Covered, March - April, 2021 by ISGJ Today

Con t act in f or m at ion : MailingAddress:InternationalSchool Group Jubail,PO Box 10059,Jubail, 31961,Kingdomof Saudi Arabia Website:isgjtoday.com Email:netzl.j.05@isg.edu.sa Coveredis a studentpublication distributedto students,facultyand staff of ISGJubailSchooltemporarily publishedonlineonlydue to COVID-19 via Issuuat issuu.com/isgjtoday. This issue is a collectionof selectcontent publishedonlinein April2021,as indicatedon each story.The paper servesas a publicforum and two-way communicationfor boththe schooland the community.Opinionsexpressedin this newsmagazineare not necessarily thoseof ISG JubailSchoolnor ISGsystem facultystaff or administration. Cr eden t ials:ISGJubailSchoolis a memberof the JournalismEducation Association. Jou r n alist s Zafir Ali MohamedBashady Reine Fawaz MarianeNicdao John Inojales EshalJaved SebastianLlinas KrishnaManivannan JamieMaraya EthanMudaly Samhita Periyanayaham

HAIR DRESSING A Different Takeon Lockdown: In thispicture, Aileen Yee, a hairdresser, is doingMsLorelei Loveridge'shair withprecaution. BeforeCovid, her time for herself andher family hadbeen dwindlingandthestressalmost made her want toquit. "Nowadays, I havemoretimetoact asa mother andasa wife; but thedemandsfor hairdressinghavealsoincreasedafter lockdown duetopeoplebeingincapableof goinganywhere, includingsalons,"saidby Aileen Yee.

ISGBoar d of Tr u st ees'Policy No. 2100St u den tPu blicat ion s:Schoolsare encouragedto produceand distribute studentpublicationsas part of the instructionalprogramand/or co-curricularprogram(i.e., newsletter, yearbook,electronicpublicationsand handbook).Studentpublicationsare designedto informparents,staff,and studentsof schoolnewsand activities. The site administratormayedit from studentpublicationsanythingwhichthe site administratorperceivesto be offensiveor culturallyinappropriate.

Seemorephotoson Instagramat @isgjtoday20 LORELEI LOVERIDGE PHOTO JOHN INOJALES CAPTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS FAREWELL 4 GOODBYEMR. MATHEW! NEWS 8 PANDEMIC LIFE AROUND THE WORLD 12 WILL SCHOOL BE OPEN THIS SPRING?

OPINION SPORTS 14 IN VS,AREYOU 24 FOOTBALLUPDATES IMPROVING ORWORSENING? ENTERTAINM ENT 16 #STOPASIANHATE 26 THE RENAISSANCE OF CHESS FEATURE

ABOUT THE COVER

@isgjt oday20

20 SURVIVING COVID-19 21 COMMUNITY IN COVID

@isgjt oday

22 LIFE AFTER SAUDI

BetzabethRodriguez KarmenZwiegelaar Adviser Jon Netzler Headof Sch ool Dr. AndrewCrouse Su per in t en den t Dr. MichaelMack

For this issue of Covered, two staffers, Jamie M. and Karmen Z., designed different covers to capture different stories and topics that are relevant in our community and world right now. Our staff voted for the cover design they liked the best. One staffer said that he voted for the winning cover because it featured the most story ideas from the issue and also acknowledges the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Above are two other cover designs we considered.

Respon din gt o Cover ed:Lettersto the editorwill be acceptedfor the next issue. Lettersmaybe placedin the mailboxof Jon Netzler,emailedto netzl.j.05@isg.edu.sa or mailedto the school.All lettersmust be signed.Nameswill be published. Lettersmust not containpersonalattacks againstan individualand maybe edited. Cor r ect ion san d clar if icat ion s:None. Coveredstrivesto correctitserrors.If you noticeanyinaccuraciesin thisor past issues,pleasecontactnetzl.j.05@isg.edu.sa.

JAM IEM ARAYA/ / FRONTCOVERArt from PicsArt stickers JAM IEM ARAYA/ / STOPANTI-ASIANRACISMCOVER Photo by MeganVarner / Art from PicsArt stickers

KARM ENZWIEGELAAR/ / CORONAVIRUS COVER Originalart

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Seemorephotoson Instagramat @isgjtoday20 LORELEI LOVERIDGE PHOTO JOHN INOJALES CAPTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS FAREWELL 4 GOODBYEMR. MATHEW! NEWS 8 PANDEMIC LIFE AROUND THE WORLD 12 WILL SCHOOL BE OPEN THIS SPRING?

OPINION SPORTS 14 IN VS,AREYOU 24 FOOTBALLUPDATES IMPROVING ORWORSENING? ENTERTAINM ENT 16 #STOPASIANHATE 26 THE RENAISSANCE OF CHESS FEATURE

ABOUT THE COVER

@isgjt oday20

20 SURVIVING COVID-19 21 COMMUNITY IN COVID

@isgjt oday

22 LIFE AFTER SAUDI

BetzabethRodriguez KarmenZwiegelaar Adviser Jon Netzler Headof Sch ool Dr. AndrewCrouse Su per in t en den t Dr. MichaelMack

JAM IEM ARAYA/ / FRONTCOVERArt from PicsArt stickers JAM IEM ARAYA/ / STOPANTI-ASIANRACISMCOVER Photo by MeganVarner / Art from PicsArt stickers

KARM ENZWIEGELAAR/ / CORONAVIRUS COVER Originalart

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

FAREWELL

Farewel l MR.MATHEW! bY: Samhit a Periyanayaham& Bet zabet h Rodriguez Mr. MathewGeorgehas been workingin ISG f or 29 yearsin operation and transportation. He has alwaysbeen a vital part of our community.Whether it was arrangingbus ridesor simply walkingdown the hallway with a smile! His yearsat ISG havecometo an end as he has decided to retireand go back hometo India. Mr. Mathewis and will always be a dear part of the ISG community.He will be very dearly missed.

His experiences What will you miss about living in Jubail?

"School and colleagues"- Mathew George

An ot h er pic

What is your best memory in ISG? "I have worked with nine amazing principals."- Mathew George Are you going to miss ISG?Why?

