Transitions
kalEi dos cope
the magazine
Editor's letter Welcome to the third issue of Kaleidoscope magazine, themed Transitions. I would like to thank the teachers and students for their support of this new project and for their encouragement over this past academic year. The Kaleidoscope magazine has transitioned from a team of one to a team of 5. I am grateful to my new team, that has come together quickly, to be a part of the Kaleidoscope magazine. I know it was a tight deadline for this issue, but I am so proud of the work we have produced and I look forward to creating more issues in the future. In this issue you will find a range of art work and events from our community that give you an insight into Dubai's spring/summer art scene , and the incredible artwork of NAS Dubai's secondary students.
We speak to a few of our teachers , who are leaving us this year, about their best memories and proudest moments at NAS Dubai. We have also included nine incredible pieces of art, from our students, throughout the magazine. We talk to a group of year 12 students who are painting a mural ,at the school, about Mental Health I hope this issue of Kaleidoscope leaves you inspired by the talent of our own school artists and artists in our wider Dubai community. The Kaleidoscope team wishes you a wonderful summer. Sincerely,
For the cover, year 11 art student, Zeynep Tuncata has created a piece that layers pieces of foam board with a image on top. The effect creates a wonderful 3D piece with depth and movement.
Sophia Arango.
Inside we look at the award winning artwork of a year 9 student, Gabriela Arango. We also explore recent art events in articles on the Sharjah RainRoom, the Diverse Performing Arts Show in The Dubai Opera House, and the Banksy Exhibition. 1
SantiAGO TELLE FLETES
Nord Anglia Student Year 9
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Global Campus Art Competition
Thirty years ago, world leaders made a historic commitment to the world’s children by adopting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Since then, every year on the 20th November, the United Nations World Children’s Day is celebrated globally. This day recognises the rights of children everywhere and promotes international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide. Global campus created a Visual Arts competition to celebrate United Nations World Children’s Day, and encourage students to learn about climate change.
‘The Pandemic of the Earth’ Age Group Runner Up
Cleophee Challiot Year 3 Explaining the Art: The Earth is on fire and sick with the fever because of our selfishness. There is less blue because the oceans are too hot now and less green because we cut trees and create pollution. The earth is crying as her pandemic is because nobody takes care of her.
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'Battle of the Elements' Age Group Winner Gabriela Arango Year 9 Explaining the Art: Global warming continues to increase climate related disasters around the world, contributing to children’s suffering in many ways. These environmental effects are challenging the success of UNCRC’s efforts to provide a safer, more equitable world for all children to grow up in. Mixed Media depicting Earth, Air, Water, Fire and their destruction. 4
Zeynep Tuncata
Nord Anglia Year 11 student.
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Lola zenathi
Nord Anglia Year 9 student.
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Sharjah Rain-Room by Abe Zakem
The immersive installation Rain Room in Sharjah invites visitors to walk through a downpour of continuous rain without getting wet. The responsive 3D environment allows visitors to navigate the darkened underground space, preventing the rain from falling directly above any detected human presence. Rain Room is part of the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection and the first of a series of artistdesigned permanent spaces. This site-specific installation uses 2,500 litres of self-cleaning recycled water, which is controlled through a system of 3D tracking cameras network. The work explores how humankind's relationships to one another and to nature are increasingly mediated through intangible technologies. As soon as visitors enter, they walk into a large matte black room of powerful showers and few yet intense illumination. The receptive environment detects the visitors’ movement
through the pouring rain, intercepting it from falling onto them. The system seemed to function efficiently, however, at moments the sensors did not detect me, causing me to get drenched. Nonetheless, this added an element of surprise to my experience, that I cherished anyway. I had seen many positive reviews of the exhibition, so I had high expectations surrounding the project, and needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. They offered a discounted price for students, making it affordable and accessible. As a result of the current COVID-19 situation and to ensure the exhibition runs properly, a limited number of people are allowed to enter at one time. Therefore you must pre-book your reservations. Overall, I highly recommend the Rain Room exhibition in Sharjah to anyone, of any-age as it is safe and enjoyable for everyone.
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Ithan Suleman
Nord Anglia Year 7 student.
