BSB Insider Issue 27

Issue 27 June 2026 an e b Don’t er, d i s t ou er! d i s n i e h t Read

TABLE OF CONTENTS TOP TEN FACTS ABOUT BRUSSELS.....................…1 ERNIE'S INCREDIBLE HALLUCINATIONS…............3 PRIDE MONTH.......................................................…5 2026 MOVIE RELEASES…........................................6 STRANGE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.....................…7 ALGORITHMS …........................................................9 AN UNKNOWN EXOPLANET..................................…11 THE AMOC AND WHY IT MATTERS.....................…13 IMAGINATIVE WRITING SPECIAL........................…15 WORDSEARCH.....................................................….16 ABU DHABI….............................................................17 GIN…..........................................................................19 AMNESTY...............................................................…21

Top 10 Facts about Brussels 1 - The Original Fake: The famous Manneken Pis statue in the centre is a replica, with the original 1619 statue kept in the Brussels City Museum to protect it.

2 - Chocolate Capital: The Brussels Airport is considered the largest chocolate-selling point in the world. Averaging about 1.5kg chocolate per minute!

3 - Beer Heritage: There are over 800 brands of beer for sale in the city.

4 - A "Spicy" Statue Tradition: Manneken Pis has over 1,000 different costumes that are frequently changed, often to honour visiting dignitaries or commemorate special events.

5 - Largest Court in the World: The Palais de Justice is massive, at 26,000 square metres.

6- Comic Book Heaven: Brussels is a capital of comic strips, featuring over 50 large murals of comic characters throughout the city, plus a dedicated Comic Art Centre.

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7 - Underground River: A major river, the Senne, actually flows underneath the city centre. It was completely covered over in the late 1800s to improve public health, and you can still visit the Sewer Museum to see parts of it.

8 - A Truly Green Capital: Brussels is one of the greenest capitals in Europe, with over 50% of its territory covered by parks, gardens, and the massive Sonian Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

9 - Art Deco Giant: The Basilica of Koekelberg is the largest Art Deco building in the world and the fifth largest church on Earth.

10 - Rebel Puppets: The Théâtre Royal de Toone used puppets to perform political satire during the Spanish occupation because live theatre was banned.

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ERNIE’S INCREDIBLE ILLUCINATIONS - AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR This month (May 21st and 22nd) Years 7-8 took to the stage to perform Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations in the Brel Theatre.

To better understand the workings behind the play and the role of the director, the BSB insider team interviewed the play’s director, Luke Phillips from Year 12.

Interviewer: What play are you directing and why did you choose it?

Luke: It’s a play called Ernie's incredible Illucinations, it is a period, comedy play which is set in the world of the mundane family of the Frasers in the 1970s.

However, when Ernie’s imagination flourishes, the family are plummeted into unnatural, crazy and surreal situations. It is exciting, authentic, unexpected and very entertaining.

Interviewer: What does a actually do during rehearsals?

director

Luke: More than you might think! It is the director's job make sure that everyone working alongside you, including cast,

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stage managers, technical directors know what you are trying to achieve in your piece. It is the director's job to nurture the actor’s skill and help them realise their character’s intentions and where they should move in the stage space at any given time. The director is responsible for deciding the vision for set, props, projections and music.

Interviewer: What has been the most rewarding moment in the process?

Luke: Seeing it all come together with lights during the technical rehearsal was definitely a special moment.

Interviewer: How do you motivate or guide your cast when rehearsals get difficult?

Interviewer: What has been the most challenging part of directing so far?

Luke: Making sure that all cast members know exactly what they are doing onstage during large, complex ensemble scenes. There is a lot of prior planning that goes into this and it is a trial-and-error process.

Luke: Praising their performance is always a good motivation. Finding the positives before the negatives is vital when morale is low, especially for younger performers.

Interviewer: What inspired you to become a director?

Luke: I mostly act, so I really wanted to see what it was like in the director's chair instead of being onstage and see what goes into creating a show.

Interviewer: What skills have you developed through this experience?

