75 years. One story. Generations of memories. A legacy carried forward by our community.
On 21 September 2026, Garden International School (GIS) brought its community together for a special celebration marking 75 years of learning, growth and bringing out the best in every generation. From heartfelt speeches and meaningful tributes to moments of laughter, music and fun, the occasion honoured the people, experiences and shared values that have shaped GIS since 1951.
A Warm Welcome to a Milestone Celebration
The celebrations opened with heartfelt welcome addresses from Ms Angelina Tee, President of Taylor’s Schools, and Mr Peter J. Derby-Crook, GIS Principal, who reflected on the school’s remarkable journey and the community that has shaped its legacy over the past 75 years.
The speeches recognised the generations of students, teachers, families, alumni and staff who have contributed to GIS’s remarkable journey. More than a milestone in years, the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate a community united by a shared commitment to learning, growth and bringing out the best in every student.
A Celebration Powered by Our Alumni
Our 75th anniversary was brought to life in remarkable ways by the very people who are part of our story: our alumni.
Guiding guests through the occasion was Ms Sarah Lian, GIS Class of 1999, whose role as emcee added a special alumni connection to the celebrations.
The unveiling of a special wall art installation by alumnus Tunku Tommy Mansur, GIS Class of 1986, was one of the day’s highlights, adding a lasting artistic tribute to our core values and the 60 different nationalities in our GIS community. The celebration also featured a striking 75th anniversary centrepiece structure designed by alumna Selina Lim, GIS Class of 1984, reflecting the talent that continues to flourish within the GIS community.
Together, these contributions demonstrated how the influence of a GIS education extends well beyond the school gates. Our alumni carry their experiences, values and connections into the wider world, returning to contribute their talents and help shape the next chapter of the school’s story.
The screening of our special 75th Anniversary feature film offered a moving journey through the school’s history, bringing together memories, milestones and stories from across the decades.
Featuring a handful of GIS alumni, the film highlights the enduring connections formed at GIS and the many ways a school experience can shape a life long after graduation. Among those featured is Dr Nisha Puvanendran, GIS Class of 2003, whose story brings the legacy of GIS full circle: having once been a student herself, she now has children of her own in our Early Years Centre (EYC).
Her story is a particularly meaningful reflection of the generations connected by GIS. From being a student to becoming a parent, her journey illustrates how the memories, relationships and values nurtured at GIS can become part of a family’s story, passed from one generation to the next.
The journey through our history continued at the mini museum exhibition, featuring memorabilia, photographs and historical displays contributed by GIS alumni around the world. Each item offered a glimpse into a different era, preserving personal memories while adding to the collective story of the school.
The exhibition was a testament to the strength of our global alumni network and the lasting affection many continue to hold for Garden. Though their journeys may have taken them across continents, their contributions brought them together to celebrate the place where so many of their stories began.
75 Years Deserves a Slice of Celebration!
No anniversary would be complete without a cake-cutting ceremony! Bringing the community together for this special moment, the cake-cutting marked a significant milestone in the GIS journey and offered a chance to celebrate everything we have achieved together.
It was a fitting tribute to 75 years of shared experiences, enduring friendships and countless achievements, with plenty more reasons to celebrate in the years ahead.
Rolling the Dice on New Memories
While the anniversary was an opportunity to reflect on the past, there was no shortage of fun to be had in the present!
Bringing our exclusive GIS 75th Anniversary Monopoly board to life on a giant scale, the celebration invited guests to step right into the game. From rolling the oversized dice and making their way around the board to landing in the giant jail, the experience brought plenty of laughter and friendly competition.
The excitement continued at the photo booth, where guests captured memories with friends, family and colleagues. These playful touches added a lively, interactive element to the celebrations, creating new moments for the GIS community to share and remember.
More than a game, the anniversary Monopoly board was a celebration of the places, people and experiences that make GIS uniquely ours, connecting our school’s history with the memories being made today.
As the celebrations continued, guests enjoyed an inviting spread of canapés accompanied by music and our Garden Sambistas, creating the perfect atmosphere to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate together.
Conversations flowed between colleagues, families, alumni and friends, bringing together people whose journeys with GIS may have begun in different decades but who share a common connection to the school.
It was a wonderful reminder that the heart of GIS lies not only in its achievements, but also in the relationships, friendships and sense of belonging that continue to bring our community together.
75 Years Behind Us. A Legacy for Generations to Come.
Our 75th anniversary was more than a celebration of the years behind us. It was a tribute to the people who built our legacy, the community that continues to sustain it, and the generations who will carry it forward.
From Tommy Mansur’s wall art installation and Selina Lim’s anniversary centrepiece to the alumni featured in our anniversary film and those who contributed treasured memories to the mini museum from around the world, our alumni were woven into the very fabric of the celebration.
Their involvement reflects something truly special about Garden: the connections formed here can last a lifetime, crossing generations and geographical boundaries. Some alumni return as parents, others as contributors to our creative and cultural life, while many continue to share their stories and memories from wherever life has taken them.
Since 1951, countless students have walked through our doors, discovered their strengths, formed lifelong friendships and grown into who they were meant to be. Today, their stories continue to shape our community, and tomorrow, a new generation will add its own chapter.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this milestone celebration so memorable, especially our alumni, whose creativity, generosity and enduring connection to GIS helped bring the occasion to life.
75 years of learning. Generations of connection. One enduring legacy, powered by our alumni, united by our community, and carried forward by the generations to come.
Click here to view photos from the 75th Anniversary Celebrations photo gallery.