WIN Times March 2022

March 2022, Issue 13 Jebel Ali

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

Happiness, Success, Peace, and Light

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!

HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS EDITION From the Principal’s Desk

6

Editor’s Note

8

Meet the Team

9

Ramadan Celebrations at WIN

15

Ramadan, the Blessed Month

17

Learn Arabic with Nadia

21

Winchester Ghaf Tree Plantation

24

The International Day of Forests

26

Ms. Veronika’s Corner

28

WIN Reading for Wellbeing

31

Expossibilities

36

The International Day of Happiness

40

Happiness – the Journey, the Destination

42

Happiness Rocks @ WIN

43

Philosophies of a Righteous Mind

44

On My Bookshelf

48

Sports Central

52

The Pursuit of Happiness

55

Talking Politics

58

The Animal Connection

62

Axia

67

Dear Future Me

69

WIN Healthy Family

72

Alan Turing AI School @ WIN

75

The Inception of Technology into our Daily Lives

81

Uncovering Plantae

83

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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

D

ear WIN family,

I take this opportunity to remind everyone to always spread kindness and engage with everyone with respect, appreciation and engage such that you leave them feeling better than when you found them, be it in daily meetings, communications (face to face, online, social media, or phone calls).

Surely we will spread a culture of kindness and be one step closer to wellbeing of self and others.

Ramadan Kareem!

Really pleased with the wonderful articles from our most talented students, so much learning and interesting reads, so much to celebrate and look forward to each time.

Ramadan Kareem! Keep smiling and keep shining

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

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“Spread kindness…

Leave people feeling better than when you found them…”

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From the Editor’s Desk Dear WIN Family, Warm greetings and Ramadan Kareem!

In your hands is a brand-new issue of WIN Times, the official magazine of WIN Jebel Ali, which we've put together with careful precision and thought. Like always, our propelling force is well defined – it is to entertain, inform and inspire you, dear readers. At WIN Times, we truly value your readership and the time you invest in pouring over our pages, and that drives us to ensure that every minute you spend reading our pages is an enriching experience.

This issue brims with light, happiness, and positivity as a reflection of the holy month of Ramadan. Mr. Gaber, our Head of Arabic and Islamic, has a special message for the WIN family. Furthermore, we have spotlighted events like the International Day of Happiness, the International Day of Forests, and of course, the UAE Month of Reading (do check out the brilliant book recommendations from the WIN community).

We're also very proud to give center stage to some remarkable student led initiatives – each different from each other yet equally innovative!

WIN Times columnists have been at their prime yet again – check out our columns on sports, philosophy, politics, books, Expo 2020, and learning Arabic. We are indeed delighted to be able to showcase the diversity and excellence.

Please do keep writing to us with your suggestions and feedback and keep the wonderful contributions coming which make WIN Times a glowing testimony of the Winchester genius!

Have a blessed month ahead.

Happiness and light always...

Warm regards, Mishal Faraz, Year 10B Founder, Editor-in-Chief, and Graphic Designer

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Meet the Team Editorial Team

Mir Faraz, Year 7 Founder, Managing Editor Columnist

Aarav Pradhan, Year 12 Senior Editor Columnist

Staff Columnist

Ms. Veronika Lambova, Primary Librarian

Victoria Nedyalkova, Year 7 Co-Editor Columnist

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Meet the Team Student Columnists

Nadia Gaber Sayah Year 4

Felan Thakkar Year 5

Prabud Vithanage Year 6

Martin Georgiev Year 10

Jaimee Felysse A. Reyes Year 6

Min Thuta Year 10

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Meet the Team Student Columnists

Toshith Bhaumik Year 11

Katie Ramanayaka Year 13

Sophia Pogorelova Year 13

Interested in writing a column for WIN Times?

Get in touch with us with your pitch on our email wintimes2019@gmail.com

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CONTRIBUTE TO WIN TIMES!

GET IN TOUCH WITH US AND HAVE YOUR WORK PUBLISHED IN THE

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, initiatives, and column pitches are all welcome. The topics and themes you choose are absolutely your discretion because we believe that creativity is boundless.

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Missed out on an issue of WIN Times? Don’t worry.

We’ve got you covered.

https://www.thewinchesterschool.com/For-Parents/WIN-TIMES

Click on the link to read the past editions.

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Team WIN Times wishes every member of The Winchester Family a blessed month of Ramadan. May Allah shower you with his choicest blessings.

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Ramadan Celebrations at WIN Dear WIN Family, We take this opportunity to welcome the month of Ramadan with our hearts filled with peace and joy. May the divine blessings of Allah protect and guide us all. Ramadan Mubarak! We hope and pray Allah guides all of us and our families during this holy month and protects and blesses us all.

The Arabic and Islamic department is very excited to share a wonderful program for celebrating the holy month with you. We have organized enriching activities during Ramadan to spread the morals, practices and instructions of the holy month.

We most sincerely appreciate your engagement with our lovely students of the Winchester School to learn about this whole heartedly and to take advantage of the aspects of self-improvement that are associated during this holy month. To promote and enable our students to take full part in the activities and spiritual experiences, we request your engagement to the well planned and special age appropriate activities during Ramadan as follows: • •

• •

Recite and rise up with Abdullah: every Monday via Zoom meeting at 4:00pm.

My school my Home and my Mosque (Isha and Taraweeh prayer):Every Friday during Ramadan starting from 1st April 2022 till the end of Ramadan.

Month of Ramadan blessing days: Every day, we will share with you one value and one activity through our email and social media channels.

Reading time: supporting the initiative of WINREADSTOGETHER, share short videos do family reading short stories of values, also videos for family do recitation of Quran or even various reading short stories that could be shared on school Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channel.

Thank you for your support, which is always greatly appreciated. May you and your family have a Ramadan filled with peace and serenity.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Mr. Gaber Sayah Hamed Head of Arabic &Islamic

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Ramadan The Blessed Month Mishal Faraz, Year 10 Secondary Student Head of Wellbeing Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. Every day during this month Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast abstaining from eating and drinking until sunset. The annual observance of fasting or Sawm is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam.

The month lasts 29-30 days based on the sightings of the crescent Moon.

Fasting is Fard (obligatory) for adult Muslims, except for the sick and travelling. Fasting during the month of Ramadan was made obligatory during the month of Sha’aban, in the second year after the Muslims migrated from Makkah to Madinah.

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Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion and worship. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from the worldly activities and cleanse the soul. It is a month that teaches self-discipline, selfcontrol, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate. Ramadan is much more than not eating and drinking. It is the time to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. The Arabic word for fasting is Sawm, which means “to refrain”- and it means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.

Therefore, fasting is not merely physical, but is rather the total commitment of the person’s body and soul to the spirit of the fast. Ramadan is a time to practice selfrestraint; A time to cleanse the body and soul, and re-focus oneself on the worship of Allah. There is something about the spirit of Ramadan that makes us feel a sense of unity and cohesion. The entire month, there is an atmosphere of togetherness as people turn over a new leaf and purify their souls. Ramadan is a chance for us all to begin again and get closer to Allah (SWT). Here is how Ramadan presents us with a beautiful opportunity to connect with Allah and achieve inner peace in our hearts.

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1. Reconnecting and Seeking Forgiveness According to the Holy Quran, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) first received revelations in the month of Ramadan. Therefore, this month is considered to be the most sacred month of the Islamic Calendar. The exact day is believed to fall sometime in the last 10 days of the month, and is known as Laylat-ul-Qadr, and this night is full of blessings.

The whole month, especially these last 10 nights, are a beautiful opportunity to reconnect with Allah, seek repentance, and be granted peace. Abu Hurayrah (R) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”

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Practice self-discipline By abstaining from materialistic needs, we become more self-aware of our thought and actions, and are more conscious of being respectful towards others, since fasting means that one may get frustrated easily. It’s a great way to practice self-control and patience, as Allah loves those who not only worship Him, but who also rightfully treat those around them.

