Dwardu's Scoops 07

Volume 3

Number 7

14 March 2024

Dwardu’s Scoops ST EDWARD’S COLLEGE NEWSLETTER

A Woman of Substance

By Anne Tabone Former head of Junior School, St Edward’s College I am fortunate enough to have had someone like Elizabeth as my aunt. My cousin Clara Tait described her: “ She was a devoted to us all – she loved the good things: fine china, poetry, literature and history and the beauty of living a simple life. She encouraged us children by reading stories. Our favourite book was about the man who never washed his dishes and we listened carefully to Hilaire Belloc’s cautionary tales.”

Elizabeth was always careful to keep dignity, manners, education and love. She has been described as ‘a fine intelligent lady of the old school…there was far more beneath her stern exterior!’ (Alec Mizzi)

Ms Elizabeth Parnis 1926-2024 abeth Parnis passing. For those of you who were fortunate enough to sit in her class, I have no doubt that you will agree that Ms Parnis was not only a great teacher but also a truly remarkable and caring lady. She contributed in no small

Elizabeth was a dedicated teacher, having taught at Sacred Heart and Cavendish Square in London and at St Edward’s College where she spent 14 years.

Tributes poured in on social media from Old Edwardians.

part to the success story that St Edward’s College is, and will forever be remembered with a sense of gratitude and respect. Please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.”

The following was written by Kevin Tonna: “I have just been informed of the terribly upsetting news of Ms Eliz-

George Said wrote: “Ms Parnis was an institution in her own right. She also introduced me to the Continues on Pg 6

All for Thiago

In a jam

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Garden Delights Page 11 1

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Exploring Valletta: A Hands-On History Lesson for Year 9 Students Late inJanuary, the History Option Students of Year 9 embarked on an exciting outing to the historic capital city of Valletta. This immersive journey provided a unique opportunity for students to step back in time and explore the rich heritage of our island nation. The adventure began at Fort St Elmo, where students delved into the significance of the Sacra Infermeria and learned about the Manderaggio while navigating through the ancient streets of this iconic city.

Next on the itinerary was a visit to Palazzo De La Salle, where students were treated to a glimpse of Malta's artistic and architectural treasures. Inside the palazzo, they marvelled at the chapel built by the Knights of St John and explored the renowned art gallery of the Malta Society of Arts thus appreciating also some contemporary local artistic talent. The exploration of Valletta continued as students ventured to other notable landmarks, including the Auberge D'Aragon, St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, and the majestic Manoel Theatre. A comprehensive tour of St John's Co-Cathedral offered students a deeper understanding of the architectural and cultural legacy left behind by the Knights of the Order of St John.

Throughout the outing, students were captivated by the tangible reminders of Malta's storied past, with every street corner revealing another piece of history. The monuments of Grand Master La Vallette, Glormu Cassar, and Francesco Laparelli served as poignant reminders of the enduring impact of these historical figures on the landscape of Valletta. This hands-on approach to learning history allowed students to engage with the past in a meaningful way, immersing themselves in the sights and sounds of Valletta's rich tapestry of heritage. By walking the streets and witnessing firsthand the built treasures of our island, students gained a newfound appreciation for Malta's rich cultural legacy.

As they returned from their outing, students carried with them not only memories of a day filled with exploration and discovery but also a deeper understanding of the history that shapes our identity as Maltese citizens.

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Monitoring Nature

By Samantha Abela

The new year started with an exciting adventure for a group of Edwardians with ages ranging from Yr 5 to Yr 10, when they kick started their Monitoring Nature Program on the 4th of January. Meeting at the Natural History Museum in Mdina, the boys met with Mr David Cilia, Curator and coordinator of the sessions. Mr Cilia ex-

plained to our team of students that they will be investigating various natural and historical areas of Malta to learn about its diverse flora and fauna. Through a hands-on approach the students will learn about sampling, writing field notes and investigating natural science curiosities. The session served as an introduction to spark their curiosities as they ventured through the halls and display rooms of the Natural History Museum and learnt about some its darkest specimens on show including various skeleton bones, stuffed birds and baby monkeys in formaldehyde. The students were intrigued and asked a lot of questions both pertaining to what they were seeing in the displays but also on the collection of specimens, the preservation of them and the studies related to them. A unique opportunity for the students arose when they went in the archives of the museum to see how the collections are stored and see some of the ‘hidden’ treasures (so to speak!). The boys enjoyed the sunny day together and it was lovely to experience the mature conversations taking place between the students regardless of the age gap between. The love and passion for learning was the common denominator for this experience.

