WIN Times April 2021

April 2021, Issue 9 Jebel Ali

Win times CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE, CREATING A LEGACY Official magazine of the Winchester school, jebel ali

Time capsuling the best of Winchester!

Vision and Mission

The very inspirational and focused Vision and Mission statement of The Winchester School has guided students through the years to achieve their loftiest dreams and highest aspirations. Like a truly progressive institute, Winchester recognizes that we must evaluate regularly in this ever-evolving environment. Therefore, in collaboration with all stakeholders – students, parents, and staff members – Winchester will soon be unveiling its new Vision and Mission, which will take it to new zeniths.

Watch this space!

HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS EDITION From the Principal’s Desk

5

Editor’s Note

7

Goodbye, Your Highness

10

The End of an Era

11

Right to Play

12

In Conversation with Salama Al-Jallaf

14

Learn Arabic with Nadia

17

Blessed Teachings with Mr. Abobakr

18

An Interview with Dr. Rohit Pradhan

23

Kindness Online

26

The School Economist

30

Martin’s Art Space

33

Sportz Unlimited

34

The Green Guide

36

Ms. Veronika’s Corner

39

Book Trails

42

All About Books

44

Around the World

46

Metamorphosis

50

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Winchester is a Willing Inclusive and Innovative school that Nurtures Curious and Creative learners in an Honest, Helpful, Happy, Humble and Enterprising, Enriching environment with Sincere Students and Staff who are Talented, Trustworthy, Energetic, Effective and Enthusiastic to Encourage all learners to

Recognize, Rise and Realize their potential and achieve their aspirations

Composed by Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya

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From The principal’s desk It’s a pleasure to see how WIN Times has evolved and how this online magazine has contributions from our youngest early years through to our soon graduating Year 13 students.

I request you all to join me in congratulating WIN Times for their impressive edition, it’s only getting better by each edition and I am confident there will be more and more editions, each one better than the previous one.

D

ear WIN Family, Ramadan Kareem!

I am most delighted to share this edition of WIN Times, which includes humbling and beautiful tributes to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and HRH Prince Philip, Ramadan messages and Islamic teachings, an interview with Salama Al-Jallaf, as well as with Dr. Rohit Pradhan.

I am confident this edition will capture your attention, with an interesting report on Kindness Online, book reviews, an article by our very own Ms. Veronika, an article about the importance of play by Mr. Neijin, and interesting and informative articles by our columnists Aarav, Victoria, Gareth and Aryaman.

In current times where resilience, a positive approach, kindness, and care for each other are more important than ever, the WIN Community has stood together united, and that’s what matters most!

In the holy month of Ramadan, let’s pledge that we’ll always be giving, caring and spreading happiness, not just during this auspicious month, but every month of the year!

Enjoy this edition and Eid Mubarak in advance!

Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya Principal and CEO The Winchester School Jebel Ali

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From the Editor’s Desk Founder & Managing Editor

Ramadan Kareem to all the wonderful members of the Winchester community!

Mir Faraz, Year 6H

Senior Editors & Columnists Aarav Pradhan, Year 11 Arjun Kapur, Year 13

Co-Editors & Columnists Victoria Nedyalkova, Year 6J Aryaman Chakravorty, Year 7B

Graphic Editors Mishal Faraz, Year 9B Dana Raed Alamawi, Year 8 Zaara Belgami, Year 8F

Cover Designer WIN Times commends Sanvi from Year 5C for the beautiful cover page artwork.

Want your artwork to make it to the cover of WIN Times? Mail it to us at wintimes2019@gmail.com

My excitement knows no bounds as I present this issue of WIN Times to all of you. This issue has a multitude of facets to it and exemplifies what we endeavour WIN Times to be – a time capsule that captures the best of Winchester's creativity and ingenuity as well as records unforgettable, pivotal events that have left a mark on young minds.

We are proud to feature two inspiring interviews with two very different but extremely distinguished individuals (you'll have to turn the pages to find out who they are).

Our mentors have made wonderful contributions to this issue – Mr. Neijin, Head of PE and Health and Safety Officer, has emphasized the importance of play for children, Mr. Abobakr, Islamic and Arabic teacher, compels us to understand sustainability in the light of Islamic teachings, and Ms. Veronika, Primary Librarian, talks about the never-ending benefits of reading.

Contributions from students are just as diverse, colorful, and enticing, as are the offerings by our columnists – travel, sports, environment, innovation, fiscal outlook, art, books and so much more!

Each minute we invest in WIN Times, the only vision that guides us is that we provide the most engrossing experience for you, dear readers, and the time you spend pouring over these pages gives you joy and inspiration...

Until next time... take care of yourselves! Be well, be happy!

Warm regards, Mishal Faraz, Year 9B Founder & Editor-in-Chief

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OFFICIAL SCHOOL MAGAZINE! Nothing makes us happier than celebrating the Winchester family members. Students, parents, and staff members are invited to send their creative pieces to wintimes2019@gmail.com. Stories, poems, artwork, comic strips, recipes, tips for healthy living, book and movie reviews, puzzles, quizzes, and initiatives are all welcome. The topics and themes you choose are absolutely your discretion because we believe that creativity is boundless.

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Goodbye, Your Highness In Hearts You Will Live On Forever Mir Faraz, Year 6H

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum 25th December 1945 – 24th March 2021

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, passed away on the 24th of March, 2021.

His Highness was also the longest serving finance minister in the world. He leaves behind an unmatched legacy of economic reforms as he does in fields of education, philanthropy as well as sports, most prominently, horse racing.

His Highness's passing was a news that saddened me to the core. My mind drifted to the unforgettable moment when I got the chance to meet His Highness when I won the prestigious Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance. The biggest perk of winning the award was that the winners received the award from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum

himself and those moments will be some of the most precious ones for me.

The day I met His Highness will be etched in my mind and heart forever. I will always remember the graceful smile on His Highness's face and how warmly he said "Congratulations!" I remember feeling blessed beyond words - it was literally a dream come true. His presence had an almost magical aura that made me feel elevated, blessed, protected and happy.

It is overwhelming to think that a person of His Highness's stature stood there personally handing hundreds of awards to students, teachers and institutions – this showed the sheer passion he had to promote excellent practices and create a more progressive future.

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The End of an Era: Farewell, Prince Arjun Kapur, Year 13

Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh June 10, 1921April 9, 2021

On April 9th, 2021, we were given the unfortunate news that Prince Philip had passed away. Although I did not know him in person, I was a participant in his ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ program, and wanted to express gratitude towards this initiative of his that connected students from all around the world and offered them an opportunity to become part of a community that pushed students to step out of their comfort zones whilst striving to become well-rounded individuals.

The DOE program has taught me a lot, and was a fun journey to partake in as well. The program’s itinerary of going for overnight treks, learning a new sport, volunteering and giving back to the community, and learning a new skill turns any willing participant into a versatile student with physical and mental prowess.

As we hold Prince Philip in our memories, we shall also remember the footprints he has left behind. Hence, as a student, I would like to once again thank him for starting this wonderful program, not just for me, but for millions of students around the world who would also agree.

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Right to Play Mr. Neijin Pathrose

Champions are not born, they are made.