"Sure! ISG school is my life."- Mathew George

"Mathew used to always help make my life easier for me. He was always positive and did everything with a positive attitude and a smile!" - RoubaSouf y,MS/HSlanguageteacher. "Education in school happens because of administrators and teachers. But the school runs because Mathew is there."Akila Kumar, Of f ice Manager

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

"Mathew has been an amazing person to know. He is so

kind and he does so much to help people. He seems to know everything about Jubail and our school and he uses his knowledge to make sure everyone has what they need." - Graham Laing, Grade 1 Teacher "The fact that the school is clean and the buses are on time, is all Mathew." - David Treska, MS/HS Math, Robotics, Design & Innovation teacher "Mr. Mathew has impacted the school by going beyond his role of helping to maintain the school and keep it functioning. His calmness and ability to remember whatever is asked without writing it down is a plus." - Phelia Weir, Librarian "Mr. Mathew was one of my first points of contact when I arrived in KSA. He helped me complete so many of the relocation requirements and his kindness was so welcome from the first day I met him and didn't know a soul in Saudi." - Kathy Luppe, Grade 2 teacher "There is simply not enough space here to describe the countless ways that Mathew has helped my family and I adjust to life in Jubail. He has never replied, "No," whenever I have requested his help, and Mathew is always patient and kind. What a wonderful gentleman!" - Neal Bourn, MS English Teacher "He is the wizard behind the scenes - so much of what he does to make everything work at our school is the result of his hard work." - Derek Cour, Band Teacher

Fun Facts! Mr. Mathew was born on February 29: a leap year! Mr. Mathew has 2 children. Steffy Mathew (28 years old) and Steejan Mathew (26 years old). Mr. Mathew has 4 siblings. He is going to South India, Kerala, and plans to work in gardening and farming.

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

"Matthew has not once said 'No, sorry I can't' to any of my last minute requests (which were many). I can not thank him enough for putting up with me!. He always went above and beyond to meet the needs of the staff, big or small!. Mathew always greeted me with a smile on his face, always welcomed me back when I had to go away, he always showed concern and care for me. I will never forget him." - Monica Lopez, ES counselor "Mr. Matthew had always been friendly and kind and loved by the many students that have come and gone. Mr. Matthew was working at school when my 2 older kids were students and they have nothing but good words to say about him. He was always friendly, joked around with students, and made sure everyone caught their buses on time." - Mardia Hamad, MS/HS Islamic culture & Arabic teacher "He's inspired me in many ways. To name a few - his ever readiness, problem solving skills, his contagious warm smile that spreads positive vibes to people around him. Mathew's contribution to the ISG community is immeasurable. He's a Maestro who has known the halls and walls of ISG Jubail, more than many of us here. - Gayathri Sankaran, Registrar "There are countless times Mathew has helped our family from arranging transport when one of our children suddenly falls ill to ordering flower to be delivered. It is incredible all of the things he can manage and he does it all with a kind smile." - Caitlin Wingers, Third Grade Teacher "Mr Mathew is the person that knows it all. He is the person no question can stump about Saudi Arabia and ISG Jubail. His knowledge and foresight will be missed."- Heather Van Steenis, KG1/KG2 Teacher

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Final messages "We will miss you so much. Wishing you a happy and healthy retirement!"- Graham Laing, Grade 1 Teacher "Mathew, we feel blessed to have met you in my lifetime. We do not know of another person like you and never will. You are an absolute gem and no words can do justice to explain how indebted we are to you. Enjoy your time with your family and when we come to India, if you will have us, we would love to visit you all. Take care and enjoy your retirement! It is well deserved!"- Shan Ahmed, ES vice principal "You've worked hard and have been very patient with us all, I wish you the best."- David Treska, MS/HS Math, Robotics, Design & Innovation teacher ""You will be missed and the school will not be the same without you. I wish you all the best with your family and life back in India. I hope our paths will cross again." Phelia Weir, Librarian "Dear Mathew Cheta, this is a profound moment of mixed feelings for me. ISG Jubail will never be the same without you. I wish you a very happy and relaxing retirement life and good health. Take care! See you in Kerala :)"- Gayathri Sankaran, Registrar "Mathew, we will always miss your smile! School will feel completely different without you, thank you for everything :) "- Rouba Souf y, MS/HS Language Teacher "Mathew makes the world go 'round."- Caitlin Wingers, Third Grade Teacher "I wish you and your family good health, happiness!"- Monica Lopez, ES Counselor "Enjoy your return to India! I hope our paths will cross again at some point in the future. Thanks for everything, Mathew!"- Neal Bourn, MS English Teacher "I wish Mr. Matthew the best of luck in his next endeavor. I know for a fact that his impact on Jubail will be long lasting. Mr. Matthew oversaw generations of students who will always recall their great memories with him. I wish him the best of luck."- Mardia Hamad, MS/HS Islamic culture & Arabic teacher "Thanks very much and best wishes. Have a happy and great retirement!"- Derek Cour, Band Teacher "Mr. Mathew, you will leave a gigantic hole here at ISG Jubail, but I know you will continue to help and bring kindness to others, no matter where you go. You will always move mountains and you will be terribly missed."- Kathy Luppe, Grade 2 Teacher "We will miss you dearly Mathew. Thank you for opening your hearts to us and for your decades of dedication to this school. Graham and I are much better people having known you. I wish you health and happiness in your next journey."- Jenni Laing, KG Teacher "I wish you and your family the best. I hope you take time for you and rest and feel confident knowing that you have truly had a global impact."- Heather Van Steenis, KG1/KG2 Teacher "Until we meet again! May you be strong and happy!" - Elena Khramova, Communications

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

NEWS

Pandemic l if e around t he worl d Eshal Javed, Samhita Periyanayaham, Zaf ir Ali The country we live in is a huge f actor in determining the quality of our lives during these times. Here is a glimpse into people's experiences living in dif f erent countries during the pandemic. Q: How has the pandemic af f ected you? A: In some ways it's completely changed my life. I'm used to traveling a lot, and going home and traveling when I can. But its also given me a chance to slow down Q: What keeps you motivated when you work by yourself ?

Mrs. Caitlin Wingers Jubail, Saudi Arabia

A: I'm not sure I ever considered myself, working by myself, I'm always a part of a team. As a 3rd grade teacher, I have another 3rd grade teacher and we have a teaching assistant, we keep each other motivated and striving for excellence.

