The rexonian december 2011

Volume V; Issue 2

December 2011

King’s Academy, Manja - Madaba, Jordan

King’s Academy: Then & Now

The transformations that made King’s Academy what it is today Yet another school year LION CUB has dawned th upon us, marking the 5 installation of the ongoing saga that is King’s Academy. But has everything remained the same since that inaugural year? Clearly not! Virtually every aspect of life at the Academy has been altered, tweaked or reformed in some way. Namely: curriculum, graduation requirements and schedule orientation. But let’s not get bogged down with the boring stuff. Instead, we’ll explore the more interesting sides of this alteration.

The decision to incorporate ties into the female dress-code at King’s was surely audacious. Needless to say, however, it was not met with much consent on the students’ part.

Nevertheless, it has passed the test of time, becoming an integral part of King’s’ heritage.

Our varsity sports teams, transcendent MUN club and seemingly endless after-lunch Zaffes have become unyielding sources of school pride and hubris. They represent the very essence of life at King’s Academy, serving to further school spirit and pride in our identity as KA students, a spirit and pride that our school was sadly lacking in a mere 4 years. “King’s has come a long way in terms of the presence

By ALI SHAWAR ‘14

of school pride and spirit” says Tarik Alireza ‘12, “Nevertheless; there remains ground to cover in years to come”.

Additionally, an intense but newfound rivalry has materialized between the Meissans and (slightly less competent) Nihalites. Both parties are engaged in constant feuds which they settle through soccer tournaments and (once a year) the Madaba Games. “…”, remarked Mr. Ryuji Yamaguchi when asked to describe the inter-dorm rivalry.

Through constant athletic victories and intellectual achievements, KA has established itself as a prominent player on the local stage.

On a more global note, we have finally been accredited by the CIS and NAES (all those firedrills finally paid off)! Quite clearly, King’s has newly entered a superior realm of international schools.

So there you have it. Just over these past few years, King’s Academy has transformed from a slightly flawed experiment to a contemporary success story. For better or for worse, King’s is our school and source of continuous pride. Surely there are imperfections, but they can all be fixed. In the words of James Arthur Baldwin, “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced”.

WASIM AYESH

Table of Contents Page 2 NEWS Pages 3-4 OPINION

Page 5 LIFE

Pages 6-7 FUN

The Johnny Roger’s Band King’s Eco-Footprint Junior Counselors The Listening Lions Short Days The Student Senate Weekends With King’s Hiking with King’s Does Anyone Have Nescafe?

Making Freshmen Just Keep Swimming Recommended Books Fun Facts About Teachers Sudoku Horoscopes

Pages 8-9 WORLD

Page 10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pages 11-12 SPORTS

Arab Weddings Changes in the Spanish Department Diversity at King’s AP French Curriculum Vacation with the O’Briens Ms. Sana Madadha Best of the Web Songs of the Issue King’s Academy Night Life Interview with Dr. Khalid The Eric Widmer Track A Coach’s Outlook on the Season Empowering Iraqi Women Varsity Boys and Girls Soccer

WASIM AYESH

Graduation or A-Levels?

The question that changed our calander!

By DIVIJ MEHRA ‘12 NEWS SUB-EDITOR

May 31, 2012 is the day that the class of 2012 is supposed to graduate. It is a day, when the King’s Academy community gathers on the commencement lawn, to commemorate the oldest students of the community, and watch them as they are handed their diplomas. This year, it is also the day many seniors are scheduled to take the second part of the A-Level Arabic Exam; an exam that many seniors take and consider to be the equivalent of an Advanced Placement, or AP, assessment.

Currently, many seniors are worried about the prospect of having to commit to both events in the same day.

Needless to say, both are extremely important. Graduation, being a memorable ceremony is one that is important to many seniors, and they want to make the most out of the event. On the other hand, all students enrolled in A-Level Arabic are required to take the A-Level Arabic test, as per the school policy. If the schedule stays the way it is, many students will have to spend the morning of the 31st taking the exam, and then rush to campus, with little time to prepare for graduation. Daunted by the prospect of enduring such a frantic, but important day, students have proposed various solutions. Some have brought up the question of changing the date of the A-Level exam. However, the date of the test, being an international one, is not subject to change, regardless of any requests or suggestions. The other, less popular but more feasible choice is to change the date of graduation. Ms. Sheena Nabholz, dean of the faculty said “We are aware of the situation, and are taking everything into consideration. We will probably have to re-schedule graduation to hold it within a day or two of the original date. Other concerns have been brought up because the 31st is a Thursday, and arguably, the most appropriate day of the week for families, and friends to attend the event.

Although many have expressed their disappointment about the matter, there really is nothing that can be done.

NEWS

Page 2

The Rexonian

King’s Eco-Footprint

By NICHOLAS JONSSON ‘14 & NORA NESHEIWAT ‘14 LION CUBS

The Johnny Rogers Band

WASIM AYESH

King’s Academy students go crazy over the Johnny Rogers Performance

By JIN SEUL JUN ‘13 LIFE SUB-EDITOR

“So much enthusiasm!” Juman Talabat ‘12 extolled at the incredible performance by the Johnny Rodgers Band earlier this month. The show began with a well-known song by Louis Armstrong, “What a wonderful world.” Scores of people already knew the song well and were able to engage with the band immediately!

The band was invited by the US embassy and was on a Middle Eastern tour which started in Amman. King’s Academy was privileged to have such an energetic team of musicians boost our day. The choice of songs was excellent, for they included a wide range of genres from jazz to country. The main vocalist’s voice was harmonized so well with the rest of the members of the band including the guitarist, bassist, and percussionist.

The Johnny Rogers Band not only gave an astounding performance but also interacted with the audience by getting them involved in the show. For instance, they introduced a beat and the audience repeated after them. The highlight of the show was when Seif Awartani ‘12 courageously waved his tie in the air to express his irresistible zest. The vocalist, Rodgers, was thrilled by this reaction that he asked Saif to join him on stage and allowed him to lead the band. A spate of laughter and applauding from the audience followed.

Though school days seem like an eternal cycle, wonderful shows like the Johnny Rodgers Band are cheerful, and allow King’s Academy students to stop and take a breath before they have to continue with the cycle. Tyma Nimri ‘15 remarked at the end of the performance, “We

should have more of these throughout the year to brighten our days!”

WASIM AYESH

As we are all mindful, King’s Academy has a colossal impact on its surrounding environment. It uses an extensive amount of water in a region that desperately lacks water resources. Many of us simply overlook this. Much water is used in the maintenance around campus. For example, the Dining Hall uses a third of its water only to clean trays.

In the dorms, energy and water resources are constantly being wasted and misappropriated.

Many leave their lights and electrical sockets on when not in use. Large amounts of water are used in the showers by students. However, this could all be avoided!

“How could we solve these issues?” one may ask. We often jump to large, expensive solutions, while we overlook the small changes that can really make the difference. We often envision windmills and solar panels as the future of King’s. Let’s be reasonable, guys.

