the
Edtion 2 Autumn 2014
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...from Surval Montreux
Contents Autumn 2014
pages 2.
STUDY SKILLS - top tips from Foundation Year
3-5.
PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION
6.
BUSINESS & ENTERPRISE - Inspiring Entrepreneurs
7-12.
ART and PHOTOGRAPHY - what have the girls and Mr Bluhm been up to this term?
13.
EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES
14.
PARIS - photos and memories from the Half Term trip
15.
DRAGONS’ DEN - the Liberal Arts girls compete
16-17.
LITERATURE REVIEW - High School 9 on Of Mice & Men
18-21.
CREATIVE WRITING - original Poetry and Prose
22.
THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD - Training so far
23-24.
THE FIRST WORLD WAR CENTENARY - HS11 remember
Foundation Year have had specific lessons scheduled this term to teach them some simple skills to help improve their studying and use of IT. Here they share with you some of the things they have learned.
Study Skills
How to take notes:
Use a pen and paper - write legibly and neatly so you can understand them when you come to revise or write an essay etc
IF making notes from the internet or a book- put the content into your own words. This will stop you accidentally plagiarising when you use the notes for an essay or presentation. Write down ONLY WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND. Don’t understand - write down your questions and ask your teacher! Use some colour or highlighters to help organise your notes and pick out important ideas. Organize your ideas under subheadings and with bullet points Make sure you check facts are copied down accurately.
Powerpoint pointers...
How to use the internet for research:
Write down the name of the website at the top of your notes so you know where you found the information. Always take notes by hand while you are reading- don’t copy and paste words from a website into your document. Use your OWN WORDS - use your own understanding. If you don’t understand what you are ‘noting’ then it is of no use. Always use more than one website to find information on a topic. You should always look for a trustworthy site- go beyond Wikipedia. It is useful but not always true. Keep reading and researching until you understand the topic. Organize your notes- use bullet points or a mind map & make sure you or someone else can understand them later.
Prepare your notes by hand. Don’t copy straight from the internet to your powerpoint as your presentation must be your OWN WORDS. For the background and font, you have to use suitable colours for the topic you are talking about. Use animations to stop your audience reading ahead- but just 1 or 2 types because if you put more it might make people dizzy! Use pictures but they have to be suitable and linked to what you are discussing or make people think. Don’t use lots of writing/full paragraphs- use bullet points and key words. Your audience should be listening to you- not reading everything you say & DON’T JUST READ OUT THE SLIDES- BORING! Prepare for your poster by reading books, websites and taking notes. Use pictures and key words. If you have to present your poster, always explain beyond what your poster includes. Write the KEY information- not everything!
Good poster?
Use suitable colours, and you should use a big and clear font so you can read it clearly from a distance. Diagrams are also important - explain how the picture or diagram belongs there.
THE PERFECT WOMAN - Arina Maleeva Unfortunately, today, this hour and this minute 70 million people of all ages suffer from an eating disorder across the world. My name is Arina. I’m 15 years old. I’m from Russia and I am here to encourage you to challenge the idea of perfection. I believe that the struggle to become perfect dictates the lives of too many women and young girls. For the last 5 years, a friend of mine has starved, tormented and exercised obsessively… just through her desire to become perfect. But… What is perfect? Skinny or fat, tall or short, foolish or wise? Let’s look at the real women who were perfect in their particular years. 1900’s Camille Clifford a famous actress. 1920’s Louise Brooks. She was a dancer, showgirl and actress. 1930’s perfect woman is the first supermodel – Lisa Fonssagrives. 1940’s “The girl with the Million Dollar Legs” - Betty Grable. 1950’s are - Marilyn Monroe, famous actresses Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot. In 1960’s it’s another model Twiggy and a film star Sophia Loren. 1970’s Farrah Fawcett an actress called the most beautiful woman of the decade. 1980’s we can see Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Madonna. 1990’s is Kate Moss. What are the differences between all of these women? I think that the women from the 1900’s to 1950’s are more natural, content and obtainable role-models. So then, I have a question “ Who judges us?” “who makes the perfect measurements ?” The Media, men or us? Recently in the news many of us will have seen that Renee Zellweger changed her face. A lot. She has had a face lift, botox, an eye-lid lift and fat removed from her cheeks. We will never know her reasons for doing this. But we can assume that the pressures of Hollywood, the film industry and the media will have played a part. Do you think it made her much happier? Do you think the public will not criticize her anymore? Do you think she won’t want to change something again in the future? What does the media do to us? What role does it have? All famous magazines covers always dictate perfection, give us the diets which we should follow, tell us fashion tips, exercises, give us tests for our fat percentage, BMI tests etc. What about us? If today skinny is in fashion and tomorrow it may not, should we destroy ourselves by trying to be beautiful for today? Men’s magazines such as FHM and Maxim annually produce their list of the 100 hottest or sexiest women in the world. Maxim describe their list of the most beautiful women as ‘definitive’- but different people have different opinions. Who are they to tell us who are the most beautiful women in the world? This attitude makes women believe that to be beautiful is to be seen as sexy or hot by men.
