Volume V; Issue I October 2011
Leading Change in Energy
King’s Academy, Manja - Madaba, Jordan
This Year’s Story of the Oxford Summer Program By Nick Jonsson‘14 Contributing writer
Over the course of this past summer, King’s students attended various programs all around the globe. Among other trips, students travelled to Oxford and some to South Korea for a week for an intercultural exchange. However, one trip is often left overlooked. This past July, Ali Jundi ‘12, Mohammed Ashour ‘12 and Zain El-Jazara ‘12 trav-
Courtesy of Ms. Lina Shaheen
The Journey of Nine KA Students to the Holy Land By Jinseul jun‘13
This Year’s Story of the Oxford Summer Program Layout editor
This past summer, a group of ambitious students were selected to go to the prestigious Oxford University in the UK for a month-long summer program. The program was designed to give King’s Academy students a taste of college life and course rigor, as well as England’s history and culture. The students had a choice between two courses: biology and history. The biology course covered animal behavioral psychology and cellular biology at the molecular level. The history course encompassed the history of Modern Europe from the 15th century onwards. A quintessential college town, Oxford was built around the University. There is no one
STAFF WRITER
building, rather 32 separate colleges under the name of Oxford University. Every college is a walking distance from all the main attractions, which included a covered market, high street, modern art museum, natural history museum and a plethora of antique shops. Students were also taken on weekend excursions to London, Salisbury, Blenheim Palace and Stonehenge. “It really was a refreshing break from the long, structured days at King’s. I found myself with a lot of independence and free time to do anything I wanted, from renting a boat on the River Thames to going shopping in the bustling Oxford High Street,” says Zeyna Tabbaa ’12 when asked about her experience. see OXFORD on page 2
“The experience changed my life!” Dima Saad ’12 exalted as she reminisced about her trip to Palestine. Nine King’s Academy students, accompanied by Ms. Emily Haug and Mr. Charlie Hopkins, took part in a community service project established by the Bard Palestinian Youth Initiative to Masaa’, Palestine. Ranging from organizing children’s camps to discussing sensitive topics with the Palestinians, Bard college students contributed ceaselessly to bring about changes to the lives of not only the Palestinians but also their own. Alia Suleiman ‘13, Dima Saad ‘12, Hunter Bell ‘12, Jin_Seul Jun ‘13, Noor-Eddin Amer ‘12, Shahd AlJawhari ‘13, Shareef Abd_Al_Razeq ‘12, Zein Abd_Al_ Razeq ‘13 and Subhi Anabtawi ’12 had the privilege of listening to local representatives; women and children expressing their days, filled with woes, joy and appreciation. Furthermore, their previous knowledge and beliefs on the ongoing conflict and the land of Palestine were challenged and altered significantly by the endless revelations they encountered constantly. Their most memorable moment was when they fervently repainted the rugged wall that disjointed 90% of the village of Masaa’ with prominent Palestinian symbols. The activity was a celebration of the zealous hope of peace and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Table of Contents Pages 2-3 NEWS
Page 4 OPINION
Pages 5-7 Life
Hawaii Trip: World Energy MUN China: The Old Kingdom Amman Art Exposition Oxford Trip: Living in the UK Senators: The Chosen Ones Sympo: Ideas Worth Spreading
Pages 8-10 FUN PAGE
Guess What? Horoscopes Jumble Comics
Page 11 World
Page 12 SPORTS
Teacher Appreciation in China Train of Knowledge Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language Refugees
Madaba Games
Maheera Hussain ‘12
The Art of Amman A glimpse of the Amman Street Art Fair By MaheerA Hussain ‘12 ArtS & entertainment sub-editor
From September 23rd to September 27th, children, teenagers, adults, families, and friends gathered together to attend the annual Street Art Fair. Located outside King Hussein Cultural Center in the heart of Amman, the Art Fair consisted of local artists, musicians, and organizations. The Art Fair gave local artists a chance to display, discuss, and sell their artworks to whoever attended. It also gave people a sense of the rising art world that exists in Jordan, and the distinct talents, themes, ideas, style, and technique that set artists apart from each other. see ART on page 3
MUN China
King’s students visit the millenium-old Kingdom By divij mehra‘12 news subeditor
Proctors: Inch By Inch Harry Potter: The End Conveyor Belt: Tech-Savvy Mr. Matt Goes to Tanzania Featured Teacher: Mr. Tristan New Nationalities Mr. Mark : New Beginnings Ms. Ruba & Mr. Chris: <3
see ENERGY on page 2
Serving in Palestine
Living College in the United Kingdom By Rama Nakib ‘12
elled nearly 14,000 miles across the globe, to Hawaii, the United States of America. The students participated in an international leadership conference, hosted by the prestigious Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Punahou School was coincidentally the school Ms. Kathleen Boswell, a faculty member in the English Depart-
During the first week of August, 2011 a delegation of seven King’s Academy students flew to China to participate in the WE Model United Nations Expo (WEMUN). The students spent the first leg of their trip visiting historical monuments, museums, and contemporary attractions around the cities of Shanghai, Xi’an and Beijing. When asked about his favorite moment in
the trip, Abdel-Muiz Shawar ’12 said “I thoroughly enjoyed the ‘Museum of the Future’ in Shanghai. I saw the strangest things one could possibly come across, ranging from mammoth-size imitations of animals to autonomous contraptions that could do anything and everything.” After spending four days in Shanghai, the students took a train to Xi’an. One of the oldest cities in the world, Xi’an has a lot to offer in terms of culture and history. “We had the opportusee CHINA on page 3
NEWS
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ENERGY OXFORD
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continued from Page 1 However, it was not all fun and games. History students were required to read up to 100 pages a day, whereas biology students were expected to submit comprehensive, 8 page essays at the end of each week. “I didn’t realize how different scientific writing was from normal writing. It is a lot more precise and requires a great deal of evidence and research. That said, I learned about Google Scholar, the Oxford method of research. All one has to do is enter a subject, scientist, historian or experiment name, and the search engine filters out all the nonsensical resources and offers the more useful ones,” says Mutasem Aldmour ’12. Oxford University is looking for a new set of King’s Academy students to attend the program next summer, so students are urged to apply. To say the very least, the experience can be called enriching and productive. So, if you are ever short on things to do this summer, apply to Oxford 2012!
