Post on 22-Feb-2020
Esprit De Corps
January 2013 Volume 7 Issue 1
Students’ Newsletter
OOOOne School.
One Voice.
Providing excellence in edu-cation, striving for continu-ous school improvement and targeting optimal student achievement are the core objectives driving all con-temporary ideas on educa-tion today. Strong leader-ship and sound governance have been established as key factors in leading school development. On behalf of the school, I have had the privilege to attend the module on lead-ership at the Cambridge Teachers’ Conference 2012, hosted in July last year at the Cambridge University, UK. In addition to being a part of a great learning ex-perience, I also feel proud of the fact that our own ideas on distributive leadership and shared responsibility have been re-enforced at a professional forum. With this profound thought I welcome you to this edi-tion of the Esprit de Corps, the work of our young jour-nalistic leaders, and to a vivid account of the activi-ties that have defined our students’ learning experi-ences this term. In addition to the internal Youth Leadership Pro-gramme that has been or-ganised for students in both
the sections under the aegis of a local division of Toast-masters’ International, pre-paring students for leader-ship roles has now acquired a global dimension. Youth leaders from Al Waha are now taking on the world as Global Scholars leaving their mark as alumni at prestigious, international youth conferences. We feel proud to inform you that for the third year running, we have been able to nominate some of our outstanding students for three confer-ences this year – the Presi-Presi-Presi-Presi-dential Inauguration Con-dential Inauguration Con-dential Inauguration Con-dential Inauguration Con-ferenceferenceferenceference 2013 2013 2013 2013 (held once in four years in Washington, D.C, includes attendance at the swearing in ceremony of the US President), the 2013 2013 2013 2013 Global Young Leaders Con-Global Young Leaders Con-Global Young Leaders Con-Global Young Leaders Con-ferenceferenceferenceference and the well-known college immersion program, the LeadAmerica Confer-LeadAmerica Confer-LeadAmerica Confer-LeadAmerica Confer-ence 2013.ence 2013.ence 2013.ence 2013. In keeping with our firm belief that striving for excel-lence in all that we do is a shared goal that both home and school bear responsibil-ity for, it has given us im-mense pleasure to have been able to invite parents for several co-curricular activi-ties in both the sections this term. We thank all the fa-
thers and mothers who have made the effort to share our students’ achievements in the stellar language activi-ty, Word PowerWord PowerWord PowerWord Power, and in the business venture of our young entrepreneurs from Grades 9 – 12, the Bake Bake Bake Bake Sale, Sale, Sale, Sale, details of which will be found in our next edi-tion. While details of the excel-lent 2012 CIE results have been available on our school website since the beginning of this academic session, the IGCSE, AS and A Level team of teachers and stu-dents have just concluded a critical lap of the CIE ex-aminations trek, the Mock Examinations, and are cur-rently working round the clock to ensure that the May/June 2013 CIE exami-nations are aced as well. Examination fever having abated with the Mid-Year/Mock Examinations con-cluding today, I take this opportunity to wish all of you a restful break and hap-py holiday reading with your copy of the Esprit de Corps! Best wishes, Rubab Azad
Director, Senior School
Word Power 2012Word Power 2012Word Power 2012Word Power 2012
Hindi Poetry Recitation Hindi Poetry Recitation Hindi Poetry Recitation Hindi Poetry Recitation CompetitionCompetitionCompetitionCompetition
Al Waha Graduation 2012Al Waha Graduation 2012Al Waha Graduation 2012Al Waha Graduation 2012–––– Part IPart IPart IPart I
...and much more!...and much more!...and much more!...and much more!
Looking into the Looking into the Looking into the Looking into the
DictionaryDictionaryDictionaryDictionary
P A G E 2
MONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCEMONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCEMONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCEMONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
RRRR emember the Investi-
tureCeremony?
Yes!Thatlongassemblywehaveat
thebeginningofeveryyear,where
the class monitors and the assis-
tant monitors from each grade go
uponstageandtaketheoathtobe
honest,diligentleaders.Then,allof
us walk back to class, thinking,
“Great, now we have a new pair of
peopletobossusaround!”