Spread goodness When we fast, it allows us to feel the discomfort of underprivileged people living in poverty who can’t even afford food and water. This grows our sense of empathy and understanding. So during Ramadan, rather than focusing on getting through your fast to throw a lavish Iftar, take some time out to give charity to those who need it – not only will it benefit them, but it will also leave you with a sense of satisfaction in your heart – it is when this happens that the purpose of Ramadan is fulfilled.

So, in a nutshell, while fasting is the basis of the month of Ramadan, the spirit of Ramadan is much more than the mechanical act of abstaining from food and water. To reap the full rewards of Ramadan, one should keep in mind that it is a great time to reconnect with Allah, with our own self and with the community around us. In reaching back to these basics, we will find the true purpose of fasting and of this beautiful and holy month we so eagerly await.

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Learn Arabic with Nadia Hello! My name is Nadia Gaber Sayah, I'm in Year 4, 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.

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‫هل أنتَ جاهز؟‬

‫ت جاهزة؟‬ ِ ‫هل أن‬

Hal anta jahez?

Hal anti jahezah?

Are you ready?

Are you ready?

‫الرياضة تنشط العقل‬

‫أنا جاهزة‬

Ana jahez

Ana jahezah

I am ready

I am ready

ً ‫جاهزا‬ ‫لست‬ Lastu jahezan I am not ready

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ً‫لست جاهزة‬ Lastu jahezatan I am not ready

َ‫أحسنت‬

‫ت‬ ِ ‫أحسن‬

Ahsanta

Ahsanti

Well done!

Well done!

‫أراكَ الحقًا‬

‫أراك الحقًا‬ ِ

Araka lahiqan

Araki lahiqan

See you later

See you later

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Winchester Tree Plantation Mishal Faraz, Year 10, and Mir Faraz, Year 7 In December 2020, 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, making the prize truly unique. We were lucky to win one of these coveted 50 newspapers. After receiving the newspaper, we knew that we had to plant it at some place special and what could be more special than our Winchester. The Ghaf tree symbolizes values like strength , resilience, determination, grit and wellbeing- these are ethoes which our school exemplifies as well.

So, on 21st of March, the UN International Day of Forests, Winchester Senior Leadership Team and students got together to plant this special tree. Students from FS1 to Year 13 took turns in putting soil in the pot turning it into a beautiful collaborative effort. A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Meenakshi, Ms. Harpreet, Ms. Debbie for making this an event which will forever be etched in memories. A big thank you to Mr. Rajeev and Mr. Francis and the amazing operations team for all the arrangements. We look forward to seeing this tree grow in the years to come symbolizing our Winchester's unity and strength.

Click on these links to see a video of the Winchester Tree Plantation – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CbpoSV-ILOm/ Facebook: https://fb.watch/c6JkBNf5LD/

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Glimpses from the Winchester Tree Plantation Ceremony

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Mruda Bhatt, Year 5 Primary Head Girl What is the International Day of Forests?

The International Day of Forests was established on March 21st, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012. Since then, each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations.

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Why are forests important?

Trees produce the vast majority of the oxygen we need to survive, they provide us with much needed shade on hot days, and of course, they’re beautiful.

For all of those reasons and many more, protecting the trees on our planet should be a real priority for all of us. With millions of hectares of forests being chopped down every year, we still have a long way to go, but we are making progress, and the International Day of Forest is proof of that.

Forests also play a critical role in climate change.

Deforestation results in 12-18 percent of the world’s carbon emissions and accelerated global warming. Trees help to prevent soil erosion, floods, and regulate rainfall. Trees are also a source of food, wood, timber, food, fodder, etc. Forests are vital to life on Earth. They purify the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, prevent erosion, and act as an important buffer against climate change.

What can we do to protect forests?

• Conserve trees and forests in your area.

• Plant trees—the more the better!

• Support forest conservation organizations.

• Learn about forests, both local and global.

• Demand better labelling of products so you know if they are certified and sustainable.

• Follow the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) • Spread awareness

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E

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Every year March is observed as the Month of Reading in the UAE! At the Winchester School we celebrate the Month of Reading by a rich and diverse calendar of engaging activities and sustainable initiatives that motivate the community to read with the aim of transforming reading into a daily habit for everyone. By having events like The Month of Reading, teachers and parents can focus on shedding the light on the importance of reading. It’s always more engaging and fun for children to do something that feels a bit more special than the everyday tasks.

Dear Parents, Now is your chance to try this fun activity!

Can you write a poem that rhymes with ‘Reading”?

Sharing your poetry is fun!

Please scan the QR code to upload your amazing pictures, stories and poems from the daily reading challenge!

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Some of Ms. Veronika’s super talented readers!

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A TEAM WELLBEING INITIATIVE Reading is one of the most enriching hobbies one can nurture – books educate, inspire and entertain. Reading also gives wellbeing a big boost. Reading as little as 6️ minutes a day can have paramount influence on your wellbeing – it lowers stress, helps you relax, deepens empathy, boosts your mood, helps you sleep better, increases focus, and it boosts memory and stimulates the brain.

Reading and wellbeing are intrinsically connected. To celebrate the UAE Month of Reading , we invited the WIN Family to tell us about books that made them smile or inspired them and evoked a sense of wellbeing and positivity.

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Mr. Gaber Sayah, Head of Arabic and Islamic Education

‫ والسعادة هي أسلوب‬،‫اإليجابية هي طريقة تفكير‬ ‫ أو ما تفعله هو ما يجعلك‬،‫ ليس ما تملكه‬.‫حياة‬ ‫ بل كيفية تفكيرك بكل ذلك‬،ً‫سعيدا‬. ‫يحتل مفهوم السعادة واإليجابية أولوية قصوى‬ ‫لدى الشيخ محمد بن راشد حيث تناولهما في‬ ‫كتابه " تأمالت في السعادة واإليجابية" الصادر‬ ‫ والذي يعبر سموه من خالله عن‬2017 ‫عام‬ ‫اهتمامه الكبير بمفهومي السعادة واإليجابية حيث‬ ‫يقوم الكتاب بإلهام األجيال القادمة وتعليمهم فنون‬ ‫نوه‬ َّ ‫ وكما‬،‫الحياة ودروسها ونقل الخبرات لهم‬ ،‫الشيخ محمد أن إسعاد الناس هي غاية وهدف‬ ‫ إما أن‬:‫وأن اإلنسان أمام التحديات لديه الخياران‬ ‫ اإليجابية‬،‫ أو أن يبدع ويتجاوز‬،‫يقف ويتراجع‬ ً ‫ دائما‬.‫تعطيك منظورا ً مختلفا ً لألمور من حولك‬ ‫ وعند كل إنسان‬، ‫في كل تحد هناك فرصة‬ ‫ وكل فكرة لديها‬،‫ وكل شخص لديه طاقة‬،‫موهبة‬ ‫ التحديات‬،‫إمكانية للنجاح في زمانها ومكانها‬ ‫ بل فرصة إلبداع‬،‫والعقبات ليست نقطة النهاية‬ ‫ لذلك يمكننا القول أن اإليجابية‬،‫حلول جديدة‬ ‫ والسعادة تولد النجاح‬،‫تؤدي للسعادة‬

Positivity is a way of thinking, happiness is a lifestyle. Not what you own, or what you do is what makes you happy, but how to think of all this. The concept of happiness and positivity occupies a top priority with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid as discussed in his book 'Reflections on Happiness and Positivity' issued by His Highness in 2017, through which he expressed his great interest in happiness and positivity. The book inspires future generations and teaches them the art of life and transfers experiences to them. Sheikh Muhammad notes that making people happy is a target, and that a person in face of challenges has two options: either to retreat, or to innovate and transcend.

