High School Elects New Student Council

Warriors N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E I , I S S U E 2

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

P A G E 2

Seniors Meet Khaleejesque

Seniors Splash at Regency

Seniors’ Fire Shot

Breast Cancer Donations at

AAG

Eid Al Adha… Gift from Hajj

P A G E 3

Spotlight: Interview with Mrs.

Dias, H.S Counselor

ADHD: Unidentified Problem in

Schools

Norwegian Rats in Kuwait!

Felix...First Human Faster Than

Speed of Sound

P A G E 4

Comics

Riddle

Sport Zone: Soccer

Students of The Month

Advice: How to Avoid School

Stress?

Did You Know?

The American Academy for Girls

Upcoming Events

Nov 13th —Presentation for Amideast for Grade 11&12

Nov 14th — English 9 Showcase presented to ECE students

Nov 22nd— Pilgrims and Indians Day Nov 29th — Field Trip to Failaka

Written by Fatma Al Duaij

Fudha Al Fulaij

High school elected the student council representatives for the

2012-2013 school year on Sunday, October 14th.

The students voted for the candidates that they believed will

fulfill their requests and make the school a better place. After an

enthusiastic and competitive election during lunch time, the

results were announced at the end of the day. The winners were:

Balqees Ali as president, Fudha Al Fulaij as vice-president, Shaikha

Boureki as treasurer and Reem Al Habib as secretary.

Later, an interview was made with the four winners to ask them

about their perspectives. “Students must have initiative; they

should not be imitators. They must learn to think and act for

themselves and be free.” The President said. Fudha Al Fulaij also

mentioned that she is willing “to deliver the voice of the students.”

In addition, Shaikha Boureki confirmed that she will be

responsible and up front as the students believe in her. Finally,

Reem Al Habib mentioned that she will try to make new changes

that will satisfy the students.

The student council is a group of elected students chosen to be

the voice of their colleagues. It is the link serving as a highly

functional role between the administration and the students.

Student council representatives should be aware of students’

issues and concerns while aiming to increase the number of events

occurring throughout the year. Students celebrating the end of

election A student voting

for her candidates

Left to right: Reem Al Habib, Balqees Ali, Fudha Al Fulaij, Sheikha Boureki

Warriors Back to KSAA, Join BSSFK

Written by Rahaf Al Bader Illustrated by Fatma Al Khaled

Warriors will rejoin “Kuwait Schools American

Association” (KSAA) on December 2012 after being

suspended last year.

An interview was conducted with Gloria Penalbert, the high school Athletic director,

to inform us on the latest sports news.“AAG will be back to KSAA on December but will

be under probation,” Penalbert said. Some of these activities are badminton, track and

field, and cross country.

She also mentioned that AAG joined the Bilingual School Sport Federation of Kuwait

(BSSFK) for after school sport activities, including soccer and volleyball. Basketball

games will start in December and track and field in spring.

On the other hand, the players for the varsity and the junior varsity teams were

chosen on Monday October 22nd.

“Spooktacular“ Costume Day!

Upcoming Events

Nov 8th-10th — MUN/Pearl at BBS Nov 13th — Presentation for Amideast

for Grade 11&12 Nov 14th — English 9 Showcase pre-

sented to ECE students Nov 18th-21st — Picture Days Nov 22nd — Pilgrims and Indians Day Nov 22nd-25th — MUN/YMGE in Prague Nov 29th — Field Trip to Failaka

(Waiting for approval)

Written by Noora Al Wohaib

High school students held a costume day on Wednesday October

31st by dressing up in amazing and creative costumes.

Every class was asked to decorate their door in the most creative

and outstanding way possible. The students got excited and

competitive when decorating the doors because they all wanted to

win the privilege of attending a bowling field trip.

After the door decorating event, students went to the roof for

the fun activities and the party planned by the student council. At

the party there were sweets, pastries, and drinks offered to

students. Afterwards it was time for the activities to begin. First they

started with the eating contest, then came time for the apple picking

contest, and finally they ended with the pumpkin decorating contest.