Whatmostofusdon’tknowisthat
there’sa lotmoretobeingamoni-
torthanjusttellingpeoplewhatto
do. If you ask students around the
campus what they think a moni-
tor’s role in class is, their answer
would sound something like this,
"They are responsible for the con-
ditions of the class and the actions
oftheirclassmates".
That’s certainly easier said than
done,though!
Being a monitor myself, I can hon-
estly say that it is sometimes a ra-
ther frustrating task. On the *ive
days of the week that I’m around
my classmates, half my time is
spenthelpingthem(whichactually
feels rewarding), while the other
half is spent trying to keep them
quietandstopthemfromscurrying
out of the class during the period
breaks.
Although I say this, it is important
to understand that it is part of the
responsibilitythatthetitleof‘class
monitor’brings,anditisthissense
of duty that plays a vital role in
character building, To me, being a
monitor is like building a model
shipinaglassbottle–it’sdif*icult
and requires a lot of time and pa-
tience, but the result is de*initely
worth all the effort. As we go
throughthemotionsofbeingclass
monitors, we develop tolerance
and become more conscientious,
among the several other qualities
thatwegainwithtime.
For those who are not socially
adept,thepositionofmonitorisan
important tool for personality de-
velopment. It requires increased
interaction with classmates, helps
one break out of their shell, ce-
ments old friendships and builds
newones.
How can I say this with so much
con*idence, you ask? Because it’s
happenedtome!
Before I became a monitor, I did
not socialise with my classmates
verymuch.However,nowthatI’ve
beenassignedtheresponsibility,it
is part of my job to help each of
them; in this process I’ve became
closer friends with many of them;
achangewhichevenIcansaywas
a pleasant surprise! :-) I’ve also
learntthattryingtocontrolpeople
will rub them the wrong way.
What you can do is, achieve the
samegoalsbybeingnice.
I would like to take this op-
portunity to advise my fellow
monitors on the basis of my
experience.
First, do not shout at your
classmates.Noonelikeslisten-
ingtopeoplewhocannotkeep
theircoolandresorttoshout-
ing. It’s human tendency to
makemistakes;so,givethema
chance. Or even two, maybe.
But, if they do not listen to
you,thenitmaybetimetocall
in reinforcements: your class
teacher!
Second,trytoincorporateabit
of fun into everything you do.
A good joke or two could
breaktheicebetweenyouand
others. But remember to keep
fun in control, because some-
times, we tend to get carried
away!Thatsimplywon’tdo.
Givetimetoyourselftounder-
standyourjobasamonitor.If
you are *inding it dif*icult and
yourclassmatesdon’tseemto
listen to you, then try talking
to them about your struggles.
Chances are, they will listen
andhelpyouout.So,ifyouare
amonitorhavingatoughtime,
remember that it’s a give and
take relationship that you
have with your classmates:
they will help you when you
doyourbestforthem,theway
you would do your best to
helpthem.
-AliceD.Ferrao,Gr.9G1
E S P R I T D E C O R P S
MONITOR
P A G E 3
Mind Your Language(s)! Celebrating the multi-culturalism and diversity at Al Waha, a wide range of language-based
activities are conducted annually. This term’s second language activities moved a step forward.
L ooking for words in the dictionary is no longer as
boring a task as it used to be! With the introduction of the
event, ’Looking into the Dictionary’, to our already vast
array of co-curricular activities, our multi-linguists are
enriching their vocabulary banks substantially.
As the name suggests, the ‘Looking into the dictionary’
event comprised of students looking for the English mean-
ings of a list of words given to them, in their respective
dictionaries. This activity was held for the students of
Grades 6-9. Within a stipulated time period of 15 minutes,
students had to put in tremendous effort to find meanings
of as many words as possible. This activity is sure to add
quality to our budding authors’ write-ups, making them
interesting reads.
Mrs Samar Azam, the Hindi teacher, said: “It was the first
time we conducted such a competition. Flipping through
the pages of the dictionary in search of the words was
challenging, since the Hindi language has a vast number
of letters. It was a moment of pride for me as students
were able to find the meanings with ease.”