Q: Do you personally know anyone who has died during the pandemic? A: You know I don't know anyone close to me that's passed away, but I see it you know, all over the news, so even though it's not closely connected to my life, it's still ... you know its really scary? the whole world is going through it right now, so we're all kinda connected in that way... it doesn?t feel great, but it makes you appreciate small things...everyday things. Q: Is there a lockdown going on at the moment?If so, how long has it been up? A: We actually just got out of a lockdown it was the second lockdown in England it started in December and ended in March. Q: Do you agree with the precautions the government is taking (if they are)? A: I think UK government are prioritizing school rather than lives if they had closed schools down from the start and we had online school the cases wouldn?t have risen. Q: What are a f ew positive things about lif e during a Mustaf a Sarhan pandemic? Manchester, United Kingdom A: Online school saves the travel to school and more relaxed. 8

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Q: What rules or restrictions has your country put up to prevent the virus spreading? A: They have blocked roads and recently have been giving out fines of up to 10000 SAR to people who are spotted outside without a mask on. Q: Is the general public f ollowing the rules?Are you f ollowing the rules?(if applicable) A: During the first wave, the general public abided by these rules out of fear, but now there are more people doing Adam Harith bin Sharol Nizam whatever they want and disobeying the restrictions placed Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by the authorities. Q: How has school/work been since the pandemic?Is it virtual or physical?

A: It was a mix of both because there were a total of 2 waves of Covid in my country. It was tough to adapt to online school at first, but this year is more different as I am more prepared both mentally and physically. We had a big examination last year held online and it boosted my grades by a lot. My next test is going to be held physically and I can't say if I'm prepared for it or not.

Q: What are a f ew positive things about lif e during a pandemic? A: Once I got used to online school, it started to get a lot easier for me. Since I also kind of have more free time, I get to spend more time with my friends overseas in calls and such. Pandemic life is also pretty laid back which in my opinion is both good and bad. I also got to spend more time on improving my skills in drawing :)

Q: How has the COVID-19 Pandemic af f ected you?Has it ef f ected you mentally? A: I have felt lonely at times with only a few people I could spend time with weekly in person and indoors. I had to stop many of my planned activities I enjoy: travel, the gym and the pool, seeing friends for dinner or having friends over to my house. That made me feel isolated and so mentally, it was hard. But I have not needed to work as I have money saved, and I own my house so I did not have big payments to make. I was not worried financially or did not have to worry about losing a job like many people so I felt lucky. Q: Do you agree with the precautions the government is taking (if they are)?Should there be less restrictions?More restrictions? A: I think our country should restrict more. Many people here in the USA think the government can't tell them what to do. They do not believe they should do things for the good of everyone, we are too many individuals who believe they have rights. MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Ms. Janet Stuart Vancouver, Washington, USA

Q: If you could go back in time bef ore the pandemic started and tell your past self anything, what would you say?

A: Lif e will not be the same in many ways for a long time. 9

Q: How has school/work been since the pandemic?Is it virtual or physical?

Ammaar Hussain Mangalore, India

A: Throughout the pandemic which began in Late March, Schools were closed down. My academic year for 9th Grade began in Early May, Online Classes were to be conducted as Covid-19 was spreading at a rapid speed. Soon later the Indian Government realized that the academic year is soon coming to an end so they opened up physical school since Jan 11, 2021. Parents as well as students were spectacle of this decision so they didn't sign the consent form provided by the school. My parents didn't send me to school for the next month because we wanted to see what other parents are going to do, as well as we wanted to remain safe. We were forced to come to school where most of the students do not wear masks and most definitely do not maintain distance. To conclude, it has been a stressful year at the least.

Q: How has your f amily been af f ected by the pandemic? A: The pandemic created this constant fear of being diagnosed with Covid-19. My father was separated from us, and was left in Qatar for the past 1 year. My brother has been in Canada, for the past year as well. So my mother was left on the phone, 24/7 making sure everyone was alright.

Q: What do you miss most about lif e bef ore COVID-19? A: I miss the f reedom we had, to go out and just experience the city without worrying about anything. I also miss meeting up with my friends and just hanging out as a group. Not being able to eat the street food of India is a real pain as it is one of the best in the world!

Q: What rules or restrictions has your country put up to prevent the virus spreading? A: They had several lockdowns, you couldn't go outside after 10 PM, you couldn't go beyond 5 kilometres from your house (5 km radius), and you couldn't go outside if you didn't have an imminent reason to do so such as groceries. Thanks to god, COVID-19 is a topic seldom discussed now; a great juxtaposition from the state of the country a few months ago. Q: Is the general public f ollowing those rules?Are you f ollowing those rules? A: The general public did follow the rules, for they could get up to a $2000 fine. I believe the only rule that remains is the one to wear masks in indoor areas, but even then people don't wear them much now since the rules have been lightened. 10

Abbas Hasan Melbourne, Australia

Q: How has school/work been since the pandemic?Is it virtual or physical? A: In the pandemic, school life was mundane. There seemed to be a great disconnect between the connection between you and the class (get it?), for it was certainly not as interactive as physically being present in the classroom. MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Q: Is there a lockdown going on at the moment?If so, how long has it been up? A: Because Japan?s law puts emphasis on protecting personal rights, lockdown is unable to be implemented in Japan. Q: How has the COVID-19 Pandemic af f ected you?Has it ef f ected you mentally? A: The corona virus has changed how I learn because my school was closed for 8 months. This quarantine didn?t effect me mentally because I was able to do some self ref lection and discover new hobbies so it was a productive time for me.

Sena Matsumiya Tokyo, Japan

Q: Do you agree with the precautions the government is taking (if they are)?Should there be less restrictions?More restrictions? A: I agree with the precautions the government is taking. I believe that Japan has only few restrictions because if you compare Japan to Europe countries, Japan is not strict and has few restrictions than Europe countries. I consider that Japan should add more restrictions.

Q: How has school/work been since the pandemic?Is it virtual or physical? A: It is virtual. In my school students were given computer but we rarely use it so everyone struggled to get used to virtual class. Our school uses a lot of textbooks and papers so we had to print a lot of things.

Q: How has the COVID-19 Pandemic af f ected you?Has it ef f ected you mentally? A: It has had a great impact on my education as virtual school is not as effective as on-campus learning, and not many resources are available for online learning in Pakistan. Q: What rules or restrictions has your country put up to prevent the virus spreading? A: Closure of schools, postponement of examinations, outdoor dining/takeaway only for restaurants, reduction of office hours, etc.