These solutions are incredibly expensive to implement, especially in an epoch of austerity here at King’s. Numerous simple cost-saving solutions exist that would protect resources and the environment. Cost-effective resolutions include compiling larger laundry loads, rather than washing two items of clothing at a time.

Also, students could better monitor the lengths of their showers. Purchasing metal water bottles would curb King’s Academy’s reliance on plastic cups, for one time use.

Hunter Bell ‘12 and Dima Hourani ‘12 have been, and continue to be pioneers for King’s Academy’s Green Club. The Green Club has undertaken multiple initiatives to limit its consumption. Last year, Faisal Akkawi ‘11 founded the first recycling program at King’s, along with the rest of the club. As a Minor Co-Curricular, the Green Club researches and investigates environmental situations on campus. The Green Club has rallied against the plastic cups in the Dining Hall, as well as selling reusable bottles in the Kaziyeh. “We have an enormous impact on our surrounding environment. We don’t realize all the easy things to save water and energy. This is our duty, our fight.” said Dima. As Round Square founder Kurt Hahn once said: “There is more in you than you think” Hiking with King’s Academy

2011-2012 Executive Editor JOOHO SHIN ‘12 Managing Editor RAMY BADRIE ‘12 News sub- Editor Opinion sub- Editor Arts & Entertainment sub- Editor World sub- Editor Life sub- Editor Fun Page sub- Editor Sports sub- Editor

DIVIJ MEHRA ‘12 FAKHER EL-FAYEZ ‘12 MAHEERA HUSSAIN ‘12 HAMZA NAGHAWI ‘12 JIN SEUL JUN ‘13 LUNA ABU RMEILEH ‘12 JUMAN TABBALAT ‘12

Photography Editor SHUROUQ HIJAZI ‘12 Copy Editors MUTASEM AL-DMOUR ‘12 TALA ARABEYAT ‘12 Layout Editors RAMA NAKIB ‘12 HENRY REYNOLDS ‘12 Online Editor HISHAM JAZZAR ‘12 Busniess Manager JUDE SABHA ‘12

Staff Members HANEEN AL-MOSLAM ‘13 BARAKAT EL-SAQA ‘13 FARAH KILANI ‘13 TAMARA NASSAR ‘13 Lion Cubs LARISSA ABULGHANAM ‘14 FARAH AL-HADID ‘14 AMINA AWAD ‘14 HEIDI HANKIN ‘14 NORA NESHEIWAT ‘14 NICK JONSSON ‘14 ALI SHAWAR ‘14 Faculty Advisor MR. BOWMAN DICKSON Mr. DUSTIN MANS

December 2011

OPINION

Page 3

Junior Counselors The Story of our Junior Counselors

By MUTASEM ALDMOUR ‘12 COPY EDITOR

If we were to mash creative publicity and leadership, the outcome would be the colors with which Junior Counselors have colored themselves with. If you were in school meeting when they did their lively announcement, you would know that Junior Counselors are students for students. The Junior Counselor program is at providing students with a friendly person to talk to when in need. Junior Counselors have also been initiated in the art of conflict resolution, of the ability to sit with two conflicting students and solve the problem. Older students know that this program is not new and about five years old.

Initially called Peer Mediators, the Junior Counselor program started with Ms. Zeina Othman who had been the school counselor until last year. Ms. Zeina, who is now finding herself somewhere in America, chose her Junior Counselors from diverse social group across the King’s Academy social spectrum. She did that to ensure the impact of the program is widespread. She also ensured that her Junior Counselors were capable of leaving their cliques and harmoniously interact with other students.

Therefore, you can ensure that this year’s Junior Counselors are the outcome of these values that Ms. Zeina chose her counselors according to.

If one thing Ms. Zeina knew best, it is the importance of starting out with strong publicity.

Publicity was Ms. Zeina method of connecting to students. Junior Counselors have always impressively presented themselves at the beginning of the year. In consequence, the older students were not surprised by this year’s Junior Counselor’s presentation of letters. (Last year, the theme was super powers when Faris Batayneh ‘11 ran into the auditorium with a cape and the JC superman shirt on.) On the other hand, with all the effort put into the program and the weekends spent in practice, the impact of the program has not been as successful as desired.

The Junior Counselor program has always been criticized for ‘doing nothing’. This is true, but to an extent. The reason for the sense of uselessness of the program is the personalized aspect of the program.

The program is not aimed at solving the social problems of the school, but is more focused on individual bases. Therefore, the impact is only felt on individual bases in cases which require privacy. This privacy (a ‘must’ part of becoming a Junior Counselor) has limited the acclaim that Junior Counselors could have gotten for their work. This privacy has also reduced the excitement with which Junior Counselors approach their work.

In addition, the reduced effectiveness is also the result of the detachment of the organization of the program. This detachment includes the low frequency of meeting, the distance between Ms. Zeina’s place in the health center and places of student activity, and the little Junior Counselor activity among students. The Junior Counselor’s have been generally ‘ineffective’ over the years as Ms. Zeina herself stated at the end of last year, however, Junior Counselors seem to be taking a different stand this year.

Today, the Junior Counselor program lies in the hands of Mrs. Nada Dakhil, the new school counselor. Not only is Mrs. Nada situated next to the OSL right in the center of student activity, she also has the full support of the OSL, starting with lectures for both Junior Counselors and the elected members of the Senate and HC/DC committees. She also got the Junior Counselors to meet on weekly bases. In addition, Mrs. Nada added ‘awareness’ and ‘service’ to the functions of the Junior Counseling in addition to ‘peer counseling’, though the program seems to have lost its ‘conflict resolution’ focus. The Junior Counselors embarked on their journey by sponsoring the hair collection for cancer patients. The event was a success, with more than 13 students donating their hair, a record so far for this yearly event. “Our JC squad this year has so much potential because of all the energy in each and every JC. The ideas we are coming up with are turning into a reality in favor of our student body. Our confidence in making a difference is sky rocketing!”

We all sometimes need someone to talk to and share our problems with. Therefore, one must appreciate the presence in our community, where our academic and social life seem to blend together to create hectic pressure, of people willing to spare some of time from their own busy and hectic lives just for you.

The Listening Lions Ms. NADADAKHIL

A further look into the role of Junior Counselors in the King’s community

By AMINA AWAD ‘14 LION CUB

The Junior Counselors are back again and filled with ideas for the new school year. For those of you who do not know much about the JCs. They work under Ms.Nada Dakhil -the school counselorin order to help solve problems and peer counsel. The Junior Counselors also work on raising awareness on universal issues that affect the King’s community and its well-being. They also work on community service by organizing small community service projects.

