WIN Times December 2022

Win times

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE, CREATING A LEGACY

Vision

Our vision is to nurture a transformative learning community where all stakeholders feel loved, respected and encouraged to become globally responsible and achieve their potential and beyond.

Mission

Create and facilitate a culture of growth mindset, investing in all stakeholders to embrace learning by being resilient, innovative problem solvers and effective communicators.

Empower unique, empathetic and self-directed members for a rapidly changing world and instill in them critical thinking skills and a global perspective.

Foster a positive and stimulating environment with a holistic approach to nurture individuals academic, social and emotional wellbeing by embedding respect for core values of honesty, loyalty, perseverance, care and compassion.

Every child matters, Every voice matters!

by Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya

and as a whole school.

Winchester is a community that always strives to do better. I am confident the care, commitment, collaboration and communication will continue to be the strength which will accelerate our growth in the coming new year too!

From the Editor’s Desk

Dear WIN Family,

Warm greetings!

Welcome to a brand-new issue of WIN Times!

What a wonderful academic year it has been so far. The Winchester corridors, grounds, and classrooms have been buzzing with activity – enriching learning, exciting initiatives, events, active participation by all stakeholders, and so much more. The positive energy is undeniably contagious, and we are looking forward to 2023 bringing us more happiness, achievements, and reasons to celebrate.

Winchester is a school which doesn’t rest on its laurels. We strive to make tomorrow better than today, and it is that spirit that guides us at WIN Times. As the official magazine of Winchester, we understand and honour the responsibility entrusted on our shoulders. Our endeavour was and will always be to create a superlative reading experience for the WIN Family.

The Winchester talent is paramount, and it is very evident in the rich variety of articles in this issue. The supremely talented WIN Times columnists cover an expansive range of topics between them- philosophy, the environment, and global citizenship, to baking, the history of inventions, wellbeing, and sports, just to name a few. Another column we are extremely excited about is WIN Alumni Connect which will share inspiring stories of Winchester alumni making their mark in the world. We have commenced the column with an insightful interview with Aakanksha Mathur, Class of 2019. We are also very grateful to Ms. Veronika Lambova, Primary librarian for gracing WIN Times as a columnist since the first issue and spreading the joy for reading. Thank you to Mr. Gaber, Head of Arabic and Islamic Education, for the absorbing article about the Hajj simulation.

And finally, the pièce de resistance of the issue – an exclusive interview with our exemplary Principal Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya. A must read for the entire Winchester community! On that note, we would like to thank Ms. Meenakshi for being our source of inspiration and guidance for all that we do at WIN Times. We are ever so grateful.

Wishing everyone a restful winter break. We’ll see you in 2023!

Warm regards, Mishal Faraz

Founder, Editor-in-Chief, and Graphic Designer

Meet the Team

Editorial Team Staff Columnist

Mir Faraz, Year 8 Founder, Managing Editor Columnist

Aarav Pradhan, Year 13 Senior Editor Columnist

Victoria Nedyalkova, Year 8 Co-Editor Columnist

Ms. Veronika Lambova, Primary Librarian

Meet the Team

Nadia Gaber Sayah Year 5

Jaimee Felysse A. Reyes Year 7

Student Columnists

Sarah Javed Year 4 Madiha Javed Year 6

Saadgee Singh Year 6

Inspiring Messages from the Rulers of the Seven Emirates

Compiled by Mishal Faraz, Year 11

The 2nd of December is a golden-lettered day for the United Arab Emirates. On this day, citizens and residents celebrate the spirit of the union, the founding fathers, and the benevolent rulers of this glorious nation. To commemorate this very special occasion, we have compiled the inspiring messages given by the rulers of the seven Emirates.

"December the 2nd holds a special place in the story of the UAE, when our nation's founding fathers joined together to establish the Union. As we celebrate our 51st UAE National Day, we pledge to continue our country's progress and to keep striving to fulfil our shared ambitions."

- His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi

“Our homeland will always remain a giver and a peacemaker, and we will support local, national, and international initiatives aimed at improving government performance, delivering the future, fostering innovation, empowering local communities, combating poverty, advancing clean energy, and promoting tolerance.”

- His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

“On this day, we commemorate the bright memory of the Founding Fathers, led by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his brothers, the Founders of the Nation, as well as their determination, wisdom, and vision that established the Union. Throughout this journey, our citizens, equipped with knowledge and science, have exerted all possible efforts to advance the nation and achieve its interests."

- His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah

“On this day, we express our pride and appreciation for the UAE and its leadership’s achievements, which have made it a model of a comprehensive renaissance and a distinguished example of a prominent country respected by the entire world."

- His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman

"On this national occasion, we affirm the Union’s principles that were established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the Founding Fathers, which are being continued by future generation, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Ours is a distinguished country, where everyone has the right to commemorate the past, just as we today witness unprecedented overall national achievements.”

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His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah

“The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan realised that progress and development are linked to unity and combining efforts to advance the nation. Therefore, he took a courageous decision, with support from his brothers, the Founding Rulers, to found the United Arab Emirates, and provided the country with all the components required to catapult the UAE on its fastpaced journey of development, thus, creating one of the most successful models of unity.”

- His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla

Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain

“Since its establishment 51 years ago, the UAE has logged significant accomplishments in its track record, enabling it to achieve a high stature regionally and globally. Powered by a set of values that include tolerance, coexistence and openness, the UAE has continued to enhance its global presence, by empowering the people to perform their roles optimally in pushing the country’s development forward."

- His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi

Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah

A few glimpses of the National Day celebrations at Winchester

Trailblazing the path to success

An inspiring interview with

Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya, Principal and CEO

“If you have the grit and determination, nobody can stop you.”

Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya started her career in education in a nursery as an Early Years educator. In the following year, she had the privilege to work with the start-up team as the Founder Supervisor of their new branch. She joined GEMS at The Winchester School, Jebel Ali in 2005 as an Early Years educator and in her 21 years of experience in the educational field, she has been primarily at The Winchester School, Jebel Ali for 17 years with the last 15 years in leadership. Ms. Meenakshi is an exceptional Principal and Leader, first as Head of Foundation Stage, then Head of Primary, Vice Principal before finally being appointed Principal/CEO of GEMS Winchester School, Jebel Ali in 2016. She has continually grown and developed comprehensively as an outstanding leader, responsible for significant and continuous school improvement both within her own school as well as across the GEMS network. A firm believer in the growth mindset, Ms. Meenakshi encourages and inspires all students to be the best that they possibly can while placing the GEMS Core Values at the core of all that they do.

In this exclusive interview to WIN Times, conducted by the Managing Editor, Mir Faraz, Year 8, Ms. Meenakshi shares words of wisdom and advice for the Winchester Family.

The past 2 years saw us traversing uncharted waters. How do you think the WIN community has evolved through the challenge?

I am so impressed by everyone. Technology wise, our students are very proficient, and through the pandemic, our teachers learned quickly and diligently found ways to engage with everyone. The learning curve was huge and very impressive. Usually adults are sensitive about their learning and exposure to the outside world, but our teachers learned quickly with great dedication. Students used to be able to enjoy school with their friends, but during distance learning it was difficult for students to interact with each other.

But they adapted, and we’ve evolved profoundly since then.

You have a strong belief in the growth mindset. How do you see it being translated in the learning and growing curve of WIN family?