Positivity gives you a different perspective on things around you. There is always an opportunity in every challenge, and every person has a talent and energy. Challenges and obstacles are not the end point, but an opportunity to create new solutions. So we can say that positivity leads to happiness, and happiness leads to success.

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Ce recueil, qui ne fut pas compilé par Mallarmé qui n'eut pas l'occasion de publier un recueil de ses poésies de son vivant, la mort l'ayant pris de court) comporte les deux phases de la poésie mallarméenne : la première où le poète poursuit, dans un langage d'influence baudelairienne, une quête du beau et du rêve à travers un langage à mi chemin entre romantisme tardif et symbolisme, et la seconde plus axée sur une recherche de l'absolu à travers le langage et le symbole, allant jusqu'au point de donner une plus grande importance à la forme et à la beauté et la sonorité des mots qu'à leur sens

Ms. Dina Elemam Head of Year 7 Secondary French Teacher

This book, which was not compiled by Mallarmé as he did not have the opportunity to publish a collection of his poems during his lifetime, death having taken him by surprise, includes the two phases of Mallarmé's poetry: the first where the poet pursues, in a language of Baudelairean influence, a quest for beauty and dreams through a language halfway between late romanticism and symbolism, and the second more focused on a search for the absolute through language and symbol, going so far as to give greater importance to the form and beauty and sound of words than to their meaning.

Ms. Veronika Lambova Primary Librarian

The book that makes me happy is 'The Little Book of Hygge'. The book gives the message that happiness is in experience and not in things.

Happiness is about being with the people we love - a feeling of home.

Happiness is the feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world.

Ms. Akifa Ijaz Head of English, Secondary

A story based on profound heartbreak, compassion and perseverance, ‘And the Mountains Echoed’ by Khaled Hosseini reflects on how familial bonds define us as individuals. This story speaks to me of the love between families and the sacrifices parents make to give their children the best of life. Distinctly, the bond between Pari and Abdullah distinctly reminds me of the love for my own siblings and the extent to which I will go to protect them.

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Ms. Debbiejo Miranda Head of Wellbeing

Despite all the comforts and advancements of the modern world, modern lifestyle is filled with perpetual tension and worry.

Minds have never been so negatively affected as they are today, the main cause being stress. Life calls for growth, choice and adaptation. “Use Your Stress to Keep Away Distress” by J. Maurus endeavours to point out how one can cope with the inevitable and develop more positive attitudes that can lead to a one's wellbeing.

Mishal Faraz

Sophia Pogorelova

Year 10

Year 13

Secondary Student Head of Wellbeing

Secondary Head Girl

Unputdownable, inspiring and unforgettable- just few of the words we can use to describe "My Story: 50 memories From Fifty Years of Service" written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

In this book His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has recorded the milestones in his life. As valuable as the book is in chronicling several milestones, national and international, it is just as special in giving us endearing glimpses into His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's life- the influences and special people who shaped him as an individual. The chapters in which His Highness Sheikh Mohammed talks about his love for his mother are beautiful beyond words.

It’s a book for readers of all ages. While the grownups and older children will absolutely love the brilliant read that it is, young children would surely enjoy the personal anecdotes being read out to them. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed is one of the greatest leaders the world will ever know, and each word written in this book is a pearl of wisdom which will make the readers feel deeply inspired.

"Emma" is one of the most ironic novels by J. Austin. Almost every detail and event is ridiculed here: the behavior of the characters, the inconsistency of words and actions, complacency, fears, many qualities are considered under an enlarged prism. Caustic, ironic, this novel gives the most vivid ideas about the life of the beginning of the 19th century customs. The plot, as always, is about love, although here it is presented through Emma's blindness and delusions, gradually the characters are transformed, grow up and find their happiness.

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Ms. Devy Mangalindan, Secondary English Teacher I have many favourites; however, my recent one is "The Little Book of Friendships"

by Tiddy Rowan, which I bought a few days back. Throughout my life, I have been finding myself looking for friends and being in connection with many people in all walks of life. They have made me who I am today, and for that, I will be forever grateful. This book teaches me how to be a better version of myself so that I can deepen the bond I have with them, double the joy I felt when I am surrounded by them or even sometimes divides the grief we feel inside.

Michelle Peter, Year 12 Wellbeing Coordinator

A book that always makes me happy is Arundhati Roy's 'The God of Small Things'. The language she uses, the imagery she describes, the plot that she narrates, makes you find comfort and home in an otherwise tragic tale.

Marcus Fernandes, Year 6, Primary Head Boy My favourite book is 'Harry Potter and The Philosophers Stone'. This is the very first Harry Potter book written by JK Rowling in 1995. I love this book because it is actionpacked, filled with mystery, laughter, and adventure. After reading the book, I learned that there are many similarities between the book and in our real life as it teaches us life morals. For example, I learned that friendship and loyalty can always beat wealth and status, love conquers hate, and we should never give up. My favourite part of the book that made me laugh was when Hermione Granger said, “We could die or worse, get expelled!”.

Akshita Popat, Year 6, Primary Deputy Head Girl 'Wish' by Barbara O’Conner is about Charlemagne Reese, whose family is not exactly the ideal one a child would want. But to fight it all, she has her wish. She has made the same secret wish every single day since fourth grade. However, when she moves in with her aunt and uncle, it seems less and less likely her wish will ever come true. But when she meets the Odoms, she sees life in a new perspective and realizes her wish came true after all, just not in the way she expected.

Jaimee Reyes, Year 6, Primary Head of Pastoral Care 'Geronimo Stilton-The Kingdom of Fantasy" is a series consisting of 13 books in which the main protagonist, Geronimo Stilton, ventures into the unexplored fictional world of The Kingdom of Fantasy. There, he meets many other magnificent creatures and wonderful new friends. The adventures and travel the characters have excite the hodophile in me. The positivity it evokes is inspiring and puts a smile on my face whenever I finish each part. I read the books one after the other. Once I started, I just couldn't stop!

For more reviews, visit Instagram @win_wellbeing_fulcrum #WINReadingForWellbeing

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Hi, my name is Mir Faraz, and I’m in Year 7. As a proud resident of the UAE, I could not hold my excitement when Expo 2020 opened its doors to all in October 2021. It was like seeing a dream come true before my eyes.

As the first major world gathering since the advent of Covid-19, Expo symbolized unrestrained possibilities for the residents of the UAE as well as people all over the globe. We are indeed fortunate to have witnessed something as spectacular and ground-breaking as Expo 2020. As we bid adieu to Greatest Show on the Earth, this is my final offering for this column in which I’ve attempted to capture all that Expo exemplified for me. I sincerely hope my thoughts resonate with millions of people who got the opportunity to experience this splendour.

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A Goodbye to the Greatest Show on Earth At the risk of sounding clichéd, time really does fly! Seems like yesterday when Expo 2020 opened its doors to the world, and now after 6 months of unforgettable memories, the massive portals to the expansive Expo 2020 site have been closed forever. The site will now be repurposed into the much talked about District 2020, the 15 minutes city which will be an exemplar in itself, but as far as Expo 2020 is concerned, the curtains are drawn and magnificently so. With a kaleidoscope of moments spent at Expo 2020 dancing in my mind, I look back fondly to think what the legacy of Expo 2020 will always be.

Expo 2020 heralded a renewed sense of hope and positivity for a world facing the unprecedented challenges of Covid 19.

Expo 2020 is the first global gathering since the advent of the pandemic. With social distancing becoming a norm and in person interactions becoming far and between, Expo 2020 became a symbol of hope - a renewed world where everyone could be together again.