V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3
The handwriting competition was one of several conducted
this year for the second languages.
For this competition, a paragraph was dictated within a stipu-
lated time period in the respective second languages to stu-
dents of Grades 4-9 and their writing was judged on the basis
of legibility, neatness and spelling proficiency.
This was the first time that the French students
participated in this contest. Students were instructed to write
carefully, adding a certain je ne sais quoi to the French lan-
guage.
It was definitely a reinforcement of the fact that handwriting is
as important as spellings and pronunciation for any language.
Poetry Recitation Competition The Hindi department held a Poetry Recitation Competition
for students of Grades 4-6. This classroom activity hones the
recitation and language skills of the students, and also
strengthens their ability to memorize.
Poetry, in any language, serves as a powerful medium for ex-
pressing one’s feelings and can also be used as a sharp tool for
imparting moral values. This activity taught students how to
control the pace of their delivery and practise correct pronunci-
ation, while enjoying the poetry that each of them shared with
their classmates.
- Inputs from Hera Abdul Wahid (8G2), Rayyan Naeem (9B), Ayesha Aslam (9G2), Uzma Khan (9G1) and Shuruq Umar
P A G E 4
E S P R I T D E C O R P S
Position/
Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9
I Abdullah Imran Asma Arshad Zain Abrar Faizan Naeem Hamail Siddiqi Ayesha Rahman
II Fatima Muzamil Ahmed Ittefaq Rawan Akhtar Basmah Farooq Areeba Ather Shiza Riaz Ahmed
UrduUrduUrduUrdu–––– Looking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the Dictionary
Position/
Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9
I Najaf Ahmed Ahmed Ittefaq Sadia Muzamil/
Noorulaein Lakhani
Faizan Naeem Hamail Siddiqi Huzaifa Darogar/
Bilal Iqbal
II Fatima Muzamil Rania Ahmed M. Osama Natalia Islam Hera Abdul Wahid Fabiha Raheel
UrduUrduUrduUrdu–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition
FrenchFrenchFrenchFrench–––– Looking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the Dictionary
Posi-
tion/
Grade
Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9
I Anusha Jeelani Mariam Faizer Ayman Jeelani Alice Ferrao
II Shreyas Rao Sehaan
Tarique
Zaki Khan -
FrenchFrenchFrenchFrench–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition Posi-
tion/
Grade
Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9
I Anusha
Jeelani
Maheen
Wajid
Zaki Khan Ayesha
Nizamudeen
II - - Marwah
Oozeeraully
Raseem
Zaffar
Position/
Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9
I Noorul Fatima Saaliha Fazil Mohammad Bshara Mennah Salim Abdullah Taj Hanaa Rayees
II Ahmed Sayed Sama Osama Yara Al Sayed - Maram Ismail -
ArabicArabicArabicArabic–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition
Position/
Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9
I Nourain Khan Nimra Rashid/
Ahmeduddin
Saima Liyakat/
Sahal Gazanfer
Amina Rafiq Tashif Hanif Waqas Zubair
II Ramya Varshini Mishal Abdul
Karim
Jameela Challawala/
Mohammed Jaseem
Jasir Alam - -
HindiHindiHindiHindi–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition
HindiHindiHindiHindi–––– Poetry Recitation CompetitionPoetry Recitation CompetitionPoetry Recitation CompetitionPoetry Recitation Competition Position/
Grade Grade 4 (Girls) Grade 5 Grade 6
I Nourain Khan Nimra Rashid Fatima Z. Javed
II Afnan Zubair - Saima Liyakat Khan
Grade 4 (Boys)
Umair Aslam
Masir Javed
Special
Prize - - - Jameela Challawala
P A G E 5 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3
It’s not just handwriting... “Take pains ... to write a neat round, plain hand, and you will find
it a great convenience through life to write a small and compact hand as
well as a fair and legible one.”
- Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826)
Forget about competing to see who’s fastest at typing or texting…useful a skill as that may be in today’s technology-ruled world, the real test of academic mettle is that of penmanship. Wouldn’t you agree?