ment, taught at before her move to King’s. The Student Global Leadership Institute, or SGLI, aims to empower young people to tackle global and social issues around them. For the duration of the trip, which lasted one week, the three students stayed in dormitories at the University of Hawaii - Manoa. This year’s topic was energy and the environment. “We visited a wind farm on the island and looked at alternative sources of energy”, said Mohammed ‘12, referring to their visit to the Kahuku Wind Farm. “We pondered how to solve the issues and drew up our own solutions,” said Zain ‘12. Their solutions included increased use of wind and hydro power, but their ideas may have greater implications on the rest of Hawaii. The State of Hawaii imports
The Rexonian the vast majority of its fuel from the mainland United States. The trip was chaperoned by Ms. Lina Shaheen, a faculty member of the Science department. There were at least twenty schools from all over the world, including Singapore, Japan and China, that attended the conference. Although the trip was only a week long, the students had various opportunities to enjoy what Hawaii has to offer. This included a trip to the beach, where the students took a three hour long surf lesson. They also visited the USS Arizona Memorial, a memorial in Pearl Harbor in remembrance of the Japanese attack in the Second World War. “The best part of the trip was definitely the final conference, when we were able to show off our ideas. It felt great to outline our vision for the future,” Zain ‘12 said. “We made a great impression of King’s Academy at the conference. I hope that King’s continues to take part in this great opportunity.” Nihal-Meissa bonding at orientiation, playing Assassins. Assassins is a game where a person stands in the middle and shoots at random. The person shot ducks down, and the people to the right and to the left of him/her have to act fast and shoot one another. Fastest person stays standing. Last one standing wins!
The Chosen Ones By JUMAN TABBALAT ‘12 SPORTS SUB-EDITOR
As we begin a new year, our peers picked up the courage to run for three vital committees, the Honor Committee, the Disciplinary Committee and the Senate. The Senate, organized by class, was marked with eloquent speeches and great ideas. As Mrs. Julianne parades her love for democracy, the students fill those seats and lead the rest of the student body. At the peak of the Student Senate, there are the seniors
that stood out in their class election and now hold significant positions in the school. Interestingly, all of these students have been in the Student Senate at least once before. On the other hand, some of the freshmen have made a huge leap considering it’s their first month at King’s Academy. They were brave enough to deliver a speech to strangers. However, they still have a long way to go, considering that the freshmen day-student’s male position in the senate remains vacant. Our new senior senate comprises of the following students: Yasmine Abuzeid ‘12, Khalook AlYassin ‘12, Noor Masannat ’12 and Mohammad Al_Sawaf ‘12 as senior sena-
Executive Editor JOOHO SHIN ‘12 Managing Editor RAMY BADRIE ‘12
Online Editor Busniess Manager
nity to spend an evening in a traditional Chinese style theater and watch a form of Chinese dance which dated from over a thousand years ago” said Sumaya Awad ’12. The students spent another three days in China visiting a terra-cotta warrior factory and the ancient city wall, and learning how to make noodles from scratch. All of this was part of a cultural and touristic program organized for schools from all over the world by the hosts of the conference. For the final segment of the trip, the students were taken to a conference center in Beijing to engage in four days of United Nations style debate. WEMUN hosted over twothousand delegates from twenty different countries including Colombia, India, the United States, Peru, and
“King’s Academy students, though it may not seem so all the time, are talented, diverse, interesting, and interested students. Sympo gives them the opportunity to prove that!” –Abdullah Khalayleh ’11. Sympo, short for Symposium, is “a meeting or conference for the discussion of some subject, especially a meeting at which several speakers talk on or discuss a topic before an audience.” Sympo is a series of lectures
ART continued from Page 1 Nadine Zaza ’12 was one of the youngest artists among the many participants of various ages. “Most of the artists were graduates or college students experimenting with their art. The Art Fair really gave them an op-
DIVIJ MEHRA ‘12 FAKHER EL-FAYEZ ‘12 MAHEERA HUSSAIN ‘12 HAMZA NAGHAWI ‘12 JIN SEUL JUN ‘13 LUNA ABU RMEILEH ‘12 JUMAN TABBALAT ‘12
Staff Members HANEEN AL-MOSLAM ‘13 BARAKAT EL-SAQA ‘13 FARAH KILANI ‘13 TAMARA NASSAR ‘13
Lion Cubs LARISSA ABULGHANAM ‘14 FARAH AL-HADID ‘14 AMINA AWAD ‘14 HEIDI HANKIN ‘14 NORA NESHEIWAT ‘14 SHUROUQ HIJAZI ‘12 NICK JONSSON ‘14 MUTASEM AL-DMOUR ‘12 ALI SHAWAR ‘14 TALA ARABEYAT ‘12 RAMA NAKIB ‘12 Faculty Advisor HENRY REYNOLDS ‘12 MR. BOWMAN DICKSON HISHAM JAZZAR ‘12 JUDE SABHA ‘12
sionism, abstract expressionism, Jordanian pop-art, graphic design, and carving. “There was a lot of professional work that was produced in a gallery; however most of the work was amateur”, said Nadine ‘12. The art fair also consisted of some street art, such as graffiti which was displayed on the walls that surrounded.
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created by the former King’s Academy student and current Alumni, Abdullah Khalayleh ‘11, to ensure diverse members of the community gather and discuss subjects that interest them outside of the classroom. “You will be pushed to look at things from a different perspective. You will be able to present your ideas, and hear others’. You will also be able to see a side of students that you don’t normally see every day. A side that will make you proud of being part of the King’s Academy community” says Abdullah ‘11.
Mr. Mark Kilbler delivers an inspiring presentation on his own new beginning
Maheera Hussain ‘12
portunity to show their work” said Nadine ’12 who had her own booth of art work at the fair. Her art not only attracted many adults, but also appealed to and inspired many youth to be creative and artistic. At the fair, artists displayed many themes and styles of art. The major art styles were impres-
BY BARAKAT ELSAQA ‘13
tors. Our junior senators are: Aya Al-Jalamdieh ‘13, Talal Sisalem ‘13, Marah Al_Jubeh ‘13 and Hussam Khraisat ‘13. Ciwar El-Tayeh ‘14, Kareem Kort ‘14, Rawan Al Zahawi ‘14 and Bashir Al Sawaf ’14 are the Sophomore representatives. Finally, the freshmen senate is composed of Aya Ahmed ‘15, Eun Sol Jun ‘15 and Abdulrahman Jamjoon ‘15. Some see the senate elections as a popularity contest, many disagree saying that the reason they choose their friends is because they trust them and feel more comfortable in discussing their issues with them. Also, some students do not think that the speeches are an indicator of capability since many can make a strong speech yet not live up to it or be on par with it. Following up on the success of the senators, Jin Seul Jun ‘13, Nora Nesheiwat ‘14, Luna Abu Rmeileh ‘12, Ramy Badrie ‘12, Talal Soroor ‘13 and Bashar AbuAlGhanam ’12 won the Honors Committee’s elections. Moreover, Dima AlHourani ‘12, Fakher El Fayez ‘12, Majd Masannat ‘12, Hamza Al-Sarhan ‘13, Amer Al-Hadid ‘13 and Izzedine Aryan ‘13 won the Disciplinary Committee’s elections. Both these committees are a significant part of the school and its democratic principles. These students were chosen because we trust them to get our point of view across to the King’s Academy administration. We are all proud of our committee members and senators and we wish them to be fair and influential.
