Hey Novaneers!

My name is Lisa Mukoya Ochieng, a proud alumna of Nova Pioneer Tatu Girls (Class of 2022) and an incoming freshman at Princeton University, New Jersey—still very much undecided on my major, but leaning towards something STEM (or maybe humanities? Who knows, we’ll see). 

Nova Pioneer played a huge role in shaping my journey, thanks to the incredible teammates who supported me every step of the way in high school. Special thanks to Mr. Otaka for guiding me through the application process and writing my counselor recommendation letter, and to Mrs. Melvin and Mr. Opiyo for their amazing subject recommendation letters. I’m deeply grateful.

After completing my K.C.S.E in December 2022, I spent my time at home waiting for results while working on coding projects (because what else do you do when you have way too much free time?). Then came January 2023, K.C.S.E results day. I was expecting good news, but I was still completely shocked when I saw my score: an A of 83/84 points, making me one of the top students in the country and the top girl in Ruiru Sub-county.

With those results, I was selected to join the Equity Leadership Program, which mentors top students countrywide into future leaders. During an intensive two-week job induction camp, we were trained on financial literacy, banking operations, fraud detection, and professional skills. After that, I began a six-month internship as a Relationship Officer at Equity Bank, Embakasi Branch. Alongside my internship, I joined the Equity College Counseling Program, where I prepared for the SAT, crafted my essays, and built my college applications.

I took my first SAT on August 23rd, 2023, scoring 1430/1600 (760 Math, 670 English). While I performed well in Math, the English section proved to be a challenge.

Around this time, I also joined the Kenya Robotics Team as the Assistant Team Captain and began working on building a robot for the FIRST Global Challenge in Singapore. The experience was incredible! I got hands-on with computer-aided design (CAD), deepened my knowledge of Java programming, and truly immersed myself in the world of robotics.

Then came the dreaded college application season, and let’s just say, it was brutal. I applied to 20 colleges in the US, and every single one of them rejected me. 20 out of 20. It felt like the universe had a vendetta against me, but deep down, I knew I couldn’t give up. I also explored other opportunities and was later awarded the full Türkiye Bursları Government Scholarship to study Computer Science at Ankara University. It was an amazing opportunity, but I took a massive risk and declined it to chase my American dream one more time.

Determined to improve my chances, I retook the SAT on October 5th, 2024. My English score went up, but Math decided to betray me that day (1380/1600—710 English, 670 Math). With a superscore of 1470, I still felt it wasn’t competitive enough, so I ultimately applied test-optional (without submitting my SAT scores).

This time, everything changed.

On March 27th, at exactly 2:07 a.m., I got the acceptance letter. “Congratulations!” My first-ever acceptance. And not just anywhere. Princeton University. The #1 ranked university in the U.S. offering me full funding. God came through for me!

I still got 10 rejections this cycle, but honestly? It doesn’t even matter. My American dream came true. I’m still in shock, but I know these next four years are going to be incredible.

To anyone out there chasing big dreams, keep going. Rejection is just redirection. Your moment is coming! And most importantly, trust in God. His timing is always perfect.

 

Thank you for choosing to be part of the Nova Pioneer community and allowing us to be part of your child’s journey. At Nova Pioneer, we know how important it is to build community. Who better to help us do this than our very own parents? Through the referrals you make to other families, we have seen the Nova Pioneer community grow. As a way of showing our appreciation, we are doubling your referral discount when a parent that you have referred to Nova Pioneer, secures their child’s place between 15th May 2024 to 15th July 2024 and enrols their child at one of our Nova Pioneer schools in Kenya at the start of the 2024 academic year. 

How Does Doubling Your Referral Discount Work? 

As an existing Nova Pioneer parent, you could qualify for a 5% discount on your own child’s tuition, when a parent that you refer successfully enrols their child at any of our Nova Pioneer campuses in Kenya. To celebrate your support, the 5% discount is being doubled for a limited time. This means that you could qualify for a 10% discount on your child’s 2024 tuition if a family that you refer to Nova Pioneer secures their spot between 15th May 2024 to 15th July 2024  and enrols their child for the 2024 academic year.