We do. That is why, even in an age where hands fly over keypads and keyboards but often stop short of pick-ing up a pen, our school continues to give due importance to developing a striking handwriting. To un-derline the importance of this art, competitive, zealous handwriting competitions are held every year for students of Grades 4-9. Keeping with the spirit of striving for excellence, this competition too has come a long way. It is no longer just a training for good handwriting, but also helps in improving time manage-ment and listening skills.
As worksheets were handed out and the teachers cleared their throats to dictate the set text, anticipation filled every classroom. Let’s see...Ballpoint or ink? Cursive or block? Questions flooded the students' minds, as they prepared to put their best ‘hand’ forward. The winners of the English Handwriting Competition :
Position/
Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8
I Masir Javed, 4B1 Maha Abdul Rauf,
5G2
Saima Liyakat
Khan, 6G1
M. Razeen,
7B1
Shireen Rahmani,
8G2
II Umer Shoaib, 4B1 Nimra Rashid,
5G1
Saima Haque, 6G1 Momal Abdul
Rauf, 7G2
Areeba Ather, 8G2
Grade 9
Nabeela Zainab,
9G1
Humeira Mujeeb,
9G2
taught them more about the vari-
ous kinds of formatting tools
available in such software. Stu-
dents were also given the oppor-
tunity to learn more about a vari-
ety of different electronic devic-
es. This took them to their
dreamland of technology.
As the world becomes a more
computerized version of itself
almost with each passing day, ac-
quiring the necessary knowledge
and skills to thrive in today’s ever-
changing society is sure to give us
that crucial head start that we
all need—which is what made this
educational activity beneficial
for all the participants.
The students of Grade 6 were in-
troduced to an exciting in-class
activity this year, Designing a Leaf-
let.
Students were instructed to make
a leaflet on an electronic device of
their choice, from the revolution-
ary ultra books to the latest
iPhones and Kindles.
Colourful construction paper,
markers and other art supplies
were to be left behind; students
had to work on their computers
and produce pamphlets using a sim-
ple word processing software.
This activity not only enhanced the
students’ computing skills, but also
At the end of the day, the hard work
of all the students of Grade 6 was
reflected in their amazing leaflets
that didn’t just look great but were
also exhaustive of information.
Amal Amgad and Shavana Yousuf,
two of the participants, said,
“It was a wonderful experience,
making the leaflets, and we even got
to know a lot about the latest elec-
tronic devices, as we had to research
a great deal about them before mak-
ing them. We truly enjoyed designing
the leaflets.”
P A G E 6 E S P R I T D E C O R P S
P A G E 7 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3
P A G E 8 E S P R I T D E C O R P S
WORD POWER– 2012-13
At our school, there is an unwritten rule: co-curricular activities, designed to encourage children to learn through an enjoyable and exciting experience, go hand-in-hand with the rigorous academic programme. One such fun-learning experience is Word Power, the English activity conducted for students of Grades 4-9. Formerly known as the Spelling Bee, the scope of this competition has expanded far beyond its usual pattern, to help students explore the diversity of the English language.
On the 13th of November 2012, Word Power was held in both the campuses of Senior School. But getting there was not easy at all..........so allow me to explain how twenty-eight participants, from each section, finally found their ways to the hot-seats on D-day.
Before the Hajj Holidays, each student from Grades 4-9 and 11 was handed a sheet containing a list of fifty words along with their meanings and parts of speech, complied according to their grade level, to learn over the break. Once school re-opened, students had to battle through two elimination rounds in order to qualify for the finals. The first round, a dictation, was conducted on the 7th of November, where six words out of the specified fifty, along with four other randomly selected words were dictated to the students, who were required to correctly spell the words and ac-curately write their meanings.
Next, the ten best spellers from each grade had to face the semi-final round, where they had to unscramble ten words correctly to earn their spot in the final round. However, this was easier said than done. A time limit of fifteen minutes was allotted to the students to unscramble a total of ten words! Those successful in their attempts made it to the top four. They were then divided into four teams with one student from each grade level.