Our motto of the Growth Mindset makes sure that we never give up and we always make the extra effort to reach out to all needs. We get various feedback, a mix of positive suggestions for us to improve, and a lot of time is spent trying to make everything smooth and we continuously keep getting better. We’ve worked diligently, and continue to do so, with what I like to call the 4 C’s – care, commitment, compassion, and collaboration.

Ms. Meenakshi welcoming Dr. Abdulla Al-Karam, Director-General of KHDA, to Winchester in November 2021.

What would you say are the requisites of 21st century learners?

It is vital for all 21st century learners to be innovators, good communicators, good listeners, as well as problem-solvers. No matter what, if you can communicate efficiently, you can do anything. Also, being an avid reader and keeping yourself updated with the happenings around the world, plus thinking creatively and being tech-savvy, is extremely important, If you have good networks, you can reach out to

anywhere in the world. And therefore, relationships and networking are important.

What are the greatest strengths of WIN Jebel Ali?

We never give up, we have the grit to always strive to do better and better. We continue to strive for excellence, and we have high aspirations. We are a reflective school and concentrate on our strengths and think about how to improve, and we always keep up with the world around.

“ ”

We never give up, we have the grit to always strive to do better and better.

At the Khaleej Times Office for a Meet the Principal event.

Having started her career as an Early Years Educator, Ms. Meenakshi shares a special bond with the Foundation Stage tiny tots. Here, FS children are proudly presenting her with a mango grown in Winchester’s very own garden.

How do you envision our school in the years/decades to come?

I am very proud and confident of the children we have I strongly believe our biggest inspiration is our students. Our students are diverse and talented and they will continue to motivate us to put in our best efforts to take the school from strength to strength.

What is your most profound source of inspiration?

My greatest inspiration are my students and staff.

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The Winchester School, Jebel Ali completes 2 decades next year. Please share your reflections on this journey.

2 decades is a very gratifying journey. The years have been full of dedication, achievements, and gratitude. I’ve been a part of Winchester since almost the beginning, and it has been a wonderful journey. I’m grateful to my students and staff, and that sense of gratefulness has kept Winchester growing to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment. Additionally, I think that Winchester has the best code, WIN, because in every situation we always win.

If you had to give one advice to all students reading this interview, what would it be?

Always believe in yourself, and at the same time, always give your best. We will always have many circumstances and be in many situations that might not be what we wanted. If you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. Think about what you can do, and not about what others can do or what others have, and that will take you a long way. If you have the grit and determination, nobody can stop you.

With Ms. Harpreet Kaur, Vice Principal of WIN Jebel Ali.

Ms. Meenakshi pinning a badge of gratitude and honour on Mr. Shibu, School Transport Services, during a celebration event organized for the WIN support staff.

Winchester has the best code, WIN, because in every situation we always win.

With Dr. Abdulla Al-Karam and the WIN PE team.

The Hajj Simulation

Mr. Gaber Sayah

Head of Arabic and Islamic education

Mr. Gaber Sayah is the Head of Arabic and Islamic Education. Mr. Gaber believes that children of Winchester are wonderful and special; they are the lifeblood of the school. They are charismatic, charming young people with an appetite for learning and a thirst for knowledge. Mr. Gaber always goes above and beyond to ensure the most enriching experience for students. In this exclusive article, Mr. Gaber shines the spotlight on one of the most illustrious events of the year – the Hajj Simulation.

It was a special and indescribable event to see our students leading the Hajj simulation with excellent support from our great teachers. The students experienced the rituals, which was motivating and enjoyable for both Muslims and NonMuslims who saw a live scene of pilgrims doing circumambulation and pursuit around the Ka’ba (the Holy House of God). We are really proud of our students' interaction through the event, their questions and their effective responses to all kinds of questions asked Hajj simulation commenced as follows:

1Miqaat: the station where a person can start the Ihraam and becomes a Muhrim. A Muhrim wears two seamless towels. This is only for the male pilgrims, not the female. Anything seamed is not allowed to be worn for men. Nothing can be put on one's head such as hats or turbans. Women wear regular modest Hijabs

Reaching

Makkah: Pilgrims reach Al Masjid al- Haram, and they walk seven times counter-clockwise around the Kaabah (Tawaf). This is Tawaf Al Qodoom.

Sa’y al Safa wal Marwah

: The pilgrims perform sa`y, walking and increasing their speed seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah. Then they stay in Al Masjid al-Haram till the Hajj rituals start.

2 3 4

Makkah to Mina

: Mina is where several Hajj rites are performed. The Pilgrims go to Mina on the 8th of Dhu’l-Hijjah. They stay in Mina for one day.

Mina to Arafat:

This is the Day of Arafat. The pilgrims stay in Arafat from after dawn until after sunset. After performing the Fajr prayer at Mina, the pilgrims leave for Arafat on the morning of the 9th of Dhu’l-Hijjah. In Arafat, as much time as possible is devoted to prayers, repentance for sins, and in seeking forgiveness of Allah When the sun has set, the pilgrims should leave Arafat for Muzdalifah.

Arafat to Muzdalifa

: The pilgrims stay in Muzdalifah from after sunset on the 9th of Dhu’l-Hijjah until after the Fajr prayer on the 10th of Dhu’lHijjah They stay in Muzdalifah under the open sky. The evening prayer (Maghrib) is offered followed by an overnight stay While at Muzdalifah, the pebbles needed for the “stoning” ceremony (ramy) should be gathered. Some pebbles may have been collected in Mina.

10th of Dhu’l-

Hijjah

: The next stage is proceeding to Mina for the stoning (ramy) of Jamarat ul Kubra. The stoning is

followed by the sacrifice and the shaving/cutting of hair

The pilgrims then leave the state of Ihram, by shaving his head (if a woman, by clipping her hair). The prohibitions imposed by Ihram are now removed. The next stage is proceeding to the al Masjid al Haram in Makkah to perform Tawaf alIfadha.

Tawaf al-

Ifadha

: The pilgrim returns to Makkah to perform Tawaf al-Ifadha on 10th of Dhu’l-Hijjah.Tawaf al-Ifadha is an essential element of Hajj The pilgrim circumambulates the Kaabah seven times and performs Sa’y between Safa and Marwah. The Hajj Tawaf (Tawaf alIfadha) having been completed, the state of Ihram is completely ended

Farewell Tawaf

: The Farewell Tawaf (Circumambulation), marks the end of one’s Hajj. Say does not form part of the Farewell Tawaf.

Learn Arabic with Nadia

Hello! My name is Nadia Gaber Sayah, I'm in Year 5, and I'm back for the third consecutive year as a WIN Times columnist! In this column, I will continue to teach the WIN Times readers Arabic phrases. So let me take you on a journey to learn more about this beautiful language.

My name is Abdelrahman Yasser, and I am the Secondary Head Boy for this academic year, currently I am in Year 13.

Over the last year our students have achieved great accomplishments, breaking records in competitions whether it be academically or athletically, as well as achieving spectacular grades, which surpassed our predecessors’. We have reached total excellence. However, we are not yet satisfied, over the years we have come to learn that we are capable of achieving so much more than imaginable. We strive for Excelsior.

The student government body is constantly striving to find new and

ABDELRAHMAN YASSER

SECONDARY HEAD BOY

creative ways to boost student morale as well as better the school as a whole. New initiatives are being implemented almost daily, whether they’re completely new or an overhauled idea. We hope to continue to break records and achieve all our goals while representing our school with uttermost pride and glory.

