AL YASMINA SCHOOL

CONNeCtBLOOMGrOwLeArNNurturePLAY

ABu DHABI ISSue 3JuNe 2012

PARTNERSHIPTHE SECONDARY

AL YASMINA SCHOOL STRIVES TO BE AN OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL, MAXIMISING THE LEARNING POTENTIAL OF ALL

CONteNtSweLCOMe frOM tHe SeCONDArY PrINCIPAL, Mr GALe 3

Meet tHe New DIreCtOr Of Pe 4

CrICket A POPuLAr CHOICe 5

SPOrtS AwArDS wINNerS 6

ArtS feStIvAL fOCuSeS ON AfrICA 7

SeCONDArY PrINCIPAL AwArD wINNerS 8

JOB INtervIew - LeArNING tHe rOPeS 9

SCHOOL COuNSeLLOr BASeD At YASMINA 10

ArABIC StuDeNtS SHINe 10

StuDeNtS wOrk wItH CArNeGIe HALL MuSICIANS 12

YeAr 12 wOrk exPerIeNCe 13

uCAS APPLICAtIONS uNDerwAY 14

SuStAINABILItY PrOGrAMMe SPreADS tO COMMuNItY 15

StuDeNtS' eNerGY effICIeNCY tIPS 16

GCSe HIStOrY trIP tO GerMANY 17

tHAILAND ADveNtureS 18

YeAr 11 PrOM AND CHArItY BALL 19

StuDeNtS Of tHe MONtH 20

Welcome to the second issue of The Secondary PArtNERSHIP, the official newsletter of the secondary department at Al Yasmina School. It is emailed to parents on the 1st day of every month or on the last day of term. The Secondary PArtNERSHIP keeps you up-to-date with student activities across the secondary department.

It also gives Al Yasmina School the chance to celebrate progress and achievement and provide more in depth information to parents on a wide variety of subjects.

We welcome your feedback. communications@alyasmina.sch.ae

The third PARTNERSHIPTopics, trends, updates, views and news from the Al Yasmina Secondary Department

weLCOMe

Pictured on the cover: IMPRESSIVE BATTING: Batsman Adil Subhani at the crease 2

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

3

Today is the last day of the academic year and this means it is a time for farewells, thanks and also to look forward to new beginnings. There are a number of events that occur at the end of the academic year in the secondary school that clearly mark the end of the school year and this year is no different. We have the annual awards ceremony, our end of year concert, the release of the school yearbook and the last issue of the Secondary PARTnership. Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 breathe a sigh of relief as their exams end - they can now look forward to stepping back from their revision schedules and relaxing over the holidays.

This year, the end of term is also marked by the World Challenge students’ return from their expedition to Uganda. Their arrival back in the UAE clashes with the deadline for this publication, but we will bring you stories and pictures about their adventures in the first issue of the Secondary PARTnership next term. And of course at the end of the school year we always bid farewell to staff and students; this year is no exception. We wish them every success for the future and hope they look back at their time with us with fond memories.

With every end there is always a new beginning and we have established a platform for a solid start in September. Plans for restructuring have been rolled out to stakeholders; these provide a blueprint for moving forward, capturing the energy and enthusiasm of both our new staff and our team of committed staff who are remaining at the school. It goes without saying that the unfailing support from our parent community is one of the key components of what makes Al Yasmina a successful, community school. I had a chance to thank all the parents who have volunteered their time at the school at a coffee morning this week.

The school is continuing to grow. Our roll next term is predicted to be around 1600 and we will welcome hundreds of new families to the school community. For the first time, Al Yasmina will have students in FS1 right up to Year 13. Look for a picture of the youngest and oldest students in the school in the Secondary PARTnership next term. And of course, we will have students who joined the school the day its doors opened now beginning their final journey in Year 13.

This year, we also had an unexpected surprise - our selection by Ahlan magazine as the best school in Abu Dhabi school this year. It’s a great honour for the school, particularly as the winning school was chosen after counting votes received from the public. Here’s what the magazine says about our school:

From the littlest ones attending the foundation stage through to the oldest secondary school pupils at Al Yasmina, all are taught the school’s basic core values – to have high standards in schoolwork and behaviour and to be respectful and trusting of each other at all times. These values have helped create an environment which really helps children flourish, both academically and personally, giving them the opportunities to pursue their ambitions and develop their own unique set of

skills with numerous extracurricular activities. The students, who come from all across the world, get the chance to learn in a truly international setting.

I couldn’t have said it better myself! I hope you all have a long, relaxing break. Travel safely and I look forward to seeing you back at school in September.

Comments, feedback and suggestions:

communications@alyasmina.sch.ae

Our roll next term is predicted to be around 1600 and we will welcome hundreds of new families to the school community.

This year, we also had an unexpected surprise - our selection by Ahlan magazine as the best school in Abu Dhabi school this year.

FROM THE SECONDARY PRINCIPAL AND HEAD OF SCHOOL, MR GALE

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

4

Al Yasmina’s new Director of Sport, who joins the PE team next term, says he is excited about beginning his international career in a school that values sport and strives to become outstanding. Mr Smith says he will be looking to both staff and students to raise the standards and profile of the department. Mr Smith has taught in schools in the UK for the past 12 years in a variety of roles, including Head of PE and Performing Arts and more recently as School Facility Development Director. He has gained a number of national governing body awards in sport, which have allowed him to pursue coaching opportunities at Manchester United Football Club and at Major League Soccer in the United States. He also selected the rugby league team for Preston in the Lancashire Youth Games. Mr Smith says he is eagerly anticipating his move to Al Yasmina School.

“Having met the Head of School and the PE staff their passion for PE and sport was clear to see and this confirmed my desire to work at Al Yasmina,” Mr Smith says. “The staff and facilities at Al Yasmina will give me endless opportunities to build on previous success and further raise the profile of sport not only within school, local area, but the Middle East. This position has allowed me to achieve a personal goal of becoming a Director of Sport in a school that mirrors my own values and attitudes to sport in pursuit of excellence.”

Mr Smith says he will be looking at the squads and how they can become more professional - ranging from uniforms to player codes of conduct - in a bid to produce competitive teams. “ I feel sport can break down barriers in ways that other subjects can struggle to match, by encouraging participation, integration and diversity,” Mr Smith says. “The power of sport makes it the perfect vehicle to bring an international community together.”