On the day of the event, students entered the school, buzzing with energy and excitement, awaiting the commence-ment of the event. With participants deeply immersed in revising their lists for the final challenge, the event began after the lunch break.
The first round was conducted prior to the arrival of the audience, in which students were given a time limit to solve a question paper. Next, teams were subjected to a gruelling round, where they had to use the meanings provided on the huge screen to guess and spell the corresponding words. Next, was the Kangaroo Round, where the teams had to look for the hidden synonyms in the words they were given. The chance to win 100 points came next, with the Jackpot round. In these rounds, questions were shot at the four teams of logophiles, namely Dickens, Byrons, Kip-lings and Johnsons, and if they were unable to answer...ZAP!....they were passed onto the other team. But there was no time to relax, as a last-ditch attempt to shoot up the scoreboard followed, with the Rapid Fire Round.
But no! We weren’t off the hook yet. As scores were calculated, it was the audience’s turn to answer a few questions themselves. Up for grabs were delicious Galaxy chocolate bars.
The event concluded with the announcement of the result, during which Team Kipling was declared the winner in the Girls’ Section, while in the Boys’, it was Team Dickens who emerged as winners.
This year, proud mothers and fathers of the participants were invited to witness this event and most of them had no words to describe how they felt to see their children in the heat of battle, spelling, un-scrambling, and giving the meanings to words, some that they’d never even heard of! Their moral support, for both students and the event as a whole, was invaluable. From the students’ point of view, the event was indeed a fun-filled and educationally rewarding experience. Uzma Liyakat Khan of 9G1 said, “It was fun to know that omnishambles was declared the Word of the Year by the Oxford English Dictionary, closely followed by YO-LO (an acronym for You Only Live Once) and nomophobia (the fear of having to live without your mobiles).
Until next time, happy spelling! - Marya Talha, 8G2 and Bilal Iqbal, 9B
P A G E 9 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3
- By Sarah Jamshed Alam, 12G
As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on Earth Earth Earth Earth –––– the Ka’bah the Ka’bah the Ka’bah the Ka’bah –––– I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24thththth of October, I was ready to embark on a of October, I was ready to embark on a of October, I was ready to embark on a of October, I was ready to embark on a fivefivefivefive----day spiritual journeyday spiritual journeyday spiritual journeyday spiritual journey———— one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me.self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me.self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me.self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me. The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in value. value. value. value. The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I had ever done before. had ever done before. had ever done before. had ever done before. One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for the attainment of goals. the attainment of goals. the attainment of goals. the attainment of goals. Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every
Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime! Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime! Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime! Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime!
The Journey of a LifetimeThe Journey of a LifetimeThe Journey of a LifetimeThe Journey of a Lifetime
P A G E 1 0 E S P R I T D E C O R P S
SWANSONG: GRADUATION ‘12 (PART I - THE GIRLS’ SECTION)
Suratul Luqman, recited by
Anam Riaz, who also deliv-
eredashortspeechthatcon-
veyed a heartfelt message
from all the 11th graders,
wishingtheirseniorsthebest
ontheroadahead.
Thehallwasthenengulfedin
complete silence as the audi-
ence sat with rapt attention,
waitingfortheevening’shon-
ourees to arrive. And then
*drum roll please* the 10th
and 12th graders entered,
*launtingtheir*lowinggowns
and tasseled caps, with their
headsheldhigh,*lashingradi-
antsmiles.
To capture the cherished
years they’d spent in their
second home, from the time
they’dbeentinytotstreading
upAlWaha’ssteps,tothemo-
mentthatwasawaitingthem-
when they would break free
fromtheircocoonandentera
whole new world, the Gradu-
ation Poem by Shifa Aftab
and Sidra Raihan of Grade 9,
proved to be a *itting tribute.
Thisthought-provokingpoem
was written for their seniors,
givingthemachancetoremi-
niscenceabout theyearsthat
had whizzed by so quickly,
and all those precious mo-
ments they had shared within
the walls of Al Waha’s campus.
It was truly a walk down
memorylane!