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Nadine Zaza ‘12 greets onlookers as they admire her artwork
SYMPO, a Student-led Initiative Builds the Intellectual base of KA
STAFF MEMBER
2011-2012
Layout Editors
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Switzerland. The committees and forums were run by numerous universities and organizations such as Yale University, Harvard University, the University of California at Berkeley, and The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN). Awn AlHadeed ’13, a delegate in the International Criminal Court, said “The nature of the debate was competitive in a very healthy way. It was a truly revelatory experience to debate against and to learn from such well-informed peers.” The chaperones of the trip, Dr. Wafa Al-Sawaftah, and Ms. Fatina Al-Ahmad, were especially proud when three of the students were awarded for their exceptional performance during the closing ceremony. The students returned to Amman after spending two enjoyable and unforgettable weeks in the Far East, a region they had never explored before.
By Tammara Nassar ‘13
The King’s Academy student body chooses its representatives
Photography Editor Copy Editors
CHINA
Keep Calm & Sympo On Courtesy of Mr. Patrick O’Brien
News sub- Editor Opinion sub- Editor Arts & Entertainment sub- Editor World sub- Editor Life sub- Editor Fun Page sub- Editor Sports sub- Editor
NEWS
October 2011
Tammarra Nassar ‘13
You will also be able to see a side of students that you don’t normally see every day. A side that will make you proud of being part of the King’s Academy community.
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Towards the end of last year, Mr. Tristan Chirico sent out applications to pick six students to be lead Sympo in place of Abdullah ’11. The positions were distributed as the following: Nadine Zaza ‘12, Senior Officer (Arts, Culture and Media), Noor-Eddin Amer ‘12, Senior Officer (The Humanities and Social Sciences), Mutasem Aldmour ‘12, Senior Officer (Natural Science, Mathematics and Technology), Tamara Nassar ‘13, Officer, (Natural Science, Mathematics and Technology), Talal Toukan ‘13, Officer (The Humanities and Social Sciences), and Larissa AbulGhanam ‘14, Officer (Arts, Culture and Media). The first Sympo event was organized and held on Sunday, October 2nd, as we were enlightened by Mr. Mark Kibler and Nadine ‘12 as they talked about the theme of the session, “New Beginnings”. Mr. Kibler discussed his thirty year old plant that symbolizes a new beginning to him from time to time. On the other hand, Nadine ‘12 inspired the students by artistically presenting new beginnings. She opened our eyes to how each and every one of us, metaphorically speaking, has a blank canvas to freely illustrate whatever lifestyle design we wish to live. We were also entertained by Lorin Kurdi, Izzideen Aryan, and Hussam Khraisat as they performed “Perfect” by Pink in the intermission between the two speeches. I look forward to having multiple SYMPO events throughout the year (which will be hosted every three weeks), and to learning something new each time. “Let me tell you, from my infinite wisdom as a College freshman, which this could be one of the most rewarding and fun experiences during your high school years” said Abdullah ‘11.
OPINION
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The Dining Hall: The Conveyor Belt and More
The Rexonian
July 15: End of an Era With the last Harry Potter movie coming out, the childhood legacy is officially over
LIFE
October 2011
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Teaching in Tanzania
Featured Teacher: Tristan Chirico
Mr. Matt chaperones a group of students from Groton School to Tanzania
Special Interview with the Philosophical Fashionista
By LarissA abulghanam ‘12 Lion cub
A student carefully puts his tray on the brand new conveyor belt. By Nora Nesheiwat ‘14 Lion Cub
This year, the Dining Hall has installed a new machine called the Conveyor Belt. The belt is used to put your tray on instead of unloading it onto the counter and causing a mess. Although it is said that it is supposed to speed things up, many will argue it is just slowing things down. “The conveyor belt here to make things more efficient for both the staff and the students” says Ms. Ola Bseiso. “Because this is a new machine, the students are not used to it. After they get used to it, things will be better.” I personally find the conveyor belt easier to deal with compared to last year’s breakfast and dinner. Though lunch is still a bit chaotic, it is more proficient since the inches between the Conveyor Belt and your position in line is probably not that far. This year the dining hall has increased the number
Tammarra Nassar ‘13
of tables and the mouths to feed; thus making it more crowded. “Once the new side dining hall is complete, there will be more space and it will be less crowded” Ms. Ola said. “The students on my table are in such a rush during lunch! I’m still eating and the waiter is already sending the food back!” Ms. Sarah Bozzi said. The students’ anxiousness to leave the dining is what is actually causing the chaos. Such anxiousness occurs due to either students not wanting to be late to class or to wanting some free time before the next class. The Conveyor Belt is not the only new thing in the dining hall; there is now an appliance in which you take your plate from. During the previous years, the plates were usually stacked between the buffet and the utensils. Although the plates usually are hot, it is more sanitary to the King’s Community. Now, how do you feel about the changes in the dining hall???
Inch By Inch OSL launches new proctor program By Fakher ElFayez ‘12 LIFE SUB-EDITOR
inches will make greater differences. Ms. Julianne put forth an example of a plate that infamously stayed outside of Nihal for two weeks. Taking the plate back to the dining hall was an inch that anyone who passed by Nihal could have taken, but nobody bothered. “Those small things do make a difference” admitted Ms. Julianne. “If we want a better, healthier,
“The margin for error is so small. One half step too late or too early you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow or too fast and you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in every minute, and every second.” That is how King’s Academy kicked off its fifth year on September 4th, 2011, when it opened its doors for the new academic year. With enthusiasm, teachers and students started a new and exciting chapter of their lives. After acknowledging their success with last year’s motto, ‘The Tipping Point’, Ms. Julianne Puente in cooperation with the deans, teachers, and proctors, introduced a new theme to the ethos of the school: making a difference inch by inch because small Courtesy of the Office of Student Life
idealistic school, we must take the inches are around us.” Another example that was given was that of the legendary soccer player Lionen Messi. In the play that was shown, Messi is being attacked by defenders from everywhere. He struggles, he is pushed back, he has many obstacles, yet still he moves forward, taking all the inches he needs and finally scores. The Rexonian challenges the school to take every day inches whenever they present themselves. An inch could be hustling a student to a class, or asking other students to be lower their voices in the library, because we have both the power and the responsibility to do so. The Rexonian’s challenges for every member of King’s Academy this year is take as many inches as they can because as community we have to be an “11”. Go Lions Go!