All of us leaders, are here to help one another not just as students but as a big family that strives together. We unite to form a society of pioneers who are always looking and working for the betterment of our school as a community.

As Head Girl, I hope for this academic year to bring about new changes in the self-expression and creativity of students. Our world is an ever-evolving landscape where new ideas, thoughts and beliefs are constantly being discovered, and I believe our students are the embodiment of this continuous path to the future. As the world progresses ahead, we as students flourish and carry on prospering towards

MICHELLE CHARLES

SECONDARY HEAD GIRL

grander endeavours simultaneously. I am certain that this academic year will have greater opportunities for the students of Winchester to showcase their multifaceted natures, foster new passions and expressive outlets, as well as further strengthen our cohesiveness as a community and commitments to the core values of the Winchester family.

The Winchester School puts in all the efforts to instil leadership qualities in all its pupils and achieve academic excellence as well as endeavour to become citizens of the future.

It's my pleasure to be the Head Boy for the academic year 2022-2023, and it gives me immense honour to serve my school.

Being the Head Boy is not an easy path, but with the

YASIR DHURGAM

PRIMARY HEAD BOY

support of my teachers and friends, we will facilitate this mission. I stand here not only to lead the Primary school, but to work in collaboration with each one of you to achieve the best for our school.

Dream, set targets, and accomplish them with diligence and pride. And always remember that hard work is the key to success.

“Every Child Matters” is the motto of the Winchester School, with every member of the Winchester family collaborating to deem this possible. We at Winchester, strongly believe that student voice is important. Through our Student Government body, our school inculcates leadership skills in our students to create lifelong leaders.

I am Saadgee Singh and it is my immense pleasure and honour to be the Primary Head Girl. Since the beginning of the academic year, our team has been working to accomplish new targets. We all are leaders, whether we have a badge or not. In this academic year, we can improve our leadership qualities as things are

SAADGEE SINGH

PRIMARY HEAD GIRL

starting to take a turn towards normal. We will be able to interact with our peers more and learn new skills from them.

Having a motto is one thing, but living up to it is another. My personal motto is: “Collaboration is the key to success.” We hope to see lot of collaborations as two minds are better than one.

We all come to school to learn, dream and achieve but we end up doing much more. Anything is possible if we believe in it and work for it. Your time, and dedication are extremely essential to ensure that we succeed as a team.

WIN Alumni Connect

This new column is inspired by Winchester’s legacy of almost 20 years. Thousands of students have taken successful strides out of the Winchester gates and into every corner of the world. These alumni have carved out their own niche in the world and to know their stories would be a source of inspiration to the students who are currently studying at Winchester. This will be a window into the future for young students and will be a source of hope, as well as a way of incrementing a sense of positivity and wellbeing. To hear from people who have been in your shoes, have shared similar experiences, and are now living their dreams is an inspiration, and WIN Alumni Connect would endeavour to capture amazing tales of resilience, perseverance, challenges, and achievements.

In Conversation with Aakanksha Mathur

Class of 2019

Aakanksha Mathur, Class of 2019, is one of the most illustrious alumni of The Winchester School, Jebel Ali. The walls of Winchester bear proud testimonies of Aakanksha’s endeavours and achievements. Just to name a few, Aakanksha was the Head Girl in the academic year 2017-2018, Secretary General for Winchester MUN 2019, as well as the recipient of the H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Award for Excellence in 2019. After graduating from Winchester, Aakanksha went on to study at McGill University, which has been ranked as the 46th best university in the world. WIN Times is grateful to Aakanksha for this insightful interview conducted by her equally exceptional younger sister, Tamanna Mathur (pictured left) of Year 10. Read on to get inspired.

Describe your time in Winchester.

My time at Winchester was full of learning opportunities and experiences that built the person I am. Whether in the classroom in terms of how I approached different academic settings or in extracurriculars that I was encouraged to take, it truly taught me the skills I needed to prepare myself for university life and the workplace.

What was your most memorable moment in Winchester?

My most memorable moment (or moments rather) at Winchester were the planning weeks right before an MUN. Particularly in 2019 when I was the Secretary-General for WINMUN as it was going to be my last MUN in Winchester, and we wanted to end things with a bang!

It was the largest delegation or outcome of students that we had come to, as well as the addition of international schools from Jaipur that I helped initiate. Just sitting around and planning together and organizing the lanyards and stuff like that was such an experience as, at the moment, it was difficult and challenging, but looking back, it truly prepared me for what life in university or the workplace would be like; in terms of having organizational skills, team building, keeping your team happy, collaborating and making sure things are done most efficiently. These are all transferable skills that I use now and really talk about in resumes and interviews that were shaped by those experiences

What did you learn from the school that you took with you to university?

Transferable skills that I took, like organization and team building, were important and were easily taken for granted. Working in a group, for instance, whether it's people who you're friends with or complete strangers, is a big deal when coming to university because you're working on a lot of group projects. So being involved with extracurriculars in school and training for debate, and being able to talk to people who I don't know and make them feel comfortable, as well as being able to take the initiative to lead a team when it felt like the team needed guidance, or to also being able to step back and delegate work are really important steps. Another thing was truly realizing how important teachers are in every facet, not just teaching you the content but also emotional support. I was very close to my teachers at Winchester, and the ability to gain personal relationships was super important coming into the university because it meant I wasn't afraid to talk to my professors and ask them for help when I needed it because I was so used to doing that in school.

If you could go back to when you were in school, what advice would you give yourself? Would you give the same advice to students now?

If I could go back and tell myself anything, it would be, “Just try it out.” Try out for competitions or go for debate even if I wasn't prepared for them. What do you have to lose? I feel like in school I stuck to my strengths and activities I knew I was good at, but looking back, I think that maybe I should've tried out robotics, for example Especially in the changing dynamics of education and opportunities for different university programs and skills that are required from employers now, it's super important to show that you’re a jack of all trades and can adapt to your environment. Just really try out everything. You don't have to be the best at it, which is something that I would also tell myself. Even if you know you’re not good at something, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try it out.

“In the changing dynamics of education, it’s super important to show that you’re a jack of all trades and can adapt to your environment.”

What about your experience in university?

My experience in university during my undergraduate was great. Unfortunately, a lot of it was tainted by the pandemic, but I tried to make the most of it through zoom. We are fortunate to have that kind of technology available to us. University was full of meeting new people, adapting to my surroundings, and learning skills I developed in school came out during this time. One of the biggest changes was just the scale of it. There are so many people from diverse backgrounds that even coming from a multicultural city like Dubai, and you realize what diversity really means. It's not just cultural diversity but different mindsets and thought processes that you might never experience in Dubai. So it's interesting being part of a team and class who come from all over the world and professors, for that matter, who have different areas of research and expertise that you have access to.

What’s something you wish you knew before heading to university?

I wish I had known before that it is okay not to be at the top as soon as you get into university because that was one of the biggest changes and adjustment periods. Especially when you go abroad to a big university, it's like everyone around you is brilliant in their own way. You might not necessarily always be a topper the way you might be in school, and it's quite normal. Even in your first semester, if you don't do as you anticipated or not doing the same level of performance, it's completely normal for everyone to have an adjustment period with different expectations of the kind of work you have to present and you do have to modify your learning strategies and styles to adapt to university life but to get that and for it to click- that “Aha” moment, can only be achieved if you go and talk to your professors and peers and ask for criticism how you can strive further in class. Just talking to them and attending office hours is loved by them and helpful for you. It'll be rough initially, but that's just because it's an adjustment period and nothing more.

