School Gets in „Spirit of the Union‟ for UAE‟s 40th Anniversary

Vol. 2, No. 3

December 2011

―The Express here -- your best source for exciting, diverse and bold news about AISA’s multicultural community.‖

Ms. Susan Misses You!

P. 2

Eco Club Pushes for

Bottled Water Ban

P. 3

Hundreds Attend HS Play

— Cinderella Spoof

P. 4

Schools Places Second in

F1 Safety Contest

P. 5

Can Girls JV Soccer

Return to ISAC Finals?

P. 6

By Khalifa Al-Fahim (Grade 12)

Cosmopolitan Co-Editor

This year's National Day repre-

sented the 40th anniversary of the

birth of the country.

The UAE is a small country with

many international people who may

not know local traditions.

As a result, at school, the Emirati

students showed their love for the

country and left a story for future

generations, with celebrations on the

afternoon of Wednesday, November

30, two days before the official Na-

tional Day December 2.

Hundreds of students and teachers

enjoyed the event , with many people

were wearing the national outfit,

riding camels and holding falcons.

On National Day, there was

Emirati food like harees (wheat with

meat) fareed (meat and vegetable

stew), machboos (rice, onion and

meat) and balaleet (pasta dish).

At the assemblies, students did the

national dance, students read Arabic

poems and showed a PowerPoint

slide show about the UAE created by

high school advisories. Art teachers

Ms. Ramirez and Ms. Smith dis-

played their class' feminist reinter-

pretation of the UAE falcon logo.

Emirati senior Sultan Al Su-

waidi said before the event:

“We must make this day a really

fun day and have a better National

Day this year,” he said. “It‟s a

chance to tell the new students and

teachers what UAE is all about and

make them feel like it‟s another

home for them.”

Emirati senior Ahmed Khalid also

enjoyed celebrating the holiday,

saying: “I enjoy national day as

much as any emirates citizen , I love

the dances they do and all the reck-

less driving and spraying that goes

around.”

The administration also enjoyed

this year‟s National Day, and coordi-

nated Advisories to create National

Day videos like last year.

“I want to crystallize the essence of

the Emirates and have it experi-

enced in one day,” said Mr. Morley,

boys assistant principal. “Today has

been a great day and I bet that all

the students and faculty members

enjoyed themselves.”

The country's father, HH Sheikh

Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, always

admired his people, donating AED

10 billion to cover debts and gave

away 2,500 pieces of land across Abu

Dhabi for housing.

“The leaders of our country are

the best at what they do, they are the

only ones in the world who support

their people the way they do,” said

senior Mohammed Al Junabi .

By Rana Alsaadi (Grade 12)

What‟s Up?! Editor

Senior Nick Overkamp stood on stage in

front of the nearly 100 starving students

and staff, who would fast for 12 hours

straight as part of a charity sleepover in late

November.

―There are many, many people starving in

Somalia’s famine,‖ he said in the opening

speech at the school’s second annual 30-

Hour Famine on November 24. ―Their hun-

ger is probably way greater than ours, and

that’s why we want to help out.‖

The Famine raised awareness and more

than AED 8,000 for Somalia, as the country

is suffering from a devastating drought over

the summer. The United Nations said Somalia is

the worst humanitarian disaster in the world, with

roughly 4 million people in crisis and 750,000

people at risk of death.

The event was coordinated by humanities teach-

er Ms. Fleming and IB students (including senior

Mohamed Shaker, Student Council co-president),

and the money went toDoctors Without Borders,

an international medical humanitarian organiza-

tion. Last year's 30-Hour Famine raised AED

30,000 for Pakistani flood relief.

―For a long time now Somalia has been going

through hardships,‖ said Shaker. ―I think it is a

shame that something as horrible as the famine has

to happen for the rest to start doing something

about it.‖

This year organizers said they emphasized rais-

ing awareness during the event, with students

trying to build shelters using recycled newspapers

and senior Meeneshwer Madhu organized a Pro-

ject Runway with students making dresses out of

toilet paper.

Organizers had committees for food, sports,

entertainment and administration. Arne Augustin

returned for the second year to perform a magic

show.

―The 2011 famine was a great event,‖ said Ms.

Fleming. ―The IB students who organized it did an

even better job this year. The IB students have

really taken ownership of it and did the majority

of the organizing.‖

Ms. Fleming also thanked the Admin for their

continued support and the nearly 20 teachers who

came out on a Thursday night and American

Thanksgiving.

English teacher Mr. Luukkonen enjoyed attend-

ing the Famine. ―The students were great, and I

think everyone really had a good time,‖ he said.

Despite it falling on American Thanksgiving, he

said the event was useful in reflecting on the holi-

day. ―[T]hat we're thankful for the things God has

given us, and how we might be able to spread

food, shelter, clothing, and education to others,‖

Mr. Luukkonen said. ―[T]he very same things we

have been blessed with.‖

Students who attended the event

had to raise a minimum of AED

100. Xenia Williams (Grade 11)

was the top fundraiser with AED

2,150. ―I am aware of the people

that are less fortunate, therefore I

feel good knowing that the money

goes to a good cause,‖ she said.

By Aisha AlHajeri (Grade 12)

We Are the Lions! Co-Editor

On the first girls varsity and JV basket-

ball home games of the year on Novem-

ber 24, the JV girls pulled off a close 15-

14 win against the Universal American

School of Dubai (UASD), then they high

-fived and cheered on the varsity team,

who would also defeat UASD with a

close score of 31-28.

This sense of camaraderie – with most-

ly returning players to both teams and

that they are practicing together – has led

to impressive early results.

Both teams have 2-1 records, and are

working hard to repeat last season's suc-

cess when . the varsity team racked up

their third straight ISAC championship

and the JV team won second place .

The returning varsity players said they

will continue to improve while teaching

their skills to the JV team and the new

players.

Varsity coach Ms. Sambola said,

―During practice the returners show great

leadership in explaining rules and tech-

niques to each other.‖

After the victories against UASD, the

varsity had an impressive 26-16 victory

against the American Academy for Girls

in Dubai (AAG) on December 4 and a

tough 31-19 loss to arch rival the Amer-

ican Community School (ACS) on De-

cember 5 .

Meanwhile JV had a lopsided 64-14

loss to Dubai American Academy

(DAA) on December 4 but got revenge

with a huge 30-13 victory against DIA

on December 5.

―Our defense was pretty weak when

we played DIA,‖ said JV guard/

forward Carol Abdul Samad (Grade

11), one of the team's leading scorers

along with Carlotta Saenger (Grade 10).