How Our Referral Discount Works

Which Parents are Eligible for a Discount?

1. In order to successfully enrol a referred student, the prospective parent must state that they were referred to Nova Pioneer by you (your first name and surname), when they fill in the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM in the ‘How did you hear about us?’ section on our website. This is a mandatory requirement to be eligible for the discount.
2. Referred students cannot have a sibling currently at or having previously been enroled at Nova Pioneer. 
3. The referral discount is applied to the youngest child’s tuition- if you have only one child at Nova Pioneer, that child will receive the discount. 
4. There is no limit to the number of students that a current parent can successfully refer and subsequently benefit from. You will be entitled to a 10% discount per referral who successfully secures their spot between 15th May 2024 to 15th July 2024 and enrols for the 2024 academic year.
5. This referral programme is only open to parents whose child(ren) are enroled at Nova Pioneer at the time when they refer new parents, who then successfully enrol their child(ren) at Nova Pioneer.
6. The discount is applied termly or annually, depending on the payment option chosen for the 2024 fees of the referring parent.
7. The referral discount will not be applied should the student’s account be in arrears at the point in time that the discount is allocated.
8. Nova Pioneer staff do not qualify.
9. The discount is not transferable to another student or family’s fee.
10. The discount cannot be converted into- or payable in cash for the equivalent value.

What are the KEY STEPS to SUCCESSFULLY Refer & Receive the “DOUBLE Discount”?

Step 1: A current and referring parent talks to a friend and tells them about Nova Pioneer.

Step 2: The prospective parent completes an online application form and in the ‘How did you hear about us?’ section, they select ‘referred by a current parent’ and write the full name of the parent who referred them.  Note: this is a critical step to log this referral and without providing the first name and surname of the referring parent, they will not qualify for the said discount.

Step 3: The referred parent (a) completes the enrolment process (which may require an assessment), (b) is formally accepted, (c) submits all required documentation, and (d) pays ALL grade/form-relevant fees for their first term at Nova Pioneer.

Step 4: The referred and NEW student starts at Nova Pioneer as planned at the school having completed the steps above.

Step 5: Within 3 weeks thereafter, the SUCCESSFUL referral is flagged to the Nova Pioneer billing team, who will subsequently credit the referring parent fee account with the 10% discount (assuming all terms & conditions are met). 

Note: that the discount will ONLY be applied AFTER the referred student has paid and started at Nova Pioneer. If this happens after you have been billed, then a credit will retrospectively be applied to your fee account, equivalent to the 10% tuition discount, if all of the STEPS are completed and terms & conditions applied with.

IMPORTANT: STEPS 1 to 3 all need to be completed within the specific time frame of 15th May 2024 to 15th July 2024, to qualify for the “Double Discount” of 10%. 

Successful parent referrals outside of this specific time frame, still qualify for the 5% tuition discount which is part of the ongoing Nova Pioneer parent referral programme.

Nova Pioneer respectfully reserves the right to change or withdraw this programme at any stage.

As a current parent who wishes to refer a family, you can also complete this form with the details of the family you wish to refer, and an Admissions teammate will reach out to them and assist them in making a formal application for their child to join one of our Nova Pioneer campuses. 

 

Did you know that all children have psychosocial support needs. These needs can vary depending on a child’s age, their life experiences, their family situation, gender, and even their individual personalities. According to Unicef, disruptions caused by COVID-19 have also had a profound impact on the mental wellbeing of children across the world, further making school psychologist services essential for the students’ wellbeing. 

 

Psychosocial support is a need for all

According to the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI), psychosocial wellbeing is a necessary condition for any human being to realise their full potential and to lead fulfilling, healthy and productive lives. 

REPSSI is an organisation with a mission to lead in innovative Mental Health and Psychosocial Support interventions to transform policy and practise for girls, boys and youth in Africa to reach their potential

In an earlier edition of their Teacher’s Diploma in Psychosocial Care, Support and Protection Module, REPSSI states that people that have psychosocial support have shown a higher self-esteem than average, and thus show confidence in their ability to solve problems, make decisions, build positive social relationships, work together and resolve conflicts. 

