Bird's Eye View Student Magazine Summer 2024

FOR STUDENTS | BY STUDENTS

BIRDSEYEVIEW

SUMMER 2024 EDITION

Photo by Kirill, Year 8

Editor’sNote DEARREADERS,

WelcometooursecondeditionoftheBird’sEyeViewstudentmagazine!

Witharticlesvaryingfromperformingartsreviewsandmusicrecommendations toculturalspotlights,wehavebeensoluckytohavethestudentcommunity incrediblekeentohavetheirworkpublished.Wearesohappytohavesucha rangeofwork,andarecertainthatyouwillfindsomethinginherethatinterests you.

Thankyouforsupportingournewspaper,wearesogratefultoeveryonewhoreads it,submitsworkforitandhelpstocreateitalltogetherandreleaseit.Thisisa greatwrapupoftheyearandwearesoexcitedtoincludesomenewentrieslike photographyaswellasourrecurringculturalspotlightpiece.

Thisisatimeofchangeforeveryone,withyear9smovingintoIGCSE,year11s movingfromIGCSEtoIBandyear13sgraduating.Thiscanbeascarytimebutalso veryexcitingaswemoveintonewstagesofouracademicjourney.

Thiseditionhasbeenmadeforstudentsbystudentsandweinviteeveryoneinthe communitytotakealook!

EnjoyourSummer2024editionandwehopethismakesforsomegreatholiday entertainment.Seeyounextyearforsomemoregreateditions!

TheEditors

Photo by Kirill, Year 8

This Month: Engaging Globally

by

Photo

Updates ECOWEEK2024

ECOWEEK2024

Miyuka, Year 12 | Events

WithWorldEnvironmentDaybeingonthe5thofJune,theEventsTeamwantedtotaketheopportunity tobringbackEcoWeektotheBISPcommunity Withthehelpofmanystudentvolunteers,teachers, staffandexternalorganisations,wewereabletocarryoutasuccessfuleducationalandinteractive event Notonlythat,wehavealsobeenabletoraisemoneyforenvironmentalorganizationsincluding SustainableMaiKhao Thinkingaboutnextacademicyear,welookforwardtointroducingmore environmentalinitiativesandhavingmoreeventsthatbridgethegapbetweenPrimaryandSecondary.

Tuesday

AspartoftheWellbeingDay,secondarystudentsacross variousyeargroupscelebratedEcoWeekbyparticipating ineducationalactivities Whilstsomestudentsindulgedin interactivepresentationsorganisedbySoiDogandthe SustainableMaiKhaoFoundation,otherstudentshadthe opportunityto proposeapitchtomakeBISP“greener”

Wednesday

Wednesday being World Environment Day, students from Phuket Mangrove Teens and Mr Craigen from the Design and Technology Department delivered two educational presentations to an audience of primary students. However in Secondary, students were able more specifically d by Mr Greene

Friday

OnFriday, studentsfromacrosstheentireschool weredressedinanimal-themedcostumestofinish theeventstrong. Inaddition,therewasonceagain arangeofactivitieshostedbyvariousmembersof thecommunity WhiletheEcoCommitteeandCAS studentshostedaneducationalpaintingactivityto raiseawarenessaboutsustainabilityandupcycling, thePTACommitteehostedanincredibleSwapShop throughoutthedaytopromotesustainableliving.

Thursday

OnJune6th,weachievedmuchsuccesswithan upcyclingactivityamongsttheyoungerstudentsat BISP Duringbreaktime,studentsmadedogtoys–some filledwithtreats–usingrecycledmaterialsspecifically forpuppiesanddogsatSoiDoglocatedinMaiKhao.

ECODAY

Back in 2018, BISP undertook the Greener BISP Project, which included water saving, recycling bins, food project, and a discount at Bake if you brought your own cup It has been six years since then and now we are currently trying to create a new project with the help of our Year 10 students, who are working on ideas during their Wellbeing Day.

