Dominican International School Taipei

A Blessed Christmas from DIS-Taipei 🎄✨

As we gather to celebrate this joyful time of year, the Dominican International School-Taipei family wishes to share the true heart of our celebration.

The "Reason for the Season" is our Lord, Jesus Christ, who came to save us and who loves us with a love that is truly unconditional. In the midst of the lights and festivities, we pause to reflect on this greatest gift of grace.

May you and your loved ones have a deeply meaningful Christmas celebration filled with peace, hope, and the warmth of Christ’s love.

Merry Christmas to you and your family! 🌟🙏

🎄✨ DIST Christmas Fair 2025: A Day of Joy, Music, and Holiday Spirit! ✨🎄

Last Friday, December 5, 2025, our DIS-Taipei community came together for a festive and fun-filled Christmas Fair 2025!

The celebration began in the morning as students, parents, teachers, and guests enjoyed a lively array of food booths, game stalls, and many more exciting activities that brought smiles to everyone.

🎸 Battle of the Bands – D’TORCH Houses
The energy rose even higher as the D’TORCH houses took the stage for an electrifying Battle of the Bands! Each performance showcased incredible talent, creativity, and the true spirit of friendly competition.

🎭 CICADAS Christmas Play
In the afternoon, the community gathered once again for the heartwarming CICADAS Christmas Play, where our young performers captured the magic of the season through music, drama, and storytelling.

It was a beautiful day filled with joy, laughter, and the warmth of the Christmas spirit. Thank you to everyone who made this event truly unforgettable!

🌟 Happy and Holy Celebration at DIST! 🌟

Today, our DIS-Taipei family joyfully celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the 68th Founding Anniversary of Dominican International School–Taipei.

We are blessed to begin this special day with a beautiful Eucharistic Celebration presided by Rev. Fr. Tomasz Zalewski, OP, and concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Francisco Carin, CMF.

As we honor our Blessed Mother, Mary, and look back with gratitude on 68 years of faith, service, and academic excellence, may we continue to grow as a community rooted in truth, compassion, and the Dominican spirit.

✨ Happy 68th Founding Anniversary, DIST!
May God’s grace continue to guide and protect our school—today and always.

Future Voices: Our Students Dive Deep into National Policy! 🎤

We are incredibly proud of our Grade 10 students who participated in the 2025 Presidential Forum on Youth—"Youth in Progress, Taiwan's Future"—hosted by Business Weekly on November 29th.

Our students developed a truly exceptional proposal titled "Cross-Cultural Partnership for Sustainable Co-Creation." Their work offered detailed, forward-thinking recommendations and a new plan aimed at enhancing the Ministry of Education's International Education White Paper for K-12 schools.

While they didn't secure a spot to report their findings to the President on stage, the day was still immensely successful! They actively engaged in discussions and valuable networking with talented high school students from all over Taiwan. This event was a powerful platform for learning, collaboration, and showcasing our students' dedication to shaping Taiwan's future.

We can't wait to see the impact they will make! 👇

🍂🦃 DIS Thanksgiving Celebration 2025 🦃🍂

Last Thursday, our DIS family came together on the soccer field to celebrate Thanksgiving—a gathering filled with clear skies, warm fellowship, and the blessing of sharing good food with those we cherish.

This season reminds us of the faith that anchors us, the hope that lights our path, and the love that binds our community as one. With grateful hearts, we thank God for His unending grace and mercy, which continue to strengthen and inspire us each day.

Wishing everyone a heartfelt and joy-filled Thanksgiving from Dominican International School Taipei! 🧡

Faith Illuminates the Night: DIS Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Ushers in the Season

Taipei, Taiwan – The spirit of Advent Season officially arrived at Dominican International School (DIS) on November 24, 2025, as the school community gathered for its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Held in front of the school's lobby from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, the event, which centered deeply on the theme of Faith, brought together students, faculty, staff, parents and guardians, and special guests in a heartwarming kickoff to the season.