“Even if you’re not good at something, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it out.”

Dear students, welcome to another year of Ms. Veronika’s Corner! Together we will promote the love for reading across the school and discover new horizons in the world of books. Each issue, I will discuss various thought-provoking topics related to reading, from different genres to tips to enhance your reading experience and broaden your literary exposure, as well as give recommendations!

HowtobeMindfulWhenReading

“I believe that reading and writing are the most nourishing forms of meditation anyone has so far found. By reading the writings of the most interesting minds in history, we meditate with our own minds and theirs as well. This to me is a miracle.”

– Kurt Vonnegut

We’re all learning all the time. But much of what we call learning isn’t particularly useful – I just “learned” on Facebook that someone I hardly know baked cupcakes today.

Mindful reading or learning cultivates insightful knowing rather than just a brain overloaded with information. Recent neurological research at Harvard shows how this happens, how mindfulness creates space to let new information in and to allow us to see how it relates to what we already know.

Reading these days, whether on a screen or on paper, is more often a race to finish the text than a search for meaning. Mindful reading is radically different. It slows down the reader and the reading and changes the experience. It is a process of quiet reflection that requires mindful attentiveness, letting go of distracting thoughts and opinions to be fully in the moment with the text. It moves the reader into a calm awareness, allowing for a more profound experience and understanding.

Despite what you might think, it is not the physical book that the reader touches but the image of thought evoked by the text. We often associate reading with a kind of an escape, and thinking of reading as meditation offers a different orientation toward the practice of reading.

GuidelinesforMindfulReading

Find time that you can focus on your reading, rather than trying to squeeze it into a busy day or get a few pages before bedtime and consider reading that will engage but not deplete you, something that requires a bit of mental energy, but doesn’t end up as another item on your growing to-do list. There’s a whole world of text out there to discover: novels, biographies, histories, collections of essays, science writing or poems.

Read in print

Consider reading in print. If much of your reading is on a screen – your phone, computer or tablet then mindful reading from a tangible book could be a nice break.

As you turn the pages, notice the quality of light, the colour and even the smell of the ink on the page, the way that the spine of your book feels against the palms of your hands. You may find yourself more easily bored or sleepy.

Get into the details

Pay attention to language. Look at an individual word; look up unfamiliar words. Maybe you use a pencil to underline language that you notice, or maybe you just make a mental note. Either way, get into the details the rhythm of a sentence, a detail that conjures a person or place.

Before reading, sit quietly for some minutes. Bring your attention to your breath, letting go of thoughts and sensations, returning to the breath again and again. Then read. Notice if you read with more focus and appreciation. When you finish reading, sit again for some minutes, again bringing your mind to your breath. At the end of your practice, notice what you have learned from the reading.

Pay attention

Don’t overthink

Finally, don’t over-prepare for your reading. You don’t really need the perfect lounge chair, with light at just the right slant and a cup of tea precisely brewed. Mindful reading can provide an oasis even in turbulent settings.

Aarav Pradhan, Year 13

Greetings! My name is Aarav Pradhan and I am a Senior Editor and Columnist for the WIN Times magazine! My interests include speaking and debating, which is often felt through my focus on argumentative and introspective questions in my articles. Writing is a superpower that can convey more meaning than any action or emotion ever could. I am excited to continue last year’s column, Philosophies of a Righteous Mind, discussing moralities and the boundaries of our ethics.

“Right” versus “Wrong”

Defining right and wrong

Most of us have an arbitrary understanding of what “right” and “wrong” means, one is in accordance with the law and morality and the other is against it. While this definition is fool proof, it lacks the consideration of where law and morality separate from each other.

While learning about leading bodies, we talk about fairly devised rules set through comprehensive ethical considerations. But in many cases, situations render themselves so drastically different from any of their alternate possibilities that the same rules fail to apply to the situation. Let us take a classic example of the rule many set: “Stealing is wrong”, stealing is indeed wrong, but fails to apply in situations like that portrayed in the renowned book: “Robin Hood”. Robin worked on the ideology of “stealing from the rich and giving to the poor”, while his actions act against laws and the conventionally “right” action, many still consider his actions to be morally correct.

Ethics

This brings us to the dilemma of where to distinguish between right and wrong because something that is considered very wrong in one scenario would be considered equally right in another. Ethics study the very basis of why something is right or wrong, and lawmakers, government officials, and even student leaders unconsciously use ethical consideration to devise fair rules, thus showing the multidimensionality of something that is perceived to be fairly straightforward.

Justice Consequences

In many cases, the morally correct thing to do strays away from the ethically correct or lawfully correct thing to do, hence each scenario has to be viewed with a completely unbiased and new perception of ethics, making it a very mentally strenuous field. A “cost-benefit analysis” approach may not be applicable in every situation, this is where the concept of “justice” is added to the equation of ethical consideration. Beyond an analysis of what the situation is, a clear analysis of how a decision or action would impact the key stakeholders of a scenario would also be vital, for this purpose, most nations set a dedicated justice system to consider all aspects of multifaceted issues.

Consequences, as we discussed in our previous article, are inevitable in any situation. But choosing the right consequence and making the most “correct” decision brings up questions that many still struggle to answer. To see these ideas being applied to one of the most pressing dilemmas of the 21st century, look out for the next edition of Philosophes of a Righteous Mind.

Hello readers, I am Toshith Bhaumik. I am the Secondary Student Head of Curriculum Enrichment, and I am truly passionate about sports. I am a part of the WIN Times team as a columnist for the sports section this year and I hope you all learn a lot and have fun reading my column!

Sports: Connecting People and Communities

“Sport helps to connect people and communities through the creation of heroes.”

Sport is not just a simple game you go out and play. It has a deeprooted meaning and structure that is a useful tool in breaking down social and cultural barriers off a field. It unites very different people playing, learning and cheering joyfully as they look up to the professionals who perform on the world's biggest stages.

An instant community

Becoming a fan of a professional individual or team gives you an instant community. Whether their idol is a great player or not, each and every person supporting them feel a part of the success or failure. The whole community, in real life or online, cheers together when the team is up and comforts one another when they’re down. Watching games up close or from afar, you can feel the community’s collective energy.

A great convening tool

Sport serves as a great convening tool. With the various global sporting events ranging from football, tennis, cricket, F1 and many realms, sport always creates conversations and gets people together around a common platform. Each time there are multiple opinions, points of view and expert critiques passing around several amounts of information. This keeps people excited and gets them to present their take on any matter, understanding all opinions and having a fruitful conversation.

Heroes for all

Amongst all this, several people idolize a certain sportsperson, observing their mannerisms and trying to replicate them in order to be the best. These “idols” play a huge role in how the youth develop, keenly watching every single one of their moves. Having a role model, an idol, several people come together for their support and act in union.

However, it is always sad when a legend of any game, steps away and inevitably takes a break from professional sport. Such is the fact in the case of Roger Federer and Serena Williams; two legends in the world of tennis. This article tributes the major achievements each has accomplished winning 20 and 23 grand slam titles respectively.

Truly a once in a lifetime honour of being able to witness two greats of the sporting world. The global reaction to such a piece of news was tremendously emotional and supportive. Yet, what athletes such as Roger Federer and Serena Williams leave us with is the opportunity to come together and unite, connect with other people in the community, all under the branch of sports.

