Patana News Volume 25 Issue 8

Bangkok InternatIonal Choral FestIval

Student Reflections: Lucy Hyman, 9S and Minju Lee, 12T

Dr Elaine Choi is a conductor of a university choir in Toronto. She came to one of our senior choir sessions on Tuesday 27th September to help us work on our songs for the BICF (Bang kok International Choral Festival). She helped us so much and we all had a lot of fun! We were very grateful that she came to our school and we hope she can come again! - Lucy Hy man, 9S

This weekend I attended the Choral Festival held at ISB where multiple schools in and around Thailand came together to sing. For the festival we had Dr Elaine Choi, a visiting con ductor from the university of Toronto to help us prepare for the concert on Saturday. On Friday, we spent our day at ISB practicing the songs that Dr Elaine Choi picked for the choir to sing. The songs included: Sing Your Song by Matthew Emery, Huxi by Ng Cheuk-Yin, A Path to Hope by Katerina Gimon, Mawlaya Salli by Shireen Abu-Khader and JAM! (Jom-Ayuh-

Mari!) by Tracy Wong. The songs that were picked were com posed by people from a variety of different cultures and were in different languages. It was an opportunity to celebrate the different cultures and for people to be united by singing. The languages that the songs were in included: Syriac, Arabic, Chinese, English and Malay, languages which are not com monly sung by a choir. Some of the songs also included body percussion. This represented people making music and com ing together during the pandemic despite not being able to use their voices. I have attended the Choral Festival in previous years, however we have not been able to perform in front of a live audience due to the pandemic. It was a great experience to be able to represent different cultures and finally be able to perform again. My favorite part about attending the Choral Festival is being in a room of 180 people and having the love for singing and music in common. - Minju Lee, 12T

Karel De Cock, Careers and University Counsellor

Many universities and colleges require an essay or personal statement as part of a student’s application. (For the most part, universities and colleges employ the terms application essay and personal statement interchangeably.)

The college essay can tell admissions officers something about a student that may not be evident from the list of cours es taken, grades received, extracurricular activities engaged in, or even letters of recommendation. In general, the essay can help the college assess the student’s critical thinking and writing abilities; it may describe the student’s special interests or experiences, as well as values, attitudes and expectations of the future; and it may shed light on the student’s view of self and of others. More specifically, some colleges may want to determine how creative and resourceful the student can be. One of the supplement essay questions that students can write about for the University of Chicago, for instance, is: “What advice would a wisdom tooth have?” There are many imag inative ways to approach this question that can demonstrate a student’s critical thinking, thought process and perspective.

Brian White, Associate Dean of Students & Director of In ternational Students at Lewis and Clark College, has three tips for students when writing their college essay:

1. TELL A STORY

Your marks, your extra-curricular activities, and your teach er’s recommendation all provide useful information to the uni versity/college admissions staff. However, only your essay or personal statement will allow them to know something about YOU as a person. Admission staff have to read thousands of

applications and will more readily remember and be affected by your essay if it stands out amongst others. Thus, a student who offers a real ‘story’ about some aspect of or event in your life goes a long way in accomplishing this.

2. BE CONCISE

Because university/college admissions staff have thou sands of applications to read, they have little time to read a very long essay and will likely only read the first page. Thus, attempt to fit your essay on one page using a reasonablysized font.

3. HAVE SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW READ IT

The university/college admissions staff don’t know you. Teachers, family, and friends all know you and can uncon sciously ‘fill in’ any missing pieces when reading your essay. Someone who doesn’t really know you will be better posi tioned to offer sound advice as to whether the essay provides the reader with a genuine glimpse of who you are.

4. MAKE IT YOUR OWN

The essay is an opportunity for you to show the university who you really are. University/college admissions staff have a tremendous amount of experience reading essays and know original work when they read it. Moreover, in addition to being able to match the style and quality of your essay with your historical academic performance, there are many ‘tools’ which admissions staff use these days to determine the authenticity of submitted work. Bottom line…. make it YOURS.

Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Temple University encourages stu dents to explore, discover and transform curiosity into action. Having more than 150 undergraduate majors across 17 schools and colleges, it is an ideal institu tion for any student who wants to develop and expand their knowledge. With over 25,000 undergraduate students, Temple offers the advantages of a large research institution and the individual attention of a small college. Students are immersed in a dynamic and nurturing learning environment with the support of a renowned faculty, academic advisors and a broad curriculum of more than 600 academic programs. Temple's NCAA Division I athletic programs and hundreds of student organizations also thrive on campus. Nicknamed the Owls, Temple students are offered many opportunities by being in a vibrant city such as Phil adelphia, also offering a gateway to the world with international campuses in Tokyo and Rome and study abroad opportunities across the globe.

students speak: netBall CompetItIon

Gracie Minchin, 11R

Ihave been playing netball in Thailand for the past nine years, starting out as a seven-year-old who had just moved to Thailand from the UK with no knowledge of netball. When I joined BJNA (Bangkok Junior Netball Academy) it was a way for me to have some fun running around with my friends while also learning to play the game, but as I have grown older netball has really be come a part of me. Whether it has been sprinting around the court like a mad person trying to intercept the ball or laughing when I accidentally pass the ball to the oppo sition, it always brings a smile to my face and I’m sure it will for many years to come.

In recent years netball in Thailand has been developing and now schools like Shrewsbury, St Andrews, Bangkok Prep and Brighton College all now have netball teams. Bangkok Patana has never really had an official netball team but interest in the sport has spiked, and more peo ple are getting involved – in both Primary and Second ary. Covid-19 rules have meant BJNA had to become an ECA at school on a Saturday morning, and some new people got involved.

one took a shot or supporting from the side lines.

One of the most memorable moments for me was in our last game against St. Andrews and we were tied 4-4, and I could hear the opposition shouting things like ‘Just stall, there’s only 20 seconds left’, but those 20 seconds were what won us the game. From when our goal-attack, Kristina got the ball and was lining up the shot to the last five seconds when she took her shot and the two seconds it took for us to real ise that we had won. Everyone had a rush of emotions, from buzzing with joy, to laugh ing and almost crying, and in those few moments when we all crowded together, I knew that that was the team I want ed to be a part of.

Last weekend, we got the chance to represent Bang kok Patana at a netball competition at Shrewsbury, where we were entered as team of Secondary students from Years 8-12 playing in the Under 19 category com peting against schools, Shrewsbury (with Under 19 and Under 15 teams), St. Andrews, Brighton College, Denla and Bangkok Prep. We played every team, and it was really exhilarating playing against other schools and put ting our skills to practice. We worked well as a team on and off the court, whether that meant cheering as some

As team captain and one of the longest playing net ballers on the team I thought it was incredible that something that started out as a few girls playing netball on a Saturday morning could turn into us com peting against other schools and even though we only won one of the matches we played, I am so proud of the improve ment we made. It was won derful to play amongst others who shared the same passion for the sport that I did, and in the end, we weren’t there to win, we were there for the experience.

A special thanks also to our coaches Claire Myers and Vicky Paxman for getting us to the competition and sup porting us, while also putting up with our very noisy team celebrations and spirit.

students speak: the FIre (Fictional Story)

Rosalia (Tian) Suthiwongsunthorn, 6B

KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM!

What was that noise? I glanced behind my back and gazed in horror as I witnessed crimson, blazing fires burning down our home. Trees on fire were crashing like dominoes to the ground with a deafening thud, their foliage igniting the ground and spreading hot flames and smoke everywhere.

“What is happening?!” I howled at the top of my voice. There was no response, since every creature was busy run ning for their lives. Suddenly,I saw a familiar shadow swing ing from tree to tree. “Was it Bubba, my favourite orangutan, riding on his mother’s back?” I thought to myself. As I moved closer, I realised I was right.

“Bubba, that's too dangerous!”, but it was too late. As I howled, the fire leapt up the tree. Where was Bubba and her mother? The smoke was blinding, my eyes were smart ing.

I ran towards them. The scene was heart-breaking. As soon as Bubba’s mother reached for the branches, the flaming fire lit her hand up. She yelped in pain and fell to the ground and so did Bubba. The inflamed trees also fell on top of them. My heart stopped beating. Coldness rushed over my body. Tears filled my eyes. All that was left in front of me were just piles of fire. Bubba and his mother failed to escape. I couldn't com prehend how I lost my best friend just like that. Consciousness

Patana ParticiPates!