I still feel awestruck every time I think how the team behind Expo 2020 made the massive site ready during an ongoing pandemic. The state of the art architecture featuring a multitude of concrete marvels executed to perfection is a testimony to UAE's resilience, grit and determination. And just as impressive is the unwavering commitment to keep everyone safe. To quote His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, "The word 'impossible' does not exist in UAE's dictionary.”

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A Microcosm of the World

With many of us not having travelled in the past two years, Expo 2020 was the ultimate passport to explore 192 nations at one place! I explored the impressive landscape of Saudi Arabia, traversed through the Swiss Alps, virtually walked through the diverse landscape of Australia and even touched a moon rock and so much more. I vividly remember the feeling of exuberance that I came back with after each visit. I felt like an explorer, a voyager, a true global citizen.

True to its theme, "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future", every corner of Expo 2020 was brimming with new, exciting knowledge. There was so much to learn about people, countries, cultures, innovations and best practices which are transforming the world. I don't think there could be a more potent source of learning for children and adults alike and all those who had the opportunity to visit Expo 2020 are much richer for it.

Sustainability

The Expo site was resplendent with the bright hues of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There was so much to learn from different countries and their exclusive sustainable practices. Amid the calls for urgent action to safeguard the planet, to see the global community's collective commitment towards it was heart-warming and reassuring.

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There are some moments which make you smile when you look back on them. Expo 2020 has given me memories I'll cherish forever. I will always remember the thrill I felt every time I walked through the massive portals - the anticipation of seeing and learning something new, the surprises at nooks and corners and the sheer joie de vivre that permeated through every inch of Expo 2020.

When I walked out of the Expo 2020 portals for the last time, I did so with mixed feelings of sadness and joy.

Sadness because it was now over and joy because it did after all happen and I was one of the fortunate ones to soak in its mesmerizing brilliance. Just as the stamps on my Expo passport, the precious moments I spent at Expo 2020 will forever by stamped on my heart.

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Saadgee Singh, Year 5 Primary Student Head of Wellbeing Hello! This is Saadgee Singh, a 10-year-old from Grade 5. I am currently the Student Head of Wellbeing of Primary. My hobbies are practicing ballet and playing tennis for which, I am getting trained. I thoroughly enjoy reading thrillers and mystery books, for example A Tale of Witchcraft by Chris Colfer or Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Aesthetically inclined, I aspire to become an interior designer and add a dash of creativity in every house I visit.

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What is the International Day of Happiness and why is it celebrated?

In 2012, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed 20th March as the International Day of Happiness as they knew that happiness should not be a luxury to few. The quest of happiness is a universal and fundamental goal because happiness plays an important role in addressing the various challenges the world faces as challenges are both complex and interrelated.

The International Day of Happiness aims to make people around the world realize the importance of happiness within their lives.

In 2015, the United Nations launched 17 Sustainable Development Goals to make people's lives happier. The realization of these goals is the path to wellbeing and happiness.

Did you know that there are over 7 billion people across the globe? Well, now that you do, you should also know that each of them has a desire to be happy but not all of them have the opportunity. So, always be grateful, kind and loving towards the people around you, be it a stranger or a loved one.

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Happiness The Journey, the Destination Mishal Faraz and Saadgee Singh Student Heads of Wellbeing

International Day of Happiness was an occasion for the Winchester family to acknowledge and celebrate the little things that bring us the most joy. We asked WIN Family members – students, Senior Leaders, teachers, and parents – what happiness meant to them. The responses we received were just as unique and special as is each member of the WIN Family. In the end, we had a heartwarming collection of videos which we have compiled in a 3-part series, titled “Happiness @ WIN – the Journey, the Destination”. Please click on the following links to hear what teachers, students, and parents of Winchester have to say about Happiness.

Part 1

Part 1

https://fb.watch/c96UlCLroo/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbiZ2ClDR9f/

Part 2

Part 2

https://fb.watch/c96WhEq21H/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbia6z9DgcR/

Part 3

Part 3

https://fb.watch/c96YrXAyF4/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbib4w-jywg/

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Happiness Rocks @ WIN A Team Wellbeing Initiative The name "Happiness Rocks @ WIN" is literal, because it involves artwork on rocks; the name is also figurative because we believe that happiness indeed rocks at WIN! On the International Day of Happiness, WIN students created a stunningly vibrant collection of painted rocks that carried beautiful, uplifting messages.

On the surface, it’s just another craft project to pass the time but when we delve deeper into it, we realize that it effortlessly blends mindfulness and creativity, both important components of art therapy. Furthermore, the mind and body benefit from increased levels of serotonin, a feel-good neurochemical, as well as dopamine, which is often called the brain’s reward neurochemical. Students enjoyed the activity immensely and the end result is a keepsake collection which embodies the positivity and optimism of WIN students. Thank you to Ms. Debbie, Head of Wellbeing and Mr. Angelo, Head of Art Department for the invaluable support. Have a look at some of the stunning WIN Happiness Rocks!

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By Aarav Pradhan, Year 12 Secondary Head Boy Greetings! My name is Aarav Pradhan and I am a Senior Editor and Columnist for the WIN Times magazine! I am the Secondary Head Boy for this academic year. My interests include speaking and debating, which is often felt through my focus on argumentative and introspective questions in my articles. As the year begins, I look forward to strengthening the bonds we established as distanced learning students in the previous year. Writing is a superpower that can convey more meaning than any action or emotion ever could. I am excited to lead a new column discussing moralities and the boundaries of our ethics.

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Family or Friends?

The Quintessential Dilemma PART 2 Previously on “The Philosophies of a Righteous mind”, we were discussing the quintessential question, family, or friends?

The History of Family The “History of Family” is a field of study deeply studied primarily in the 20th century. Amidst heavy social change in family and wartime dynamics, people were still “re” familiarising themselves with the ideas of unity and trust. During these times, several reports on the social implications of family life were brought to the attention of the public. Through many years of distrust and secondguessing, the world had finally reached some form of harmony. With that harmony, however, came an array of problems, which while harmless, outnumbered the dilemmas faced by society during distress.

The family vs friends discussion brings into question an individual’s perception of their families. Being brought up in different familial environments, we all place different levels of importance on our family life.

So, this question now has more than a few possible reasons to choose either side, making this initially 2-sided dilemma into a multifaceted mess of ethics and emotional perception.

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To make this overwhelming issue easier to digest, let's break it down into the different reasons a person might make a certain decision.

Socioeconomic Circumstances Depending on a person's economic standing and social prestige, people tend to view a certain aspect of their lives as “more important”. Due to human selfpreservation, many people are put in situations where they have to make decisions for their own best interests.

But in lower stake situations like a family party versus a friend’s party, a few other factors play a more major role.

Purpose and meaning In situations when such conflicts are regarding people or valued ones to be specific, a person’s decision is often heavily influenced by the relevance and relationship they share with each person.

In this case, if the person has a very distant relationship with their family or doesn’t feel as comfortable around them, they wouldn’t feel obliged to attend the family function. However, if they do share a close relationship with family, even more factors may come into play.

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Consequences & Fear of Confrontation If this person still hasn’t been able to establish a clear idea of which side they would pick, the most rational decision would be to understand the consequences of each action. Family is often thought to be people who can forgive and look past one’s faults. With this in mind, a person may see the “volatility” of their friendship as a delicate situation, making them afraid to disappoint the friend by not attending the party rather than attending the family party. Using this logic, I think it's safe to say it would be most likely that you end up choosing “friends” over family.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Family

If you still haven’t been able to make up your mind after trying to make sense of this jumbled problem, it might be a sign to just talk to someone about it. After all, sharing your frustrations is part of the reason we have “friends” and “family”. So, the true dilemma isn’t you trying to make this decision, instead, it’s the fight between instinct and rationale. Which one is correct?

