December 2017
DECEMBER 2017
AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL BEIRUT
VOLUME 31, ISSUE I
“Don’t Lose a Nation to a Lack of Education”
RAZAN MERSAL
In This Issue “Don’t Lose a Nation to a Lack of Education” pg. 1 The Story of Gucci Mane pg. 1 New Teachers: Ms. Montgomery pg. 1 Progidy Players in the World of Football pg. 2 Thriller of the Decade: IT pg. 2 Invisible Child Beggars pg. 2 New Teachers: Mr. Pallett pg. 2
Nour International is an organization created by ACS students that works collaboratively with the Women’s Program Association at the Burj AlBarajneh refugee camp. Their goal? To ensure kids get an education. Bylasan Ahmad is a grade 12 ACS student who has volunteered for 3 years at the Burj AlBarajneh camp and with Nour International since its inception 2 years ago. She is also the co-president of the group here at ACS. She says that the aim of Nour International is to “provide [the kids with] a safe space
and an empowering space where they can feel free to express themselves”. Nour International provides students with school supplies, English lessons, and financial support. Each Saturday, a group of students from ACS tutors kids in English, also providing fun activities such as soccer and crafts. They support and help those that have been displaced and are unable to enroll in a Lebanese school due to a multitude of reasons. One issue is cost, another is that students need to be Lebanese citizens or have some
kind of papers stating that they can be in Lebanon. Another unfortunate reality is that many refugees enroll, but end up leaving due to the harsh treatment by Lebanese students. Bylasan says that her favorite part of volunteering there is teaching the kids English, which she has done for 3 years now. She also enjoys carrying community outreach initiatives with other schools. The amazing work that some students at ACS do in order to help with the Syrian refugee crisis has been extremely helpful to those that can benefit
from it. Yet, we cannot let the discussion end here. Each and every individual can and should help to
ensure that no child has to live without, at least, a very basic education.
Photo captured at one of the Saturday sessions, photo rights reserved to Nour International website.
The Story of Gucci Mane TAYMOUR NAKIB
As the “founding father of trap music,” Gucci Mane has quite a resume. Mane has been a rapper since the year 2001, when he first put out his underground tape, Str8 Drop Records Presents Gucci Mane La Flare. Since then the American artist has put out dozens of mixtapes, singles, and eight collaborative studio albums. Before his name came to fame, he was known as Radric Davis. Watching his father hustle on the streets of Atlanta, for money to support the family, it influenced him to do the same. “You know, he had all kinds of games and scams, like three card molly, shaking the pea, pigeon drop,” Gucci Mane expresses his childhood and his father to NPR. He says all of these little games/ scams was how his father made money and that his father learned them on the streets. Gucci himself learned these games, and
on his way to fame, Gucci would use these games and deal drugs to support his music career. He would rap about his life and the way he deals with it all, and became the rapper “who always kept it real.” He recently released a book, which he started to write during his time in a maximum-security prison. He was imprisoned for firearm possession and was kept in that facility from 2014 until 2016. In that time period also began his turning point,
when he made a promise to himself that he would change his life, and in his words, “start doing better.” His book, The Autobiography of Gucci Mane, focuses on his father, and how hustling shaped his rap career. It also touches on the fact of his transformation and where that led him today, being the founding father of trap music, where the new generation rap artists start.
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NEW TEACHERS: Ms. Montgomery ORNELLA FRECHERO Ann Montgomery is one of the new teachers in High School. She is from Boise, Idaho, a beautiful city in the United States, also known as the Treasure Valley. Even though she is North American, she has also been teaching at Lincoln School, in Kathmandu, Nepal. At ACS, Ms. Montgomery teaches 9th grade Biology, 10th grade Science, and IB Sports Science. “I’m getting used to the ACS schedule, cocurricular and my classes. I’m in transition” Ms. Montgomery says with enthusiasm, seeming to be happy with her new students, which according to her are “very kind and ready to learn.” Many of you may ask yourselves why Ms. Montgomery came to Lebanon. “Some of my friends love Beirut and encouraged me to come here. Besides, I wanted to teach at a bigger school,” she says. If you have already had class with Ms. Montgomery, you might have realized how nice she is and you probably feel lucky to have her as your teacher.