Everyone participating was full of enthusiasm.

At the end, all students enjoyed themselves dancing, eating tasty

food, and ended up having a wonderful time.

Mid-Term Exams Dates

November 4th:

French and Spanish

November 5th:

Math

November 6th:

English

November 7th:

Social Studies

November 8th:

Science

P A G E 2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2

Seniors Meet Khaleejesque

Written by Ghadir Al Sulaimi

Seniors Splash at Regency

Written by Fatima Shamsedine

Seniors went on their first fieldtrip of the year on October 10th to the

Regency Hotel. It was a great opportunity for them to spend time relaxing

under the warm sun and to take a break from school tasks.

The private pool was reserved exclusively for the students to swim in.

They enjoyed tanning as well as making swimming competitions. Beverages

were served for free. After the pool, the girls had lunch and returned back to

school with a huge smile on their faces wishing for more days like this one.

They were excited about the next event of the day, which was the senior

dinner at Nino Restaurant.

Seniors’ Fire Shot Written by Sarah Al Masaad

The seniors had to take Diphtheria Tetanus Toxoid Vaccine on October 4th. It is a vaccine required by the Kuwait Ministry of Public Health which helps students to prevent diseases.

Students went down in groups to the nurse to receive it. “The injection wasn’t painful while injected, but later when the medicine kicked in, it started to hurt,” a senior said.

Khaleejesque, a Kuwaiti magazine, visited AAG as a part of the English showcase. They introduced their project and

mission to seniors on Tuesday October 16th.

Khaleejesque is a cultural and lifestyle magazine that focuses on everything new, exciting and beautiful in the Ara-

bian Gulf countries. It aims to cover the latest regional events, feature interesting people and share inspiring and interest-

ing stories.

Nouf Al Sabah, the magazine creative director identified the essence of Khaleejesque. “Our goal is to cover the sto-

ries that are not usually found in newspapers,” she said. Alya AlOthman, the executive editor, explained the day-to-day

operations. Finally, Fouz AlSabah, the managing editor spoke about the media industry in Kuwait.

Seniors asked questions to know more details about the magazine. The Khaleejesque team gave students a free issue

of their latest edition and invited them to seek out internship opportunities at their magazine.

This magazine is published every three months. So far, they have three issues, a Blog (www.khaleejesque.com) and a

Facebook page.

Breast Cancer Donations at AAG Written by Anwar Rabaia

High school students are collecting donations for people suffering from

breast cancer which is a well known illness spreading widely in the world.

Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths for women

in the US. It doesn’t only occur in woman. It can also occur in men.

Patients with breast cancer suffer a lot, not only physically but also

psychologically. Sometimes they lose their breast which affects them negatively.

They often loose their jobs because of depression and emotional instability.

Small amounts can really make a difference in these people’s lives. Breast

cancer care relies on the generosity of people. By donating a little, a big change

can occur in someone’s life.

Eid Al Adha...Gift from Hajj

Written by Dalal Dashti

Al Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, is a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the birth-

place of the Prophet Muhammad. During the month of Thu al-Hijja, Muslims, who

have the means and the physical ability, are expected to make this religious journey

at least once in a lifetime.

During the Hajj, Muslims walk counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba.

Then, they run back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, go to the

Mount Arafat plains to stand in vigil, and throw stones in a ritual.

After accomplishing Al Hajj ritual, Muslims all around the world celebrate Eid Al

Adha where they sacrifice animals such as a sheep or goat. This belief is sometimes

misunderstood by those who aren’t Muslim. The sacrifice itself, as practiced by Mus-

lims, has nothing to do with atoning for sins or using the blood to wash away sins.

But why do they sacrifice animals? This act is practiced as a reminder of Ibrahim's

obedience to Allah. It also symbolizes a Muslim’s willingness to give up some bene-

fits and offer some of their bounties in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help

those who are in need.

In addition, Muslims around the world attend “Salat Al Eid”, morning prayers, at

their local mosques on the first morning of Eid al-Adha, dressed in their best clothes.