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Mental Health mural
Six year 12 students: Claudia, Keelin, Grace, Lujain, Zofia decided that they wanted to bring awareness to mental health and wellbeing in a creative and unique way. They decided to create a permanent piece of artwork, in the school, that people would walk past on a daily basis. Their goals were to create something that would grab people’s attention and present wellbeing in a positive way. They designed the art mural to be ambiguous and abstract, so the meaning isn’t initially clear or obvious. This enables people to interpret the mural for themselves. They hope that the mural will inspire conversation and discussion on well being and mental health and art.
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Vera stroganova
Nord Anglia Year 9 student
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Manon Van Migem
Nord Anglia Year 9 student.
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Terrawatu
T
erraWatu is a NGO, based
in Arusha, Tanzania, that works with the indigenous Maasai people to, "Bridge indigenous and modern worlds for a more peaceful society". Founded in 2001, TerraWatu taps time-tested ancient wisdom along with modern technology to create sustainable development projects rooted in community. The vision of the organisation was created by American sociologist Dr. Tanya Pergola and indeginous Maasai man Lekoko Ole Sululu. Dr. Tanya Pergola took a trip to Tanzania after completing her PHD at the University of Washington. While there, she realized that there were theories and strategies of development that she had learned in graduate school that she could put to good use in the Tanzanian communities, creating positive change, growth and stability there. And at the same time she sensed that lodged within the colorful and beautiful rituals and ceremonies of the indigenous Maasai people were gems of
wisdom that could be harvested and shared as antidotes for our increasingly complex, stressful, and often enigmatic modern lives. During a ten-year apprenticeship with Maasai traditional healers, Tanya met Sululu and together they eventually co-founded TerraWatu. Together, they have combined their modern and indeginous knowledge to launch projects and initiatives in orphanages, schools, farms, and women’s centers, for almost 20 years. in January of this year, after reading Tanya's book ‘Time is Cows’, I emailed TerraWatu expressing my interest in learning more about the organisation and my willingness to get involved. After emails and zoom meetings I was invited to come to Arusha, Tanzania to experience the projects first hand, and learn the inner-workings of an NGO. 15
I worked at two at orphanages, engaging with the children, talking with the caretakers, and cooking meals. I travelled to their school sites, talking to teachers about the Tanzanian curriculum and learning equipment, and worked on permaculture sites at the women's center. It was an incredible experience to learn about the people in these communities, and better understand the needs of the schools, orphanages, and women’s centers. I learned such valuable lessons about how to manage philanthropic projects and maximize impact with minimal funding. Since my experience in Tanzania I have returned to Dubai and started fundraising for all of TerraWatu’s amazing and impactful initiatives, particularly their 20th anniversary project ‘Chakula na Dawa Usalama’, which means 'Food and Medicine/Health Security' in Swahili.
I am excited to introduce the world to Terrawatu through Instagram and I will be serving as their social media manager @terrawatu_tanzania . I am returning to Arusha, Tanzania for three weeks in July to continue working on TerraWatu’s projects and to create stronger connections with TerraWatu and the people involved in their initiatives. I will also be filming an advocacy documentary that follows my summer work at TerraWatu and educates people about NGOs and the work being done with these indeginous Maasai communities. I am so excited to share more about my experience with everyone when I return. If you are intereested in learning more or supporting the organisation please follow us @terrawatu_tanzania or visit the official website https://terrawatu.org and donate on the funding page https://terrawatu.networkforgood.c om.
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Zeynep Tuncata
Nord Anglia Year 11 student.
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Poppy Marks
Nord Anglia Student Year 10
Banksy Exhibition By Hyein Park
‘People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish… but that’s only if it’s done properly.’ – Bansky
A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of visiting ‘The World of Banksy’ exhibition, held in the Mall of Emirates. My expectation was to arrive to a typical, museum-like venue – quiet, with heavily framed pictures looming over me. I was pleasantly surprised to find something different . To hear the ambience of the street all around me from speakers, as if I had become an everyday city goer walking amongst the cars, the people, and, of course, graffiti – the typical setting for a Banksy piece, it was exciting. I was able to fully immerse myself within the World of Banksy, guided by small graffiti rats (Banksy’s favourite animal) which could easily be spotted throughout the gallery.