Why do we make it so difficult for ourselves? Well to find out more on how this applies to other dilemmas, join us on the journey through the “Philosophies of a Righteous Mind”.

Friends

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By Jaimee Felysse A. Reyes, Year 6

Hello there. I am Jaimee Felysse Reyes, a 10-year-old student from Year 6C. I am currently the Head of Pastoral Care in The Winchester School Jebel Ali’s Student Government. I am a responsible, diligent and confident person who has a positive attitude towards learning. I love researching, watching tutorials and making my own videos. I am an art enthusiast, but I also have a keen passion for reading. I read lots of books, both fiction and non-fiction, with various genres like classics, myths, fantasies, sci-fi, humour, mystery, adventure, biographies/autobiographies, reference books, atlases, arts and crafts, and encyclopaedias. I have been reading since I was 4. Growing up, I would collect books rather than toys and would frequent museums and libraries. There is something about reading that transports me to another world. As Roald Dahl said, “If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” I am delighted to share with you my analysis, views and recommendations on the books that I have read.

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The Kingdom of Fantasy Series

by Elisabetta Dami "Geronimo Stilton, The Kingdom of Fantasy", a children’s book series in a series, mainly consists of Geronimo’s adventures in the Kingdom of Fantasy, aiming to protect the place at all costs. The book practically explains a part of the main character’s daily life.

Intro

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About the Author You might be surprised to know this, but Geronimo Stilton is actually a woman.

Elisabetta Maria Dami (born 1 January 1958) is an Italian children’s book author who became famous for creating the mouse character, Geronimo Stilton. She started as a proof-reader when she was just 13 and wrote her first short stories at 19.

The fictional Geronimo and Thea Stilton books were in fact influenced by the adventures made by the author herself, as she was an adventure lover. She is an aircraft pilot and parachutist and has travelled around the world on her own at the age of 23. The idea of writing "The Geronimo Stilton Books" came to her mind when she found out that she could not bear children. She decided to volunteer in a children's hospital, and to help the sick kids, she thought of writing adventure stories. The series became very famous in Italy and all around the world. It has been translated into 49 languages and have sold more than 161 million copies worldwide.

“For a while I worked as a volunteer in a hospital, and it was there, almost by chance, that I invented Geronimo Stilton… It was at the time when Patch Adams taught the world that children need to laugh to get better. So I started to make up funny stories in which the protagonist was a clumsy mouse called Geronimo Stilton. He would get involved in all sorts of entertaining adventures, full of funny events and twists in the plot, that children found really compelling.”

- Elisabetta Dami

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About the Series

My Observations

The series consists of thirteen books in which Geronimo Stilton, ventures into the unexplored fictional world of The Kingdom of Fantasy. There, he meets many other magnificent creatures like dragons, fairies and mermaids and wonderful new friends.

Geronimo Stilton has always been a children’s favourite. Whenever I go to bookstores and libraries, I usually notice many eager readers crowding around the Geronimo Stilton section.

I, too, am also a fan of the same, because of its dynamic writing and the colourful illustrations.

He first finds a music box engraved with an unexpected message and a strange letter from his attic. Suddenly, there appeared a golden staircase and on top is a magical door which has whisked him to a world no one could ever imagined. Along with his sidekick, Scribblehopper the frog, they set off to save the Queen of the Fairies but had to face many obstacles such as sea serpents, giant scorpions, pixies and other out of this world creatures.

The kids will be totally engrossed of its easyto-read text and will be so interested in deciphering the codes included in the story.

Some of the words were written in different colours and fonts, which is a fun way to introduce new vocabulary to kids.

And a whole new adventure begins…

Without a doubt, I would quickly rate the books and the series, 5 stars for the story itself.

I love how the author incorporated some games to make even kids who are not into reading, be fascinated in its content. It is a unique book full of cool adventures for all ages.

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The Effect of Sports on Young People’s Psychological Well-Being Psychological wellbeing is seen as having the ability to adapt to situations and employ emotions and strategies, whose effectiveness depends on the individual’s physical, social, and mental wellbeing. It refers to the enhancement of one’s character through the development and improvement of personal capacities and skills to face challenges.

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The Intrinsic Relationship Between Sports and Psychological Wellbeing Over the last two decades, the relationship between sports and psychological wellbeing has attracted the attention of the scientific community. Numerous studies have demonstrated that a direct relationship exists between both variables. In addition, all types of physical-sports activities have been identified as nurturing positive psychological wellbeing regardless of the environment they are performed in.

Performing physical sport activities is shown to have prolonged benefits associated with high levels of satisfaction, quality of life and happiness. Performing physical activity through frequent and regular sports programs or independent activities, is related to improvements not only in wellbeing but also in mental health, memory, self-esteem, optimism, coping with stress, keeping emotions in control and mental flexibility.

Physical activity is the most popular of all the activities young people dedicate their leisure time to. It is a practice that young people link to perceptions of self-determination and high levels of satisfaction. Sports is seen as a positive aspect in their lives, owing to its potential to promote values linked to their psychological wellbeing. Participations in sport activities especially in team sports or competitive individual sports, is very popular among the youth, as it has reported high development in social skills, confidence, and overall fitness.

In Conclusion…

To conclude, numerous studies confirm that active participation in sporting activities improves psychological wellbeing, especially in areas related to managing emotions. Positive correlations were found between the frequency of physical activity and psychological wellbeing in both adolescent males and females. Practicing sports leads to benefits such as the promotion of values including teamwork, cooperation, interpersonal relations, motivation, and managing emotions which enables young people to acquire better life skills.

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The Pursuit of Happiness Prabud Vithanage, Year 6

Primary Student Head of UAE Culture and values

Prabud Vithanage is in Year 6 and is currently the Primary Head of UAE Culture and Values. Prabud strongly feels that after the challenges of the pandemic, what we need is more positivity, optimism, and a conscious highlighting of things which make us happy. This is the main inspiration behind Prabud’s column – a tribute to the eternal pursuit of happiness.

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Winning the battle against sadness What is happiness?

As humans we have thrived in every way. Our species have achieved impressive feats. We have stopped the spread of diseases, fought wars, stopped conflicts, built compacted civilization.

However, we aren’t able to solve and conquer emotions or specifically speaking, sadness. It always comes and stays with us until we have found a solution to do away with it. Everyone is in a continuous battle against sadness. Even though it may look small it can begin to expand and change people. People try different measures to find a solution so they can conquer sadness and achieve happiness. Here’s what I feel – you hold the power to achieve happiness.

HAPPINESS = success How does happiness corelate with the success of a person? Because it is one aspect that can boost the rate of success. When you align with your goal with contentment and happiness, you have a high expectancy of achieving it. For example, if you want to read 50 books in a month and you are being forced to do it, you feel uncomfortable going through it. But if you’re happy and excited to read those 50 books, achieving your goal would be faster and easier. A real life, example of this situation is observed in many Companies owner today like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. These people weren’t forced to bring themselves to their long-term goal instead they passionately led themselves to that point.

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How DO WE CONQUER SADNESS AND ACHIEVE HAPPINESS? There are three main ways to achieve happiness: • The first is to talk, think and try to find solutions to the reason of your sadness. Talking with others can also relieve the pain from your shoulders. Look around, there are people you can turn to – parents, teachers, friends and so on.

• The second way is by calming yourself down because sometimes sadness can turn into anger which may lead to larger problems. Never let anger get the better of you. An agitated mind cannot facilitate happiness.

• Finally, it is important to understand that happiness is a really important factor for your wellbeing and your life. Work towards it, do things that make you happy, spend time with people who make you feel good and always be kind to everyone around.

