AISG’s 40th Birthday; How Have We Grown as a School?

On September 29, AISG celebrated its 40th year anniversary at both of its campuses’ locations.

The celebration took place in the secondary campus’ plaza, where both the upper and lower secondary students gathered and sang a happy birthday song, led by the school’s choir teacher, Ms. Lyso. The celebration ended with a cake-cutting ceremony before students were sent to class.

Christine L., a freshman at AISG commented, “I’ve been at this school for nearly my entire childhood life, and I’m really proud of everything we’ve accomplished over the years. It was nice to see the entire upper and lower secondary come together for such an event.”

AISG was founded in 1981 with the help of the U.S Consulate. Originally named ASG (American School of Guangzhou), its motive was to educate the American children of the consulate employees. In the first year, only seven students attended classes that were taught by volunteer teachers in the Dong Fang Hotel.

The main goal was to help students gain the ability to merge smoothly into the American education system when they returned to the US. In 1985, the children of other consulate employees were enrolled and the school had to relocate to the Garden hotel.

In 1994, there were over one hundred students from 21 different nations, and ASG moved into a school building in the Tianhe District. In 1996-1997, the school then expanded to include high school grades (9-12), and their first three graduating students received their diplomas in 1998.