Neijin Pathrose holds the position of Head of PE, along with Health, Safety & Environment Officer and Deputy Safeguarding Lead. He carries 15 years of teaching experience, where he has successfully completed 11 years at WIN and his journey continues. His educational degrees are in Master of Physical Education and he is also a Qualified ICC Level 2 Cricket Coach. Neijin has completed OSHA and IOSH trainings. He has also achieved SafeGuarding Lead Level 3 training and is a Qualified First Aider.

He strives to create a healthy and safe environment for all that nurtures future leaders and high performers.

The Emirati Children’s Day is an initiative launched by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak in hopes of creating awareness of motherhood and childhood affairs. The day is marked every year on March 15th. The entire UAE celebrates Emirati Children’s day while creating awareness of children’s rights and the importance of building a better future for the young generation in the nation. This year, Emiratis Children’s Day’s theme was “Right to Play’’.

It helps and emphasizes the importance of allowing children to play and have a joyful childhood, enabling strategic plans that will help boost the rights and developments of children of determination.

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The pandemic has raised many concerns about child safety and disease prevention in the nation. Hence this Emirati’s Children’s Day highlighted the focuses of improving health and safety for children in the nation, along with providing basic rights, and allowing the children to enjoy their childhood without facing any difficulties.

Winchester has been encouraging every member of our school community to participate in a majority of sports and games. Even in these pandemic times, with limited resources, Winchester provided opportunities virtually, and wherever possible, physically, keeping in mind guidelines at all times.

For instance, a specific Sports Day was held for the support staff in our school. We organize Badminton and Cricket Tournaments for all UAE teachers every year through collaboration with students of other schools, teachers, and parents. This gives every person an equal opportunity on the sports field.

The school believes that physical education, experienced in a safe and supportive environment, is a unique and vital contributor to a student’s physical development and wellbeing. A balance of individual, paired and group activities, and cooperative, collaborative and competitive situations aim to cater for the preferences, strengths and needs of every student. Lessons are dedicated to different units of work to promote greater depth of understanding, developing of skill, contextual applications of these skills, and the ability to perform reflectively. Students are given many opportunities to be creative, competitive, cooperative and face challenges as individuals and in small groups or teams. The structure of the scheme of work promotes teaching and learning as it provides both continuity and progression of skills, knowledge and understanding. The school actively supports the national vision for a healthier and active community through various curricular and extracurricular initiatives. We actively engage in all surveys and drives initiated by the government bodies and their evaluation leads to prompt next steps. This helps in ensuring that the student community is constantly encouraged and progresses to achieve and exceed national standards

Lastly, At The Winchester School, Jebel Ali we believe and strive to inculcate – play is a fundamental right that every child should enjoy, as it is vital to both psychological and physical development. It is also key to discovering and unleashing talents and capabilities and gaining essential life skills.

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In Conversation with Salama Al-Jallaf Interviewed by Mishal Faraz, Year 9B, and Mir Faraz, Year 6H

The UAE marks Emirati Children’s Day on the 15th of March every year. This landmark event champions children’s rights in the UAE, and aims to raise awareness amongst the general public, so that children can grow up in a healthy, safe, and supportive environment which complements their development. This day was launched in March 2016 by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, and since then has become a much looked forward to day.

To make this day truly memorable, we had the honour of interviewing a young Emirati achiever whose aspirations and laurels are inspiring beyond the description of words. Introducing Salama Al-Jallaf.

Salama has worked with Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children for many years, and was chosen to be the main host of the popular show, the Kids Club. Her impressive oratory skills and amazing confidence are evident in her commendable work portfolio. Salama is currently working with the team of Expo 2020, and is the official voice of Latifa, the mascot of Expo 2020! This prestigious opportunity has given Salama the chance to share the stage with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and meet His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Salama is a true inspiration for children in the UAE, and all over the world.

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What does Emirati Children’s Day mean to you?

In my opinion, it’s a day where we have to celebrate everything we have, we have to be thankful for everything we have, because there are people in the world who don’t live in such a progressive nation like this nation. I’m very thankful for all these amazing hospitals, malls, schools. We should be grateful for everything we have.

So it’s a very special day for children all over the UAE to count all our blessings.

How does it feel to be a young Emirati growing up in such a progressive nation?

Like I said, I’m very thankful and grateful for being in this country, it is honestly a privilege. We are accomplishing what His Highness Sheikh Zayed always wanted us to accomplish. The future is in our hands, it’s in your hands, and in the hands of every single child living in this country.

The country is so diverse, everybody’s nice to each other, and I’m very thankful for everything and everyone.

You’re really young, and your achievements are absolutely impressive.

Tell us about this journey of yours.

When I was a little kid, if I were to see myself now, I would never ever imagine being the voice of the Expo Mascot. I am very thankful and happy with what I’ve accomplished so far. So it all started when I joined the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children camp, I think in the summer of Year 4, or the beginning of Year 5. Going to Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children and joining their camp opened a lot of doors for me, I met a lot of great people, I made a lot of great friends, I’m still friends with most of those people to this day. Then one day the director of PEARL FM just came up to us and took us in the station and asked us to just talk on the radio. Then

after that, the director offered me a role on the Kids Club. That’s where it started, and ever since that day, I auditioned for Expo and became the voice of Latifa, I’ve been on different shows and done interviews, it’s really been a great experience and I’ve met so many great people along the way.

What were the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

Well, I didn’t face many challenges, but I didn’t always feel so confident in myself, in how I talked, how I presented myself, I would always second-guess myself, even during The Kids Club. When we had to record ourselves, we would make a lot of mistakes. Back then I was a kid, so I would doubt myself a few times. But luckily, I had my family and my friends supporting me throughout the whole way, even my teachers. Honestly, I’m really thankful, I haven’t faced many challenges, except for doubting myself. I’m thankful for being a confident person, for being a happy person, so I haven’t faced many challenges.

Who’s the biggest inspiration of your life?

My grandmother – she’s always told me ever since I was a kid that I was going to grow up to be an amazing person, I would grow up to be an inspiring person, I would help change the world, and honestly, ever since I started doing PEARL FM, I’ve been living up to what she told me to do.

So right now, everything I’m doing, it’s all for her, because she’s my biggest inspiration.

How does it feel to be the official voice of the mascot of Expo 2020? You’re a part of history!

It all started when I auditioned for Expo in Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, and I couldn’t imagine when my mom told me,

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“You did it, you got it, you got the role”, I thought I was dreaming, for six months.

When I was recording I was like, “Wait, that’s my voice”, because you can see when you’re in the studio, you can see yourself being animated and the animation talking with your voice. And when you see the final product, you think, that’s me. So, honestly, it’s been an amazing journey.

I’ve shared the stage with Sheikh Mohammed, we did the six months countdown, I had a lot of opportunities thanks to Expo and Al Jalila, so I’m very thankful, it’s been a great accomplishment.

And I’m so proud of myself for being confident and for working hard.

You’ve shared the stage with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum! That is a dream come true! Please give us the recollection of that moment.

I think it was in September 2019. A day before he was going to come, we went into the place and rehearsed. I was really, really nervous. They had already planned everything out, but on the day of the celebration, we had a quick change of plans, we changed what we were going to wear, we changed our places, they changed a lot of things, and it was really stressful.

But when I saw Sheikh Mohammed, it was like a dream come true, and when I said hi to him, it was an amazing experience, and he was really nice, he’s Sheikh Mohammed! I’ve been dreaming about meeting him since I was a little girl. It was an amazing experience.