The Junior Counselors presented themselves in the school meeting earlier this year talking about their role as Junior Counselors. The JCs are students from tenth grade till twelfth grade. A list of their names can be found in Ms.Nadas office near the OSL. The Junior Counselors began the year with an event to help the community outside kings. The hair donation campaign that was started by Dima hourani ‘12 along with the junior counselors, making

it a campus event. Fourteen girls were generous and courageous enough to part with their hair in order to help people who lost their hair because of cancer. The school gathered enough hair to donate wigs to those cancer victims.

The Junior Counselors are planning to launch an internet based counseling program in which students can talk to the Junior Counselors anonymously, encouraging the students to talk about problems they face. However, they are not sure if this system will succeed. The Junior Counselors are also planning another surprise addition to the academy building that will brighten up the white walls.

Ms.Nada hopes that the Junior Counseling program will be able to make a difference. She believes that in order for this to happen, every member should be as committed and as active as possible. She also said that peer counseling is definitely one of the main purposes of the program.

Every JC throughout this year is going to seize every opportunity to advice and counsel students on academic, personal, and social matters.

Short Days Why have short days on Sundays not Thursdays?

By FARAH AL-HADID ‘14

Why do we have short days at King’s Academy and why are they on Sunday? Lately, many students have wondered about the cause of short days at King’s and many voiced their preference for it being on Thursdays rather than Sundays. Thus, to address the concern of students, the Rexonian briefly met with Ms. Julianne and she was very helpful in clarifying both the purpose of short days, and the purpose of having them on Sundays. According to Ms. Julianne, on short day mornings, teachers attend numerous workshops and meetings in order to learn to be better teachers. They increase their wealth of knowledge about the ways of teaching so that they can become better teachers. Ms. Julianne continued, explaining how ultimately short days benefit students because teachers learn how to provide a more enriching experience in the classroom.

Teachers wake up early on Sunday morning and work hard while students get to sleep in a little longer. Thus, we can imagine why the workshops would not be on Thursday, since everyone on campus is extremely exhausted

by Thursday, so imagine if teachers had to work even more after school? It just would not be fair to them. In addition, Sunday short days are a win-win situation since the students’ weekend could be extended a bit longer and boarders could spend some extra time at home. So next time we have a short day, and there are only three left, let us enjoy it and appreciate what the teachers do so we can enjoy school more.

LION CUB

OPINION

Page 4

The Rexonian

“What are you doing this weekend?”...“City Mall” Weekends with King’s Academy: A student interview

By FAKHER ELFAYEZ ‘12 OPINION SUB-EDITOR

The Student Senate

BARAKAT EL-SAQA ‘13

The Student Senate: From the Students, by the Students, for the Students Once again the Student Senate is back in business. This year LION CUB it contains not 16 students- but 15. Our senators consists of male boarding and day students and female boarding and day students. All together they are the 15 chosen ones. Aya Ahmed ‘15, Eun Sol Jun ‘15, and Abdulrahman Jamjoom ‘15 make up the freshmen class senators. Ciwar El-Tayeh ‘14, Kareem Kort ‘14, Rawan Al Zahawi ‘14, and Bashir Al Sawaf ‘14 are the sophomore class senators. Aya Al Jalamdieh ‘13, Talal Sisalem ‘13, Marah Al Ju’beh ‘13, and Hussam Khraisat ‘13 make up the junior class senators. Last but not least, the senior class senators are Yasmine Abu Zeid ‘12, Khalook Al Yassin ‘12, Noor Masannat ‘12, and Mohammad Al Sawaf ‘12. Quite an interesting group of students, indeed!

How do you feel about the senators? Do you think they were chosen based on their leadership skills and quality of their speech or was it friends voting for friends and a popularity contest? Many students are worried that the student senate is not going to be very effective.

However this year, the Student Senate is now a minor co-curricular where they work with Ms. Ruba on behalf of the students. While attending one of their meetings, they were working hard, cooperative, and with dedication while coming up with ideas and trying to do what is best for the students. Do you think the senators will make a difference this year compared to last year? Will they have a bigger impact this year? I personally believe that the Student Senate is going to make this year quite extraordinary. We will just have to wait and see!

Photo Credits: Mr. DUSTIN MANS Hiking with King’s Academy

By NORA NESHEIWAT ‘14

We attend a boarding school, but most of our students are either weekday boarders or day students. Is it because their homes are so close or is it because of King’s weekends and weekend activities? The Rexonian made an interview with Jooho Shin ‘12 and asked him some questions about the weekend activities.

Rex: “What is a typical weekend for a full boarder?”

Shin ‘12: “It is a combination of resting at school and participating in the activities offered. We have all noticed that they are repetitive and limited. One thing I would say is that there is not a lot of room for students to experience the life in Jordan. I would like to see more of Petra, Jerash, and the Roman Theatre than City Mall or Mecca Mall every weekend.”

Rex: “What about on-campus activities?”

Shin ‘12: “This year they have got so much better.

I have been a full boarder for two years now. This year the school is really making an effort, for example every Friday is a volleyball day. I remember last year when I used to go to the Gym to work out, it would be empty.

Another example of how the school is trying to improve is that last week we hosted the freshmen weekend, and it turned out to be a great success. We are, for sure, on the right track for better weekends”

Rex: “Do you think improving weekends will help in building school spirit?”

Shin ‘12: “Yes, definitely. I know that the freshmen this year are a lot more proud than when I was a freshman four years ago. King’s students are finally belonging to King’s. I see a lot of people at games cheering, encouraging the players, and taking pride in our teams.”

Rex: “Is there anything you would like to add?”

Shin ‘12: “Becoming a full boarder has made me fall in love with the school, while at the same time; it is always nice to take a break from your parents. And I would like to encourage people, who are weekday boarders or day students, to stay on a weekend and try it.

SHUROUQ HIJAZI ‘12

LIFE

December 2011

Page 5

Does anyone have Nescafe?

How students manage their time with the current workload? Sleep versus caffeine!

By LARISSA ABULGHANAM ‘14 LION CUB

“Does anyone have Nescafe?” is a question that frequently echoes in the hallways of upperclassmen dorms during study-hall. Indeed, it’s not the best time to drink coffee, but students are overloaded with homework, quizzes, tests, projects, COLLEGE APPLICATIONS (if you’re a senior)… and more. A lot of the students sacrifice their precious sleep in order to finish everything. “‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’ is my motto at the moment,” said Zein Sadedin “14. Even though 11:00 P.M. would be lights out for most boarders, most people sleep far later than that, as late as 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning.

Essentially the whole student body is having a hard time submitting their work on time; not because the assignments are too hard or take too much time, but because teachers don’t realize that the assigned homework will be added to yet another stack of homework from another teacher. This accumulated load is almost impossible to finish in only two hours of study hall.

Some teachers inform us about the more difficult assignments in advance so we can

have more time to work on it; but at the same time, give us additional daily work.