We’ve read the books, anticipated the movies, obsessed about the actors and hated on He-WhoShall-Not-Be-Named and this summer marked the end of a magical time for children, and teenagers all around the world, as the last Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows, finally came out. For 10 years, actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Tom Felton, alongside the dream team of The Harry Potter cast, have created magical world that we grew up in, and all thanks and gratitude go to, of course, the one and only J.K. Rowling. As July 15th , the release date for the Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows movie, was approaching, fans all over the world started counting down, reading the books, again, and having movie marathons, but mostly, beginning to feel depressed at the fact that their childhood was about to end with the end this movie. Potterheads blogged about it, posted YouTube videos, made all sorts of memes, and even got the Deathly Hollows sign’s tattoo. All of this was truly a Harry Potter mania. The movie itself was amazing. All the characters showed their true nature when faced with adrenaline (honestly, who knew Neville Longbottom could be so awesome?), even Alan Rickman won the hearts of all fans with his astonishing acting. To grow up with these characters for almost a decade then to have to say good bye was awful. It was then when I realized that my childhood is officially over. Though the seventh book was divided into two movies “to include as much detail as possible”, those dedicated fans who have read the book could easily pick up on the many things that were left out. Many of King’s Potterheads commented on the tragic end with “It was the best Harry Potter movie, but compared to the books, it didn’t include a lot of things us, Potterheads, had hoped to see. Nevertheless, it was the perfect end of an era.” Marah Jubeh ‘13 commented. Or even “REALLY REALLY good movie, it’s depressing because they made two movies for a reason, and still didn’t include all the details.”Heba Badr-El-Din ‘14 admitted. The latest news from Potterworld is that J.K. Rowling launched a site for Harry Potter fans around the world in order to have continuity, despite the fact that there are no more movies to wait for. Pottermore is the site that will bring Potterheads together in the next generations. Please note that muggles are not allowed. Period. As for now, we know the boy who lived will forever be a big part of us, “Always”. “It will never end, because the story lives on with the readers” Zein Sadedin ‘14 “Mischief Managed!”
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Honestly, who knew Neville Longbottom could be so awesome?
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Courtesy of Department of Communications By Larissa abulghanam ‘14 lion cub
Rex: What did you did you do this summer? Tristan Chirico: I did two things this summer; the first thing I did was working on my master’s degree which involved a lot of writing. The second thing was that I went to an amazing conference in Seattle, about online education. King’s is part of this new online academy, and so all of the schools that were involved sent teachers. It was a group of about 10 teachers and I was the only one from an international school. I learnt a lot about teaching a class with technology and I hope I can teach one like it next year. It was also the first time I went to that area; it was beautiful, and the teachers there were lovely, too. Going there was very productive, and I felt like I learnt a lot from this experience. Rex: Do you use what you learnt in your classes? T.C.: I am really bad with technology, and I was always afraid to use it in class. There, they taught me to use online tools; one of them was in Haiku, which is something like Al-Khazneh but much clearer, much more direct. So, I’m hoping this year to put courses and material on it. I also learnt about Prezi, and thought I’ll be the one to introduce it to King’s, and when I came here everyone was like “Prezi, prezi, prezi!” Rex: How do you think technology is an advantage? T.C.: One of the things I liked this summer was that people were very critical about technology, since not everyone was comfortable of having everything on computer. As a philosophy teacher, to be able to work after school on homework and to find material online technology gives students opportunities to peruse ideas they are interested it, outside school and it makes it easier for them to research philosophers. It opens up much more media and information and I think that is very exciting. I am pleased at the number of the see CHIRICO on page 6
Courtesy of Matt Westman
Mr. Matt surrounded by a group of Tanzanian children enthusastic to learn.
By HEIDI HANKIN ‘14 Lion Cub
For five weeks this summer, Mr. Matt led a group of 15 students and four faculty members from Groton School, where he taught before coming to King’s, on a school trip to the secondary Orkeeswa in Monduli, Tanzania. I sat down with Mr. Matt and asked him to share more about his trip. Rex: What are some of the things you did on your trip? Matt Westman: The trip was focused on a service project, and we built a regulation-sized basketball court by hand at Orkeeswa. It wasn’t just the students and teachers from Orkeeswa- the whole community helped to build it during the school break. Then, in the afternoons, we played games and had structured activities with the students from both schools. Rex: What did you learn from your experiences in Tanzania? M.W.: Personally, I learned a lot about the Maasai culture;
all but four of the students at Orkeeswa are Maasai. I learned a ton about working together as a group. Though, all of us from Groton knew each other, when we went to a whole new place, we changed through interactions with people; people who were quiet at school came out of their shells on the trip. Rex: What was the hardest part of the trip? M.W.: The trip was hard in a sense that though I was so happy to be there, I had to organize everything for our group and make sure everything was running smoothly. I think the hardest part was before going on the trip because once we got there, it was fun! After being there for a day, it felt like home. Rex: What was your favorite part? M.W.: For me, speaking Swahili or even some of the Maasai language was a major highlight, as well as all the experiences with the students – learning and speaking the language, doing the traditional dances, and building friendships.
King’s Blushing Bride An Interview with Mrs. Ruba Haddad (Bossie) By FARAH KILANI ‘14 Staff Writer
ie?
Rex: When is your anniversary with Mr. Chris? Ruba Haddad: 27th of August. Rex: What was your first impression of Mr. Chris Boss-
R.H.: Mysterious, I thought he looked like someone who is carrying a big rock on his shoulder and I wanted to be there to help him! (Winks) Rex: When did you realize you wanted to be with him? R.H.: When I sat in front of him at dinner in the balcony at beit al mudeer- which was the first time I met him. (Winks again) Rex: How was the engagement? Details, please! R.H.: Actually, it was very religious. What is better than getting engaged in the house of God? We went to church, for Sunday mass, and after that, and in front of 50 strangers, the priest prayed on the rings and we put the rings on. I heard a lot of voices saying: “Mabruk ya 3aroos o mabruk ya 3arees”, but I was literally like the proverb: “zay el atrash bel zaffeh”. I was totally confused, let alone Mr. Chris, who had no idea what was happening!