Finally, what advice or motivating words do you want to share with the readers?

So, you guys have probably heard this advice from motivational speakers, your mum and dad, your friends, teachers, influencers, you’ve probably heard it a

million times, but when I say you can do it, you can do it. Whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish it. Five years ago, I never would have known I would be sitting here having an interview about my accomplishments. It is honestly a great thing and I’m so grateful for everything.

So what you have to do is just put your mind to what you want to accomplish. You have to study hard, but keep your friends and family close. All you have to do is dream it, believe it, and you can do it, you can accomplish anything you want.

Because with all the support you have, you can do many great things, big things. You can do whatever you want. That is my advice to everyone. Always know that you can accomplish things you never knew you can.

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Phrases to Express Our Love for Our Beautiful Planet

Nadia Gaber Sayah studies in Year 3. She is a happy little girl who loves to read and make new friends. In this feature, our youngest columnist teaches us new Arabic phrases. So let her take you on this exciting journey to learn more about this beautiful language.

‫حافظ على األرض‬

‫أنا أحب كوكبي‬

Hafedh Ala Al Arad

Ana Auheb Koukbey

Save the Earth

I love my planet

‫ازرع شجرة‬

‫حافظ على الماء‬

Ezraa Shajraa

Hafedh Ala Al Maa

Plant a tree

Save water

‫المدرسة جميلة‬

‫الورد جميل‬

Al Madrsaa Jameela

Al Ward Jameel

The school is beautiful

The flower is beautiful

‫كوكبنا جميل‬ Koukbana Jameel Our planet is beautiful

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Blessed Teachings with Mr. Abobakr

Islam and the Environment

Mr. Abobakr Mohammed teaches Arabic and Islamic Studies, and is immensely loved and respected by his students for the sheer dedication he pours into each and every lesson of his. Mr. Abobakr believes that Islamic Education is not a subject, rather, it is a way of life, and his most important objective is that his students become good human beings, guided by values of humanity. In this very special column, Mr. Abobakr will talk of contemporary events and topics in light of Islamic teachings.

You may wonder what relation there is between Islam and the environment.

You probably think Islam is only about Masjids (mosques), but the reality is different.

The masjid is only one small part of Islam. Allah says:

“O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely .”

(2:208) In this verse, the word “completely” is the key word. “Completely” represents the unique relationship between you and Allah, between you and people, and between you and the universe. I can surely say that this is Islam.

It looks like an equation when you understand it, you understand the reason behind your existence. I’m talking about the third kind

of relationship, which is between us and the universe, an open book, for anyone, to read carefully, letter by letter and miracles after miracles. The universe is Allah’s creation, well-created and organized with not a single flaw. Allah says:

“You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency.”

(3:67)

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Allah created everything in the universe, made it under man’s control and gave us a brain, which is the most honourable gift.

And because everything has a reason, Allah gave us the brain to ponder over the universe around us and our sophisticated human body. Allah says:

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for Ulul Albab.”

(3:190) Ulul Albab are the people who not only have a brain, but they put it to its correct use. They are “men of understanding” on looking at the sky, they can read the presence of One God, the Best Creator and the one who is Beautiful and loves beauty.

I myself cannot imagine a person wasting or damaging the environment as we do not possess any, but we are only guardians who should pass on the entrusted property to the next generation. Allah says:

“And Allah loveth not those who do mischief.”

(5:64)

“And do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order: that will be best for you, if ye have Faith” (7:85) “Eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters.”

(7: 21)

“And do good as Allah has been good to you. And do not seek to cause corruption in the earth. Allah does not love the corrupters.”

(28:77) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized the importance of environmental sustainability in many of his sayings and acts. The Prophet (PBUH) said,

“If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him.”

"If the Final Hour comes while you have a shoot of a plant in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it."

For a long time, I was thinking about this saying of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) because this saying gives you no choice but to do good deeds, even if you know that your goodness won’t be effective. If everyone took the initiative to plant just one tree, we would help in protecting the environment, and bringing back to being as pure as it once was.

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Ramadan Muhammad Mikaeyl Zaraz, Year 9B Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The naming of Ramadan stems from the Arabic root “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat. In A.D. 610, the Angel Jibreel appeared to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and revealed the Quran to him, the holy book. The day of the revelation, Laylat Al Qadar – or the “Night of Power” – is believed to have occurred during Ramadan. Muslims fast during that month to commemorate the revelation of the Quran. During Ramadan it is obligatory for all Muslims to fast, starting at the Suhoor meal before Fajr prayer and ending with the Iftar meal after Maghrib prayer.

The Month of Observance During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually and build stronger relationships with Allah. They do this by praying and reciting the Quran, making their actions intentional and selfless, and abstaining from gossiping, lying, and fighting.

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Boost Your Brain You are undoubtedly aware of the positive effects fasting can have on your mental wellbeing and spiritual focus, but the .brain-boosting powers of Ramadan are even more significant than you might think. A study carried out by scientists found that the mental focus achieved during Ramadan increases the level of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which causes the body to produce more brain cells, thus improving brain function.

Ditch Bad Habits Because you will be fasting during the day, Ramadan is the perfect time to ditch your bad habits for good.

Lasting Appetite Reduction One of the main problems with extreme fad diets is that any weight lost is often quickly put back on, sometimes even with a little added extra. This isn’t the case with Ramadan. The reduction in food consumed throughout fasting causes your stomach to gradually shrink, meaning you’ll need to eat less food to feel full.

Eid-ul-Fitr After the last day of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate its ending with Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, which begins with communal prayers at daybreak. During these three days of festivities, participants gather to pray, eat, and exchange gifts. Some cities host carnivals and large prayer gatherings, too/

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My Favourite Things About Ramadan MYSAAH ZARAZ from Yr. 4J is absolutely thrilled that Ramadan is here. In this article, she shares the things she looks forward to the most during the holy month.

1. I like fasting because it will make Allah happy that we are doing what He asked us to do.

2. I like spending time with my family during Iftar and Suhoor to make lots of memories.

3. I like praying my namaz because during Ramadan all the good deeds I do are multiplied.

4. I like to help my mother prepare iftar and suhoor and learn how to cook new dishes.

5. I like distributing iftar to the guards and neighbours to share the joy of Ramadan.

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Trials and Tribulations Looking at COVID-19 Through the Eyes of a Frontline Worker Interviewed by Aarav Pradhan

Dr. Rohit Pradhan is a doctor with over two decades of experience in the field of medicine and is currently a frontline worker aiding several patients during the crisis. He works courageously to fight this pandemic head on and with the support of the people around him, has remained determined to protect and care for as many people as he can.

Among such trying times, we really must try to see the positives of every aspect of life conventionally considered a negative. Here to discuss the challenges and life of a frontline worker is Dr. Rohit Pradhan, being interviewed by his son and WIN Times’s Senior Editor and Columnist, Aarav Pradhan.

What challenges have you faced amidst the current pandemic? Has it adversely affected your productivity or ability to socialise?

COVID-19 has really changed the way we are living, and it has definitely affected all the aspects of our regular lives as doctors. I often feel this responsibility of having to protect myself since I manage so many patients and return home fearing the potential harm my exposure may cause my own family.

