handicraft training. For the New Year, they also organized a celebration for approximately 25 senior visitors in Sadik Pasha Foyer, which we hope will be the first of many meaningful activities to take place during the year.
Online Parent Interaction Meeting Titled “The Psychology of Being”
The parent interaction meetings organized by TAC’s Counseling Department continued with the subject of "Psychology of Being". The seminar which was facilitated by the school psychologist, Kardeniz Türkmen, was attended by parents from all grade levels. The presentation and the discussion were about the fact that awareness about their own existence and to know that it will, one day, come to an end is the main thing which distinguishes humans from other living things, and about the themes of life and death.
The active participation of our parents and their sharing examples from their own families made the meeting more productive. They also had the opportunity to ask questions which provided deeper insights.
Technology and Innovation Talks Session 3 – Bioprinting
The third session under the Technology and Innovation Talks was held by the school's Biotech, Scientific Project and Experiment, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Girls in Tech clubs on January 18, 2022. The online session introduced to our students the world of Assc. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Tarık Özbolat, instructor at Pennsylvania State University who is one of the leading names in the field of bioprinting. Conducting his studies in his own laboratory st the university, Ozbolat Lab, Özbolat made a presentation about the process of tissue and organ printing through 3D printers. After the presentation, he answered student questions, providing those who wish to work in this area in the future with important insights.
#3dprinting #3dbioprinting #bioprinting #artificialorgans #regenerativemedicine”
Regional Volleyball Finals in Kayseri (12-16 January)
TAC’s Girls A Volleyball Team saw victory against Hatay Ertuğrul Gazi Anatolian High School (3-0) in their first game in the regional championship in Kayseri.
In their second game, our girls turned around the losing score of 2-0 in the inital sets against Adana Gazi Ahmet Mehmet Sports High School following a stiff competition, with a victory of 3-2.
In their last game against Kayseri Erkilet College, our team beat its opponent with a score of 3-2 after these results in individual sets:
Set 1 - 25-17
Set 2- 18-25
Set 3- 25-16
Set 4 - 21-25
Set 5- 15-13
and became the undefeated champion of the regional finals, advancing to the Turkish semi-finals. We congratulate our talented players and wish them continued success.
Regional Basketball Finals in Karaman
TAC’s Boys A Basketball Team started the regional finals in Karaman with victory against Kırmızı Çizgi Science High School, Antalya’s champion, with a score of 72-69. The team defeated Hatay Özel Ekin Koleji in its second game, 96 to 71.
The final result of the team’s winning streak was 72-56 against Konya Diltaş College.
We congratulate our young athletes who maintained a competitive spirit in all games of the Mersin provincial championship and the regional championship.
TAC’s Boys B Basketball Team Continues to Lead the Play-off Group
TAC’s Boys B Basketball Team won the game against Bahçeşehir College with a score of 75-37.
The B team maintains its leadership in the group after their second victory against Yahya Akel Anatolian High School (81-43). We congratulate the team and wish them the best of luck in the upcoming tournaments.
YKS Exam Preparations at TAC
Please click on the visual below for the video explaining the YKS preparation activities. (only in Turkish)
Tarsus American College
Email: info@tac.k12.tr
Website: www.tac.k12.tr
Location: Caminur Mh., Tarsus Amerikan Koleji, Cengiz Topel Cad., Tarsus/Mersin, Turkey
Phone: 03242418181
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarsusamerikankoleji/
Twitter: @tarsusamerican