๐โจ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ 2026 ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ โจ๐
Surval Montreux is proud to celebrate its Prizegiving and Graduation Ceremony 2026, marking the culmination of another exceptional year of achievement, growth, and global perspective.
Surval, like its shifting lake/mountain view, is an enigmatic place which never ceases to amaze, with its unique culture and collective energy, progressive study and enrichment programmes, new and exciting aspirations being borne daily, and the effervescent characters who join us from all corners of the globe.
Our commitment to emboldening our girls with the confidence and resilience to follow their own path in life is as strong as ever. Equipping them for a world in which they will hold influence and responsibility; where they will act as role models to their communities and guardians of their environments; where they will convert challenges into opportunities, and potential obstacles into enlightened creativity. We have welcomed 60 girls into our school; with students of 18 nationalities making up our United Nations of Surval this year. Along with our staff members, who themselves span 18 nationalities, we are gifted with an extraordinary cultural hotpot within which to live and learn.
Our intimate and much-loved School holds its own special charm and contemporary relevance, centring on the difference we aim to make: developing global perspectives, deepening cross-cultural understanding and cultivating character through education.
Every girl has created a powerful story to tell of her time here, she has journeyed through her own personal adventure, transforming her tomorrow. Our weekly videos, monthly Newsletters and multitude of social media posts shower inspiring images and joyful memories, capturing the vitality, pace, commitment, positivity, exploration and discovery we have shared… Well done to every member of our community for making this year all it has been.
Actions speak louder than words! I’d like to share with you some of this year’s highlights, across all fields of endeavour. Girls, thank you for all that each of you have contributed – you should be extremely proud of your achievements
So much this year has been defined by student-led, student-centric initiatives.
As part of our new Student Voice electives, this year we have launched a dedicated Eco Committee that has been working towards gaining our Eco Schools Award in partnership with J'Aime Ma Planéte. To gain the award, the committee has been exploring ways the school can reduce waste and had great success in reducing the amount of food wasted at mealtimes. Another successful project was the clothing exchange, where students could donate unwanted items of clothing and gain new ones. The items that remained were then taken by Mrs Cotton to her charity in Zimbabwe to be donated to the students she supports.
Social Enterprise is one of Surval’s core pillars and serving the wider community is at the heart of each girl’s Surval experience. It has been a personal pleasure to have supported the Student Voice Charities Committee this year in their fund and friend raising: volunteering at our locally based French-speaking foodbank, Cartons de Coeur, entertaining elderly residents at Le Byron local care home, playing with refugee children at ‘Dom Foyer’ and supporting and raising money for two local children’s cancer charities: Zoe4Life and Leman Hope
This year’s fundraising has been challenging, exciting and rewarding, thanks to the girls’ determination, perseverance and creative flair. Developing skills in risk-taking, problem-solving, leadership, time management, planning and organisation, these girls have learnt the importance of not giving up, and tremendous teamwork – well done to all involved.
Our impressive Swiss Gap students led a superb Social Enterprise Project this term, to raise funds for Leman Hope; at the centre of it was a fabulous Gala Dinner, a real highlight of the School Year; as well as a variety of in-house fundraising activities, supported by Surval’s Charities team, which have included a Surval Cinema night, Bake sales and Sunday brunch in bed, Pyjama days and an intrepid group of staff and girls completing a Swimathon in the Lake.
This year, we have reintroduced Surval Service Certificates, reflecting students’ participation in service projects in school, local, national and international communities, which also gains them credit within their American High School Program.
In a similar vein, throughout the year, the girls have been completing their internationally accredited ASDAN PSHE challenges comprising a range of practical and reflective activities. From setting personal goals and engaging in projects to exploring wellbeing, healthy lifestyles, and future aspirations, students have built confidence, resilience, independence, and developed their communication and teamwork skills. Their successful completion of challenges and resulting personal growth will support them in the future, within and beyond school life.
Our girls also demonstrated the true meaning of Global Citizenship and compassionate leadership through their involvement with the ‘Dear Diaries’ initiative with the Victory Afghanistan organisation. During a powerful online session, young Afghan women shared their experiences under the Taliban regime - stories marked by courage and tenacity; conversations together bringing insight and also a sense of solidarity and advocacy for educational equity. This experience fostered empathy, awareness, and a profound sense of sisterhood; all values that lies at the heart of the Surval community.