Amongst this pandemonium,

frontline workers are often put in a dilemma and constant fear that can only be overcome by familial support. The constant anxiety felt by us as doctors really puts a lot of stress on the fact that we MUST follow the guidelines set up for us by the government, they are made solely for YOUR safety and the safety of others.

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Through all these challenges, who has been your support system keeping you determined and what have they done to ensure that you feel as safe and as happy as possible?

In simple words, my family, because they motivate me every day.

To elaborate further, I truly believe having a friend or family member to support you through tough times creates this “safe space” where you feel protected from all the darkness the world may radiate. To all the people who do not have any support, I do understand it must be a great challenge, and I hope for the wellbeing of all. As doctors, we are trained to alleviate the ailments of

the sick, but the true moral challenges are faced only in the toughest times. We must learn to be resilient, to be charitable and to be considerate. Also, being in a work environment where we can all empathise for one another really brings the seriousness of this pandemic into perspective, we feel more connected and determined by building each other up and supporting each other, even though the world may sometimes crumble.

The Pradhan Family: (left to right sitting) Dr. Rohit Pradhan and Dr. Dimple Pradhan. (left to right standing) Aarav Pradhan, Taneeshaa Pradhan

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Why do you think it is important to follow guidelines set by the government along with maintaining your personal safety?

As we all know by now COVID19 is a highly transmissible public health pandemic and has affected all social and economic spheres of the world, maybe even beyond!

No one, regardless of their social standing or identity, is safe from getting infected. Until we are able to contain the pandemic, it is ESSENTIAL that we follow these guidelines almost like laws and constitutions. Again, these guidelines are created keeping in mind public safety and aims to reduce the effect of this pandemic as much as humanly possible.

On the occasion of the World Health Day, celebrated on April 7 every year, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai took to Twitter to praise the role of the UAE's health sector in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Kindness Online Digital Wellbeing Matters!

Mishal Faraz, Year 9B

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What is Kindness Online?

With the world at our fingertips, we as netizens have a power that no other generation before us did, hence it is imperative that we show a sense of responsibility in proportion to that power. Kindness Online is an endeavour to make the digital realm a kinder and safer place for everyone because DIGITAL WELLBEING MATTERS! Kindness Online is a movement to make the digital platforms constructive spaces that embrace the values of tolerance, coexistence, solidarity, and diversity.

This initiative underscores the need to be kind, considerate and respectful on online platforms – chats, messages, WhatsApp, email, Zoom calls and so on and be prudent when it comes to striking a balance between the virtual and real world. “Kindness Online” is a campaign which aims to take a 360-degree view of the fact that it is so important to be kind – offline and online.

A Reminder That There is a Human Being on the Other Side of the Screen Kindness Online is a reminder to look past emojis, status updates, and posts and never forget that there’s a human being on the other side of the screen. It's a call to know that our worth is not defined by the number of likes, followers, and shares we have. And it's about being aware that in a bid to connect to people in the virtual world, we do not lose touch with the people who are with us in our physical world.

Propagating Kindness for One’s Ownself Additionally, the virtual platforms can be extremely consuming for some individuals who find themselves spending an unhealthy amount of time online without properly balancing the time they spend in the real world with their families and friends, pursuing their hobbies, and so on.

Researches have shown that excessive online usage can lead to isolation, anxiety, depression, agitation, dishonest, inability to keep schedules, moodiness, sleep deprivation, headaches, strained vision, etc.

Moreover, some individuals tend to seek validation in the number of likes, views, shares, etc. Again, something which is detrimental to emotional and psychological wellbeing.

“Kindness Online” aims to propagate kindness for one’s own self – to make individuals aware that there is more to life than social media interaction.

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IMPACT 4500+ Kindness Online Pledges Taken by Winchester Community Members The Kindness Online pledge is Winchester's affirmation that we are responsible netizens who believe that kindness must take precedence in all our actions and words. It is our commitment to ensure that our digital footprint is conducive to optimism and progress.

Have you taken the Kindness Online pledge? If you haven't, please click on this link to leave your indelible imprint on this initiative: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQ AAAAAAAAAAAANAAfy73nJUOFdDTDdESjhPUFhUT043TEI3QkNXMlczUy4u

View all your contributions on our Instagram platform @kindness_online_

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Tiny Tots at Their Creative Best!

Syed Mustafa Adeel, FS2D

Myra, FS2D

Nabhaan Aftab, FS2I

Alltych Alaan, FS2D

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The School Economist How to Choose Your Niche When Deciding to Pursue Economics for Further Studies When you're just beginning your studies in economics, you'll quickly come across two very important branches – microeconomics and macroeconomics. It's highly likely that you'll study both at some point during your degree, as they are two of the foundational planks of the subject. It is also likely, however, that you will have to choose which to take first, prompting the question: which is the best theoretical starting point for your studies? Having just started out this can be a tough question to answer. That's why we're going to give you a little run down of each, to help you make the most informed decision possible.

What's the Difference Between Macroeconomics and Microeconomics?

Before making any decisions about which classes to take, you need to understand what each subject refers to. Microeconomics is the study of economic systems on a small scale – meaning it is about the way in which economic theories play out when they are applied to an individual, a group, or a company. Macroeconomics, on the other hand, looks at the entire economy of countries or of the world. For example, microeconomics in practice would include the study of supply and demand for a particular product or service, or examination of how a particular piece of legislation would effect a business which operated in that area. Macroeconomics, on the other hand, examines economics on the larger scale, seeing how economic theories apply to governments and international organisations such as NATO. Examples of the kind of topics studied in macroeconomics would include the gross domestic product of a country, or the economics of imports to and exports from a country.

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Both micro- and macroeconomics deal with similar issues, but on different levels. In fact, the same topics of study can be relevant to both subjects.

Consider, for example, the cost of living in a particular area, and its relation to inflation. This is related to microeconomics – because it's about how much people have to spend on housing, food, entertainment and so on – and can therefore be described on the individual level. But it's also an important topic in macroeconomics, as inflation is affected by things like interest rates, which are, in part at least, set by the state. It can therefore also be analysed on the national level as a subject of macroeconomics.

The Relevance of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics to Economics in General The two fields are often connected then: investigating the microeconomic parts of something often reveals important clues about the macroeconomics, and vice versa. One rough way of thinking about this is that microeconomics is 'bottom up', looking at how individual choices affect economic systems, while macroeconomics is 'top down', looking at how economic systems affect the people living within them. In order to understand a complex economic issue such as how and when a state should adjust interest rates, you need to understand the basic principles of supply and demand and the way in which people make economic decisions, which would be microeconomics. Then you would need to understand how these principles apply to monetary systems and the financial market, and how the economy of a country fits into the international economic system, which would be macroeconomics.

Another factor is that in microeconomics, there is little in terms of competing schools of thought; that is to say, economists generally agree on the principles. The same, unfortunately, can't be said for macroeconomics, the definition of which has changed several times - and often drastically - since its inception. Debate is still strong when it comes to macroeconomic principles and especially in terms of forecasting. This can sometimes make it a more challenging, if perhaps more intellectually stimulating, area of study.

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Should You Take Microeconomics or Macroeconomics First?

Taking into account all of the above, most economics students are better off studying microeconomics first, and then progressing on to macroeconomics. That way, the principles of economics can be learned on an individual level, before being applied to the wider society and world.