Conclusion I hope that with all these new ideas planted in your brain you and others will be able to change their upside-down smile into a large grin.

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TALKING POLITICS

By Sophia Pogorelova, Year 13 Secondary Head Girl Hello! My name is Sophia and I’m a Year 13 student here at Winchester. My hobbies include reading classical literature and having an absolutely unhealthy obsession with collecting vinyl records. I aspire to get into the world of international relations and political science as I'm interested in understanding the frameworks of theological thinking. Now, what is my ultimate goal? I aim to make it onto the Forbes List.

WIN Times promises to foster the growth, the diversity, the connection and the mana of our students, building a new community for our incredible writers and illustrators. The opportunities you will receive as either a member of the WIN Times team, or as a reader, will allow you to gain and develop confidence, independence and creativity. I am looking forward to reading the upcoming articles from our talented writers and encourage you all to allow your mind to wander as you take up these innovative ideas as challenges that will help you blossom in ways you have yet to imagine.

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Thomas Hobbes and the social contract tradition The social contract tradition is focused on the idea of consent. The contract implies the idea of agreement or consent as forming the basis for a government. And of course, once we start talking about a contract to create a government, that implies some circumstance in which the government doesn't exist. That we start from some prior condition, a state of nature, or some pre-governmental state, and then the governmental society gets created.

So, let's just think about that for a minute before we get started. If there were no government, no state at all, what do you think life would be like? It's a difficult condition to live in, would you say? For a human being to live in a state without structure, without real authority?

Decoding the notion of consent The core idea of the social contract tradition is the notion of consent.

What is it that people consent to?

We will have to dig into the meaning of consent, particularly as it was originally understood in the 17th-century theories, and then how we've come to think about it subsequently. The originator of what we think of as modern social contract theory is Thomas Hobbes wrote a book in 1651, called ‘Leviathan’.

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Thomas Hobbes and the social contract theory

When Hobbes talks about consent (the social contract) he doesn't think it's what people agree to, but what is rational for people to agree to. He argued that any person who thinks clearly, who reflects on what it's like to live without government must agree with him.

That submitting to absolute sovereignty is better than living in the state of nature.

There are two obstacles to people realizing that, one is in the universities. Hobbes was a brilliant man and a great scholar by any estimation, however, he had absolute contempt for the universities, which were filled with followers of Aristotle. He once spoke of the insignificant mutterings of the schoolmen, and by that, he meant the followers of Aristotle, who he thought of as the most misguided theoretician of politics ever to have existed. And he saw his ‘Leviathan’ in an important sense as a response to Aristotle's politics.

But then the other reason was that he thought people were confused by merchants and others who had their agendas that had bred the conflicts that had led to the English Civil War. He wrote a history of the Civil War called ‘Behemoth’, in which he endlessly attacks those individuals who have deceived the commons about their interests. So, the combination of the woolly headed academics in the universities filled with Aristotle's misleading ideas, and the ideologies out there in the world of merchants and others deceiving the common people made it hard to see what's rational.

He thought we could see geometrical proof that the account he was going to give is what any rational person must agree to. So, the agreement that Hobbes is talking about is not an agreement between the people and the ruler.

An unequivocal advocate of social consent Hobbes is unequivocal that the agreement is among the people to give up their authority, their power, their freedom to enforce, their wishes, the law of nature, whatever it is that they think they should be doing, to give that up to a third party, to their state, and the state will have absolute power. So the agreement is among the people, not between the people and the government. And when he gives his account of why people should be willing to do that. He says, think about the state of nature. Think about what it's like to live without a government.

Hobbes' description of the state of nature illustrates an idea where there's no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain, and consequently no culture of the earth. There's no navigation, no use of the commodities that may be imported by sea, no commodious living, no instruments of moving, no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts, no letters, no society.

And which is worst of all, there is continual fear and danger of violent death. In his own words, “The life of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. So this is what you're facing in the state of nature, and this is what gives you every incentive if you're thinking clearly to recognize that it'd be better to give up that power to a third party.”

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Does social consent mean complete submission?

Now, Hobbes lived through a civil war and it's often the case that people who have lived through a civil war take a different view, and no different and more malevolent view of the state of nature than those who have not. But it's certainly how he portrays it. Now, the state of nature is a state of war, and we escape it by giving up our power to an absolute sovereign. We do it because it's so terrible to live in a state of nature that anything else is better. But even for Hobbes, there are limits to what the government can do, and he, in particular, articulates two.

One is, people shouldn't be obliged to die for the sovereign. After all, if the point of entering into this agreement with everybody else to give up your power to the sovereign is to escape the war against all that's going to bring you, most likely, an early and nasty death.

Then, if the sovereign orders you to go and die, it's unlikely you're going to obey. So it's not clear that Hobbes wants to say we have a more right to resist the sovereign.

But he certainly wants to say to the sovereign you'd be very foolish to order people to go to their deaths because pretty much they're not going to do it.

The second limit was very important in the England of Hobbes' day. He said if the state can no longer protect you, then the obligation to obey the government disappears. And this was a live controversy because of what had happened after the civil war, Cromwell had prevailed, and the king had fled to France. Hobbes had fled with him and lived in exile. But there was then an issue in England of what the Royalists should do. And the anti-royalist government pressed the issue by insisting that they participate in a so-called engagement controversy. They said you have to swear an oath of allegiance to the government. And these supporters of the king didn't know what to do because they were royalists after all. And Hobbes had a view about this where he states if the King does not give you the protection you're no longer obliged to obey him. And so if the king has run off to France, you can swear the oath of allegiance, you can engage with the government.

But of course, if the king comes back and can take over again, well then you will re-transfer your allegiance back to the king. Hobbes takes the view that you're obliged to the sovereign so long as he doesn't order you to die and they're able to offer you protection. Because that is the raison d'etre of the state.

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Hello everyone! My name is Victoria Nedyalkova. I’m in Year 7J, and this is my second year as a very proud columnist for WIN Times. I love writing, baking, playing the piano, and playing with my dog, Teddy. With the start of a new school year, comes new beginnings, and new exciting experiences. I am glad to introduce my new column in WIN Times. As an enthusiastic animal lover with a passion for animals, I chose the topic of discovering different aspects of all the living things around us, other than humans. So, if you love animals just like me, stick around and I can assure you that you will enjoy the content of this column as much as I enjoy writing it!

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The Threatening Change We live in unstable times. Most countries are still battling the Covid pandemic, which has caused a lot of distress, panic, and has messed up global economies. In addition, there is another unfortunate threat to our future – climate change. Unfortunately, this danger reflects first upon our nature and animals as a consequence of our increasing human dominance.

The planet experiences many negative changes associated with climate change: loss of biodiversity (variety of living organism), destruction of terrestrial ecosystems, changes in ocean chemistry that disrupts the marine food chain and destroy tropical coral reefs, extreme and unusual weather events, drought due to warming and changing weather patterns, decreased water supplies from reduced winter snowpacks and loss of mountain glaciers, and rising sea levels. The list could be much longer. I just want to explore the consequences related to wildlife in order to illustrate the risk and uncertainty related with climate change.

Animals rely on their environment to survive, so do humans.

But for some people this may not be very important, or they are just unconcerned with the changing environment conditions; but to wildlife throughout the earth, it’s a matter of life. Food, freshwater, shelter, and right temperatures are their basic needs. Sadly, global warming has a destroying effect on each one of those necessities of life and animals are negatively affected.

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Climate change affects

more than most other places. As air temperature

and water surface temperatures increase, sea ice melts. This causes many marine mammals and seabirds to lose their habitat and food source.