A Celebration of Biblical Faith

The ceremony's highlight was the Lumina Pandit casts, a moving staging of pivotal moments of faith from the Bible. The audience witnessed the profound faithfulness of Abraham and his family, portrayed by Mr. Jofil Collado (Abraham), Ms. Robeth Collado (Sarah), and Renaissance Collado (Isaac). The powerful drama was enhanced by the voices of Mr. John Erick Moje (Abraham and Narrator), Ms. Blanca Delariarte (Sarah), and Theo Lok of Grade 3 St. Francis (Isaac) as the voice-over cast.
The ceremony also paid homage to the Holy Family, with Mr. Arcel Joseph Amoguis taking the role of St. Joseph and Ms. Vivian Lee as Mother Mary.

Voices and Strings Serenade the Holy Family

As the Holy Family was presented, the air filled with the beautiful harmony of the D’TORCH Choir, under the musical direction of Ms. Jessica Ng, and the Junior D’TORCH Orchestra, whose participation underscored the musical richness of the event. A truly special moment came when Mr. Samir Eddio and Dr. Clarencia Eddio joined the performance, lending their voices to the beloved Christmas classic, "Silent Night."

Blessing the Light

The event's sacred core was led by the school’s chaplain, Rev. Fr. Tomasz Zalewski, O.P., who performed the opening prayer and the solemn blessing of the magnificent Christmas Tree. He was joined by respected members of the community, including Sr. Cecilia Hsu, O.P., Sr. Lorna Alamares, O.P., and Mr. Willis Lu, the VIP Chairperson.
The D’TORCH Orchestra, under the musical direction of Mr. Ronaldo Francisco, further elevated the atmosphere with their skillful musical contributions throughout the evening.

A Message of Hope

The warm welcoming message was delivered by Sr. Jacqueline Manuel, O.P., who reflected on the significance of the season and the power of light amidst darkness. She concluded her message with a poignant short prayer from St. John Henry Newman, Doctor of the Church:
"Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on. Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; One step enough for me."
The inspiring words encapsulated the faith-centric theme of the lighting ceremony and set a hopeful tone for the coming weeks.

The festive evening culminated with the entire assembly joining in the cheerful singing of the classical Christmas Carol, “We wish you a Merry Christmas,” officially marking the start of the holiday season at DIS.

Campus Safety And Security

On November 12, 2025, police officers from the Zhongshan District, led by Mr. Norman Wang, visited Dominican International School, Taipei, to conduct a talk on campus safety and security. Students actively participated and gained valuable insights on staying aware of potential risks, responding effectively during emergencies, understanding rules and laws, developing personal safety skills, and building trust with law enforcement. This initiative contributes to promoting a safer and more secure campus environment.

🍁 Autumn in Pop Culture | DIST Autumn Fair 2025

Last week, Dominican International School–Taipei came alive with color, laughter, and excitement as we celebrated our much-awaited Autumn Fair 2025!

With the theme “Autumn in Pop Culture,” the whole school community came together for a night to remember — filled with delicious food, fun & games, and live music that brought everyone to their feet! 🎶🎯🍔

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing Student Council, our dedicated Volunteer Involved Parents (VIPs), and the entire DIST Family for making this event a joyful celebration of community spirit and togetherness. 💛

We are also grateful for the presence of the students and principals from St. Theresa’s College, Philippines, who joined our Student Leaders Exchange Program with the DIS student leaders on that day. It was a truly enriching experience for everyone, allowing our student leaders to share, learn, and witness the vibrant autumn spirit at DIST.

Truly, it was an unforgettable evening of fun, family, and friendship — the Dominican way! 🌟

Eucharistic Celebration in Honor of St. Martin de Porres

Today, we joyfully celebrate the Eucharistic Mass in commemoration of St. Martin de Porres, a humble Dominican lay brother from Peru known for his deep charity, healing gifts, and compassion toward the poor, the sick, and the marginalized.