It makes us believe that to be beautiful is to be genetically lucky and gifted with high cheekbones or full lips, with a small waist or big boobs. This doesn’t only affect us women however. It also influences men’s opinion of beauty. We have a generation of men who are searching for women who look like the cover of a magazine because that is what the media has made them think is beautiful- what the media has labeled as the ‘perfect woman’. But should we listen to those who think that beauty is all about the perfect shell? What about our talents, our knowledge and skills? Do you think that girls our age should be worrying more about our bodies, than our brains? All people get old, even celebrities and models, so what would they do when they will not have their fresh skin, tanned bodies and toned abs and will have only wrinkles, bad knees and empty heads. How about Julia Roberts… This intelligent, talented and hardworking woman and actress, who is a spokesperson for charities such as UNICEF and the Red Cross, says “By Hollywood standards, I guess I’ve already taken a big risk in not having had a facelift”. Does it mean that the Hollywood doesn’t care about her skills, but about her face? Who is watching these movies… It’s us. We are judging people without knowing it. I guess we all know about the singer Adele, a wonderful, young and purposeful lady, who was criticized by the media and naïve and foolish people across the world because of the way she looked. Do you really think it’s fair to judge her on the way she looks? Why should we judge her looks, if she has nothing to do with this beauty industry. She is a singer and she has a wonderful voice. I believe that we must not judge people on the paper they were wrapped in and put under their parents’ tree. Is there any formula to find out if are we beautiful or not? We all have seen these calculators of the perfect weight, height and fat ratio. Articles which say what is the perfect shape of a face, nose and lips. Should you think that if you have the same measurements, you will become perfect? That the ‘perfect’ same measurements PLUS different people = perfection? I don’t think so, do you? In my opinion, perfection and beauty is to be yourself and like yourself the way you are. You can dislike something in yourself, but never let society think that you are not beautiful. Because each one of us is different. You are all beautiful and you are all perfect. All people are different and all people have different views and opinions. Difference and uniqueness are part of what it means to be beautiful. Work on yourself, to become better than you were yesterday. Achieve the goals you make, to become better than you were yesterday. Be independent to become better than you were yesterday. Be confident, be strong and love yourself. Thank you for your attention.
Since Half Term, Girls from across the school have been learning about speeches and how to persuade and argue. They have studied speeches given by famous politcians, celebrities as well as other students. Round 1 was competed in class and all girls wrote and delivered a speech on a topic of their own choosing such as Smoking, Arranged Marriages, Happiness, Animal Testing, Corruption Capital Punishment. On Tuesday evening, 25th November, all the girls and staff gathered in the library to hear the 8 finalists speak. It was a close contest with all girls speaking with clarity and confidence. In the end, 3 winners were declared. Yaroslavna Yakovleva in HS9 for best speech content, Carolina Rodriguez in HS11 for best speech delivery and Arina Maleeva in HS9 as best overall speech. Well done to all the girls who took part- it was a great celebration of their ideas and their voices. Here are two of the winners’ transcripts: Statistics says that 47% of people consider themselves happy HAPPINESS - Yaroslavna Yakovleva and 53% unhappy. But do you know what unhappiness is? You are not upset or disturbed – you are weak. You allow weakness into your body and your mind, and it destroys you I don’t need to be a mind-reader to know what you want most and your plans that you so diligently built. And you should in the world. We are all people and all of us – me, you, they – know that weakness is the main enemy not only to your hapwant just simple, human happiness. piness, but also to your life. My name is Yaroslavna, I am 15 years old and I am a student. 96% of survivors of suicide say that they wanted to draw their And there are million teenagers like me on this planet, who last line in their life just because of feeling unhappy! What is go to school, do their homework and sit in the Internet. We this? Is it a joke? I thought at the first time it is, however it are not all alike, but one thing unites all of us - the desire to be isn’t. Many people resort to suicide because of trivial probhappy. All the people in the Universe need happiness – young lems and grey days, which we have along all our life. But I will and old, poor and rich, great and forgotten, those who hope say just one thing – it is nonsense! OK, think - we don’t live and those who disappoint. All of us hunt for our happiness in Paradise! We are people and we live on the Earth, which we as wild animals for their prey. We need it as oxygen – breathcover with our own sins. But what if this dark page in our life ing without happiness is very hard and sometimes almost today will turn over tomorrow? What if everything will stand impossible. We are modern people but our self-preservation in their right place again? What if you will be happy? will always tell us to find a better place, a better way, a better choice. We will always fight for our happiness.