―But it clearly went through a drastic

improvement when we won AAG the

next day.‖

JV coach Ms. Dickman said the team

did very well. ―[E]specially because

some of them are completely new to the

sport. But they still managed to success-

fully out-hustle their rivals up and down

the court.‖

Rigorous practices – running

―suicides,‖ ―ladders‖ (sprinting up and

down the court), layup and free throw

drills – have helped the players regain

their fitness and agility.

―Our coaches have been making us run

like crazy, but all that conditioning is

helping us outrun our opponents on the

court,‖ said varsity center Menat El Abd

(Grade 12).

The girls have a long season ahead of

them, but said their intense practices,

tight-knit bond and positive attitudes

should help them win their ISAC tourna-

ments later in Kuwait during March.

―Overall, our matches were pretty

tough,‖ said Dorien Van Heerden (Grade

12), varsity guard/forward and one of the

team's leading scorers along with Leila

Seffar (Grade 11).

―Once we get into better shape, we’ll

be able to take on any school, including

ACS later in the season.‖

Girls B‟ball Teams Expect ISAC Finals Return

School Gets in „Spirit of the Union‟ for UAE‟s 40th Anniversary Celebrations

Second Annual 30-Hr Famine for Charity

Raises Nearly AED 10,000 for Somalia

(Clockwise from top left: Ms. Holmes with a falcon. ... Dozens enthralled by a Girls Advi-

sory flash mob spelling out “UAE.” ... Kathrin Harb (Grade 11), Kairine Maharajh

(Grade 12) and Emilia Repo (Grade 11) dressed up. … Seniors Sultan Al Suwaidi, Ahmed

Al Ketbi and Hamdan Al Nahyan with a saluke . / Photos courtesy Ms. Smith.

Above: Students built a shelter out of newspapers. / Photo courtesy Ms. Fleming. … Below: Students and staff

as part of Project Runway: Toilet Paper. / Photo courtesy Mr. Baron.

The Express

Managing Editor: Mr. Baron

AISA’s Voice (Editorial)

Ahmed Al-Ketbi (Co-Editor)

Lamees Al-Makkawy

Hamdan Al-Nahyan

Kairine Maharajh (Co-Editor)

What’s Up?! (News)

Mariam Al-Hammadi

Rana Alsaadi (Editor)

Mahynoor Mohamed

Tanya Tarazi

The Scene (Arts and Culture)

Greg Brown (Co-Editor)

Steffanie Sanders (Co-Editor)

Teguh Zulian

Cosmopolitan (Beyond AISA)

Khalifa Al-Fahim (Co-Editor)

Salama Al-Khumaisi

Noor Al-Mehairbi

Alia Youssef (Co-Editor)

We Are the Lions! (Sports)

Sakhr Abdullah

Aisha AlHajeri (Co-Editor)

Khalid Al-Mansoori

Zayed Al-Nahyan (Co-Editor)

Marcela Cuadra

Muhammad El-Amin

Staff Photographer: Aisha AlHajeri

AISA Administration

Director: Dr. Jones

Secondary School Principal:

Mr. Godley

Secondary Assistant Principals:

Ms. Jones, Mr. Morley

The Express is produced by students

in the Publications elective for

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It is published eight times/year, with

occasional additional content in

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clude your subject. Letters may be shortened for space.

AISA’s Voice

Dec. 2011 2

By Ahmed Al-Ketbi (Grade 12)

AISA‟s Voice Co-Editor

More than 50 middle school stu-

dents enjoyed learning about how

water is so precious to our planet and

life, at a field trip to the Abu Dhabi

Authority for Culture and Heritage in

November.

The more than 65 seventh grade

students went to the exhibition on

two trips . The exhibition, in partner-

ship with the American Museum of

Natural History and at the Qasr Al

Hosn Exhibition Center, opened on

September 19, 2011 and runs until

January 5.

It sheds light on the challenges

faced by people for the sustainable

management of this vital, but limited,

resource and its uses, and works hard

to have an impact on people’s culture

to promote the preservation of natu-

ral resources, according to the exhi-

bition website

The exhibit combines art and tech-

nology to grab the attention of the

visitors, especially youth. With

interactive stations, a 68-inch globe

illuminated with maps of the world

and video touch screens.

―This exhibition brings to light the

importance of preserving water since

Abu Dhabi city has one the highest

rates of personal consumption in the

world," said Dr. Sami el-Masri, Dep-

uty Director General for Arts, Cul-

ture and Heritage and Director of

Strategic Planning & Development.

―It presents the theme of water in

its local context as central to the

evolution of a desert settlement. This

theme underpins the inscription of Al

Ain cultural sites on the World Herit-

age list of UNESCO.‖

Seventh grade student Eissa Al

Khouri said, ―I really enjoyed the

trip and was fascinated in seeing all

the hard work they put up for the

students in showing us how water

plays a big role in our daily lives and

how could we put some effort in

preserving it for the future.‖

By Kairine Maharajh (Grade 12)

AISA’s Voice Co-Editor

After more than eight years of

hard work and dedication, the

school community said farewell to

long time secretary Ms. Susan Van

Hoogstraten in late October.

Ms. Van Hoogstraten, who often

went by the easier-to-pronounce

―Ms. Susan,‖ held various positions

at school, including the secondary

school secretary, and assistant to the

IB coordinator and guidance coun-

selor.

―Ms. Susan was a positive contri-

bution to the AISA community,‖

said Mr. Morley, the boys assistant

principal. ―She was happy, upbeat,

enthusiastic and always getting up

to mischief- she really loved school

and her work.‖

Before moving to Abu Dhabi,

Ms.Van Hoogstraten's only school

experience had been in her home

country of South Africa, where she

helped out with her sister-in-law's

day care.

Now she is working at New York

University-Abu Dhabi, where she is

the executive assistant in the IT

department. But it is her time at

AISA that she cherishes the most.

"This was the longest (time in a

school) and best time of my life,"

said Ms. Van Hoogstraten in an

email. "Every day still, I miss the

interaction with the students."

Many students are similarly sad

about her departure. "Ms. Susan had

always been of great assistance to

me especially during the hard times

in my first year," said Nick Over-

kamp (grade 12). "I certainly do

miss her."

Though there was a small staff

going-away party for her on Hal-

loween, her last day, students said

more should have been done.

"She deserved to have some kind

of assembly to thank her before she

left," said Sheikha Al Meraikhi,

Student Council Vice President. "I

had no idea she was leaving. If I

did, I would've tried to make that

happen."