However, some would argue the principles of economics are better understood if first seen in practice – as in, first one must understand the financial system in order to make any sense of economics as a topic. These people would argue it can be helpful to study macroeconomics before microeconomics.

Your university may also roll both subjects into one unit such as an Introduction to Economics course, removing any need, on your part, to make a choice at all. In all likelihood, any of these options will allow you to learn what you need to progress in your economics studies, but in general, most students will opt to begin with studying microeconomics first.

And in most cases, it is the safest bet.

A final point would be that microeconomics is generally more mathematical than macroeconomics. However, there will maths involved in macroeconomics, meaning having the mathematical foundation from microeconomics may be useful. In the end, if you're planning on taking both it may be worth studying macroeconomics initially. However, if you're only planning on taking one of the two – which is a rather unusual position to be in – pick whichever you find more interesting.

Welcome one and all! Conceptualized by our talented and enterprising Senior Editor and Columnist, Arjun Kapur of Year 13, this exclusive corner of WIN Times contemplates a new topic every issue. Issues and debates that hold a great influence on our school lives, and the outside world. Whether if it’s global events or the newest changes in our school, 'The School Economist' will enlighten you on how such changes affect our lives, and what we can do to make it better.

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Have you ever heard of World Art Day? Well, I hadn’t as well.

Every year, on the 15th of April, the world celebrates World Art Day. The initiative encourages greater awareness of the diversity of artistic expressions and highlights the contribution of artists to sustainable development.

It is also an occasion to shine a light on arts education in schools, as culture can pave the way for inclusive and equitable education.

My name is Martin Georgiev and I have been a student at The Winchester School for the past seven years.

Currently I am in 9C. Martin’s Art Space aims to enable students to experiment and try new ideas, thus giving their creativity a chance to bloom and to encourage the process and the experience of thinking and enhancing one’s personality. The need to explore art activities in schools is important as it ensures better emotional development.

Nobody can argue that art can help students relax after their long hours of studying hard.

Check this column for amazing ideas and techniques!

After reading about it, I thought, why not celebrating art every week. Let’s face it, we are spending an enormous amount of time on electronic devices. We need a break. What better way to give our brain relaxing activities that can relieve stress, express your creative side, and get in touch with your feelings?

My family celebrates art every Monday. Art Mondays are part of our weekly routine now. We decide on a project and work for several weeks until it is done.

Here is my latest Art Monday Project:

Japanese Hannya Mask 般若 Hannya mask is used in Noh Theater, representing a jealous female demon.

It possesses two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth. I have made a mouth, teeth and cheek bone part of the mask, my version is a more stylish version of the original mask and only covers half of your face.

Original

My version

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Sportz Unlimited Horse racing A tribute to H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Aryaman Chakravorty from Year 7 has been passionate about sports ever since he can remember. He likes playing soccer because it is a team game. He started gaining interest in the game when he was a little boy. He used to watch soccer with his dad and he started playing Soccer when he was 3 years old. The game of soccer taught him teamwork and dedication to train/practice. He loves watching different Soccer Leagues like English Premier League, La Liga, French League and many more. His personal favourite teams are Barcelona, Arsenal and Paris Saint-German.

Horse riding has been around since 4500 B.C. It was the main way of transportation around the world. Horse riding was first used by Central Asia and is now a sport and a part of the Olympics. Even with the equipment, horse racing is known to be even more dangerous than rugby and skiing. While riding a horse, you must be careful.

If you are going to ride a horse, you must follow some basic rules. You must always keep both your hands on the rein, keep both feet in the stirrups and concentrate on the movement of the horse and your posture.

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Sitting on a horse might seem easy, but learning to ride a horse is just as difficult as learning any other sport. Learning horse riding is hard because it challenges you mentally and physically to maintain your posture on the saddle while handling the movement of the horse. If you are aspiring to learn horse riding, I’m sure that you will succeed within a few years. As the saying goes, “Determination is nothing without dedication and hard work”.

It is hard to define the contribution of the late H.H Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to the sport of horse racing. While boosting the economy of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum established a horse racing empire in the UAE. He first learned about the sport while studying in the Bell School of Languages in Cambridge, England. H.H Sheikh Hamdan had a number of astonishing victories in major flat races around the world including the Dubai World Cup.

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The Green Guide Don’t Let Cigarette Stubs Destroy Our Planet!

Gareth Andrade is an 11-year-old student in Year 7 at The Winchester School who advocates for UN Sustainable Development Goal #14: Life Below Water. Since he was a little boy, he has been passionate about conserving sea animals, volunteering towards beach cleanups, being a conscious ecowarrior at home, at school and everywhere he goes.

He and his brother launched the “Balloons Blow Don’t Let Them Go” campaign in Dubai, in November 2018, and since then he has collected thousands of pledges.

Discarded cigarette stubs are highly toxic and harmful to marine wildlife. Just a single butt in one litre of water is enough to kill half of any fish present, according to research published recently. Cigarette stubs are the most common form of litter and eventually land in the ocean due to wind. They are consumed by animals and birds.

Sea creatures and land creatures are getting heavily affected by the mass of cigarette butts in the wild!

Cigarettes are smoked by over 1 billion people, and about 4.5 trillion individual butts pollutes our environment globally. We need to minimize the use of cigarettes.

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Change Begins With Me My family and I have been volunteering to clean up the beaches in Dubai, UAE since 2015, with the Project Mascot “Tilly The Turtle”.

So far, Project “Tilly The Turtle” Volunteers, have collected over 3 Million Cigarette Butts and 300+Kgs of rubbish from the beaches in Dubai, UAE. Stop Polluting the Oceans with Cigarette Butts The Green Guide encourages you to be responsible and help clean up our planet by educating smokers about the dangers and how cigarette butts affect our planet.

Have a look at some of the chemical used in cigarettes!

Fill the form to Join Tilly The Turtle’s Cause for The Global Goal SDG14 Life Below Water https://forms.gle/sjpLvYHKMD5ph6s5A

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Artwork Page

Ashpreet Rekhi, Year 7

Rianne Charlotte M. Pilao, Year 9

Anika Nair, Year 7

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It is said that librarians are the most powerful search engines in the world. They are the heroes who make the ocean of books seem like a pond to us. Ms. Veronika Lambova is the winner of the renowned School Librarian of the Year 2018 Award Conferred by Emirates Literature Foundation, in partnership with the Executive Council of Dubai. Ms. Veronika has inspired us with her transformative work in encouraging students to read, developing youth creativity and magnifying the importance of reading in the school.

Ms. Veronika Lambova at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2018 after receiving the Best Librarian Award from Jacqueline Wilson, the celebrated British author.

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y number one ultimate goal as a librarian is to instil a LOVE and PASSION for reading in each and every one of my students.

I had to break down classrooms’ walls and open a virtual library where I can meet my students and continue to encourage and support reading through digital media. The Primary Library was transformed in to a Virtual Library. We moved beyond traditional book reviews by creating FlipGrid topics where students record short videos to promote their favourite books. Book Clubs where transformed into Virtual Book Clubs. Students even host their own book clubs during break without

needing to leave their homes or classrooms.

Creating a culture of reading includes teachers, too. Students need to read, and so do I. As the Primary Librarian, I understand how important it is to help students find books that grab their attention and interest them. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to read to them.

My role as a librarian changed a lot during the pandemic in a very positive way. I don’t have to wait for a library lesson to start, I can enter the classroom at any given time and read to my beloved students.