Public
Speaking Competition
But you will not see this, because you will be already dead. And what do people think about, while they stand on the edge of the roof ? Do they think about their family, friends, love?.. No, they think just about their own unhappiness. So we could make the conclusion that they are also selfish. But when some people die for problems in their family, friends or love – they could hurt them much more. Those people wanted you to live for yourself, but you die for them. There is one man on our planet and people call him “The happiest person in the world”. His name is Frano Selak, he lives in Croatia and he is 83 years old. It is unbelievable, but he had 14 dangerous accidents – 6 on the road, 5 water accidents and 3 air-plane catastrophes. And here is what he says about his life: “ All my life I wanted to be happy like all the people. When I was a little boy I thought I could have everything just because of doing my homework or helping my mother. But when I became a young man I understood that I should always go straight and forward, straight and forward and that I should pass through all the troubles, disasters, difficult days and all the pain which I will have on my way. And the main rule – I mustn’t stop. If I will stop… Another guy, hardly running, will grab my place including my happiness.” Frano Selak is a strong man, isn’t he? He knows what is good for us and for our future, which we build by ourselves. And, of course, he doesn’t want us to close our eyes and smash our “building”. Yes, we could find enough power after our future’s crashing and we could start again, but who knows – will we have all the important materials for this building?..
“For every dark night, there is a brighter day.”
Frano Selak - the man who has been dubbed the world’s happiest and luckiest man When we smash something, our future’s building or any relationships with people, it happens outside our soul. But have you ever thought about all the things which are inside? Do you know what is inside yourself when you stand near happiness’s main enemy - depression? You should know that first of all depression takes your mind, than it sits on your shoulders, puts its legs on your heart and its arms on your head. And with every minute it eats your bright ideas and future plans. Depression is a very powerful creature, but if you think that there is no salvation, I can say proudly – you are wrong. You need to remember only one thing – you could find your special own ways everywhere and always, only what you have to do is to search. Listen to your pumping heart, shake your sleepy mind and say to yourself very loud: “ Hey! I’m here! I’m staying here, I’m alive and I will not give up! I will not let down anybody who cares about me now or who will care about me later! I’m strong!” If I, if you, if we will just get through all the obstacles, we will meet our happiness face to face. Thank you and be happy.
&
Business Enterprise
Here, some HS11 girls tell us who they believe is the greatest entrepreneur and why
The greatest entrepreneur? For me the greatest entrepreneur is Richard Branson the director of Virgin Companies. I think he is the greatest because he has lots of the qualities a good business man should have. For example, he is a leader- he is a leader in all his companies and a leader in the business world. He never copies an idea; he creates something new and unique which makes his the best of all. Richard Branson is really creative. He comes up with new business, new methods and techniques that are totally different. Branson takes smart risks. He owns a wide range of businesses from stores to planes. These are just a few of the reasons why he is best of all. @Richard Branson is the #bestentrepreneur in the world! His creativity, leadership, risk taking and endless ideas make him unique. Regina Schwarz In my opinion, the greatest entrepreneur is Hugh Heffner becuase he changed the way we see sex and women. Before him, sex and sexuality was something to be ashamed of and hidden, but he changed that. He had a vision and he created it. He didn’t care what people thought of him; he fought for what he wanted. He changed the way the modern world presents sex and the female body. This power to change ideas of others is what makes him a great entrepreneur. Not just a different idea but an amazing success! #entrepreneur of the year #hughheffner Sofia Bonilla
Simon Woodroffe, the former owner of Yo!Sushi! is
the greatest entrepreneur because not only did he create his business from nothing as many great entrepreneurs do, but his skills as a business man make him stand out from the others. Firstly, creativity - his unique concept introduced to the sushi industry was the conveyer belt and colour coded system for price and plate which allows consumers to get what they want more easily. He was also determined to succeed. He was a bus driver determined to become a successful man taking an idea from his friend and adapting, developing and growing it into a successful and revolutionary restaurant concept. Creativity and Determination, Simon Woodroffe has it all #greatest #standout Barbara Karren
There have been a lot of entrepreneurs who have changed the world, drastically. But from my point of view, Walt Disney has been the greatest entrepreneur. I admire the way he began having nothing, no money, and became one of the most well-known multi-millionaires. The quality I admire the most is his determination and perserverance. Disney always kept going, even when he went broke in the middle of his career, he still pushed himself with any remaining hope. He shows us to always believe in yourself and to be confident in your creations. A spark of hope can take you a long way #disney #bestentrepreneur. Angela Garza
Art is something very beautiful. Without art people wouldn’t be able to express their feelings with colours and imagination. Some people in the world say, without art there wouldn’t be music, dancing or imagination. Maria Velasco, Transition Year
The Mystery of the Mona Lisa. The term began with Leonardo da Vinci Day and in the Art Room, we had a presentation of the ‘Mystery of the Mona Lisa’. After the story, which was truly a mystery and still is, we were to bring Mona Lisa into the 21st century by colouring and styling her picture with oil crayons.