The Year 10 Wellbeing Day started with a presentation from Michelle Mouillé from Sustainability Maikhao In this presentation we learned about the impact of plastic on both our environment and ourselves. We gained an insight to the amount of plastic we use individually and how it can have permanent impacts on the world around us.

Sustainability Maikhao is a wonderful organisation that provides beach cleanups, as well as frequent workshops with schools around Phuket to bring awareness to the impacts of plastic waste. They also collaborate with schools such as UWCT for beach cleanups. Sustainability Maikhao also offers internships and volunteer opportunities so that you can get involved too - they are very flexible and you can participate in a plethora of roles:raising awareness, building up a social media presence, litter clearing and so much more So, go check out their website and take a trip to their HQ to help out and make sure Phuket is as green as possible.

Sustainability Maikhao is focused on ensuring that the beaches in Phuket are clean and that pollution is kept at a minimum, with plastic pollution being the largest environmental issue faced by Phuket. One of their reasons for motivation is the sea turtles. Around twenty years ago, Maikhao was a place where sea turtles would come to lay their eggs and hatch, especially seeing as sea turtles return to where they hatched to lay their own eggs. However, after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami the turtles couldn’t find their way back to Maikhao due to the changes in the sea bed Recently the sea turtles have been coming back to Mai Khao beach, but do we want them to come back to a beach filled with trash and plastic waste?

The plastic waste is also a source of distaste to tourists, and can even persuade some people to stop coming to Thailand for vacations. This is a big problem as one of Thailand's main sources of income is through tourism Thailand itself is often referred to as a holiday hotspot, and plastic pollution’s underming of Phuket’s aesthetic beauty has dissuaded tourists from visiting, taking its toll on tourism and the Thai economy

After the workshop, the students started on our project: an infographic explaining key information on plastic waste and the as a whole. We then moved on to create a Google Site, sharing our information and an idea for the improvement of BISP. We created a reel that will be shared with the community and finally, we proposed a letter to Mr Meredith with their idea Mr Meredith will go through each proposal and consider them for BISP’s next eco project.

The reason why it is so important for young people to work towards making a more eco-friendly planet is because we may have a limited time on this planet There have been living things on earth for 3 7 billion years, yet humans have only been on it for 300,000 and we have almost brought it to a state of disrepair But we haven’t yet We need to take accountability for our mistakes and ignorance as a society for our carbon footprint so that in another 300,000 years our future generations will have a history to look up to and a world to continue to explore without our planet being destroyed by ecological problems

We gathered some quotes from some of the students and teachers throughout the day in regards to their opinion on plastic waste and how BISP functions as an eco-friendly community Year 10 students Maxime, Gabriel and Maxime have expressed their distaste to single use plastic and plastic in general. They explained how it was mind blowing how it affected them and when told that over 350 million tons of plastic is produced annually they were shocked. They stated that the workshop done with Sustainability Maikhao was not only eye opening but also informative.

Some projects that the Year 10 students have started researching into are producing gardens for the school that provide healthy eco-friendly snacks They have researched different types of produce that can be grown in Thailand and written it up in a proposal letter for Mr Meredith.

Why is it important?

y g focuses only on the negatives of this issue, rather than what can be done to ameliorate it. In order to best process and learn about combatting ecological destruction, try consuming ‘ green media’, such as music, podcasts, books or videos, and see how creatives and communities are fighting this disaster…

Andrew Millison

Mossy Earth

Our Changing Climate

Mossy Earth

Robin Greenfield

Simon Clark Vox

The

I Am

Colours of the Wind - Pocahontas How Bad Can I Be? - The Lorax

Maison - Dreamcatcher

Mercy Mercy Me - Marvin Gaye

Shadowland - The Lion King

Sleeping Giants - The Crane Wives

The Architect - Paloma Faith

There Beneath - The Oh Hellos

The Seed - AURORA

We Have It All - The Pim Stones

Outrage + Optimism (General)

Sustainababble (Beginners)

Big Closets Small Planet (Fashion)

A Matter of Degrees (Leadership)