Maheen Arshad Lahore, Pakistan

Q: How has your f amily been af f ected by the pandemic?

Q: If you could go back in time bef ore the pandemic started and tell your past self anything, what would you say?

Q: How has school/work been since the pandemic?Is it virtual or physical?

A: Financially, none of us have been affected but the death of a close family member has deeply saddened us.

A: Cherish your moments with f amily and f riends because you never know when you'll be able to meet them next.

A: School has been virtual and physical both, the continuous closing and re-opening of schools has had a great affect on all students.

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

NEWS

Will Sch ool be open t h is Spr in g? By Karmen Zwiegelaar and Mariane Nicdao

It has been more than a year already that we students have been doing Virtual school. Throughout this year, we learned to adjust to work at home. The vaccine finally reached Saudi, and many people above the age of 18 can take it. According to the Saudi Gazette report, Saudi Arabia received around half a million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Another three million will be in Saudi in Photo by: Nathan Dumlao May 2021. We were all welcomed back to ISG Jubail on a Tuesday. Depending on what grade you are in, you went indifferently from other students. 9th and 10th-grade students were able to go into school on March 9, 2021. It was not mandatory to go, but many students went to see some of their teachers. The school ensured that the students who go are safe and ensure that each student understands the restrictions. A survey was sent out on March 21, 2021, asking students and teachers about how they feel about the possibility of school not opening this spring. One of the questions asked was, "If you were able to go back to school this spring would you take it?" 55% said they would; the other 45% said they would not want to go back to school. Many students wish that they could get the opportunity to go back to school. It has been said that students will be able to go back to school physically next school year. The reason behind this is because there are many COVID cases in Saudi. To go back, we need to have lower cases than now and have many other people have the vaccine. Many adults can get the vaccine,and there might be one available for younger kids in a few months. If there was a possibility for you to have the choice to go to school this spring would you take it?

Photo by: Hakan Nural

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Joh n Lu ppe Q: How do you feel about the possibility of school not opening this spring? A: Uncertainty is always difficult to deal with. A defining decision whether to stay virtual or not is always better to plan for. Q: Do you want school to be physically open to everyone this spring? A: no Q: If there was possibility for you to have the choice to go to school this spring would you take it? Photo by: Yearbook

A: Only if safety of students and staff is at the forefront the decision.

Haleem a K. Sh ah Q: How do you feel about the possibility of school not opening this spring? A: While some people could disagree, during Virtual School there is a lot of time for one to truly accept themselves and their surrounding, pursue their interests, enjoy their lives to the best possibility, and take some time to relax. While school is important, taking care of your mental and physical health is just as important. I personally have liked Virtual School as a time to find myself, improve my shortcomings, and reflect on how far I've come. I would prefer to go to school agian, but more than that I want to start Middle-school essay. It would help me to understand [still] how to get through Middle School successfully. Photo by: Yearbook Q: Do you want school to be physically open to everyone this spring? A: No Q: If there was possibility for you to have the choice to go to school this spring would you take it? A: No

Do you want school to be physically open to everyone this spring?

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

OPINIONS

ARE YOU IMPROVING OR WORSENING? Is virtual school benefiting or hindering your learning? By Mohamed Bashady

Ever since the Coronavirus pandemic, the students of ISG Jubail had to undergo virtual school. This meant that they had to change the way they were used to learning, which was going to school and attending their class. To now having to attend their classes from a computer, laptop, or even a phone. Though a lot of student were happy at the beginning, they soon start to realize the negative effects of virtual school. Like mentioned before, students were very happy when they heard about virtual school starting back in March 10, 2020 . A lot of students ranging from middle school to high school expected it to for to school to become way easier, than having to go to school like normal. However as time went by, more and more students started to realize that what they were hoping for and expected never happened. Students started having a hard time focusing and understanding the topics their teachers gave them. Some of them also started to feel unmotivated. A lot students said that they feel that their teachers are giving them way more work than when they would go to school.

According to Research From 20 responses from middle and high school students

47.4% of people say virtual school hindered their learning

21.1%

A few benefits of virtual school are individuals have been performing better compared to with face to face guidance. Since students have more opportunity to consider and get coordinated, they can likewise connect with different students that they wouldn't converse with in actual school. A few detriments are teachers need to switch to computers and change their educating strategies. Students have trouble with their organization techniques and keeping on track in zoom calls. Also, students feel like they are not given enough time to complete the assignments. Many students have said that htey have to stay up more than they used to because of the amount of work that they are given.

of people say virtual school helped their learning

"It has decreased the pace at which we learn content because teaching hours have decreased,. Also, there are a lot more distractions," said Omar Bashady, grade 12. However there are still some students who are enjoying virtual school, and are saying that it is actually better for them than going to school like normal. "More flexibility, autonomy and more time to study and focus on myself," said Leila Bessalah, a grade 10 student who enjoys virtual school

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ISG JUBAIL Student's Quotes: Why do you enjoy or not enjoy virtual school?

" More flexibility, autonomy and more time to study and focus on myself," Leila Bessalah , Gr 10

"I don't have to wake up early or go anywhere." Jack son Bat em an , Gr 11

"I enjoy it because I'm at home and there's nothing to really stress about except my work. " M oh am ed Far es, Gr . 7

I don't enjoy virtual school because of the classes in general. While keeping our cameras on, it feels as though we sort of have to perform for our classes.

It's hard because some of the teachers set due date that are hard to keep up to. Also, there is more work put out then normally. Kar m en Zw iegelaar , Gr . 10

Virtual school is less organized and we're on our computers all the time. A positive note is that we get to wake up later. Asm a Sh elt am i Gr . 10