The primary habitat of Polar bears is sea ice. They feed on seals which inhabit ice-filled waters. This fact is the main reason polar bear are dependent on sea ice. As sea ice decreases, many will be forced to travel further for food, which will affect their survival, especially of cubs and young bears. The polar bear has been classified as Vulnerable on IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red list of Threatened Species and their numbers are projected to decline by 30% by 2050.

Emperor penguins, need constant sea ice to survive, but climate change is progressively melting away their Antarctic home.

Latest research predicts, if the progress of climate change continue, the species will be all but extinct by the year 2100.

Reindeer eat lichen and dwarf shrubs they dig out from the snow. The climate change causing rainfall or snow melting, leads to formation of thick layer of ice above their food. This obstacle makes it harder, and even impossible for the reindeer to get food.

Walrus needs stable sea ice to survive. They use their tusks to forage and lift themselves up onto sea ice. Many of them use the sea ice as a platform for resting, and a place to leave young calves while diving for food. As a result of the loss of stable ice due to climate change, walrus are changing their behaviour – with the loss of their sea ice habitats they are forced to move on land, where they are highly affected by disturbance from people and predators, which can frighten them and cause stampedes causing mortality. Today, the Walrus is considered as near Threatened in its natural environment as a consequence of the increase levels of hunting and lessening amount of ice due to global warming.

Animals like the Saimaa ringed seal, narwal, arctic fox, orca, lemming, beluga whale, red knot, muskox – all are hugely threatened by climate change in the polar regions.

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Sadly, this is not the only region of the planet that is suffering.

are no exception. Sea level rise is their biggest climate related threat. Scientists have observed that these valuable forests are typically resilient to changes in sea level. But mangroves can adjust to slow rise of sea level. Researchers have found that mangroves cannot survive in seas rising faster than about 7 millimeters per year. Regrettably according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the rising average rate for the next few decades, is projected to accelerate to between 5 to 10 millimeters per year by 2100.

That could drown the forests, providing save habitat for tropical fish, many species of birds, reptiles, mammals, insects, and amphibians.

Mangrove ecosystem is under threat from human exploitation and sea level rise placing more than one in six mangrove species worldwide in danger of extinction. Proboscis monkey, Smooth-coated otter, Western red colobus, Mangrove finch, Mangrove whipray are only some of them.

covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface and is a home and food source for numerous fish, mammals, plants, birds, and more.

The ocean has a significant influence on Earth environment by absorbing heat from the Sun and spreading it more evenly around our planet. So, as the planet warms, it is the ocean that gets most of the extra energy; but, if the ocean gets too warm, this threaten the plants and animals that live there.

Coral reefs are the marine ecosystem with the greatest variety of species. Coral reefs are home to 4000 species of reef fish, 840 species of corals and over 1 million species of other animal as per Coral Reef Alliance. Scientific evidence reveals that climate change is huge global threat to coral reef ecosystem. As Earth’s atmosphere and ocean are warming, massive coral bleaching events and infectious disease becomes more frequent.

75% of the world’s coral reefs are threatened 90% of coral reefs will be threatened by 2030 100% of coral reefs will be threatened by 2050 if we don’t take action now

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These days many of us are taking the things in our lives for granted or have a “I don’t care“ attitude. Considering the negative effect of our daily lifestyle to the environment, we can try to take small steps to reduce our negative impact to the environment and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations. Our disdain for the natural world, of which we are part of, and on which we depend, threaten our own wellbeing and survival too.

Perhaps the most important message is that each one of us can play a role in creating a better world—every day.

“Humanity is waging war on nature. This is suicidal.

Nature always strikes back – and it is already doing so with growing force and fury. Biodiversity is collapsing. One million species are at risk of extinction. Ecosystems are disappearing before our eyes … Human activities are at the root of our descent toward chaos. But that means human action can help to solve it.”

António Guterres, SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations

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Risha Baid, Year 12, Head of Enterprise & Entrepreneurship Money management is an essential skill for practical life, we firmly believe that the students of the Winchester School must be proficient in the same!

Whatever career or field students get into in the future, they will need to have basic knowledge of money management and business to avoid financial problems later down the line. It is thus paramount that we, as students, are aware of how to save money, increase savings, avoid debts and so much more.

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To increment the fiscal knowledge of Winchester students and thus prepare them for their future, the Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Team of the student government presents ‘WIN AXIA’; a money management course aided to help you make safer and smarter decisions! The team consisting of the below members, with the help of video tutorials aim to spread as much knowledge as possible; as of right now the following videos are out, ‘Introductory Video’ and ‘How to manage your pocket money’. Make sure you check them out, along with our Instagram page. https://instagram.com/axia.win?utm_medium=copy_link

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Team

Lisa Abraham

Zanetta Suri

Kuvam Arora

Yana Surjiani

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Mohammed Arbaaz Year 11

Talha Raza

Farah Malwan

Risha Baid

Year 12

Year 13

Head, Year 12

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Dear Future Me is an initiative which endeavours to capture the impressive perspectives and hopes for the future our students nurture. We invite all students to address their future self. This exercise will help them set goals for themselves, express their hopes and dreams for the world, envision the future and comprehend their own role in that future.

Hope and aspirations for a tomorrow which holds promise enhances the sense of purpose, optimism and wellbeing. Moreover, the past two years have been unlike anything that we have experienced before. We’ve faced unprecedented challenges, and at the same time, showed unprecedented strength, resilience and growth. Dear Future Me invites students to share their experiences and lessons which herald optimism for the future.

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Objectives of the Initiative

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Things to Consider • How do you imagine yourself in the coming years?

• How do you picture the future?

• What are your goals, aspirations, and dreams?

• What makes you happy?

• What lessons has the pandemic taught you?

• What changes do you want to see in the world?

• What do you associate with a happy future you?

• What advice do you want to give your future self?

Follow us on Instagram @windearfutureme To know more about this initiative, watch this video https://youtu.be/8M7cZ-gnzEw For queries and submissions, email us at windearfutureme@gmail.com

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WIN Healthy Family Mythali Wannakuwatte, Year 13 Head of Health and Safety The Win Family Fitness Challenge aims to engage students, teachers, and parents by encouraging them to get fitter and healthier by walking, the much documented practice to harbour health and wellbeing. The initiative introduced by the Health and Safety team targets to ensure that we are constantly active.

Overwhelming researches suggest that exercising can help reduce so many health conditions, which is why we have nurtured a healthy little competition between students in their respective year groups, between teachers and parents too. The competition has shown that students have ensured to develop that sense of building their walking steps over the weeks.

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Our initiative’s main intention is to grow closer as a school community and to promote each other when coming together to achieve the main goal of recording more steps. We are yearning to attract more students, teachers and parents to join this well-developed initiative so that together we can reap the benefits of physical exercise.

Health and Safety Team

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Screenshot of the leaderboard

Here’s how you can participate!

1. Download Outwalk from App Store or Play store 2. Sign in, with either email, (google or Apple ID) or Facebook 3. Change your name to the format below _Name_Y(year group)(section)_(school house)_ Examples: - Jonah_Y10E_Wind - Vanessa_Y8A_Fire

4. Add Winchester as a friend *WINHEALTHYFAMILY* and fight for your position on the leadership board for the most steps.

For more guidance follow the steps on the PowerPoint!! https://gemsedumy.sharepoint.com/:p:/p/debbiejo_m_wi n/EbQNFoaQ795Mh1UnmqwMT5QBp LdQuj0BSvDm74ZyZfaoCw?e=nSCqKc

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Initiative by Aarav Pradhan of Year 12, Hassan Alrubaye and Tahsin Jawwad of Year 13

"A computer would deserve to be called intelligent if it could deceive a human into believing that it was human."