Climate Ris

Pride in Thailand

Paige, Year 12

“Love is never wrong” - Melissa Etheridge

In March of 2024, Thailan recognition to same-sex m of both the countries civil changing the composition man and a woman ” to “two bill to become law, it will by the Senate as well as r making Thailand the third legalise gay marriage, aft

But what will this bill actu LGBTQ+ individuals? The b same-sex couples will rece legal rights and benefits a opposite-sex relationships is not limited to, governme medical treatments, mana of assets belonging to the the adoption of children, n all marriage registrations

As of the 18th of June 2024, this bill has been passed by the

“Love recognizes no barriers. It ju fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its final destination full of hope.” - Maya Angelou

Student Spotlight: Life at BISP

Photo by Kirill, Year 8

Colour Team Recap!

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a c t i v i t i e s a n d e v e n t s t h e H o u s e T e a m h a d p l a n n e d f o r u s f o r a n

u n f o r g e t t a b l e a n d e n g a g i n g y e a r .

s t a r t t h e y e a r o f f , Spirit Week f e a t u r e d a

s o f d r e s s - u p d a y s t h a t p r o m o t e d s c h o o l

t a n d b o o s t e d m o r a l e , f o l l o w e d b y House

ut w h i c h d i s p l a y e d t a l e n t s . N e x t , t h e Golden

e w a s o n t h e h o r i z o n w i t h s t u d e n t s a n d

h e r s r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e c o l o u r s

e s h o w c a s i n g i m p r e s s i v e a t h l e t i c a b i l i t i e s

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t i o n t h i s y e a r w a s t h e i n c l u s i o n o f e x c i t e d

w h o n a v i g a t e d t h r o u g h o b s t a c l e s h a n d - i n -

A f t e r C h r i s t m a s , t h e h a n d o f f o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s

w e r e g i v e n t o t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n o f H o u s e C a p t a i n s

b r i m m i n g w i t h n e w i d e a s . House birthdays w e r e

c e l e b r a t e d w i t h s w e e t t r e a t s c e l e b r a t i n g e a c h

i n d i v i d u a l h o u s e . O n t h e p h y s i c a l s i d e t h e r e w a s n o

s h o r t a g e o f s p o r t s f e a t u r i n g badminton , dodgeball

a n d e v e n t h e i n f a m o u s Yukigasson festival . O f

c o u r s e , t h e r e w a s a l s o a f a n f a v o u r i t e , Sports Day , w h i c h r a n g e d f r o m t h r o w i n g e v e n t s t o j u m p i n g

e v e n t s a l l t h e w a y t o t r a c k e v e n t s a l l c o m p l i m e n t e d

b y t h e e l e c t r i c a t m o s p h e r e w i t h c h e e r i n g s p e c t a t o r s n t h e b a c k g r o u n d .

. t o m e n t i o n Baan day , a s p e c i a l d a y d e d i c a t e d t o

a t i n g t h e h o u s e s w i t h v a r i o u s a c t i v i t i e s d e s i g n e d t o

t e H o u s e s p i r i t w h e r e e v e r y o n e c a n c o m e t o g e t h e r i n

t o c e l e b r a t e d i v e r s e s t r e n g t h s a n d t a l e n t s o f e a c h

s e . A s t h e y e a r c o m e s t o a n e n d , w e c e l e b r a t e t h i s d i n g l y w i t h m i n d - s t i m u l a t i n g a c t i v i t i e s s u c h a s t h e nual Chess

Competition a n d t h e Rubik's Feud

a u n t i n g s t r a t e g i c t h i n k i n g a n d c a r e f u l p l a n n i n g