Then we went to my parents’ house and had a delicious dinner and it was fun! Rex: Do your parents like Mr. Chris? R.H.: No they don’t like him. THEY LOVE HIM. I am not sure how I feel about it, shall I get jealous, angry at my parents or happy they love him! But I am actually very happy they do, I mean who does not! He is very lovable! Rex: Tell us the story of Mr. Bossie asking for your hand! R.H.: So Chris’s tribe and the sheikh el 3asheereh (the big man of the Bossie’s Tribe) is expected to come to ask for my hand, which gives the bride – ya3ni ana (Me) – a sense of value. However, since the Bossie’s tribe consists of three people including Mr. Chris, we had to find another Tribe Chief, and who is better than Abu Zaid el me’3war! So we talked to him and he explained to Chris how things go here in Jordan, which was probably the longest meeting I ever had, I WAS SO NERVOUS. The next day El za3eem Abu Zaid – Mazen Jarrar – comes with Chris to my house, and we poured the cup of coffee in front of them, not American Coffee of course, see RUBA on page 6
LIFE
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The Rexonian
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Oxfordians show off their end-of-course diplomas at the farewell dinner
but an Arabic Cup of Coffee, meaning, one sip of coffee. Then Mr. Mazen said something about establishing good relations between USA and Jordan, after that, I kind of lost focus as I burst into laughter! Then my Dad said: ebeshro, meaning, be positive, meaning, ok you can take her hand! Rex: Does he make you happy? R.H.: Yes! Very much! He is the best thing that ever happened to me! Rex: What bothers you about him? R.H.: What bothers me is his extra sweetness! Not with me of course! He is always there if you need anything from him, and he can’t say no to anyone who asks for help, even if it means canceling a date with me ;) (Another wink). Rex: Tell us a little about your relationship, what do you have in common? Is he actually nice to you? Is there a romantic side in him? R.H.: (Laughs) OH MY GOD HE WILL KILL ME! Well actually he is very nice to me! I remember once he asked me if I wanted tea! I am just kidding! No he is very nice to me. He is my best friend. I can imagine myself being 80 years old with no teeth, sitting next to him in front of the fire place on the lake and laughing with him. He is very funny, I think. I have to say that he taught me that love is not a fairytale and pink world with red hearts flying around you! He taught me what love is! It is when you have a co-curricular and you have an urgent meeting, you find him there to cover your co-curricular! What I am trying to say, is that, love is not ONLY butterflies when you see him … love is when you find him beside you every time you feel lost – and oh my God – I feel lost a lot! And he was always there for me … and we also have a lot of things in common; we both love soup, we both laugh insanely about weird things, we both look mean but we have the sweetest hearts ever (massive wink).
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An Interview with Mr. Mark Kibler
students that are interested in something they learn in class and then research it afterwards and learn more about it. It can also go too far, for example, some teachers this summer were concerned while designing online courses on how they wanted to make something to focus student’s attention at the teacher without being distracted from other things on the computer. I think it’s a big challenge to know how to preserve strong connection between teachers and students in an online course where they are 3000 miles away from each other. Rex: If you could give us students a piece of advice about technology in class, what would it be? T.C.: Excellent question. CHECK YOUR E-MAIL EVERY MORNING. I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS. We have a good source that provides crucial information outside class, it’s called an e-mail. It’s a way of communicating and exciting information… if you check your e-mail. I was a student once, and I KNOW e-mails don’t just “disappear”.
CHIRICO
RUBA continued from Page 5
LIFE
October 2011
Courtesy of Ms. Randa Qunsol
Rex: When is the big day? And what do you picture it to be like? R.H.: The big day already happened … it is the day I met him – OH MY GOD – but if you are asking about when we are announced husband and wife, then we are thinking 20th of June … 20-6-2012 how awesome is that date? 2 multiplied by 6 equals to 12. R. H.: How do I picture it? I don’t! Rex: Do you fight? R.H.: Hell no! Of course we do! But even fighting with him is fun! And by the way, he never ever got mad at me! It’s always me going crazy and getting mad at him, then realizing how crazy I am, I say sorry! Rex: Where do you see yourself in 30 years with him?
Tammarra Nassar ‘13 By AMINA AWAD ‘14 Lion cub
Rex: Tell me about the satellite prototype that you launched this summer? Mark Kibler: There are two versions of this prototype. The first is the one we launched this summer; the second is a more complex satellite that took quite some time to build. The satellites have different roles and are able to measure things when launched. I was able to launch one of my proto-
New Nationalities in Our Community
“
I can imagine myself being 80 years old with no teeth, sitting next to him in front of the fire place on the lake and laughing with him.
Tammarra Nassar ‘13
King’s embraces its ever-expanding diversity yet another year By MAHEERA HUSSAIN ‘12
”
R.H.: I see us living on the lake, him fishing for dinner, and me teaching the kids of the lake how to find true love! Rex: What was your first impression and how did things start off between the two of you? R.H.: I thought you asked me this before. But I will tell you this. I saw him at the first faculty meeting of the year 2009. Ms. Sheena asked him to throw a baseball to Mr. Barry as part of teaching us something, I don’t remember what! All I was focusing on how handsome and charismatic he was! I heard his name and coincidently that same evening I received an invitation as a house head to go to dinner to beit al mudeer, and guess who was also invited? MR. MYSTERIOUS CHRIS. And that was the beginning of the end! The end of a life with no love!
types this summer. Rex: What does the satellite do? M.K: It measures the carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, humidity, altitude, and flight time. It also measures Greenhouse gases among other things. Rex: Who worked on the satellite with you? M.K: I worked with a group of high school students in the summer. I was helping them build and develop the satellite prototypes. Rex: Where did you work on the satellite?
M.K.: We worked in two places. First in a laboratory to do flight testing and build the satellites and I also worked beforehand with a group in Harvard in the winter where we worked on the two prototypes. Rex: Where was it launched? M.K.: In California Nevada 20 miles from the California border in the desert. Rex: Do you think the students benefitted from this experience? M.K.: The students learned problem solving, critical and lateral thinking, collaboration, conductive reasoning, and math and language skills. They had to gather data and analyze it. They put together a presentation that was watched by aerospace engineers, professors and other teams from around the world. They also got to interact with many space agencies around the world. Rex: How long did it take your team to make it? M.K.: We have been making different versions. We had to go from the small prototypes bigger ones and we had to expand and develop each prototype, which took four years of work. Rex: What do you think is the next step for your prototypes? M.K.: Well, we are working on a project here in king’s academy. We are partnering with a team in New Hampshire to rocket launch international student satellites. It is an integrated project we are building half and they are building half, it going to be scientific. Our goal is to launch it next September in Nevada. Rex: What was the goal of working with these students on the satellites? M.K.: Our main goal is to engage students in science and interest them in aerospace. I mean in your life time you will see humans land on mars. Now, NASA, E.S.A, and the Japanese space station, are looking for future scientist and researchers.
ARTS & entertainment sub-editor
Courtesy of Mr. Chris Bossie
The lovely couple pose for a photo outside on a sunny day.