In our quest to cater to the curious minds intrigued by the fascinating world of Artificial intelligence, we presented an opportunity for students to explore this field inspired by the father of Computer Science, Alan Turing, who was an English mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist. Turing is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.

Our Artificial Intelligence programme named “Turing AI School @ WIN” was a wonderful experience for students from Year 3-13 to expand their knowledge and know-hows about Artificial Intelligence. We covered topics like statistics and applied computing to tackle real world problem and making a change for the future.

The initiative received a robust response and the participants imbibed crucial learning that enriched their understanding of the mechanisms of A.I.

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Black, White and Juniper Rianne Charlotte he windows were shrouded in curtains, keeping the sunlight from entering a melancholic, gloomy excuse of a classroom. The blackboard had stiffly written words on it, as if they were typed out. A tall, slim man stood there, strict eyes surveying the classroom. He assigned the students to follow a simple paint by numbers kit, supplied with an array of black and grey paints. Among the students in class, one in particular stood out. From the bright pink in her hair to the dimples in her smile.

T

Her fingers brushed against the smooth paper, picking up a bright red crayon and etching a red rose. She smiled as she sketched away. As she finished off her piece, a set of footsteps grew nearer.

“What is this?” The man scowled, scanning her work. “This wasn’t what I instructed you to do.”

“I know, it’s just that.. The colours you gave us were a little—” she glanced away and looked back, “—boring.”

“So… I decided to use my own crayons.

It’s a garden! That little one over there is a daisy and—”

Mr. Clyde stiffened his glare, causing Juniper to keep her mouth shut. Her outlandish demeanour enraged him in every way.

“Since when were you in charge, little miss?” The man's voice grew louder, and the entire class came to a halt. If she wasn’t already considered a weirdo by her classmates, this had surely done it. All eyes were on her.

“There is no need for… preposterous ideas. I instructed you to follow a simple kit.” He sighed, shaking his head. The rest of the day had gone like that. Each teacher that came in distasted her presence.

‘Preposterous’ Those words seemed to echo in Juniper’s ears.

She knew something was off about her, yet she couldn’t figure out what.

On her way home. Her black shoes clacked along the muddy sidewalk, the noises echoing amongst the fog. Her pace sped up as the anguish and doubt began to consume her.

Juniper unlocked the door, tossing her bag on the sofa as she shut the door behind her.

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She was used to the negative reaction— mainly from her parents. She didn’t know why she expected other people to be any different.

She could hear her parents chuckling from across the room. They expected her to have a bad day—no, they wanted her to.

Something about ‘straightening her out’, hoping that the pink in her hair would fade into black, or that she would quit rambling about silly things. It seemed that everything about her needed to be ‘fixed’.

“How was your first day?” Juniper’s dad asked, nonchalant, keeping his eyes on the newspaper. He didn’t care, he just wanted affirmation that her day went badly.

Juniper forced a smile. “It was alright…” her soft voice trailed off.

“So, it went well?” he joked.

The day was already insufferable, Juniper didn't have the energy to respond.

Dismissing her father, she quietly rushed to her room, hopping on her bed and kicking off her uncomfortable school shoes. Her bedside revealed a window, outlooking the small forest in her backyard. There were worn down nails and broken wood from previous attempts to block it from sight. The view was full of lush, green grass. Her eyes gleamed at the misty trees. And among the bewitching view, appeared a silhouette of a young boy. This was certainly a new sight for her.

She took a closer look, lifting her window sill open.

She silently crept out the window. From the looks of it, he appeared to be painting.

Juniper lowered her foot onto the ground, feeling the moist, dewy grass through her socks.

“Hello?” Juniper called out softly. The boy stiffened, his hands came to a halt.

Juniper came closer. “I’m sorry. ‘Didn’t mean to startle you— " “I-it’s alright. I was just— never mind.”

The boy tugged his canvas away, hiding it behind his back. The two exchanged awkward glances, with the boy focusing on Juniper's hair. It was unlike the looks her classmates gave her; he gazed at her in astonishment.

Brushing off his stare, Juniper brought her attention to the messy paints, staining the green grass in wondrous hues. It was just like the colours she used to draw her

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garden. Juniper was curious, what exactly was this boy doing here?

Juniper held out her hand to shake but the boy ignored her.

“Who are you?” the boy asked in a whisper.

“I’m Juniper! And you?” she beamed in spite of the tone, sitting next to him.

“Ambrose…”

They must've talked for hours about the most obscure things they had in common.

They both watched the wildflowers grow as they captured each moment in their colourful works of art. Juniper could finally relate to someone. Someone with the same ideals and hardships. She'd only ever been outside dealing with people like that today, and it hadn't been pleasant.

Juniper could only imagine what Ambrose went through.

The world around them was dull and monochromatic. Society was nothing but a corporate wasteland; everyone knew what to do and where to be. There was no room for life or anything of art.

And so, the young girl rambled on—with her most colourful interests and her warmest acceptance of the boy.

“It’s not just me...” Ambrose muttered bitterly. “There are a whole lotta’ others..” he paused, “We’re just scared.”

“Of what—” “—Of the world.”

Ambrose pulled Juniper by the arm and tugged her deeper into the misty forest.

They found themselves in a place where the fog cleared up. In front of them was a huge wall of colour; a garden, painted on what had previously been a dreary, ashy slate. She was stunned by how bright it was in comparison to everything else she saw outside. The only thing that wasn't in colour was a faint outline of a rose…

“I didn’t have red, you see?”

Her hand felt the crayon in her pocket.

“You’re lucky I always carry red with me.”

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The Inception of Technology Into Our Daily Lives Shivani Rajan, Year 11 Hello everyone! My name is Shivani Rajan and I am currently studying in Year 11. My major interests dwell upon reading, writing poetry and the study of bioinformatics. I have held classes and trained students in Animation, graphic designing and Mobile App in rural areas of India and Dubai. I am most passionate about technology and challenging tasks that make me create a drive to learn more and keep pace with the everchanging technologies.

Technology, one of the most essential pieces of knowledge an individual must possess in the 21st century, has essentially submerged us completely in its many forms. It has had such a massive impact on our daily lives which as we all know was highlighted during these times of hardship.

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Education would have been near to impossible without it. A great part of technology’s evergrowing influence on our society was with the introduction of online courses and access to online learning. A great example would be MOOCs(massive open online courses). These have provided an immense number of platforms to learn free courses. Quality of learning and understanding of subject matter may also increase due to greater quality in a variety of teaching demonstrations through online platforms.

Another sector greatly influenced by technology in

manufacturing. It has brought on higher efficiency as it has become easier to produce goods with an extra arm to help. As they can be programmed, they can perform tasks repeatedly without a reduction in productivity. The precision in these robots and machinery can cause the chance of an error to be extremely low. Although such, people may argue that an increase in technology has resulted in unemployment and has therefore created a slight opposition to this subject in this industry.

Healthwise, a two-faced argument exists. Starting with benefits, several virtual apps allow us to track our diets, exercise, mental health and so on. It has also given us a suitable platform to be able to communicate with health professionals virtually giving greater access to healthcare at any given point in time. People may be skeptical about these virtual visits. Dr Mark Rood, a family doctor, assures us that “Virtual visits allow us to address patients’ health concerns, safely and effectively. They’re especially important in this time of COVID-19,” On the other hand researchers have linked low-quality screen time with obesity, insomnia, aggression and anxiety.

To conclude, we can all agree that technology has its pros as well as cons, we must be able to effectively use it to our advantage to benefit from it. As Harish Sai Raman, a life coach and transformational life speaker once said “ Technology is either a curse or a blessing, it depends on how we use it”

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Hidden in this wordsearch are some Ramadan-related words. Challenge yourself and find them all!

Ramadan Kareem!