Much of the works displayed were stencilled, which is arguably Banksy’s signature style of graffiti. Stencilling was largely shunned by the underground artists during the early years of Bansky’s career. In 2002, at the risk of being outcast from the circle of street artists he belonged to, Banksy gave up his aerosol technique and began using stencils instead. Consequently, his new style was a tremendous success with the public. Banksy cleverly toys with what seems to be heavy and dark subjects, often morphing them into satirical and humorous depictions about today’s society. One of his most famous works, ‘Girl With Balloon’, can be seen in two ways: has the girl just lost the balloon, or is she about to catch it? Viewers of the painting are left to interpret the meaning of the 20 balloon.
I found the curation of the galleries to be excellent as they are relevant to current global political issues such as peace, such as. ‘Flower Thrower’ on the wall of Bethlehem or the piece piece dedicated to the Bataclan terror attack in Paris. A helpful feature in the exhibition was the information plaques on walls nearby the pieces, which house impressive quotes from Banksy alongside brief paragraphs of background information, adding context and bringing depths to the graffiti which may not have been obvious to the viewer. Much of the works displayed were stencilled, which is arguably Banksy’s signature
style of graffiti. Stencilling was largely shunned by the underground artists during the early years of Bansky’s career. In 2002, at the risk of being outcast from the circle of street artists he belonged to, Banksy gave up his aerosol technique and began using stencils instead. Consequently, his new style was a tremendous success with the public. Banksy cleverly toys with what seems to be heavy and dark subjects, often morphing them into satirical and humorous depictions about today’s society. One of his most famous works, ‘Girl With Balloon’, can be seen in two ways: has the girl just lost the balloon, or is she about to catch it? Viewers of the painting are left to interpret the meaning of the balloon.
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Live at the opera house . . . Diverse Performing Arts School was established in Dubai in 2008 by husband and wife team Scott and Lisa Marshall, who also happen to be parents of three children at our school. Throughout the years, they have established themselves as the leading performing arts school in the middle east. Diverse offers classes for children of all abilities, from beginner through to students who are interested in making performing arts and dance a career. We have been fortunate , at Nord Anglia, to have had Diverse offer classes to our students in the past years, through our extra curricular, after school programs. And we have many students from the primary years through to the senior school that are a part of the dance program and the performing arts program at Diverse. After a year of being away from the stage, Diverse was eager to get back to live performances. The students have been training nonstop. Classes at Diverse continued right through quarantine last year, via zoom and as soon as they were able to open
the studio, the children were back in the studios working hard. The big moment finally arrived at the Dubai Opera House on June 26. Diverse 2020x1, was truly an evening to remember. The evening felt different than previous shows; probably because everyone had been waiting so long for this night to finally come. A live performance, a real live audience! The excitement was palpable! As expected, the show started off with a high energy performance the stage was full of dancers- a medley of Dua Lipa songs, the movement synchronized and precise. Following the opening number, there were performances of ballet, hip hop, tap, contemporary dance. The children ranged in age from 6 years old to eighteen, boys and girls……all dancing with the confidence and exacting movement of professional dancers. In addition to the non-stop high energy dancing numbers, there were beautiful musical numbers from the younger children from shows like Lion King and Annie. 23
Watching the musical theatre productions, like Beetlejuice and Hamilton, from the older students, it was hard to believe that the talented young people on stage were not professionals, but children of the adults sitting around me. I felt so proud watching so many Nord Anglia students acting, singing and dancing……and in the world-class Dubai Opera House. They truly seemed as if they were born to be on that stage. Keir Marshall, Calan Marshall, Sienna Marshall, Alexander Danishmand, Roberto Daoud, Gabriela
Arango, Tayma Saqfelhait, Lana Bassiri, Seba Al Sayegh. As the show ended and all of the dancers joined one another on stage for the finale, the audience rose to its feet in appreciation of the last 3.5 hours of joyful entertainment. When the curtain closed, there was a moment when we all looked at each other, not actually believing what we had just experienced……..we had just witnessed what happens when hard work, determination and passion all come together… MAGIC.
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MOving on . . . As the year comes to an end, many teachers are moving on from NAS Dubai and making the transition in to a new stage of their lives.