At the end of the day, the students returned home with a lovely notebook which they will use to document their journey and observations, a keychain, pen and bag token. We are thankful to Heritage Malta for offering this unique opportunity to our St Edward’s Students exclusively.

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When Sports and Geography meet

By Daniel Caruana Smith and Paul Ferrante On Thursday the 29th of February the Year 10 PE Option and Geography Option students were treated to an unusual fieldwork.

Martin, an ex-combat medic, guided the students through various elements of survival and navigation. Topics covered included orienteering, first aid and road safety. The boys also had a brief orienteering exercise, where the boys had to navigate their way through the facility using only compass bearings. As one of the boys put it, "one of our best fieldworks yet!"

Meeting Ninu l-Bninu

By Stephanie Grech

As part of the ARPA fruit and veg scheme, the JS and EY children had the opportunity to meet Ninu l-Bninu and participate in a workshop at College. The students listened attentively, discussed, and asked questions about healthy food choices, and food waste. We discussed the use of shopping lists and planning ahead. The children contributed effectively to the workshop and were even given milk and delicious fresh fruit after the workshop.

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Learning numbers

Discussing Educational Leadership In mid-February, our Head of Senior School, Mr Daniel Caruana Smith was invited to provide insights into educational leadership on Eye On Educational Leadership, a US radio program that focuses on guiding adult students through their studies and in their careers towards becoming educational leaders themselves. Along with Ms Diane Calleja, a very promising Masters student in her own right, Mr Caruana Smith went on to describe the differences between being an educational manager and a leader. The main conclusion drawn from the comments of all the guest speakers was that management can be learned and practiced, but leadership different. Leadership is something one embodies and needs to truly believe in to motivate and lead a team of students, educators and professionals towards a common goal - that of providing a high standard, quality education to all learners.

Mr Caruana Smith and Ms Calleja extend their sincere thanks to Dr Daniel Gutmore and Professor Christoper Bezzina for their very kind invitation to participate in such a unique opportunity.

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wonderful world of Roald Dahl. For that alone I will be forever grateful to her”

“Far more beneath her stern exterior” Mark Abela Scolaro recalls: “I remember her well...sticking stars for good performance on the hanging board, her afternoon reading lessons and how dedicated she was to us all.”

Elizabeth also made a mark when she lived at Casa Antonia Retirement Home during the last ten years of her life. She would visit her neighbour whose son did crossword puzzles.

He wrote: “Elizabeth was the best crossword solver at Casa Antonia and she also told many interesting stories about the past many decades. We shall miss her”

“An excellent letter writer” Elizabeth was an excellent letter writer and kept up correspondence with people she knew all over the world. Father Michael Garnett who lives in Peru wrote: “It was years ago that Elizabeth got in touch with me as a result of an article I had written for The Tablet. I have a large archive-folder full of our correspondence; since then we exchanged letters several times each year and a number of books which I continue to enjoy were sent by her.”

Elizabeth also worked for many years abroad. She was a tutor to three boys of the San Felice family in Rome where she lived for many years as well as tutoring Michael Heseltine’s children in London. When these families heard of Elizabeth’s passing, they immediately got in touch with deepest condolences and many memories.

The epitome of a good teacher Elizabeth always had time for children. When at St Edward’s, she would spend her breaks going round the boys on the playground and checking if anyone was being left out of groups or games.

Her colleagues (at least two of whom are still at College) remember her with much affection and say that she willingly passed on her knowledge to them, as a result of which they are now sterling examples of really good teaching.

Elizabeth Parnis truly represented everything that St Edward’s stands for. She has left an indelible legacy on the scores of Old Edwardians she taught and was an inspiration to me when I took over the Junior School years later.

Rest in peace dear Elizabeth.

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Abracadabra

By Stephanie Grech As part of their reading

and writing tasks, the boys took on the lead role in the book they were reading and transformed into Wizards themselves. They walked around the grounds looking for items they wished to use for their spell, among which were sticks, acorns, and dried leaves. Later they re-

turned to their cauldron and, decked out in gear, came up with a spell.

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Science in the City—my experience in Valletta

By Jan Fiorentino Yr 7Y

Last October me and my parents went to the Science Fair in Valletta. I was hyped and excited to see what this fair had to offer. The first thing we did was line up to test and try CPR on a dummy. When it was my turn to learn how to do CPR, the doctor told me to do these steps: Lay the dummy on the back and put my fingers on his neck to check if there is a pulse (meaning the heart is

beating) Push the dummy’s chest 30 times in between the breasts with both my hands Repeat until help arrives.