Photography ART
Illusions of space in art On an A3 piece of paper, horizontal format, we were to draw a horizontal line about half way up from left edge to the right edge. This would represent a ‘horizon line’. Next we were to put a point on the line off centre a little to the right. This would represent the ‘vanishing point’. Then we were to draw railroad tracks so the train could come into the scene. Then we constructed telephone lines so we could send telegraphs. Then we constructed a city with buildings and dogs and cats and a circus going on and all of our imaginations went wild.
You never forget how to ride a bike. But it is difficult to remember how to draw a bike. This is not important in this exercise. Your imagination is to go to the limit and can be as child-like as you wish. Create the most fantastic bicycle in the whole world. Make it the most colourful and glorious bike you can ever imagine. It is the bike of your dreams.
Sunsets
A small selection of the beautiful sunsets we are fortunate enough to see from the school on an almost daily basis.
from Surval
EUROPEAN DAY
At the initiative of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since 2001 on 26 September. Throughout Europe, 800 million Europeans represented in the Council of Europe's 47 member states are encouraged to learn more languages, at any age, in and out of school. Being convinced that linguistic diversity is a tool for achieving by Laila Samarkhan greater intercultural understanding and a key element in the rich cultural heritage of our continent, the Council of Europe promotes plurilingualism in the whole of Europe. French, Italian, Thai, Arabic and other languages from all over the world. On first sight it's easy as ABC but it's toFor that day we had to prepare flags of different tally not because some of the languages were very alike for countriess and four phrases: "Hello, how are you?","I'm example Thai and Indonesian. That was tricky. fine, thank you", "I speak …","Thank you, good bye". In the morning when we were down for breakfast we saw them dis- This day passed very quickly. After dinner we all met in library played in the library. All of the girls had been very creative and teachers nominated Tyler in Liberal Arts for best flag. in making the flags out of lots of different objects that they After that they set rules of the language game we were going found around school such as sweets, pens or napkins. Also to play. Using the QR-code reading program, we had to find we saw an announcement saying that we need to download hidden QR codes around the school, scan them and answer an app that reads QR-codes. I downloaded it immediately. the question which was connected with languages, of course. Some of the codes were very easy to find- they were right in During our registration time Miss Merrett spoke front of us! But for some of them we had to run upstairs, go with us about languages and how important motiva- down to games room, enter cookery classroom. I was the tion is when learning a new language. We then raced one in my team to run to find codes, whilst the others were to complete a task to match up the word ‘Welcome’ in answering the questions. Some of questions were a piece-ofcake like "Name the 4 languages of Switzerland" but some of them were complicated: "How many languages are there in Europe?" This game took about thirty minutes, but time went fast. Then we switched papers with other teams for checking. We were so happy to be announced as winners! And we were even happier finding out that we will have a sweet prize!
OF LANGUAGES
The day was a great success, reminding us of the importance of learning other languages and how diverse Europe’s languages are. Thank you to Miss Spigarelli for organising everything!
ca c’est PARIS
By Regina Schwarz
One week in Paris was not enough to get to know the Paris by night. That was the whole city even though we never stopped. We did all best way to end the trip. of the things you must to do when you go to Paris. There was nothing I did not like All of us took a tour of Paris in classic 2CV to get to know about the trip... except perhaps the parts of Paris that you can’t see by walking; having lunch Metro- but that experience was part at “Cafe de la Paix” was priceless. We spent of the fun! Everything went great the afternoon shopping at Les Galeries it left us wanting to move to Paris! Lafayette and even attended a fashion show. At night we went to the top of the Montparnasse tower for dinner. This was the best view you could have in Paris. After shopping in Paris we went to the Forest of Fontainbleau to do climbing, abseiling, orienteering and team-building activities that brought out a different side of us. After the macaroon cooking class we took we are all now experts; we also visited Château de Versailles and spent the afternoon experiencing the beautiful rooms, gardens and views. Having a free afternoon on the Champs-Elysées was the best way to live the Parisian dream. At night we attended the Casino theatre for the “Mistinquette: les années folies” which challenged all of our French listening skills! On Halloween we spent the whole day at Disneyland Paris and at night attended the Halloween Party dressing up and painting each other’s faces. On our last night we took a cruise along the River Seine while having a great dinner and enjoying the beautiful views of
#DRAGONS’ DEN
Friday November 28th saw Surval’s second year of the Charity Dragons’ Den competition. The Liberal Arts girls were all given a brief, had to coordinate with the FutureSense Foundation, complete hours of research and prepare a confident pitch to be presented to our four dragons. At stake- the opportunity to volunteer on a project of their choice somewhere around the world. The teams firstly had to present their pitches to the whole school and the panel of Dragons: Surval’s headmistress Mrs Penney, Bellevue CEO Mark Malley, local Lausanne business woman Jane Kenyon and Axel Boggio, Montreux businessman and lecturer in Public Speaking. After the pitch came the first round of questions. And then, the anxious wait to see if any of the Dragons were going to opt ‘out’. All of the teams made it through round one and the rest of the school took a vote on who had most successfully convinced them of their support- it was a close call at this stage. All were invited back for more questions in round two where sadly Team Inca, who wanted to run an afterschool programme in Peru, were eliminated.