SPOrtING ACrONYMS

Mr Smith says his strategies to achieve ‘outstanding’ status are based around the acronym SPORT.

S Sport for all. Encourage as many people to take part in sport or physical activity both in school and extracurricular

P Partnership. Create a positive working partnership with parents/teachers/students and professional clubs to enable each child to achieve their goals

O Outstanding. To be the best we can be in all that we do

r Raise. Raise the expectation of sport within the school by creating a culture of achieving through exam results/target setting/school squads/tours and specialist guest speakers

t Talent. Showcase the sporting talent and opportunities at Al Yasmina.

SPOrtS eDuCAtION PrOGrAMMe trIALeD The introduction of a sports education programme in the secondary school will give students the opportunity to work on more than just game skills during PE lessons. The programme focuses on other skills associated with playing sport, such as the role of a coach or referee. It also helps students develop personal skills such as teamwork, working in small groups and taking into account other’s points of view. The PE team hopes that exploring different ways of becoming involved in sport will help foster a life-long involvement in physical activity. The scheme was trialed this term in Years 7, 8 and 9 and will be introduced across the secondary school next term.

“OUTSTANDING” A KEY GOAL FOR NEW DIRECTOR OF SPORT

WIDE RANGE OF SPORTING INTERESTS: The new Director of Sport at Al Yasmina School, Mr Smith, climbing Snowdonia in Wales.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

5

Technology has made its way to Al Yasmina’s sports fields. The PE teachers are using ipads in secondary sports lessons to video students playing sport and to analyse their performance. The ipads offer easier editing options than traditional video cameras and the students relate easily to the technology. PE teacher Mr Dunne says recently an ipad was used to help a student master a forward roll. “This student couldn’t quite get the hang of a forward roll and although the teacher demonstrated how it should be done and gave them pointers on where they were going wrong, the student couldn’t understand until they saw the video of themselves,” he says. “We were able to show them stills and slow down the video, showing them the images frame by frame so they could see exactly where they were going wrong.” Analysing performance is also a chance for meaningful small group discussion.

YEAR 10 STUDENTS COMPLETE SPORTS LEADERSHIP AWARDThe first cohort of Year 10 PE students have completed their junior sports leader award. The programme involves PE students working with younger children, teaching them leadership skills through a range of games and activities. The award focuses on specific skills, such as giving instruction and the organisation of children and equipment. The Year 10 students plan, lead, communicate and organise activities. PE teacher Mr Stanley says the Year 10 students work with groups of around eight children in the primary school, from FS1 up to Year 6. They set up activities that are appropriate for the age of the children which focus on the skill development. FS2 students, for example, might play games such as catch or throwing bean bags through hoops which help develop co-ordination and imagination.

“One of the advantages of the programme is it shows students that sport is not just about performance,” Mr Stanley says. “There are a lot of roles in sport other than being a professional athlete, ranging from coaching through to tournament organiser and facilities manager.” The Year 10 students working towards their junior sports leader awards were involved in running the recent Year 1 and 2 sports day at the school, organising teams to take part in around 20 different activities.

www.sportsleaders.org

CRICKET JUST THE WICKETCricket is becoming a high profile sport at Al Yasmina, with three secondary teams making their mark on interschool competitions after just two terms of playing as a team.

“The players have just got better and better as the year has gone on,” PE teacher and coach Mr Stanley says. “You can see real progress being made and the teams are starting to win against schools that we were losing to at the beginning of the season. Now we’ve got a squad, rather than a team. It’s a shame we had to finish for the season, because the kids are really buzzing about cricket.”

Around 35 students play in the three secondary teams. Next term cricket practices will not clash with other extracurricular sporting sessions which will hopefully mean even more students can take up the sport, Mr Stanley says. Teams are 11 aside and there are 15 overs in each game. Practice is done largely at the school’s cricket nets and there is a big focus on fielding. Some of the participants in the Duke of Edinburgh programme have been involved in leading cricket activities, making the sport attractive not just to players but also to young leaders in the school.

Look for details on the secondary school’s cricket teams when the extracurricular information is posted on the website next term.

IPADS ON THE PITCH

TECHNOLOGY TIPS: The PE department is using ipads to enhance student performance.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

6

MOTOCROSS ACE WINS AWARD FOR SPORTING EXCELLENCE When he was four-years-old, Ryan Wynn watched motocross on television - and was instantly hooked on the sport.

He spent the next year begging his parents to buy him his own bike. A year later they relented and he became the proud owner of a 50cc motorbike. Since then, Ryan has gone from strength to strength, making his mark on in local motocross events. His achievements were recognised by Al Yasmina when he was awarded the Jack O'Donnell award for sporting excellence.

Ryan competes in two championship series in Dubai and Um Al Quwain. Three years ago he finished seventh out of eight riders, and, unhappy with this result, he set himself a goal to be the top rider in the 85cc category. He committed to practicing 2-3 days a week in Dubai and embarked on a programme of running and swimming to increase his fitness levels. His hard work paid off the following season when he came first in Dubai and second in Um Al Quwain in the 85cc category. He has since moved up to the 125cc category and is riding a Honda CRF 250R. He placed second for the season in Dubai and first in Um Al Quwain, despite being one of the youngest riders in this category. Ryan is fully sponsored by a local bike shop Sandstorm, which provides him with a new bike and covers his costs for the racing season. He hopes one day to win the American Cycle Association Pro National supercross title, but he also plans to complete a degree in computer graphics.

SPORTS TROPHY ACKNOWLEDGES SWIMMING ACHIEVEMENT

Al Yasmina's secondary male sportsperson of the year, Milan Den Hause, has a very firm career goal - to be a member of a swim team competing at the Olympics.

The Year 9 student swims six times a week - sometimes twice a day - at the Neptunes Swim Club, under the watchful eye of coaches Mr Todorov, from Al Yasmina's PE department, and Mrs Naylor. "It's demanding, but it comes with a reward at the end," Milan says. His preferred events are individual medleys and breaststroke. He has competed in the British Schools of the Middle East swim meets and in Speedo events in the UAE. This summer he will compete in the Belgian Junior National Championships. Milan had to meet a strict selection criteria, submitting personal best times and race times. He will participate in the 100m breaststroke, 50m freestyle and 200m individual medley events.

Lucy Thompson won the secondary female sportsperson of the year. Unfortunately Lucy was on study leave and could not be interviewed, but look for her story in the next Secondary PARTnership.