Luke: Being able to stay calm in moments of high stress and gaining the ability to delegate jobs to crew members around me.

Interviewer: If you could direct any play in the future, what would it be and why?

Interviewer: How do you motivate or guide your cast when rehearsals get difficult?

Luke; Not too sure, something with an impactful message which sticks with the audience would be quite cool.

Luke: Praising their performance is always a good motivation. Finding the positives before the negatives is vital when morale is low, especially for younger performers.

Interviewer: What is the main message or theme you want the audience to take away in the Play

Interviewer: Why should students come and watch the play?

Luke: I think the play’s message is reflective of the importance of imagination and creativity in everyday life. I think we can all learn from this in a school community.

Luke: It’s just a whole lot of fun! It’s snappy, light-hearted and fast paced. There’s a great energy within the cast and it would be a shame to miss.

ERNIE’S INCREDIBLE ILLUCINATIONS PREMIERED IN THE BREL THEATRE ON THE 21 - 22ND MAY 2026 WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO LUKE PHILLIPS, DIRECTOR OF THE PLAY, FOR THE INTERVIEW

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THE BSB INSIDER

PRIDE MONTH HOW DID PRIDE MONTH BEGIN? It is almost June, which means Pride Month is approaching.

June has been an important month in the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement for many years now.

At that time, homosexuality was considered a mental disorder, and was categorised as such until 1973. Being gay was also a criminal offence. In the 1950s and 1960s most towns in the US had laws that prohibited same sex relationships.

Stonewall Inn was a gay bar in New York. It was

But why June? How did it start? And

frequently raided by the police who would threaten,

why is it still relevant? Equality has

harass, and arrest customers.

still

At this time however, frustration about long term

not

been

achieved,

and

in

current times we seem to be going backwards in the fight for equality.

violent marginalisation of queer people reached a breaking point. In June 1969, onlookers and customers resisted and retaliated when police returned on June 28th. Over the next six days thousands of people would continue to show up for demonstrations in support of the Stonewall Inn and their customers.

One year later, on the first anniversary of Stonewall, a group of activists proposed a march in New York. At the same time Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco also marched.

This was the beginning of gay pride and started

The history of gay pride is a long and hard-fought one.

Knowing and remembering this history is important for understanding how far the movement has come, how far is left to go, and how to celebrate the pioneers who fought for justice at a time when their very existence was criminalised.

The first Pride Celebration is generally associated with the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, as the first recognised parade was held in celebration of the one year anniversary of that event.

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conversations that eventually led to the legalisation of same sex marrage amongst other lawful rights of gay men and women.

The Most Anticipated Movie Releases in 2026

Dune Part III

Scary Movie 6

The Odyssey

The upcoming final chapter in Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi trilogy, slated for release on December 18, 2026

Scary Movie is an upcoming American parody film directed

by Michael Tiddes and written by the Wayans brothers.

Releasing June 5, 2026

The Odyssey is an epic fantasy action film written and directed

by Christopher Nolan.

Releasing July 17, 2026 to IMAX

Digger

Disclosure day

Backrooms

Digger is an upcoming comedy film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Starring Tom Cruise.

Releasing October 1st

Disclosure Day is an upcoming American science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg.

Releasing June 12, 2026

Backrooms is an upcoming supernatural science fiction horror film directed by Kane Parsons.

Releasing May 29, 2026

My most anticipated film: Out of all these films I am most looking forward to seeing The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan because I think Christopher Nolan is unable to make a bad film and I know this film won’t let me down.

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Strange Musical Instruments Theremin

The theremin, invented by Leon Theremin, generates radio frequencies from two antennae. Using the right and left hand, the pitch and volume can be changed. Horror movies often make use of the theremin due to its eerie sound generated.

Nyckelharpa The Nyckelharpa is a combination of a bowed and keyed instrument. Its primary origin is Sweden although historical roots can be seen across medieval Europe. Keys are pressed which then causes tangents to be pressed onto the string resulting in a change in pitch. This allows the desired note to be played.