December 2018
OUR ALEPH BE TEAM Editor-in-Chief Celine Smith Assistant Editor Razan Mersal Faculty Advisor Todd Hunter Campbell Staff Writers Ornella Frechero Razan Mersal Taymour Nakib Rawad Saad Celine Smith Reda Watfa Ramzi Zeineddine Contact Us: Have an opinion? We are your voice! Send us your thoughts, articles, suggestion, and ideas!
Email: alephbe@apps.acs.edu.lb Follow us on Instagram! @alephbeacs
NEW TEACHERS: Mr. Pallett RAZAN MERSAL Mr. Peter Pallett is the new psychology teacher (for 11 and 12) here at ACS. Mr. Pallett’s last place of work was at Seven Kings, a school that was KG-12. He studied at a university in Leeds, where he “started off in psychology and criminology but then switched to society” during his university years. He is extremely passionate about psychology and believes that his passion is one of the things that make him a good teacher. He finds Lebanon great, and thinks that the “great hot foods make up for the really hot weather.” However, his humour is often lost on people as the style of jokes is different in England than here. He also happens to be a huge fan of hip-hop music and is welcome to any and all recommendations when it comes to music.
Prodigy Players in the World of Football
RAMZI ZEINEDDINE Over the years, prodigy players have really started to attract renowned teams because of how talented they have become and their potential. This is all being done in the world of football. Prodigy players, marquee stars since a young age, are really starting to attract interest from the biggest football teams in Europe such as, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and more. Big teams will try to hold on to them for many years because they see a lot of potential in these players. They are in the category of
being “The Next Big Thing”. In the 2017 summer transfer window, many young players were sold and bought by teams for a huge value. Neymar Da Silva, went from Barcelona to PSG for Two Hundred Twenty-Two million Euros. Yes, that’s correct Twenty-Two million euros. Dembele, transferred from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona for 105 million Euros. All these young players are showing a lot of potential, leading to the reason why they would cost that much. The players’ value will keep going
up, potentially reaching 400 million Euros. As said above, Dembele, at 18 years old, became the second most expensive player in the football history. The transfer window is becoming ridiculously expensive compared to previous years. Not long
ago, big names like Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Nazario would sell for almost 40 million Euros. Nowadays, 40 million euros wouldn’t get you anyone big. They are really big numbers to think about and they will keep on rising by a lot in the future years.
The Thiller of the Decade: IT MOVIE REVIEW
RAWAD SAAD Stephen King’s IT is a drama/thriller that will scare you out of your pants. Released on the 7th of September, IT takes place in a town called Derry in 1989, where a group of friends, who call themselves the “Losers,” are forced to face their worst nightmares when a shapeshifting clown comes to haunt them. If you’re going to watch this movie, get ready for the scariest two hours of your life alongside the stars: Bill Skarsgard, Sophia
Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Lieberher, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, and Chosen Jacobs. Most critics have had positive reviews of the movie. Critic Britt Hayes says “the new IT is narratively coherent, mythologically complex, and above all, fun. It’s undoubtedly one of the most entertaining experiences I’ve had in a theater all year.” But some critics are having negative thoughts about how the movie is directed. Critic Andrew Barter says “as
spine-tingling as a number of individual scenes are, the film struggles to find a proper rhythm.” Despite what critics say, a majority of people liked the movie. Critics usually have a different outlook on movies, often judging
movie on their making. For the common public, movies watching isn’t an analytical experience, it is an enjoyable one that pulls you into the story and reveals the brilliance of Stephen King’s imagination. IT creates a scary mood from the beginning and by the end of it, It really leaves you terrified, wondering what you would have done if you were in the place of those kids. Would you have fought Pennywise off? Would you have run away? The only way to know is to watch IT for yourself.