Ms. Van Hoogstraten said she

enjoys her new job at NYU-AD, but

said it is stressful adapting to a dif-

ferent environment and meeting a

lot of new people. "I am learning a

lot fast and challenge is always

good for the soul," she said.

But students will get a chance to

say goodbye, as she is returning for

the graduation of her son, Kevin

Van Hoogstraten (Grade 12).

"I am not too bothered by it (his

mother's departure)," he said. "Like

other students, I miss having my

mother on campus but she will be

back for graduation."

Though many seniors said they

wish she had stayed through their

final year, Ms. Van Hoogstraten

leaves them with this advice:

"Embrace change. Look forward

to challenges and meet them head

on, smiling! always look on the

bright side of life."

By Lamees Al-Makkawy

(Grade 12)

When hundreds of students

pinned little pink ribbons on their

shirts in late October, it was not

only about looking pretty in pink

– it was to support Breast Cancer

Awareness Month.

Organized by Student Council,

the event raised nearly AED

5,000 to support breast cancer

research. ―We spent a whole

week working on ribbons during

advisory, recess, and lunch‖ said

Sheikha Al Meraikhi (Grade 12),

Student Council vice president.

―It was tiring, but the cause is

worth the effort .‖

Breast cancer is the most com-

mon cancer for women globally,

as well as the main cause of death

from cancer for women, accord-

ing to the awareness website

Worldwide Breast Cancer . In

2010, almost 1.5 million people

were told the devastating words

of ―you have breast cancer.‖

In the UAE, the average age for

women to be diagnosed with

breast cancer is 10 years less than

that of Europe, due to different

diets and less care regarding

health and fitness, according to

―Time Out Dubai.‖ In the UAE,

girls as young as 17 have also

been diagnosed with this disease.

This disease was common for

some families of the school com-

munity, as girls’ assistant princi-

pal Mrs. Jones has three family

members who had breast cancer -

- and beat it.

―This disease is personally im-

portant to me,‖ said Mrs. Jones,

―I am so thankful for all the peo-

ple who were a part of this event

and donated money. We should

do this every year .‖

Senior Delia Smith said,

―Breast Cancer Awareness Month

is a great way to ensure that peo-

ple understand the disease and

how to improve the knowledge of

it.‖

So, how can we decrease breast

cancer deaths?

Roughly 400,000 lives could be

saved every year through more

awareness of what the disease

actually is, and young women can

detect symptoms through month-

ly check-ups and if necessary

immediate treatment, according

to Worldwide Breast Cancer.

By Hamdan Al-Nahyan (Grade 12)

Nearly 100 middle school students learned about

Emirati artists on a fabulous field trip to the ―Emirati

Expressions‖ exhibit at Manarat Saadiyat in Novem-

ber.

The Grade 8 students were exposed to 10 Emirati

artists practicing in the medium of photography: Afra

Al Daheri, Afra Bin Daher, Alia Al Shamsi, Ammar

Al Attar, Fatima Al Yousef, Hadeyeh Badri, Lateefa

Bint Maktoum, Maitha Demithan, Mira Obaid Al

Qaseer and Salem Al Qassimi, according to the Abu

Dhabi Art Fair.

―Emirati Expressions will showcase Emirati identity

through an exhibition of photographs by Emirati art-

ists, as well as by guest photographers especially

invited to work with the artists and the public to ex-

plore an Emirati identity that is inherently global,‖

according to the exhibition website.

Below is an edited transcript of an email interview

with middle school Art teacher Mr. McGrady, who

chaperoned the trip, and my thought in parantheses:

Mr.McGrady: This whole exhibit was in conjunction

with the Art class curriculum. […] It really relates to

the curriculum as part of the art appreciation portion of

Art studies.

(I guess it makes sense then, as the students would

certainly have a chance to observe different kinds of

artwork, techniques etc.)

Mr. McGrady: They walked around and visited the

exhibition. They had a chance to experience the incred-

ible work of Art of the Emirates.

(I think this is fabulous, as students should develop

an appreciate all different kinds of art projects. Well, I

would like to thank you for sharing this information

with me. I am sure that the students have learnt a lot.)

Longtime Secretary Ms. Susan Leaves for NYU-AD

Pink Ribbons Raise AED 5,000

for Breast Cancer Research

MS Students Learn About Emirati Artists at Exhibit

MS Students Learn About Precious Water Resources

Secretary Ms. Susan Van

Hoogstraten spent more than eight

years at school. / File photo.

Seniors Reem Lari, Dorien van Heerden, Claudia Oswald, Farida Nassar, Janeeta

Abbasi, Delia Smith, Steffanie Sanders, Aisha AlHajeri, junior Carol Abdul-Samad and

senior Menat El Abd on the soccer field. / Photos courtesy Lamees AlMakkawy.

American photographer Stephen Shore at Exmirat Expres-

sions. / Photo courtesy Art in the City.

By Mr. Godley, Secondary Principal

I have been reading a lot of research

lately that is focuses on student workload,

homework, balance and achievement.

When you take these issues and layer in

the effects of exponentially changing

technology and social networking you are

sure to be confused and wonder what the

right direction is for our school.

For me, being a part of the educational

shift and being able to make changes that

offer our students and teachers a way to

improve and be a part of this significant

shift is a passion.

It is why my job is not really a job, but

just part of who I am. While we continue

to sort out the best direction for our

school, I do know a few things:

1. Students at AISA are well prepared for

future study here in the Emirates and

elsewhere around the world.

2. While students experience stress as a

result of workload and academic pres-

sures, I believe that the stress is a healthy

level at most times and this results in a

healthy and positive student body (which

we surely have).

3. At the end of this week we have a gift

of 3 weeks where we are able to discon-

nect, recharge and recreate.

I challenge you to do the things that

make you happy and fulfill you as a per-

son. Spend time with family, read a good

book or two, relax with friends and spend

some time reflecting on life and what you

goals are for the next year. Remember,

there are a lot of people who don’t ever

get a 3 week break. On this break, I chal-

lenge you seize the day! Carpe Diem.

Admin Corner: Recharge Over Break for Spring Workload

What’s Up?!

Dec. 2011 3

By Tanya Tarazi (Grade 12)

Nearly 30 IB-1 students

have created a new broadcast

news show, with episodes

every two weeks, featuring

news about the school and

Abu Dhabi .

The community service

(CAS) project, called the

―AISA Roar,‖ keeps students

updated on local and global

news, builds school spirit,

creates a legacy, and pro-

vides a new form of commu-

nication in the school, stu-

dents wrote in the project

proposal.