 

Psychologist supporting students

As schools across the world strive to provide healthy and positive learning experiences that promote the optimal development of the whole child, school psychologists have come to play an increasingly important role in promoting this development. School psychologist services at schools have become a necessity.

The mental health and wellbeing of children is recognised as a critical condition for optimal learning and development. School psychologists can help promote the mental and educational health and wellness of students in a number of different ways, including through the provision of individual and group therapeutic interventions and in the provision of preventive and health promoting group work. 

Having psychologists on a school team gives students access to mental health care, including psychotherapy, which can often be difficult and sometimes very costly to access outside of the school.  

 

Psychotherapy is a specialised and often scarce service 

Nova Pioneer’s Psychosocial Team consists of  educational and clinical psychologists,  intern psychologists working under supervision, and registered counsellors. Each campus is provided with a team member, whose time on campus is proportioned according to the campus size. 

We aim to provide quality psychological care to all students who are referred to us, and we strive to promote mental health and wellness in all aspects of the Nova Pioneer educational experience. Our interventions aim to optimise and enhance the social, emotional, behavioural and academic functioning and development of the students we work with.  All team members have the training and skills to intervene immediately if a student has experienced trauma or is needing support in managing a crisis. 

As mental health specialists and experts in childhood development, our team provides input and support to teachers and school leadership in the development of student support strategies, and in promoting whole-school wellness and inclusive educational practices.  This involves supporting, accommodating and including students who have particular educational or mental health needs. In working alongside parents, our team also promotes health and wellbeing within families. 

We encourage parents to reach out to their child’s teacher, or the Dean of Students if they feel their child is in need of support. 

 

 

Life is an unpredictable journey, often leading us on unexpected paths that shape our futures in profound ways. In this series of alumni spotlight, let us turn our attention to Shakira Mwakitawa, a remarkable alumnus of our Tatu City Girls School, class of 2020. She is currently a Civil Engineering major sophomore at the University of St. Thomas.

 

 

Career Pathway

What began as a traditional academic pursuit took a turn into unchartered territories ultimately redefining Shakira’s professional trajectory.  In High School, Shakira was a Gold Key student. We were very inspired by her artistic expression in painting. In fact, in 2021 she ran a business called Sunnysideupke, an online art business that supported her friend and Novaneer classmate Jeanne Sere to donate sanitary pads to a centre in Kibera.

After pursuing her high school education, she applied for the alumni internship program at Nova Pioneer where she joined the Marketing team as the Content Creation Intern. Curating content for the Nova Pioneer Kenya social media handles was a project that she enjoyed doing. Her dedication, innate flair for innovation, and creative ideas contributed to her success in that role.  She held this position for close to a year before joining University. This experience bolstered her portfolio and enabled her to continue engaging in the social media space as a student assistant at the University of St. Thomas.

When she joined the university, she enrolled in an environmental studies course but switched to Civil Engineering due to an interest in urban planning and landscape architecture. With each lecture, project, and discussion Shakira has expressed that she finds herself increasingly drawn to the world of Civil Engineering, its challenges, and possibilities igniting a new fire within.

 

Personal Scoop

During her free time, Shakira enjoys watching  Netflix and reading African literature. She enjoyed reading  “Havoc of Choice,” authored by Wanjiru Koinange. A book that she highly recommends for all who find reading engaging. 

 

The Nova Pioneer effect

Shakira felt prepared for the professional and university environment because of the Nova Pioneer culture that challenged her to set high expectations, grow from every challenge, and defined her as a Novaneer. She learned to structure her time when she was in High School. She expressed that she had support from her teachers notably Mr. Godfrey Otaka and Ms. Margaret, that helped her in her journey from being shy and reserved in opinion to being confident and outgoing in nature.

If you want to find out more about how we prepare our Novaneers to create their future, take a moment to click here and get scheduled for one of our Campus Experiences.

 

For years, we have seen you, our teammates, refer excellent families to Nova Pioneer schools in Kenya and we say Asante Sana! Over the past three years, family referrals from teammates have accounted for over 12% of our new applications, and through these referrals, we have seen the Nova Pioneer community grow. 