Mr. Doig
Mr. Brown
I have had three incredible years in the best department in school with the most amazing educators and supportive friends I could ask for. The students too are so outstanding and I am so proud of working withthe ones who have English as a second language and supporting them to attain the highest GCSE grades. Some of my most memorable and positive momentsin my time here have been seeing my Year 13s graduate; performing ‘Toast’ in the talent show; and watching incredibly creative Year 7 drama performances I am actually leaving to the British International School of Chicago (South Loop) which is another Nord Anglia school
I have really loved my time here working with such an ambitious, conscientious, and polite school of students. Working with a really passionate department which is always thinking about what we can do to improve the student experience here. I feel we get the freedom and trust to actually put things in place to let that happen, which is something I haven’t seen as much in other schools. From my time here I am most proud of my form class for having put up with me for the up days, OK days, and days when I was in a bad mood! Overall, there are loads of positive moments since joining, one that sticks out is the Safari in Tanzania when everyone was singing and laughing on the top of the bus. I will be moving to London to work in Finance, currently studying for the CFA qualification. I will be back in teaching someday but I need to mix it up a bit with a new challenge! 24
Ms. Beckley
After 3 years at NAS Dubai, I have made the difficult decision to return back to the UK. During this time I have been a Personal Tutor for an amazing class who I have watched grow into mature, confident Year 11 students. Whilst at NAS Dubai, I have been lucky enough to go to Tanzania with my Year 9 Form and Beijing with students for the World Scholar’s Cup – I have made amazing memories, taught incredible students, made lifelong friends in my colleagues and I will miss everyone. What you are proud of – I am proud of all the students I have taught over the last three years. Whether I have taught them for one, two or three years – every student that has walked into my classroom has worked hard, made great progress and engaged in some thought provoking discussions. I hope some of the students look back on some of our lessons with fond memories in the future. Going to Tanzania is a trip that I will never forget. Both students and staff learnt a lot from this trip and it’s something that I would recommend for the younger students. Outside of school, when I participated in the Virtual London Marathon last October, many of my friends from school came down to Kite Beach and supported me in my final mile after a long, hot day of running. Another unforgettable moment that I will always remember and am truly thankful to my friends. Look out for me in this year’s London Marathon as I will be running the streets of London for 26.2 miles. Where you are leaving to – Returning back to the UK. Although I will be experiencing many rainy days whilst home, I look forward to walking and running in the fresh air and being closer to my friends and family.
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Ms. Qureshi
I started at NAS Dubai in 2015, the second year of the school’s inception, with just over 150 students. I have seen the school grow from strength to strength, where the students’ learning experiences have been at the core of all that we have done. Over the years these learning experiences have enhanced with sophistication, challenge and creativity. Under Mr Cullinan’s leadership, we as a team have driven these improvements forward to become one of the bet schools in Dubai and that’s only have been opened for seven years! I have had the pleasure of working with a great set of professional colleagues who have never waivered in their commitment to their students and the school. I am exceptionally proud of the philanthropic work we have achieved in my time at NAS Dubai, Adopt a School in Nepal and sponsoring a medical mission in Palestine. This would not have been possible without the dedicated set of parents and students. A humbling achievement in deed! I am proud of the work we have done in secondary to create systems and structures to drive the school forward, fostering an open and collaborative community ethos with the staff, parents and students where our students love coming to school. A school that has won many awards within the Nord Anglia family and amongst the many schools across Dubai. Being an educator is at my core and managing to raise over 152,000 AED to build a school in Nepal, where little girls went to school for the time and will go onto become the first literate people in their families is one of my most positive moments. This was not possible without staff, students and parents commitment to this project and that too in record breaking time of 9 months! I am leaving with my husband to relocate back to the UK and be closer to family. I will be working as a Deputy Headteacher in an inner-city London School and am looking forward to a new adventure and chapter in my journey, but will deeply miss working with such an amazing team.
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kalEi dos cope Designer/Manager Sophia Louise Arango Editors Lujain Al Jamaili, Mahir Khan Content Creators Hyein Park, Abe Zakhem Contact sophia_arango@nasdubai.ae Location Nord Anglia International School, Hessa Street, Al Barsha 3 South, Dubai U.A.E.
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