Our innovative Curriculum been well showcased in our Academic News updates which are an established and valued part of our parent communications. We celebrate our continued success in the French DELF examinations and as a school we have been awarded the ‘Excellence en preparation’ certification in recognition of our commitment to preparing girls for this qualification.
We have also reintroduced the Cambridge English exam and are offering more subjects for Advanced Placements examinations. And this week, you saw for yourselves some wonderful presentations from individual girls of their Independent Research Projects. All this has further extended the girls’ self-directed learning and study skills: vital life skills for forging future pathways.
‘Future Pathways’ is indeed the reason we are all here today, celebrating the paths our students have chosen and to recognise in particular the journey of our graduating girls, the Class of 2026; our largest group yet, from 5 different continents
A special mention to Miss Balvanes, who joined last September and swiftly established herself as our excellent University Counsellor; thank you for your support and wisdom in inspiring in these girls such exciting new futures.
The Surval community draws strength from new opportunities and challenges, new faces and reuniting with old friends. I am delighted to welcome back Amalia Lopez, one of my oldest Surval friends. I last saw Amalia last November, supporting an auspicious Surval event at the Swiss Embassy in Mexico City… Amalia, thank you for your unwavering loyalty and support for the school you hold so dear, I am delighted that you have joined us as our Guest of Honour today. With your help, we continue to grow a powerful network of former students and their families across the globe - our best possible Ambassadors.
We are constantly referring to the importance of Surval being our home from home. My deepest thanks to our professional and dedicated teaching, Boarding, House and Office Teams, working tirelessly in their own critical way to ensure our school community functions and flourishes. Likewise, to The School’s Leadership Team, which has strengthened significantly this year, underpinned by Mrs Bradbury, Mrs Walmsley and Miss Charbonnet; I know the positive impact and difference you have made here already. And not forgetting the support of Mr Williams, our Director of Education within our family of Bellevue Schools UK; We were commended by the Cognia team for noteworthy practice in regard to the governance of the school and our positive partnership with Bellevue; the shared processes which support learners, the time you spend at the school, David; thank you.
I am so very grateful for the strong relationship I have enjoyed with you, our parent body. Our feedback on the Cognia parent interviews were extremely positive, high praise indeed! I thank you for your loyalty and warm support and above all the trust you have placed in me to watch over your daughters this year, it is a great privilege and a total joy.
Finally, my biggest thanks to you girls, who have gifted to me this joy. I look forward to welcoming a good number of you back for another spirited new academic year in August, and to sharing more adventures together after a well-deserved summer break.
For those of you leaving us today, remember, once a Survalienne always a Survalienne! The door is always open at Surval and you will always be welcome here – to further enrich your studies or to share this special place with your families on a return visit. From here, I know that each of you will go on to do marvellous things and will use your education for the greater good. Moving on from this special place, cherish the memories, please keep in touch, stay curious and inspired by the world and remember, to paraphrase Andre Gide, you only discover new oceans once you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ 2026 ๐๐
Representing five different continents, our graduates are embarking on exciting future pathways as they take the next step in their academic journeys.
๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐๐ง (๐๐๐ฑ๐ข๐๐จ, 2023–26) is looking forward to returning to Mexico to study Business at Tecnológico de Monterrey, her first-choice university.
๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ (๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐, 2024–26) will be heading to Spain to study Audiovisual Communication at Universidad Europea, her first-choice destination.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ (๐๐๐ฑ๐ข๐๐จ, 2023–26) has been accepted to her first-choice university and has earned a scholarship to study Business and Management at Universidad Panamericana in her home country of Mexico.
๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฑ (๐๐๐, 2025–26) first discovered Surval through our Summer Camp and decided to follow in her mother's footsteps as a Survalienne, choosing to complete her studies in what she described as “a beautiful place”. She will remain in Switzerland, moving to Lugano to study Health Sciences at Franklin University Switzerland.
๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ (๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐, 2024–26) is currently considering several offers from universities in Switzerland and the United Kingdom as she prepares for the next stage of her academic journey.
๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ง (๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐, 2023–26) will remain in Switzerland to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Luxury Business at the Glion Institute, just across the road from Surval.
Surval Montreux extends its heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates, prize winners, students, staff, and families who have contributed to such a successful year.
As the graduates begin their next chapter, they carry with them not only academic success, but also the friendships, values, experiences, and memories that define the Surval journey.
Once a Survalienne, always a Survalienne ๐