As a way of showing our appreciation, we are launching the Family Referral Programme for Teammates. This programme allows you to get a voucher reward when a parent that you have referred to Nova Pioneer, commits and enrols their child at one of our Nova Pioneer schools in Kenya. 

 

How Our Referral Discount Works

 

Which Teammates are Eligible for the Reward?

In order to successfully enrol a student, the parent you refer must state that they were referred to Nova Pioneer by you (your first name and surname), when they fill in the online application form in the ‘How did you hear about us’ section on our website. 

• On the application, there is a section marked ‘How did you hear about us?*’ as shown in the image below. This section must be responded to.

• Under the ‘How did you hear about us?*’ section, the applicant must select ‘Nova Pioneer Representative/Staff’ as illustrated in the image below.

 

• Once the referred applicant has selected the ‘Nova Pioneer representative/Staff’ option, they must put down the name of the teammate who referred them, as shown in the image below, to make the application a successful teammate referral that will result in a reward post student’s successful enrolment.

 

Confirmed enrolment at Nova Pioneer for the referred family will be subject to all admissions requirements being met. We draw your attention to the following specific requirements:

• Space availability in the requested grade.
• A successful entry assessment to establish grade readiness.

Referred students or parents cannot have a sibling or child currently or have been previously enroled at Nova Pioneer. 

There is no limit to the number of students a teammate can refer. You will be entitled to one voucher per referral who successfully enrols.

This referral programme is only open to current Nova Pioneer teammates at the time when they refer new parents, who then successfully enrol their child(ren) at Nova Pioneer.

Teammates who are part of the Marketing team and Leadership are not eligible for this incentive.

 

What If A Parent Wants To Be Contacted Before Making An Application?

 

If a parent wishes to first speak to an admissions teammate before making an official application on our website application page, please share their contact information on this form and an admissions teammate will reach out to the prospective parent. We shall track this parent as a referral from you and you will be eligible for the successful referral reward once the student(s) successfully enrol.

 

How To Refer

 

1. A current and referring teammate talks to a friend and tells them about Nova Pioneer.
2. The prospective parent completes an online application form and in the ‘How did you hear about us’ section, they select ‘referred by a current parent’ and write the full name of the teammate who referred them.
3. Once the referred parent completes the enrolment process and pays grade-relevant fees for their first term at Nova Pioneer and they report for the school term, the referral is flagged and the Marketing team works closely with the  Finance team to make available the incentive voucher.

 

The impact of the Family Referral programme extends to our culture of Greater Together. We thank you for the collaboration and support as we continue to welcome new Novaneers to our community. 

*Terms and conditions apply

 

There are several tips that will help a student excel in exams. Examination period can bring a lot of pressure and anxiety hence the need for students to prepare adequately. Studying effectively is very key in Exam Preparation.

Start Your Preparation Early

Starting early with your exam preparation will give you ample time to review everything you have already studied. So do not leave anything for the last moment and make sure you understand your subject thoroughly. This will make revision much easier.

Setting up a timetable early enough will also assist in proper time management. First note down the exams you have and schedule appropriately.

Organize Your Space for Study

Before sitting down to study,ensure your space is well organised and that you have enough space to place your study materials.Ensure the room is also well lit and there’s nothing around that might distract you.Keeping everything in order helps you remain focused throughout the study session.

Review and Practice old exam papers

This will help you familiarize yourself with the format and structure of the exam paper.

Set your Study Goal.

Goal setting is the best way in attaining any sort of targets.Utilize your study time to achieve your goals.

Get together with friends for a study session

Organizing study sessions with your friends is one of the most crucial exam study tips for university students as it helps you get answers to all your questions and vice versa. However, you need to make sure that you do not waste time and stay focused on learning the importance of preparing for exams.

Studying with your friends or your fellow students is also a great way to challenge yourself and keep moving forward towards your goal

Study to Suit your Learning Style 

Your learning style will help you to know what are the best ways to prepare for an examination. For instance, if you are an auditory learner, you may benefit from recording your notes and then listening to them later, or you can even listen to class recordings.

On the other hand, if you are a visual learner, pictures and diagrams can help you remember. So explore what your learning style is so that you can memorize significant facts and understand key concepts.