Every Monday and Tues-

day, the directors, anchors,

reporters and editors meet in

Room 312 to discuss the

upcoming events, schedules and

due dates of each segment for

the news show. Directors

Kathrin Harb, Ankita Prajapat

and Leila Seffar finalize assign-

ments, while editors Farouk

Abdul Karim and Stefan Kris-

mann decide where to film seg-

ments. Mrs. Jones serves as club

advisor.

The first episode, broadcast on

November 23, gave a recap of

the Swim Team's inaugural sea-

son, a preview of basketball and

soccer tryouts, pictures from the

volleyball season, school news

on kayaking, Halloween and

Breast Cancer awareness, re-

capped the Abu Dhabi Film

Festival and previewed the

AISA vs ACS staff basketball

game.

―I know how hard the students

on the broadcasting committee

are working,‖ said Xenia Wil-

liams, who designed the lion

logo. ―I hope the rest of AISA

appreciates what the committee

is doing and hopefully it will

facilitate the communication

through our school.‖

Senior Menat El Abd enjoyed

the first episode: ―This project

is a good addition to the school

and I’m looking forward to

watching their future broadcasts

as the first one went better than

expected.‖

During the process, students

encountered challenges with

timing, equipment and editing,

but are better prepared for their

next segments on the 30-Hour

Famine and National Day.

―We thought it went well for a

first one as we worked hard on

it,‖ said Seffar. ―Hopefully our

next one is much better!‖

By Mariam Al-Hammadi

(Grade 12)

Eco Club continues its second

year by hoping to enforce the

bottled water ban in the canteen,

making a more sustainable

school.

Eco Club which was founded

last year as part of the Sustaina-

ble Schools initiative organized

by Environment Agency of Abu

Dhabi.

The Eco Club team worked

with the Admin and canteen con-

tractor to stop selling bottled

water in exchange for higher

meal prices.

This year, meal prices in-

creased by AED 2, but the can-

teen continues to sell bottled

water! ― AISA uses a large num-

ber of plastic water bottles. Ban-

ning the plastic bottles will make

a big difference,‖ said member

Salma Youssef (Grade 10).

Eco Club is pressing the Ad-

ministration to end the selling of

bottled water.

―We are still working on it,‖

said Dr. Jones, school director.

―I hope to hear an answer when

we return from the break so peo-

ple can know about the change.‖

Banning bottled water in the

canteen is just one of the club's

many activities. Last year, Eco

Club advisor Ms Livingston

worked with Environmental Sci-

ence teacher Ms. Fairbarn to

start waste audits, recycling

bins, can drives and a trash clean

-up.

The club also reached students

with a logo context, t-shirts and

reusable water bottles. Ms. Liv-

ingston said, ―I have full faith

that the Eco Club will grow.‖

This year’s advisor Ms.

Mongrain leads the 16 members

in weekly discussions on envi-

ronmental issues and making the

school more sustainable.

Besides the bottled water ban,

the club has installed three hand-

made bird feeders on campus.

Also, four members attended a

training on the Annual Environ-

mental Competition organized

by Environment Agency of Abu

Dhabi.

After attending the training,

members joined Environmental

Science students to explain to

them what they learned in the

training.

The club also installed paper

conservation stickers in the bath-

rooms, and is waiting for the

results of a recent land audit,

which is a calculation of the

school’s green area and different

species of living things within

our school.

―It is great to learn about the

environment and show care to-

wards it,‖ said club member Da-

na Aghabi (Grade 10).

By Mahynoor Mohamed

(Grade 12)

Grade nine students and staff

enjoyed a trip to Dubai where

they saw the Burj Khalifa and

the Dubai Mall's Aquarium and

Underwater Zoo in late Octo-

ber.

On the trip, the more than 100

students had a private tour of

the world's tallest skyscraper,

and a behind-the-scenes tour of

the aquarium.

The administration, including

Mrs. Jones, the girls’ assistant

principal, and Mr. Morley, the

boys’ assistant principal, orga-

nized the trip. ―The

purpose was to have

some fun,‖ said Mr.

Morley.

―It was an opportunity

for the year group to

spend some fun time

together.‖

Two trips were held:

one for the girls on Oc-

tober 25, and one for

the boys on October 30.

Mrs. Jones and Mr.

Morley were joined by

secondary school prin-

cipal Mr. Godley, Hu-

manities teacher Mr.

Hansard and guidance

counselor Mr.

Chalmers.

Students had a lot of

fun during the trip.

"We had so much fun

at the new Kardashian

Millions of Milkshakes

café," in the Dubai

Mall, said Farah

Hashim. ―The trip

brought us closer together.‖

Another student, Taimaa

Shoukih said, "It was a really

nice experience to see Burj

Khalifa especially because some

of our favorite teachers went

with us."

She continued: "It was a great

trip! I think the school should

take the rest of middle school

and high school there as a trip."

Mr. Morley also enjoyed the

trip. ―The Burj Khalifa is hugely

impressive,‖ he said. ―Dubai

Mall was also a lot of fun.‖

There school is planning a

similar trip for Grade 10students

in mid-December according to

Mr. Morley.

By Mohamed

Al Junaibi and

Omar Al Mar-

zouqi

(Grade 12)

On February

18 1968, the

first step to

establishing

the United

Arab Emirates

was when

H.H Sheikh

Zayed bin

Sultan Al Na-

hyan (God

Bless His Soul)

went to a place

called ―Al Sameeh‖ which was

located between Dubai and

Abu Dhabi.

Over there, he held a meeting

with H.H Sheikh Rashid bin

Saeed Al Maktoum (God Bless

His Soul) where they an-

nounced forming a union be-

tween the two emirates.

They sent an invitation to the

rulers of other emirates in order

to discuss matters concerning

their country and they were

able to resolve their problems

when the British government

announced their withdrawal

from the United Arab Emirates.

On July 18, 1971, the rulers

of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah,

Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and

Fujairah, held a meeting in

Dubai and decided to establish

a federal state named the Unit-

ed Arab Emirates.

On December 2

1971, the

United Arab Emirates was es-

tablished and its constitution

began from that moment.

On December 23, Ras Al

Khaima requested to join the

union and their request was

approved a year later by the

Supreme Councils and the fed-

eration of the UAE was com-

plete.

This newly, established coun-

try started pursuing their goal

in developing all the areas. By

pursuing their goal they were

able to establish a brotherly

relationship with other Arab

and Islamic countries and a

strong friendship with other

countries in the world.