It really felt good to know how to do CPR. What is CPR exactly?

Consider your heart as an extremely vital pump that continuously pumps blood and distributes oxygen throughout your body. However, occasionally that pump may malfunction and cease to

function. That is what happens during a cardiac arrest. Every second counts when oxygen isn't present! CPR is useful in this situation! To aid restart the pump, you can perform an action like that in a superhero movie. You are essentially helping the heart pump oxygen by applying specific pressure to the chest. It's similar to giving your body a boost until the doctors and nurses,

who are the true superheroes, show up.

CPR truly has the power to save lives! The person's chances of survival increase with the speed at which you perform CPR. Without CPR, their chance of survival drops by 10% each minute. Because of this, understanding CPR is equivalent to possessing a secret superpower—you never know when it will come in handy! That is why I wish that we could learn about these things like CPR and 8

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how to help people when injured just like we learn English, Maths and all the other subjects at school.

I really loved the Science Fair in Valletta and I am now looking forward for the upcoming Science Fair at school.

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Tangerine Dream Gregory Micallef Yr 7Y wrote:

In my experience at St. Edwards, I never thought I would be making marmalade with children. It all started. When the headmaster asked me to go look at a tree near the Junior School. My first glance at it was a large tree filled with bright

coloured oranges. Sadly, there were many on the ground as well. Me and my friend picked them all up and even picked some from the tree. The weeks that were yet to come were going to be very hard and fast. This was because many of the oranges were becoming

mouldy, but our hopes were high, and we continued the process. After a long time, we came up with a plan to turn them into marmalade. We took this approach to the headmaster, bursar and Mr. Moore. They all agreed so we started getting ready for all the cutting, waiting and Seering. The day came

and all the children started waiting outside the main kitchen of our school.

When they came in everybody was excited to see the soft toy, I got of Paddington that relates to the theme of marmalade. All the remains were cut by me and my friend so that we had hurried up to see it for 24hrs. The next day

would be easier because we just needed to cook it and sterilize all the jars.

Finally, everything was done and the last thing to do was to buy it and then enjoy it on some nicely toasted toast.

Matthias Sultana Yr 7Y It all started when the Headmaster told Gregory and me to go pick up the tangerines from the Junior School, so we set

off during break time, every day for a whole week, to the Junior school were there was this tree loaded with tangerines.

It was great fun, and we were always looking forward to it.

When we were ready from picking up the tangerines we

ended up with four buckets filled to the brim and considering the large number of tangerines we managed to harvest, the Headmaster decided that we should make marmalade out of them. We took the whole lot to Mr. Moore’ s 10

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office and booked two days in the kitchen. We needed jars, lemons and sugar to make the marmalade which I offered to get.

The next day, at around 9.00am the two of us were already in the kitchen, cutting the tangerines and the lemons. This was not an easy job, and it took us the whole morning to cut the whole lot. Once we were ready, we put the tangerines and lemons in a big pot with a few litres of water and left them to sit for twenty-four hours. The next day we boiled the mixture so that all the water would evaporate, and we could then mix in the sugar.

This took about three hours. When all the water had evaporated, we added the sugar and mixed everything around for another ten minutes before finally pouring the hot marmalade into the jars. We closed the jars tightly so as to create a vacuum inside the jars and like that the marmalade would last longer. Mr. Moore designed labels for the jars with the school's emblem and the ‘best before’ date.

We were both very proud of the finished product. The tangerine marmalade and lemon marmalade were ready just on time to be sold on the open day of the school, the 22nd of February.

A big thank you goes to the Headmaster, Mr Moore, Heads of Sections and Ms. Cioffi.

Love the land and it’s bounty

By Brandan Gerada Twice a week, children eagerly gather in the garden,

armed with their tiny shovels and watering cans. With tender care, they nurture their green charges, beans and cauliflower, from seedlings to robust plants. Each day brings new lessons: patience as they wait for sprouts, responsibil-

ity in tending to fragile leaves, and joy in witnessing growth.

Through dirt-stained hands and laughter-filled moments, they forge connections with nature, learning the rhythms of the seasons. Their gardening adventure fosters not just

green thumbs, but also a deep appreciation for the earth's bounty, instilling values of sustainability and stewardship from a tender age.