A s w e r e f l e c t o n t h e y e a r , i t ' s c l e a r t h a t e a c h H o u s e h a d m a d e t h e i r o w n i m p a c t f i l l i n g o u r l i v e s w i t h c a m a r a d e r i e a n d c o m p e t i t i o n a l i k e . L o o k i n g

a h e a d , w e e a g e r l y a n t i c i p a t e a n o t h e r a c a d e m i c y e a r o f e x c i t i n g h o u s e e v e n t s w h e r e p a s s i o n , t e a m w o r k , a n d c r e a t i v i t y o f o u r s t u d e n t s w i l l u n d o u b t e d l y s h i n e . F i n a l l y , t h i s w o u l d n ’ t b e p o s s i b l e w i t h o u t o u r i n c r e d i b l e Mrs. Crossland w h o s e m e t i c u l o u s p l a n n i n g a n d d e d i c a t i o n e n s u r e d t h e s u c c e s s o f

e a c h e v e n t H e r e f f o r t s h a v e b r o u g h t j o y a n d e x c i t e m e n t t o o u r s c h o o l

c o m m u n i t y a n d t h e H o u s e T e a m i n t e n d s t o c a r r y o n h e r l e g a c y t o t h e n e x t y e a r f o r w a r d w i t h e v e n m o r e e x h i l a r a t i n g e v e n t s l i n e d u p !

A CAS Project by Cloe, Elsa and Liza, Year 12

Did you know that one-third of the food produced globally is wasted every year?

Have you ever wanted to contribute and be part of something actually worthwhile but something not quite limiting in terms of money constraints? Do you want to add a little pizazz to your portfolio by contributing in something a little more aesthetically pleasing than usual? Or maybe you just want to be a part of something that might at least play a small role in reducing food waste, which is an issue that many regions in the world grapple with. How would you go about that?

Well, we are planning on creating an international cookbook using various recipes from students, teachers, and even parents which will then be purchasable at various locations from within the school. All profit will be donated to the SOS Mission in Bangkok against food waste.

We also want to embrace everyone ’ s different cultural and uniqueness by sharing these recipes, while also contributing to a meaningful cause.

Within BISP, being the ever growing international community that it is, we all have our cherished family recipes that transcend time (and possibly soul depending on the amount of chilli peppers used) that will all make wonderful additions to our cookbook. To make this project a success, we need your help! In a few days, you will receive a Google Form via email where you can submit your favourite recipes.

This is of course, going to be one of many different and diverse recipes we will be sharing if this project turns out to be a success. Let’ s cook together, celebrate our cultures, and make a difference by supporting those in need by reducing food waste!

Ingredients

Dough

125g plain flour

65ml water at room temperature

Filling

0.25 head Napa cabbage (approx. 300g)

0.13 tsp salt

125g minced pork

1 stalk scallions finely chopped

0.5 tsp minced ginger

1 tbsp light soy sauce

0.5 pinch ground Sichuan pepper or five-spice powder

0.5 tbsp dried shrimp soaked in 2 tablespoon water

0 25 tbsp sesame oil

Making the dough

1.

In a mixing bowl, add water to flour gradually. Mix with chopsticks/spatula until no more loose flour can be seen. Combine and knead into a dough.

Leave to rest (covered) for 10 minutes then knead again until smooth. 2. Cover and rest the dough again for 30-60 minutes until it becomes soft.

3.

Making the filling

1.

Cut Napa cabbage into thin slices then cut across again into tiny pieces. Put minced cabbage into a colander then add salt. Mix well and leave to rest for 10 mins or so (place the colander in a sink or over a plate to collect extracted water).

2.

Add minced pork, scallions, ginger, light soy sauce and ground Sichuan pepper to a mixing bowl. Mince rehydrated dried shrimp. Add it to the meat, along with the water in which it was soaked. Stir until the liquid is fully absorbed by the meat.

3.

Assemble the dumplings

2.

3.

Use your hands to squeeze the cabbage in batches to remove any water extracted by the salt. Then put into the bowl. Add sesame oil and mix to combine.

Divide the dough into three parts. Roll one part into a rope then cut into 10 equal pieces. 1. Press each piece into a small disc with the palm of your hand. Use a rolling pin to flatten it into a thin disc. Dust with flour if it sticks. Repeat to finished the rest of the dough.

Place a spoonful of filling on the wrapper. Seal the wrapper using the technique you're most comfortable with.

Cook and serve!

2.

3.

4.