But of course, eventually it’s always the student’s fault. He doesn’t know time-management, or he was careless… Teachers should put themselves in our shoes for a minute, and realize that what we are facing on a daily basis is very exhausting: from difficult courses where we can’t understand a word, to useless high-school drama. The solution to the problem? COFFEE! Less sleep, more time to work! Perfect? Well, not quite. Our nutritionist Amira Amr is always worried about the amount of sleep students get. “Not having at least 7 hours of sleep is very bad to your health!” she always tells me, and she’s seriously considering

talking to our teachers about it. But as King’s Academy students, we put our education before our health, and sometimes before our social lives.

“I drink like 4 to 5 Nescafe’s a day” said Hamza Naghawi ‘12. “How else am I supposed to finish my college essay?!” said Nadine Zaza.

The Nescafe Company is probably getting a big chunk of its profit from our students.

Even though we’re smart enough to know caffeine in big doses is harmful to our health, we chose coffee to make our lives easier. I do hope teachers will take into consideration this situation that we are facing and try to lessen the work they give us.

And to all coffee addicts out there: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! HANG IN THERE BUDDY!

SHUROUQ HIJAZI ‘12

Making Freshmen How Do We Shape Our Freshmen?

By HANEEN AL-MOSLAM ‘13

WRITING STAFF

The time one spends as a freshman at King’s Academy can be a very difficult one indeed. First of all, there is the fact that it’s the first year of high school, which means a whole new set of challenges and difficulties many of us have to overcome. These changes and challenges can be academic, social, and personal. Upon talking to a group of freshmen about their first

year and the difficulties they face every day, it was shockingly clear how much they wanted to blend in.

The way every one of them kept inquiring about how other people answered a question or if they may change some answers just because someone else said that it was “weird” or “ma ilha da’ay” was both sad and disturbing. It is understandable that many of us find it funny to mess around with our lovely freshies, but to teach them that they can have no personality, to take away their right

to be special and shine in their own way, is a truly wretched act that we ought to be ashamed of ourselves for doing. We used to be freshmen too.

Much like the rest of us, they have a great desire to be acknowledged and, in many ways, understood. Is this how we want to be are influencing our freshmen? Into a group scared to be different, scared to stand out just because they might get mocked or ridiculed? Quite frankly, this is not how we create leaders; this is how we create robots.

Just Keep Swimming How has the King’s Academy Swim Team grown over the past season?

By JIN SEUL JUN ‘13 LIFE SUB-EDITOR

“Just keep swimming…just keep swimming…swimming… swimming…” From the video clip of “Finding Nemo” in school meeting to the cheering at the most recent swim meet, the King’s Academy Swim team clearly demonstrated a great deal of spirit at the school.

Swimming is unique not only because it is held in the water, but also because it is both an individual and team sport. While competing to beat one’s personal best records, one can boost the team’s overall scores bringing a victory to the team.

King’s Academy’s Swim Team has started off strong this year with a group of around twenty swimmers, both boys and girls. Ms. Melissa and Ms. Kaela, with their excessive amount of enthusiasm, always brings together the swimmers during every practice. For instance, Ms. Kaela remarked, “Don’t breathe! Oxygen is overrated!” in order to help us reduce the times we breathe during our races. Ms. Melissa demonstrated some of the swimming techniques by jumping into the pool and showing them on land. Though some of them might have seemed like such trivial methods which Ms. Melissa introduced to us, they clearly helped all of us to decrease our times over the period of the season.

At the most recent swimming competition against the Orthodox school, so many people came to cheer us on though it was a Thursday evening. Ms. Kaela surprisingly commented, “I didn’t know you guys had friends!” This was the King’s first swim meet this year and we successfully “finished strong” for we lost only by few points to the other team. What mattered the most was neither the winner nor the loser of the races but that all the King’s swimmers put their full effort into improving their times and supporting their team members!

Page 6

Just Listen Sarah Dessen

FUN Recommended books Isolated from friends who believe the worst because she has not been truthful with them, sixteen-yearold Annabel finds an ally in classmate Owen, whose honesty and passion for music help her to face and share what really happened at the end-of-the-year party that changed her life.

The Rexonian

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War Max Brooks

“Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.”

- Arthur Helps

The princess bride William Goldman

In a Renaissance-era world, a beautiful woman named Buttercup lives on a farm in the country of Florin. She delights in verbally abusing the farm hand Westley, referring to him as “farm boy,” by demanding that he perform chores for her. Westley’s only answer is “As you wish”, which represents his great affection for her. After Buttercup realizes the true meaning of the words, as well as the fact that she returns his love, Westley leaves to seek his fortune so they can marry. Buttercup later receives word that his ship was attacked at sea by the Dread Pirate Roberts, who is notorious for killing all those whose vessels he boards.

Believing Westley to be dead, Buttercup is forcibly engaged to marry Prince Humperdinck, the heir to the throne of Florin.

A 2006 post-apocalyptic horror novel by Max Brooks. It is a follow-up to his 2003 book The Zombie Survival Guide. Rather than a grand overview or narrative, World War Z is a collection of individual accounts in the form of first-person anecdote. Brooks plays the role of an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission who published the report a decade after the Zombie War. The United Nations left out much of his work from the official report, choosing to focus on facts and figures from the war rather than the individual stories that form the bulk of Brooks’ novel. The interviews chart a decade-long war against zombies from the view point of many different people of various nationalities. The personal accounts also describe the changing religious, geopolitical, and environmental aftermath of the Zombie War.

FUN FACTS ABOUT TEACHERS Ms. Raghad: I have a split uvula (the thing dangling in your throat).

Ms. Fatina: I was born in one country, grew up in another, have

a passport from a third and I’m originally from a fourth country.

Ms. Mia: I have an identical twin sister named Ariadne.

Mr. Bowman: I have two fake teeth.

Ms. Kaela:

Ms.Lilli: I went to a Catholic school, but I am not Catholic.

I am the great-great-great-great-great granddaughter of the very first white baby born in New York State.

Shourouq Hijazi ‘12

Sudoku

Fill in each small box with a number from 1-9, so that in each small square there are no two identical numbers, and no identical numbers in a vertical or horizontal row.

Seniors claim their lounge. Go Class of 2012!

December 2011 LEO The unexpected mix of people surrounding you today will create a good combination of energy.

Little ideas that are bandied about in the morning will simmer in the back of your mind, and turn into bigger ideas as the day unfolds. It looks as if some projects you gave up on will finally get a chance to happen after all! Grab some free time in the afternoon to lay the groundwork, begin your initial research and make solid plans for action.

Lucky color: Gold Lucky number: 7

FUN PAGE

Page 7

HOROSCOPES

Photos by Tammara Nassar ‘13

ِARIES Anytime you negotiate with another person, you should put yourself in that person’s place to get a better understanding of what he or she expects and is willing to give. You’ll be coming to an agreement with someone who can be unpredictable. So if you’re not exactly sure how this person is feeling, do not guess. Delay final arrangements until you feel certain that what you’re being told is accurate. If your collaborator balks at a postponement, you’ll know the agreement is no good.