Eco Club members at an after-school meeting, (from left to right) Mahynoor Mohamed, Bayan Kiwan, Khaled Al Ham-

madi, Saif Al Mazrouei, Meenshwer Madhu, Carme Rohani, Dana Aghabi and Ms. Mongrain, installed bird feeders /

Photos courtesy Mariam Al-Hammadi.

Eco Club Calls on Admin to Enforce

Canteen Bottled Water Ban

After Raising Lunch Prices by AED 2, Canteen Contractor Pockets

Extra Cash While Still Selling Banned Bottled Water

Gr 9 Students Enjoy Dubai Trip

IB-1 Broadcast News Show Starts with a „Roar‟

Union of the United Arab Emirates

Grade 9 boys pose by the Burj Khalifa. /

Photo courtesy Mr. Godley.

Ms. Smith and Ms. Ramirez with their Art students‟ version

of the UAE logo.

The nearly 20-member staff of the AISA Roar, the school‟s new

broadcast news show that‟s also an IB-1 CAS project. / Photo

courtesy Stefan Krissman.

The Scene

4 Dec. 2011

By Steffanie Sanders (Grade 12)

The Scene Co-Editor

Manga Club is back for a se-

cond year, and has exciting new

projects to promote and draw

Japanese comics and cartoons.

After being founded last year

by graduates then-seniors Hend

Al Sanadi and Grainne

McClean, this year, Manga Club

(officially MAJIC) is now being

run by returning member Nahil

Memon (Grade 12). Already the

club’s handful of students are

planning events like anime mov-

ie night, karaoke night, the

AISA Bazaar, and a card busi-

ness.

―We’re coming up with a lot

of new projects and ideas for

this year so we can hopefully get

everyone involved,‖

said Memon.

Earlier this year, club

members produced an

ad with an anime girl

poster wearing a ―Bali-

rina‖ tutu to raise

awareness about the

club.

Currently the club is

working on manga-

inspired coloring books

for the elementary

school students.

But it does not stop

there—the group has is

also planning projects

like the a

―cosplay‖ (costume

play) event, where stu-

dents would come to school

dressed as their favorite charac-

ter from a manga comic, video

game , or TV show.

―I’m excited to see the effects

of the changes that the club is

making this year,‖ said senior

Reem Lari. ―I can’t wait to dress

up!‖

Last year, the club took manga

drawing lessons in Dubai, and is

planning another field trip this

year. Since the club is mainly

run by seniors, they are hoping

for more freshman, sophomores,

and juniors to continue join the

club and run it in future years.

Anyone is welcome to join,

and they are always looking for

new, talented members!

By Greg Brown (Grade 12)

The Scene Co-Editor

During the F1 races on Yas

Island in early Novem-

ber, students enjoyed concerts

from pop star Britney Spears,

rock bands Incubus and The Cult

and former Beatles icon Sir Paul

McCartney.

The line up kicked off with a

disappointing show from Britney

Spears, who played a songs from

her ―Femme Fatal‖ tour such as

―One more time,‖ ―Toxic,‖ ―Hold

It Against Me‖ and ―Womanizer.‖

―Even when my moralistic mu-

sician ethos was trying to con-

vince me not to enjoy the song

because it's a pre-recorded track,

you can't help yourself,‖ said

Kelly Crane, a reporter for ―Gulf

News.‖

The following night, The Cult

electrified the crowd with Iron

Maiden-like riffs and Black Sab-

bath-sounding vocals playing hits

including‖Wild Flower‖, ―Sun

King‖ and ―Spiritwalker.‖,

―'Sanctuary,' the band's closer,

also seemed to raise spirits, but by

then — as the vocalist himself

noted — The Cult were ready to

hand over to Incubus,‖ said Or-

lando Crowcroft, editor for Gulf

News.

Incubus then took the stage but

the crowd didn't come alive, even

with them opening with hits

―Nice To Know You‖ and

―Pardon Me.‖

―The crowd felt almost entirely

static for Incubus, and the distinct

lack of screaming teenage girls —

- a staple of the Incubus shows of

old — didn't do much to lighten

the atmosphere,‖ said Orlando

Crowcroft, an editor at Gulf

News.

F1 ended

with McCart-

ney, who played for two-and-a-

half hours and practically had to

be dragged off the stage. The

crowd was an interesting mix of

clear Beatle fans and others who

merely had a ticket.

Nevertheless, he had all of them

jiving to a mix of Beatles num-

bers and some of Sir Paul

McCartney own originals. He

played Beatles hits such as ―Baby

You Can Drive My Car,‖ ―Back

in the USSR‖ and ―Blackbird.‖

McCartney finished with ―Give

Peace a Chance,‖ written by for-

mer bandmate John Lennon, and

crowd were like hippies scene

from the 1970’s. He ended with

fireworks then returned for the

stunning ―Let it Be‖ then ―Hey

Jude.‖

By Teguh Zulian (Grade 12)

More than 100 people enjoyed the

second annual high school play, a

spoof of Cinderella, in late Novem-

ber.

The cast of mostly seniors per-

formed and worked on the stage and

set crews for ―Cinderella and the

Substitute Fairy Godmother,‖ a

comedic twist on the Cinderella

fairy tale featuring characters from

different fairy tales.

The play, directed by high school

Drama teacher Mr. Gallichan, was

held on November 23 at the Jordani-

an Association.

Students, staff and returning

school graduates enjoyed the two

shows. ―It had many hilarious mo-

ments, which I loved.‖Senior

Kebure Assefa. ―Many of the stu-

dents in it shined through, and I’m

glad to have seen it, another great

work by Mr. Gallichan.‖

Senior Tanya Tarazi, who played

Cinderella, was nervous about act-

ing in front of the packed crowd.

But once she got up on stage, she

and the rest of the actors got into

character and rode the crowds cheer-

ing and laughs.

―I love acting as the star which

gave me a better experience,‖ she

said. ―It was a better production as

we had better props and costumes, it

was more organized with staffs.‖

Additional characters, seniors

unless otherwise noted, included

original fairy godmother Esperanto

(junior Kathrin Harb), substitute

fairy godmother Lucretia (junior

Sallie Hildebrand) and her Boss

(Steffanie Sanders) and secretary

Hortense (junior Emilia Repo); royal

family Prince Charmfull (Quosain

Memon), King Vladimir (Shamil

Saeed), Queen Shania (junior Diala

Ghneim); evil step-family Alberta

(Farida Nassar), Fabio (Aisha

AlHajeri) and Fabreeze (Lamees Al

Makkawy); Big Bad Wolf Merwin

(junior Laith Hamid) and the Three

Little Pigs (Afi Baaqi, Jordan Mur-

ray and Aria Pavlic); Prince's almost

-co-queen Noxima (Menat El Abd),

Pinocchio (Saif Al Mazrouei), Rum-

pelstiltskin (Khalid Al Mubarak)

and the Messenger (Kairine Maha-

rajh).