As King’s Academy approaches its fifth year of school, it embraces many new and diverse cultures and nationalities. Starting as a school that only represented 10 countries King’s now represents a total of 26 countries today. Also, it has thrived from a population of less than a hundred to around 450 students. The additions to our school include the China, Ireland, and Sri Lanka. Last year, Colombia and Indonesia were new to the school. King’s academy has had students from all over the globe, touching upon six continents of the world total. Since its beginning, King’s Academy has been growing internationally. Many students and teachers learn of various cultures, traditions, religions, and political issues. A guiding principles that King’s Academy values is global citizenship, this principle aims for King’s Academy to not only become a respected school within the region, but a school of the world. This principle encourages every student and faculty member to become aware of other peoples beliefs and values. In return global citizenship enables international students to actively participate and become aware of the issues of the Arab world. The
Arab culture, traditions, and history, make boarding at King’s Academy distinct from any other school. Weekend trips such as Souk Jara, Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, and various hikes enable students to explore beautiful landscapes, famous historical sites, and get in touch with the various cultural aspects Jordan has to offer. Although the number of full boarders is still relatively small compared to the total number of students in our school, weekend activities are open to any student, including weekday boarders and day students.
There are many places to visit in Jordan besides City Mall, and every student of King’s Academy is encouraged to participate. King’s Academy not only aims to provide a collective educational and cultural experience for various international students, but also to provide a memorable experience that will stick with students throughout their life. As King’s Academy becomes one of the top boarding schools in the Middle Eastern region, it to attracts and welcomes the growing number of international students around the world.
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FUN PAGE
The Rexonian
By Nadine Zaza‘12 Contributing Artist
by Reem Alhaddadin ’11, Photos by Yasmin Darwazah ’11 & Samiha Al-Fayez ‘11
October 2011 LEO The natives of Leo are generally considered to be compatible with the natives of other fire signs, Aries and Sagittarius, and the natives of the air signs, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. Your lucky color is green. Your lucky number is 13. It is important that you focus more on your family and that you make domestic changes which will allow you to offer more to others. Love is not far in the horizon for you and resorting to a bit of romance will improve your relationship with someone you truly care about.
FUN PAGE HOROSCOPES by Haneen Al Moslam ‘13, Photos by Tammara Nassar ‘13
ِARIES -Being the first sign of the tropical zodiac, Aries is seasonally associated with spring and represents a strong creative thrust and powerful expression of energy. Your lucky color of the week is gold Your lucky number is 7. You need to relax and should try not to overwork yourself. Attempting to focus less on your academics life or career would be a good idea, considering you are already an exceptional student/teacher. You need to give much more time to your hobbies and should make more free time for yourself. You are quite a driven and committed person and can be considered as the most trustworthy friend a person can have. What is more, you have an unparalleled ability to embrace others. SCORPIO The natives of Scorpio are generally considered to be compatible with the natives of the other water signs as well as the natives of the earth signs. Your lucky number is 9. Your lucky color is Indigo. You should focus more on domestic matters and make necessary changes to your living arrangements in order to improve your relationship with your family, friends and neighbors. You should start making your decisions and actions a surprise to others. On a final note, your plans will result in good things for you so do not hesitate to follow them through. VIRGO Virgo is seasonally associated with the end of summer and the onset of autumn, when nature–having borne its fruit–recedes into conservation. Its period indicates a change of season, pointing to an instinct towards changeability and an easy ability to let go of past situations in preparation for future needs. Your lucky number is 7. Your lucky color is orange. You should not leave anything to chance and it is essential that you be in control of your life and act strategically in order to protect yourself and the people and things you care about. On another note, a change in your financial status can have widely different effects, all of which depend on how you respond to the current atmosphere of the economy. AQUARIUS The natives of Aquarius are generally considered to be compatible with the natives of the other air signs and the natives of the fire signs. Your lucky number is 22. Your lucky color is white. Make sure to invest your time, effort and money only into what you are capable of following through with and ensured of succeeding at. You have numerous ideas which are likely to elevate your financial status. You will be well rewarded if you invest your time and effort into things you truly care about. On a final note, romance is accentuated so it would be a good idea for you to share your plans with that special someone. PISCES The natives of Pisces are generally considered to be compatible with the natives of the other water signs and the natives of the earth signs. Your lucky color is silver. Your lucky number is 19. You should plan to attend a unique event because it will give you the opportunity to interact with a person who can positively contribute to a goal you plan to commit to and follow through with. The idea of your goal should be somewhat old in its nature, yet it should have an interesting and fresh twist, which is highly valued in today’s world. On another note, it would be a good idea for you to go on a date as this will enhance the romantic aspect of your life.
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TAURUS Taurus is seasonally associated with the flourish of spring, when the Earth is green and fresh. Because the season has settled, it is known as a ‘fixed sign’ which indicates stability, resistance to change, and the ability to ‘enjoy the moment’. Your lucky color is pink. Your lucky number is 18. You are having enough fun for 10 “Aries” children, and, thus, it is important that you give focus more on your school work and increasing your productivity in regard to your academic life. On another note, you are an extremely lovable person and you have the ability to draw people to you with your easygoing and vivacious personality.
LIBRA Individuals born when the Sun was in this sign are considered Libra individuals. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun enters Libra on the moment of autumnal equinox on September 23, leaving it on October 22. Your lucky number is 6. Your lucky color is yellow. You should begin participating in a hobby that inspires you, adds meaning to your life and, more importantly, increases your creativity. It is a good idea for you to participate in an event that will allow you to interact with people who think in a similar manner as yourself. Love is looming and you should attempt to go out and share your feelings with that special someone.
CANCER It is the fourth astrological sign in the Zodiac. It is considered a water sign and one of four cardinal signs. Cancer is ruled by the Moon. Individuals born when the Sun is in this sign are considered strong, and somewhat good at obtaining what they desire. Your lucky color is red. Your lucky number is 5. You are strong and that is something you do not need anyone to tell you. You are quite good at obtaining what you want, whenever you desire it. The best advice for you, undoubtedly, is to employ your strongest qualities to help others. Be nicer and help people who are not as capable as you since you have the potential to bring about numerous positive changes in the lives of others.
CAPRICORN The natives of Capricorn are generally considered to be compatible with the natives of the other earth signs and the natives of the water signs. Your lucky number is 10. Your lucky color is purple. Make sure to express your intentions and words clearly because there will be people attempting to derive other unintended meanings from your words in order to force you into something you do not want to be a part of. You should concentrate on protecting your domestic life and ignoring the derogatory words and actions of others. Stay away from expressions of anger and make sure you remain calm as this will benefit you greatly when you find yourself under pressure.