Lucky color: Blue Lucky Number: 12

SCORPIO Making decisions may be hard for you today, but this doesn’t mean that you’re losing your razor-sharp discernment. One explanation could be rattled confidence -- why are you doubting yourself right now? You need to give yourself a good long look in the mirror!

Remind yourself that you can’t stop moving forward in your life just because you’ve made one or two mistakes. If you can’t make a choice, then just make an educated guess. You can handle the outcome -- and thrive.

Lucky color: Green Lucky number: 1

VIRGO One major success will offset any minor setbacks that you encounter today, so keep your chin up! Later today you will be blessed with an abundance of free time. So what to do with all the empty hours? It’s totally up to you, but the universe feels that you deserve some good old-fashioned vegetation time. Do whatever takes the least amount of effort and just relax. But try to keep your mind active -- watching television is only going to bore you.

Lucky color: Silver Lucky number: 8

AQUARIUS Today you might be asked to put your personal goals on the back burner in the interest of the group’s welfare. Luckily, this won’t be difficult for you. You see the bigger picture and can deal with delaying your own gratification for a little bit longer. This small sacrifice will go over well with the folks in power. Your teammindedness will earn you lots of approving nods. You might even want to offer to give a little bit more, in order to get a little bit more praise.

Lucky color: Magenta Lucky number: 15 PISCES Don’t look now, but there could be problems developing in one of your partnerships. Someone is looking for a bigger piece of the pie -- bigger than he or she deserves. If you’re cool with handing it over, go ahead. You’ll avoid a lot of drama. But if you’re getting a little sick and tired of appeasing this person’s ego, today is the right time to put up more of a fight. Stand your ground, and fight for the props you’ve earned. Problems are not to be avoided right now. They are opportunities.

Lucky color: Bronze Lucky number: 6

TAURUS Things will be like a pineapple upside-down cake -- the sweet, gooey stuff is going to be right on top! As soon as you wake up, the normal dullsville way you enter your day will be jazzed up with a whole new look. Surprisingly, the things you usually look forward to in the day won’t hold much excitement for you. The routine of it all is detracting from the joy, so it’s time to take a break. Once you go without your usual treats for a few weeks, coming back to them will be incredibly satisfying.

Lucky color: Red Lucky number: 4

LIBRA Have you let your flirting skills get rusty? Shame on you!

Whatever your excuse is -- you’re in a committed relationship, you haven’t been feeling confident or you’ve just been a bit lazy -- today will offer you a major opportunity to get some sizzle into your day. Remember that flirting does not have to be a commitment. Flirting is just having fun!

Loosen up a bit and try to make someone smile. Flatter and flitter away and you’ll take a lot of tension out of the day.

Lucky Color: Purple Lucky number: 16

CANCER One or two unexpected issues around your house or home will force you into a not-so-graceful juggling act today, but all the elements in your life will be fine by the end of the day. This is just a necessary realignment, that’s all. Think of it as a chiropractor appointment for the spine of your organization. One quick twist will put things back in a more efficient and pleasant position. Try to leave your schedule as open as possible to accommodate the reshuffling.

Lucky color: Navy Lucky number: 9

CAPRICORN Put some more effort into your career today, and do the work you’ve been putting aside. It’s a good idea to assess your current situation and think about whether it may be time to set your sights a bit higher. Remember that your boss is a human being, and sometimes a simple casual conversation can lay the foundation for your future. But before you initiate any conversations, use today to formulate your plans and organize a list of your recent accomplishments.

Lucky color: Fuchsia Lucky number: 14

SAGITTARIUS If you can let yourself really feel the love your friends are giving you, there’s nothing you can’t conquer today!

They are in your corner now more than ever -- and they are rooting for you! There’s nothing wrong with reaching out for a hug when you need one. In fact, it’s quite charming. The people you choose to have in your life (as opposed to the family you were born into) are responsible for the majority of positive opportunities right now.

Lucky color: Emerald Lucky number: 10

GEMINI Your romatic life is about to snap into major action! If you’re single right now, a strange coincidence will provide a long-awaited opportunity to get a bit closer to that certain someone you’ve had your eye on. If you’re in a relationship right now, things are going to be busy! A lot of new people are coming into both of your lives, and you’ll be busy traveling and doing things that will shed a new light on your personality.

Your partner is going to learn more about you.

Lucky color: Pink Lucky number: 2

WORLD

Page 8

The Rexonian

‫ تقليد بات قابعاً في طيات ذاكرة الطالب في كينغز أكادميي‬:‫الزفة‬

By FAREED HALTEH ‘12

ARABIC CORRESPONDENT

Photo Credits: Shourouq Hijazi ‘12

Cambios en el Departamento de Lenguas Extranjeras: Nuevos Profesores de Español Los diferences y los similaridades en el departamiento de español: bienvenidos Senor Melgar y Senor Moraga!

By OMAR HALAWA ‘12 SPANISH CORRESPONDENT

Ambos profesores de español del año pasado, Sr. Cesar Gonzalez y Sr. Carlos Abellanosa, han dejado King’s Academy. Ahora tenemos dos profesores nuevos: Sr. Antonio Melgar, y Sr. Pablo Moraga.

Nació Sr. Melgar en Lima, Peru, donde trabajó como profesor en escuelas peruanas después de conseguir su diploma en educación de la Universidad Marcelina Champagnat. Fundó dos escuelas de arte en Lima a causa de su pación para el arte y viajó a varios países sudamericanos para interpretar con su instituto de arte. Además de su pación

para el arte, tiene Sr. Melgar experiencia en la especialidad editorial y ha trabajado para periódicos peruanos como La Mañana y El Peruano. Ha enseñado Sr. Melgar el español en diferentes países como las Filipinas, y Taiwan. Ahora, Melgar está en King’s Academy, y está trabajando para completar su primer libro para niños en español.

El segundo profesor de español en King’s Academy se llama Sr. Pablo Moraga, y es de Argentina, donde vivió hasta que trasladó a New York en 2002.

Fue profesor de español como lengua extranjera en varios institutos en New York antes de venir a King’s Academy.

Consiguió su diploma en español y la

literatura española de la Universidad de Buenos Aires en Argentina, y su grado de maestros en enseñar español como lengua extranjera de la Universidad Antonio Nebrija en España, y en literatura española de Lehman College en New York. Ahora está completando su doctorado en la literatura española de ‘the City University of New York’.

Esperamos que los nuevos profesores de español les gusta King’s Academy y Jordania, y damos la bienvenido a ellos en nuestra escuela.

(Información biográficas sobre los profesores fue obtenido de la página web de King’s Academy)

WORLD

December 2011

Page 9

첫년의 한명이 다음 해는 두명이 되고...그 다음 해는 네 명...그리고 올 해는 여덟 명. 자랑스러운 대한민국을 대표하는 청소년들이 킹스 아카데미에 매년 늘어나고 있다. 한국사람들이 많으면, 한국어를 사용할 우려로 많은 사람들은 이것을 부정적으로 생각한다. 허나 실제로 우리는 의지를 하지 않더라도, 서로의 존재 만으로도 우리는 위로를 받는다. 사람에 따라 생각 하기 나름이지만, 난 오히려 우리에게 큰 이득이라고 생각한다.