Behind the scenes, the stage crew

(led by seniors Will Smith, Omar

Khalil myself, Ms. Hornby and Mr.

Baron) helped make the play suc-

cessful. Changing the scenes

(designed by Ms. Ramirez's Art

students), working the sound effects

(under Ms. Van Rensburg), lights

(sophomore Stefan Krissman and

senior Akshaay Hendricks), make

up (Ms. Hernandez and Sarah

Sheikh Ali) and props (senior

Maitha Al Mansoori).

Senior Steffanie Sanders, who

played the fairy godmother boss,

praised the stage crew's hard work:

―They were really helpful in ensur-

ing that the performance ran

smoothly, the actors and actress

relied on them more than people

would think.‖

Seniors are sure to remember this

play, their last one, and if you're

lucky you'll be able to see them

perform again in the upcoming tal-

ent show in the spring!

(Clockwise, from top left) Tanya Tarazi (center) wonders who will take

care of the llamas, with her evil step-siblings Farida Nassar as Alberta

(left) and Aisha AlHajeri as Fabia.… Cast takes a bow. … Sallie Hilde-

brand as the Substitute Fairy Godmother arriving at the Fairy God-

mother HQ, with Steffanie Sanders as Boss and Emilia Repo as the

secretary Hortense. … Quosain Memon as Prince Charmfull imaginging

being a llama farmer, with Diala Gheneim as Queen Shania and Shamil

Saeed as King Vladimir. … Kairine Maharajh as the Messenger, read-

ing a decree to the evil step-family. / Photos courtesy Mrs. Hornby and

Mr. Baron.

„It‟s Shazam!‟: Fairytale Dreams Do Come True at HS Play, Spoof of Cinderella

Thousands Rock Out to F1 Yas Island Concerts

Manga Club Returns

with Exciting New Events

Manga Club‟s ad on the stairwell, with a cartoon

character wearing a „Bali-rina‟ tutu.

(Clockwise from top left) Pop icon Britney Spears, Incubus

rocking out and Sir Paul McCartney ending the F1 Concerts. /

Photos courtesy Gulf News and The National.

Cosmopolitan

Dec. 2011

By Alia Youssef (Grade 11)

Cosmopolitan Co-Editor

December finds seniors fin-

ishing up the university applica-

tions process -- writing essays,

taking the last SATs and send-

ing letters of recommendation.

To help students decide where

to study, five universities visited

the school in November : Uni-

versity of British Columbia,

University of Toronto, Ameri-

can University of Washington,

Notre Dame University in Leba-

non and Ritsumeikan Asia Pa-

cific University in Japan.

Canadian senior Ameilia Fox

is one of them, returning home

and applying to the University

of British Columbia for kinesi-

ology (a precursor to sports

medicine/physical therapy).

―My family will be settling

there next year so I will have a

support system,‖ she said. ―I

also have friends there, and also

the area is small and friendly.‖

Fox said the application pro-

cess was simple, : ―The mini-

mum requirements depending

what you want to study is an

average of 60%,‖ she said. ―All

I had to do was fill out the ad-

mission and send in my tran-

scripts.‖

But the application process is

not as simple for senior Farida

Nassar, who plans on majoring

in marketing and minoring in

communications.

―It's neither hard or easy, it's

just annoying because you have

to answer so many questions

about yourself and get all the

paperwork and essays put to-

gether,‖ she said.

Meanwhile Emirati senior

Reem Lari has been offered

local scholarships because of

her nationality. But she said she

has not found a suitable one yet,

waiting for one with Interna-

tional Relations.

Mr. Chalmers recommended

that juniors should complete the

Common Application by the

end of this school year, and take

the SAT and write their person-

al statement this summer.

―[S]tart the application pro-

cess early,‖ he said. ―There are

so many seniors still working on

the eighth or ninth draft of their

personal statement and can’t

apply yet because they still have

not finalized it.‖

By Noor Al-Mehairbi (Grade 11)

Dozens of IB and middle

school students had a spooky

evening of fun at the Saracens

Rugby Team of Abu Dhabi’s first

annual Halloween event, held at

the Al Ghazal golf club in late

October.

―The Abu Dhabi Saracens

wanted to introduce the club and

their activities to junior sports

enthusiasts of all ages,‖ said

Mrs. Jackson, the festival’s or-

ganizer and mother of junior

Jamie Jackson. ―[The Saracens]

encourage children and

their parents to join in

building Rugby in the

UAE as well as a spirit of

community as well as

supporting various chari-

ties who approach us for

help.‖

IB and middle school

students such as Kathrin

Harb, Yu Xin and Nahel

Memon helped with deco-

rations and artwork, in-

cluding posters . ―The

support staff of Abu Dha-

bi Saracens was very

grateful for the help that

the students from AISA,‖

said Mrs. Jackson.

IB-1 student Kathrin

Harb was excited about

taking part, as AISA students

supervised exciting activities set

up for the younger kids: fishing

for prizes, throwing balls in a

hoop and throwing cream pies at

witches.

―It was nice seeing

the kids have fun

playing the games

organized in the

event,‖ said Harb. ―It

was a great success

and we all enjoyed

ourselves very much.

I can’t wait to do

something like this

again.‖

The Saracens are

also forming a pep

squad and are looking for girls

and boys with rhythm and a de-

sire to be a cheer leader between

the ages of 12 and 18 to become

young Ambassadors of Saracens.

By Salama Al-Khumaisi

(Grade 11)

Seniors are proud of their se-

cond place ―photo finish‖ after

almost winning the F1 Safety

Campaign video in November .

Seniors Aisha AlHajeri,

Lamees Al Makkawy, Reem La-

ri, Meenshwer Madhu, Farida

Nassar and Steffanie Sand-

ers and created an impressive

short video about how to drive

carefully without speeding or

texting while driving. Students

won tickets to the Britney Spears

F1 concert.

The comedic video compares

―how you think you drive‖ to

―how you actually drive‖ using

the tricycle races at the recent

Formula 1 Night, and includes

interviews with students and staff

about how they become distract-

ed while driving and why they

speed.