followed, such as: how would you ensure the other teams would be in support of your project? How would you cope with witnessing animals in pain or who have been victims of brutal mistreatment? How have you personally prepared for undertaking volunteering, travelling to a different culture and living in very basic conditions?
This left in the competition The Elephant Whisperers, whose chosen project was working with abused elephants and elephant conservation in northern Thailand and Les One of the dragons declared ‘I’m out’ to The Elephant Profs, who planned to teach English and work on a range Whisperers meaning that Les Profs and their project in Tanzania had won in the Den! Next March, all of the Libof school projects in a school in Tanzania. erall Arts girls will travel to Tanzania to volunteer on the Another round of incredibly tough and tense questioning winning project.
L iterature review This term, HS9 girls started the IGCSE course by reading John Steinbeck’s classic Of Mice and Men. Tears were shed as we reached the final scenes of the book. It continues to be a firm student favourite.
During the first half of term we read John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.I think it is an interesting and deep book; how the story built up to them almost having their own farm and achieving their dream itself and it just came tumbling down upon them in the last chapter. Interestingly we see it coming. The characters were a delight to read. I like how Steinbeck uses foreshadowing. His clues were like puzzles- very interesting to try to predict, to solve and to try to be right! I also really liked his use of language. How he could open a new side of a character with just one word.
I learned that having something good to wait for can make a miserable life more liveable, because there’s a dream to look forward to, to plan, to believe in. I learned that trust is the greatest gift you can give or receive from another person. Even though they don’t always show it, the people who really care about you are always there to get you through your mistakes. Sometimes they are the ones who look up to you, and follow you with an open heart. I learned that dreams are not meant to become truth, but still to go for them. I would recommend this book to all readers. It is an easy but well-written book that you will get sucked into. From the first chapter, younger readers will find a great story and more experienced will find deep meaning behind it. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read with a twisted plot-line. This is a book with more than meets the eye. It covers many things like life and death, violence, discrimination and dreams. It is about 1930s working men who had to live day to day, week to week and month to month. Reading it in class allows you to dig at it and see what’s inside. I think there is so much to find and that its why it is so popular to be studied in schools. Laila Samarkhan HS9
In the novel Of Mice and Men Steinbeck presents a lot of ideas and themes, but I think the main message of the novel is that some dreams never come true and you can work and want it so hard, but you will not get it. Lennie and George needed to work only 3 months and with Candy’s money they could get their own home with the fields and rabbits, but it didn’t come true. I really liked how the author uses different techniques such as foreshadowing which we can see in the scene with the killing of the old and useless dog. This foreshadows the killing of Lennie at the end of the novel. I also enjoyed how in every section he firstly describes the place where the action is going to be, so we can clearly understand where is everything going on. I would recommend reading this book, because it will help you to understand the time when the book was written. Different characters in this novel give us different things to think about people’s emotions and lives. Through Curley’s wife, we can understand that people may be unhappy even if they have more than you; that it is not just about their face and their ‘cover’. With Candy and his dog Steinbeck shows that it is best to take responsibililty for things you care about yourself. The character of Curley shows us that some people can think they are greater, just because of who their parents are. Curley also shows that even if you always win in different battles it doesn’t mean that life will not punch you in the face when you will not expect it. I think this book is popular to be studied in schools because it gives you a lot of important lessons for your whole life; the most important one is ‘never plan something too much, because it can fail’. Arina Maleeva HS9
Of Mice and Men Haiku What I liked about Of Mice and Men is that it educated you a bit about what it was like in the 1930s when the book was written and set. From the novel I learned that loyalty to friends and family is very important. I would recommend the book because it is very interesting. It is popular to be studied in school becuase it teaches you and opens your eyes about how important loyalty, friendship and love are. Princess Hussain HS9
All your dreams will fail Life is not a fairytale Killing better than...
Dreams will always fail. Dreams are pointless and foolish But keep on moving.