Wellbeing 2.0

Mir Faraz, Year 8

Greetings everyone, my name is Mir Faraz, and I study in Year 8. I’m the Wellbeing Coordinator for my year group. My new column, named Wellbeing 2.0 after much thought, endeavours to decode the quintessential meaning of wellbeing – basically, an out of the box interpretation of wellbeing. Our world is changing at an exponential rate. With new disruptions every day, the very concept of wellbeing undergoes a regular paradigm shift. I aim to delve into the hitherto lesser-talked about wellbeing-related topics. The plan is to keep it interesting, thoughtprovoking, and fun at the same time. Come with me on this journey!

Are Emojis Killing Our Conversations?

All of us have done it at some point or the other. Imagine you have just won an award and someone sends you a message saying congratulations or maybe you have a test coming up and someone sends you a message saying, "All the best!" And you reply with a Smiley or a heart emoji. You pick an emoji that vaguely matches your response.

Emojis – a Japanese term which translates to "picture and character" – first surfaced in 1998. But it wasn't until major smartphone players like Apple integrated emojis into their operating system, that their use took off. As of now, there are over 3000 different emojis in a fully accessible library, on every device there is.

The emergence of new picture icons - like the half smiling, half crying emoji, or the broken heart –erthepastcoupleofyearsadded personality to our text message conversations.

The Big Debate

An especially heated internet debate regards whether Emojis are a whole language of their own, or not. Generally, linguists agree that Emojis are not a language, but at the same time are crucial to internet conversations. Let’s weigh the pros and cons.

When you interact with people in real life, you probably change your tone as you talk and use hand gestures and facial expressions. So if you are messaging online without the use of Emojis, that is the equivalent of talking with your hands pinned to your sides and speaking in a monotone.

Emojis have been a useful, quick way of clarifying our tone and adding character to our messages. Over the past few years, Emojis have helped add tone and context to otherwise one-dimensional conversations. Emojis get picked up because they are so useful for enriching text with the kinds of things we might use our intonation or facial expressions to convey.

ProsInstead of being components of conversation, emojis are becoming the conversation.

Slowly, Emojis are diminishing our interaction skills, and when conversing in the real world without the use of Emojis, you’ll start to go blank, as you won’t be able to find the words you’re looking for because of overusing Emojis online.

Furthermore, the growing use of these icons could potentially lead to further miscommunication. It’s the emoji's ambiguous meaning that could lead to confusion because users can look at an emoji and take different things from it. For example, the emoji that illustrates two hands pressed together . This emoji started in Japan where the symbol represented salutation or gratitude. Other cultures interpret this emoji to symbolize prayer, while millennials often see this symbol belonging to two different people giving each other a high five.

The Verdict

Words are the most powerful tools of communication in the world. They help us forge relationships, bridge gaps, and create a legacy. Words are important, that’s why language and communication classes are incorporated into a school's curriculum to teach students how to use words to tell a story and communicate effectively. If emojis are allowed to overwhelm the usage of words, won’t we just be regressing back to the age of hieroglyphics?

All in all, Emojis are a great way to add punch and spice to online conversations, but on the other hand, they must be used moderately, and we shouldn’t rely on Emojis to express our emotions entirely.

Hello everyone! My name is Victoria Nedyalkova. I am a 12 years old student in Year 8 and this is my third year of being on WIN Times. It is a pleasure and privilege to be back writing articles for our school magazine. I’ve written about animals and countries in my previous columns and this year, I would like to introduce my new theme: “Baked with Love”. For me, baking isn’t just a hobby, it’s something that I do to de-stress after a long week of school. Baking is an interest that many people have, but it also teaches us a lot of important life lessons that you might not even realize. Sometimes, things don’t turn out the way we want them to, but we have to make them work. Life is like that, and so is baking.

Follow Victoria’s baking page on Instagram, @vicky._.bakes

Ingredients

4 egg whites (120g) 200 grams white sugar 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar A pinch of salt 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Meringue Cookies (Beginner)

The first thing that you want to do is to wipe down the whisk attachment to your electric or stand mixer, and bowl with vinegar or lemon juice. This ensures that any fat residue from the equipment gets eliminated, allowing the meringue to get to the thickest and glossiest consistency possible.

1. Another important tip is to blend your caster sugar, so: once you’ve measured out the amount you need, put it in a blender and blend for around 5-15 seconds. The size of the sugar grains should be between caster and icing sugar, and should also be able to flow like sand once sprinkled from a high distance.

Anyone who has some sort of experience in baking knows that meringue cookies have a very long, and tedious process, but I’m here to tell you, that once you bite into this light, crunchy, melt-inyour-mouth meringues, all the time and effort you put into making them will be worth it.

2. To ensure your meringues get the best result, your egg whites should not have a single drop of egg yolk. If you break your yolk, I recommend using that egg for something else, like an omelette, and separating another one instead. This allows the meringue to whip up as best as possible.

3. Now that we have all of that out of the way, it is time to start making the meringue. To a large bowl add in the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Make sure your mixer has the whisk attachment in order to aerate the egg whites as much as possible. Mix for around 23 minutes on medium high speed, or until the egg whites have become very bubbly, but not opaque yet.

4 Once that happens, take a teaspoon of the sugar, and add it in to the bowl, while still mixing. Keep doing this, adding the sugar in gradually, until you have added all of it. (This should have taken about 25-30 minutes)

5. Once the consistency of the meringue has stiff peaks, and looks like marshmallows, add in the vanilla extract.

6. Preheat your oven to 100 Celsius. In the meantime, pipe your meringues onto a baking tray lines with parchment paper. You can pipe them close to each other since they won’t spread.

7. Once the oven is preheated, place the trays at the center rack, and keep them in there for about an hour and a half. After the time is up, switch off the oven and keep the trays in it for an additional 2 hours so that they can dry up completely.

Chocolate Souffle

(Intermediate)

This recipe makes 4 souffles, baked in ramekins holding up to 140g.

1. Take the ramekins and use 2 tablespoons of the butter to brush all of them with vertical brush strokes using a pastry brush all around. This will help the souffle rise.

2. Once that step is complete on all 4 ramekins, coat each ramekin with 1 tablespoon of sugar each, making sure to rotate it 360 degrees to ensure full coverage from the sugar.

3. Refrigerate the ramekins until you are ready to use them.

4. Fill a saucepan with around 6cm of water. Place it over high heat and let it boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat so it starts simmering.

5. Place a heatproof large bowl over the saucepan with simmering water. If the bowl touches the water, you might have to pour out some water. Ensure that only the steam is touching the bowl.

6. In the bowl, put the chocolate, which should be chopped up into small pieces, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Mix continuously until everything has melted, and the mixture is shiny. Take off the heat and set aside to cool when that happens.

7. In another a medium bowl, use the paddle attachment on your mixer to combine the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt.

8. In a third large bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar using the whisk attachment on high speed. Once the mixture is frothy, very gradually add in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. By the time you add the last bit of your sugar, the mixture should have stiff peaks. If it doesn’t, continue whipping it until they form.

9. In three batches, add in the egg white mixture into the chocolate with a spatula. Make sure to not pop many air bubbles.

10. Refrigerate the for 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 204 Celsius 12. Take your ramekins and batter out of the fridge. Using a spoon, fill each ramekin about 3/4th of the way. A very crucial step to ensure they rise easily is to run your finger around the edge of the circle, unsticking the top of the batter from the sides.

the ramekins in a tray that can fit them all, and into the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes.

out of the oven, serve immediately. The souffle will fall down after just about 30 seconds of being exposed to the air.