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There are numerous benefits of reading good books. Studies show that reading for pleasure makes a big difference to children’s educational performance.

Children who read every day perform better in school, develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures.

I would like to share some practical tips to help you cultivate a reading habit.

Set Your Reading Goal For some of you it could be a goal of reading 10 books in a year. Another person might have a goal of 12, depending on various factors. Once you’re done placing a target number to your reading goal, then divide them into smaller goals. An example could be, reading at least one book per month in order to achieve a bigger goal of 12 books in a year. Be determined to make it an enjoyable process.

Make a List of Books Once you’re done setting your reading goal for the year, you’ll need a list of books to back it up. Write out a list of the amazing books you want to read. Ask for recommendations from friends and teachers.

Read at Least 10-20 Pages a Day If you’re looking to create a consistent reading pattern, then setting out a particular number of pages per day would work perfectly.

Set Reading Times and Days Set aside specific times every day to read your assigned book. Put away distractions such as turning off the TV or the computer.

Read for at least 30-40 minutes a day.

Get a Reading Partner or Join a Book Club Get a reading partner who has a heart and willingness to read, and create a plan to help you achieve your reading goals.

Join a book club, you’ll need the right people to help you stay focused and encouraged towards not just your reading goals, but general life goals.

Every year March is observed as the month of Reading in the UAE. The Winchester School students celebrated this occasion with various activities and initiatives such as morning reading during the registration time, virtual book clubs during break and many more. We are transforming reading into a daily habit in our school.

The latest initiative from the Primary Library was to invite students from around the world to join our FlipGrid topic “Say Hello with a Book”.

This Flip Grid topic will be shared with students from around the globe. Our students can record a short video to introduce themselves and share their favourite book. We would like to show the world that reading is part of our life in the UAE. We aim to spread the love of reading in all languages by connecting with school libraries around the world.

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Book Trails

A collection of book reviews written by the participants of the Winchester summer reading challenge 2020 Matilda, Roald Dahl Matilda Wormwood is a lovely 5-year-old girl with an extraordinary mind. She suffers at the hands of her own parents, who treat her as a scab, and it gets worse. She is sent to a school, where she is treated badly by her terrifying and ferocious headmistress, Miss Agatha Trunchbull.

Matilda was assigned to a teacher whose name is Miss Honey. When Miss Honey finds out the intelligence of this astonishing child, she was shocked and immediately agreed that she should be placed in the top forms. She speaks to Matilda’s parents about the same. When they refuse, the teacher works with Matilda to figure out plans that will give the headmistress and the parents a good taste of their own medicine.

Mehek Agarwal, Year 5, WIN Jebel Ali

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling One of my favorite books is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. It is a story about Harry Potter, an orphan brought up by his aunt and uncle because his parents were killed when he was a baby.

Harry is unloved by his uncle and aunt, but everything changes when he is invited to join Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and he finds out he’s a wizard. At Hogwarts Harry realizes he’s special and his adventures begin when he and his new friends Ron and Hermione attempt to unravel the mystery of the Philosopher’s Stone. I can read this book repeatedly. From the very beginning until the end J.K. Rowling has me gripped! There is never a dull moment, whether it’s battling trolls, a three-headed dog, or Harry facing Lord Voldemort.

Vanya Kamlesh Phulwani, Grade 5, GEMS Modern Academy

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The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling The story is about a human kid Mowgli, who was abandoned in the Seeonee Jungles of India and was raised by a pack of wolves with Raksha, the mother wolf and her litter of wolf cubs. Soon Mowgli grew up into a fearless and a courageous boy yet very kind and caring. He was taught the Laws of the Jungle by Baloo the bear, his best friend and Bagheera the panther, his protector. But evil Shere Khan had returned to that part of the jungle and heard of the man cub and wanted to kill him.

The story unfolds great adventures of Mowgli in the jungle with many animals. In the end Mowgli kills Shere Khan and everyone in the jungle rejoices and praises Mowgli for his bravery and courage.

Aarush Dangra, Grade 4, GEMS Modern Academy

Grandpa’s Great Escape, David Walliams Grandpa is getting forgetful. But his memories of flying war planes are sharp as bayonets. Grandpa and Jack love watching World War II films, eating Spam a la Custard, and visiting the Imperial War Museum. But when Grandpa goes missing and Jack finds him stowed away in the Museum's Spitfire, Jack's parents decide it's time for him to move to Twilight Towers. Sneaking in to visit Grandpa under cover, Jack spots the scary matron forging the residents' wills, discovers a room full of pills to keep them asleep and another piled high with ominous coffins, it's up to Jack to help Grandpa escape!

Eman Ayman, Year 6, WIN Jebel Ali

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ALL About BOOKS Little Women is a story of 4 sisters who have faced many battles throughout their lives.

They go through family separation and lose one of their sisters and yet at the end they all come together like a family again.

It all started on the coldest winter they had ever witnessed in their childhood. A temporary poverty had fallen upon the March family some years before. The war was also happening during those chilly winters, and it seemed like the winter would make the war harder. But somehow the March family was able to make its own light. Marmee (the mother) came home and Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy – the 4 sisters – were expecting her earlier but were happy that she came. She was freezing cold, so they all wrapped their mother with a jacket.

She had a letter in her pocket, and she told Amy to check who it was from. Amy shouted with excitement - it was from father.

Their father was in the army and was fighting in the war. He sent a letter to them, so they would know he is doing well. The letter was very sad, however they were happy to know that their father was alive.

Thereafter, Marmee lightened the moment by encouraging all to celebrate Christmas.

As it was Christmas Eve Beth started playing Christmas carols on the piano and later all the 4 sisters went to their room and

started singing. Jo loved to write stories and plays. At late night, her mind would come alive, and she would visualize friends and makes stories out of it.

The next morning, they were making special treats to eat. Meg called Jo to come at the table for food. It was Jo’s favourite food – sausages. She almost grabbed it to take a bite, but Meg stopped her and told her to wait for everyone to come. Jo was craving to eat sausages and was not happy to wait any longer. The March family offered food to their neighbours called Hummels. Since the Hummels were poor, the March family usually helped them by giving them their food. All the 4 sisters went out wearing thick clothing to give food to the Hummel family.

While they were outside, they saw Laurie, who lives opposite to their house, going with his father to the church. Laurie lives with his father in a mansion, and he was very rich, and he also has his own teacher, Mr. Brooke.

At night, Jo wrote a play and was enacting it with her sisters, and Laurie was out listening to them from his house. Beth suggested that Jo should publish the story, but she rejected the thought that she could publish a book.

They looked out the window and saw Laurie. Beth said that he looks lonely and asked do you think he will try to call us.

Meg said that he grew up in Italy nevertheless he came here to live with this awful old man. The next day they were dressing to go to a party. Jo was braiding Meg’s hair and ruined it; however, they still went to the party. Someone was wearing a feather dress at the party and swiftly one of their feathers came off. Jo caught it and someone else saw the feather and told her that she is going to try catching that feather and they both started chasing it. Luckily, Jo caught it, although she found herself in a hall

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where Laurie was sitting. They introduced themselves to each other as well as started asking questions to each other. Jo asked Laurie what he was doing sitting by himself.