By JIN SEUL JUN ‘13

KOREAN CORRESPONDENT

킹스아카데미에 지내며 집에서, 학교에서, 부모님으로부터, 선생님들로부터, 그리고 가장 중심인 자신으로 부터 우리는 항상 “압박”을 받고, 햄스터들 처럼 사이클을 도는 현상을 느낀다. 이런 힘든 시기에 우리는 항상 우리가 가야 할길...그리고 왜 이곳에 왔는지를 절대 잊으면 안된다. 누구보다도 잘 아는 우리 자신들에게 가장 먼저 답을 찾고 그리고 다시 긴 여정을 달려야 한다. 또한, 혼자가 아니라는 것도 항상 잊으면 안된다!

Quand Une Classe Devient le Monde Entier

By HAMZA NAGHAWI ‘12 FRENCH CORRESPONDENT

L’année dernière était la première fois que cette classe a été offerte ici à King’s Academy. En tant que n’importe quelle autre classe d’examen avancé (AP), AP Français était difficile et très exigeant pendant l’entièrement de l’année. Ce qui a fait la réputation de cette classe encore plus effrayante est qu’elle n’a pas un programme d’études spécifique et un étudiant devrait compter voir n’importe quoi le jour de l’examen tant qu’on l’écrit en français. Mademoiselle Linda, cependant, l’a rendue une expérience très gentille qui vaut la peine d’en faire partie.

Il est très bien connu qu’obtenir une bonne catégorie dans un examen avancé d’une langue soit beaucoup plus dur que l’obtenant en AP science ou an AP histoire. C’est Mademoiselle Linda answers a question from an parce que la langue peut être liée aux sciences, à l’histoire et à beaucoup d’autre sujets qui incluent la politique, les ment définies. Les articles hebdomadaires permettent aux sciences économiques, la société et la culture. étudiants de voir le monde de différents points de vue et

Étant dans la classe de l’AP français l’année de mieux explorer la politique. Nos discussions, qui ont dernière, j’étais témoin de lieu quotidiennement, examl’enseignement brillant de Mademoi“AP Français était difficile et très inaient l’angle de la connaisselle Linda et la façon dont elle at- exigeant pendant l’entièrement de sance qui est rarement troutirait l’attention de tous ses étudiants l’année.” vée dans un environnement et les faisant apprécier le processus d’une classe. Ces discussions d’apprendre une langue avec ce qui comprenaient le féminisme, est nécessaire d’apprendre en même temps. les cultures, les traditions, les sciences économiques, la

Un cours enseigné par Mademoiselle Linda a, à littérature et beaucoup plus. Vers la fin de l’année, nous plusieurs reprises, montré que ses limites ne sont pas vrai- avons eu l’occasion de lire un chef d’œuvre d’Albert Ca-

eager AP French student

Shourouq Hijazi ‘12

mus ; ‘L’étranger’. Cette expérience a facilité le processus d’établir un arrangement plus profond du monde autour de nous.

Cette année, l’examen AP a changé et le collegeboard a finalement déclaré que la langue française ne peut pas être étudiée sans étudier la culture française et ainsi ils l’ont formellement ajoutée au programme d’études. Quand j’ai entendu cela, j’ai réalisé encore une chose au sujet de Mademoiselle Linda; ses normes sont exactes pour enseigner le français ; quelque chose que le collegeboard a réalisée après vingt-cinq ans d’administrer l’examen.

Vacation With the O’Briens With 18,000 total miles, it is bigger than the title . . .

The Rexonian sat down with Mr. Patrick O’Brian to learn about his amazing summer vacation.

Q: On a scale of one to ten with ten being the best, what would you rate your summer?

A: 10 plus!

Q: What did you do exactly?

A: We went as far away as fast as we can. Ms. Casey and I first took a train from Istanbul to Brasov in Romania. Then we went to Vienna, then Paris, then to London. Afterwards, the second part of our vacation started with flying to Galway in Ireland then taking another plane to San Francisco.

From there, we went to L.A., Atlanta, Boston, Connecticut, and New York then back to King’s.

Q: Wow, that’s amazing! How long did you spend at each place and what did you do there?

A: Yes I know, it was extraordinary. We spent about three days in Istanbul simply hanging out because we knew Istanbul and we loved it. Afterwards, we spent two days in Brojav.

It was our first time there. In Brojav, simply walking down the street was amazing. It used to be communist so it’s very interesting to see that change. In addition, it was a little bit like a story book, very medieval looking. In Vienna, we visited the Vienna zoo which is the oldest zoo. I usually don’t enjoy visiting zoos because the animals are caged and all.

However, at the Vienna zoo, it was a lot more natural and the animals even seem to like where they are. There weren’t a lot

By FARAH AL-HADID ‘14

of bars; the animals were separated by glass which was beautiful. It was actually built on the grounds of the palace for the once Austro-Hungarian emperor so it really had emperor standards! Paris was breathtaking, just beautiful! Plus it is Ms. Casey’s favorite city so that just made it all the more special. She studied in Paris so she was able to show me her favorite place there and we saw all these beautiful scenes. London marked the last place on our part one vacation. We actually had to be in London for some work. However, we tried to make the most of it!

Q: How about Vacation part two, how was that like?

A: We flew to Gualway and Dublin in Ireland. My greatgrandparents are from there so it felt like coming home. I remember that the guard that checks your passport looked at my name and said, “It looks like you are home Mr. O’Brian.”

It just felt familiar, the land and air, even though I have never been there before. There is a castle there called O’Brian’s castle which relates to our family in a way. O’Brian is actually a fairly common name because the first Irish high king was called Brew. The people there were just dancing and having fun, it was great. Afterwards, we flew to San Francisco, it was just like a homecoming for both Mrs. Casey and I. We both lived most of our adult life there so we got to go see our friends and hang out with them. It is also where Mrs. LION CUB

Casey and I met so it is most definitely a special place for us.

Then we went to Los Angeles, then to Atlanta to visit Mrs. Casey’s family, then to Boston to visit my family. Then we visited my sister in Connecticut, and then we went to New York to visit my mother. Seeing our family was really special, we are glad that we were able to do so.

Q: What was your favorite part of the vacation?

A: that’s a little hard to answer; every place we went had a different kind of enjoyment to it. Paris was really special and amazing. I felt almost connected to Galway while the homecoming we received in San Francisco was incredible.

Q: Is there something you regret doing or not doing?

A: Well, not really, no. This vacation was not planned, it was just do whatever we want wherever we were. There is only one thing which is that in San Francisco, I didn’t get to see a friend of mine when I know that I could have if I tried a bit harder.

Q: How did you get this idea?

A: It is all Ms. Casey’s genius! She actually thought of everything, I just kind of tagged along. I am very lucky.