Victoria Sponge Cake (Advanced) Ingredients

Ingredients for the cake:

4 large eggs

100g caster sugar

Half of a vanilla bean pods seeds

1 tsp lemon zest

60g unsalted butter 100g flour

1/8th tsp of salt

Ingredients for the white chocolate cream: 70g finely chopped white chocolate 190ml double cream

Ingredients for the strawberry jam

200g finely chopped strawberries

70g caster sugar

1 ½ tsp lemon juice. half of an empty vanilla bean pod

This sponge cake has the perfect balance of sweetness from all of the components. They are 2layered mini sponge cakes with a smooth chocolate cream and delicious strawberry jam sandwiched between the layers. A dusting of icing sugar makes this desert fancy-looking, as well as adding an extra kick of sweetness.

1. (For the white chocolate cream) In a small saucepan, pour 70ml of the double cream and place on low heat. In the meantime, chop up the chocolate and place in a bowl. When the double cream starts simmering, take it off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until melted, then, cover with clingfilm and put it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

2. (For the strawberries) Put the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla pod, and strawberries into a saucepan over medium heat, make sure to stir regularly. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture boils. Then, set aside to cool.

3. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Then, take the eight 8cm cake rings and place them on the tray. Set aside until the batter is ready.

4. (For the cake) In a heatproof bowl, add the eggs, sugar, vanilla beans, and lemon zest. Take a pot or saucepan and fill it a couple centimetres high with water. Place on medium heat and let simmer.

5. Once the water starts simmering place the bowl with the eggs, sugar, vanilla beans and lemon zest in the saucepan or pot, making sure that only steam touches the bottom of the bowl, and not the water. Whisk for about 5 minutes, or until frothy and creamy.

6. Once that is complete, remove the bowl from the heat and whip it up with the whisk attachment on your mixer until the volume has tripled, and the bottom of the bowl isn’t warm.

7. Melt the butter and set it aside

8. In a medium bowl, combine the salt and flour and sift it 2 times

9. Sift half the dry ingredients over the egg mixture, and gently fold with a spatula to combine. Then, sift the other half and fold again.

10. Drizzle in the cooled butter, and once again, fold to combine.

11. Spoon the batter into the cake rings and fill about 2/3rds of the way up.

12. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 170 Celsius. Once out of the oven, wait for them to completely cool down before removing the cake ring.

13. When ready to assemble, take the white chocolate cream out of the fridge and add the remaining 120ml of double cream. Whip it with a whisk attachment on your mixer on medium high for about 30 seconds.

14. Slice the cakes in half, horizontally, and pipe the white chocolate cream on the bottom half of the cake. After that, put a tablespoon of the strawberry jam on top of the cream, and put the top half of the cake on top.

15. Dust the cakes with icing sugar.

The History of Inventions

Sarah Javed, Year 4

Greetings everyone! I am Sarah Javed and I study in 4H. I am the UAE Culture and Values Coordinator for my year group. I like to participate in innovative programs and competitions. I am the organizer of a free library. My hobbies include reading, gardening, building Lego, and learning programming. In this column, I will be talking about different ground-breaking inventions which changed history. Stay tuned!

The Pencil

Many of the world’s best inventions started with a piece of paper and a pencil in hand. Are you using them too when you are playing with your ideas? Here is an interesting story about the invention of pencils.

The word pencil is actually derived from the Latin word “pencillus” meaning “little tail” and describing small ink brushes of camel hair, that were used for writing before pencils as we know them today were invented.

Before pencils, the preferred writing instrument was the stylus. But we can’t talk about modern-day pencils until 1564, when a large deposit of graphite was found in Borrowdale, England. The word “graphite” was derived from the Greek word “to write”. The discovery surprised the locals because they didn’t know what the material was. It looked like coal but it didn’t burn. The problem graphite presented was that it was soft and hard to write with. Many came up with ideas but they didn’t succeed.

While the British discovered graphite, it was the French painter Nicholas-Jacques Conte who was asked to make a pencil without using too much graphite since the France Republic couldn’t get graphite from Great Britain due to the economic blockade. Conte created a modern-day pencil by mixing powdered graphite with clay and putting it between two half-cylinders of wood. He received a patent for the invention in 1795. The oldest pencil in the world was found in timbered house built in 1630. Nuremberg, Germany was the birthplace of the first mass-produced pencils in 1662. Spurred by Faber-Castell (established in 1761), Lyra, Steadtler and other companies, an active pencil industry developed throughout the 19th century industrial revolution.

The first factory opened in 1832, by the Cumberland Pencil Company. Cumberland pencils were those of the highest quality because the graphite used shed no dust and marked the paper very well. In 1822, Sampson Mordan and John Issac Hawkins patented a metal pencil with an internal mechanism for propelling graphite. This was the very first mechanical pencil ever made. Hymen Lipman in 1858 received a patent for the first wood pencil with an attached rubber eraser. He went on to sell it for $100,000 and the eraser became a must-have piece in pencil anatomy.

In 1894, an inventor named John Love released the world’s first pencil sharpener. It was called the “Love Sharpner”. Faber Castell changed art forever by creating t first coloured pencils in 1908.

WIN Center Stage Saadgee

Singh, Year 6

Hello! This is Saadgee Singh from Year 6. I am currently the Primary Head Girl . My hobbies are practicing ballet and playing tennis for which, I am getting trained. I thoroughly enjoy reading thrillers and mystery books. Aesthetically inclined, I aspire to become an interior designer and add a dash of creativity in every house I visit. In this new column, I’ll be shining the spotlight on various global awareness days celebrated at Winchester.

Awareness is Better Than Cure

Having awareness days dedicated to diseases and ailments is extremely important, so that we can stand in solidarity to survivors of them, honour and pay tribute to those who have been lost to them, and raise awareness amongst the population about them. Two examples of such days that we celebrated here at Winchester are World Mental Health Day, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

World Mental Health Day happens on 10th October every year. The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. To promote good mental health practices, you could encourage people to support others around them through activities ranging from art therapy sessions to mental health awareness assemblies; from student-led sessions on stress management to positive mindset.

The Winchester School has done everything in its power to make this day important. To raise awareness the school asked students and staff to wear green clothes as GREEN is the international symbolic colour for mental health. We could also just wear a green ribbon to show that we care about mental health.

We were also requested to take a pledge on an MS Form to look after our mental health. Commitments to mental health could be made in the form of videos, posters, photographs holding up messages/slogans - all affirming a vow to take care of one’s mental wellbeing and the people around. Commitments were celebrated on the Winchester Wellbeing Instagram page @win_wellbeing_fulcrum.

Another such day recently celebrated at Winchester was World Breast Cancer Day which happens on 21rst October annually. We call this campaign PINKTOBER. The overall objective of PINKTOBER is to raise awareness about breast cancer issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of breast cancer.

We wore PINK on this day to honour survivors, remember those lost to the disease, and to support the progress we are making together to defeat breast cancer. Our school asked us to make commitments to respect and take care of all those around us.

He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.

The Winchester Ghafs The Story So Far…

Students from FS to Year 13 and the Senior Leadership Team, led by our Principal, Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya, came together to plant the prized Ghaf newspaper. To see a video of the tree plantation, please scan this QR code.