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

OPINIONS

Anti-AsianHate: A Pl agueinOur Society OPINION piece by j our nal is m st udent Jamie Louis e mar aya Almost a month ago on the evening of March 16th, the tragic Atlanta spa shootings occurred, prompting sentiments of grief and anger from people all over the world. Robert Aaron Long, a 21 year old white man, killed 8 people in 3 different spas in the metro Atlanta area. 7 of the victims were women, and 6 of these women were Asian-American. Although the police refused to report on a motive and whether this incident was a hate crime or not was widely debated on the internet, one thing is for sure: the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is suffering as anti-Asian violence in Western countries continues to increase. In an educational institution that is equally as compassionate and open-minded as it is diverse, being inside ISG Jubail?s caring bubble makes it easy to feel appreciated for our cultural and ethnic differences. However, while members of the ISG Jubail community get to celebrate their International Day event and enjoy delectable food from different nations?cuisines in Spring Spectacular, many people worldwide are harassed and discriminated against for simply being part of an ethnic or cultural minority group. Racism and xenophobia continue to thrive worldwide, like a blight from humanity?s past that has become embedded deeply into our modern society?s roots. These roots were nurtured with centuries?worth of violence, dehumanization, and prejudice. And they?ve only continued to grow and cause pain, just like the amount of anti-Asian sentiment in many countries? especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

by thenumbers DATA CITEDFROM THETAMPA BAY TIMES

149%

INCREASE IN ANTI-ASIAN HATE CRIM ES FROM 2019 TO 2020 IN THE USA'S 16 LARGEST CITIES

3,795

REPORTED INCIDENTS OF ANTI-ASIAN DISCRIM INATION FROM M ARCH 19 2020 TO FEB. 28 2021

42.2%

OF THE TOTAL HATE INCIDENTS W ERE EXPERIENCED AND REPORTED BY CHINESE AM ERICANS

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

fromNBCNEWS fromabc7news

fromBBCnews fromyahoonews

fromCHANNEL4news fromNEWYORKTIMES

MARCH -NAPRIL, 2021 from THEGUARDIA

fromTHENEWYORKER

THOUGHTSonTHE#STOPASIANHATEHASHTAG? " Yes, I have heard of #St opAsianHat e and I will say, any response t o underst anding, raising awareness, informing, and allowing change t o occur is a good response. No act ivist act ivit ies will be perfect , and we should always ask for more or reach higher when making an effort t o bring necessary change t o t he world. #St opAsianHat e has been on t he rise a lot more in social media, but not as much as news media... it ?s st ill small and t he int eract ions are lacking. A large part of it has gone unchecked in midst of everyt hing else happening in t he world. The pandemic?s origins and t he myt hs surrounding t he pandemic has caused Asians t o be t he communit y t o blame, given t he life alt ering affect s we all have t o face because of [t he pandemic]. Once #St opAsianHat e picks up more at t ent ion and speed, it will allow t he room for conversat ion t o widen. I personally t hink, and t his is purely opinionat ed, t hat Asian lives are not t he biggest priorit y on everyone?s agenda. The act ivism is t here, but people are not list ening just yet . I personally have not had a direct inst ance, moment s of Asian hat e are very much implied and I can't deny t hat living in [an area where being Asian is a minorit y], I do have it run at t he back of my mind. It ?s a sad occurrence, and t he normalizat ion of racism upon Asians have not yet been majorly discussed on social media plat forms. But if we keep going, we will get somewhere." - Hussein Malek, a Malaysian 2nd-year university student and alumnus of ISG Jubail

"It made me have mixed feelings. I was kind of confused at first , because when t he guy said, 'Oh, you're Chinese?' I t hought he was just asking and t hought I was Chinese. That isn't t hat bad. But when aft er he went , 'This is your wife!' And showed me a pict ure of t his old Chinese woman, my inst ant t hought was, 'Oh wow, what a t oxic and racist person.' Lit erally! The friend t hat was wit h me gave t hem a confused st are, because he probably didn't underst and what was t he 'joke.' I just rolled my eyes t hen drove away, feeling bot h offended, and mad." - Marcus Andre Santos, a Filipino 5th-grade student at ISG Jubail, when asked about how he felt during a personal experience (shown on the right)

"I don't t hink it 's good enough but I t hink it 's a good st art . But it 's a slow progress; spreading awareness is just t he init ial st age. W hen t hings st art changing I t hink t hat when we can st art t elling t hat somet hing is effect ive or not ." - Airi Barnes, a Japanese college freshman and alumna of Ras Tanura Middle School

" W ell, t o st art off, people will not t ake us seriously because of our race. I t hink we should do somet hing t hat would make t he widespread response more not iceable t o show t he world t hat t his is a serious issue." - Aqeel Shahreen, a Malaysian highschool freshman and former student at ISG Jubail

Daena Isabel Sant os, a Filipino 8t h-grader st udying in ISG Jubail, was at t he park wit h her 10 year-old brot her, Andre, and his friends, riding bikes and skat eboarding. Andre and his friend passed by a group of children, who st art ed shout ing and calling out t o him. They showed Andre a pict ure of a Chinese woman and asked him, "Is t his your wife?" Then, t hey proceeded t o laugh before running away.

ASPARTOFTHEISGJUBAIL COMMUNITY,HOWHAVEYOUTRIED TOINSPIREINNOVATIONAND COMPASSIONATEACTIONFORTHE ASIAN-AMERICANCOMMUNITY? Have you stopped to reflect upon yourself and your past actions? Have you ever contributed to the normalisation of anti-Asian hate? From now on, will you do something different to try and take a stand for the Asians being discriminated against worldwide?

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

PHOTOBYgenaromol ina

PHOTOBYDIADIPASUPIL

Rightfully, many people people have taken it upon themselves to speak up against the blatant racism and undeserved hate that members of the AAPI community have been subjected to. And unsurprisingly, online activists set off to spread awareness about this issue online, leading to the creation of the hashtag ?#St opAsianHat e.? Many people, and even celebrities, have used their online platforms to advocate for better treatment towards Asian Americans. Not only that, but there are countless GoFundMe posts that aim to garner money from online donations for a specific cause; nowadays, I see many of these fundraisers online either being used to help a victim of an anti-Asian hate crime, or donated to organizations and movements serving the interests of Asian-Americans. And at first thought, one may think, ?This is great, we?re combating anti-Asian hate.?As an optimist who believes humanity can genuinely improve upon itself if people could view each other with nothing but respect, the #StopAsianHate movement gives me hope that bigots will realise the error in their ways and learn to let go of their prejudice. As an Asian student studying in an American school with many personal experiences that make this topic very significant for me, I?ve been compelled to think more deeply about the hashtag, and I?ve come to a conclusion:

IT'SANINCREDIBLYDISAPPOINTINGRESPONSETOSUCHA FRUSTRATING,ANDHORRIBLESITUATION. "Stop Asian Hate," when you think about it, sounds source: l ibrary of congress like a nonsensical phrase; it begins to sound less like a call for action and change, and more like a blanket statement that barely covers a glaring issue heavily ingrained into the US's political agenda and history. Stop Asian hate? How many Asian countries has the US bombed? Invaded? Waged war in? Who is supposed to stop Asian hate? Do individuals in Western countries become infected with hatred towards Asians for no reason, or are people forgetting that widespread racism is usually sowed by national media and propaganda? It's not a far stretch at all, considering just how much of a villain China is portrayed as by countries such as the US. By no means am I trying to say any of these countries are saintly, but my point is racism doesn't just appear out of t hin air. It has t o be nurt ured and developed. It 's prot ect ed, just ified, and t aught by t he st at e. As shown above in the political cartoon, anti-Asian sentiments in the US have existed since the first arrival of Chinese immigrants in the mid-1800s. I'm not above or better than anyone else, and I don't have a solution to get rid of this unnecessary hatred plaguing our society; however, I find it depressing that #StopAsianHate is the biggest form of solidarity that the mainstream media can offer. Another depressing reality regarding this topic involves the GoFundMe posts I mentioned. Do these show that in a capitalist society like ours, the best response the general public has to someone being murdered is to offer money? If my family ever came under any harm, millions of dollars being given to me could never and would never mean justice for them. I know I've heavily criticised #StopAsianHate as a response to anti-Asian racism in this story-piece, but the reason I chose to do this is because, like I've said, I'm an optimist; I believe humans can do better than this. I know we can do better than limit ourselves to an online movement, and instead, make actual changes that would help minorities. MARCH - APRIL, 2021

FEATURES

SURVIVINGCOVID-19

Hol ly cruddastal ksabout havingcovid-19injanuary andfebruary 2021. By JonNetzler "Inal l honesty,withthesymptoms, if i didn't Note:Thisinterviewhasbeeneditedand I testednegativewhenwe condensedfor clarity. cameback.Myhusband knowit wasit,i probably woul dhavemaybe testedpositive.Hehad takenoneday off sick andworkedtherest. Jon Netzler:You traveledduringwinter symptomson Tuesday,tested it waskindof l ikeaheadcol dthat youcoul d breakthisyear,I believe.Andwheredid positiveon Wednesday,andI you travel? wasgoingtobein isolation just work through. soi didn't physical ly HollyCruddas:WewenttoLondon,tothe anyway,soI didn'tget atest. feel il l , real ly,it just was very stressful knowingthat perhapsyoucoul dhave But thenon Thursday UK,viaDubai.Wehadsixweeksin the accidental ly passedit ontoother peopl e, UK,in whichthenewvariantwasreleased. afternoonI startedhaving muscle aches around my Soveryearlyon in December,our return andthat youdon't knowhowthey'regoing shoulders,likethekindwhen flightwascanceled.Andthenit was tohavetheir symptomspl ay out." youdoareallyhardworkout, announcedthat Saudi hadshut their borders,but thentheyopenedbut saidyou hadtostopsomewherefor twoweeks beforegettingbacktoSaudi.Sowe changedour flightsandwent backvia Bahrain.Wespenttwoweeksin Bahrain. JN:Af ter returningto Jubail,you ultimatelytestedpositivef or COVID. Howdid you knowyou wereinf ected? HC:Yeah,soI didn'tactuallytest positive.

andit just reallyhurts.And thenon Friday,I wokeupjust not feeling good.Feelingrubbish.AndI hadaraised temperature.I didn'tget to38[Celsius], but it wasaround37.8,whichisalot higherthannormal.Soit waspretty obviousthat I alsohadCOVIDbecauseI hadalot of thesymptoms.I didhavea coughon theFridaymorning,but it didn't ever developintoafurthercough.But the otherthingwhereI knewit wasCOVID:a weeklater I lost mytasteandsmell.A reallybadheadacheaswell.Verynasty headache. JN:Haveyou noticedany long-termsymptoms? HC:Fortunatelynot,no.After recovering,I'd hadagoodfew weeks,andI hadaweekwhere I felt quitefatiguedandtired, whichcouldbeaccountedfor a numberof differentthings.But no,fortunately,I don'tseemto haveanylong-termsymptoms. JN:What wastheworst part about havingCOVID? HC:I thinkknowingthat we'd seenotherpeople,andthat, youknow,you'repositive andif someoneelsegetsit, theyknowit'scomefrom you.That wasprobablythe most stressfulpart. Andthen,the worry

Photo by Yearbook

that youcouldendupbeingreallysick. But afterafewdays,that dieddown becauseit wasclearthat weprobably weren'tgoingtoget that sick. JN:Doyou thinktheCOVID-19vaccines aresaf e? HC:Yeah.I thinktheresearch,fromwhat I'vereadandfromwhat I'veseenwiththe research,I thinktheyare. JN:What wouldyou say to someonewho isanti-vaccine? HC:That'satoughone.I thinkjust try and reallyreadasmuchasyoucan.Tryand findactualscientificjournals.I'mvery fortunatethat mybrotherisadoctor.So hecan sendmeactualmedicaljournals that arenot just somereportersurmising theirownopinionor somethinglikethat.I can readreallyspecificscientificjournals. Just try andkeeplookingat thefigures. AndI thinknot just thefiguresin termsof howmanypeoplehavehadthevaccine andarefine,but what that'sdoingin the worldin termsof -- I thinkthere'sa statisticwherenoonethat'shadthe vaccinehasthengoneon tohavecritical symptomsfor COVID.Just tryingtofigure out whyisthat whyit isthat wewantto vaccinateeveryone,andhowthat process actuallyworks.Thepointis,you'retrying tostopgettingit topassit on toother people. JN:Anythingelseyou'dliketo add? HC:WithCOVID,sleepwashard.Sojust beingkindtoyourselfandjust takingrest whenyoucan.I actuallyfoundit really hardtosleep. MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Com m u n i t y ?Alon e, w e can do so lit t le; t oget h er , w e can do so m u ch?

Th e ISG Com m u n i t y A community is what makes us, who we are. It plays a large

M ol l y Du n ph y , 9t h -

role in what we form into as individuals. In current circumstances, with schooling itself being completely virtual; it isn't easy to be that same community. Though this may not affect people of older age that much, it most definitely affects kids of much younger age. They lose their time to socialize and well, be kids. But, It isn't only problems I am here to address. Many steps are being taken, to bring the once existing community. The compassion summit team has put fourth multiple opportunities to be a part of a community. Many school events exist for us to take part in. All we have to do it take part in these events. Be on e again .