Bring a pot of water to a full boil over high heat. Gently slide in the dumplings (cook in two batches if using a small pot). Push them around with the back of a spoon to avoid sticking. Cover with a lid.

1. When the water comes back to a full boil, add about 120 ml (½ cup) of cold water then cover.

Repeat the procedure another two times. When fully cooked, the dumplings should be plump and floating on the surface.

Transfer the dumplings to a colander. Briefly rinse under tap water. Drain and serve immediately.

TECHNICAL THEATRE TECHNICAL THEATRE TECHNICAL THEATRE

BISP is proud to have an exceptional performing arts program that includes everything from lunchtime concerts to grand winter productions, such as plays, musicals, and pantomimes. Our program gives students from Years 7-13, with diverse backgrounds and abilities, the chance to shine onstage in a true masterpiece

This Upcoming This Upcoming This Upcoming Academic Year, We Academic Year, We Academic Year, We Have Massive Plans! Have Massive Plans! Have Massive Plans! The music and drama departments are excited to create a timeless classic for all to enjoy. But this production of Grease can't happen without YOU!

Get Involved Get Involved Get Involved Onstage and Onstage and Onstage and Offstage! Offstage! Offstage!

Students can participate in the production both onstage and offstage The effort that goes into creating a production is often beyond comprehensible, but incredibly rewarding.

NEW Afterschool NEW Afterschool Afterschool Activity: Activity: Activity: Theatre Tech! Theatre Tech! Theatre Tech!

Starting next term, join us every Tuesday after school to collaborate artistically and craft the technical elements of the show. From lighting and sound design to set construction and costume creation, students can engage in a variety of technical roles.

Develop Technical Skills: Gain hands-on experience in various technical aspects of theatre.

Encourage Teamwork & Problem-Solving: Work with students from different year groups, learn from each other, and contribute unique talents to the project.

Enhance Personal Growth: Learn effective time management, clear communication, and teamwork

Perfect for Art, Design Technology, Computing, Music, and Drama Students: Hone your abilities outside the classroom.

CAS Points & IA Opportunities: Ideal for younger students looking to develop a wide range of skills beyond the classroom.

What’s going on in Academics?

We’ re almost done! Exams are finally over with our Year 13’ s moving on and the Year 11’ s gone for the summer Although both years are gone the rest of us still have a lot going on for our last two weeks I think everyone is relieved that our exams are over and we can relax a bit but let's try to keep our energy up and our brains locked in for a little while longer For Year 12’ s that may mean getting our IA’ s and EE’ s sorted out and for other years maybe that means carrying on learning or tying ..up any loose ends. Either way, it's only one more week until we can take ......a long break until August.

We are wishing our Year 11’ s the best of luck for results day in August even though I am sure everyone did great Even though the next two months are going to be a well-needed break for all the Year 11’ s, just so that they and anyone else knows, by the end of term there is going to be a Pre-IB website up and running This is going to have any information you will need on your future subjects coming straight from your teachers and current students If anyone whether that be Year 11’ s - soon to be Year 12’ s - or any other students has any concerns about their ........... choices or wants to know what .............they are getting into, this website ...............will be available to everyone to ....see what they are in for.

Deepika, Year 12

IGCSE

Prep

We are starting next year fast. Term 1 is going to see the introduction of study groups with the feedback saying the timings would work better if it was started at the beginning of next year instead of the end of this year. So if you want to get a headstart there will be signups sent out at the start of next year for any subjects you may want help with and older students to help you with any questions you may have. For those helping/teaching this will be a great and really easy opportunity to get those IA or CAS services done.

For Year 10’ s who are going to be entering their exams in less than a year or for anyone else who is curious about IGCSE subjects, the Year 12’ s created a presentation tailored to tackling the IGCSE exams. The link to the presentation will be below So for any Year 10’ s who want to get a head start on what we believe helped us succeed in our exams, all that information is there for ......you and we are here for .......... any questions you may have.