NEW UNIFORMS FOR SPORTS TEAMSThe school's secondary sports teams will have a new, professional look next term. New uniforms have been ordered for the school's netball, cricket, hockey and girls' football teams and will arrive in time for the winter sports season. Boys' rugby and football teams already have their new kit (see 'Thanks to Sponsors, below). Check out the Secondary PARTnership next term for pictures of the teams in their new uniforms and details on how to order the new sporting attire.

THANKS TO SPONSORSAl Yasmina has the generosity of sponsors to thank for providing new sports uniforms for the secondary boys' football and rugby teams and enabling it to buy a gazebo for sporting events. The purchase of the gazebo was co-ordinated by Teaching Assistant Mrs Korff, whose son plays in the school's secondary rugby team. Her efforts resulted in a 5000dhs donation from Meher and Cheryl Al Khatib through their family company, Cravia. This was topped up by Friends of Al Yasmina (FOY) who made 1500dhs available from its fundraising activities. Portable Shade provided a discount on the price of the gazebo.

GAC spent around 35,000dhs for the new-look secondary rugby and football uniforms. Parent Darren Ball says both his children are active in the sports teams and he was keen to see the old uniforms retired in favour of full matching kits. The uniforms also promote brand awareness for the services GAC provides, he says.

MOTOCROSS CHAMPION: Winner of the Jack O’Donnell Award for sporting excellence, Ryan Wynn.

SWIMMING SUCCESS: Al Yasmina’s secondary male sportsperson of the year, Milan Den Hause.

SHADING YOUR APPRECIATION: Thanks to Al Yasmina’s sponsors

AFRICA COMES TO LIFE IN DAZZLING DISPLAY Africa came a step closer to the Middle East when the art, music and drama departments combined to bring the culture of the continent to Al Yasmina School as part of a two-day arts festival.

Teachers worked with the school's able, gifted and talented secondary students across the performing and creative arts departments. Each of the three departments embarked on an exploration of African arts which included composing African music, filling giant canvasses with African images and creating a musical show version of The Lion King. The show was performed

for parents at the school's award ceremony last week. A highlight for music students in Years 7-10 was a workshop by members of Dubai Drums, which enabled students to explore African drumming techniques and rhythms. They also created a composition around a piece of African music entitled "Yiri", working initially in groups and then joining together for a final performance.

Curriculum Team Leader - Music, Mrs Hudson, says the musicians worked really hard and had lots of fun. "They especially enjoyed the Dubai drum workshop, learning new playing techniques and rhythms. They even performed some African Dance moves! It has been a pleasure working with these talented students. I have been impressed with their creativity and how well they have worked together as a team to produce three performances of a high standard.”

Art students in Years 9, 10 and 12, many working in pairs, brought the magic of Africa to life in giant canvasses which were mounted on the art department's new easels and using acrylic paints to depict exotic African landscapes and wildlife. The drama department's focus on The Lion King explored the idea of cultures living and working together - the ethos of the circle of life. They took inspiration from the idea of African storytelling to create their own versions of different stories and morals which were all inspired by the lyrics in The Lion king.

Students took part in strenuous movement workshops, creating their own African Savannah characters from lions, gazelles, birds and warthogs and created masks to fit their characters, taking inspiration from African masks and artwork. A highlight was receiving training from a voice coach and working on African chants and language from the lioness hunt in The Lion King.

“I have really enjoyed working with new people that I would not normally know, as well as being taught in detail lots about how to fully develop a character.” Roxy, Year 7

“The students have been a pleasure to work with. I have never seen a more focused group of students willing to commit and try new ideas." Mrs Hayward, vocal coach

“ The Arts event was a really good way to open our eyes and ears to different ways of making music and improving our skills. I would definitely do it again” Hannah Green Year 7

http://www.dubaidrums.com

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

7

ABRSM EXAM RESULTS

violinDanielle reynolds, grade 2 - meritemmanuelle vuileumier, grade 2 - meritShan Coley, grade 1 - passLeila Al Qaimi, grade 2 - passAli Al Hashmi, grade 1 - passvoiceemily Simpson, grade 5 - passAlex rashed, grade 3 - passCelloRichard Gardiner, grade 2 - passBrassLeon radin, grade 3 - passfluteJef vanden Auweele, grade 2 - meritMadeleine korff, grade 1 - meritClaire Dempsey, grade 4 - passkyle wynn, grade 2 - passHannah Morris, grade 2 - passemily Simpson, grade 3 - passPianoAdnan Al Armouti, grade 1 - meritAbdullah Al Armouti, grade 1 - merittoby Cross, grade 2 - meritLeon Cheng, grade 1 - meritZara woodrow, grade 1 - meritNatasha Callow, grade 1 - passCassia reynolds, grade 1 - passrachel foulsham, grade 1 - distinctionedward Drew, grade 1 - distinctionImogen Baig, grade 1 - passAlexander fairbairn, grade 2 - meritkatherine Hill, grade 2 - passDarius rameshni, grade 2 - meritIsabella Jarman, grade 2 - passLara wahed, grade 2 - meritYeain Lim, grade 3 - passGeorge willcoxson-Staines, grade 3 - meritOliver Barwell, grade 3 - passAnisha Pachisia, grade 4 - pass

EXPLORING AFRICA: Arts, music and drama students showcase achievements in two-day festival.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

8

WINNING SMILESRecipients of the inaugural Secondary Principal's award, which is given for an all-round contribution to the school are: Standing (left to right) Diala Nasser (Year 7), Kyle Crighton (Year 8), Edward Drew (Year 9), Elena Castillo Guijarro (Year 9). Sitting (left to right) Luke Read (Year 10), Head of School and Secondary Principal Mr Gale, Amber Loane (Year 8) and Cameron Steyn (Year 7). Absent: Anissa Johnson (Year 10). Separate awards will be made to Year 11 students when they return next term, following their external exam results.

YASMINA STUDENTS SHINE IN BIOLOGY CHALLENGEFive Year 10 Al Yasmina biology students have picked up awards in the 2012 UK Biology Challenge.

More than 30,000 students from around the world took part in the online competition, which aims to encourage an interest in biology beyond the school curriculum and stimulate curiosity in the natural world. Questions were set on the topics covered in most general biology courses for pupils in Year 9 and Year 10. Al Yasmina was the only school in the UAE to compete in the challenge, according to the UK Society of Biology. One hundred Yasmina students took part in the challenge.

