A Career in Focus
Mr. Graham arrived looking for a dream; he leaves a legacy.
By Cahaya Ratomo
For nearly three decades, Mr. Graham has amazed his students and peers with the accomplishments that he has achieved during his career at JIS—a career that began with an interest in mathematics, and concludes here with the satisfaction of fulfilled passion.
Mr. Graham’s photography journey at JIS began in 2001, with a spontaneous decision to photograph the school’s athletic teams using digital photography instead of film. Expecting no response, he was surprised to discover that members of the JIS community enjoyed viewing his photographs—accordingly leading to the start of requests for commissioned snapshots, and eventually, the “full-time job” of photographing most, if not all school events on campus.
Although he admits this endeavor was an added responsibility, Mr. Graham is grateful for the opportunity it provided to further explore and understand the school environment at JIS—an opportunity that eventually lead to the establishment of the Dragon Way, a now-discontinued photography exhibition that once unveiled the authentic “Dragon experience” to new students and faculty. In it, every detail was accounted for—every memory was on display.
However, merely exhibiting the JIS high school experience was not enough for Mr. Graham—he wanted to enhance it. Although teaching mathematics was certainly enjoyable, he yearned to inspire his students in photography.
The most impactful approach for achievement, he believed, would be through the regeneration of the High School photography course. At the time, he described its initial condition as overlooked and “almost nothing”—consequently revamping the curriculum and making necessary changes to help it become “one of the most popular classes” in the High School curriculum.
“[When] I joined Mr. Graham’s photography class... I was exposed to an amazing, vast array of creative expressions [that] I had no idea about [beforehand],” Cheryl C. remarked. “[It really got] my creative juices flowing.”
Provided by Interviewee
Aside from his responsibilities as a teacher, however, Mr. Graham is also the teacher supervisor of the photography club at JIS, a student-led endeavor that is due to host a virtual photo exhibition in accordance with the United Nations Children’s Fund.
“[The exhibition] was all done by [Cornellius S., one of the club officers],” Mr. Graham admitted.
However, Cornellius argues that the credit for the exhibition should go to Mr. Graham, instead—especially since he was the primary inspiration.
“I can say one thing about Mr. Graham that I feel everyone who knew him could agree on: he is inspirational,” Cornellius affirmed. “I had no idea about photography before being taught by him, but [eventually]... his passion stuck on me, [so now] I am able to explore my creativity in the arts. He truly is a teacher I will always be thankful for, and will always miss.”
Mr. Graham’s overall photography journey, on the other hand, was not limited to his efforts at JIS—he has achieved numerous accolades throughout Indonesia and Asia alike, with the shooting of the 18th Summer Asian Games and the invitation to photograph the Tokyo Summer Olympics being “the highlight[s] of [his] career.”
Clearly, Mr. Graham’s photography efforts at JIS have provided new pathways for students to explore and apply their creativity, accordingly adhering with our school’s mission to become more mindful and inclusive toward student interests. As he furthers his teaching journey to India, we know that Mr. Graham will continue to use his passion to enhance the high school experiences of even more lucky students.
Volume 32, Issue 5 - May 27, 2022 - JIStory - Page 11