The Drum Issue 09

THE DRUM @WOODFORD

Issue 09, September 1st 2023

Mock Exams

By Idamali Wickham

Starting on the 14th and stretching to the 22nd of August, the years 10 to 12 have had their mock exams. It was a long and busy time for them despite it only being a mock exam, this shows how hard working and devoted they are to their learning.

An interview with Year 10’s Simon Yan tells us that he felt overwhelmed by the exams, saying that he felt

Woodford International School

Hi Guys!

August has just come to an end and it’s September! School finishes in a week's time and I hope you all will enjoy your two weeks of school break! We can’t wait to hear about all the fun you guys have during the break when coming back next term!

nervous and stressed about the exams. He also replied with the answer; “It was okay” to the question; ‘How did you find the mock exams? Was it easy or hard?’. He stated that for his exams he studied “A little bit”, with a half an hour average a day. Though he does say that, “Yeah, I can improve on all of them.” by increasing his study time to at least an hour, he had still put effort into preparation. Besides that, he also states that “It feels free!”

Now that the exams are over, he had truly felt anxious and apprehensive about them.

Atlast , relief had washed over their minds as the exams came to a stop, finally being able to relax and get rid of most of the stress they had before taking them, but now the nervousness of receiving their results had taken over. Now we wish them good luck to all they have done and will achieve, best regards to their studies and help them reach higher grounds as students.

HYDRATED!!

Father’s Day

By Tashli Toito'ona

Father’s day is a day marked to celebrate and honor our hardworking and loving fathers /father-figures. During the past week we carried out a small interview with a few students in the light of father’s day happening in a few days. Students were asked to describe their favorite fatherson/daughter bonding activity and their responses were: singing karaoke, playing fun games, driving around, and spending quality time.

The students were also asked a simple yet broad question, ‘describe a father’. Their answers were related to their own experience with their fathers and their perspective of a father’s qualities

Rugby Awards Ceremony

By Tanya Yee

The diligent W.I.S Rugby Team’s hard work and commitment finally paid off as they held a mini informal awards ceremony during the secondary school assembly. Mr Caleb, a fellow teacher at W.I.S. who is also a third forward for the Solomon Islands Malaita Crusaders team, had coached the tireless students promptly for four weeks before competing in the Credit Corporation Rugby High School 7s. The W.I.S. Rugby Team had played five games in total, triumphing in three and acquiring an effortful two losses.

Their responses were: a strong and caring person who is there for you, a fun and loving person, and a kind and caring person.

Fathers are prominent figures in one’s life whose hard work and effort should be recognized and we hope to do exactly that in our daily lives and celebrate our awesome fathers during the Father’s Day assembly on the 1 st . We would like to wish all the fathers a Happy Fathers day!

The team were each handed gold medals and individual awards to reward their perseverance despite coming 4th in the tournament. A well-known player of the team, Junior Pitisopa from Year 9, received the “Best Player” award as he scored many tries. Chamine Ng from Year 10 was the “Usain Bolt” of the team, being the fastest among his teammates. Year 8 student Jotham Hiele received the “Player who got hit the hardest” award as he endured many tackles from the opposing side.

As the players’ names were called, the hall was packed with exhilaration as the crowd of secondary students cheered for the team. Even laughter echoed as they enjoyed the individual awards. Neil Hakopes from Year 9 had received the “Player with the most friend requests” award as the games had left many spectators amazed by his gameplay which the secondary school found humorous.

After the awards ceremony, they had a team barbeque and shared some encouraging words with each other, striving for improvement in hopes of competing again next year.

Malaita Day 2023: Showcasing Solomon Islands’ rich heritage

By Tyronne Tongi

The Solomon Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean, is known for its diverse cultural tapestry, vibrant customs, and connection to nature.

Malaita Day stands out when the spotlight turns to Malaita, Solomon Island's biggest province, it is celebrated annually on August 15th, and highlights the province's unique heritage and contributions to the nation's identity, uniting its people and preserving their traditions.

Malaita Day is characterized by a kaleidoscope of events that bring together the past and present. Traditional dances, music performances, and rituals are showcased, all beautifully depicting the island's history and its close relationship with nature. From mesmerizing bamboo flute melodies to intricate dances passed down through generations, the festivities provide a captivating window into Malaita’s cultural soul.

Maui wildfires

By Hudson Preece

On the 8 of august 2023 due to severe drought that caused Giant wildfires to start on the Island of Maui in Hawaii. These fires have destroyed over 2000 buildings with an estimated cost of $5.5 billion dollars in damage in addition to displacing thousands of people, killing more than 110 and leaving over 1000 unaccounted for.

Artisans and craftsmen take center stage, displaying their skills in crafting intricate shell jewelry, handwoven baskets, and finely carved canoes. Visitors are offered a chance to experience the intricate craftsmanship that forms an integral part of Malai identity. And what’s a celebration without delicious culinary offerings? Traditional Malaita dishes, prepared with age-old recipes, tempt the taste buds and provide a delightful journey into the island’s flavors. Malaita Day isn’t just about reveling in tradition; it’s also about forging bonds across generations. Elders share stories of yesteryears, passing on the legacy of their ancestors to young minds eager to soak in their history. This intergenerational exchange nurtures a sense of belonging and reinforces the importance of preserving cultural heritage in a rapidly changing world.

First ever UK womb transplant

By Hudson Preece

At a hospital in Oxford, England, surgeons have recently carried out the first womb transplant in UK history. This is a massive achievement for these surgeons since they had spent 25 years researching womb transplants and they are ecstatic about it.

Woodford trio performance

The ship had a wide variety of hospital departments, from Neurology to dentistry, they even provided a department for traditional chinese medication, allowing patients to be able to seek the right department and get the correct medication.

JAHBOY APPEARANCE AT THE RUGBY AWARDING CEREMONY

By Tyronne Tongi

The entire school was filled with euphoria as they saw the one and only “JAHBOY” also known as Kirwan Hatigeva enter the hall award the certificate for our incredible rugby players.

University of Melbourne, the band dubbed the ‘Woodford trio’ which is made up of students, Jaymin and Joshua from Year 11 and Sua from year 12, delivered a heartfelt rendition of ‘Stand by me’ by Ben E King and showed us their passion and talent for music as well their dedication to the school. It has surely left great memories for our three visitors.

The Peace Ark

By LangYing Zhu

On the 19th of August, a Chinese Military Medical ship named The Peace Ark visited the Solomon Islands for a week and left on the 26th.

With over 1000 patients a day, the crew has worked very hard for the 7 day stay here in the country.

The Peace Ark had an on board helicopter where Doctors and Nurses would use to travel to nearby provinces, islands and villages to service more patients.

Having him coach and reward our rugby players was absolutely phenomenal, and not only that but his unwavering support to get up from his daily work and attend our schools matches to lend some words of wisdom.