The following students received awards:

Gold: Mohammad Shahrour Silver: usman Liaqat Highly commended: Hibah Hassan and Luke read Commended: Sarah Munro

BIOLOGY WINNERS: Left to right: Luke Read, Sarah Munro, Hibah Hassan, Usman Liaqat, Mohammad Shahrour and Biology teacher Mr Wan.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

9

TACKLING THE JOB INTERVIEW PROCESSApplying for their first job will be less daunting for Al Yasmina’s Year 9 students, who have been through a robust process designed to prepare them for the interview process.

The 90 students applied for four positions that were advertised in the UK for those aged 16 and over - a housekeeper or a room attendant at the Holiday Inn, store assistant at Tesco and crew member at McDonalds. The roles were placed on a job advertisement board at the school. The students had to look through job descriptions, select a relevant job for their skills, complete the application forms and prepare for an interview by one of the Year 9 PSHCEE teachers. Of the 90 students who took part, 35 made it through to the interview stage and 11 were successfully appointed. There was a follow up session for those who were unsuccessful which looked at why they didn’t get the role they applied for and focused on what they could do differently next time.

Mrs Cox-Jones, who co-ordinated the scheme, says the PSHCEE teachers decided that looking at job applications would be a great idea for Year 9 as they start to look at their GCSE options for Year 10 and 11. “Many have ideas that they ‘deserve’ a good job but realised very quickly without the skills they would not meet the criteria,” she says. “It also aimed to show them what jobs they could get if they left school after their GCSEs. The students learnt that applying for a job and being interviewed is stressful and the time and effort that is put in is important. They learnt interview skills, how to dress, how to behave, how to wait appropriately and how to complete application forms relating to job descriptions and their skills.”

MOCK JOB INTERVIEWS - LESSONS LEARNTBeing prepared, answering questions succinctly, maintaining eye contact - these are just some of the skills that the Year 9 students who got job offers say they learnt about the interview process. They all say they now have specific tools for job interviews and the confidence to go into an interview knowing the kind of questions they may have to answer.

Derek Lee applied for a job at McDonalds and went into the interview knowing the role would involve multitasking and that teamwork would be very important. His interview focused on teamwork and problem solving. “What I found the most challenging was to find the right words to answer the questions without sounding either arrogant or inexperienced. The preparation that we did on our PSHCEE lessons helped me a lot to remember and think about what to say and what not to say. The skill that I made most progress on was choosing my words wisely to suit the questions I was asked – and doing it on the spot. When you are filling out an application form on paper or on the computer, you can go back over what you wrote and improve it. However, on a one-to-one interview, you need to have your answers prepared and think of what to say to give a convincing answer because once you’ve said it, there’s no way back!”

Sarah Pace, who applied for Tesco fresh food assistant role, says the interview was challenging as she wasn’t used to being put on the spot to answer questions. “It was also challenging because I knew that I wasn’t the only one applying for the job and there was more chance that I wouldn’t get it. From this interview experience, I have learnt that I need to learn to be comfortable in telling a stranger about myself and why I suit the job. I also learnt that it is very important that you are confident, and an interview isn’t as easy as it may seem. Some skills I’ve learnt is that you need to be consistent and give the right amount of information and to be confident and comfortable with yourself. Even if you know you’re not a confident person and you get really nervous, don’t show it and try to hide it, because that will make the interviewer uncertain about your place in the company. Next time, I would increase my enthusiasm towards getting the job, and not be as nervous as I was and I will be more comfortable in sharing personal information.”

JOB HUNTERS: Students discuss their job options (above) and at the interview process (top)

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

10

COUNSELLOR BASED AT AL YASMINA SCHOOL

Sharing a problem is now a lot easier for Aldar Academies’ students, who can talk through any issues that are bothering them with a school counsellor.

Ms Darwiche is based at Al Yasmina School, but is available to see students enrolled in any of the five Aldar schools in Abu Dhabi. Students can see Ms Darwiche after being referred by senior staff, or, if they are in Year 10

or above, they can self refer. Students in the primary years and up to Year 9 require parental consent. Referral to the school counsellor is usually made after a range of strategies have been put in place by staff to assist students. At Al Yasmina referrals for secondary students are usually made by Year Leaders or the Learning and Progress Leader for Students, Mrs Peacock.

Ms Darwiche says typically she sees students who are having difficulties at home or at school. Students may want to discuss issues such as bullying, grief or loss, exam pressure, parents separating or issues around moving to another country or school. Group sessions can be organised for students who are facing similar problems. “Counselling is a type of therapy that helps students offload negative emotions and focuses on helping them find solutions to the problems they are facing, whether it’s a social, emotional or behavioural problem,” Ms Darwiche says.

Specific strategies are provided, giving students skills to deal with issues such as anger management, stress or helping them build social skills. Everything discussed between a counsellor and a student is confidential. Ms Darwiche is a social worker who has more than 10 years experience in social work and counselling in the UAE and her native Australia. She is an Arabic speaker also.

rdarwiche@aldaracademies.com

FURSAN AL-IMLAWINNERS CHOSENSecondary students’ Arabic spelling and grammar has improved significantly following the school’s inaugural Arabic spelling bee, Fursan Al-Imla’. All students in years 7, 8 and 9 took part in the competition, which spanned the first half of the term. Curriculum Team Leader for Arabic, Islamic and Social Studies, Mr Abu Saleh, says the participation of students was beyond his expectations. The success of the competition means the Arabic Department plans to organise an inter-school competition next year. He says the competition helped non native speaking

students improve their spelling of Arabic words and distinguish between words which sound very similar, but have different meanings and are written differently. Native speakers used the competition to hone their grammatical rules for Arabic script. Three overall winners and 10 top achievers were chosen from both the primary and secondary school. Mr Abu Saleh says the competition was keenly supported by parents and a number of them made contributions to the prize pool.

The first place winner was Year 8 student fadwa Qadan (left), who had an overall score of 99.5 per cent. Year 9 student rayan Sayegh (middle) finished in second place and Sally Zeidan (right), Year 7, was third.