"during covid it?s been a lot harder to communicate with people, especially if they don?t have access to a stable internet connection. people keep mixing with the same small group of people because we aren?t seeing anyone else on a daily basis and it?s easier to talk to one person than 5,, but i think that we?ve done a good job of staying in touch considering the circumstances."

By Kr ish n a M .

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FEATURES

L eaving T he Sand Box By: Reine Fawaz & Betzabeth Rodriguez Leaving Saudi Arabia, 'The Sand Box,' has been a life changing experience for everyone we interviewed. Whether it was moving during the pandemic or simply just leaving their family and friends behind or just adapting to the no male and family separation. We all are going to have different experiences leaving Saudi, but for now here are some experiences from students who left years ago vs students who left during the pandemic. "My experience in Saudi

was pretty good . I enjoyed sitting on hills and watching the sunset with my friends. Going to the pool and relaxing for hours upon hours beneath the sun. It was all very calm when at the compound. I enjoyed the food in some places but once returning back to Scotland and having no separation between men and families in the restaurants was also a little weird. Overall the experience was rather nice." - Amy Crawf ord

"I moved during the pandemic it was a huge struggle to actually be able to leave the contrary as a minor traveling by themselves it really took months for the move to be organized due to Covid in the end i had to miss months of school and make a pit stop in Dubai to be able to carry on flying to the UK. Honestly never leave it to a last minute thing have a plan b plan c maybe even a plan b for plan c you really do not know what will happen" - Sarah Yate "Living in Saudi was not necessarily the nicest experience when compared it to living Australia. At times life in Saudi felt repetitive and lonely, I often experienced a lack of freedom. However, it is an experience that maked one more well rounded as an individual, living in Saudi made me a more accepting, understanding and patient person. It taught me a lot about other cultures and the value of education. It has provided me with amazing exercises such as traveling and first hand experiences of various cultural traditions practiced around the world." - Mickyle Traut 22

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"I left to start university in another country, the traditional reason why many of my classmates also left, those who also finished their senior year in Jubail. I moved to Lebanon. It was definitely hard to move especially not being able to say proper goodbyes to my classmates due to COVID. But I have been here before and I have family here so I was familiar with the area and didn?t feel anxious as i would have been if it was a whole new place with new people and a new culture I wasn?t familiar with.It was definitely hard leaving Saudi, especially since I have spent all of my childhood there and grew up there, it became a place I call home. It was hard not saying a proper goodbye to my friends. And of course traveling during a pandemic is nerve wrecking as along with the stress that comes with traveling and making sure you have everything on you, your also constantly thinking about taking your precautions and worrying about whether you will catch the virus as its an airport and people are always coming and going from all around the world.It was definitely hard. - Sarah Fawaz "Well, yes it was a hard move, in terms of leaving my friends, the school, the culture, the food, everything I built in those 4 years. However one of the hardest thing to leave behind for a time, were my little siblings and my dad as well." - Juan Ochoa Tips: " Live Each day, Like if it was your last one." - Ju an Och oa " It?s always the first step that is hard but once you get through it, you will get used to it pretty quickly and I?m sure you guys will have a great time there." - Nahyun Kwon. " Lastly, focus on the positives, and make the right decisions, don't throw away opportunities to avoid a situation, plan for the long run."Mickyle Traut . " If you have time before you go, do all your favorite activities you can one last time and do one thing you wanted to do but never did that you can only do in Saudi Arabia. I'm just gonna add this here real quick- if you are living in Saudi and are going to continue living there for awhile longer, try not to take it for granted. It?s nice to complain about living there but it?s a great experience that you will miss. also, have a great rest of the year and i miss y?all!" -Claudia Kyle. MARCH - APRIL, 2021

SPORTS

The Fut ur e of Foot ball A closer look t o t he next gener at ion of foot ball by Sebastian Llinas Who w ill w in t he next Ballon d'Or ?

https://twitter.com/francefootball/status/128518

The most prestigious individual trophy for a football player made by France Football. For the last 2 decades, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have won the trophy, and only two players, Kaka and Luka Modric, have won it since then.

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The next gener at ion of foot ball Even though Messi and Cristiano are getting old, they still keep an excellent form, but young players like Mbappe and Haaland are taking their stats to another level and became new contenders for the Ballon d'Or and the Champions League. Both youngsters have outnumbered the goals by Cristiano and Messi during this season. Could they lead the next generation of football?

Photo taken from 433's Instagram page

8 goals for Mbappe (left side) and 10 for Haaland (right side), 18 in total. Cristiano 4 goals and Messi 5. Santiago Segura, a senior from Montessori School in Colombia, said, "If Mbappe wins the Champions League, he will also win the Ballon d'Or." He also added that football teams are not conformed by one player and that's why Messi and Cristiano left the Champions League. Zain, a grade 10 student at ISG Jubail, said he doesn't know much about football but he plays it with his friends. He said, "the reason why Messi and Cristiano left the league is that they are getting old and their level has decreased in the last years." His favorite soccer player is R. Lewandowski and he believes he is gonna win the Ballon d'Or because of his performance the last season. Andres Alvarado believes that Erling Haaland could be the winner of the Ballon d'Or if he gets his nation to qualify for the WC. He also said, "Cristiano left the UCL because of an injustice and Messi because is not playing very well."