Thevaledictorian’saddresswas
nextontheagenda.SalmaZacky
from10Gsharedthesentiments
ofherclasswiththeaudience.It
was not only a proud moment
forthegraduatesandtheirpar-
ents,butalsofortheir teachers,
who had been constantly by
theirsidethroughthetwoyears
of rigorous training for their
IGCSEexaminations.
Although a cloud of trepidation
hung over them as they were
unsure of what awaited them,
comeAugust,atthatmoment,it
seemednothingcouldovershad-
ow the joy and jubilation of the
evening.
Next, Muntaha Qadri from 12G
expressedherexcitementat
*inally graduating from school.
Shealsovoicedtheonethought
thatallthe12thgradersseemed
to be lost in - that they would
miss Al Waha’s lively atmos-
phere, their teachers and
friends, with whom they had
formed unbreakable bonds of
trustandfriendship.
W hen the non-
descript
brown doors opened, jaws
dropped. Quite literally.
The venue was resplendent in
shades of purple and white, full
of grandeur that would set the
tone for the rest of the evening.
Flowers in every corner, cou-
pled with inspirational art that
graced the walls created a dis-
play that called to mind the
saying; ‘A picture is worth a
thousand words.’ The Girls’
Section auditorium had been
completely transformed. You
had to see to believe what
we’re talking about.
On the 21st of June, the clock
seemed to tick a little faster and
the morning was more radiant
than usual. This day was to be a
celebration of the culmination
of years of hard work, not only
by the students but also by the
Al Waha faculty and the par-
ents of the graduates. It was a
day to honour and
acknowledge the work com-
pleted so far, while opening the
doors into the future yet un-
seen, of things yet to come and
be accomplished.
This evening commenced with
the beautiful verses from
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3
Next on the programme
for the evening was the
presentation of the
awards. The graduates
sat with bated breath,
*ingers crossed, and prayed
that one of the pro*iciency
awards held their name. The
Dr. Abdullah Nadwi Award
for Scholastic Achievement
was received by Salma Zacky
of 10G, for her outstanding
performance in academics as
well as extra-curricular ac-
tivities. Since the list is very
long, our heartiest felicita-
tions go out to all who se-
cured an award.
Mrs. Farhadunnisa, Vice
Principal of the International
Indian School, Jeddah, who
was the Chief Guest for the
event, was an inspiring pres-
ence in our midst. Her inspi-
rational speech, about he-
roes among us, who fought
all odds to educate them-
selves, lingers in our
thoughts. Next, Mrs. Rubab
Azad, the Director of Senior
School, proceeded to con-
gratulate
the grad-
uates in
an emo-
tional
speech
that con-
veyed
pride in her students and
their achievements. Follow-
ing her address, Mrs. Seema
Anis, Headmistress of the
Senior Girls’ Sec-
tion, gave a speech
where she
acknowledged the
graduates’ accom-
plishments and commended
them on their relentless hard
work. A beautifully designed
piece of exquisite artwork,
signed by all the graduates,
was presented by the vale-
dictorians, on behalf of both
the graduating classes, to
thank their alma mater for
being a steady mentor, guide
and home for every one of
them.
Finally, we had reached the
part that everyone was wait-
ing for... you guessed it right!
The cake- cutting ceremony!
‘Ooh’s and ‘aah’s were heard
from the audience at the en-
try of Mrs. Cake, who stole
the show. The audience had
their eyes riveted on the big-
gest cake they had ever seen,
shaped like an open book, as
it was cut by Salma Zacky.
Half-chocolate and half-
vanilla, it was absolutely di-
vine! Everybody was tempt-
ed to sink their teeth right
into the soft sponge!
The cake was set aside as the
graduating students came up
on the stage, one by one, to
express their gratitude to
their mothers for being their
constant companions
through all of life’s storms. It
served as a reminder to all of
us in the audience, that come
what may, our mothers will
always be there, right by our
sides.
Once the tears were wiped
and the vote of thanks pro-
posed, everyone headed out
for dinner. Stepping outside
the auditorium, they were
greeted by the tantalizing
aroma of rows of mouth-
watering dishes. Photo-
graphs were clicked, hugs
exchanged and goodbyes
said, almost too soon, it
seemed. As the graduates
walked out of the gates of Al
Waha’s campus, they paused,
to take one last, long look, at
the place that had been, and
for the students returning
for the ‘A’ Level programme,
would continue to be…home.