If anyone wants any professional tutoring over the summer, TutorHouse is a great place to find someone who is suitable for you. There are a vast variety of rates and qualifications to work for everyone. I myself have used this service and it is very reputable and I think the tutors are really helpful. If your tutor does not end up being the one for you you can easily just switch and find one who works for you.

Wellbeing Updates

Taisiia, Year 12

The end of the exam season was celebrated with the final Wellbeing Day of this school year This day had a spiritual focus, and we were able to organize exciting, interactive activities for all years This day seemed to be the student favorite out of the wellbeing days carried out this year

The day consisted of a great range of recreational activities, from the Year 8 and 9 traveling off campus, to Year 12s visiting career talks from the parents of our students where they provided insight into their professional journeys

Another highlight for many students was Sound Bowl therapy, led by a parent of one of our students, who kindly dedicated her time to provide our students with this unconventional opportunity.

The exam season is arguably the most stressful period of time for most students, ranging from Year 7s who have just entered Secondary school and experienced their first encounter with end-of-year tests, to our recently graduated Year 13s who had to sit the most significant exams of their years in school. With the support of our amazing teachers and fellow students, BISP has successfully passed yet another exam season and the students are now anticipating the summer holidays

This year was a challenge for the Wellbeing Department due to the reformatting of the structure of the school schedule The concept of the Wellbeing Day was introduced to replace the bi-weekly period 6 Wellbeing sessions on Wednesdays This led to a demand for more detailed planning and creative ideas. Thankfully, Wellbeing Days turned out to be a success, taking place 5 times a year. It is a day when students are allocated time for various activities centred around the theme of the specific Wellbeing Day and in addition are given time to bond with one another. Over the course of this year, we’ve received a ton of feedback from students and staff which has been taken Into consideration and Is used to accustom the needs of our community to make Wellbeing Days more enjoyable and beneficial for all!

Career talk from parents for Year 12

Year 7 games In the Sports Hall

The Greener BISP

Peer Support Group

The Peer Support Group is super excited about the new opportunities next year! This year we welcomed several new students who brought new ideas and helped us understand our school better.

Some of the highlights of this year for the PSG were decorating the exam room to show support to Year 13s in their Mocks this January as well as organising boards in the MTB in celebration of International Women’s Day.

We are excited to welcome new community members next year and our main priority is finding ways to show our support to new students and help them adjust to the changes in their lives

This is a moment to express gratitude to the person who brought the PSG together, who continues to maintain the lovely atmosphere in our weekly meetings and who is always eager to support all students of BISP. Ms Godfrey is always open to listening to our opinions and ideas and is looking for ways to help us bring our visions to life. She has been there to adjust to the annual changes of the PSG throughout the last few years, from the format of the meetings to the ever-changing list of members.

We are very sad to have to say goodbye to Ms Godfrey as she is leaving BISP and although we are curious to see the changes that will take place next year, we will miss her greatly

Taisiia, Year 12

Student Features:

Life Beyond BISP

Photo by Kirill, Year 8

Gold International Award

How does tourism affect coral reef health in Thailand?

Ada, Gray, Katie, Cloe

The Phi Phi Island Archipelago, located in the Andaman Sea, attracts tourists all around the world, with the promise of crystal-clear waters and breathtaking underwater landscapes, especially coral. However, the increase of tourists poses a significant threat to the coral and marine life of the islands.

Thailand's tourism industry is an important part of its economy, contributing to national income and giving employment to millions. The country's natural beauty, culture, and warm climate make it a popular destination for tourists. The Phi Phi Islands, in particular, are a major draw due to their beautiful beaches and scenery that is rich in marine life.

Prior to our fieldwork, we knew that tourism could have extreme effects on marine environments. Our ESS textbooks showed a couple of key issues. For example, coral bleaching, which is when increased water temperatures and pollution can stress corals, leading to bleaching events where corals lose their vibrant colours and algae Furthermore, physical damage is one of the biggest problems of the effect of tourism - for example, trampling, boat anchors and motors. One of the biggest problems is pollution: mainly sun cream, building waste, and greywater from boats, which can produce harmful chemicals into the marine environment, potentially being fatal to marine life.