Beirut’s Invisible Child Beggars JOHNNY BOUSTANY
Child beggars are a common sight in Lebanon. On the streets of Beirut, you will see Syrian children selling flowers, tissue boxes, and chewing gum. Many of them are victims of organized criminal rackets or are even forced into begging by their own families in order to provide much needed income. They are invisible children; we are so used to seeing them that we don’t notice them anymore. Through my “Wish List” project I try to put a face on their individual stories and to give them back their dignity. I interview
beggar children and ask them what they wish for. Some children ask for new clothes, new shoes, specific toys, school bags… one even asked for perfume as he felt that people were ignoring him on the street as he smelled. I write up the interview and fundraise in order to purchase the item for the child. Meet Hassan, he is three years old and lives with his mother in Ouzai. He has two sisters and one brother. He misses his home in Syria as it has a big garden and he had a bed. His mother won’t let him cut his hair as she
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thinks he makes more money begging if people think he is a little girl. Hassan wishes he could cut his hair, but he understands his mother’s point of view. His arm was covered in bruises, which he explained were from a mean boy that beat him up every day. Since he doesn’t have a ball, Hassan was happily kicking around a pink plastic shoe as he loves soccer. When asked what he wished for, Hassan replied that he would like to buy food from the supermarket across the street for his mother and sisters who were sitting on a
piece of cardboard on the sidewalk on Hamra Street. He excitedly ran to share his bag of food with his family. He also asked for a soccer ball which was given to him at a later date.
FEATURES
HOROSCOPES
What’s to Come for you in 2018? ORNELLA FRECHERO Aries
March 21- April 20 2018 for the Aries will be a year to finish the uncompleted things. Your health will be excellent, other than some minor stress related issues (thanks IB). But at least your relationship issues will be solved easily and lightly. As the year progresses, teamwork will prove to be vital to your success, in the process introducing you to new people in your life.
Taurus
April 21- May 20 If you’re a Taurus, this year will be calm both mentally and physically. No more panicking at the last minute! Concerning work, you will need to prove your skills single handedly. Simply take pride in your independence and kindness, but you will need to be patient and work hard to achieve your goals.
Gemini
May 21- June 21 This year, you will have the chance to connect with people and engage in new situations as you’ve never done before. It’s also a year for you to start many new projects and begin exploring new avenues in life. New opportunities are coming your way. 2018 will bring you improvements and some changes of direction in your social life and studies.
Cancer
June 22- July 22 In 2018 you are more likely to be at peace with the world around you and yourself. You will be faced with some rejections but you’ll overcome them. You’ll prove yourself to be more optimistic about the unknown and the futire. New opportunities will appear, but you need to stay confident.
Leo
July 23- August 23 2018 will bring energy, challenges, and opportunities of the most practical and far-reaching kind for you. There will be some radical changes in your personal and academic life through this year. You will be able to do more things this year than ever before, but you might need to keep your sensitivity under check as it might hamper your growth.
Virgo
August 24- Sept. 23 For Virgo, the year 2018 will be a frenetic one. You might have too much on your plate with a lot of activities lined up, but don’t despair. There might seem to be innumerable tasks to be done, some needing a start, others a closing. Keep your targets focused and pursue your goals in life, even if it has high costs.
Libra
Sept. 24- October 23 The year 2018 is going to help you to focus more on your own self rather than catering to the needs of your friends, but be prepared for people to look to you for advice and leadership. You need to be ready to accept new challenges to reach desired levels of success.
Scorpio
October 24- Nov. 22
Sagittarius
Nov. 23- December 21 The year 2018 will see the Sagittarians with a new level of energy that had not been seen for a few years now. The frustrations and troubles you experienced in the past years now disappear. The progress is what will characterize your year.
Capricorn
Dec. 22- January 20 The year 2018 will bring your hidden talents to the foreground. Everything is going be more favorable for you to develop and grow in life. You will gain much authority and power during the period ahead. There will be brightness and a sense of joy and happiness in life. All in all, 2018 will be an amazing year.
Aquarius
Jan. 21- February 18 You will start the year off strong, but don’t let it go to your head. Soon after, you are sure to falter, but stay focused. The year will end off well despite the struggles.
Pisces
February 19- March 20 You will get turned down a lot this year, in all aspects of life. It may discourage you, but remember that you do not have to be perfect to be happy. Sometimes you have tosettle for mediocre.
In 2018, you will be a powerful person, but keeping a great sense of serenity and subtleness. Once you decide on a plan of action, nothing and no one will be able to slow you down. Still, you would have much inner peace and a lot of freedom.
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