SAGITTARIUS Sagittarius is seasonally associated with the transition from autumnal moisture to mid-winter dryness. It describes an instinct towards change and an easy ability to modify or adapt to the demands of the environment. Your lucky number is 1. Your lucky color is brown. You should steer away from lying and the creation of fabrications because this will harm you emotionally. Moreover, you should anticipate changes to the way you currently live your life and you should focus more on upcoming legal, health or financial issues. On a final note, supporting a specific cause will team you up with interesting people. GEMINI Gemini is seasonally associated with the transition from spring to summer. Because its period indicates a change of season, it is known as a ‘mutable sign’, describing an impulse towards change and versatility, and an easy ability to adapt to the demands of the environment. Your lucky color is blue. Your lucky number is 3. It is essential that you attempt to commit to one thing and follow it through. You are very much capable of changing your atmosphere, but you should also try to like the atmosphere you are currently in. You will adapt well and flourish in environments where you find yourself being popular and always in the company of others.
FUN PAGE
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The Rexonian
Guess What?
WORLD
October 2011
Los Beneficios de Aprender un Idioma Extranjero
by Haneen Al Moslam ‘13, Photos by Tammara Nassar ‘13
By NICK JONSSON ‘14
قطار املعرفة By ALI SHAWAR ‘14
SPANISH CORRESPONDENT
Can you guess where and of what these pictures are?
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ARABIC CORRESPONDENT
Como todos sabemos, hay muchos beneficios de la capacidad de hablar un idioma extranjera. La mayoría del tiempo, los estudiantes hacen cursos de lenguas extranjeras para acabar requisitos para el colegio. Los alumnos no están siempre interesados en la lengua, pero solo toman la clase porque es obligatorio. Sin embargo, hay más razones útiles para aprender una lengua extranjera. Primero, el conocimiento de una lengua segunda tiene un efecto positivo sobre la intelectualidad. El celebro de una persona que sabe un idioma extranjera es más superior de un cerebro no segunda lengua hablante. Además, los estudiantes que estudian las lenguas cuando estaban más jóvenes, hacen mejor la mayoría del tiempo. Hay varios estudiantes en King’s Academy que empezaban sus viajes lingüísticos cuando estaban jóvenes. Además de esto, la inteligencia de un idioma segunda abre la puerta a varias culturas extranjeras. Si un hombre de negocios quiere penetrar un mercado económico extranjero, es obligatorio saber la lengua de esta región. La gente regional será más inclinada a cumplir con el hombre de negocios. Para concluir, hay varias razones importantes para aprender lenguas extranjeras. Sirven para empezar empresas en países extranjeras. El próximo vez que uno de tus amigos dicen ¿Por qué estas tomando Español?”, puedes contestar seguramente.
في مسابقة قطار المعرفة التي عقدت في نال الطالب حسام ياسين المركز األول كان على الطالب حسام أن،فخر وإعتزاز ٍ و بكل.) IAA ( أكاديمية عمان الدولية و قد شهد حصوله على.يسافر إلى مدينة دبي ليمثل المملكة األردنيه الهاشمية المركز الثالث على مستوى الشرق األوسط لمدرستنا و ألساتذتها بمستواهم العالي ً إضافة الى “بالتصميم و اإلرادة: و قد شهد الطالب على ذلك بقوله.من االحتراف خاصة المعلمة الفاضلة ازدهار زياد التي أشرفت على،اإلرشاد من قسم اللغة العربية لمدرستي،العظيم لنفسي استطعت تحقيق هذا الفوز ،المسابقة و على التحضير لها .”و لألردن تتكون كل منها من جملة من: كان على السيد ياسين أن يمر في ثالث مراحل اختبارية و قد شارك في. باإلضافة إلى التعبير و غيرها من االمتحانات,االسئلة و المعلومات العامة المسابقة العديد من المدارس األردنية الخاصة الذين حيث تنافسوا على المراكز األولى .الخمسة على المستوى المحلي بعد اختيار حسام ليكون من بين الخمسة األوائل المتأهلين ليمثل ثقافة وطننا األردن في كان عليه أن يتسابق ضد عدد هائل من مدارس من مختلف الدول العربية التي شاركت,دبي . كان هنالك اسئلة طرحت على الفائزين من كل دولة من لجنة حكام مختصة.في المسابقة لثقافية لغيرها من الموضوعات التي تتحدث عن الثقافة, ألدبية,تفاوتت األسئلة من تاريخية .العربية اقيم احتفال في مدرسة البحث العلمي في دبي حيث تم تكريم حسام ياسين لحلوله في و أكد حسام ان هذه التجربة جعلته يتعرف.المركز الثالث و بعدها اعلن اسم الفائز بالمسابقة على اصدقاء جدد من مختلف الدول العربية باإلضافة الى أن هذه المسابقة قدمت له خبرة واسعة و أضاف ايضا حسام بأن فضل المعلمة ازدهار ال يمكن أن ينسى,من خالل القراءة التي قام بها .ألنها لم تبخل عليه بالمعلومات و كانت دائما حريصة على متابعته خالل قراءته
ROBERT BAHOU ‘11
وأنهى ياسين حديثه معلقا على حرص والديه على قراءته منذ صغره و أكد أن تشجيعهم له كان نصيحة حسام لجميع الطالب تتلخص بتحريضهم على االنضمام إلى هذا.عامال كبيرا في نجاحه .النشاط
师 By LI ZI AN ‘13 Mandarin CorrespondEnt
师这个字，在中国地位很高，因为这个字代表了中国最为受尊敬的 一种职业——‘teacher’。“老师”、“教师”、“师傅”，都 是由这个字衍生而来的。中国有句俗话叫“一日为师终生为父”， 意思就是老师的地位或者老师在你人生中的价值不亚于你的父亲。 这就是为什么，中国有教师节，也是为什么，中国的教师节是一 个很隆重的节日。 古代的时候，孔子是教师的代名词，所有老师都奉孔子为圣人。 孔子的教学思想对于后世几千年都有很大的影响，在古代的中 By HAMZA NAGHAWI ‘12 国，教师节就定在孔子的诞辰这一天。到了新中国成立后，教 WORLD SUB-EDITOR 师节改在了每年的九月二十八号。在这一天，老师将会得到祝 福和感谢。教师节向来都很盛大，每年教师节的时候，各地政 Le changement est vraiment important pour la mentalité d’une personne, parce que c’est la 府都会举办大型的晚会，我已经参加过我的城市举办的三次教 chose qui peut apporter un nouvel esprit énergique à une personne. Il y a plusieurs variétés de 师节晚会了，晚会上我们唱歌，朗诵，跳舞，以此来歌颂我们 changements qui peuvent conforter une personne ; le voyage est une façon. Je ne veux pas dire 伟大的教师，感谢他们无私的师德。 le déplacement en termes de sortir du pays pour être arrogant parmi les amis, mais ce que je veux 中国有很多诗歌是用来感谢师恩的，比如“春蚕到死丝方 dire est la sortir du pays avec ce qui nous sommes contents. 尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干”，在古代的中国，老师称为“先生” Le déplacement pourrait avoir beaucoup d’influences positives dans la vie d’une personne. Pre，每天见到先生的时候都要下跪，先生一般都很严厉，如果 mièrement, le voyage la donne l’opportunité de rencontrer des nouvelles personnes avec des tradi你没有完成先生布置的作业，就会被挨打，或者罚跪，那 tions et des cultures différentes. Et ceci nous aide à développer notre personnalité et à être capable de 个时候，先生要打你，家长也不敢说“不”。