During our research we visited the two islands of Hin Bida. The island possessed the most incredible cliffs and diverse aquatic life, yet despite this, it received very minimal tourism. There were few boats surrounding the island, with only one other being there to view the beautiful qualities of the islands. Due to its remote location, tourists rarely bothered to sail and visit it, disregarding the beauty of it due to its inconvenience. This lack of tourism has led the mesmerising coral reefs and manifolds of aquatic life to prevail and survive far longer than alternative, more popular, destinations The lucrative nature that reefs possess in attracting tourism is degrading the life for fish in these stunning locations, which we got to witness at a first hand degree throughout our multitude of dives across Thailand. We enjoyed the luxury of being able to swim around the gorgeous landscape of Hin Bida without the constant disrespect and ignorance many tourists have towards these fragile ecosystems. The limited exposure to tourism that Hin Bida could boast enabled us to understand the deleterious impact that tourism has on coastal environments, helping us to further develop the contrast between more tourist oriented locations and more remote islands. Altogether the preservation of such diverse and wonderful coastal environments needs more attention, who wouldn’t want their kids to experience the stunning sceneries that these distal environments create?

After a stunning dive at Hin Bida, we sailed down the coast for about 45 minutes to inspect the coral reefs at a tourist hotspot just outside of the national park. As the bay opened up, surrounded by towering, lush cliffs, we could see scores of boats occupying the small area. Mooring at the edge of the bay, a couple of us took some kayaks towards the edge of the snorkelling area. Dipping our paddles into the water, we couldn’t help but notice how cloudy it was, filled with sediment and litter Once we had tied up our kayaks, we dived into the water and swam towards shore, looking down through our snorkelling masks to observe the seabed Whilst at first it was impossible to see anything except sea lice and darkness, the rocky bed slowly came into view: a tangled maze of passages, inhabited by a few fish with all the energy and spite of an IB HL Maths student (one of them bit Gray), glowing a blinding white in the afternoon sun. We stared in horror at each other, recognising that despite its vicious residents, the entire coral reef in this area was dead, and had been for a long time, if the white colour was indicative of anything. Pushing out of the water, we heard some tourists exclaim with delight at the graveyard of coral. They had never seen the stunning views of a living coral reef, and believed that this was the extent of the wonders of the famous Thai coral ecosystems If we humans don’t change our destruction of these delicate ecosystems, will our children ever see wonders like Hin Bida - like all reefs used to be? That day, we saw with our own eyes - not just through the accusatory rambles of an ESS textbook - the consequences of our mindless tourism on our home.

With all things considered, it is evident that action needs to be taken in order to preserve Phuket’s, and in turn, Thailand’s coral reefs. Tourism has been one of Thai coral reefs’ biggest blights, affecting the local marine wildlife and ecosystem To ensure they make a full recovery, massive upheaval will be required from the local government when it comes to environmental protection

With all of that in mind, we can all contribute in our own, albeit small ways. Let’s begin with the obviousthe elephant in the room, almost. Please, don’t litter. I’m talking about littering in the ocean whilst on a boat, and on the beach, because it just looks nicer in general. Who wants to spend their holidays in a dumpster? Now I’m fairly certain that our younger readers are already aware of this fact since it has been hammered into our heads in our formative years. (Not that it's necessarily a bad thing, of course). If any of us happen to do scuba diving with the purpose of seeing these famed coral reefs with your very two eyes, please refrain from touching them, wear reef-safe sunscreen (another type of sunscreen? In this economy?), and it might be a good idea not to dump your shampoo after a lengthy shower as it will likely have long-term negative effects like bleaching and whatnot.

It is important to note that coral reefs are an incredibly dive ecosystem which hosts many different species. Coral bleaching i serious issue that shouldn’t be neglected under any circumstances a will lead to the loss of more coral reefs and cause further damage to already fragile planet.