They thank Allah for all the blessings they have received. Prayers are followed by vis-

its to family and friends, and the exchange of greetings and gifts.

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2 P A G E 3

Interview with H.S Counselor

Mrs. Dias...My Door Is Always Open

An interview was conducted with Mrs.

Michelle Dias, The high school counselor for

Grade 11 and 12, to take a look into her

personal and professional life.

Q: Can you tell us about yourself? Nationality,

college degree, and hobbies?

A: I am from New York, American-Portuguese and

my parents are originally from Portugal. I have a

degree in criminal justice, psychology, and Spanish. I

enjoy reading books, shopping and watching TV

shows.

Q: What were your previous jobs before being a

school counselor?

A: I have worked as a behavioral therapist assistant

with autistic children, a juvenile probation officer,

psychiatric counselor for adolescents and a Spanish

teacher.

Q: What makes you want to work at a school in the

Middle East?

A: Mostly for experience; I've been very lucky to

have my parents have me exposed to different

cultures in the world and backgrounds and I saw

this as a great adventure.

Q: What influenced you to be a school counselor?

Was it your lifelong dream?

A: It was actually one of my goals in life. I've wanted

to be a school guidance counselor when I first

graduated from college but I became a probation

officer first. I really feel a connection with

adolescents because I've been there and I learned

from my mistakes. There's always hope and

motivation to help students.

Q: What do you like about working with grade 11

and 12 students?

A: This is the most important time in high school

because its setting up the students to become

young adult women in the community and I can give

you the hope of having the world at your feet; you

can do anything you want in life, there is no limit to

your future.

Q: How are you helping the juniors and seniors

with their applications for university?

A: By first seeing what they’re interested in studying

in Kuwait or abroad, what their majors are and mak-

ing sure they are comfortable with the application

process.

Q: What are some of the changes you would like to

achieve this year as a counselor?

A: I want the girls to know that they can come and

talk to me no matter what and that my door is al-

ways open for them; basically, communication and

honesty.

Q: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

A: Hopefully still at AAG as a school counselor with a

happy family.

Q: What is the advice that you would like to pro-

vide to seniors?

A: Never shortchange yourself; you have a whole

life ahead of you. You’ll have many choices and

what you choose is going to affect your life. You

have everything in the palm of your hand, it comes

back to what you want to do with it.

Interviewed by Shaikha Al Khanfar

Norwegian Rats in Kuwait!

Written by Basma Al Rodan

Norwegian rats are spreading in several areas around Kuwait, causing a real

danger since they carry and spread plague, and are clever and cannot be killed

easily.

The ministry of health has warned against the rapid population of this breed

of rats. “Unless an immediate plan is drawn and followed strictly to get rid of

the Norwegian rats, the rodents will keep on multiplying, causing an epidemic

by the end of 2014 that the state will not be able to fight,” Dr Samiya Al-

Tobaikh, the head of the pests and rodents combat department at the Health

Ministry, said.

This particular species of rodent is as big as a cat, is particularly present in

Jleeb (74 %), Sulaibiya industrial area (71%), Ardiya industrial area, Req’ee,

Jahra industrial area and across the beaches at the Chalets area.

Felix…First Human Faster Than Speed of Sound

Written by Futuh Al Sane

The Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner has become the first man to go

faster than the speed of sound reaching a maximum velocity of 833.9mph

(1,342km/h) on October 14th.

Baumgartner landed in New Mexico after jumping out of a balloon in the

stratosphere 128,100ft (24 miles; 39km) to set the record for the highest free-

fall . "Let me tell you when I was standing there on top of the world, you be-

come so humble. You don't think about breaking records anymore, you don't

think about gaining scientific data. The only thing that you want is to come

back alive," Felix said in a media conference.

In getting to 128,100ft, Baumgartner exceeded the altitude for the highest

ever manned balloon flight achieved by Victor Prather and Malcolm Ross, who

ascended to 113,720ft (35km) in 1961.

Q: What do you see as the main role of a school

counselor?

A: A role model, someone the girls can come and

speak to and not be judged. I will always look at

them as not being weak but strong individuals.