What a sad story Of the failing plans we have. Their dream almost was. Saddening story Hope is nowhere to be found Life is a failure. We have just read Of Mice and Men. I really like the story about George and Lennie and about how they want to achieve their dream of having their own home where Lennie can tend the rabbits. I learned a lot about language from reading the book. I really liked the characters, mostly Lennie becuase he is like a little child and George has to look after him. I would definitely recommend this book because through reading it we can learn a bit about people in the time of the Great Depression. At that time it was very difficult to find a friend becuase people couldn’t trust each other. But George and Lennie have each other. They both need each other. George needs Lennie so that he doesn’t get lonely and Lennie needs George like a parent. The moral of the story is that plans are likely to fail and that dreams are futile. This book is studied a lot in schools because it is instructive and tells us a lot about human behaviour and also about history. Sofya Zhuravleva HS9
C
reative writing
Foundation Year have been learning how to improve their descriptive writing whilst also exploring the world around them: desert, jungle, mountains and arctic. Here are some excerpts of their work, much of which was inspired by scenes from the BBC’s Human Planet series: “Numb and swollen, helpless and unmovable, my fingers gripped the poles. My head felt like it weighed ten times its size and my cheeks felt as cold as ice. I squinted my eyes to try to see what was in front of me; I only saw the blackened void of darkness. Nothing. Nothing but darkness. I kept on walking which now turned to hobbling since the cold started eating my legs. The wind collided into my face carrying bits of ice wih it; as it hit my face, I felt the cold and I felt the frost biting me. Finally, the sun crept out slowly over the towering mountains. I watched, amazed, as the sun unravelled thebreathtaking scenery. Soon, the sun reached my face, melting my cheeks, reviving me from feeling the cold that felt eternal. The snow was so white that it looked blue. The snowflakes lay down making an admirable scene. I exhaled, relieved, making vapour come from my from my mouth. I was surrounded by pure beauty. My purple skin dissolved into a ripe peachy colour...” Eva Betanzo
“Winter in the Arctic is an incredible adventure. It is scary and frightening, cold and dark, but it is also interesting. The snow whipping up angrily looks as if all the arctic is going to stand up suddenly; you can’t see anything, just feel snow and see darkness. High above in the tall and frozen mountains, the yellow, hot and happy sun was just sitting and relxing. The warming sun made the Arctic look like heaven. The inuit village looked colourful. It is really beautiful laying there in the middle of the unique but furious kingdom. They are like a huge family. They all get along in the pretty village. It is really dangerous to live there because it is just a frozen sea and in any moment, it could collapse...” Ana Pau Karam
“...The moutains rise like kings on the earth. They share the sky with the clouds. The birds talk with the mountains asking for a place to live. The mountains are their home. In the autumn, the leaves start to fall to the floor, like a hair cut. The ground is covered in a changing blanket of yellow, orange, brown and red...” Regina Vazquez “The mountains in summer, unique and beautiful, are full of green trees. The trees are the kings of the mountains. The lake shines brightly and the sun sparkles. Immense and tall, the mountains make an elegant landscape. The view is like a piece of art. In winter the view is totally different. The neutral, white snow covers the huge mountains. Slowly, the bright sun disappears. The cold winter freezes my face and numbs my fingers. But the lights of the Christmas market make it feel like home. These beautful mountains are around Montreux. Montreux, homely and small, is where I live...” Ana Maria Moratinos
The big mountains around our little school are amazing. During the hot summer, they are covered with different, bright and beautiful flowers and large, green forests... In the winter, all the mountains are covered with white, sparkling and bright snow. The sun shines and people ski. The forests are numb, frozen and quiet. And as spring slowly starts to melt the snow all of the trees are changing their winter clothes to spring clothes. Sasha Shaburova
Those who wear
Masks
by Yaroslavna Yakovleva The old floorboards creaked, the lock snapped and the black, carved door opened. ‘My lord?’ In the crack of the door was a man with a black mask covering his face. He wore a black cloak, spattered with something sticky, thick and dark red… Blood. ‘Come in, brother.’ A cold and deep voice sounded in the room and the man in the cloak came inside. He was very tall and broad-shouldered, his mask was completely black and had the appearance of a human face, but only with a very long nose. In the slits flashed his eyes – black and cruel. ‘My lord,’ reiterated the husky, low voice. ‘We’ve caught two more, my lord.’ The man in the chair moved, trying to get up, but in the end helplessly fell back. The man in the cloak jumped up, intending to help his master, but he only cried sharply, ‘Stay where you are!’ He bent his neck obsequiously, almost touching his sharp nose to the floor that was covered with old but expensive red carpet. His master finally stood up and leaned heavily on his chair. This man was incredibly tall and as thin as a skeleton. However, he was incredibly elegant and even, one might say, beautiful - he was like a black statue. But his face - all of it was eaten by a plague; open wounds throbbed, as living beings. ‘I was going to die, but not as long as I am able to move independently,’ he croaked. His servant bowed even lower and whispered apologetically, ‘Forgive me, my lord. I only care about you.’