Q: I’m just curious, what about next year?

A: This coming summer, we plan to do the opposite. We plan to go to one place to learn as much as we can about it.

We are not sure yet, but we think it may be Croatia.

Page 10

ARTS

& ENTERTAINMENT

The Rexonian

Teacher On the Spot: Ms. Sana Madadha

By MAHEERA HUSSAIN ‘12 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT SUB-EDITOR

She might be your advisor or friend. She was probably your art teacher at some point or your current art teacher for this term. If that’s the case, she probably taught you art ranging from 3D sketching and watercolor painting to ceramics and pottery.

If you’ve been here long enough to figure this out, you’d probably know that I’m talking about Ms. Sana Madadha. Joining the King’s Academy faculty almost five years ago, Ms. Sana was the first art teacher that helped develop and establish the art program in King’s. With around 25 years of artistic and teaching experience, she continues to help students discover and express their inherent artistic side, as well as keep the classes enjoyable yet challenging.

Ever since she was five, Ms. Sana’s favorite hobbies were to draw cartoon characters and read books. Up until she was a teenager, she did art for self-interest, and even for her friends as gifts. Art remaining as one of her hobbies, she had been studying and preparing herself to a career in the field of medicine, preferably a family doctor. This was not a choice her parents made for her, but rather a career she was interested in. However, she never thought of becoming an artist until the age of 16. As Ms. Sana recalls, “When I was 16, my mom took me to an art exhibition by a female artist, and from then I knew I wanted to be an artist”. Admiring the art work, she was inspired to become an artist the rest of her life. Abandoning her dream of becoming a doctor, she set out another goal and dream in hopes of studying art and becoming an artist.

Ms. Sana obtained a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Yarmouk University located in the north of Jordan. In university, she studied drawing and painting and took a couple ceramics courses although ceramics never appealed to her. Art was not difficult for her, however she wishes she had studied art somewhere else. Although she was taught how to do art in various mediums, her favorite medium to work in is oil, as she replies, “I feel free working with oil because it waits for me for a week, and when I change my mind or get bored easily I can always go back and fix

Best of the Web www.stumbleupon.com Stumble Upon is an outstanding website. It is a guide to the “best of the web” personally designed for you. If you’re the typical King’s Academy student, your interest can range from war and politics to botany and design. Stumble Upon offers you the opportunity to explore these interests. After creating an account, you will have the opportunity to check your interests. Once you are ready, Stumble Upon will take you to pages that were recommended by others and relate to your interests. The beauty of the website lies in the fact that it is a suitable for everyone. So go and try it. You will discover your interests in a way you never have before!

MUTASEM DMOUR ‘12

♫ Songs of the issue ♫ Recommended songs by Larissa Abulghanam ‘14 1- Palestine – The Sound Of Reason 2- If It Means a Lot to You – A Day To Remember 3- Undercover Martyn – Two Door

Cinema Club 4- Always Attract – You Me At Six 5- Give Me Love – Ed Sheeran 6- Miserable at Best – Mayday Parade 7- Watching the Ships Roll In – The Kooks 8- Thistle and Weeds – Mumford and Sons 9- Skinny Love – Bon Iver 10- Wonderwall – Oasis Got any recommendations? Email me!

But nothing mainstream, please, as it is already popular. Enjoy! :)

my work”. One of the highlights of her artistic career was when she went to Hungary to study Ceramics. Although she had little interest in it, she decided to study ceramics in the International Ceramics Studio of Hungary in 1991. She worked with famous artists, learning how to make art and experimenting with various materials and chemicals.

Upon her return to Jordan, Ms. Sana decided that she would make a significant change in her area by spreading art. She never contemplated becoming a teacher until later on in her career, as she said “I felt like I could become the teacher I never dreamt of being”. Ms. Sana taught in many schools before joining King’s in her 24th year of teaching. She strongly encouraged the art program In King’s and feels as if many students are not restricted to just one particular style, as she says, “The art program is really good in King’s, students are interested in the subjects and have a lot of options, and they choose to reach out to their teachers for extra help”. If she could change one thing about her classes, it would be to extend the 45 minute periods. If students had more time to work on their art, they wouldn’t be rushed and could brush upon their skills and perfect their art pieces. However, art is not all fun and leisure, as Ms. Sana says earnestly, “I hope my students take a more mature approach towards art, and take what they learn inside the classroom and master it”.

With the support of the AP Studio Arts class, she is also hoping to start 3D Ceramics and Sculpture for students.

After retiring Ms. Sana wishes to open a special school of arts where she could teach students and see how they progress throughout the years. Ms. Sana believes that art should be taught from an early age and developed just like other subjects, as she affirms, “We need to go back to pre-school, and start our program from there”.

Her thirst and passion for art has taken her so far and just like the rest of the art teachers in Kings, she continues to help students develop their artistic skills inside and outside the classroom.

King’s Academy’s Night Life What’s that sound? Oh, it’s nighttime at King’s Academy.

By LARISSA ABULGHANAM ‘14 LION CUB

“It is through art and through art only, that we can realize our perfection.” - Oscar Wilde You can hear the music and sounds, feel the vibration, and see people rushing to get there on time… Yes, it’s the evening activities that King’s Academy offers after co-curricular time! Some of you might wonder who on earth would want more activities after an exhausting day of school that finishes at 6 pm. Well, ladies and gentlemen, they are our committed artists that bring arts to life at night. From Sunday to Wednesday, the arts wing witnesses the passion that comes alive at night from ongoing practices and performances by students. These evening activities are a major component of what keep the arts flourishing at King’s.

Regarding the evening activities, there’s choir every Sunday and Tuesday in the Gallery taught by Mr. John, while in the same time upstairs, there is Dabkeh. On Mondays and Wednesdays, there’s Dance taught by choreographer and dance teacher Mr. Ryuji and Orchestra taught by Ms.Reem, a musician as well as a teacher in school. Our artists use the little free time they have to commit to the arts that they enjoy, whether it’s music or dance.

These activities last an hour, starting from 6:45 to 7:45, and are graded just like any class in King’s Academy.

Remember the Parent’s weekend show-case? Some of the performances were the result of these evening activities, which not only shows the never-ending busy schedule of our school, but also, the commitment of the students to do what they love.

SPORTS

December 2011

Page 11

The Man you Need Before, During and After Practice The Rexonian interviews its very own Dr. Khalid Zeidan to get a glimpse of his day-to-day job By: Farah Kilani ‘13

Rex: What is the most common injury?

K.Z: I have administrative issues and work that entails STAFF MEMER Khalid Zeidan: The injuries differ according to the meeting with doctors about certain injuries and writing intype of sport .Some of the most common injuries are jury reports to the administration. I also take attendance the split (Chin bone tenderness and pain) and runner cup knee (Pain in in front during lunch as you might’ve noticed and afterwards I prepare the fields and of the knee and inside the joint). However, ankle sprain remains to be the most equipment for games and practice. recurring injury to the degree that three have already had to cast their legs due to Rex: How many students come to you for help but do not follow up with your that reason. instructions and orders?