As AISA's students exhibited

their inspirational video, they had

on special t-shirts that were cus-

tom made to read "Be the

BXST." The "B" represents the

belt, and the "X" crosses out the

"S and T" which are speeding

and texting. This design was cre-

ated by the group's fashion de-

signer, Meenshwer Madhu.

Other schools and universities

who competed were New York

University, Zayed University, the

Emirates Higher Institute of

Technology, Cambridge High

School and Abu Dhabi Interna-

tional School.

When asked how winning se-

cond place felt, Lari said excited-

ly: "The food was amazing. A lot

of people were watching, and the

environment was lively. Compe-

tition was hard. Unforgettable

experience."

December Deadlines for

Universities Loom for Seniors

School Wins 2nd in Citywide F1 Traffic Safety Contest

The senior group of Aisha AlHajeri,

Farida Nassar, Reem Lari, Steffanie

Sanders and Lamees Al Makkawy won

second place for their video “Be the

BXST.” Take a picture of the QR code

to view the YouTube video.

Students Design Halloween Decorations at Rugby Event

Emirati senior Reem Lari discusses her variety of university options with counse-

lor Mr. Chalmers. / Photo courtesy Alia Youssef.

Junior Kathrin Harb (above, with a friend)

helped make a variety of decorations.

Spanish Countries, A Land of

Fiestas: All the Spanish-speaking

countries celebrate their rich history,

culture and cuisine.

IB students improved their vocabu-

lary by celebrating the Day of the

Dead from Mexico, and attended an

exhibit of culture, arts, tourism and

natural dress. At the latter, students

joined traditional dances and admired

the cultural displays.

Mexico is a country which is still

rooted in its traditions. People of this

amazing country have full faith in

family values and hold on to their

beliefs and traditions which were

created centuries ago.

Creative forms of expression such

as dance and music are a way of life

for Mexicans

If you look at the Mexican history,

you will find that for the people of

Mexico, dances are performed not

just for pleasure but to express one's

feelings, thoughts and passions.

–Ms. Montenegro-Laughran,

Spanish Teacher

Mexicans Honor Ancestors: The

Day of the Dead consists of families

celebrating the life of those have

passed away. They do this by making

an Altar, a decorative stand in

memory of those passed away. On

this stand there will be things that the

dead person may have liked.

-Samantha Kettle (Grade 12)

Mexican Music: What I enjoy

about Mexican music is that it’s full

of life. It’s also loud, energetic and

cheerful. You could also dance to it.

–Farida Nassar (Grade 12)

Mexican Food: The food was

amazing. Reading about food is

much different than actually eating it.

It helps with learning about cultures

that we don’t see every day.

–Delia Smith (Grade 12)

Remembrances: Skulls, or

―calaveras, catrinas‖ in Spanish, are

an essential object of Day of the

Dead. It shows the remembrance of

the passed-away beloved ones. It

shows how other people remember

their relatives and friends.

–Amira Anthonijsz (Grade 12)

Spanish and Music: Each country

has unique, traditional songs that

define their own heritage. The beauty

of the Spanish language intertwined

with such magnificent cultures gives

the music its own ―soul.‖

–Joumana Asfour (Grade 12)

On December 11, students enjoyed

a Mexican ballet from Dr. Ymelda

Widen, featuring traditional mariachi

singing and a dance from Veracruz.

In the spring, be sure to attend our

Latin Night: Mi Fiesta de Quin-

ceanos,‖ a traditional way to cele-

brate a girl’s 15

birthday!

Learning Spanish & Latin Celebrations

We Are the Lions!

Dec. 2011 6

By Zayed Al-Nahyan

(Grade 12)

We Are the Lions! Co-Editor

More than 100 students and staff

revved up the fun at the second an-

nual Formula 1 Night in early No-

vember, to celebrate the F1 Abu

Dhabi Grand Prix the weekend be-

fore.

―They staged a better organizing

committee arranged the program

better than last year,‖ said Ahmed

AL Rumaithy.

F1 Night, organized by Student

Council, was held on Wednesday,

November 2 from 6 pm until 9 pm.

But by 7 pm, the school grounds

was full and the activities were go-

ing on in full swing. To energize the

spectators a student-DJ was per-

forming with full spirit.

Khaled Al Hashmi enjoyed the

event. ―It was a good experience for

young students and raising aware-

ness of school spirit,’’ he said.

There were various games to en-

tertain students, such as egg-on-

spoon, potato sack, tricycle and

three-legged races, plus a watermel-

on eating contest.

Apart from the entertainment ,

students gained knowledge about F1

racing and related activities, while

enjoying food stalls serving juicy

barbeques and beverages.

Students watched ―Fast Five‖ aka

―Fast and the Furious Five.‖

Mr. Morley said his favorite activ-

ity was the tricycle races.

―I liked watching seniors and jun-

iors play, and I realized how old I've

gotten,‖ he said. ―I also liked Mr.

Godley’s hot dogs.‖

―AISA has a lot of school spirit

from the activities that happens at

AISA; said senior Ahmed Khalid.

―It was a [once-in-a] lifetime experi-

ence.‖

By Muhammad El-Amin

(Grade 12)

The boys varsity and JV basket-

ball teams have had rough starts, but

are hoping for strong finishes.

The varsity team has put them-

selves in a 1-3 hole in the ECC con-

ference, including a tough two-point

loss to the American Community

School (ACS) in December.

In the first two games, the boys

were ahead by the end of the third

quarter, but lost focus in the fourth

quarter, according to Coach Mr.

Pike. (Mr. Ingram is the other

coach.)

―We need to learn how to elimi-

nate mental mistakes, secure re-

bounds, and have more of a desire

to win in the fourth quarter,‖ said

Mr. Pike.

However, Mr. Pike is optimistic

that the team will fix their minor

mistakes ―Once we play through all

four quarters we will be in very

good shape,‖ he said.

Senior Mike Al-Zoebie agreed

with Mr. Pike. ―All great teams

have their downs and ups,‖ he said.

―As individuals we all have things

to improve on, but as a team we've

been losing because of a lack of

confidence and trust. As a team

we've got promise, and with the

help of our coaches and captains I

believe we can achieve something

special with our season starting with

an ECC victory.‖

Meanwhile, the JV team was de-

layed in playing games because half

of the team was sick. They lost their

first game on Nov. 27 against Gems

World Academy in Dubai, and their

record is 1-2.