The 10 runners up were: Year 7: Laila Moharram, Diala Nasser and Christina Chaar. Year 8: Aya Zeidan, Samuel Lynch and ryhana rasidi. Year 9: easa Al Shehhi, rowan Smith, Sarah Ali and edward Drew. Alf Mabruk (congratulations) to the secondary school winners.

100 PER CENT SUCCESS RATE IN MINISTRY ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES EXAMS

All the school’s Year 12 students have passed their Ministry Islamic Studies and Arabic exams.

Amr Hanafy, Ahmed Al Dhaheri, Mohamed Al Nuaimi, Mohamed Al Suwaidi, Ayman faghmous, Ahmed khan, kaddijatou Sanyang, khalifa Saleh, rafeh Safdar, Hasan Al Mashani, Alya Al Suwaidi and Yasmeen Luqman all passed Arabic and/or Islamic Studies with marks ranging from 63-90 per cent.

Among the native speakers Amr Hanafy score the highest in Arabic (81) while rafeh Safdar topped the non-Arabs in Islamic Studies with 90 per cent. Formally known as the ‘unified examination’, it is mandatory for all Muslim students to write Islamic Studies. The Arabic exam is essential for any students wanting to get their UAE Higher Secondary Equivalence Certificate which is a prerequisite for admission into any college or university across the country as well as for higher education scholarships granted by certain government agencies.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

11

MATHS CHALLENGE A MONTHLY FAVOURITE FOR YASMINA DAD

Maths has long been Taisir Al Saqri’s favourite subject, both at school and university and is a key component in his job as a civil engineer. So it follows that he would be a keen supporter of the Secondary PARTnership’s maths challenge, which appears in each issue of Al Yasmina’s on-line newsletter. He submits an answer to each maths quiz, only missing sending in his answer if he’s too snowed under at work. Mr Al Saqri describes the quizzes

as “easy to medium” in terms of their difficulty, but says they are always challenging. This is reflected in his success rate, which is around 90 per cent. Mr Al Saqri has passed his enthusiasm for maths onto his son, Year 10 student Ahmed, who is also a keen mathematician.

Mr Al Saqri correctly solved last month’s puzzle, outlined below.

Without lifting your pencil from the page and only drawing 4 straight lines can you pass through every dot in the square below?

The correct answer for last month’s challenge was provided by Ihab Kilada. Solving this one needs a little bit of algebra from your school days…solving simultaneous equations. Paul is half as old as Sarah. One year ago Paul’s age was just two fifths of Sarah’s age one year from now. How old are Paul and Sarah?

2P = S

P-1 = 2/5 (S+1)

Paul is 7 and Sarah is 14

tHIS MONtH’S CHALLeNGe

The magic W - can you place the numbers 1 – 9 in the circles so each set of 3 adds up to the same number? There are several solutions, I have found 4.

Please email your answers. The solution and the person who solved it correctly will be published next month. crichards@alyasmina.sch.ae

YeAr 7-8 ukMt MAtHS CHALLeNGe wINNerS

Thirty Year 7 and 8 students have received medals in the Junior UKMT maths challenge. Best in school in Year 8 was Ahmed Al Ali. In Year 7 the top award went to Hannah Green. Maths challenges for different age groups are set throughout the year.

YeAr 8

Gold: Ahmed Al Ali and Sarah Binnie

Silver: Chris Lincoln, Mustafa Hamdani, Kelsi Friedenthal, Ryhana Rasidi, Georgie Jones

Bronze: Kamal Khraisheh, Carol Al Mokatash, Nikita Amir, Sam Lynch, Grace Chuan, Kareem Khan, Raghav Mathur, Jason Howe, Josh Lynch, Syeda Ahmed

YeAr 7

Gold: Hannah Green and William Ayass.

Silver: Zaid Jafarey, Hashir Safdar, Rachel Foulsham

Bronze: Shanna Chung, Makyla Fahmy, Adam Barron, Roxanne Gardiner, Alice Von Wedel, Adnan Al Armouti, Robyn Cooper Okanome and Jassim Fahkroo

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Ashkan Bafti (violin) and Ramya Iyer (piano).

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

12

THOUGHT OF HOME PROVIDES MUSICAL MAGICFinding the inspiration to create a musical composition based on an Egyptian folk song was a personal journey for Al Yasmina musicians Ashkan Bafti and Ramya Iyer.

The students, who were selected to work with musicians from Carnegie Hall in New York, joined 13 other pupils from schools in Abu Dhabi to participate in a workshop after school each night for a week. The students performed their music at the National Theatre on Abu Dhabi Young Artists’ Day, which was part of the Abu Dhabi Festival. Year 9 student Ashkan is a violinist and Ramya, who is in Year 8, plays both the piano and euphonium, but was selected for her expertise at the keyboard.

The students’ main task was to create a composition based on an Egyptian folk song, Zourouni, written by composer Sayyed Darwish. The students spent several days discussing ways to enhance the music and developing various musical techniques to augment certain parts of the tune. They were then split into groups depending on which instrument they played and made different variations to the piece before eventually merging the various pieces together for their performance. “Our version of the piece was to express our varied cultures and backgrounds based on Zourouni’s tune,” Ramya says. “Through the music we were asked to express what we most miss living out here in the UAE. The piece had an element of everyone’s home countries and personal stories which made the piece very special to each of us 15 students.”

The composition was similarly moving for Ashkan.”We were asked to look at our cultural backgrounds, and what we would do if we were given the chance to go back home, and we were asked to infuse that in our compositions. The end result was truly spectacular, and it was a great experience for me to perform with professional musicians and other people who are as interested in music as I am. Now that I’ve been through that experience, I realise without a shadow of doubt that there are not many other activities that I do and enjoy as much as this workshop. Overall, it was an amazing experience.” Ramya says the experience was both fun and educational.”My experience working with the ensemble members and especially with the other students was an amazing opportunity and all of us developed a close relationship with each other.”

MuSIC reCItALS

Want to end the month on a musical note? The school’s talented musicians take part in a recital after school on the last Thursday of each month. Head of Music, Mrs Hudson, says the mini concerts are an opportunity for the school’s musicians to perform in front of an audience and to become comfortable with the idea of playing in public. The recital series has grown from strength to strength since it began two years ago and around 30 students perform at each recital. There is a range of ages, with students from Year 1 through to Year 11 taking part. In last month’s concert, the audience was treated to vocal performances and students playing the trumpet, flute, saxophone, violin, piano and guitar. The performers were Hannah Green, Harry Baldock, George Willcoxson- Staines, Jef Vanden Auweele, Joseph Howells, Omar Suleiman, Tejas Menon, Ella White and Kyra Dixon.

there will be no concert today (the last day of school).