The sick man snorted contemptuously, ‘I care about you! If not for me, none of you would be here. You would have no hope for a new life!’ The nosed man nodded in agreement, trying to please his master. The sick man sighed and said, ‘Well, there is one you caught?’ The servant brightened and straightened, seeing his lord’s eyes through the slits of his mask, he replied, ‘Two adult males. Their faces are the same as those of two of our people. But...’ ‘What?’ interrupted his master. ‘But what? Tell me, tell me that at least one of them...’ ‘No, my lord,’ sadly replied the servant, and cringed. Now he seemed smaller and weaker, he was a scared. His master frowned, causing sores on his face to blacken. ‘Talk to me’ he said suddenly, turning to his servant. ‘Tell me, why you never take off your your mask? I’ve never seen your face!’ ‘My Lord, forgive me!’ shouted the man in the cloak loudly, falling to his knees and clutching the mantle of his master. He was shaking and crying, moaning and sobbing could be heard from behind the mask. ‘My Lord, forgive me!’ His master’s frown deepened and leaned forward, tearing off the hands of his servants from his hem. ‘Why do you always hide your face? Answer!’ cried the sick man, clutching the long-nosed mask and tearing it off the servant’s face. ‘No!’ cried the servant, but it was too late.
And then he screamed. Because never did not expect to see Recreative Writing based on Chapters 11 & 12 of what he did. He looked at the face. It was similar to his own, Half of a Yellow Sun the same, but not pitted with plague and decaying from disease. The mask fell from his hands. The servant looked at him with eyes full of horror. The world was laughing when we died. ‘Why ... You hid ... All this time ...?’ His master, with an effort, The silence broke the rules. took a step toward the frightened servant, handing him his All humans were controlled, misguided. hands. The agony of truth. ‘I know you want to use me as your new beginning.’ His master pursed his scarlet lips in a sarcastic grin, ‘Well, you There’s no escape from it. were right.’ He snatched from his belt a pistol and shot the serA human painfully disguises vant in the chest. The cloaked man fell to the carpet with a heavy The joke, from emptiness. thud. From his wound flowed red, hot blood pouring himself Nastia Veksler and his body all over the floor. The host slowly approached the dead body. He sat down next to the corpse. The Muslim girl must go. From his pocket he took a small sharp object. He outlined a circle in the air directly above the face of the dead servant. And Calm down. Blend in. suddenly, a thin line drew itself around the contour of the face, Into the street, face down. starting at and ending at the chin. A trickle of blood fell from The shadows step aside. it in different directions. After a moment, the skin pulled away Welcome to Nigeria. from the face of the dead, hung in the air, and when the master Roberta Torrado reached for it, the skin fell into his hands. Blood dripped. The master went to the balcony. It was hard to move, but he forgot about the pain. Lifting the front of the flayed skin, he smiled cruelly. He brought his hands to his face and put his face to the skin. A strong spasm caused him to cry out and falter. The pain was unbearable. ‘Come on, come on!’ he shouted and grabbed his hands behind She felt the cold trickle slip down her throat. his head. And then he paused. He straightened up and slowly, The white hotness consumed her soul. slowly straightened out. His face was clean, light and young, Their intense giggles harrassed her ears. freely moving, eyes burning with life, and anger. He looked beThe absurd lightness delayed her sight. yond at the city; an unkind and mysterious look. Her thoughts were agony. ‘Now I’ll start a new life in the world as I want it.’ She thought of ripping them out. And he disappeared, disappeared from the balcony, waving his She held her face as she felt it transfigure. long black robes. He was going to collect all of his people, to She bribed her mellow self. give them his strength. Now he is immortal. He is now - God. Regina Schwarz Now he will raise his brothers. Now, those who wear masks, remove them.
Why I love...
Foundation Year student Ana Pau explains why she loves playing football:
I love playing football because it is a really fun sport and by playing football I can exercise doing something that I love. I also like it because I really enjoy playing team sports and in football having a good team is one of the most important things.
Haiku
The fresh and clean wind Blowing cold and frustrated, Making the leaves fly.
Lucis FY
The big, blinding sun Shines brightly in the water With silver sparkles. Ana Maria FY The single, white boat Travelling in the water; It’s going to town. Sasha FY
The tall, huge mountain Buried deep in the old earth. Like a house, pointed. Regina FY
Puckered but perfect Tickled, gently it shivers. Slowly it decays. Miss M
The crowding bees buzzed. The translucent water waved, sinking in itself. Eva FY The beautiful bees Buzzing around the green trees Bothering Surval Ana Puala FY
Training for the International Award’s ‘Adventurous Journey’ got under way in November with the girls putting their orineteering skills to the test in a 8.7km hike in Val D’Illiez. Below are some things the girls have to say about the training hike and the International Award generally
International AWARD The Duke of Edinburgh’s
The hike was very, very, very beautiful. But I need better shoes for walking in so my socks don’t get wet! I don’t think it would make that much difference because it was still fun and it was only wet feet! There was cow poo everywhere but it was really cool! Next time, I will make our route less steep and take some better shoes.