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An Unusual Season in the Engl ish Pr emier League By: Et h an Jar ed M u daly T h e En gl i sh p r em i er l eagu e h as ch an ged ver y m u ch ever si n ce th e p an d em i c. O n e of t h e bi ggest f actor s to af f ect th e l eagu e i s th e l ockd ow n r u l es t h at d i sal l ow f an s i n t o th e st ad i u m . W e d eci d ed to i n t er v i ew som e f an s w h o su p p or t t h e th r ee bi ggest t eam s w h o w er e p r ed i ct ed t o w i n t h e l eagu e at som e p oi n t i n t h e season an d see w h at t h ey h ad to say. A Manchester United fan by the name of Haaris says, "Fans affects the premier league both in game and online. In game, they give the players a boost of support which makes the game more interesting." He also says that Manchester city will win the league this season as they have a 14 point lead on current second placed Manchester United with 60 points. "They(Manchester City) have an amazing squad, with depth as well. They can substitute a world class player, such as Kevin De Bruyne, and bring on a developing young player, such as Phil Foden who would make it seem as if no change had been made. City has a strong coaching set up, an experienced manager and are tactically well set up." Haaris believes that the teams that will finish in the top four will be Liverpool, Manchester united, Manchester City and Chelsea. In his reasoning for this he said, "City are already 11 points clear off of second place, and united are going strong and are in need of the top 4 spot for champions league next season. I think that because Chelsea have now got a new manager and are well set up and have improved drastically, they will end up in the top 4. Although Liverpool are 8 points behind third place Leicester city, I think that Leicester City will have a losing streak inbound like they did last season, and will suffer. Hence, they?ll lose their top 4 spot." A Liverpool fan who prefers to be anonymous says, "Liverpool have had a very off season this year, mainly due to the injuries in the center back position which caused the whole team's confidence to drop which led to a downward spiral out of first place in the premier league." This person believes that Manchester City will win the premier league due to the fact that they have a large gap which will allow them to be comfortable even if they lose one or two games. He also believes that Liverpool would have won the league if Coronavirus had not to exist due to the fact that Liverpool were in great form before lockdown began and played much better when there were fans in the stadium. but he hopes that Liverpool can do well this year in the champions league."

Finally, Manchester City who are the current favorites to win the premier league. A fan who asked to be kept anonymous says, "Manchester City have had a great season, they've created chances and scored goals which put them in a great spot. The first half of the season was not great but they've made a great recovery. I think Liverpool would have won the league if Coronavirus did not exist due to the great form they were in. I think the top 4 this season will be Manchester city, Manchester United, Leicester and Liverpool"

Manchester city winning the 2018-2019 season

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

ENTERTAINM ENT

The Renaissance of Chess By: John Inojales Chess is a two-player strategy board game that is said to have been first played dating back till the 6th to the 7th century AD in India. Made to visualize the battlefield as kingdoms battle it out towards each other, its popularity spread to Persia and eventually became a game.

In these tough times of quarantining, virtual shenanigans, supposed environmental awareness, and the ever shortening distance between you and eternal boredom and insanity, everyone needs something to help time pass quickly. Chess became exactly that, a popular pastime with a very high skill ceiling to entice its players to keep playing until they reach a point where they are satisfied with their current level yet only being able to scratch the surface of its incredibly deep analysis, complicated planning and execution, and hidden tricks that grandmasters use in their professional games; that or they just give up. With that being said, how did online chess become so popular nowadays?

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Phase 1: Ent er XQC Félix Lengyel, commonly known as XQC, is a canadian internet sensation with over 7.5 million followers and averaging 41,228 viewers during 2020 on a popular live-streaming website called Twitch. Known for his chaotic online persona, for being a professional Overwatch player before streaming, his wide variety of gameplay across hundreds of different video games, reactions to internet content, and his pepega moments. He took an interest in playing online chess in the month of March, 2020. His inexperience in the game partnered with his immense amount of viewers craving to make fun of him lead to many of his chess fail clips to gain millions of views. These clips would inevitably land on Hikaru Nakamura?s side of the internet.

Phase 2: Disciple Hikaru Nakamura is a five-time US champion in chess, with the highest rating in the blitz category and was a small-time chess twitch streamer. This unbelievable chess prodigy, who became the youngest American to earn the title of Grandmaster at the age of fifteen (later surpassed by Samuel Sevian at thirteen) was once even ranked number two in the world, second only to the world champion himself: "Hikar u MALDS wat ching xQc play Chess" - xQcOW Magnus Carlsen. After seeing clips of XQC struggling to play chess, he decided to react to it on stream. Things happened and it eventually led to the two of them collabing together on stream, as master and its disciple, Hikaru started teaching XQC the basics of chess, which boosted Hikaru?s viewership because of XQC?s insane popularity. Ever since then, Hikaru?s twitch channel grew exponentially by the day.

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Phase 3: Pogchamps All Year After chess' sudden boost in popularity, more and more professional chess players started streaming chess which gave the new viewers more content to watch. The chess category on Twitch skyrocketed in viewership and became one of the biggest categories. A couple of months later, Chess.com, the most popular online chess website, announced that they are organizing a chess tournament consisting of multiple to Twitch streamers (Like XQC, moistCr1TiKaL, Ludwig, and more) with a prize pool of $50,000! Months later, although chess was long past its peak, its viewership stayed consistent because of the game?s new loyal fans. In October 2020, Netflix original series, The Queen?s Gambit, came out which surged the flames in the fans?hearts even more.

Pogchamps Tour nament Logo

Pepega = a twitch emote of a melted image of Pepe the frog normally spammed in chat when the streamer isn't at their brightest PogChamp = an emote used on the streaming platform Twitch, intended to express excitement, joy or shock.

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Wh at do ISG St u den t s t h in k of On lin e Ch ess? What or who inspired you to start playing chess? "The main thing that inspired me was seeing my friends playing chess. I thought that it'd be a new opportunity and something fun that I could learn together with my friends."

Why do you think people enjoy chess? "Well, for some people its a matter of all of the effort that they've put in. Some of the people have gotten quite advanced at the game, learning openings and traps, and spending multiple hours a day practicing. I think that they find it enjoyable due to the simple, yet complicated nature of M u h am m ad Ar sh ad the game. There is one objective, to checkmate, but there are so many ways, so many things to look out for, and also some people just enjoy it as a past time with their friends, since its a multiplayer game."

Why or why not have you stuck this far into the game? "I still play the game from time to time, but I don't really play as much as I used to. The main reason being that it was hard to keep up with the skill level of my peers, and constantly losing wasn't much fun. Chess is also a hard game, with a large learning curve, and not so much of a casual game; and I'm not really willing to dedicate that much time, I still play from time to time for fun though."

What or who inspired you to start playing chess? " I started playing since I was a child with my dad. My dad is really good at chess and taught me how to play. He was my inspiration. I have always wanted to defeat him at the game, and haven't been able to do so yet."

Why do you think people enjoy chess? "I feel that people enjoy chess because it gives you many options of choice, and I love that. It improves your creativity and gives you the chance to think moves in many ways."

Why or why not have you stuck this far into the game? "Chess Is really fun. I helps you become a better thinker and improves your decision making skills as well. I've stuck with chess since it's really fun, and i find that my whole family plays it as well."

MARCH - APRIL, 2021

Vaibh av Ur s