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

13

The group of 11 students returned from the World Challenge expedition in Uganda on Monday, while the 15 students who stayed in Abu Dhabi have completed a week's work experience. All students are completing their UCAS applications ready for enrolment in September 2013. Year 12 work experience relates directly related to the students' choice of career, or field of study. This means the students are able to gain valuable experience in the appropriate area of work and can use this experience to support their university applications.

Seventeen-year-old Ally Mains, who wants to pursue a career in hotel management, spent a week at the Emirates Palace Beach Club. He was responsible for ensuring guests' needs were met , which meant being on hand to fulfill any request, ranging from dry towels to bottles of water. Ally hopes to attend university in his native Scotland and complete a degree in international hospitality and tourism management. Three of his classmates all chose to work in the education environment. Brandon Rowland, 17 wants to be a history teacher and plans to teach PE as his second subject. He spent the week at Al Bateen School's PE department, working with children from FS1 - Year 9. He took his own lessons, teaching students sporting techniques, refereed matches and made sure the students followed the rules of the game and taught the younger children how to be good sportspeople.

"I learnt a lot about how to deal with children, a lot of teaching techniques, how to keep kids quiet and concentrating, and keeping them focused and in the learning mindset.," he says. "It was also an opportunity to talk to history teachers. All the staff treated me like an equal, which was really nice."

Chelsea Lawson was able to refine her career choices after spending a week with primary and secondary music students at Al Yasmina. The 17-year-old plans to do a history and music degree so she can become a music and history teacher but says she now plans to focus on primary teaching." The week was incredibly worthwhile. The

best thing was having the kids come up to me after the lesson and telling me it was the best lesson they've ever had. I played games with them, helped them learn new songs and played the euphonium for them." Kaddijatou Sanyang would like to be a psychiatrist, and perhaps moving onto a medical degree afterwards, but found herself at Al Yasmina's

secondary department after her placement plans fell through. But she says being in a work environment for the week was extremely beneficial. She helped individual students with subjects, particularly maths, and helped with individual reading programmes.

YEAR 12 STUDENTS FOCUS ON CAREER GOALS DURING WORK EXPERIENCE WEEKthe school year has ended with a flourish for the school’s Year 12 students.

WORK EXPERIENCE: Chelsea Lawson and Kaddijatou Sanyang.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

14

PREPARING UCAS APPLICATIONSSelecting universities and preparing applications is the focus for the school's Year 12 students.

All applications to tertiary institutes in the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are done through UCAS, an organisation which processes university applications. Students complete an online application, create a CV and write a personal statement.

JuNeThe school holds an evening for parents, providing information on the application process, funding and any issues families may face lodging overseas applications.Learning Mentors work intensively with students, providing guidance on:• how to write a professional CV• the benefits of higher education• the different kinds of universities available ie city or campus based• budgeting, living off a student loan and student life. Students complete their draft personal statement, draft CV and draw up a provisional list of the five universities they would like to attend. Two choices are aspirational, two are realistic and one is a contingency option. Personal statements are 47 lines or 4000 characters long and are generic as they are sent to each of the five institutions of choice.

JuLY AND AuGuStLearning Mentors review CVs and personal statements.

SePteMBerFinal versions of CVs and personal statements are completed.Students prioritise university choices after receiving AS exam resultsYear 13 Learning Mentors Miss Albrighton and Mr Richards write references based on data from subject teachers and historic reports.Exam results received, allowing university choices to be firmed up.

OCtOBerApplications are sent to UCAS by the Learning and Progress Leader - Post-16. This process is completed early so students will receive provisional offers ahead of their January exams. Knowing they can get into their university of choice if exam results are good enough is a key motivational factor.

MArCHUniversities confirm places for September 2013.

POSt-16 StuDeNtS COMPLete fIrSt AID COurSeEleven Post-16 students are now confident in their ability to deal with emergency medical situations after completing a Heartsaver day-long first aid course. Some of the students elected to do the course because they are planning to enroll in health or PE courses at university, while others wanted to add an extra qualification to their university applications. One of the attendees, Chelsea Lawson, says the course had a practical, hands-on focus. Students practiced their skills on a both a child-size an adult-size dummy. Chelsea says the course taught students CPR and outlined what to do in a variety of emergency situations, ranging from an accident, stroke, seizure to heatstroke. "Before I wouldn't have known what to do in an emergency situation, but know I'm a lot more confident," she says.

SPREADING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICEFrom small beginnings, the Al Yasmina School sustainability project is slowly spreading its tentacles beyond the school gates.

Under the watchful eyes of the school's eco warriors, sustainability projects are starting to take shape in homes and compounds - and even in the business community. The 28 eco warriors in Years 7, 8 and 9 are responsible for emptying designated recycling bins around the school into a recycling cage by the secondary gate each Tuesday and Thursday. Eco warriors Noor Sanie-Eldin (Year 7), Roxanne Gardiner (Year 7), Elena Castillo (Year 9) and Tyler Richards (Year 7) say although they were always interested in sustainability, the recycling project has sharpened their interest. They speak knowledgably about endangered turtles digesting plastic bags which they mistake for jellyfish, of their support for Cameron's Camel Campaign and their effects of C02 omissions.

The students say their roles as eco warriors makes them proud and they enjoy the sense of responsibility. They get a lot of questions from other students as they empty the bins and

see this as a chance to educate them and raise awareness about the benefits of recycling. "At first I thought it was just a job but now I try and put effort into what I do now, now it's serious - we're actually helping the environment," Roxanne says.

The eco warriors say they have also introduced sustainability measures into their own homes and communities. Shorter showers are now the norm and all the students' families recycle. Roxanne has begun a petition to expand the recycling programme at Sal Al Nakheel and Elena wrote to the management at Al Raha Gardens to urge it to expand its recycling scheme for residents in her community. As a result all residents at gate 19 now have recycling bins.

ECO WARRIORS: Noor Sanie-Eldin (left) and Roxanne Gardiner empty bins into the recycling cage.