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Glass Harmonica The glass harmonica is an instrument played by rubbing glass or bowls.

Tones can be swelled or softened by applying stronger or weaker pressures by the finger.

Ogene The ogene is a type of bell with a flat, coned shape. The bells are struck with a wooden stick. The instrument is common in Igboland and is also mentioned in the novel, ‘Things Fall Apart’ where it is used by tribe members as an alert for certain important events.

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WHAT IS AN

ALG0RITHM? An algorithm is a step-by-step set of instructions used by computers to solve problems or make decisions. Every digital platform from search engines to streaming services relies on algorithms to process data and deliver results.

CONTENT SUGGESTING ALGORITHMS

SORTING ALGORITHMS

Purpose: To suggest content based on user behaviour.

Purpose: To arrange data in a specific order.

Examples: Bubble Sort – simple but slow; compares adjacent items Merge Sort – divides and merges; efficient for large data Quick Sort – uses pivot points; fast in most cases

Collaborative Filtering – “users like you also liked…”

Content-Based Filtering – recommends similar items.

They are used by platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, and Spotify

WHY IT MATTERS Used in databases, search functions, and ranking systems.

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ALGORITHMS IN

SOCIAL MEDIA Social media platforms use algorithms to decide what content appears on your feed. Instead of showing posts only in time order, the algorithm ranks content based on what it thinks you are most likely to watch, like, share, or comment on.

FACTORS CONSIDERED

EXAMPLES

Likes, comments, shares, and saves.

Watch time and how long you stay on a post.

Accounts you interact with often.

Search history and previous activity.

Trending topics and popular content.

Instagram shows posts and reels similar to ones you engage with.

TikTok recommends videos based on watch time and repeated interests.

YouTube suggests videos linked to your viewing history.

WHAT BENEFITS DO ALGORITHMS HAVE? Help users find content they enjoy.

Make platforms more personalised.

Support creators by showing content to interested audiences.

WHAT CONCERNS MAY THEY RAISE? Can create “filter bubbles” May spread misinformation quickly Can make apps more addictive by keeping users scrolling 10

Judith Chevalier

Astronomy

The Unknown Exoplanet Have we found any life out there? An earth-like exoplanet may explain it all and solve one of the Universe’s greatest mysteries.

Introduction For many years, scientists have questioned if we were alone and worked tirelessly to find the answer. However, by the term ‘life’ they don’t mean any organisms similar to us, they talk about small microorganisms or bacteria that could be found on other planets, or any water or other chemicals that could support any life.

According to NASA’s website on exoplanets, no evidence supports the idea of life in the Universe however one exoplanet has sparked debate across the scientific world as it holds a strong resemblance to our own planet.

Image of the JWST* *from website astronomycast.com

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The Discovery *Discovered in 2015, 124 light years from Earth and 8x the mass of the Earth, exoplanet K2-18b ‘is a super Earth exoplanet that orbits an M-type star.’

(An M-type star is the coolest, smallest star most commonly found in the Universe).

JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) discovered water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere of the exoplanet indicating a ‘water ocean planet’.

There is evidence of a chemical named dimethyl sulphide or DMS which could serve ‘as a biosignature on exoplanets’. Biosignature means current or past evidence of life on an exoplanet through chemical and physical properties.

References Wikepedia and the official NASA website on K218b.

Judith Chevalier

Astronomy

The major debate against this discovery However, the claim that life on this exoplanet may exist can be debunked as it can be explained by abiotic (not obtained by organisms) chemical processes and there are doubts that the observation could involve other compounds other than DMS. . What do you think on this research? Do you think it could be a planet that can hold life?

K2-18b seen from a telescope-skyandtelescope.org

Hope and research still continues to thrive Directly coming from the official website of the ‘James Webb Discovery’ they state that, ‘the James Webb Space Telescope has redefined what’s possible in the search for extraterrestrial life with its tantalizing (causing excitement) findings on K2-18b. The detection of DMS, though not yet confirmed, represents a historic step toward understanding the prevalence (the fact of being widespread) of life in the universe. As scientists work to validate these results, K2-18b remains a beacon of hope and discovery.’