Achievements from Our Community

Vanasobhin Kasemsri, Patana Parent

Three Year 7 students were recognised for their achieve ments in robotics creation at the International Youth Metaverse Robot Challenge (IYMRC) 2022, hosted by SE-ED Education Company. Pana Farnworth’s team competed in the Junior El ementary School category for students aged 8-12 years old and received the Gold Award for their robotic creation called Solar22Z. Edward Tantapakul and Brynn Boonvisut’s team competed in the category for the Junior Advanced group for

took over my body, and I knew I had no time to lose. I too had to escape for my life. Desperately seeking safety, I dashed across the forest. Only to find other animals heading the same way as me.

“KAFF! KAFF! KAFF!” I coughed continuously. My throat was dry and desperate for water. It felt like a fire burning in my throat, not able to be put out. Later, I realised that I had been inhaling tons of carbon dioxide. My whole body was weakening by the second.

THUMP! I collapsed on the warm ground. My head was spinning round and round, my vision started to blur, my body was weak and fatigued.

Like a flame breathing monster hunting me down, the fire slowly crept towards me. Not long later, the fire tiptoed onto my orange and black striped fur. Even a tiger, the queen of the jungle, had no answer for fire. It was like millions of daggers piercing my skin. I knew the end of my life had come.

I closed my eyes and protested silently in my heart “Why is this world so unfair! These fires are terribly selfish and cruel! They burned down our precious homes, just to clear lands for their majestic and concrete world. Thousands of rare, endan gered species were sacrificed in this fire. I wonder who will stand up for us and fight for justice?” I breathed in, glad the pain finally ended.

students aged 13-18 years old and their robotic creation, called Farmhand, won the Bronze award.

The projects took place between June and July 2022 where each team created their own robot design, conducted their own coding and made a video presentation to the interna tional panel of judges. The students would like to thank SE-ED for hosting this competition and their coach, Kru Ploy.

Submissions

the art of Breaking

We are so excited to announce that one of the best B-boys in Thailand is coming to be a guest teach er at the Bangkok Patana Dance Fest 2022. Bboy Cheno from the legendary 99Flava crew has been in the culture, at the largest battles in the world, representing Thailand for over a decade! He is not only a well-known and highly re spected Break-Boy, he is an incredible teacher of his craft. Since 2020, B-boy Cheno has been pouring his energy into training the future breakers who will represent Thailand in the years to come. His students are winning battles here in Thailand and are in pace to be the future of this field!

Breaking is one of the original street styles of dance, one of the most important elements of hiphop culture and a true mainstream phenomenon.

Originating in the Bronx, New York in the early 1970s, breaking was an organic response to DJ Kool Hurc of Zulu Nation looping the “breaks” of popular songs and then speaking (MCing) over those break beats. It was at these parties in the Bronx where Breaking, Hip Hop dance and Hip Hop music were born!

At first, it was mostly boys, known as Break-boys or B-boys, who were doing this incredible acrobatic and rhythmic movement. Many more Break-girls or B-girls have surfaced over the decades; however, it still remains a male-dominated genre.

The breaking movement itself has four main elements; toprock, downrock, power moves and freezes. The moves came from incorporating inspiration from a variety of sourc

Samantha Schneider, Cross Campus Assistant Head Dance Coach tennis invitational

Dan Ahl, Cross Campus Head Tennis Coach

Last Sunday saw the annual Under 19 Doubles invi tational at ISB. Bangkok Patana was well represent ed with 10 Boys’ pairs and four Girls’ pairs. In the Boys’ event, Al and Mapp reached the semifinals whilst in the B Draw, Robin and Yoshi also reached the semifinals. The Girls’ event was equally competitive with just an A Draw. Pin and Pam narrowly lost one match to finish 2nd in their

es, including martial arts and gymnastics. Break dancing is largely improvisational and freestyle dance form. It serves as nonverbal communication and extreme self expression.

Breaking is unarguably an African American and Puerto Rician indiginous movement style. It is one of the most important aspects of American culture and one of America's greatest gifts to the world. Fast forward to to day, 45 years since Break ing has become mainstream, it is one of the most culturally diverse and inclusive dance styles in the world. It is also the most influential. In 2024 breaking will make its debut as an official olympic sport. Breaking is here to stay and continues to expand as it reaches all corners of the globe and breaks glass ceilings to achieve new heights!

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to meet and learn from B-boy Cheno & 99Flava Crew at the BPS Dance Fest on Sunday 30th October and Monday 31st October!

CHECK OUT the schedule for the Dance Fest here!