The hike we went on was a great experience after we went through the mud and the snow! It was fun and exciting but I would change the next time so that we walk faster so we can explore a little more and take more pictures. I would also take a different route with an easier path where there is not so much of a climb at once. I also need better hiking shoes! I hope to learn many skills by doing the International Award- I want to get the best out of me. Victoria Rodriguez
I really liked the hike, but it was exhausting for me. Next time I would plan better so wear better shoes and stop complaining and put more effort in. I should have known more about the route and I need to improve my map reading skills. I hope that the International Award helps my fitness, I also want to have fun with my friends, learning new skills and learn about nature. Ana Paula Karam
I think our hike was good but it was very wet. The view was beautiful and the uphill climbs were good for us. Next time we should organise to play some games during the walk. Also it would be better to walk closer together and to plan who is the leader to lead us for each part of the hike. Jia’ai Li
I would like the International Award to allow me to achieve my goals, have a unique and awesome experience and have a better physical condition. I liked the training hike- it was fun and the view was amazing! I loved it. Next time I would bring a second pair of socks! Lucia Gonzalez
I really enjoyed the training hike. I think it was an experience I will never forget. The expedition was a little rough. It was freezing and there was a little bit of snow so my feet got a bit wet. At the end I was exhausted but I think about it now and I laugh a lot.. That day I learnt lots of new things and I got three bruises. But it was amazing! I would take more layers next time and an extra pair of socks! The International Award is an opportunity to have a special mountain experience. Cristina Sustaeta
The First World War
Remembered In History as well as in English, the girls have been studying the First World War. The poetry of Wilfred Owen, whose raw, vivid and horrifying imagery shocks and saddens, has been very popular with the HS11 girls. Here they reflect on what Owen has taught them. Before I analysed Owen’s poems, I had a different perspective on war. I simply saw it as a battle caused by different countries’ difference of opinions. But when you read Owen, you see the inside story from the first-hand experience of a soldier. What you’ve learned in history class becomes very real. He has shown me that war blows you into little pieces physically and emotionally. And the worst part is that you would almost rather prefer being blown up physically because once your soul is destroyed, the memories and horrifying thoughts haunt you until the end of your life. Most importantly he has taught me the pity of war. Carolina Rodriguez Wilfred Owen has shown me the reality of the war. His poems are completely anti-propaganda. He shows us the real values and morality of the time of war. He also shows us the vivid situation he experienced using graphic and rich volcabulary. Owen makes us see, feel, hear and suffer with him and with all of the soldiers. Owen has been the best history teacher. Polina Buzykanova
Wilfred Owen has taught me the truth about war and everything that really happens. Before reading his poems I did not realise how harsh war was and how much the soldiers suffer. Now I really appreciate everything that soldiers give up for the good of their country and that they really risk their life in order to protect their country. Now I understand how dangerous and shocking war is. Wilfred Owen has opened my eyes to a whole different perspective on war. Regina Schwarz Wilfred Owen has taught me that war affects the psychological side of a person more than the physical. People who fight in war are fighting for their glory and for their pride. People fight no matter how painful it is, and no matter how many injuries they have. Wilfred Owen has shown us the real and perfect image of war. Nastia Veksler
These are two of High School 11’s favourite Wilfred Owen poems: Mental Cases Who are these? Why sit they here in twilight? Wherefore rock they, purgatorial shadows, Drooping tongues from jaws that slob their relish, Baring teeth that leer like skulls’ teeth wicked? Stroke on stroke of pain,- but what slow panic, Gouged these chasms round their fretted sockets? Ever from their hair and through their hands’ palms Misery swelters. Surely we have perished Sleeping, and walk hell; but who these hellish? -These are men whose minds the Dead have ravished. Memory fingers in their hair of murders, Multitudinous murders they once witnessed. Wading sloughs of flesh these helpless wander, Treading blood from lungs that had loved laughter. Always they must see these things and hear them, Batter of guns and shatter of flying muscles, Carnage incomparable, and human squander Rucked too thick for these men’s extrication. Therefore still their eyeballs shrink tormented Back into their brains, because on their sense Sunlight seems a blood-smear; night comes blood-black; Dawn breaks open like a wound that bleeds afresh. -Thus their heads wear this hilarious, hideous, Awful falseness of set-smiling corpses. -Thus their hands are plucking at each other; Picking at the rope-knouts of their scourging; Snatching after us who smote them, brother, Pawing us who dealt them war and madness.
Dulce et Decorum Est Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind. Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!---An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling, And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime... Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.