Tuesday, 05 December 2017 09:51

IS Belgrade – Inspires, Equips and Empowers its Students Nadija Tokovic’s Story

One of our goals as educators is to build a collaborative learning community that further develops students’ intrinsic desires to take risks, set high aspirations, and make positive contributions to the world.

Apart from engaging students in achieving their full academic potential and developing critical thinking, we also nurture their creative thoughts and empower them to take initiative and make changes.

Nadija Tokovic, our senior year student, sets high standards for herself. For the last 10 years she has been attending two schools – The International School of Belgrade, and a local Music School, where playing the violin is her true passion. She is also an accomplished pianist. Nadija is an outstanding student in all subject areas, a full IB Diploma candidate, and the fact that she is very successful at both schools is outstanding.

Two years ago, she auditioned for a singing part in an ISB Cabaret Show, and her talent for singing was recognized by everyone in the audience, including a professional singing teacher. Nadija started to train her voice with Ms. Andrejic, and managed to find time and energy to embrace a new challenge. With a student like Nadija, challenges easily transition into opportunities, and with hard work and commitment the awards came naturally. In November 2017, Nadija received the top award from the Young Talents Fund of the Republic of Serbia.

This enabled her to participate in the Recital of Music Talents of Serbia, where Nadija again won first prize, resulting in media exposure and financial aid that will help her continue her music education at the university level. Despite being the youngest performer in all these contests, Nadija has successfully performed roles written for more mature voices.

Nadija’s passion for singing and her commitment to learning beyond test scores are impressive. As teachers, we need to inspire students to become curious and engaged in the world around them and within them. We also need to recognize and nurture talents that our students bring to the classroom. It is essential to provide adequate support for these outstanding students, and help them become role models for generations to come.

By Divna Stakic and Branka Sreckovic-Minic, The International School of Belgrade