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The Power of Unity

By Daphne Camilleri In a heartwarming display of community spirit and responsibility, the Year 6Y

boys, recently took it upon themselves to carry out a cleanup. Motivated by a shared desire to create a cleaner and more positive learning environment, these young leaders demonstrated the transformative impact that collective action can have on the school community.

The idea for the cleanup began when a few friends noticed the litter left behind after breaks. Instead of turning a blind eye, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Recognizing that a clean and well-maintained school fosters a conducive learning atmosphere, the boys were determined to make

a difference.

On the designated cleanup day, the boys arrived at school armed with enthusiasm and determination. Divided into teams each group was

assigned a specific task and armed with gloves and garbage bags, the boys set out to transform their school into a cleaner and more inviting space.

The cleanup was not only about tidying up physical spaces but also about fostering a sense of teamwork among the boys. Working together, they developed a deeper appreciation for the shared responsibility of maintaining a clean and respectful environment.

The story of these boys serves as a powerful reminder that positive change often begins with a small group of dedicated individuals. Their initiative not only beautified the school but also instilled a sense of pride and responsibility within the student body.

Through their collective efforts, these boys have left an enduring mark on their school, proving that anyone, regardless of age, can contribute to creating a better and cleaner community.

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Discovering friction

By Roberta Camilleri Friction, the unseen force that shapes our daily lives, often goes unnoticed until

discovered in the most unexpected of ways. For children, its revelation can spark wonder and curiosity, leading to a newfound understanding of the world around them.

Imagine a group of children playing in a park on a warm summer day. Among them, Sheldon *, a curious eight-year-old, notices something peculiar as he slides down the playground slide. His hands grip tightly onto the metal rails, feeling a resistance as she descends. He wonders why it's harder to slide without holding on.

This was the narrative with which the children of Year 4X departed in their quest for discovery.

Intrigued,, they embarked on a quest to uncover the mystery of this resistance.

They experimented with different surfaces, observing how friction affected their movements. They rubbed their hands together vigorously, feeling the heat generated by friction's invisible embrace. They rolled marbles and other objects down ramps, witnessing how friction slows them down.

With each discovery, the children's fascination grew. They realized that friction isn't just a hindrance; it's a funda-

mental force that governs the world around them. From the simple joy of sliding on a playground to the complexities of machinery and transportation, friction plays a vital role in their daily lives.

As the lesson of exploration ended, the children walked away with a newfound appreciation for the invisible force that shapes their world, eager to uncover more of its secrets in the days to come.

* Sheldon is a fictitious name.

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Number 7

The price of a life

By Kiki Mizzi On the 8th of May a heroic deed was completed at the College . The sum of €4,521 was collected and passed

on to the parents of Thiago.

Many near and far have heard of little Thiago. He is 4 year old Maltese boy who lives with what is possibly Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In the face of adversity, his family took to social media, specifically on the Facebook Page Thiago’s Journey, asking for financial help. A new recently approved treatment could help change little Thiago's future. However, this new beacon of hope comes with a hefty price tag of $3.2 million. In his mother's words - 'this is sadly the cost of my little boy's life - a price so steep it feels impossible.'

For us, at St. Edward’s College, solidarity is not just a buzzword. Inclusion is not just a politically correct phrase. Caring is not about looking good. At St Edward's College, Malta we care, really care. Coming together as a team, on the 8th of March the College had a

crowdfunding day for Thiago. On the initiative of the INCO Department, all boys 'flouted' the uniform and came dressed in a particular colour to represent a rare disease...and paid €2 penalty as a 'fine' for not coming in uniform.

In addition, each student was asked to come to college dressed in a particular colour. The reason behind this colour block is to celebrate diversity. Each colour (see chart) represents different conditions.

Please follow suit and help Thiago and all other children and adults who need special care .

Founded in 1929, St Edward’s College is an all-boys college for both day and boarding students. Boarding is offered between the ages of 11 to 18. At nursery and kindergarten as well as at post-secondary level, the college is co-educational. As a private educational college, St Edwards offers excellent teaching facilities, high teacher-pupil ratio, a very wide range of sports facilities and scrupulous personal attention to the students.

St Edward’s College Malta Triq San Dwardu Birgu BRG 9039 Citta Vittoriosa

At St Edward’s College, students receive a well—rounded education ending up in the IB Diploma. Most of the students go on to study at world class universities. Our top students are leaders in society ranging from Science and Business to traditional professions and the arts. Most Edwardians retain a love and appreciation of sports throughout their lives.

Phone: +356 27 88 11 99 Editor: Sylvana Debono Email: communications@stedwards.edu.mt

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