Read More about learning styles here

Ask for Help 

In case you face trouble understanding a specific concept or subject, then do not hesitate to ask for help. Talk to your teacher, tutor, or your friend to understand the concept better before it’s too late. Rather than trying to memorize or cram, taking guidance from someone can help you remember the concept for a longer time.

 Plan your Exam Day and Sleep Well

Make sure you have everything ready before the day of your exam and do not leave anything for the last day. Check all the requirements and make all the other necessary arrangements.

 Besides, do not forget to take at least a minimum of seven hours of sleep before the exam. Remember, exams are designed to test your thinking ability. So if you are sleep deprived, you might not be able to complete your exam in time or justify your answers correctly.

Do Not Evaluate Post Examination

After finishing your exam, if you realize that you have given an incorrect answer to one of the questions, it may cause anxiety.

So avoid evaluating your question paper because, at that point, you will be able to do nothing to change your answer or your score. Instead, stay focused on your studies and prepare for the next exam to ensure that you do not repeat the same mistake again.

Drink Lots of Water

As one of the most vital tips for exam day, always remember that keeping yourself hydrated will add to your overall positive mood and will make your brain work at its best.

So make sure to drink plenty of water while preparing for exams and even during the exam.

Read more on exam preparation tips

My journey and decision to enroll my son Yasin at Nova Pioneer was not an easy one, for lack of better words, I would say it all started in earnest. Assessing some of the traditional factors a lot of families I know consider as metrics in selecting High Schools it was clear that this choice was very unconventional. 

Yasin emerged among the top candidates in the 2019 K.C.P.E exams in Bungoma County. He scored 426 marks and was offered a much coveted spot at The Alliance High School. My friends, colleagues and family members thought I had lost my mind to forego that chance for Nova Pioneer. Most of them had never heard about the school and kept wondering how I would afford it. 

In light of the societal pressure that came with my son joining Nova Pioneer, I have spent the first half of this year reflecting on his experience so far and what he has been able to achieve, and my heart is filled with immutable joy and pride. As much as the Ministry of Education has declared this academic year null, the virtual learning experience he has gained in the past five months will never be taken away from him. He is better prepared for the information age. 

 

Yasin’s Nascent Interests and How We Got Here

 

Since childhood, Yasin has always been very inquisitive and curious about machines. I remember how he would make makeshift airplanes from carton boxes. Yasin’s favourite tv channel has always been the discovery family ‘Ultimate car build off’ Henceforth, I discovered that Yasin had a  passion for engineering. He had the ability to focus and concentrate on his projects for long. 

As a child, he turned our study room into his mini workshop where he would stay all day and late into the night working on his inventions whenever he was not attending school. Having paid close attention to his consistency and resolve, I was always left with many questions: what do I want for my son? Why do I want it? How do I make it happen? It was clear to me that a more unique educational approach would give him better exposure and develop his passion. 

When Yasin was 11 years old his passion for engineering had developed so much that he insisted on going for the National Science and Engineering fair which was held at Kibabii High School in Bungoma. Whenever I would go with him to the school where I currently teach, he was always drawn to the physics laboratory where he would check out the school projects and apparatus.

With the discovery of his interests, it was crucial to find a school that would hold space for his love for building and discovering and further guiding and shaping his curiosity. As an educator, I had been following Christopher Khaemba’s unique education approach from Friends School Kamusinga to Alliance High School and then to The African Leadership Academy in South Africa. With Mr. Khaemba at the helm of Nova Pioneer’s leadership team,  I was confident that Nova Pioneer’s focus on Project Based Learning, innovation and leadership, will add an insurmountable amount of value to Yasin’s life.

 

Making It Work: Overcoming The Hurdles

 

As a family, we were already head over heels in love with the school after bringing Yasin for his interview at the Tatu City campus. It was clear to us after he got his offer that it would be an uphill task to tell Yasin that the cost of attendance at Nova Pioneer would be prohibitive. From the look of things, our modest earnings as teachers would not allow us to foot the cost of Yasin attending Nova Pioneer.