In December 2021, The National newspaper, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the UAE, announced a competition in which they asked UAE residents how the UAE has made their dreams come true. The prize was something really unique – a specially printed biodegradable The National newspaper with Ghaf seeds in it. There were only 50 of these newspapers manufactured. Mishal Faraz, Year 11, and Mir Faraz, Year 8, were lucky to win one of these rare, coveted newspapers As the national tree of the UAE, the Ghaf tree symbolizes values like strength , resilience, determination, grit, tolerance, and wellbeing – these are ethos which The Winchester School, Jebel Ali exemplifies and lives by every day On the 21st of March, which is the United Nations International Day of Forests, the Winchester SLT and students from FS to Year 13 got together to plant this special paper.

On May 10, the first sapling broke ground. After a school-wide poll, the little Ghaf was named Amal, meaning “HOPE” in Arabic

On July 25, the second sapling made its appearance, and was given the name which got the second highest votes – Ilham, meaning “INSPIRATION” in Arabic

Mishal Faraz, Year 11 and Mir Faraz, Year 8 with the winning newspaper.

“The Ghaf tree symbolises so much about what the UAE stands for so it was great to see the whole school community get behind this project. We’re looking forward to watching it grow taller and taller and it shows you can grow stronger despite whatever severity comes. It symbolises what we have been through in recent years and how we can survive with a positive energy in life.”

- Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya, Principal and CEO, WIN Jebel Ali, to The National

There could not be a better way to celebrate the "��������������������������������" than have students and teachers from Primary as well as Secondary come together to lovingly plant our precious saplings. The ceremony was organized by Ms. Debbiejo Miranda, our Head of Wellbeing. There was amazing energy and indescribable exuberance in the air as excited students saw the ghafs being planted in their permanent places. Everyone took turns putting in the soil making it a beautiful collaborative effort.

HIYA CHOPRA, YEAR 11

My name is Hiya Chopra, I study in Year 11 and I am currently the Innovation Coordinator for my year group. I have a wide range of hobbies, including dancing, swimming, athletics, and debating. I also enjoy taking my time out to volunteer and give back to my community. In this column, Global Citizenship, I will discuss various global concerns in sectors ranging from the environment to the economy, laying emphasis on the fact that each and every individual has a global responsibility to contribute towards the betterment of the world.

Rising Temperatures

Global Warming is the gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s surface mainly due to greenhouse gases such as CO2, methane, CFC’s, and other harmful pollutants. Stephen Hawking, who was a theoretical physicist predicted that the earth will turn into a ball of fire by 2600 due to overcrowding and energy consumption, which are prominent factors of global warming. This prediction sure does seem to be coming true and the evidence is the rising temperatures around the world.

The heat wave in Europe began on 8th July, where the Met Office released the first health warnings in response to rising temperatures. On 15 July, it declared a national emergency as the UK's first red extreme heat weather warning. Scientists have stated that these heat waves are more intense, longer, and more frequent due to climate change. Usually, temperatures in Europe are around 20 degrees Celsius or below, however, due to the heat waves, temperatures are topping to 40 degrees Celsius! Furthermore, ferocious wildfires ravaged the land of France and Spain, where dozen local temperature records were broken. The prime minister of Spain linked it to global warming, saying “climate change kills”. Moreover, glaciers have been falling off, melting, and increasing the sea levels. This is also one of the reasons why the number of floods is increasing. Temperatures are rising as cold winds from these arctic places aren’t blowing due to melting of glaciers, while the hot winds are travelling from North Africa and the Sahara. This is also impacting the arctic ecosystem and biodiversity.

These heat waves need to be taken as a wake-up call for all of humanity. Global warming and carbon emissions do not just affect the country or region they are emitted from, it affects the whole world. Therefore, each and every one of us has the global responsibility to do our bit to combat it.

Inspire to Aspire

Hello. My name is Jaimee Felysse A. Reyes of Year 7-B. I was one of the columnists of WIN Times last year where I shared book reviews and recommendations on my column “On My Bookshelf”. This academic year, I am honoured to be given a chance to have my own column again which I named “Inspire to Aspire”. Here, I will be sharing bits and pieces about different opportunities inside and outside the school, including my personal experiences. The Winchester School Jebel Ali prides itself in producing talented students. One of the factors contributing to this feat are the various opportunities it provides throughout each school year. I have been joining these competitions and events not just to win, but to develop my confidence and improve my social skills. Some of my friends, classmates and other parents often ask me how to join, what to prepare and what to expect. So, I thought of sharing my experiences and some tips on how to go about them. This space aims to give insights on various competitions and events which can help boost every student’s confidence in showcasing his or her skills and talents. My column will try to motivate others to reach out and do something noteworthy, to develop their hidden abilities, to show others how to be their best and to work towards higher goals. I will give inspirations for your aspirations.

World Scholar ’s Cup

The World Scholars Cup, in short WSC, is a contest involving thousands of top-scoring scholars from across the globe. It is a developing community where students from years 4 to 13 form teams of 2-3 members and compete in a variety of occasions that usually occur annually, from the regionals up to the final round wherein qualified teams travel to the United States to take part in the prestigious, fantastic and whimsical ultimate event of the year, the Tournament of Champions, in none other than Yale University. Prior to the competition, the participants are given 6 subjects to study, based on that year’s theme. They are:

Science & Technology Special Area Social Studies

Each round has 4 events

Scholar’s Bowl

Every team will be given a clicker, a device where they will key in their answers. Every question is harder than the one before. The team will work together to solve analytic questions and multimedia challenges. They must click their answers before time runs out.

Collaborative Writing

In this event, teams will be given six prompts, ranging from creative scenarios to explore to persuasive arguments to make. Each of the members needs to answer a different prompt. First, the teams will collaborate and prepare together. Then, each member will be given the time to write his or her own piece, which will also be reviewed by the other team members.

Scholar’s Challenge

This one is a multiplechoice examination. The Challenge looks like any other test, but with a twist: you can mark more than one answer per question. The fewer you mark, the more points you can earn if you are right. Here, the scholars apply their knowledge of the six subjects to successfully win medals in one, two, or all of them.

Team Debate

Each team debates three times, on motions across all the subjects. After each round, each team gives constructive feedback to the other team on how to improve. Winning teams then face other winners and nonwinners other nonwinners. The result: the teams with the least experience have the opportunity to gain more, and everyone becomes a better debater by the end of the day.

The Debate Showcase is a fun round where the top speakers from each delegation form new mixed teams. They lead the whole community in debating and discussing a thought-provoking new motion. Here, members of the audience, students and adults alike, can volunteer to join the conversation and share their thoughts.

There is also a Scholar’s Show where selected participants can showcase their talents. I had the privilege to perform in both the Regional and Global rounds where I sang and drew at the same time.

But do not be overwhelmed! Scholars get to have fun too!

Sharing my talent at the Scholar's Show

The Scholar’s Scavenge happens on the first day of every Global and TOC Round where participants will be teamed up with 14 fellow scholars from up to 14 other countries to undertake a series of quirky challenges. It is a great chance to make new friends from around the world.

During the Scholar's Fair, diversity of origins is celebrated with a cultural fair in which schools can set up booths representing their countries. There will be food, performances and demonstrations. Scholars will learn something new and take-home souvenirs that remind them our world is full of friendship, difference, and delight.

With our alpacas :D

Apart from all these exciting activities, every scholar brings home an alpaca, the official mascot of WSC. You can get different types of alpacas at tournaments, such as furry ones, finger puppets, or even genetically modified alpabears. Isn’t it pwaa-some? (Pwaa is the sound of a happy alpaca!)