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The AMOC and Why It Matters

By Lila Atkinson

What is it?

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a massive system of ocean currents, often described as a “conveyor belt.” It transports warm surface water from the tropics northward to the North Atlantic and returns cold, dense water southward in the deep ocean.

This system plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate, especially by keeping Europe warmer than other regions at similar latitudes.

Current Situation The AMOC system is extremely complex and naturally variable, which makes precise predictions nearly impossible.

However, scientists now expect a major weakening. Research suggests that climate models predicting the largest slowdown are the most accurate. The system is already at its weakest point in about 1,600 years, and warning signs of a tipping point were identified in 2021.

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Why is it happening?

The AMOC is slowing because air temperatures are rising rapidly in the Arctic due to global warming. As a result, the ocean cools more slowly in that region. Warmer water is less dense, so it sinks more slowly into the depths. This slowing process allows more rainfall to accumulate in the salty surface waters, making them even less dense. This further slows the sinking process and creates a feedback loop that weakens the system.

Impact on Us A significant weakening or a collapse of the Amoc could have severe global consequences. It could shift tropical rainfall patterns, affecting food production for millions of people. Western Europe could experience extreme cold winters and summer droughts.

Additionally, sea levels around the Atlantic could rise by 50–100 cm, worsening the effects of climate change in coastal regions across Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Words from Scientists Dr. Valentin Portmann from the Inria Centre de recherche Bordeaux SudOuest stated that the AMOC is likely to decline more than previously expected, bringing it closer to a tipping point.

Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research described the findings as “very concerning.” He explained that the more pessimistic models showing a strong weakening by 2100 are the most realistic. He also warned that the tipping point for a complete shutdown could be reached as early as the middle of this century.

Rahmstorf, who has studied the Amoc for 35 years, emphasised that a collapse must be avoided “at all costs,” noting that the probability of shutdown may now exceed 50%. He added that the most dramatic climate changes in the past 100,000 years occurred when the AMOC shifted into a different state.

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Imaginative Writing Inspired by Maya Angelou, Written by Meda Jasiukeviciute

I expected it to be an ordinary Wednesday afternoon. The sun softly glistened in between the dancing leaves, waiting for everyone to wake out of their beds. It hung lazily in the sky, like a golden watch ticking for something, waiting for fate to unravel itself into everyone’s timeline.

Get up, go to school, eat, go home, repeat: that was the rhythm of my life, the clock ticking at perfectly symmetrical intervals. But that Wednesday, the clock skipped a beat, and so did my heart.

I was having lunch with my friends, the buzz of chatter and laughter moving around us like a warm breeze. Then, like a cold wind cutting through a cosy room, my friend’s words struck me.

“Don’t lie to me,” she said, “everybody knows.”

My soul dropped, a hiccup in the song of my life. How could she accuse me of such a thing?

I would never betray her. I had sworn it in whispers, in promises that tasted like a cold lemonade on a sweet summer afternoon. And yet there it was, a lie, or the shadow of one, hanging over us like a thunderstorm. The room disappeared before me, the loud echoes ran out the door along with my trust. A feeling I had not yet discovered, suddenly struck me like a lightning bolt.

The thrill in her eyes, that odd, escaping excitement, and I realised it did not match the harsh strings in her voice. Her voice, usually so soft and familiar, was now sharp, slicing through the warm sunlight. I had been friends with her for a year, and with the other for seven. Enough time to know the rhythms of their moods, and the secret beats of their hearts.

The girl I once knew as kind and sensible had vanished in the span of six words. And my dear friend, who I was sure always knew right from wrong, had suddenly fallen silent.