Rex: What do you advise athletes to do to prevent getting some injures conK.Z: 60 – 65%. Some follow my advice and do the exercises I recommend cerned with muscles and ligaments? only once and when they start to feel that the pain has lessened, they stop only K.Z: To pre-act is better to react. The most important prerequisite is to be to have the pain come back again and coming back to me for treatment. Some fit for the sport; most students like to play, but not to practice and not to train. don’t even bother at all yet I hope they begin to do so as it will only threaten their There is no sport without workout and practice. In order to be a good athlete injuries to re-occur and their muscles and ligaments to become weaker. you have to train your muscles and stamina. You also have to know how to use Rex: Is there anything in specific you want us all to know? the equipment that can gravely injure you if not used properly. And it’s very very K.Z: Beauty and health don’t come without sacrifice. I also advise you to important to use and wear the safety equipment and guarding instruments that come down to the gym when you feel the stress of schoolwork as it will help you come with the sport. unwind and will actually help you focus more afterwards, not to mention you get Rex: What do you do when the gym is empty during the school day? a good workout as well.

We Will Always Run with Dr. Eric The Eric Widmer Track finally gets its time in the spotlight

By HEIDI HANKIN ‘14 LION CUB

You may have noticed a winding track around the edge of campus, some small piles of white stones, and the most obvious thing, a sign near the front gate that says “The Eric Widmer Track.” The Eric Widmer Track starts out by the stadium and winds around the entire campus. It is named in honor of Dr. Eric as he is the person who initiated it. “He wanted to donate a little bit of money towards not making it a ‘proper’ track, rather just make it a nice runnable track”, Ms. Ola explained. “We compacted the earth, we’ve cleaned the weeds, we put some stones in certain areas to direct people where they should run.” The track was made about three years ago, and Mr. Salah Abu Teen, the engineer for the track, explained that it took about three months to make. Ms. Ola explained that Mr. Barry later came in and maneuvered around the original track and made it even longer. “Dr. Eric donated just the beginning of it, and now everybody is the maintaining part of it – the school, Mr. Barry, everybody.” So if you need a break from homework or studying, grab a friend and try out the track!

Shourouq Hijazi ‘12 Dima Saad ‘12 empowers Iraqi refugee girls for Reclaim Childhood through sports

The Power Behind the Lions What makes the Lions invincible? Coach Iyad can tell you.

The tension in the air becomes thick as the score gets closer, the game more intense and the player’s more ferrous.

Unlike the rest of the audience and players, who are barely able to contain our excitement and fear, our coaches instruct us calmly from the side lines, believing in the victory that we will achieve. And true enough, King’s Academy athletes have managed time and time again to make the impossible, work together, get that point at the last second and achieve victory, as Mr. Barry, coach of the girls’ varsity volleyball

By JUMAN TABBALAT ‘12 SPORTS SUB-EDITOR

team, said: “We have a core of players that seem to fit together well on and off the court. We have won some close games this year and that shows mental toughness”. Yet why is it that coaches don’t let the tension get to them?

Our coaches work with us because we have showed our commitment to our teams, our love for the sport and our motivation to win time and time again and that is what makes them

believe in our strength and capability to win.

With their guidance, our teams have become cohesive and more than just a set of players with only their sports as common grounds between them. As Ms. Julianne, coach of the girls’ varsity soccer team, said: “We come together as a team and I think the results can be seen, not only by our record of being undefeated, yet also our commitment to the team.”

Fighting till the last whistle is the Lion’s motto and with our coaches help and guidance, we will make every second count!

SPORTS

Page 12

The Rexonian

Empowering Young Iraqi Women Reclaim Childhood gives young Arab women in the region a taste of freedom

An Iraqi refugee girl receives support from Mr. Matt Westman whilst balancing on one leg!

Shurouq Hijazi ‘12

have yet to experience. Through sports, the young women re-build their confidence and acknowledge their place as equal members of society, taking control Almost two weekends a month, King’s hosts Reclaim Childhood’s sports pro- and doing things they never thought they could. “We convince the girls that all grams on campus. On Saturdays, the young refugee women are invited to spend the power that they want and need, is within them,” continues Haneen. Whether the day using King’s Academy’s sports facilities, participating in activities led by it is scoring a goal or learning how to throw a rugby ball, the girls are constantly volunteers from our student body. “Last Saturday, we played basketball with the eager to learn and experience things that are not part of their everyday life.

After a long day of exercise, the girls are treated to sandwiches so deliciously girls for two straight hours,” says Haneen Al-Moslam ‘13. “I actually learned how to shoot a basketball myself!” The sports programs aim to teach the girls differ- prepared by Ms. Tessa and other student volunteers. Grateful to have spent such ent skills in various sports, with the sole purpose of empowering these young an enjoyable day on campus, the girls depart back to their homes in either Zarqa, Hashimi, or Baqa’a. “After speaking to them,” explains Haneen, “their wishes and women to take command of their own actions—be it mental or physical.

Reclaim Childhood is a non-profit organization that seeks to empower young dreams are so simple--the things we take for granted.” So, the benefit of Reclaim Iraqi and Palestinian refugee women through sports and other activities. The Childhood on campus is twofold: putting a smile on the young women’s faces, as program reaches to provide these young women with a sense of a childhood they well as empowering and emancipating them.

By DIMA SAAD ‘12

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Soccer, the Game for the Masses King’s Varsity Soccer Teams Roar Heard Across Jordan

By DIVIJ MEHRA ‘12 NEWS SUB-EDITOR

The fearless lions are known as one of the teams to beat in many sports, including soccer.

Both varsity soccer teams are always pushing themselves to the limit and are always trying to get that one point that will tip the score in their favor. This year, our soccer teams have started strong and are continuing to push the envelope with new strategies, better skills and a lot of phenomenal moves. Out of around 300 boys, only a handful of them were chosen to represent King’s Academy in the Boys Varsity Team since

they demonstrated great teamwork, dedication and passion for the glorious sport. One of their best plays has been the play by Hashim Ashour who worked with his teammates and managed to score a stunning goal in their favor, tying the score. Under the new specialized Coach Walid Fataftah and the two captains Hussien Abduallah and Tariq Ali Redah, Boys Varsity Soccer have left their paw prints all over the field and have proved themselves as great players time and time again.

Girls Varsity Soccer have demonstrated tremendous spirit as well, pushing themselves for

that one inch and never giving up. Every girl has her own unique style of playing yet that diversity is what makes the team strong, especially since they all work together and understand one other. In their game against Amman Academy, the team was losing 0-1, yet instead of feeling defeated they decided to make up for that goal tenfold and managed to end the game with a substantial lead of 4-1! That kind of never wavering determination is the fuel behind the success of all of our soccer teams and will, inshallah, enable every team to earn more victories in the future.