-BySidraRaihan,Hania
Habib,HibbahIrfanand
SarahShaikh,10G
P A G E 1 2
TTTT his editorial is particularly special to me as it is my first time writing as an Edi-tor-in-Chief of the Esprit
de Corps. Having started out as a re-porter in Grade 8, I moved my way up to the sub-editor position and now, finally the Editor. 2012 was a fantastic year for Al-Waha and my-self. Starting with the announcement of the new campus for the Girls’ Sec-tion, Al-Waha was rewarded with the spectacular results of the 2012 CIE May/June examination session, with two students achieving 9A*s (Alhamdulillah, I have been blessed to be one of the two)!
So, as a first-time editor who has big shoes to fill, such as the likes of Noor Khalid and Rabeeah Taha, I was quite self-conscious about what I should write. Not only do I want to convey the gratitude I feel at being awarded the title of ‘Editor-in-Chief’ (it has a nice ring to it!), I also hope to main-tain the level of seriousness required of a high-school newsletter editor. I can only hope that I have achieved my goals.
Although I had to brave storms and sail through turbulent waters to fi-nally write this page, it really hasn’t all been that bad. It has been a pleas-ure to work with everyone who made their own individual contributions to this edition of the newsletter. As a reporter, I didn’t know of all the work that went on behind the scenes, which is why this position really opened my eyes to all the effort that is put into a single edition. This issue, we have articles on most of the events that were conducted this term, including the Word Power and the second language activities, but not all of them… so, you have
something to look forward to in the next publication.
It’s probably rather obvious, but I still feel the need to mention that this edi-tion, we’re celebrating languages! We’ve had a vast range of handwriting compe-titions, spelling bees and several other new activities that have helped all of us appreciate the importance of language as a tool of communication and as a key to each of our cultures.
I cannot end this editorial, though, without writing about one of the arti-cles that certainly caught my attention – the graduation article! Yes, that’s right, everyone, I graduated! It’s great to see an article in the newsletter about that wonderful event. Thanks to all the teachers who put everything together and made the evening so memorable. Also, thank you to the Grade 10 stu-dents, who did such a great job of writ-ing the article and practically recreating the event on paper. It really made me relive that unforgettable evening and remember how good that cake tasted!
But I digress. Let us rejoice, friends, for although we shall part with the first term of this new academic year, we will do so in style - with a one week holi-day! We have put our blood, sweat and tears into our preparation for the exams these last two weeks and now we have come to a well-earned break, which will hopefully distract us from any thoughts of what awaits us when our results are released.
I must now put the last full stop and conclude my editorial. I shall spend the next few days in complete rest and re-laxation so, enjoy your holidays every-one, and till the next issue, I bid you adieu.
Salma Zacky, 11G,
Editor-in-Chief
E S P R I T
From the Editor’s PenFrom the Editor’s PenFrom the Editor’s PenFrom the Editor’s Pen
List of nominees for the 2012 Youth List of nominees for the 2012 Youth List of nominees for the 2012 Youth List of nominees for the 2012 Youth Leadership Conferences Leadership Conferences Leadership Conferences Leadership Conferences Gauthnam Raj Magesh 9B Mohammad Zain Sohail 9B Salman Ahmed Malik 9B Rizwan Javed Ahmed 9B Ahmed Raza 10B Mohammad Osama Sadiq 10B Nameer Rehan Khan 10B Shahbaz Khattak Haroon 10B Shaharyar Shahid 12B Alice Danielle Ferrao 9G Ayesha Abdul Rahman 9G Syeda Hiba Junaid 9G Shuruq Umer 9G Thahfa Thaha 11G …...and the list of alumni gets longer …...and the list of alumni gets longer …...and the list of alumni gets longer …...and the list of alumni gets longer every yearevery yearevery yearevery year Ayesha Fazal Abdul Basit Jawad Fazal Moaz Shafique Salma Zacky Naila Muzammil