Laurie answered that he was watching Jo because he thought that she was playing a game. Suddenly Meg sprained her ankle plus could not dance anymore so Laurie offered that he could take her in his carriage. When they all reached home, Amy started asking a lot of questions to Laurie because all the four sisters liked him. The next day they started playing with Laurie while Marmee and Mr. Brooke were talking to each other.

Mr. Brooke is Laurine’s tutor.

Then Laurie took them to the theatre. At the theatre, Mr. Brooke and Meg were talking to each other. Jo called Amy names. Amy became furious so she burned Jo’s manuscript and they both started fighting and after some time neither of them were happy. Laurie was going to college and Jo gave him all the books he needed. When Beth went to give food to the Hummel’s she found out that the Hummel baby got scarlet fever.

A letter from their father came and it said that he was wounded and was in the hospital, so Marmee went to meet him. But Beth was not feeling so well either and she needed Marmee. So, she came back. It was Christmas, so everyone wanted to give Beth a surprise by giving her a piano and she started playing Deck the Halls. That Christmas, their father came home to give them a surprise. Later everyone was back as a family. After that, Meg and Mr. Brooke got married. Jo wanted to see the world and

so Marmee helped Jo find a place in New York. Jo met Mr. Bhear in New York but he told her to call him Friedrich. Jo had some good news that her book was going to be published. Luckily, she had her first draft with her, which she showed to Mr. Friedrich.

He replied that it wasn’t good enough to be published. Jo got furious yet controlled her temper. While Amy was in Paris learning painting, Laurie met her with Fred Vaughn.

Later, Jo was going to publish her book.

However, Jo apologized that her stories cannot reach the high standards and she went back to her home. Beth was still sick, and she was waiting for Jo to come back, but in fact she wanted everyone to come home so they can be like a family again.

Unfortunately, Beth passed away and Aunt March went on a sea voyage. Jo said that we will not be a family again. Meg gave birth to a son and a daughter. Afterwards, Amy and Laurie got married and came back home and soon everyone became a family again.

Marmee and Dad were gone together. Jo married Friedrich and they all lived happily as a family.

Anna Sewell is from England and she is a British author. This book was very good and fun to read so I would hope that everyone would read this wonderful book. This book represents 4 sisters and a mother who were taking care of everything in the house while their father was fighting in the war. After some time, all hope seemed lost but suddenly everyone became a family again.

The author’s style of writing is amusing, sad, depressing, happy, and funny, all at the same time. The age group for this book is 8–18years-old.

My name is Piyush Sehgal, and I am ten years old. I study in Year 6.

I like all kinds of sports and activities and my hobbies include badminton and football. My favourite subjects are Maths, English, Science, Art, Physical Education, Arabic and French as I have good teachers to teach me. I enjoy reading books of different genres like suspense, comedy, fiction, non-fiction, adventure, and personal experiences. I hope you find pleasure in reading my thoughts and views.

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Do you like to travel? Do you like adventures? You have come to the correct page. This month, the place we are visiting is amazing, extraordinary, and full of rare attractions and exceptional wonders.

No, we are not going to a country hosting Disneyland or Universal Studios. This trip is to…

Iceland Iceland is a mesmerizing country famous for its nature, beautiful scenery, and diverse and breathtaking landscapes. It is a unique country which I put on my bucket list once we can freely travel one day.

First discovered by the Vikings, the island was covered with glaciers and it was given this name, meaning ice country.

But Iceland is much more than ice and glaciers.

Iceland is a small, island country in the middle of Northern Atlantic Ocean, touching the Arctic circle, and originated from a volcano eruption a long time ago. It is situated in Northern Europe and as an island, it has no neighboring countries. The nearest neighbor is Greenland. Norway and Scotland are a bit far. Iceland is the second largest island in Europe and in size, is about the same as the state of Kentucky, USA. It may sound cold, but Iceland has a moderate climate and there are four seasons. Warm waters coming from Gulf Stream (a strong ocean current that brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean) make summers pleasant and winters cold but tolerable.

The weather in Iceland is known to change very quickly and unpredictably and to be incredibly windy. Can you imagine that Icelandic language has more than 100 words to talk about wind? But as one Icelander’s saying goes,

“There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.”

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Because of its geographical position, Iceland is one of the countries where you can relish a natural phenomenon that occurs during the summer months – the midnight sun. This is the time when the sun remains visible at the local midnight.

During this period, the days get so long that no dark nights are observed. Around the summer solstice (June 21st), the sun is visible for the full 24 hours in Northern Iceland. In the other parts of the country, the sun does set below the horizon, but only for a couple of hours. Can you imagine summer vacation without dark nights, allowing you to play outside in the middle of the night? During the winter solstice (December 21), the days are extremely short - the sun rises just for no more than 4 hours.

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and it is home to over 60% of the population of the country. It is known that Reykjavik is the northernmost capital city in the world.

Translated, the name Reykjavik means Smoky bay and it is believed to be the first settlement in Iceland. The capital city is a popular tourist destination, and it has the reputation for being one of the greenest, cleanest, and safest cities in the world.

Reykjavik meets nearly all of its electricity and heating needs from renewable resources which makes the country one of the greenest countries in the world. Moreover, the country take its environment very seriously and invests in its sustainability.

Along with its renewable energy programs, the country plays a major role in the fight against the ocean pollution.

Iceland has had many flags over its history – being part of Norway and then ruled by Denmark and Sweden for more than 500 years and after all that, became an independent republic in 1944.

The flag in use today symbolizes the three of the elements of the island: Red symbolizing the lava and volcanic fires; White for the snow and Blue for the surrounding Atlantic Ocean.

The official language of Iceland is Icelandic – a North Germanic language originated from Old Norse. Icelandic language is similar to the old Norwegian which was spoken over 1000 years ago and has barely changed since then.

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Can you try to read the word from this picture? It is difficult, right? The Icelandic language is difficult to understand and the sound of it is quite strange for nonnative speakers. However, the country is proud with its language because it is quite unique, and it is a source of national pride.

Even though, most people speak English as a second language, there are also many people speaking Danish or Norwegian.

Although Iceland is a country owning its name to the immense quantities of ice found on it, in the form of glaciers that cover over 11% of the country’s surface. This is also a place where you can witness volcanoes, geysers, waterfalls, valleys, and black sand beaches, widely known as a “Land of Fire and Ice”, Icelandic contrasting nature makes the country diverse, beautiful, and appealing.

This is a country with scenic nature and terrain that has been untouched by humans for thousands of years. Did you know, that before the Apollo mission to the Moon, more than 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong- the first person to walk on the moon and 30 other astronauts underwent field training in Iceland? They visited Iceland because it is one of the most Moon-like terrains on Earth, making it an ideal training place before their expedition to the moon.

The geological location of Iceland gives it a wonderful landscape of hot springs, geysers, earthquakes and occasional volcano eruptions. The most recent eruption was end of March this year of the Fagradalsfjall volcano, which woke up after 800 years.

Iceland is a volcanic island and is home to around 130 volcanoes. Most of them are inactive like the Thrihnucagigur volcano or translated in English “Three Peaks Crater”. This geological phenomenon has not erupted for over 4000 years which makes it perfectly safe to enter. Yes, you can actually go inside the magma chamber – the heart of this unique volcano, 213 meters deep to enjoy the beauty of the coloration and various forms found inside.