Click here to register for the Dance Fest.

group whilst Asama and Raichah continued their excellent run of form to win their group comfortably, reaching the final where they avenged Pin and Pam’s loss and won a tight three set match to take the title. This was their second victory in just a few weeks following their win at the BMAC Under 14 Championship together.

IntroduCIng: Cas x tIger shop

Siya Italia, 12R

Our Tiger Shop team seeks to innovate and provide trendy clothing and merchandise while looking to bring forth a sense of comfort in our Bangkok Patana com munity. Our members this year are Meja Stalberg, Maan ya Bagda, Kate White, Mao Miki, Lydia Chan, Siya Italia, Demi Chaitavatputtipornmy, Amy Burrell and Zoe Worrall.

Our very talented fashion designers, Amy, Zoe and Kate, seek to create sustainable yet trendy clothes for the stu dents here at Bangkok Patana, as well as looking forward to collaborating with the team and trying out different styles. Furthermore, our social media marketers, Meja and Maanya, have expressed their gratitude for the opportu nity to be a part of the team for a second year now. From being attentive members of the team, they have gained a multitude of skills such as being able to communicate with more confidence and engage with the community more.

Additionally, Lydia, our promotional marketer and design er, has expressed her motives in spreading the news about our successful shop, all the while making it fun and diverse for everyone. Demi, our DT & Arts coordinator aspires to fabricate the Tiger Shop into something more aesthetical ly pleasing and organised. Moving away from the crea tivity, Mao, our accounting & budgeting member keeps everything in our team very organised and well prepared, while adding her own style and twist to the process.

Overall, our Year 13 members have had a fruitful expe rience in the past and are keen to repeat their roles and expand on their skills, whereas our newly-joined Year 12 members are very engaged and interested in exploring the various experiences which can be acquired by being a part of such an amazing team and having the opportunity to work alongside Safy, PTG Tiger Shop Manager.

Desert Island Discs

With Stephanie de Guzman-Lauffer, Secondary Mathematics Teacher

This column follows in the style of the famed BBC podcast which features a celebrity every week – here we feature our own Bangkok Patana celebrities! What eight songs, one luxury item and one book would you take with you if you were stuck on a desert island?

Today Secondary Mathematics Teacher, Stephanie de Guzman-Lauffer, is stuck on a desert island.

MS STEPHANIE, IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT EIGHT PIECES OF MUSIC WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU?

Baby - Justin Bieber

One Dance - Drake

Flava in Ya Ear - Craig Mack

Party All the Time - Black Eyed Peas

The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani & Akon

About Damn Time - Lizzo

Get Ur Freak On - Missy Elliott

I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I NeedMethod Man & Mary J Blige

PICK ONE LUXURY ITEM YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU. THIS ITEM MUST BE INANIMATE AND OF NO USE IN ESCAPING THE ISLAND OR ALLOWING COMMUNICATION FROM OUTSIDE.

A memory foam pillow

WHICH ONE BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU?

A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas

Catch the real Desert Island Discs on BBC. What are you listening to? Have a list of your own? Let us know! Contact STML with your favourites, or click here to submit your list online!

seCondary launCh “ teaCher learnIng CommunItIes”

This month we have launched our 2022/23 Teacher Learning Communities or TLCs. TLCs are small cross curricular groups of staff with a shared professional interest. They meet regularly in their own time to discuss research and best practice, then participate in peer observations to gain feedback on their own teaching. As the name sug gests, TLCs create a sense of community and collaboration among Teachers and build collective efficacy. There are five TLCs this year across a range of topics. The TLCs are overseen by our Teaching and Learning Advisors – Collette Blackman and Eleanor Richards. Let’s find out more about the Well-Being TLC from Jordan Taylor (Secondary English).

“The Well-Being TLC seeks to develop our understanding of how we can best help students to take good care of them selves and the world around them. Developing the excellent work from the TLC last year, we are currently considering the ways in which tutors can best support their tutees. This is centred around the role of the tutor in designing a posi tive and reflective environment underpinned by supportive relationships. We plan to look further at the latest research that is influencing well-being provisions in education set tings. This will allow us to consider which evidence-based strategies we could use both in individual and school-wide contexts.”

Cindy Adair, Cross Campus Assistant Principal, Continued Professional Learning

Well-being TLC Members are: Jordan Taylor (Secondary English), Steffi Smith (Secondary EAL), Leafy Yan (Secondary MFL) and Gerard Tenant (Secondary Science)

Click to listen to Ms Stephanie’s playlist