As normal parents would do, we had to pull our resources together and figure out a way to make it work. Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Armed with determination and supplemental income from dairy farming and poultry keeping, I joined a merry go round, table banking group of six ladies called Blessed Sisters where we contribute thirty thousand shillings per month. Through the help of this group, I managed to complete the full year fees for Yasin by July.  This has given me much flexibility to plan ahead and ensure that I’m consistently ahead on payments. “No Human is Limited” – Eliud Kipchoge.

 

Learning During A Pandemic.

 

When the government closed all learning institutions in March, learning at Nova never stopped. They simply transitioned to virtual learning. As a teacher in an inadequately resourced school, I was unable to facilitate virtual classes for my students and therefore took this time to attend my son’s online classes. This experience has been nothing short of amazing and eye-opening. The things Yasin is able to do on the laptop make me very happy given he didn’t learn any computer in primary school. 

My personal favorite sessions have been the morning barazas. I vividly recall Dr. Benson Kairu(The school Principal) on one of the barazas talking to the young men about the Marshmallow experiment. It was very gripping to see how his points on exercising patience, self-control, and putting off instant gratification, were delivered in such a simple and relatable yet very practical manner.

I have also learned a lot just by observing the teachers. They have been extraordinarily consistent in their commitment to serve the learners at times, even late into the night. I remember a time when Yasin was doing revision for his midterm exam and encountered some difficulties in his calculations, he immediately sought help from his teacher of Mathematics (Mr. Carlos Ominde) who gave him feedback through email at around 11 pm. He often called Mr.Katumo his teacher of English late in the night for consultation and always got sorted. 

The delivery of lessons has been world-class. Their lessons are always interactive and the teachers always go above and beyond in ensuring the classes, albeit virtual, are conducive for learning. It was very endearing to see how even in the virtual classes, the collaborative approach to learning is adhered to. The break out rooms, class presentations and projects enhance the Joy of learning. My snaps and shout outs go to all F1S1 teachers: Mr.Abucheri, Mr.Hisabu, Mr.Kerabu, Ms.Wafula, Ms.Shanyisa, Mr.Nyamu, Mr.Ngahu, Ms.Kimetto and all the others.

Furthermore, the young men carry out projects either individually or in groups assigned to them by the teachers. The projects have helped Yasin develop research skills and he’s now more capable of doing such things on his own without supervision. The projects that are done as a group have enabled Yasin to embrace the culture principle; greater together. In fact, together with his classmates like Kizito, Okoth and Muhando, they have gone as far as creating their own zoom meetings to discuss and prepare for exams in the evenings. They are now working on the Post School Success Project with Mr.Hisabu as their faculty member.

Through the virtual learning that the school has implemented, I can stand as a proud parent to say that Yasin has developed a high form of discipline and self-startership. He always shows up for all the classes in time and has never missed to put on his uniform even for a single day. To add on to that, the school through the end of term report card has shown that everything that takes place in the classroom counts. This is seen when the report card entails the opener exam, quick quizzes, quizzes, midterm exam and projects. Through this, the young men are able to understand that they need to take everything seriously since they sum up to the final result.

The Nova Pioneer curriculum designers have gone out of their way to support teachers with truly engaging lesson plans. There’s the incorporation of audio-visual resources such as eye-catching videos and pictures. The reading of novels that are not KCSE set texts is worth mentioning. This term for example the Form Ones studied Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. I remember recently when I wanted to buy a cooker Yasin engaged me on the possibility of buying it online. I showed much valid apprehension to his idea as I wanted to see it first before I made the purchase. Yasin was able to draw a relatable comparison with a character from Chinua Achebe’s book that left me tongue-tied. He insisted I should not be like Okonkwo and that I should consider changing with the times! As a teacher of English and Literature myself, this comparison made me proud. It speaks to the level of relatability and relevance the content they are being exposed to really is.

This is indeed a great journey of hope and faith. I am certain that by the time Yasin gets to Form Four, he will have developed tremendously. My prayer is that he later joins an Ivy League University to pursue Engineering. I have faith that through Nova Pioneer’s robust international exposure modules courtesy of the Post School Success Team, he will be able to make it.

I highly recommend Nova Pioneer for any parent out there who has big dreams for their child. Champions are truly made from a desire, a dream and a vision!