These rounds, however, are absolutely no joke at all. Only a lucky few could make their way throughout the year, as they will have to, as our mentor Miss Amanda Po would say, “Compete with the best of the best”. Therefore, I will be sharing with all of you, young, courageous and aspiring scholars, all you need to know in this fun, puzzling and brilliant series of events!

The Cultural Fair at the Tournament of Champions

My Experience

World Scholar’s Cup – A World Renewed REGIONALS

I came to know about WSC in 2019. I was inspired when I saw Winchester participants made it to the finals in Yale. So, when they announced the next edition, I immediately signed up for the Regional Round. Unfortunately, the world met an unprecedented pandemic, the Covid-19 virus. The competition was postponed until further notice.

No one knew when it would resume until it made a comeback in November 2021. Skittles and Dubai-1 (Junior and Senior divisions) rounds were held on 26th and 27th at Sunmarke School. Winchester bagged several medals and trophies. I got 10 medals, a trophy and was the second top overall scholar and school top scholar.

GLOBALS

With just 2 weeks to prepare, the WSC Team decided to hold the Global Round here in Dubai, with GEMS Modern Academy and Indian High School as host schools. It was a 5-day event where teams from 20 countries come together not just to compete but to collaborate and socialize with each other. Once again, the Winchester team did an excellent job, with both Junior and Senior scholars making it to the top and our coach, Ms. Amanda Po, receiving the ‘Coach of the Year’ award. I received 6 medals on this round and was qualified for the finals. After this, we had a long break and while waiting, several global rounds were held in Dubai, Prague, Bangkok, Vietnam and Cape Town.

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Then, the much-awaited Tournament of Champions came. The Winchester team consisting of 10 seniors

juniors, including myself, flew to the United States and competed with over 1600

We were accompanied by our incredibly supportive and dedicated mentors,

It was an 8-day trip (10-17 November 2022) full of thrill and excitement

started

our

USA. We were transferred to our hotel in Connecticut, a few minutes’ drive

from Dubai International Airport and landed at the John F. Kennedy International

WSC-TOC.

The competition kicked off with the opening ceremony at the Shubert Theater. Followed by the Scholar’s Scavenge where some of us saw real alpacas, including Painted Warrior – the official alpaca of the Tournament of Champions. The competition was held in Yale University and other venues like the James

Hillhouse High School.

Scholars with parents and mentors before boarding the flight to NYC Landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport

Our hotel, Fairfield by Marriott in New Haven CT

and 8

scholars from 45 countries.

Ms. Amanda Po and Ms. Anna Cherukara.

which

when

plane took off

Airport in New York City,

from Yale University, the official venue of

Ms. Anna and the Juniors The opening ceremony

Shubert Theater

Painted Warrior, the official WSC alpaca

James Hillhouse High School

Sightseeing

In between the clash of minds, tours were provided for us to relax and unwind. During the Boston Tour, we walked around and took photos at the Quincy Market and Boston City Hall. We also toured New York City where we had a ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and did some sight-seeing in Times Square. We also mingled with delegates from other countries during the Scholar’s Ball and the Cultural Fair, which was an unforgettable moment because I experienced snow for the first time.

MIT & Harvard

We had the once in a lifetime opportunity to explore 2 of the most prestigious and hardest colleges to get in to, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University. I had the chance to go inside one of MIT’s lecture halls and learned 3 lies about the Harvard Statue: 1. That it isn’t John Harvard, 2. John Harvard wasn’t the founder of Harvard University and 3. Harvard wasn’t founded in 1638. One cool fact though, tourists believe that rubbing Harvard’s left shoe will bring good luck.

Boston City Hall

Quincy Market

The Statue of Liberty

The Scholar’s Ball

The seniors at MIT

I rubbed Harvard’s left shoe!

…BUT

The Woolsey Hall in Yale University was filled with scholars and spectators during the closing and award ceremonies. It was a big achievement for the Winchester Team because we won more than 70 medals across all categories. Rubbing Harvard’s shoe seemed to have brought good luck after all. Just kidding! It was our collective effort, passion and grit which brought us to the top.

The closing and award ceremonies

Woolsey Hall, Yale University

TIPS FOR BEGINNER SCHOLARS

WORKING AS A TEAM

1. Listen to them, not hear them: One of the biggest pitfalls people fall into when working in a group is when they start hearing instead of listening to each other. Me and my teammates make sure to take turns when talking. We listen to each other’s thoughts and opinions and try to understand and consider each perspective.

2. Loosen Up: Yes, it is important to do well on the academic side of WSC but, it’s also important to keep in mind that the competition is so much more than that. Make the most out of this once in a lifetime experience and have fun, because it is your chance to make memories that will last forever.

WHAT CAN YOU DO INDIVIDUALLY?

1. Learn the Subjects: To begin, you should study all of the six subjects. Yes, it may seem appealing to split the subjects amongst your team , but if you are planning to progress past regionals, it is best to study the entire syllabus. Read all the resources given and make some notes.

2. Practice the Events: While the curriculum needs a lot of time and attention outside of competition, you also need to allocate time for practice debates and essay writing.

3. Sleep (but not in the middle of the Challenge): Now that you know the subjects, you’ve trained for all four competition events, and you’re collaborating with your teammates, it is now time for the most important thing about the competition: resting. Make sure to sleep well, eat healthy food and relax your body and mind. It is harder to retrieve information when you're sleep-deprived and exhausted.

4. Also, don’t forget to have fun because you’re really not living the full WSC experience unless you really take part in the childish pwaas, the cult-like obsession with alpacas, and relish in the awkwardness of the opening ceremonies. Make new friends, talk to other scholars, and keep an open mind. You will do just fine.

E T T I N G S T A R T

Back in the UAE with my eversupportive family

PLANET LOVE

Madiha Javed, Year 6

My name is Madiha Javed. I study in 6H, and I am currently the Primary Student Head of Cultural Awareness. A passionate environmentalist, I volunteer my time taking care of the environment. I am also an enthusiastic reader, and the founder and organizer of a free library. I am extremely delighted to introduce my new column in WIN Times. I will be writing about environmental issues. I hope you will explore more in my upcoming column.

Global Warming

Our world is now in jeopardy. The environment has been profoundly impacted by humans both directly and indirectly. With the rise in pollution levels and depletion of the ozone layer, environmental protection is now a chief agenda of nations which has to be addressed immediately.

One of the most significant environmental issues of today is global warming. Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the earth’s surface during the last century. The sign of global warming is already visible with many natural phenomena happening around globally, affecting each living organism.

Excessive greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide produced by human activities are the main culprits behind global warming. Deforestation, the use of coal, oil, and gas, burning of fossil fuels, energy consumption, all lead to production of greenhouse gases and thereby contribute to global warming.

Since the pre-industrial period, human activities are estimated to have increased Earth’s global average temperature by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), a number that is currently increasing by more than 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.36 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade. Global warming results in more severe storms, increased drought, warming, rising oceans, loss of species, not enough food, more health risk, poverty, and displacement.

We have to take responsibility for our choices and actions. Be it turning off the lights in the room, not wasting food, planting a tree or going paperless – every action will have a positive impact on the planet.

If you have any questions, please send an email on holidaycamp@esm.ae

The ESM Winter multi-activity camp will be taking place at The Winchester School Jebel Ali from the 12th – 30th December 2022 for children aged 4 – 12 years old.