Photos by Ms Amy

We Are All Special and Unique in Our Own Way

We are all special and unique in our own way

And we don’t need any rules to obey

On the subject on who we should be,

What should we do

And what should we see

We are all

Individuals overall

We all enjoy different things

Which are often touching

Some of our heartstrings

Some do music

Some do golf

Some do silks

And some do both

Some like to swim

Some like to run

And some like to do none

Some like to jump

Some like to ski

And some, just like to be free

Some are kind

Some are cross

And you meet them all

Then you just come across

So if you ever think

That you are not good enough

Just remember this little tiny phrase

Which comes in help In any case

We are all special and unique in our own way

And we don’t need any rules to obey On the subject on who we should be, What should we do

And what should we see

-Elina, Year 8

ABOUTTHE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICOF CONGO

Not to be confused with The Republic of Congo* (bottom left)

CULTURE!

Music, dance, art, and literature are integral parts of the culture

The Rumba dance/music genre originated in Congo

Traditional pagne fabric features vibrant colors and geometric patterns.

Popular dishes: moambe chicken, pondu makemba liboke etc.

GENERAL

Capital: Kinshasa

Official Language: French

National Languages: Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo

Population: 99 million (2022)

Independence Day: June 30th, 1960

There are over 200 tribes and 200 languages spoken in DRC

*Although DRC and Republic of Congo share the same name, they are separate countries due to geographical, historical, and political reasons

FUN FACTS!

Also known as “The Heart of Africa” for it’s central location and massive cultural influence in Africa

Second largest country in Africa

Largest producer of cobalt and coltan

It’s also rich in gold and diamonds

Home to the second largest rainforest

The Congo River is the deepest river in the world

Serena, Year 12

A message for Year 13

T h i s y e a r w e f o u n d o u r s e l v e s s a y i n g g o o d b y e t o y e t a n o t h e r

g r o u p o f w o n d e r f u l a n d i m p r e s s i v e s e n i o r s . T h e c l a s s o f 2 0 2 4

g r a d u a t i o n c e r e m o n y w a s f i l l e d w i t h e m o t i o n s , h u g s a n d t e a r s ,

f o l l o w e d b y a n e x c i t i n g c e l e b r a t i o n a t t h e S a i i H o t e l .

T h i s w a s a b i t t e r s w e e t m o m e n t f o r m a n y m e m b e r s o f B I S P

s i n c e t h e s t u d e n t s o f Y e a r 1 3 w e r e a n i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f o u r

c o m m u n i t y a n d a n e x a m p l e t o t h e y o u n g e r y e a r s . T h e c l a s s o f

2 0 2 4 i s f i l l e d w i t h m a n y i n c r e d i b l y g i f t e d a n d t a l e n t e d

i n d i v i d u a l s , e a c h s e t t o t a k e o n t h e i r o w n p a t h p o s tg r a d u a t i o n .

W e w o u l d l i k e t o w i s h t h e b e s t o f l u c k t o t h e Y e a r 1 3 s , a s t h e y

e n t e r a n e w c h a p t e r o f t h e i r l i v e s , w h i c h f o r m a n y , i n c l u d e s

m o v i n g t o n e w c o u n t r i e s a n d e x p l o r i n g n e w o p p o r t u n i t i e s . W e

c e r t a i n l y c a n n o t w a i t t o s e e a l l t h e m a g n i f i c e n t t h i n g s e a c h o f t h e m w i l l a c h i e v e !

The StudentLeadership Team

FORSTUDENTS|BYSTUDENTS

BIRDSEYEVIEW

SUMMER2024EDITION

Ahugethankyoutoour

StudentContributers

Ada Tugra Oluk

Cloe Boezio

Daisy Cheung

Deepika Raghunath

Elina Shestakova

Elizaveta (Liza) Krapivina

Gray Morze

Kathryn (Katie) Willis

Lily Barnett

Miyuka Kawamura

Paige Morze

Pattanasit (Mammoth) Khoopongsakorn

Serena Sunguza

Taisiia Chernova

Thoon (Elsa) May

Editors: Katie Willis & Ember Hewison

Photographer: Kirill Murugov