JESS Sixth Form Gazette - March 2024

Plank

Welcome to the March edition of the JESS Sixth Form Gazette! As we step into the spring season, our school community continues to thrive with enthusiasm and dedication.

This month, we also observed and continue to observe the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a time of reflection, spirituality, and unity for our Muslim friends and colleagues. As a school community, let us continue to embrace the values of empathy, understanding, and inclusivity, and support one another in observing this sacred time.

In this edition, you'll find a diverse range of articles, from insightful opinion pieces to thought-provoking interviews. Our talented writers and contributors have worked tirelessly to bring you engaging content that reflects the vibrant spirit of our sixth form community.

As always, we encourage you to actively participate in our Gazette by sharing your feedback, ideas, and contributions. Your voices are what make our publication truly special, and we're committed to providing a platform for meaningful dialogue and exchange.

Thank you and enjoy the end of term break!!!

The Period Empowerment event-

-Luna Guevara

On March 8th, International Women's Day, the international law firm Baker McKenzie (McKenzie & Co) visited JESS and brought with them not only their own team, but clients of theirs to learn about the amazing Period Empowerment Project run by a group of some fantastic Y12 students. The goal of the event was to spread the project to other schools around Dubai and then hopefully the world, and to achieve funding for a water tower in Cambodia. Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Green both spoke about the importance of the project here at JESS with hopes of encouraging other schools to begin projects of their own.

Each visitor got the chance to sew and write a note to the recipient of the bag they made, which adds a nice personal touch to each gift. Sarah, a member of the Period Empowerment Group, said the event was "a huge success" and they achieved way more than the goals they had originally set, which was amazing to hear.

The Period Empowerment Project team successfully showcased the growth of the project and achieved sponsorship for the tower and managed to receive visitors from Jebel Ali School - who have decided to begin a period empowerment project at their school! Hopefully the project hosts more events like these in the future, and continues to experience success.

Commenting on Baker McKenzie's involvement, Borys Dackiw, Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie in the UAE, expressed: "As a leading global law firm, we are committed to applying our legal knowledge, talent, resources, and expertise to support positive and impactful projects that contribute to the well-being of communities in need. This project is consistent with our firm's global values of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity values, as well as our Pro Bono strategy to support and serve communities across the globe. It aligns with the expectations of our clients, our people, and the communities in which we live and work. We are honored to have collaborated with JESS on this exciting project."

March 2024 JESS

Gazette Latest news and bulletin updates in our own Sixth Form Issue #3

Sixth Form

Editor’s introduction-Ella

World Down Syndrome day

-Isla Wallace

March 21st marks a day of global significance – World Down Syndrome Day. It's a time to celebrate the diversity, achievements, and inherent worth of individuals with Down syndrome. This annual observance is not only an opportunity to raise awareness but yet also promote inclusivity, acceptancr and understanding.

What is Down Syndrome? Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is a genetic condition which is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21. This extra chromosome is associated with delays in the child’s mental and physical development and health. However its important to recognize that Down Syndrome does not define a person; rather, it is just one aspect of their identity. Some strengths many people with Down Syndrome have is a distinct preference for visual learning, high capacity for empathy and social understanding and strong visual short- term memory.

Taking action As members of our school community, we have a responsibility to uphold the principles of inclusivity, diversity, and respect. On World Down Syndrome Day and every we can commit to creating a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued, accepted, and empowered to reach their full potential. Whether through acts of kindness, advocacy efforts, or simply by creating new friendships, each of us has the power to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

The new faces of JESS

-Melissa Kosma

As is customary, it’s time for the mantle of head boy and girl to be passed on to the Class of 2025. Out of six tough competitors for the two roles, Cato Roeterdink and Armaan Al Hussain were elected to carry on this legacy.

In Cato’s prompt 10-minute interview she revealed her motivations in applying for this role; her drive to be a leader started in primary, going for the prestigious position of head of student council – she was in fact rejected. This gave her the motivation by Secondary to apply for similar positions. Cato disclosed her “3 non-negotiables”, which are: honesty (“possibly because she’s Dutch”); respect, which she finds crucial in creating good relationships; and lastly “being on time”.