St. Martin’s life reminds us of the power of humility and selfless service. As a Lay Dominican Saint, he sets a shining example of faith in action—living a life devoted to love and kindness for others in the name of Christ.

May we be inspired to follow in his footsteps of charity and compassion, always ready to serve others with love and humility.

St. Martin de Porres, pray for us!

Celebrating Our Champions!

October 20, 2025, Dominican International School-Taipei held a special awarding ceremony to recognize the phenomenal students who have brought immense pride to our school community!

We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate their achievements in athletics, arts, and academics!

🏌️‍♂️ Golf Champions!
Congratulations to our Middle School team for winning the 2025 Junior Golf League (JGL) Tournament at Li Yi Golf Club!

Connor Bo Yuan Chen (G8A)
Jasper Chou (G8C)

🏊 TISSA Swimming Stars!
Our swimmers made a huge splash at the MS & HS TISSA Swimming Meet at Morrison Academy Central (September 26-27, 2025), racking up an impressive collection of medals!

Keira Hu (G6C), Winnie Leu (G7J), Aiko Leu (G8C), and Christina Yan (G8A):
Bronze - MS Girls 200M Freestyle Relay

Sofie Lin (G8C)
Silver - 400M Freestyle Relay

Kailey Chiang (G8A)
Bronze - 200M Medley Relay

Kayla Yang (G8C)
Gold - 100M IM; Silver - 400M Freestyle Relay; Silver - 200M Freestyle; Bronze - 100M Freestyle; Bronze - 200M Medley Relay

Brandon Yu (G9RL), Sean Lin (G9RL), Damien Yeh (G8A), and Aeron Yeh (G9RP): Bronze - 200M Medley Relay

Kiernyn Kordula (G7J): Gold - 100M IM; Gold - 200M Relay; Gold - 400M Freestyle Relay; Silver - 400M Freestyle Relay

Doris Tsai (G10P): Silver - 400M Freestyle Relay; Bronze - 200M Medley Relay

Trystyn Kordula (G11L): Silver - 200M Freestyle Relay

Ayden Cheng (G11L) and Marcus Chung (G11A): Gold - 200M Medley Relay; Gold - 400M Freestyle Relay; Silver - 400M Freestyle Relay

Michael Chen (G11L)
Gold in 100M IM, 200M IM, 100M Backstroke, 200M Breaststroke, 200M Medley Relay, and 400M Freestyle Relay; Silver in 50M Freestyle, 100M Breaststroke, and 200M Freestyle Relay

🥋 Artistry, Athletics, and Academics!

We also celebrated students with outstanding achievements in a variety of other fields:

Kyle Chou (G2J) served as a Player's Es**rt for the Chinese Taipei football team, escorting the Team Captain for the start of the Taiwan vs. Thailand soccer match!

Alisha Shu (G2J) won First Place (Gold Medal) in the Mixed Singles Under 8 category at the NorthWest Cup tennis tournament in Taichung!

Zoey Lai (G2C) and her brother Ryder participated in an International Art Competition in Kyoto, Japan, where her work was exhibited in the gallery!

Yu An "Ann" Chou (G10A) achieved Gold Medals for Four routes broadsword, Seven-star broadsword, and Baguazhang at the 40th National Chung Cheng Cup Martial Arts Championship!

Allyn Wang (G12P) received a Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program, scoring within the top 4% out of 1.3 million students!

Our DIS Computer Science Team—Carl DudekJanapatla, Edward Fang, Hung-Wen "Steven" Tseng, and Winnie Tsao—won First Place in the Classroom 3 Contest of the American Computer Science League last year! A huge shoutout to Carl for also taking an Individual First Place!

Please join us in giving a massive round of applause to all these dedicated students! Their hard work, talent, and commitment are an inspiration to us all. Way to go, DIS-Taipei!