TEAMWORK: Elena Castillo (Year 9) and Tyler Richards empty the recycling bins in the atrium.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

15

SCHOOL RECYCLING PROGRAMME INSPIRES COMPANY CLEANUPEco warrior Elena Castillo’s passion for the environment has also made a difference to the streets of Mussafah where her father works as CFO at National Cement Factory, whose parent company is Holcim. Mr Castillo was inspired by his daughter's commitment to the environment to organise a day last month where all 150 staff at the company picked up 650 tons of rubbish from a 60km area.

The police cordoned off sections of the roads to ensure staff could work safely. Employees worked in groups of 7-10 for a maximum of three hours outside in the extreme temperatures, placing organic, plastic and paper rubbish into separate bags. Service to the community is part of the company's culture and each year it selects a worthwhile project, Mr Castillo says.

A GENTLE REMINDERSometimes, all it takes is the right group of people to deliver a message. When primary teacher Mrs Foote, one of the three staff involved in the school's sustainability project, noticed some secondary students were not separating waste in the school's recycling bins properly, she decided to call on the big guns - her Year 2 students.

She noticed that food was being put into the bins along with paper and bottles containing liquids that had not been emptied prior to being disposed of. This created a major issue as the cage, where the rubbish is placed ready for collection, was attracting cockroaches. Everyone was asked to make more effort to separate waste more carefully. Mrs Foote says she also assured staff and students that the school is using a genuine recycling company. But to make sure recycling instructions were being properly understood, Mrs Foote decided to ask her Year 2 class to reinforce the message.

"I felt it had to be made more clear to the students how important it is that the materials are correctly placed in the recycle bins. I didn’t want them to receive another lecture from yet another teacher so I asked my Year 2 class if they wanted to help me give a message about recycling to ‘the big kids’. They were more than happy to be involved as they have taken on the recycling message with much responsibility and passion!" The secondary students were told that the waste that is put into the recycling bins must be correctly emptied and sorted or the recycling project will have to be cancelled. Being reminded of their responsibilities from the Year 2 students seemed to have the desired effect. "I concluded the presentation by pointing out that if children as young as 6 can take responsibility for the planet, then surely they can too," Mrs Foote says. And the reaction from the secondary students? "The majority nodded in agreement."

Who do you call? Want to know more about Al Yasmina's recycling programme? The staff involved in the project are Miss Williams, Miss Foote and Dr Patricia.

COMPANY CLEANUP: National Cement Company staff cleaning up the streets of Mussafah.

THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT: Elena Castillo Guijarro (left) receives tips on separating waste

from Year 2 student Matthew Hile.

Energy efficiency practices have come under scrutiny from Year 7 students, who have surveyed parents, teachers and their friends about their energy consumption.

Students worked in teams to collect and analyse data and then produced leaflets which summarised the information their findings. They outlined successful sustainability measures, areas where there is room for improvement and what is required to be more sustainable in the future. Curriculum Team Later - Geography, Mrs Lawson, says Year 7 students studied 'global actions, local affects' as part of their sustainability unit. Conducting the survey, processing the results and designing the leaflet allowed the students to examine renewable and non-renewable energy and resources and to develop their enquiry skills. They will do more work on sustainability in Years 8 and 9.

The winning leaflet was produced by Cameron Steyn, Felix Griffin and Michael Sturt. Mrs Lawson says the boys' leaflet was concise, to the point and discussed the survey results in a logical manner. "We chose this brochure because it is straight forward, has exactly what we need to know in it and it is set out in a simple, but effective way."

The three boys all have an interest in the environment that has been by reinforced by the work they have done in the classroom. They say they have examined the energies that are available, including solar and nuclear, and assessed whether it is efficient and safe for the environment. They have a lot of advice to offer on how to be more energy efficient and say they are concerned for the future of the planet. "We are interested in what energy resources we can use to make a better tomorrow," Cameron says. "We are young, and want to change the world."

By Cameron Steyn

Felix Griffin

Michael Sturt

Energy Efficiency From the survey that was sent out to you

before the Easter break these are the

results from that survey.

The Results

What you did well

81% had showers. Having showers uses

less water than having a bath therefore

saving water.

67% refill water bottles and reuses

containers. Reusing containers and water

bottles means that you are not wasting

money and you’re not polluting the planet.

75% air dries their clothes. Air drying

your clothes doesn't use up electricity.

86% drive sensibly. Driving sensibly

doesn't use up as much petrol as if you

don't drive sensibly, therefore letting

out less carbon emissions.

What you didn't do well

58% don't recycle if we don’t recycle

then in the near future our planet may be

a giant waste dump.

59% leave their phones on charge over

night. A single phone usually only takes 30

mins -2 hours max to charge so charging

them over night wastes electricity.

43% leave lights on. Leaving the lights on

again uses a huge amount of electricity

that could be used on more important

things. If one person steps

forward and starts

making a change

others will follow.

60% leave appliances on standby.

This uses electricity when it is not

used for a necessary reason.

63% do not use both sides of a piece

of paper. Not using both sides of a

piece of paper is somewhat wasting

paper and if we waste paper more

tree are cut down which could lead

to the planets inhabitants to die e.g.

humans.

What we can do to

change What we can do

to

change

Well one person can make a change. It

only takes one person to create a domino

effect to get all of us to reuse, reduce

and recycle to change our world for the

better. That one person can be you, you

can start that domino effect and change

the way many people live.

It’s the little things like turning your TV

off by the wall or even turning your lights

off these are the things which really

waste electricity and we can do these

simple things as turning lights off to save

energy.

Here are some things you can buy to save

energy and lower your carbon emissions.

• Energy efficient bulbs

• Bike ( to travel short distances)

• Solar powered appliances e.g. a solar

clock.

• Solar heat and power for your house.

“we are young, and want to change the world.”

ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS: Michael Sturt

(left), Cameron Steyn and Felix Griffin.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

16

YEAR 7 STUDENTS CONDUCT SURVEY TO RATE ENERGY EFFICIENCY

It was towards the end of the trip where we really got a taste of the rich history and impressive architecture Berlin had to offer, and we savoured each moment and movement slowly unfolding around us. Berlin was a different type of city, one which had a modern and dynamic city life mixed with its ancient roots and enthralling past, giving us the perfect combination. It was the Berlin Wall located in the heart of the capital that took our breaths away. It is not only synonymous with the Cold War, but also a relic, and one that has great sentimental value for the people of Berlin. We arrived at the start of the wall which seemed to stretch into perpetuity and were given the chance to walk as far as we could and meet after half an hour. It was not exactly the concrete blocks and debris we found captivating, but rather what this wall stood for, being an iconic symbol of Berlin and it’s rough past. We immediately split ourselves into groups and walked by the wall, our jaws dropping to the ground as we stared at it in complete awe. It was a beautiful sight, and one that had endured adversities since 1963. Each and every section had been painted with vibrant streaks of colour splashed onto every corner of the previously

shoddy, grey wall. We were not sure where to even start our gaze! This was an especially enticing visual experience as every single painting was a pictorial representation of what each and every artist had felt towards the construction of the Berlin wall and they expressed it through paintings of the past, of freedom, and of the oppressed people. We walked by each painting admiring and contemplating it intently looking for its deeper meaning and trying to see the world from different people’s perspective. The excitement could be felt in the air the entire time, each painting being more expressive and complex than the other.

We didn’t manage to finish the never-ending wall, however we did learn about it in a way we could have never done while reading it from a textbook. It was the closest we could have been to the historical events and the suffering of the people at the time, and we felt unbelievably fortunate to able to witness the remnants of the past. Overall the trip is one that is impossible to forget, a once in a lifetime type of trip and one that will remain in our memories forever.By Laura Tibi

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

17

GERMANY BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE

for the second consecutive year, Mrs frampton, Curriculum team Leader for History, led an overseas trip to Munich and Berlin in Germany. the trip was designed in partnership with North Star and supports GCSe History students in their studies. the trip focuses in on two examination units, Nazi Germany and the Cold war, and seeks to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of the topic and create an empathetic understanding for the past as well as develop a love of the subject! this year 28 students took part in the trip. By Laura Tibi

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

18

THAILAND ADVENTURESBy Leon radin, Year 8

On the 26th May I was lucky enough to travel with Al Yasmina students to Chiang Mai, Thailand. We were accompanied by Mr Dunn, Mrs Brundan, Mr Stanley and Dr Patricia and were about to embark on a much-anticipated adventure holiday.

When we arrived in Chiang Mai I was so excited about what was ahead in the next 6 days. Our accommodation, a purpose-built athletes’ village, had everything we needed - with basic rooms holding up to three people. We were surprised and delighted to have an open outlook to the resort and impressive mountains beyond.

Our first day was not too physical – we were picked up at the hotel in a very bright coloured touring bus (with an ‘interesting’ interior colour scheme!) and headed towards Chiang Mai. On route, we were furnished with details of what to expect over the next few days – basically the practicalities of being prepared for the Thai weather and insects! We spent a reasonably relaxing day discovering the history and culture of Chiang Mai and its religious beliefs. We visited local landmarks and ornate temples which were very impressive. On returning to the complex we enjoyed our evening meals eating mostly western dishes - with a Thai option for the more adventurous.

The planned activities over the week were all off-site and early on we travelled to Chiang Mai Jungle Flights. This amazing eco-adventure allowed us to zip line through the rainforest canopy. It was fantastic, and even those facing fears ended up raving about the experience. We didn’t see any animals but we really appreciated the amazing views. Another activity we all enjoyed was mountain- biking. Having travelled for 45 minutes, we were divided into groups and cycled through forest paths, coming across villages and great scenery. The weather was beautiful when we started but the heavens opened during our cycle – however this did not dampen our spirits, it was still great fun splashing through puddles and no one minded returning looking like swamp creatures. Fortunately, we had spare shirts before entering our restaurant for lunch that day.

One of the other educational activities we did was survival and raft building. We were put into groups and assigned our own guide. First, we had to build a shelter then make cooking equipment to cook our rice, noodles, vegetables and tea. Discovering what you can make using just a few tools and natural resources was fascinating. All-in-all it turned out to be quite a competitive day.

The raft building took teamwork and communication. Since we were building them from scratch, it was quite nerve wracking when we hit the rapids. Despite a few sailors going overboard none of the rafts failed. The whole day was very tiring so the teachers were relieved that night. One visit that seemed to appeal to most of the students was our trip to the Elephant Sanctuary on day four. Here, we learned of the respect that the Thai people have for them and the important part they played in the now- banned logging industry. There were demonstrations to showcase their intelligence – this included painting pictures using a brush held in their trunks and even playing drums.

The latter part of the week was just as good as the beginning. A visit to the bustling night market, ensured our wallets and purses were emptied. The number of stalls was astounding – each with very enthusiastic sellers! However, this did not put us off returning for a second visit. Bargaining was great fun and we all came home with bags full of souvenirs.

On two days of our holiday we had time to swim at the sports complex. It was a huge pool with a diving board and lots of the boys took the opportunity to show off! In addition, we used the sports hall one night for some team relay games as well as free time to play netball, football and basketball. Trekking on day 6 was a real challenge - the heat and humidity tested our limits. However, the rewards at the top of every climb made it all worthwhile – the views were mind-blowing and we all appreciated the beauty of Chiang Mai.

Each day was full of fun and activity and we all had no trouble falling off to sleep. I would like to thank the teachers on the trip and for Al Yasmina, as a school, for allowing this opportunity. For me, this was a remarkable, educational trip which I will never forget.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

19

FORMAL FUNCTIONSSuits and ball gowns replaced uniforms for the school’s Year 11 students at their end of year prom, while parents also abandoned their normal daywear for glamorous gowns and stylish tuxedos at the Al Yasmina charity ball.

ISSue 3JuNe 2012

AL YASMINA SCHOOL

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Arabic Islamic NativeSayel Wardeh

ArtNick Bryant

EconomicsUsman Liaqat

GeographyAlina Kamal

GeographyNoor Sanie Eldin

GeographyAfrah Ali

GeographyJenny Howell

EnglishWynona Bautista

ICTAlina Kamal

FrenchAreej Saleh

MusicSamali Weerasekera

ScienceMohammad Shahrour

HistoryLouise Morris

PEReyce Del Favero

SpanishKyle Wynn

Arabic Islamic Non-nativeShahmir Khan

Business StudiesAndrew Ho Junyuan

Arabic NativeAdnan Al Armouti

MathematicsAnissa Johnson

MathematicsClara Ziada

Arabic Non-nativeEdward Drew

Arabic Social StudiesAreej Saleh

Design & TechnologyJason Howe

DramaHollie Whitehouse

DramaHolly Young