After careful consideration, Cato concluded that the character who best embodies her leadership style is Mufasa (Lion King 1994), as he was the leader who everyone looked up to, even after he was gone – “I think that’s kind of what I aim to have, even after I’m gone, say 10 years in the future, that something I have implemented in the school will still be there”. If you’re looking for her, she’s most commonly in the library or “speedwalking” around the school. For a bit more insight into her character, Cato’s “teacher spirit-animal” is Ms. Coffey as she likes her down to earth humor and her fearlessness to be herself.

Armaan had more to stay – questions had to be cut, and his interview added up to 15 minutes and 2 seconds. His motivation in applying the role, was “the chance to make change”. His 3 non-negotiables differed to Cato’s; gratitude – he states that “once you can appreciate your past, then you can work in your present and look forward in the future”, hope which is “some sort of positivity that we should not let go of” and having a strong character to do what needs to be done. His fourth non-negotiable, which “he can’t exclude even though only 3 were asked”, is curiosity. Armaan also explains that even though their answers were different, their “work ethics complement each other” and Cato is someone who he can “confidently rely on”.

He describes his leadership style with a quote –“leadership is not about being the best at something, but it’s about bringing the best in other people” – explaining that he does not want the prestigious role of head boy to be “alienated” in any way. You may ask, how do we know we can trust him? Armaan brings some beloved TOK into the conversation –naturally deferring the question to us. “We trust the people around us because we trust that they’ve got to their position and have gone through many different stages and preparation to do that”. He says it’s about trusting the process and trusting the people involving the process – you can most-commonly find him in the library, where he is inviting us to bring up any issues.

March, 2024 JESS Sixth Form Gazette Issue #3

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Ramadan Box Project at JESS

-Raashi Jain

Every year JESS takes the initiative to take on the Ramadan Box Project, where a team of students help gather items to be distributed to our very hardworking helping hands here at our school. A few students who have taken part in this project this year share their experience and the process it took to carry out this very insightful and significant project.

‘It was a great experience being a part of the Ramadan Box Project team and being able to give back to the community and to help those in need in this holy month. As a team member my role was to advocate and spread awareness to encourage students in the school to make boxes and fill them with donations. In the end we received a lot of donation boxes, and I am very happy to be a part of the initiative.’ - Jahnavi Baweja from Year 12

Along with this, Jana Saleh from Year 12, gave her insights on the outcome of this project:

‘Firstly, we helped set up the iftar such as the setup of the tables for the workers and they were all sitting next to each other. When it was prayer time, they broke their fast and we had a buffet while Mr Green was helping serve the meals. It was a very touching act to witness. Following this, certificates were handed out in envelopes to all the workers and this is when we moved to the amphitheater where our team handed out the Ramadan boxes. Overall, it was an extremely wholesome and heart-warming experience seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces and made it a very worthwhile experience.’

As a whole, this project took initiative, time, and teamwork to ensure that all our helping hands feel included and loved especially during our Holy Month of Ramadan!

International Women’s day at JESS

-Lea Chilcott

International Independence Women's Day at JESS is a day of women's contributions and achievements, honoring their resilience, strength, and empowerment. Mr. Green, our head teacher, symbolized this spirit by gifting books to female teachers, recognizing their dedication towards the school and the role they play. Mr Green also stylishly wore a suffragette sash to commemorate women in the past who allowed women today to get the ability to vote. It's more than just a day, it's a reminder of gender equality's importance and the ongoing fight for women's rights, inspiring us to break barriers. This day reflects on past progress and motivates us to strive for a more inclusive society

In History lessons, we often learn about many important figures such as the suffragettes and Emily Davidson. We do this to shed light on what women had to go through to allow women in this century be able to have the rights we have today. This day reflects on past progress and motivates us to strive for a more inclusive society. At JESS, it fosters unity, celebrating female achievements and promoting gender equality. Let's honor past sacrifices and use this day to inspire change, as Malala Yousafzai said "We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back." Let's commit to a future where every woman can succeed and thrive.

March, 2024

Gazette Issue #3

JESS Sixth Form

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