Still, returning center Tarek Tarazi

(Grade 10) is optimistic for the sea-

son. ―As a team we’re coming to-

gether pretty well,‖ he said. ―We are

staring to understand the importance

of a team and what we need to do in

order to win.‖

Coach Mr. Armstrong is also ex-

cited ready to have fun. ―The team

is getting better with each game,‖ he

said. ―The boys are starting to work

well with each other. When they do

the little things right in basketball,

good things happen.‖

Both teams are looking forward to

strong finishes at the ISAC tourna-

ments in Kuwait, the varsity one in

late February-early March, and the

JV one in mid-March.

By Marcela Cuadra (Grade 12)

The girls’ varsity soccer team

hopes to win an international com-

petition after winning two straight

ISAC titles, while the JV team ex-

pects to return to the ISAC finals

after last year's second place finish.

The varsity team has strong 2-0-1

record, winning the two last games,

scoring 5-0 against the Universal

American School in Dubai (UAS)

and 7-0 against a tough NYU-Abu

Dhabi university squad, , while they

also tied the British School (BSAK)

2-2.

―The girls play amazing individu-

ally, that’s why as a team we have

much more to show. I coached na-

tional teams before and I am proud

of my team,‖ said coach Mr.

Chalmers. ―This is definitely going

to be a good season.‖ (Ms. Levi is

the other coach.)

Player are confident and content

with the team that has been created;

all of them have bonded a friendship

that makes every challenging game

easier to defeat.

―I am extremely happy to be in the

team once again,‖ said captain Dan-

ielle Cobrand (Grade 12). ―We are

full of energy and enthusiasm espe-

cially because we’ve won both last

games.‖

The coach’s

30 years of

experience in

coaching

soccer has

helped im-

prove players'

skills.

―Practices at

first where so

hard in terms

of the running, but I am so happy I

am able to play in such a successful

and fun team,‖ said senior Jordan

Murray.―The running at the end of

the day was worth it. I’m glad I can

be part of the soccer team on my

senior year.‖

The JV team also has an impres-

sive 3-1 record, with an incredible

11-0 blanking of UAS and a re-

sounding 5-1 victory over Gems

World Academy, along with a close

1-0 loss to the Dubai International

Academy.

―We definitely have a great squad

and can return to the ISAC finals,‖

said coach Mr. Stoutt. ―Individually

we have great talent, and we're

bringing together the team as a

unit.‖

Freshmen Kayoon Kim (center

half) and co-captains Heidi Pavlic

(goalkeeper) and Farida Rady

(center midfielder) have been lead-

ing the team, according to the coach.

―We need to work together as a

team better and improve our de-

fense,‖ said Mr. Stoutt. ―This week's

game against the rival American

Community School (ACS) is going

to test the team‖

The school is hosting the JV tour-

nament in late January, while the

varsity team is potentially heading to

Malaysia in March, though details

are still being worked out.

―This season is exciting and full of

good hopes, we are all looking for-

ward to travel to Malaysia to bring

home [a] trophy,‖ said senior Clau-

dia Oswald. ―I personally cannot

wait!‖

By Khalid Al-

Mansoori

(Grade 12)

The boys’ varsity

and JV soccer

teams have high

expectations this

year after they both

won the ISAC tour-

nament last year.

Varsity coach Mr. Mangan said he

expects the team do better at the

ECC tournament this year and win

as much as they can.

Players are expecting a top three

finish at their potential tournament

in Malaysia (in place of ISAC), and

said they are not worried about the

ECC competition.

Since the team has only four re-

turning players from last year's team,

Mr. Mangan focuses mainly on the

tactics and positioning during prac-

tices.

―I'm raising their fighting spirit,‖

said Mr. Mangan. ―I want to im-

prove their sense of teamwork and

their individual role in the pitch.‖

After losing their first game to the

Universal American School in Dubai

(UAS) 5-3, they worked harder and

won the next two games: a close 2-1

match against Abu Dhabi Interna-

tional School (AIS) and crushing

Dubai International Academy (DIA)

4-0 .

Right midfielder Fares Salamah

(Grade 12) said the team is working

well together. ―We are learning how

to play better as a team every day,‖

he said .

For the JV team, last year was the

first time that they had ever won the

ISAC tournament. Now they are

working hard to come in first place

this year in ECC and repeat at ISAC.

Coach Mr. Rasmussen said he

hopes to win as many games as pos-

sible, and to improve his players’

skills on the field. Intense practices

feature drills to improve communi-

cation between the players.

―The players do a great job moti-

vating themselves, they are competi-

tors and they want to win,‖ said Mr.

Rasmussen. ―My job is to give them

the tools to win.‖

Despite a 2-3 record, defender

Omar Loutfi (Grade 10) said the

team is doing well.

―My teammates are working to-

gether and helping each other im-

prove in various ways like commu-

nication and passing,‖ he said.

―When I’m with this team I feel

confident and comfortable and

wouldn’t worry about upcoming

games.‖

By Sakhr Abdullah (Grade 12)

More than 50 IB students and staff enjoyed

a the second annual fieldtrip of kayaking in

Abu Dhabi’s marvelous mangroves in Octo-

ber.

The trips, on October 19 and 20, were about

two hours long and senior Samuel Jovanovic

said that everyone who went seemed to enjoy

it. A tour guide from travel company

Noukhada told them about the mangroves and

the lives of the animals that live in that area.

IB Coordinator Mr. Ugalde, who chaper-

oned the trip along with Humanities teachers

Ms. Fleming, Mr. Baron and Mr. McKenzie,

enjoyed visiting the mangroves and meeting

the IB students.

―It was a very delightful experience visiting

the mangroves and I got to see a really beauti-

ful view about the city,‖ he said. ―It was a

group bounding experience.‖

Mr. Ugalde, who often kayaked in his home

country of Mexico, said it is easier kayaking

here.―In Mexico the river was fast so it was a

bit challenging to kayak,‖ he said. ―But in

Abu Dhabi its very calm and the whether is

very different, it’s hot and less windy.‖

Jovanovic enjoyed his second time

kayaking in the mangroves, after he had gone

on last year's IB trip. ―It was a smaller group

this year’s which we had more time to look

around and it was less of a rush then last

year’s,‖ he said.

―I found the mangroves a very interesting

place and it is a really good experience, so I

advice others to go to the mangroves.‖

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IB Students Learn About Nature While Kayaking in Abu Dhabi‟s Mangroves on 2nd Annual Trip

Seniors pose under the balloon awning, boys raced tricycles in a heated match, students paired up for the three-legged race.

(Left to Right) IB-2 students went on two separate tr ips, in their return to the mangroves, while the IB-1 students experienced them for the first time.