She looked at me with innocence painted all over her face like a mask too delicate to hold the weight of the truth. But her sly, calculating eyes had those faint lines that people carry when they plot and scheme, when they intend to wound. And in that moment, I was no longer a child at lunch laughing with friends. I was the adult who could feel betrayal curling its fingers around my spine, cold and familiar. I was the child trembling in confusion, asking silently, what have I done? How did I step into a separate chapter that had no flow into my story I did not know was being written?

We sat there in silence. The cafeteria noises became a distant river flowing around us but never touching our small island. I wanted to speak, to defend myself, to detangle the words that were wrapped around my throat. But nothing came. I felt only the sting of disbelief, the strange sharp taste of loss before a fight had even begun. But although I had done nothing, apologies ready even if I was innocent, I had been found guilty before a trial was even set up.

And that, I realised later, was the moment everything changed. I felt a stabbing feeling in my stomach, heart, and soul. I did not yet know that the path of the next few years, the people I would trust, the way I would guard my heart, all of it shifted in that single heartbeat.

One afternoon, one lunch, one accusation.

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Date:

School supplies WORD SEARCH

Can you find all of the school supplies hidden in the puzzle?

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Welcome to

Judith Chevalier

Abu Dhabi

MY LIFE AND TEENAGE YEARS LIVING IN THE EMIRATE

An easy life, no taxes, incredibly low crime rates, countless attraction sites and a warm weather, what more could you ask for?

Living 7 years in this Emirate that only appeared 54 years ago opened for me lots of opportunities and broadened my horizons. Abu Dhabi is a dream as there was no day where no one could do nothing. There was always something to do or somewhere to go to. It was a very developing and progressive Emirate, the facilities were outstanding, the area was modern, infrastructure was well maintained and no worry at all of any crime.

Arriving there in 2018, the heat, the language and the people were alien to me. I joined a new school with other expats.

Nevertheless, I quickly made myself at home as I was welcomed into this new society.

I made lots of lifelong friends all from different countries expanding my knowledge of other foreign places.

Sadly, COVID hit and the Abu Dhabi dream was put under pressure. Schools were closed and e-learning was put into place. After two years of global pandemic and with other countries being open again, Abu Dhabi was still closed, schooling was still online, social distance was still in effect and masks were still part of our wardrobe. The impact was real and the mental challenge was heavy.

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LEAVING THE EMIRATE AND REALISING EVERYTHING OVER THE YEARS As I left Abu Dhabi, things I took for granted changed.

Once I moved to Europe, I became more streetwise. The bubble of service and easy living, where everything was done for you, was gone. I became more aware of what independence truly means and of having to do things yourself. I learned to step out of my comfort zone and shape myself for the future. No more pampering for me, but a journey filed with lessons that teach you life skills.

The lessons taught at school were different as well. Suddenly, I was allowed to talk about real politics, current and past European wars such as WW2. Subjects like LBGTQ+ and Greek mythology, with all its monsters and mythical creatures, were openly discussed in class. My mind was challenged and my critical thinking was pushed beyond the box. My world of knowledge expanded to another level and nothing felt controversial anymore.

I have been 18 months in Europe now and the Emirate still remains a part of me, a part of who I am. In this Emirate, I achieved some milestones and created memories that shaped me. I am grateful for these wonderful years and look forward to discover more about our world.

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Amnesty Concert for Human Rights What was the event?

The annual Amnesty concert which took place on Friday 3rd April in Brel, with the theme “A Light in the Dark: We are the Voice for Those Who Have None.”

Who was included?

The Amnesty CAS group, Amnesty band, and BSB band came together for the annual collaboration.

A lot of effort!

This took many months of hard work in the rehearsals practising: The Chain, Boys Don’t Cry...

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Thank you to everyone who attended the concert, showed support, and donated!

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School supplies WORD SEARCH KEYS Can you find all of the school supplies hidden in the puzzle?

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Arlo Steward Arnau Ques Lenny Spollen Mia Ragnarsdóttir Samuel Cooreman Pierre Derrien

With special thanks to G.I.N., Amnesty, Judith Chevalier, Lila Atkinson, Meda Jasiukeviciute and Luke Phillips.