Q: Do you prefer teaching or counseling? Why?

A: I miss the teaching because it was more of a

one on one with my students, but as a counselor

I'm getting to know the whole school.

Q: How would you divide your time between

meeting the immediate needs of the students

and keeping up with the paperwork?

A: My first priority is to meet and fulfill the needs

of my students. I always make sure I have time

for them instead of being in meetings and paper-

work.

ADHD: Unidentified Problem in Schools

Written by Dana Al Abdulhadi

Many Students fail to understand, follow directions or complete required task at school. Some parents and teachers consider these students lazy and careless,

but the real reason behind that is the presence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

What is ADHD?

It is a genuine brain disorder, characterized by either significant difficulties of inattention or hyperactivity and impulsiveness or a combination of the two.

Studies have found have found that students with ADHD have lower average marks, more failed grades and increased dropout rates (Weiss and Hechtman).

Another study by Barkley and colleagues found that 46% of their student study group with ADHD had been suspended and 11% had been expelled.

Teachers at school should pay more attention to this problem and be able to help students with ADHD by using many techniques. For example, they can al-

low these students to stand up, squat in their chair, or sit on the floor, if it helps them to complete assignments. Teachers can also modify required homework to

accommodate students with ADHD by avoiding busy and redundant assignment. In addition they can give them the opportunities to display their skills, talents

and/or leadership ability. Moreover, teachers can ask students to stand and stretch, run in place, or do an exercise or movement activity when deemed neces-

sary.

P A G E 4 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2

Comics

The names of all continents both

start and end with the same letter

The Amazon rainforest produces

half the world's oxygen supply

Frogs don’t drink; they absorb

water through their skin

Most lipsticks contain fish scales.

None of the Beatles could read

music; they learned and played by

ear.

An elephant can die from a broken

heart.

The average person falls asleep in 7

minutes

Written by Sherifa Al Halawaji

Many students suffer from stress due to overwhelming school

tasks. This may affect your grades and your academic performance.

Here are some tips to help you avoid school stress.

Setting up a schedule. give yourself plenty of time to work on your

studies, set up a schedule and break up your studies into smaller

portions.

Create a Good Study Environment. Creating a calm environment

can reduce stress and help you learn. Playing classical music would

help if you don’t find it distracting.

Sleep well. Try to get at 7 to 8 hours every night so you'll always be

at your best. You’ll be able to think more clearly and you’ll feel

better.

Eat healthy. Eating healthy is a key to feeling better. Avoid junk

food because the lack of proper nutrition can send your stress levels

even higher. Eating healthy will also help you concentrate better

when you’re studying.

Riddle

“I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?

Answers should be submitted to the journalism teacher in room 319. The first three students with the right answer will be given the permission to order food to

school.

How to Avoid School

Stress?

Soccer

Written by Shaikha Boureky

Soccer is a game that can be

recognized by anyone in the world; it

has no regional background and it is a

language on its own. Some say soccer

is a sport and other enthusiasts call it

a lifestyle.

Playing this game consists of using

your leg and a round ball, basically

that's all you need. But on the other

hand a real game is made up of two

teams, 11 on each side including

goalies who can use their hands to

stop the ball. The objective is to score

on the opposite side with a time limit

of 90mins, with 45mins half time. The

team that scores the most is the

winner.

Saying soccer is only a men's sport

is WRONG. Women from all around

started making up teams and is now

recognized officially by FIFA

(Federation International Football

Association). And in fact women

started playing soccer at the same

time men did. It was political and

social factors that held it back. At one

point a women's soccer match in

England brought close to 20,000

people in the stands, which cause a

form of "jealousy" from the Football

Association, who excluded women

from the game until recently.

Students of the Month

Jana Al Rashed Grade 9

“ Responsibility is the key to success.”

Modhi Al Sharida Grade 10

“ I always try and hope for the best.”

Hessa Al Abdulhadi Grade 11

“ I study well to achieve my goals in

school”

Rahaf Al Bader Grade 12

“ Determination is the door to success”

Photo Not Available