可见，在当 faire la bonne chose devant le bon type de gens pour ne pas offenser le style de vie de quelqu’un. En 时，老师有多么高的地位。 outre, un voyage vers un pays aidera une personne à apprendre la langue de ses habitants et à réussir 在今天的中国，老师当然已经不能随便打学生，学生见到 dans leurs vies futures. 老师也不用下跪了。但是教师的威严，依然沿着几千年的 Une autre chose peut être que cette expérience ne peut jamais être ennuyeuse parce qu’il y a toujours 思想而传承了下来。每天我们上课之前，都要起立然后 un endroit qu’une personne n’a jamais visité paravent. Ainsi, les gens sont toujours enthousiastes pour 说“老师好”，下课的时候，我们也要起立说“谢谢老 sortir de leurs pays parce qu’ils sont sûrs qu’ils trouveront un endroit intéressant dans lequel ils peuvent 师，老师再见”。这当然只是形式上的东西，但是从这 passer leurs vacances. Et chaque fois quand ils retournent à la maison, ils souhaitent qu’ils ne sont jamais 里，也可以看出“尊师重教”的思想，几千年来从来没 partis de cet endroit visité; c’est probablement ce qu’il se passe chaque fois quand ils visitent un endroit 有变过。 qu’ils ont aimé. 有人说这样不好，什么事都要听老师的，会拘束学生 Un des avantages les plus importants du voyage est qu’une personne commence à être responsable de 的思想，也有人认为这是中华民族的传统美德，应该 toutes ses actions. Être indépendant est toujours remarqué parmi les jeunes qui voyagent pour représenter 传承和发扬。我认为，尊敬老师是做人最基本的道 leur pays dans un pays étranger. Dans cette situation, ils ne sont pas les personnes autour desquelles tous 德。我们应该谢谢给与我们知识和智慧的人。是他们 tournent; c’est leur pays, ses citoyens et leur propre identité qui seront affectés par ce petit voyage. 教会我们如何在这个社会上立足，是他们让我们能够 Ce qu’on peut conclure est qu’en voyageant, une personne gagne quelques nouvelles expériences, mais il 用知识去创造自己的人生。 faut qu’elle fasse attention aux difficultés auxquelles elle peut se trouver face. Quant à moi, j’aime voyager, mais 所以我认为，这个中华民族的传统思想应该延续下 je suis toujours confus parce que je ne peux pas déterminer ma destination jusqu’au dernier moment et il y a 去并且宣传到世界各地。让所有人都学会尊重自己 quelques questions qui viennent toujours à mon avis : « Qu’est-ce que je ferai si je n’aime pas l’endroit? », « Si 的老师，感谢自己的老师。 je n’allais pas là, où j’irais aller? », « Qu’est-ce que je peux trouver comme nourriture dans cet endroit? ». Mais la question la plus importante est « Comment je peux tirer profit de ce voyage en tant que jeune ? »
Le Voyage, les Jeunes et Comment on en Exploite
The Jumble By HANEEN AL MOSLAM STAFF WRITER
THE THEME IS FOOD Can You Unscramble the Words?
esehce : rtraco : ittghespa : issuh : ucphtek : mecar : untdos : kincehc : tema : ifhs :
SPORTS
Page 12
The Rexonian
THE FIRST ANNUAL MADABA GAMES All the Dormitories Bid for a Prize of Ice Cream, Bikes, and Fame. By HANEEN AL MOSLAM ‘13 STAFF WRITER
The Madaba games that happened during Orientation had been a true blast for all those who had been involved in it. The games consisted of various challenges where the six houses competed, with each other, including their students, teachers and staff, some musical and theatrical performances, as well as some fun games which were conducted at the soccer field. The first part was a group of games of that were mainly a three legged race, tug-of-war and sponge relay, as well as mini marathon around campus. The games were absolutely amazing in the sense of unity and healthy competition each dorm showed, although some dorms did show a bit more than that. Despite the absolute exhaustion and thirst the games left the people Among the activities was an egg drop at the Clock Tower, which happened after much engineering and planning from the contestants which resulted in some successful projects and some that were not as lucky. Another activity was a cookie bake off in a faculty member’s apartment, which some dorms wowed at more than others. The “funny hair” competition, which was completely funny and gave its participants a new look they didn’t see coming was truly many people’s favorite. The chess and Nintendo Wii tournaments, on the other hand, needed more skill and concentration which people who have been part of them have showed. The final part of the Madaba games was the musical and dance performances where each house showed off their artistic side, and presented the rest of the school with a good amount of fun and laughter. Miessa presented a play of one student telling a story where the
rest of the house played it out in a way that played on more than one side, the house’s color for first, and our principle’s constant use of the word “tremendous” on the other. Murzim presented a musical performance of a group of girls dancing to the jazzy tunes of the song “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse. Attair house, presented the school with a performance of the popular Arabic song “Helwa Ya Baladi”, sung by Lorin El-Kurdi’13 and Miss. Lina Samawi. Sulfat house, presented a group dance where the whole house participated. Nihal house
presented a short skit of a man watching TV, and showed their own perceptive of how TV looks like. Each of the houses was completely entertaining, but the final winner was the ever lovely Attair. The final winner of all the Madaba games was Miessa house, which was, as nearly everyone would agree, clearly deserving of the title and the ice-cream feeds they have earned. The Madaba games that week were truly the best part of our successful orientation this year.
TOP: Students kick off the new year with a football tournament. ABOVE: Students and faculty alike are amazed with the successes of the egg drop this year. LEFT: Freshmen huddle with their new friends near the stadium.
MADABA GAMES FINAL SCORES AL NILAM
ATAIR
MEISSA
MURZIM
NIHAL
SULAFAT
566
549
888.5
675
699
605