Iceland is known for its geysers and waterfalls too – another spectacular feature of this remarkable country.

Godafoss is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland along with the most powerful one, Dettifoss, being 45 meters high.

Have you heard about the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis? It is a dream for many people to watch them. And again, Iceland is one of the perfect places to make this dream come true and to observe this natural phenomenon, when tiny particles stream out from the Sun and hit the Earth’s atmosphere.

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Iceland is home to many different species of animals, but the country is famous for its strict protection of their Icelandic Horses.

Distinctive looking, the Icelandic Horses arrived in Iceland with the Vikings and they stayed ever since.

Isolated on the little island for a thousand years without any involvement of other breeds from outside, perfectly suited for the harsh Icelandic climate, the horses are part of Iceland’s national identity.

Icelandic customs and traditions are as rich and diverse as its landscape. Along with the traditional holidays, Icelanders celebrate several unique holidays related to ancient Viking traditions. The annual Viking festival is one of them, and it is an event of keeping the history of the Viking Age alive. During the festival people wearing Viking style clothes, fight each other in combat in a friendly manner and demonstrate Viking style fighting arts like axe throwing and archery.

“As my journey progressed across Iceland, words began to fail me so that all I could do was circle a fjord and write

“Wow.’’ Andrew Evans In this very special column, Victoria Nedyalkova from Year 6 takes us through a journey of a new country every time – location, history, culture, art, music, food, and a lot more. During the pandemic, when many of us have not travelled since many months, Victoria takes us through a virtual tour which not only delights the senses, but also helps us know more about different places and people, understand, and celebrate them better.

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METAMORPHOSIS The Art of Language, a Miraculous Gift Innovation often has a very clichéd meaning that discredits its very unrestricted bounds. In fact, we started innovating from the minute the Phoenicians created the alphabets we use in the English language.

In any twisted or implicit form, innovation was always there, but we are now being taught to embrace it. One of the most overlooked fields of innovation would be language arts. Conventionally, innovation would relate to an invention that uses the theories of humanities, sciences, or mathematics but don’t we ever wonder how these global leaders and celebrities and presidents rally their support?

Even the music industry is inspired heavily

by English, the whole idea of “wordplay” rhythm, rhyme and melody revolves around the phonetics of a word or phrase.

So, the next time you’re listening to your favourite singer or rapper, pay attention to their use of rhyme, rhythm and even creative wordplays. Language opens several opportunities to express your views in innovative ways.

Whenever you go window shopping, these catchy ads and posters are always put up to gage your attention. Trust me, they are

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extremely effective, from hyperboles to rhymes to alliteration to sibilance and much more, these tricks are used to capture our attention even amongst the chaotic scene of a mall. Just a couple of cleverly used words can give you the sudden urge to buy something that you may not need.

These tactics have been used for years, marketing is a massive industry that yet again depends on the blessings of the English language, and it’s a billion-dollar industry!

Some of you readers might have been or currently are history students, do you ever wonder how leaders like Hitler rallied so much support, well in this case it was the wonders of persuasion. Actions might be louder than words, but those very words can be amplified by several persuasive skills such as pleasing the demands of the people, being inclusive or even using catchy phrases that grab a passer-by’s attention. However, Hitler used this gift for all the wrong reasons, but we can use it to improve our societies and advocate for the thousands of social discrepancies all around the world. The possibilities are limitless!

The gift of language remains concealed till date and it will take centuries and generations to unravel its convoluted roots.

This form of expression has undeniably one of the most crucial elements to our civilisation.

Conceptualized by our Senior Editor and Columnist, Aarav Pradhan or Year 11, “Metamorphosis” talks about growth and progression and targets the youth to innovate and spread their ideas, providing a platform for us as students to be creative. The word metamorphosis means development, and that is what we as youth do. Its emblem represents a butterfly spreading its wings and metamorphosing, similar to us growing up and gaining our voice and passions. “Metamorphosis” is the burning catalyst ready to create a never-ending spark of creativity in our minds!

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On the slope of the desolate river among pathetic shadows we whispered to be heard, To be tossed and lost and fragmented into a whirlpool of this fearful joy, In desperate hope I reach out to him far across, holding in the power of scepticism , Like a flock of homesick cranes; whining to be seen with little courage but absolute blessings, But perhaps this could be over?

Perhaps the grief of limitations forlorn our fragrant days?

Perhaps we could only imagine the indefectible…

Perhaps I shall be wise this time or wiser than the wise, Perhaps.

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I behold my width and compulsion and therefore I shall believe in myself, My identify summons the truth. It is the height of pessimism for me.

I surely know my pride will see faces and so will I, The warmth of the hundred petals of roses will not remain sealed forever and the secret of it’s stimulating spirit shall be bared, With a stumbling heart and eyes reflecting thousands of enchanting rays of depth and hope, On the slope of the desolate river among pathetic shadows we whispered to be heard.

Ahili Chatterjee is a student in Year 10 who enjoys a variety of subject areas that cater to different levels of logical and imaginative skills. Ahili believes that learning haphazard facts along the way will surely come to the rescue someday.

Furthermore, she takes joy in creating artwork, listening to many different genres of music, and learning national anthems of different countries. She has received different accolades from the school upon various activities in the past two years. In addition to this, she often finds herself drowning in her busy thoughts which happen to be one of the events that led her to compose this poem. ‘Midnight Blessings’ is about the connection between positive spirit and humans but the main idea behind this it is to enable the readers to come up with their own meanings according to their varied perspectives about life.

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The Beauty of Nature Hamza Imtiaz, 4D Nature, nature, the nature is all around, Flowers, trees, birds, and bees that surround.

Life is wonderful because of it, Fills our hearts with joy in every bit.

The buzzing of bumblebees, The whooshing of pine trees, Blooming flowers painted bright, Ladybugs sitting, it is such a sight.

Mighty mountains that touch the sky, Winding rivers that pass it by, Pitter patter of rain drops, dancing grass of pasture, The song of birds, the chirp of crickets is the music of nature.

Nature is a colourful painting, Magnificent, wonderful, and enchanting Nature is the peace of mind and soul, That fills our hearts with joy, calm and much more.

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Two-Minute Cupcake Riyab Aftab, FS1E

INGREDIENTS o o o o o o o o

4 tbsp flour 4 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp cocoa powder 3 tbsp milk 3 tbsp oil/butter Vanilla extract if needed A pinch of baking soda Colourful sprinkles

RECIPE o Take a microwave proof cup. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, milk, oil ,vanilla extract and baking soda to it. o Mix it well and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. o Keep an eye as it comes up, put a knife in it to check whether it's cooked. Take it out, decorate it with sprinkles. Enjoy it with condensed milk, cream or Icecream.

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Healthy Iftar Drink Nabhaan Aftab, FS2I INGREDIENTS o Milk- 1/2 glass o Basil leaves soaked in water for few hours – 3-4 spoons o Ice-cream syrup – to taste o Sugar – if needed o Crushed almonds o Crushed pistachios o Jelly cubes

RECIPE o To make one individual

portion, take half a glass of milk and add sugar to it if needed, then dissolve it. o Add 3 to 4 spoons of basil seeds, ice-cream syrup, jelly cubes, crushed dry fruits. Mix it well. Now you can top it up with some ice-cream for iftar.

Nabhaan wants to share some of the benefits of basil seeds!